Wordless Wednesday: We want to go back to Grannie's!

Christmas Eve 2012 Part 1

This year for Christmas, my family continued a new sort of "tradition" that worked well for us last year- we got together for lunch and all-day fun on Christmas Eve during the day. Jason and Alisa were kind enough to host us despite Alisa being the expectant mommy this year! Also according to Dean tradition, we took turns opening our presents & Aunt Alisa added the great idea of going from youngest to oldest... which meant Baby Girl on the way was the first to open her little pink outfit:

For the big girls, there was lots of dress up and princess paraphernalia to be enjoyed, and much more manly stuff like cars for the boys. I did a completely terrible job of taking any pictures, these are all from Matt's cellphone!

Even though Matt was the last to open presents (as the eldest among us by just two months!) I did save on special present until the end... we gave Jason and Alisa a copy of the shutterfly book we made about Mom. Truth be told, I made it last year for Nana Day, but somehow never got the chance to give it to them. It is written like a storybook to give the kids an overview of her life and who she was.

With three kiddos who nap in the afternoons (and parents who could probably all use one too after chasing them all morning) we didn't quite make time for our cookie decorating tradition... next year!

Flashback!

I have lots of blog catching up to do- Thanksgiving, our family trip to Florida, Finn's monthly updates, a cute video of bathtime, and a couple of early December Christmas traditions we've done so far. We're moving slow after recovering from all four of us having a cold (mostly just a bad cough and no energy) but today Finn did this:
and it made me so happy remembering this:
(Finn at 9 months, Kenna at 14 months)

I love these little kiddo idiosyncrasies that make life fun! Some are so very different and some are exactly the same. I'm especially grateful for happy, healthy babes. Love them so much!

7 and 8 Months.

Oh, Finn you poor sad second-born. Mommy really is trying to document your childhood as well as she did your big sister's! I promise. My only attempt at an excuse is that you turned 7, 8, and 9 months old on the first of each of the busy "holiday" months... October, November, and December.

You are still the stinkin' happiest baby we've ever seen. About 98% of the time you are just giggly, sweet, snuggly, smiley, and sweet spirited. Good natured and quick to chuckle that awesome laugh. You have to get noticeably hungry or cranky to break stride from being so laidback.

In the past few weeks you've started pulling up to standing, which usually means you get stuck standing up in your crib and have to be rescued. Even though it's a bit frustrating (I can't lay you in your crib until you're completely asleep or else you get stuck and angry and won't go back to sleep without being picked up) it is pretty darn cute and there's nothing better than the way I feel when I get to comfort you. I've tried to show you how to let go and plop back down, but it's new and you get this terrified look on your face, so I'm trying to be patient.

Some 7 month photos of you:

You are the lightest sleeper! I haven't quite gotten used to it. With Kenna I could sneak back in the room and grab something if I needed to, but with you I have to be careful even cracking the door slightly open to check on you. You conk out like a light for your morning nap, but fight your afternoon nap with the double dose of stubbornness we've passed down to you. The one sure bet to get you to sleep is to put you in the car seat and go somewhere... as long as the car is moving, you sleep!

You are SO on the move. Bouncing in the exersaucer. Climbing us like a tree when we hold you. Crawling everywhere and investigating everything (you're getting fast, too!). Knocking over buckets of toys, stomping and taking little steps when we hold your hands. You are impossible to keep still while changing your diaper, and you even roll over when you're nursing. You have the most vicious little pincer grip ever, and I'd be impressed except that it hurts so bad when you pinch!

Some 8 month photos:

You have the most fantastic little belly chuckle laugh. I need to make sure I get a video of it. You already love to rough around a little and are so ticklish! You love to make noises... you have a hilarious little growl when you're trying to get our attention, a pterodactyl-like shriek when you're bored, and love to babble with your hand on your mouth. One of your favorite games is talking loudly while I jiggle your jaw. You have the most delicious baby double chin that makes it extra cute and funny.

I think I was in denial of how fast you are growing up until you ate more turkey than I did at Thanksgiving dinner- real, grown-up non-baby pieces of turkey. I feel like you practically turned into a toddler with one meal. And you haven't looked back since... ham, black beans, and graham crackers are some current favorites.

You absolutely love playing with your sister, and it never takes much for her to get you giggling. She loves to say repetitive things to you, bounce something near you (like a balloon), and splash you in the bath, all of which you think is just hilarious. Speaking of splashing, you're big enough to sit up in the "big bath" with her now and you think you are big stuff.

I can't believe what a big grown up little one you are already!

Kenna turns 3! part 2

After a fantastic birthday party in Raleigh, Kenna got the special honor of flying on an airplane ON her actual birthday- to Florida for our Thanksgiving trip to Grannie and Pop Pop's house! Once we arrived, we discovered that Jana and Grannie had organized a surprise princess party for Kenna complete with a strawberry cake, princess dress up clothes, and a cupcake pinata! Thanks Jana and Grannie!

 Kenna's special strawberry princess cake! 

 Kenna opening a special present all the way from Nairobi from Jana!

 Finn decided that the party was for the birds and headed up into the nearest tree...with a little help!

 Dad had a bit of technical difficulties with getting the candles to light- must be all that breeze off the Gulf! 

 Finn decided that a princess party could be tolerable if he got to be a prince- Kenna kept calling it the "king hat."

 Everybody got in on the cupcake pinata action and that thing was tough to crack. Each kiddo took turns, but it was truly not trying to budge! After 20 minutes of whacking and chopping, we ended up having to grab a corner and *get it started* for the kids in a pretty large way and Evan took it out. The big giant cupcake itself, even once emptied, proved fun for the girls to play with for days afterward!

It was a special time down at Grannie's celebrating our little blessing from God who happens to be getting very big! Happy Birthday Kenna! 

Kenna turns 3! part 1

For our special girl's birthday we decided to combine Kenna's love for parks and our love for not being cramped and head to a new park that we had recently discovered with our Sunday School class. Kenna asked for a polka dot party and Linds made it happen! Honeycutt Park had everything we were looking for in a park: slides and swings for all ages, tons of room to run around, picnic tables, convenient bathrooms, and a shelter to let Finn sleep in the shade. As it turns out, the morning of the party was a bit chilly, but Kenna didn't mind at all. Due to a tight budget, we weren't able to reserve the shelter at the park for the day, but in God's sweet providence the shelter had not been reserved and the park remained mostly empty all morning. It was all ours for the majority of the time and the kids had   a blast. Linds went all out and made a huge amount of cupcakes for Kenna to share with her friends, as well as skewers of grapes, gumballs, fruit, berry Kix, juice boxes, and cheese and crackers. For the grown ups, Lindsey was kind enough to think of coffee and donut holes. 

   

 Kenna grabbed her Momma's scarf to wear while she played hard!

The kids were amazed and excited at the great food Linds made. I love their faces when looking at it all! 

The swingset was great there and Kenna had fun swinging and playing with her friends and family all morning.

 Kenna and her Granddaddy and Nana

 Sweet friends and family celebrating our baby girl! 

 Even Finn ate crackers i honor of his sister! Happy Birthday big girl!

Happy birthday to our sweet blessing! Kenna is a precocious gift from God. She loves to sing and her sweet spirit comes out in a myriad of ways each day. She sings songs to the Lord and we are thankful for all the joy that she brings to our lives each day. Happy birthday Kenna McKay! We love you!