Thankful

This Thanksgiving was one of my most favorite of all time.

Just the six of us,

so peaceful, so happy, so relaxing, so wonderful!

Besides the fact that my hubby was home all day for the first time in a long time, and besides the crazy delicious dinner, the sweetest highlight was Bayli's unexpected participation in a family tradition.

Everyone gets three kernels of corn, which symbolize three things we are thankful for. Bayli got three too, even though I knew she was too young to really participate. But after listening to everyone else's "thankfuls", she picked up her kernels and said

"Dinner, Friends, Grandma" :)

It was precious.

I feel so blessed and am so thankful

• for a wonderful husband who is also my friend, makes me laugh, is a great Daddy and works so hard to support all of us
• for four beautiful daughters
• for a wonderful mom & dad that finally live closeby
• for 2 brothers & 2 sisters
• for my life, my health, my opportunities

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Santa Baby

We put up the tree tonight. Bay was amazed.

And I just have to say that I think my new 2-year-old is really the cutest thing I've ever seen...

Look Who's Two!!

I really can't believe my baby girl turned 2 today!!

It's gone by so fast, but then again,

it seems like she's been here forever.

She's brought so much happiness & fun to our family,

our Thanksgiving Baby.

We had her big party before my parents left,

so today was just a fun, relaxing family day...

I read her a story...

(and she sat through the whole thing - that's a first!)

she had her favorite breakfast of cereal

(in a bowl, with milk & a spoon as she always reminds me)

she had a bath...

posed with Doopy for a picture (for Uncle Jeff)


I love her baby curls after her bath...

She discovered her presents...

but was not happy to have to wait to open them

until Daddy got home...

We had a birthday dinner at Red Robin

& I shared my chocolate milkshake...

Mmmm!

she got her own mac & cheese which she ate so good all by herself...

and a little ice cream sundae...

She opened all her presents by herself, also a first this year...

I had to make a pumpkin pie for my Thanksgiving baby... (& she blew out the candles all by herself, another first!!)

looking cute in her new "nammies"

Crashed out after a fun, fun birthday...

I love you so much my sweet, sweet birthday girl!

Things I want to remember about Bayli at 2 years old:

26 lbs. 12 oz. (50th percentile)

33 1/2 inches (50th percentile)

• She loves hot chocolate!!
• She's starting to sing little songs (so cute!)
  She still loves to nurse & nurses to sleep.
• her sweet wet baby kisses
• She pushes a chair all over the house so she can climb on everything.
• Her funny, funny words (mimi=finger, minon=princess, there's a lot!)
• She loves to dance.
• the way she pats my back when she gives me a hug
• her sweet, still-chubby little feet
• She loves Barney.
• She really loves her Uncle Jeff.
• the way she tells Cooper "sit" and "stay"
  
  Happy Birthday my Angel!

New Moon!

Yesterday, my sister-in-law Corey & I

took Ryann to see New Moon.

We'd been planning it for months, and even though I didn't even like the first movie,

I love the books,

so I was excited.

But my expectations were low. :)

I was so surprised that I loved it! It was so much better than Twilight.

I had to laugh at the way Jacob was constantly appearing with no shirt, and walking into the room to pose with his killer abs.

The girls in the audience went wild.

It made me laugh.

Corey & I had fun embarassing Ryann by taking her picture...

What a fun Girls' Day Out!!

Party Girl

My almost-2-year-old!

I can't believe my baby's almost 2!

Yesterday we had her little birthday party,

a little early since "Namma" and "Papa" are leaving to spend Thanksgiving in Houston.

She was so excited about her party, and most especially her "friend" that was coming - Uncle Jeff.

She looked so cute in her birthday dress, but wouldn't sit still for a picture, so I had to settle with the few I could take while she drug a chair over to start eating the fruit on the island...

Bayli loves indian food, so we had a crazy delicious dinner from our favorite indian restaurant, Little Nepal.

We also had fruit, yummy punch, birthday cake and mandatory pumpkin pie.

Since Bayli was born on Thanksgiving Day,

and I was literally making pumpkin pies when I went into labor,

we will always have pumpkin pie on her birthday. :)

I made my own crust and it was way yummy.

A year later and I'm still thrilled that my parents can be here for our special days...

So is Bay.

My birthday girl was happy, happy, happy when her aunt & uncle showed up (& even loved lots on Aunt Corey before she spent the rest of the night with Uncle Jeff)

If you ask her how old she is going to be on her birthday, she'll tell you "ummm... two!" and hold up all her fingers. :)

But she needed a little help blowing out the candles...

loving her cake! & showing off her new toddler "smile"

This was the first time she was able to open presents by herself!

She loved it!

then made everyone laugh as she ran to show each one to Uncle Jeff...

So, so blessed to have this sweet little angel in my life.

Pumpkin Tradition

I was so excited for Bayli to wear this cute pumpkin costume this year.

My sweet mother-in-law made it for Ryann in 1997 and all three of her sisters wore it for their 2nd Halloween.

I thought it would be so fun to post pictures of each girl wearing it. :)

Baby Ryann

October 1997

Baby Madi

October 2000

Baby Skylar

October 2003

Thank you Grandma Bess

for making this cute, cute costume that has been such a

fun tradition!

Constitution Day

Yesterday I was so happy to be able to volunteer at Skylar's 2nd grade Constitution Day!

She was the cutest little colonial girl ever!

Skye & sweet Mrs. Witzel

We had a feast of traditional food from colonial times that my girl wouldn't eat because "it tasted weird". :)

I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to stay home with my girls and participate in fun days like this one!