Holiday Run down- part 1

Sorry for the lack of posts, but truthfully, I'm not that sorry. It has been nice taking a real holiday break and enjoying our free time and children. We have been spending our nights relaxing, watching movies we have wanted to see for the past year, and watching the home movies of our kids that we had taken earlier in the day. Its been really lovely. 

So to rewind, we prepped for the holidays with a little bit of cookie making. We made my favorite, gooey butter. Dono and Reese were such good helpers, and best of all, neither one of them really liked the finished product! Donovan took one bite of a cookie and SPIT IT OUT! So, I did what any good mother would do and ate their share.

This is the first year since college that I got to be off work all of the holidays. Let me tell you, a girl could get used to this! Christmas eve we went to Tom's parents for our family Christmas exchange. Poor Donovan started feeling bad that day and came down with the stomach bug. He only had one bout of sickness but really did not take it well. He did manage to have a great time over all though. Reese was very cute and also enjoyed her day. After she got her baby doll present though, we could have stopped all other presents. She didn't really care about anything after that. 

Both kids enjoyed their role in passing out present helpers. 

They both got these awesome glasses you look through and it makes every point of light either a snowman or  a snowflake. They liked it but the big kids (Tom and I) thought it was the coolest thing we had ever seen!

Reese didn't have that baby out of the package for 1 minute before it was in the high chair drinking a bottle.

Uncle Nick and Aunt Anna got matching hats.

I can't say enough about how much I love Reese's cheese face.

"Pime out"

It is never a good sign when your one and a half year old is so familiar with time out (or "pime out" as she calls it) that she walks over and puts herself in the chosen location when you are casually mentioning a story regarding time out to someone else.

This is how cute and pathetic said 19 month old looks in pime out.

Her outfit was her choice. Kitty socks over footie pajamas. My kids are such the fashionistas right now.

But back to time out, I don't think Donovan had been in time out more than 5 times at her age, although time does wonders to a memory. Reese is there almost daily at least once for hitting, biting, spiting, you name it. She is so used to it that she has now started putting her Elmo doll in time out too. She tells me as she is putting him in the hockey net, "Pime out" and then when I ask her why he is in time out she tells me "biting". So apparently Elmo has that problem now too.

I do love when she gets out of time out though. Anyone who goes in time out has to apologize to whoever they offended. Then they have to give that person a hug and kiss (if that person is receptive). Reese bit Donovan on the back the other day and got more of his shirt than anything. So after she got out of time out she had to go apologize. It went like this:

Me: "Reese, what do you need to tell Donovan?"
Reese: "Fawwy"
Me: "Good job Reese"
Reese: "Biting" (apparently the apology wasn't over. Pulls Donovan's shirt out) "Shirt"

It was the most specific sorry she had ever given, all by herself. Usually it's just a "sorry" and then me filling in the rest but that one she did all by herself. But this time she was sorry for biting Donovan's shirt and it was perfectly communicated.

What I came home to tonight

Yeah they are crazy. Also, the only reason Donovan isn't wearing his Spider man costume (which he has been wearing non-stop since Friday night (even sleeping)) was the fact that he wore it over his footie pajamas to his hair cut today and got it covered in spiky hair so it had to be washed. And no, they did not actually swim or go to a pool today.

We are blessed

Not a day goes by that I don't think about how blessed Tom and I are. When sad things happen in the world it just amplifies that feeling. We are so lucky to have our wonderful children. Tonight we hugged them longer, took more pictures and enjoyed the laughter more. Here are some of my favorites from tonight.

Yes, you saw it correctly. Donovan was dressed in his Halloween costume tonight. For some reason, inspiration struck and he wanted to wear his costume. He even talked Reese into putting her's on. "Reese, do you want to wear your owl costume with me?"  He is showing his muscles in both these pictures.

Reese is trying to show her muscles in this one. Looks like we need to practice that one.

My favorite picture. It should be yours now too.

Spiderman was very busy. After sprinting around the house showing us how fast he was, he cooked himself and his sister dinner (chicken nuggies). And no, his eyes were not open in this picture because sometimes you smile so big and your eyes close, duh. 

After dinner was more running, a small collision with some injuries and blood, and then bath time. Donovan has recently become a big fan of laying on his back so his ears are under water, then starting a random conversation with you so he can hear himself and you talk. I love how much he loves it. I also love that Reese tries to do it too now, but I have to make sure to keep an eye on her and catch her head as she would go all the way under water if she slipped.

After bath was some you tube watching, snuggles and bed time. Donovan wanted to wear his Spiderman costume to bed, and had it on over his footie pajammies until he was brushing his teeth and changed his mind. A perfect night with my two babies. It is little nights like these that I am so thankful for. 

My beautiful daughter

It is late and I need to be in bed, however, I know that we have some family members that check this blog regularly and are not going to be happy without a recent post so here it is.

 A picture of my beautiful daughter after swimming over Thanksgiving break. I love those eyes. They are going to be trouble. Maybe not so much for me, but for any future suitors for her. Good luck saying no to those.

We are very busy now. We have lots to do before Christmas (including put up our Christmas tree and get lost of presents bought) and I am working around 50 hours a week and still trying to save sometime for my kids and myself. So forgive me for the lack of posts for now. I promise, mid January when a co-worker returns from maternity leave, it will get better. Until then, posts will be sporadic. But know that we are all well, and I will try to at least do a weekly post.

Oh and also this is Ellen posting from Tom's sign on. Long story, mostly computer related, but it's still me unless it starts with "dad post".