How is she already 2?

Hard to believe it was 2 years ago that Tim and I sat in a waiting room at a Wyoming hospital, eagerly anticipating the arrival of who we hoped and prayed would be our baby girl.  It was the longest day of our lives, but the gift we were given at 11:37pm on January 7, 2011 was beyond our comprehension.  This rolly polly, dark haired, blue eyed little bundle was laid in our arms and nestled her way into our hearts immediately.  God's amazing gift.  Our Squirt.  She's 2 today and is FULL of life, love, spirit, determination, giggles, emotions, strong will, attitude and pizazz.  Sometimes we just have to squeeze her to express how adored she is. 

Our Squirt at 2 years old:
Favorite food:  Cereal.  Frosted Mini Wheats to be exact.  She eats 3 man sized bowls every morning.  And would eat them again for lunch and dinner if we gave her the opportunity.  We had to eliminate Lucky Charms as she would only eat the marshmellows. 
Favorite Word:  "Me."  Followed with, "come" or "seat" or "do" or "cup" or "sleep."  You get the idea.  Really, her favorite word is "poopy," but we try to ignore that obsession.
Favorite person:  Daddy.  Hands down. 
Favorite toy:  Babies.  Any type, any color, any shape.  And her kitchen set.  She creates delicious tea parties for us daily. 
Favorite possession:  Her brown and pink "banky."  Wondering if we should buy a back up in case it gets lost and her world comes crashing down.  Because it might.
Favorite activity:  Attempting to dominate whatever her brother is doing at any given time.
Place you'll often find Squirt:  In time out.  We've chosen the 3rd stair going up to the bedrooms as it's easy for us to quickly scoop her up and watch her like a hawk.
Most endearing qualities - get ready, this will be a while:  He diva dance moves, her ability to hear everything we say and actually listen the first time, her giggle...oh her giggle, her ability to use the big potty at the tender of age of 18 months, her quickness to cover her eyes, apologize (sahyeeee) and smother us with kisses when she knows she's in trouble, her uncanny strength (she can knock her big brother right on his bootie at any time), her fondness for putting her finger and blanket up her nostril when she's getting sleepy, the way she folds her hands and claps at prayer time, her ability to make ANY woman in public stop and tell her how absolutely darling she is, her fountain pony tail perched on top of her blond head, her wind up "nnnnnnnnnnnO!"....I'll stop.  This could go on for longer than you're willing to read.  
Favorite clothing item:  Shoes, shoes, shoes.  She also loves to remove them at the most inopportune times.
Favorite household chore:  Cleaning.  She can't let a crumb go by without picking it up and either handing it to us or putting it in the garbage.  Same with her boogers.  Give the girl a rag and she'll be busy for 30 minutes. 

Happy birthday sweet baby girl.  You are one of a kind and we thank God that you're ours. 

 

 

 

 

Braving the Cold

 

It's been unseasonably cold here lately, thus we've been hibernating.  Enough was enough, so we threw on our warmest attire (more like painstakingly covered every inch of our bodies) and spent an hour frolicking in the great outdoors.  Despite their frozen noses and fingers (who wants to actually keep gloves on), the kids acted like they hadn't been given the luxury of playing outside in decades.  It was much needed fresh air.  Check out the most charming door in the hood above.  It belongs to our Randy and Linsy. 

 

This video is simple observations of my kids playing.  Sometimes the most precious moments are caught when they don't think we're watching.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Love Nombre Troi

 

Snow falling on Christmas Eve was magic.  Pure magic.  We came home around 9:00pm from Bruce and Barb's, sprinkled  reindeer food (granola and glitter) on the freshly covered driveway, set out a plate of cookies and a note for the man in red, read "The Night Before Christmas" and "The Nativity" books and nestled snug in bed.  

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is Christmas morning...Santa wrote a special note for Duder, telling him to say "please and thank you."  We always leave apple juice since Santa gets so much milk and probably gets a tummy ache from drinking so fast. 

 

 

Here are the remainder of Christmas shots.  Dude's big present from Santa and Nana and Papa was his telescope.  We were just glad ONE of the random and intangible items he asked Santa for was an actual object one can purchase.

 

 

Squirt was tickled pink with her hair clips and chap stick. 

 

 

How handsome is this little man?  Those eyes get me every time.

 

These four hooligans spent an afternoon at the cabin.

 

The Sheas came over for hot chocolate and cookies on Christmas Night.  Oh, and of course a trip to the dancing house. 

 

That wraps up Christmas 2012 over here.  Hope you and yours had a wonderful season.  Thank God during times like the ones we're living in that there was a baby born in the dead of night, sent to bring light and hope into a dark world.  Without the beacon of promise, where would we be? 

Chrismas Love, Numero Dos

Looking back on the last week of December makes me a bit weepy and causes some self pity.  I'm just being honest.  We had such a perfect week of holiday cheer and all that warm and fuzzy stuff that comes with it.  Nana and Papa made all of us happy.  They played, played, played with the kids.  Puzzles, games, McDonalds and mini golf dates, book reading, present opening, work sheets, wrestling, iPad playing, elfing yourself, movie watching....the little people didn't know what hit them when N&P's plane hit the sky.  Clearly, Mom and Dad don't quite make the "super fun" cut.  There's just too much laundry and crumb filled floors to be dealt with.   

 

My mom and I fit in a couple "mom daughter" dates, which was glorious.  We did lunches, grocery shopping and non-grocery shopping (the best kind).  I have a passion for day after Christmas shopping.  The deals are bind blowing and bargains make me giggle, inside and out.  Makes for a good "me" day.  Mom and Dad gifted us with a new game, Ticket to Ride, which turned out to be our night time entertainment.  Have you played this engrossing, challenging, yet totally feasible European adventure?  You should.  You'll like. We've already turned many a friend onto it.

 

It was amazing to put agendas aside, log off of Facebook and email, NOT make plans and just "be."  Our last post of Christmas love will come soon.  In the meantime, enjoy.          

 

 

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a birthday party for the little babe, Jesus.  Tony's Meats provided the decadence and we all provided the vocals. 

 

On Christmas Eve, we headed over to Bruce and Barb's for much appreciated Jansen/Syers time.  We ate till out hearts content, sang carols (my favorite time), got a visit from Santa and peered out the windows as the snow started to fall.  Like magic. 

Highlight of the winter...we had our fireplace inspected after 4 years of neighborhood rumors that it was built faulty and would burn our house down.  We were told it was just fine, thus the roaring fire you see.  Makes my heart happy. 

How cute are these two?  She adores her Papa and calls him on her play phone daily.  Granted, that's all she says is "Hi, me phone," but it's the thought that counts. 

My mom is the master of finding the very coolest books.  Educational and engaging.

We went all out for Dude this year and bought him...wait for it....his VERY OWN HAND WEIGHTS.  For his desire for big, huge muscles.  He uses them in his room every day.  Watch out ladies.  By the time he's 55, you might just see that 6 pack forming.

Sweet and sassy Squirt got a sassy robe and a bunch of darling additions to her wardrobe.

Back to Christmas Eve....sorry, these photos are hardly in any sort of sequential order.  Just roll with it. 

"The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head."  Dude's head laying was much more dramatic than Brady's. 

 

Santa brings each kid a gift.  Squirt got a book, which Opa gladly read with her.  Look at that cheek below....

Squirt's very first slow dance...good choice of partner girl.  That Cohen is quite the stud muffin.

Last, but not least, our 11 year running besties.  And Wessums is even smiling.  Oh how far we've all come.