Making a Christmas Tree with Icing and Fruity Pebbles
The best part...getting all sugared up at 10am. Grayson was too busy playing to sit and make one of these tasty treats but once he saw his sister take a bite he ran straight to her and demanded she share.
The Budweiser Clydesdale's came to Wilmington.
Objects in your lens may appear smaller than they are!
Letters to Ol' Saint Nick
Off to the North Pole they go...
Sandy the Silly Elf. Carrington starts each morning with an Elf Hunt. Some of his tricks include taking down the stockings and replacing them with underwear and diapers, climbing the Christmas tree, and swinging from the banister.
What the picture doesn't tell you is that I had to bribe Carrington to sit on Santa's lap and Hudson spent the first minute crying before we could calm him down. Grayson continued his tradition and will do so for many more years to come.
Other happenings not pictured...Wilmington Christmas Parade, making baked goodies for Carrington's teachers and our neighbors, driving around and looking at Christmas lights, learning about Jesus, his life, and his love for us! Merry Christmas!!
Our Christmas Season started the Friday after Thanksgiving when we headed to the Christmas Tree "Farm" (a field on the side of the road with trees already cut). Carrington and Grayson ran in circles around the trees until they found the perfect one. Really, they ran in circles because they were outside and could run and scream without us catching them and making them stop. We like this little tree "farm" because the owner is super nice, local, and is trying to sell trees to provide for his young son and wife. They also have nice trees that last for a month and don't come with bugs.
Standing/Sitting in front of their tree
Old Timey Fire Truck
Frosty and Santa
Then it was home to decorate the tree...
Elf 1
Elf 2
Elf 3
A glimpse of the mess we created. It took four days to decorate the tree from top to bottom. Hence the many different outfits the kids are in.
The last month has been a lot of fun with Hudson. His little personality is all over the place. One minute you get a smile and coo and the next he is fussing about not being held. He enjoys rolling around on the floor and bed, and prefers to be on his belly most of the time. He recently started reaching for toys when you hold them in front of him. Once they are in his hand they go straight to his mouth for further exploration. He gets lots of entertainment from watching Carrington and Grayson play around him. At times he looks at them like they are loony. Sleeping is going great - sticking to a nap schedule during the day and sleeping 11 hours at night! Riding in the car is getting better although he still has days where he cries the entire ride. I continue to enjoy the time when I get him all to myself; we chat about how cute he is, sneak in early morning naps, and play without having to share toys. Oh, and he really enjoys sucking on his pointer and middle fingers -a lot and often!
Thanksgiving week started off with Carrington's program at preschool. The kids spent the month decorating their costumes and learning songs. We heard bits and pieces of the songs during November when Carrington came home singing them. The little number they put on was adorable! Imagine watching 30+ three year olds, standing in front of their parents, proud as peacocks, just singing their little hearts out. Precious, I tell you!
Little Indians
"Hopping Bunny" - Carrington's Indian Name
Thanksgiving morning the kids and Aaron watched the Macy's Day Parade while I cooked a few things for our feast. For lunch we traveled to Murrell's Inlet where my Aunt rented a house for the month. We had lunch on the porch overlooking the water, and then spent the rest of the afternoon playing outside, taking a boat ride, and looking over black friday deals in the newspaper. We covered all the things you are suppose to do on Thanksgiving!
The discarded pictures from our Christmas card photo session...
The video was accidentally taken while Melissa was trying to snap photos. I love that it was captured because it's so accurate of what it's like trying to get a picture with all five of us - Craziness!
Melissa, Katy and Kelly during their Christmas card photo session.
The rest of Thanksgiving break was spent around our house. The weather was beautiful so Aaron spent an entire day raking leaves and burning them. The kids played outside, making use of the leaf piles by jumping in them. It gave them hours of entertainment and in need of a good bath that night.
Hayden (our neighbor) and Carrington
Carrington got a hold of my camera while I was taking a nap and took several pictures of me sleeping. I had no idea this was happening at the time. The next day I grabbed my phone to take a picture and scrolled back to find them. It was pretty funny to look at because she also took several other pictures and video of our Christmas decorations.
Saturday was spent doing our favorite Fall activity - watching college football all day!! The kids have been doing this since birth so it's second natural for them and something they enjoying.
The last item of business over Thanksgiving was pulling out Christmas decorations, putting everything up, buying a Christmas tree, and decorating it. It took four days but everything is up - not all plugged in but at least out for viewing! I'll post about that later...
Welcome to another year of your wonderful life! I typically want to slow down the fact that your are getting older and put you in a jar to freeze time. But, I love to see you get more amazing with each passing day so I am embracing your birthday this year.
Your sweet soul makes me smile. The love you show your brothers whether teaching them new things, helping them when they need a hand or cuddling them when they cry. Watching you run full speed out the door yelling daddy, daddy and jumping into his arms when he gets home from a long week. Waking up to your smiling face in the morning (sometimes the middle of the night) and being greeted by a kiss and I love you, Mommy. All just pure sweetness - exactly what you are!
Your relationship with Jesus is growing. I think you understand a little better who He is, where He lives, and the love He has for you. Often times you remind us to pray at dinner, before bed or in the drop off line at preschool. You teach us the new bible verse you learned at preschool chapel or church on Sunday. I love to hear you sing songs about God; there is nothing more innocent and beautiful. Especially, when your brother tries to sing them with you. My deepest prayer is that you know who God is and always walk with Him.
I can't get enough of your laugh. You are reaching the age where things are funny to you. I can hear your laugh now and I have the biggest cheese grin on my face. You are funny too. Sometimes on purpose and sometimes unknowing with complete innocence.
I love chatting with you - watching the wheels spin in your head, only guessing what you are going to say, and being in awe of how your little brain can know so much. You are so smart! I know that we are biased because we are your parents but you are a genius, you just are! Apparently, your teachers think so too! I thought they were being kind and figured they told all parents how smart their child was until I had a parent come up and tell me the teachers had told her, "Carrington is so smart. She could teach the class". Needless to say, I was proud and a little embarrassed since I had never met the mother. I've concluded you learn by talking because you NEVER stop talking. In fact, as I write this blog you are talking in my ear and haven't stopped even though I'm not listening and have told you to stop talking. The President is good at talking, maybe that's what you will be when you grow up.
You've experienced a lot in the last year...moving back in your house in NC, a new little brother(that makes two brothers in less than 1 1/2 years), and starting preschool. Change doesn't seem to bother you. In fact, I think you like it because it's an opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. Strangers you do not meet, just a new friend with a smile to greet them. I look forward to another year so we can keep watching you grow and experience the world with you, and so you can continue to amaze us with the little person you are. I will continue to thank God everyday for the gift of your life and the blessing he gave me four years ago. Happy 4th Birthday, Carrington!
Love,
Mom and Dad
Make a wish!
Sprinkles for breakfast are the best!
Proud to be 4!
Four year old check up came with four shots, major ouch! Stats - 37 lbs, 40 in.
The scoop on Hudson at 3 months old...continues to be easy going although he likes to be on the move. It's hard to sit down with him without him fussing to tell you to stand up and walk around. Wonder if that's because I didn't sit much while pregnant?!? The smiles go on and on when he is awake. He gives them out very generously to his family. He also likes to jibber jabber to anyone who will sit and listen. His sleeping has been all over the place the last couple of weeks. Congestion and the time change has him waking a lot during the night. We are toughing it out and know it will get better soon. He is a great napper; a long 2+ hour nap in the morning and the afternoon and then a few cat naps the rest of the day. He had his first trip to the ER when he rolled off our bed onto the hardwood floor. It was scary to come back inside and find him face down on the floor so I called the pediatrician to get her advice. Because of his age and the hard surface he fell on she told me to get him to the hospital for review. Ugh, six hours later which included a CAT scan and we were back home at midnight with a good report. Other first during the last month include; Halloween, celebrating sissy's birthday, sleeping through the night (although it was short lived), and first head cold.
