Three Month Outtakes

Tommy and I got so tickled looking at Ella's 3 month photo session I took last week that I decided I had to post the "outtakes". Below you see Ella smiling and content, loving the moment UNTIL...Carson comes into the room.

She senses his presence and her body language changes and she tenses up and braces herself for his affection.

Still unsure of what he wants, she sits paralyzed while he tries to put on her hat. What is to come? A non-gentle pat on the head? A too loud squeal in the ear?

Nope. Just a little head lick. Tommy and I are pretty convinced that Carson thinks that Ella is his and his alone. I just hope he still finds her this fascinating in about a year from now.

Reason 865 Why Everyone Needs A Little Boy...

Christmas 2009 Slideshow

Tommy's parents came to our house for Christmas this year. With a great visit also came a lot of great pictures...

Ella Is 3 Months Old!

Christmas With The Grandparents

This Christmas was really special for several reasons. It was Ella's first Christmas (and really Carson's too- he kind of started to get into things). Also, this year was Tyler's first Christmas to get into all the traditions and understand the meaning behind Christmas. It was the first year that we celebrated as a complete family (with all the kids we are going to have) and in our new home. Ella also turned 3 months old on Christmas day! Another big event was Tommy's parents coming to spend the holiday with us (we LOVED having them and made travel so much easier, hint hint...). Ella basically switched from lap to lap between Ed and Marsha. The boys loved seeing Grandma and Grandpa and we all loved our gifts. A slide show is coming soon of the entire visit, but these were a few of my favorites...

Good luck Santa...(and Momma and Daddy)

Tyler's wish list for Christmas (and this is all he wants):

1. A machine that makes snowballs.

2. A machine that makes toys small.

3. A flute that changes colors.

Snow!!!

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The Nativity Scene: Staring Ella As Baby Jesus

We were asked by the church if Ella could play baby Jesus in the church Nativity scene this Sunday. I agreed, then panicked that she would cry through out the entire event- well, she did great. No crying, no sleeping even- just wide awake and smiling. Tommy thinks this was a great debut for her, even though she will never get to play a better role.

Ella Is 12 Weeks Old...Tomorrow

Since I usually post Ella's weekly milestones a few days late, I thought I would get a jump and post one early. 12 weeks is big stuff- she is smiling like crazy and tracking anything and everything. She is also cooing, loudly. Yes, it looks like we are blessed with yet another loud child. One big new accomplishment tonight was riding facing forward in the Bjorn during our walk. She went right to sleep, so she could not have been too uncomfortable.

This is an outfit sent by my Aunt Sandy that we are starting to wear now that the weather is getting so cold! It fits perfectly!!!

Carson's Trip To The ER

So this is how it all started. Tyler was making Ella laugh while I was taking pictures on the foot stool. Carson saw the fun being had and wanted to be part of the action. He climbed up on the arm of the chair also trying to make Ella laugh. He kept standing to try and get a better angle and I kept sitting him back down. He then sat on the arm of the chair and in about 2 seconds flat flipped over backwards. The fall only being a couple of feet helped, but landing on hardwoods face first did not. When I picked him up he was covered in blood and when I went to find the source by pulling back his lip- only one side opened. The other half remained. He literally split his lip. It was at an angle and was deep enough to need stitches. I headed to the ER with him while Tommy stayed at home with Ty and Carson (Tommy was sick with a stomach virus to also add to the action of the evening).

After a relatively fast visit to the ER (only 1 hour and 45 minutes)- a doctor examined him and said it would probably heal without stitches since it had already closed and was starting to scab over- especially since he was about to go to bed and not eat or talk. So we came home and called it a night.

So Tommy is feeling better and at work, and King Carson is on the couch this morning getting whatever he wants. And this morning it is warm milk, cinnamon toast, his Christmas hat (which now reads "Arson" after we lost the "C"...hope that is not foreshadowing), with a little Micky Mouse Playhouse on the side.

11 Weeks Old!

We Are Baaaaack.

Just returned from our church's production of the Backwards Christmas Story. Tyler was a sheep. My first most embarrassing part of the night was the director thanking several people for helping out and publicly thanking me for making the sheep costumes. Then the play actually started and the sheep (all wild 4 year olds) came out onto the stage jumping around and before my very eyes clumps of the cotton started to drop off around them. The audience laughed as one little sheep sat picking up the pieces of her costume. I could lived with not having my name attached to those pieces of sheep.

Tyler was...well Tyler. He came out waving and smiling. Danced a little (when there was no dancing ), sang a bit (when no one else was singing), climbed around the stage like a monkey and burped. Yes, you read correctly- he accidentally burped. It was the tiniest sound,but it was heard and I felt sweat pouring down my scalp and I buried my head in Tommy's shoulder. Half way through he took off his ears and he did only try to hold "Baby Jesus" one time (again, not in the script for the sheep to hold our Lord Savior). All in all it could have been worse.

Tyler hamming it up as the Shepard was trying to talk to the angels.

Above is the entire cast singing- no, Tyler did not know any of the words but he did manage to still move his lips.

And this was actually Tyler's entrance into the play- a little blurry and out of order on this post, but since it is the backwards Christmas play I figured it would be okay.

A Warm Place To Rest His Head

When my mom even started to hint that I should put Morris in the laundry room on cold nights (I would not describe my mom as "a cat person"), I knew it was time to quiet the crowds. Tommy and I are determined not to have an indoor pet ever again. Morris started as an outdoor one, then over the years took more and more naps indoors until finally I could no longer claim that he was truly an outdoor kitty. Last year we re-weened him back outside with exception of the occasional nap. With a new house and three kids under the age of 5- I have just lost all compassion for colder days. Well almost. While I will not be allowing any animals in my house (with exception of my own that I have named Tyler and Carson), I did finally head to Walmart and get Morris a fur lined cat house. Back down PETA-Morris will not die of hypothermia this winter.

Countdown To Christmas

We kicked off the weekend with going to pick out a Christmas tree. We have had our artificial tree up, lit and decorated for close to two weeks. However, but Tommy got a phone call from our friend and real estate agent reminding us that we had a tree waiting on us at her tree farm. Tommy was only too eager to donate ours to Tyler and Carson's preschool. We loaded up and scoured through hundreds to trees to find the perfect one. Ok, I actually sat inside our friend's warm house feeding Ella while the boys scoured- but I did go outside when it was narrowed down to two. One was beautiful and of modest size while the other towered almost 9 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Tommy allowed me to have the final say- encouraging me to think small he was in charge to loading it onto the hood and getting in inside. After careful consideration I made my decision and I watched as he wrestled the 9 foot beast on to of the car. I never have been accused of being practice. Just to give you a point of reference, while Tommy is standing downhill- he is 6 ft. 1 inches tall.

After unloading the mammoth tree, we met some friends and their kids in downtown Dillsboro for the "Luminary of Lights". This is an annual event where starting at dusk the streets and sidewalks are lined with hundreds of paper bad with tea candles. All the shops are decorated and hand out samples of cider, hot chocolate and cookies. Christmas carolers are out, there is a lot of live music and pictures with Santa. It was just a really incredible night.

Spaghetti Night