First Christmas Program

It was a first for sure, but the girls did better than I expected.

Not only was it my girls first, but it was our church's first Christmas Program ever. Therefore, it was a first for everyone! The kids ranging from 9 years old to my 18 month old girls, put on the "What God Wants for Christmas" program. It turned out cute. Our children's director wanted everyone to be able to have a role, so she had all toddlers be sheep. The 2 and 3 year old's crawled down the isle behind the shepherds "baaing". My girls followed right behind them. They didn't have sheep ears on, and wouldn't really keep their paws(black socks on their hands) on either, but for the most part they stayed up front with all the other sheep. They did do a little wandering up and down the isle a few times, but they didn't cause any problems other than lots of "ohh and aww's" headed their direction. I must say they were the cutest sheep up there, although I might be a little partial!


Saturday night there was rehearsal along with a Christmas party. The kids got to ice cookies to eat and take home. That was a fun experience saying we were in our white sheep clothes. Brittyn came up with a better idea to totally skip the cookie and ice her mouth! They loved eating the icing, and I loved letting them and watching them enjoy it.








Sunday's Performance

Yes, that is Lexyn about to crawl into the manger. She attempted it several times but never actually succeeded.

It will be interesting to see just how well they cooperate in next year's Christmas program.

How old was your child in their first program?

Comparing a year with Courthouse visits

Saturday night we visited our county courthouse to see all the lights. We got out and walked around, but cut our trip short once we realized it was about 35 degrees with some high winds. We bundled up but not nearly enough; my hands were numb so I know the girls' were too! We had a good time though, and even met up with Nana and Papaw (Ben's parents).

Brittyn playing with the lighted seal. She is my brave-no fear child; while Lexyn was standing back fussing because it scared her!

Lexyn

Brittyn

Comparison Pictures at the Courthouse

2009

2008

Wow, it is crazy comparing the growth in only one years time.

In a year, we have crawled, sat up without support, walked, ran, fed ourselves, got rid of the bottle, and began saying some words.

Last December Lexyn weighed 15 pounds and 7 ounces, this year she weighs 18 pounds and 14 ounces.

Last December Brittyn weighed 14 pounds and 14 ounces, this December she weighs 17 pounds and 12 ounces.

Not a whole lot of weight gaining went on this past year, but we have sure gotten a LOT more active! I am anxious to see how much weight we gain over this next year and what milestones we hit, but not anxious enough to wish this year by. I am having the time of my life, but I sure wish it would slow down a little!

State Capital holiday visit

One of our family traditions is to go up to the Arkansas state capital and see all the holiday decorations and the Christmas tree. My parent took me and my sister every year when I was growing up and we loved it. At that time they capital put a huge tree in the center that reached up to the 3rd floor inside. Since getting married, Ben and I have carried on the tradition usually going with some friends. These past 4 or so years they have started putting one tree on the second level and decorating with big balls painted to resemble each county in the state. It is pretty neat to search for our county decoration, but the tree is no comparison to the huge tree they use to put in the center. We still had a great time going on all the floors and looking around. This year was really neat and special to us because we got to start the tradition with our girls. They had a blast. They were not really into looking at the decorations because they could care less at this age, but they were able to climb the 100's of stairs inside and run free on the marble floors. It was a fun new beginning to add to our continued family tradition, and I look forward to the many years ahead that we get to take them there to see the lights.



The state painted decoration



Our county decoration

Lexyn having a blast climbing all the stairs by herself

The girls climbing away!

Lexyn running free on the marble floors

Brittyn running free

This picture is precious to me, they are giving each other an aww(hug). And then it led to the picture below.

joining hands to walk together

So cute, holding hands together.

Lexyn

Yes, our daddy is one of those daddy's! He is super fun and likes to do the no-no's. He is riding Brittyn down the pole on the stairs.

mommy and Brittyn

Christmas Tree Fun

Today I moved the baby gate to let the girls get near the Christmas tree, in hopes of catching some really cute pictures of them sitting under the tree. Well, I caught some cute pictures of the girls exploring the ornaments, stripping the tree, and investigating/unwrapping a few presents; but as far as a good picture sitting under the tree, well there was just too much to see to sit still!

And here are the attempts to catch the girls sitting under the tree, I guess I was just asking too much to sit still and look at the camera with a smile for 5 seconds!

Branson Trip

This past weekend 14 of us headed up to Branson to enjoy the Christmas lights and do some shopping. It is a tradition for my family and Ben's family to go together. This year since there is an additional family member, Zach, my sister in-law's husband, his mom and little brother decided to come along as well. It was lots of fun, although a little different this time. Shopping until you drop all day on Saturday is not the plan of a busy 18 month old. The girls got tired of sitting in their stroller after about the 3 store we went in. Thankfully, I have a great husband that just pushed them around letting me shop without having to tote someone on my hip! They stay pretty happy as long as the stroller is moving.

We went up on Thursday night so that we could enjoy a day as a family of 4 before the rest of our families got there. We also made a trip Friday morning to Springfield, Missouri to the big Bass Pro Shop. We also thought it would be a little easier traveling in the dark with the girls, and it was until Lexyn got car sick and threw up everywhere. We pulled over on the side of the road to strip her clothes off and clean her and the car up some; while Ben was standing outside stripping her down she started shacking real bad from being cold. Once we got back in the car and back on the road our car temperature gage said it was 18 degrees outside. No wonder Lexyn was shaking while she stood barefoot on the ground in only her diaper. I don't think we got parent of the year award that night!

Friday morning before we left for Springfield we made a stop to see live reindeer. They were really pretty, but of course Lexyn was terrified. We sat in Santa's sleigh and the 3 year old reindeer came right up beside us so we could all get our picture taken. We had to constantly bounce Lexyn and try to keep her from looking just so she wouldn't scream.

Once we got to the Bass Pro Shop in Springfield they had a kid section set up with a really neat slide. It was made to look like an icy snow hill that you slid down. My girls were the smallest kids around but they didn't care. They walked up the steps, with a little help from some older kids, and slid down the fast steep slide. They had terrified looks on their face as they were sliding but as soon as they hit the mat at the bottom they were smiling and jumping up to go again. They loved it.

We had Santa's elves take our picture while we were there. For some reason when strangers take our picture, they girls always look at the camera.

Saturday we shopped a lot at the outlet malls, and then headed to downtown Branson to the Branson Landing. It is an outdoor mall that is beautiful sitting right on the lake. There is also a Bass Pro Shop there, much smaller than Springfield, but we got to play in the kid section there too while daddy shopped.

Brittyn

Lexyn was fascinated with the lights on the trees.

Another family picture, but Santa was right around the corner from us so Lexyn would not take her eyes off of him just in case he might get too close.

Daddy and Lexyn watching a train. She also started saying "choo choo" then.

Brittyn all bundled up eating a cookie in her stroller outside while we watched the water and light show at the Landing. It is really neat and pretty, but it was very cold while we stood outside watching it.

Me and my hubby at the Landing. It was decorated in silver and blue lights. It was so pretty.

Our family of 4, standing in front of one of the many blue lighted Christmas trees.

It was a fun but busy and cold weekend. We all got home Sunday evening and fell asleep by 8:00.