Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas everyone! We have had a very busy Christmas, hosting 2 family parties and having over lots of friends and neighbors over the school break and holidays. First we had over my side of the family on the 20th, then Kendel's family came over on Christmas day. So all in all- 2 turkeys, 2 hams, a literal TON of potatoes, and lots of desserts and goodies were made. We are relieved it is all over, but enjoyed it while it lasted.

Isabel has her 2nd tooth now! Broke through 3 days ago. She has had quite a cold, plus teething, so hasn't been too happy at moments, but is a little trooper.

Hope everyone has a safe new year! Love to all!

Birthday pics

They finally uploaded. Plus, when looking at Isabel standing next to the white table by the sliding door, look at them in reverse. The first picture is the last one where she is sitting back down after having stood up holding onto the chair and then reached over to hold onto the door before sitting down again.

Additional pics from previous post

For some reason it would not let me add the rest of the pics I had wanted to enclose (Thaniel's B-day pics, etc...) in the other post, and now still will not let me open the add image link to add them now. Will try tomorrow...! Goodnight!

Well on her way to runnin'...

I am 100%, unequivically, without a doubt, in love with my daughter... she just ceases to amaze me. She is just progressing from crawling to pulling up and standing in lightning speed. Next comes standing on her own without holding onto anything, then comes walking (which she loves to do with mommy's help, and with taking BIG steps) She started out with a lot of rolling and pulling herself around in the beginning. She got from one side of the room to the other that way, but once she got the whole crawling thing on her hand and knees down, she's been flying around ever since, and doesn't want to be contained in her jumper or pack n' play now that she knows she can get anywhere she wants... and fast! She's let go a couple of times and balanced for a good 15 seconds or so before landing on her tush. She must have buns of steel, because every time she lands hard when leaning back from standing to sitting, she never makes a peep, and it sure sounds like it would hurt and that her butt would be sore.

She's a good girl. Loves her food too. She'll eat everything and anything. Now she is eating cheerios and tiny pieces of bread and mommy's supper in addition to her baby food and breastfeeding. She's an eating machine. Don't eat in front of her if you don't plan on sharing! She wants anything you have.

I am in love with all my kids- just tonight I was watching all of them interact while we were all playing old maid, crazy eight's, and then Nickolodeon DVD trivia game tonight. Had a bit of family fun, and it was nice to see everyone smiling, laughing, enjoying themselves... and most of all, getting along! Thaniel and Abby have their moments- they are at a rough age difference right now. Abby drives Thaniel nuts, and Abby loves to terrorize him! But on nights like tonight, while we were all sitting around the kitchen table (Izzy on my lap trying to eat my cards of course! She wanted a piece of the action too!) it is wonderful to just look at them all and realize their mine, all mine, and I love them and just want them to be happy and get along and love one another, and grow up to be close and be supportive of one another. It may seem like a tall order some days, but I know deep down there's hope that things will get better between them as they get a little older (when Thaniel gets through this whole 'puberty thing' (lol), and Abby outgrows her sassy, little sister attitude). I'm proud of and amazed by all my children.

Thaniel is loving his hockey, and Abby will start competing in a few short weeks with her gymnastics team. We will keep everyone posted on local meets and games that anyone might want to come see them both play and compete in.

I am including pics of my sleeping beauty Isabel, and some of her in action, and some pics from a recent Christmas party for employee's kids at Kendel's work. Also Abby trying out her new sledding tube. Look at how different Thaniel looks with his hair cut since we celebrated his birthday on Oct. 12th by ourselves, then celebrated his and Opa Ken's birthdays together on November 18th. Oma and Opa came to see Thaniel play hockey at a home game here in West Bend, then Chris and Wendy and the kids came out a little later to join us all for dinner and cake here at the house after the game.

Getting ready for the holiday parties we will be hosting. Gravelle family Christmas on the 20th, and then the Falk/Sander Christmas on the 25th. Lots of baking, cooking, wrapping, and decorating to do yet. Trying to space out getting things done over the next 2 weeks so it won't be too crazy the few days leading up to the parties.

Hope everyone is well, and sending out wishes to everyone for happy holidays and hope everyone will be spending it with loved ones and realizing how special those people are to them and how much they mean to them.

Please wish my friend Angie and her husband Matt a happy and joyous first christmas with their new little christmas elf Madelyn Grace Dimino. She will be almost 2 months old. She is their first little bundle of joy, and they are experiencing many firsts as parents with her. Merry Christmas to you all!

Isabel's a rockin'

Isabel, with the help of mommy, has been practicing rocking back and forth on her hands and knees. She'll be cruising around this house in no time...aggghhhh! She will be hard to keep with, she's a mover and a shaker this one!!!!!

Hockey and Girlfriends

The boys have started their hockey season-by boys, I mean Thaniel AND Kendel. Kendel decided at the last minute to try out for the adult hockey league here at the rink that plays on Sunday nights. Most games will run until after 10pm. HA HA! I'd really like to see Kendel try to peel himself out of bed Monday mornings! he can barely move after he plays. He's going to come home, shower, and crash! I actually think he left late for work today, because if he was going to take the bus to Milwaukee, he would have left no later than 6:15am, and if he was going to Mequon, he wouldn't have had to leave until almost 7:30am, and I didn't hear him leave until almost 6:40am, so I think he was late. For the bus anyway- he still probably made it to work on time if he drove himself. But anyway...

Thaniel has a girlfriend! Not his first, but the first one I think he really likes. They were friends first, so I think he feels more comfortable with her. My 'little boy' is growing up so fast... TOO fast! He turns 13 in a few weeks. My god- I'll be the mother of a teenager!!!!!!!!!!!! How old does that make a person feel? And yet I have a 6 month old as well. Actually, I see that alot- the big age difference. Quite a few moms had babies with them at Thaniel's school registration, and one of his hockey teamates has a new little sister too that is a little over a month than Isabel. So we have two tiny cheerleaders for our team this year... I'll have to see if I can order a jersey from somewhere online and get his name put on it for her so she can show her brother some support!!!

I just got back from the doctor- Isabel is very sick with a bad cold. Has been for about a week now. She was so congested and coughing alot all last night, so I decided to play it safe and take her in. I was worried it was going to move into her chest and give her bronchitis, or worse. But the doctor thinks she's ok- it always gets worse before it gets better. She thinks she'll be over it by week's end. I hope so- she looks so miserable, and is definitely wanting to be held and snuggled a lot. It is hard for her to eat because she can barely breathe through her nose.

Well, that's it for now. Gotta go get some things done while she's napping.

Car seat, shmar sheat... ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

Car seats are the bane of my existence as of right now!!!!!! If I have to read one more review, research and compare seats and prices on one more website, read safety reviews one more minute.... ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! I've been researching for hours, days, weeks.... (no lie!) and I can't come to a decision to save my life! To each their own, I say- you are not going to find a product that has no negative reviews. Even the highest rated car seats have their cons- or at least they are cons to the reviewer. What may be a con to them, may not bother you one bit. It is deciding the difference that is the problem. Isabel is so long... she is already outgrowing her infant carrier car seat, so now I'm shopping for a convertible one, so that she can still be rear-facing for as long as possible (or until she outgrows that too!) There are so many types and styles of convertible car seats, but I am definitely looking for one that will allow her to use the 5-point harness for longer than until she weighs 40 pounds or is too tall to be able to safely wear the harness at the highest setting anymore, and will have to use the cars seatbelt for the booster aspect of the seat. An ideal one would allow until at least 50-65 pounds forward facing in the harness, instead of most of them wanting you to switch to using as booster with seatbelt by 40 pounds. The safer you want your child, the more costly it is! But I knew that going in. Isn't it sad that those on a limited budget have to sacrifice safety features for the lower price they can only afford...? Well I refuse to sacrifice, so will continue searching for the best and reasonable price without sacrificing the safety features I'm looking for. Anyone know any good websites?