Elves in Training

These two "elves" had a wonderful time passing out gifts at our Christmas celebration with Craig's family. They were too, too cute!

This little elf was worn out after all of her hard work! We hope Santa brought you all that you wished for this year!

You Better Watch Out, You Better Not Pout...

I don't know about you, but I think the little one has pretty much perfected the "pout." I don't care what the song says, I feel certain that there is no possible wasy Santa (or her daddy) can resist giving in to that precious little pouty face!

Especially when her "pouty" face is followed by this face...

Oh Christmas Tree...

I think this little girl just might love Christmas trees as much as her mama does!

The search for the perfect tree...In awe of the giant snowman at the Christmas tree lot! Lights, lights and more lights! The trimming of the tree...

Maybe one more ornament here... What do you think, mom?

Oh mom, I just love our Christmas tree!

Happy 2010!

Happy New Year! May 2010 bring you much happiness. How did you ring in the new year? This is how our little monkey rang in 2010... Craig and I snuck into her room and gave her a New Year's kiss just as the ball dropped. She never suspected a thing!

Two Year Well Check

(This post may be a little boring, but I wanted to use it as a way to document Addison's growth and development).

Addison had her two year old well check this week, and she seems to be healthy and happy! The nurse says she weighs 27 pounds, and she is 34 inches tall. Personally, I don't think she is 34 inches tall, but we'll go with it... (She was rather squirmy when the nurse tried to measure her). I was a little surprised when the nurse said she was due for a vaccination, but apparently, there has been a shortage of this vaccination, and the office was out of it at her last well check. She wasn't thrilled about the shot, but the stickers they gave her and a little time on her new swingset made it all better.

At two years old, she is a full fledged toddler. She is full. speed. ahead! (Not that she has ever been anything other than full. speed. ahead!) She continues to have the sweetest disposition, and she still loves to snuggle. Her favorite phrase these days is, "Mommy hold you." Although it isn't always convenient for mommy to "hold her," it sure does melt my heart to hear her say it. I know that the day will come when she will not want me to hold her anymore so I oblige as often as I can!

She does have a mind of her own, but that isn't a new development. So far, the "terrible twos" haven't been too terrible just yet. She is asserting her independence more and more each day, and I am sure we won't be exempt from the "terrible twos" (or threes), but for now, we are counting our blessings each day! She has always been (and continues to be) a very easy going little girl, and I know just how fortunate we are.

During the past month, her vocabulary has exploded! A few weeks ago, she all of a sudden starting speaking in clear, complete sentences. She still has her own little language, but it is getting easier and easier to decipher her words. Some of my favorite"Addy" phrases/sayings are:

"Cake cakes" (cupcakes)

Addy has hot feet (she says this all the time -- even if her feet are like icicles)

Nonnipop (lollipop)

None nou (Love you)

Nun Nuh (another)

Mommy sit, Daddy sit, (everybody sit)

Not (For some reason, she doesn't say "no" right now. She says "not" instead)

Ah ah (this is what she calls her stuffed monkey)

Papa Reeeeky (Craig's dad's name is Ricky, and she all of the sudden started calling him Papa Ricky instead of just Papa)

I drop eee... (I drop eeee shoe, I drop eeee spoon, I drop eeee blankie, etc)

Good job mommy!

She says hundreds of other words/phrases, but these are some that I don't want to forget.

At two years old, she loves:

MILK

"gets" (aka grits)

Molly dog

hot dogs

raviolis

chicken nuggets (Chick fil A are her favorite)

goldfish

"vaffles" (waffles)

"biskits" (biscuits)

Her BFF La La

Her friend "Tuck Tuck" (aka Tucker)

Her cousin Ali

Aunt Trebbi

Uncle Wade

Her grandparents

Ah Ah (her stuffed monkey)

Doggy (her stuffed dog)

Nightnie (little blanket)

Blankie (big blanket)

Her swing set

Her riding toys (cars, tricycle)

Uncle "Johnshen" (aka Uncle Jonathan)

nonnipops (lollipops)

"party days" (every day is a party day right now)

Elmo, Abby and Cookie Monster

"Aunt" Michelle, "Uncle" Joey, "Aunt" BB, and "Uncle" A.J. (as of today, she officially loves her uncle A.J.)
Her new Magna Doodle

Her new Mrs. Potato Head

Books (She will sit in her chair and "read" book after book after book)

Music

Dancing

Snuggles

"Fra" boots (aka frog boots)

Most nights, she goes to sleep between 8:30 and 9:30, and she sleeps until 7:00 or 7:30. She still takes one mid day nap.

She is a little curious about the potty, but I don't think she is quite ready for potty training. She will sit on the potty, but she isn't ready to "use" the potty yet. We aren't in any hurry, but I don't think it will be too long before we are working on this milestone.

The past year has been an incredible year of growth for Addison. We are so proud of her and thank God for her each and every day.

Celebrate Good Times!

December has been a month filled with love, laughter and celebrations! The birthday girl turned 2 (I still can't believe it) on December 14th. We began celebrating the weekend before her birthday, and we've been celebrating ever since.

Addison and her "BFF" Lala had a joint birthday celebration for the second year in a row. Lala turned 2 on Christmas day. The girls had a wonderful party surrounded by some of their closest friends and family members.

If the girls had been in charge, they would have worn these outfits all day long! Yes, that would be my child wearing her frog boots over her pajamas! Quite the fashionista, don't you think?But since they weren't in charge, we eventually convinced them to change into their party dresses.I don't have a picture of the party invitation, but the bakery was able to create a cake that matched the invitation perfectly! The girls had a great time eating cake this year. After all, they have had a year's worth of practice since last December.
After a delicious bbq lunch and all the birthday cake they could handle, the girls were ready to open their gifts.
The girls received so many wonderful birthday gifts, and I know they loved them all. The hot pink (baby doll) strollers seemed to be a huge hit with both of the girls. Since Addison doesn't really care for baby dolls, she chose to push her new bright green hippo around in the stroller. Whatever works, right? After all, I am not going to be the one to tell her that hippos don't really ride in strollers. ;) I think the girls would have played forever if we had let them, but since all good things must come to and end, the time came for a little rest. But not before the birthday girl got a little more sugar...
On Sunday, Craig and I took Addison out to eat at a local Japenese restaurant for an early birthday dinner. (He had to travel out of town for work on her actual birthday). Although Craig swears that the dinner was really for me, Addison thorougly enjoyed her Japanese birthday dinner!
On Monday, Addison celebrated her (actual) birthday at "school" with her friends. She declared it "party day," and she took these adorable monkey "cake cakes" to share with her friends. They were definitley a hit! "helped" my mom and me make the "cake cakes", and they were surprisingly easy to make.
After a fun filled weekend of birthday fun, our little monkey was all worn out. Since daddy was out of town, I treated the birthday girl to an all night snuggle session with her mommy.

We love you, birthday girl, and we can't believe how grown up you are!