Typical Men, Waiting Until the Last Minute

I forgot one Christmas related story so I'll stick it here before I get too far into the postings of 2010!



Wilson was reflecting on the Christmast story one day. "So, the shepherds were first and then the wise men came . . . becuase they had to go and buy their stuff. Right, mom?"


Something like that. Hope you had a Merry Christmas!

January 7, 2010

This is Miss Priss on the Real Day! She wore her Happy Birthday hat and cupcake dress to school and took "cupcakes" to share with her friends. (the were actually iced cookies from the bakery at Kroger because her mamma was leaving the next day for WDW, but her way sounds much more homey, so we'll stick with her story!) As you can see from the pictures, the hat stayed with us until it was dark outside. This one loves to be the center of attention.

And the center of our attention you are, little Moo. You are constantly entertaining us with your new vocabulary, new phrases, new songs, new dance moves, and new trouble! You are super smart although at times that gets overshadowed by your live out loud attitude and cuteness. You were singing the ABC's and counting to 10 by the time you were about 18-20 mos old. Around that time you were also able to recognize a "group" of two without counting. "look mamma, it's two babies!" You love going to see Ms Lizzie at the library for Mother Goose on the Loose at Baby Bookworm time. You really get into all the rhymes, songs, and dances. I'm amazed at how quickly you retain songs. You usually only have to hear one twice before you know all the words. A favorite from Mother Goose on the Loose is "Two Little Dicky Birds". You use your two pointer fingers to be the two little birds- one's named soft, one's named loud. When you get out of sorts in public you can usually be turned around by asking you if you brought your birds. Through a tear stained and red face a little grin will appear along with two little pointer fingers right in front of your face. Of course its' not always that easy to get a smile or to get you to comply. One of your favorite tricks to pull is to completely defy an instruction, look me in the eye, and say "one . . . . two . . . three . . ." I used the counting when we were still waiting on your vocabulary to come in so I would know for sure that you'd had a chance to understand what was asked of you before you were punished. Apparently you did. You still love to read and some of your favorites are Princess Baby, Olivia, Pinkalicious, Mother Goose, and a little Golden Book called Little Mommy. You love playing babies, cooking in your kitchen, playing with your dollhouse, and dressing up. You also can't wait for Wilson and his friend John Clark to get out of the car for school in the morning. When the car door shuts, you promptly grab their action figures and begin playing "Bapmam". You are very social and associate what I'm wearing with who you're going to get to play with. If its workout clothes you start asking for Walker & Thomas, if I'm dressed up it's "go see Moca (Monica)" the nursery helper at church, if Wilson's heading out the door in the morning you want to go see your buddy Caroline who happens to be John Clark's sister. "Baby Girl" (as your brother still calls you) you bring a smile to our face daily and have added a little pink fuzzy to our hearts that we didn't know we were missing. We love you!

Miller's 2nd B'day Party

Miller celebrated her birthday a few days early with her closest buddies and cousin. She is really into Mother Goose these days and we used that as the theme. Her invitations had the Baker's Man on them and invited guests to

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man!

Bake me a cake as fast as you can!

-Miller’s Turning Two!-

So, let’s . . .

Hug her, and tickle her, and mark her with a kiss

Please come and celebrate and watch her make a wish!

Her cake looked like a book opened to Baker's Man's page and her favors were sets of book plates with various nursery rhyme pictures on them for her friends to put in their books. They were in small boxes covered in brown & white nursery rhyme toile with pink trim that matched the plates we ate snacks off of.

Incidentally, they also matched her outfit. I got a sewing machine for Christmas from my parents and this was one of my first projects. Hot pink and white toile pants with brown minky dot ruffle cuffs and top with an appliqué from the toile print with a border of the minky dot.

The Turn Spin Bike

This is Wilson on the maiden voyage of the "turn spin bike" (if you google that you won't find it, but you will if you type in Razor Rip Rider 360- he sounded like Ralphie from a Christmas Story asking for it!) Anyway we have all had a turn on it from both of my parents down to Miller. It so much fun- the back wheels are casters so it spins around in a circle if you turn hard enough. Fortunately Wilson also learned how to ride his regular bike without training wheels Christmas Eve morning. So, the turn spin is often free for me to play on in the driveway.

This was his gift from the Ethridge grandparents. We had to assemble as soon as we got home from their house. We then had to move the kitchen table out of the way so that Wilson could try it out because it was raining outside. As I mentioned- it make very good turns, so it's an excellent indoor bike on cold, rainy, snowy days. Thank goodness- we've needed it!

Also in the video you'll see:

1. a glimpse of our dining room table set for Christmas dinner (the only other visual proof I have that there was a Christmas celebration at my house)

2. Wilson has not caught on that a video camera takes MOVING pictures. He just stares at it smiling waiting for a click and a flash! It's so funny- he's so smart, but this he just doesn't get it!

Celebrating Christmas with the Wilsons

On Christmas Day all of my family came over to our house for lunch and presents. We had a great time, unfortunately I have NO pictures of it. If I did you would see my parents, my brother, mom's parents and her brother, dad's mom, my kiddos and hubby. The above video of my mom in a santa hat riding Wilson's new "turn spin bike" will have to do!

Christmas Morning at Home

Wilson and Miller waiting to go into the den to see what Santa left. He built a wall of cardboard blocks so they couldn't get in without mom and dad knowing!

Christmas Morning at Home 2

I appologize for the quality of this video (little did I know I had a new video camera waiting to be opened!) Anywho . . . I had to include this one because it's one of my favorites. When it starts Phil has just asked Wilson what he got. In case you miss it, he says "every single LEGO". There are nights when we're cleaning up his room that I think he's right! (There are literally THOUSANDS of them) Santa left us a note saying that he had to clean out his workshop and he thought Wilson would probably enjoy some of his extra legos. Boy was he right!! Wilson has not stopped building! A very special thank you to Santa's elves in Elmhurst that so graciously outgrew their collection and passed it on to us! Wilson will thank you when he's old enough to know how much help Santa has.

Christmas Morning at Home 3

Celebrating Christmas with the Ethridges- Christmas Eve

Monkey See, Monkey Do

So pleased that my daughter is able to teach her cousin such adorble things as the above pose. Well, I supose someone has too, since he doesn't have an older brother to do the corrupting.

Christmastime at Pat Pat and Paw's

Wilson and Miller helped Pat Pat decorate her tree one night. Pat Pat probably has the biggest Christmas tree we've ever seen. I think she leases it out in the summer months to smallish wildlife.

Christmas Program & Party

The 4 & 5 year olds did a great job in their Christmas Program. We were quite impressed with all of the songs they had learned and with all of the solo's the 5 year olds had. Thanks to our adoring audience of grandmothers, little sister, dad, aunt Amy, and little cousin Matthew! Wilson loved looking out and seeing all of your faces!

Christmastime at Granna & Big Daddy's

Miller was fascinated with this bag- it had a button that when pushed made the lights around the snowman blink. She never even thought about actually opening it, though. Good thing, too. Inside was her new wooden doll house that she now has to play with every night before she goes to bed!

Wilson and Granna's gingerbread house- 2009

Wilson loves coloring with sidewalk chalk on Granna's big hill- it's even more fun in a Santa hat.

Foyer After

Foyer before

Dining Room After

Dining Room Before

Thanksgiving Feast

This is Wilson's class at their Thanksgiving Feast. This year they dressed up as Indians. Earlier in the week they took a pillow case to school and painted them with dab a dot paint and squirt bottles of water and their teacher cut arm & neck holes in them. They also made headdressesand necklaces. They also were to come up with an Indian name for themselves. If you enlarge the picture you'll see names like Sparkle Star, Yellow Moon, and Red Wolf. My child "made up" Squanto. Really Wilson? You just made up "Squanto"? Yep, just made it up.

Well at least he thought through this lie before any photo evidence could be taken to prove otherwise . . .

Phil's 1st 1/2 marathon

Phil completed his first half marathon back in October. He had a great time (both enjoyment & on the clock). Little did we know this would be a mear stepping stone in his running career.

First Haircut

Miller did fairly well for her first haircut. Not much was taken off, but she did look much neater afterwards. She had her second haircut a couple of days ago. She cried during that one and insisted on sitting in my lap the whole time. We did get a good bit more taken off this time and she just looks too cute!

Funny Miller

Stealing her cousin's hat that goes with his sock monkey costume while Trick or Treating

Truck Driver/Babysitter

Coloring sans pants (relax it's just a pretend squirrel behind her- we keep them around to try and make the place look like we're full up on wild life)

Making music with her sippy cup top