Christmas 2015

Christmas is seriously the most wonderful time of the year...especially with children! This year is even more special since it will be Rayna's very first Christmas and Rylee's first Christmas where she really understands all the excitement. This month we have lots of fun things going on leading up to Christmas...lots of memories to make!

First up was a visit to see Santa Clause! Rylee was sooo excited to see him and once she did she was a bit star struck. After standing a good distance from him in pictures (lol) she then gave him a sweet little side hug and told him she wanted a horsey. Rayna, I thought for sure would cry since she is in the stranger danger stage but did great sitting on Santa for the first time!

My candy cane cutie!

Sweet little Rayna at a fun movie night with the big girls!

Fun morning at CFA with Princess & Tiaras Spa!

 Rayna was a trooper in the cold too!! :)

Came home to this nice homemade surprise from my girls with the help of their sweet Daddy!

 Christmas Crunch Popcorn...this stuff is the easiest thing to make, so amazing, but also so addicting!

Love picking Rylee up from school every MWF and hearing her stories about her day, what she learned, who she played with, and if she went to time out lol (only twice this year so far)! The pic below is one of my favs. I picked her up from school and she was wearing this adorable crown. She told me she learned that Jesus was born and is the King...then proceeded to tell me that she is the King too lol. At least she said Jesus was first... ;)

Rylee's was in her first school program this month for Christmas. She sand Happy Birthday Jesus and did wonderful! She was looking around during the entire song and behind her at the big screen watching herself lol. It was the most adorable thing ever and I was so very proud of her!!

Christmas party fun at school! LOVE getting to dress my girls alike!!

 Sisterly Love

 Rylee & Liam (cousins/besties)

 Finding their Christmas books...

Christmas Eve at Aunt Mera's... We had so much fun spending time with family, good food, good laughs, and watching the girls tear into each present!

Rayna's favorite was the empty boxes lol :)

 The cutest little Elf on the Shelf!

Christmas Day at home... We spent the whole day at home with our little family. The girls woke up a little earlier than normal but that was ok! Rylee was beyond excited this year for all the toys Santa was going to bring. LOVED watching her light up when she saw her little stash! Rayna was just trying to take in all the excitement and taste all the new toys ;) We played, ate, napped, packed (for our Arkansas drive the next day), played some more, ate some more, and crashed! Overall, it was a wonderful Christmas as a family of four! So very blessed!!

The day after Christmas we loaded up and took our first road trip as a family of four to Arkansas to visit family! It was a long 9-10 hr drive but we made it thanks to the dvd player, games, and lots of snacks! Had a great time with MeeMe, Poppy, Aunt Jenn, Hailey, and Ashlynn. Celebrated Christmas, Mike's birthday, went to the children's museum, and lots of playing with cousins.

These four cousins had a great time together!!

Early birthday dinner for Daddy!

 Two peas in a pod...

Fun at the Children's Museum!

 Cards with Poppy! :)

Rayna (7 months}

Happy 7 months, Rayna Elyse!

Measurements: You are still wearing size 2 diapers and size 3 nighttime diapers. You are wearing mostly 6 month clothes and some 6-9 month clothes. Weight: 17 lbs 6.5 oz Height: 25.75 in

Sleeping: You are still such a good sleeper at night sleeping between 11-12 hours at night. Your naps have changed though...you are either skipping your morning nap or napping off and on while running errands in the morning. Thankfully, you and Rylee still take your long afternoon nap at the same time around 1pm for about 1.5-3 hrs. 

Eating: You are still eating four 6 oz bottles a day. You just started eating oatmeal (twice a day) which you love. You also started eating fruits (apples, peaches, & pears) and veggies (peas, sweet potatoes, green beans, & carrots) this month. Every time you begin a new food you make a very funny face while trying to figure out what you are eating, but you love to eat!

New Tricks/Activities/Accomplishments: 

• Took family photos for Christmas cards
• Celebrated your first Thanksgiving at home
• Met Santa for the first time.
• Got to visit/meet with your Granny, Tom Tom, Aunt Jennifer, Ashlynn, and Hailey.
• Rolling all over the place
• Started sitting up in the cart at stores and loves it but leans or falls down some ;)
• Trying so hard to figure out how to move...will kick, squirm, scoot, turn (in a complete circle), scoot, but not on knees just yet.
• Trying to pull herself up mostly to look at big sis and toys!
• Great balance this month! Leans over to reach toys and then sits back up. 
• Stands unassisted while holding on to something for short periods of time.
• When she is about to get picked up she will get excited and stick her arms out to be held!
• In the 'stranger danger' stage...
• Extremely ticklish! 
• When she gets excited she waves her hands up and down with a big smile!
• Grunts/growls all the time!
• Sits up in the bathtub now

Likes: LOVES her sister (follows her with her eyes when she walks into the room and lights up when she plays with or talks to her), sitting up or standing (with help), playing with her toys, bathtime, eating in her highchair like a big girl, car rides (finally!)...she usually just stares at Rylee or takes a little nap), being outside, my phone, looking at herself in the mirror, Mickey Mouse, the remote, watching big sis at her gym class, playing peek-a-boo, sitting up in high chair and grocery carts when out, 

She loves eating like a big girl!! :)

Sisterly Love

Getting too big too fast!!

Daddy's girls!

Big sis loves to tell Rayna good morning when she wakes up by climbing in bed with her! :)

 She is the sweetest to her little sister!! <3

Date night with Mommy & Daddy while big sis sleeps over at Aunt Meras!

The sweetest sisters <3

Looking way too big sitting with Rylee in the shopping cart! Rylee loved having her ride next to her and Rayna loved being able to see everything! #winwin

Look who is sitting up in the bathtub now! Big girl!!

Grandma's Little Gobbler <3

Baby's first Thanksgiving! So thankful for this cutie!!

Ready for the next holiday! First pair of Christmas jammies!! :)

Bed hog!! ;)

Cousins/Besties <3

Loves pulling up on the bathtub to watch big sis!! :)

First visit to see Santa and surprisingly no tears!

Family photos <3