Christmas break begins

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

It's the BIG sigh of relief welcoming Christmas vacation for the next 17 days! It has officially begun! Whew, so much to look forward to... sleeping in, mornings in pajamas, big long breakfast's, cartoon mornings, watching movies, playing games, cuddling by the fire, being silly, whatever. Whatever we want. All Kayla is looking forward to is having at least one whole day in pajamas. I told her I would be more than happy to make that happen, and probably more than once.

This week leading up to Christmas seemed to last forever!!!! Ever have one of those weeks? Kayla missed two days of school, one for pink eye and one for a stomach bug... which Khloe gave to all of us. I was off one day from work from it and Aaron was off work the next day from it along with Kayla, and then Khloe caught it again... and all this happened in four days! At least we can say that we are thankful we are now healthy, have our sickness behind us and can look forward to welcoming family into town and our home, and spending the holidays with those we love.

We kicked off our break with Kayla's Kindergarten Christmas program at school. I could not have left work any earlier or any quicker than what I did, I was so excited to get there. My first responsibility was to start making frosting for the 90 gingerbread houses 90 Kindergartner's were about to make. Do you know how much frosting it takes for 90 Kindergartner's to make 90 gingerbread houses? I don't know either, but I know it took nine Kitchenaid mixers running for 45 minutes straight. It was probably at least 54lbs of powdered sugar and 162 eggs that we mixed! You can see the beautiful results below.

Today also marks a key moment for us... we are owners of a video camera! No more little camera, no more camera phone, no more iPad camera. I was having a moment of panic last night knowing that this would be Kayla's FIRST and ONLY Kindergarten Christmas program, and the thought of not having the ENTIRE length of the program on video would haunt me forever, not to mention the girl's first Christmas opening presents together. So Aaron said he would get one first thing in the morning. I'm so happy we have our first video camera (Well, second. We got one for our wedding ions ago.) to capture all the big moments happening, and yet to happen.

As you can imagine, watching 90 Kindergartner's sing their hearts out to an array of Christmas songs would bring anyone to happy tears. Happy Christmas Vacation!

 Four Kindergarten classes

Kayla is on the left, 2nd row, next to Addison

"Before he flies away!"

 After the Christmas program we went to the cafeteria to make gingerbread houses

 There were dozens of toppings to choose from!

 Addie wanted to eat her finished product

 Completed masterpieces

 We LOVE Mrs Prout! We can't say enough great things about her! She is a wonderful person and a fantastic teacher. We are so fortunate that we got her as Kayla's teacher!

 Our Christmas tradition continued with exchanging and opening presents with Addie and Missy

 Hedbanz is a game Addie bought for Kayla

Khloe just woke up from her nap and was still unsure of everything

 Kayla's favorite present: her new Couture Angel Barbie doll

 Khloe, the Artist

With her new Color Wonder light-up paint palette

 And the evening continued with neighbors - the girls put on a show for us and then we ended the night with a dance party!

19 months

Merry Christmas Baby Girl!

Khloe, I've been neglecting your monthly updates on the blog, for which I feel badly about, so here's a little update on your busy life as an... 18? 19? month old. Wait. I had to count on my fingers to confirm. You're 19 months old.

Your vocabulary includes the word "iPad". And not just iPad, but pronounced "iPaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!" You know how to unlock the screen, you scroll to your two Khloe folders and find the apps you want to play. Your favorites are Peek-A-Boo Barn, Animal Memory Game, and The Wheels on the Bus. Your vocabulary also includes "Cheechee", or Cherry our Elf. You talk about Cheechee first thing when you wake up asking to go downstairs so you can find her. When anyone comes in our house, you run over and point to where ever Cherry is making sure our guests know.

You love to play games. It's actually quite hilarious, really, how much you play them. Sometimes all the games in the house are out and open at once. (Not hilarious). Your favorites are Hi Ho Cherry-O, Operation, Rack-O, Hungry Hungry Hippo, and Connect4. The other day you were playing Sequence with Ms Melissa, Addie and Kayla and you actually won the first game!!! You really did! How funny is that? You love to get out the Twister game, mostly to practice handstands on. I think its because at gymnastics there is a carpet square with two circles on it that you place your hands on to practice handstands. Thanks to Twister you also learned your colors very early on. The first color you learned - and your favorite color - is green. In this house? Imagine that.

Crackers, pillows and movie night

You're in gymnastics, it's your second class. The Half Pints class is for 18 mo-3 year olds, so I think technically when you started in Sept you might have only been 17 mo or so, but you have kept right up with the other big kids. You do everything Coach Mel says and every thing the other kids do too. When I ask you on Tuesday mornings if you're excited for gymnastics you purse your lips into a slight smile, nod your head yes, and say "Mel!" Climbing, bouncing and jumping are your things. You randomly bust out into handstands all day long.

You like building blocks, but more so Kayla's teeny tiny itsy bitsy legos. And you're not as much into construction as you are destruction.

Fun fort building with Kristi

Our motto for you is "Khloe is moving us in the opposite direction". Meaning, we clean. You tear apart. We put away. You get back out. We pick up. You dump out. It's a never ending cycle.

Your motto for yourself is "Baths solve all the world's problems". You will drop what you're doing, grin ear to ear, yell "bathbathbath!" and bolt upstairs if you even hear the word "bath" whispered.

Elmo is your favorite character.

As clear as day you can pronounce fairly complicated words: Grandpa and Grandma and Excuse Me. You have long been able to say "excuse me" even before you could say most single words. You learned to say excuse me mostly to push past Kayla in order to get something you needed/wanted. Then you learned to say it after burps, which is just too cute. So every time you burp, we hear "Kee me". Thank you for being polite.

It's a breeze to put you to bed, and really, it's sooo easy that I almost feel guilty about it. Your bedtime routine is a responsibility your Dad and I negotiate every night because we both love to be the one to rock you!! You choose three books (which most times includes at least the balloon book and your rabbit book) which we read, we rock for a minute or two, you tell us "nigh-nigh", and we lay you down in your crib. Often we rock for longer... just because cuddling you is too sweet and fun and represents a moment in time that will pass all too quickly. You never make even the slightest peep all night long and a normal night includes 13 hours of sleep - 6:45pm to 7:45am. On the weekends, when it's quiet in the mornings, you'll sleep until 8:30am or later!

You recently learned how to sing songs, songs that only you know the words to, but they are still very sweet songs. Sometimes you sing yourself awake in the morning, to fall asleep at night, and sometimes in the car, grocery cart, on top of the coffee table, or anywhere else you feel like it.

Being entertained by Daddy

Outside of your Dad and I, I think your favorite person is Addie. You can't see her without yelling and pointing "Add-da!" You always have a hug for her. Sometimes you are a bit clingy to me, but generally you are not shy and do not have separation anxiety... unless we're dropping you off in the church nursery on Sunday mornings. But, you're getting better.

It makes you very happy to visit Dr. Bob, or "Bopbop". You've had several visits there the last month to help with your teething issues. He can lift you right out of my arms, walk around with you and you never complain (while my mouth is hanging wide open). You know at the end of the appointment you get a sucker, so you wait patiently next to Melissa's desk waiting to pick one out.

So much drama sometimes!

Wake up. Eat. Play. Tornado. Eat. Nap. Wake up. Eat. Play. Tornado. Eat. Play. Sleep. That pretty much sums up your life little Khloe Jean! We love you! We are having fun experiencing this Christmas season with you!

Once in a century

How'd we celebrate 12-12-12? We ate pizza at Casey's and drove around looking at Christmas lights!

Schoolhouse Rock

We follow Port Huron Civic Theatres's schedule, and once a year they put on a show "for kids, by kids". This year's show was Schoolhouse Rock - a re-creation of that 1970's Saturday morning cartoon. Another cute production! One day soon I know Kayla will be part of these productions - she LOVES them and wants to be on stage!

 Conjunction Junction, what's your function?!

Santa Grahams

It's a holiday party with good friends! 

Kids crafted and played upstairs, while adults crafted (not really) and played downstairs.

 Kayla's Santa graham

 Gabrielle's Santa grahams

 Molly's Santa grahams

 Even Khloe made, but mostly licked the frosting off, a Santa graham

A fun party with friends (and Bryce and Gina too!)

Sick

Poor sick little baby girl. Teething is no fun, and especially when it gives you a double ear infection. Just these last two last teeth to go baby girl! And then you're all done. We're so sorry you don't feel well. We don't like it when you're not your bubbly, crazy self, but we certainly are enjoying hugging and cuddling and snuggling you. We know your medicine will make you well very soon.

Festival of Trees

With Grandpa A as her escort, she took her appetite, her Christmas wish list, and her holiday spirit for the annual Breakfast With Santa. It's a part of Port Huron Hospital's traditional Festival of Trees weekend-long fundraising event. They had fun, and of course what event wouldn't be fun with a chance to wear your new Christmas dress?!

They had a fun-filled morning!

Telling Santa she wants the new Holiday Barbie

After sitting on Santa's lap - he called her over to him using her name! How did he know? - she picked out a new stuffed animal

Inside the Festival of Trees