Holidazzle Parade

We Minnesotans aren't pansies.
We go downtown every year, no matter the cold, sit outside and watch a parade. A parade of lights, which the kids love.

They sit on the curb in hats and gloves and drink hot cocoa.

Our friends join us, too.


Then we headed over to Macy's to check our their Christmas display (an entire floor devoted to Santa's elves) and meet with the big guy himself. Luke wants some legos and a dinosaur. Evie asked for (what else?) a princess.


We do this every year. And we'll do it again next year too!

2 Months

It's going by too fast. It really, really is.



She's turned from a wrinkly, sleepy newborn into a happy, smiley 2 month old butterball. She smiles at everything and everyone (us, Luke, the wall, the fan). She is almost always happy, despite horrible diaper rashes and poking, prodding siblings. She sleeps well at night. We adore her.

Here are her stats:
13.1 lbs (95th %)
23 inches long (75th %)

Way to grow, little Lil.

Santa Baby

Is there anything cuter than a chubby cheeked baby in a Santa hat?

I think not.

Mutiny

I have a thing about Christmas lights.

I like them white. All white. White on the tree, white on the house. I think it looks classy. I get that from my mother. In fact, Ken and I had a rather large "discussion" about this (he likes the colored) when we were first married that ended with us getting only white lights. And that's how we've done it ever since.



Until he snuck this one by me, on one little bush in front of my house.

Hmmm, I think some retaliation is in order.

Which baby is which?

Can you tell them apart?

Lily, 8 weeks:


Evelyn, 8 weeks:


Honestly, I don't know if I could.

Lily's a little chunkier. That's about it.

Big Brother

Luke, Evie and I all cuddled up in Evie's bed for awhile after bedtime. Evie snuggled right up, with her arms around my neck. Luke talked. And talked.

"Mom, Evie can get in bed with me if she gets scared. I don't mind. Evie, if you get scared tonight you can come right in my bed. See? Now it's free. You can come in any time. I don't mind Evie sleeping with me as long as she doesn't use my pillow. She can get in my bed any time. I like when she sleeps with me. Then she's not scared. Evie, come get in my bed tonight if you're scared okay? Sometimes she gets in my bed."

And she does.

Little Picassos

I love that Luke is able to draw actual pictures now. He comes home from school with a wide variety of masterpieces that always make me smile.

We made some pictures for the Grandparents a week or so ago. Luke came up with the ideas all on his own. Evie got involved, too.

This is our family. And the sun (who is smiling). The is the first picture he's drawn where Lily is not inside my belly anymore. Yep, she's been here for two months.
This is Evie's drawing of Tucker and Lucy (my parents' dogs):
Here is Luke's version. This is Luke, Evie, Grandpa and Grandma taking Tucker to go look for Lucy. Lucy has a little bit of a wandering problem. Luke loved to be the one to find her.
Luke, Kevin, Daddy, Mommy and Evie flying to see Grandma. We're going in February. He's excited. The guy in front is the pilot.
Luke's Halloween pumpkins. They lived in our window. He was proud because the first one had 2 faces.