Christmas before Christmas

This year our family was "scheduled" to stay in MB and spend the holidays with Jon's family... BUT... they decided to make the trip out before Christmas, so we got the best of both worlds!
We had our Christmas gathering a week before Christmas and spent the day eating, relaxing, playing in the snow, and enjoying each other's company.

My two loves...


Alia and Gramma Great playing together


Hershey and Alia got some play time in too... just on opposite sides of the glass


Our newest member of the family with his momma (and dadda)



Our little goofy girl in action


It was a long day for Santa


Everywhere that Anderson went, Alia was sure to follow


Trying on Daddy's Sorels


All bundled up... Alia's the pink one - did you guess right?!?


And of course my husband can't just lay on the tube - he has to make things more challenging... and risky


Poor Alia isn't quite ready for tubing, so she rode on the four wheeler instead




The cousins... together at last


But it didn't last long... maybe next time!


Showing Gramma her new gifts

BIG sister

Alia's going to do GREAT in her new role! I have no doubts... sort of!
Here she is "pretending" to step on her baby

And here she is "pretending" to sit on her baby

But at least she knows how to make up for it! The baby is getting some ice cream for all the hassle she's been through in the last 3 minutes!


All kidding aside, I think Ali will do fantastic! We set up the basinet in our room and each morning and after each nap she runs in there to show me where the baby sleeps! She loves giving my belly hugs and kisses, which is just the sweetest! And she has become quite the little helper... so I think she'll enjoy getting things for Mommy when need be! Although it seems crazy... I am really looking forward to seeing her transition from being an only child to being the BIG sister! This little baby is going to be loved beyond measure... that's for sure!

That's so OLD news...

... even though Alia still gets excited about the "NOOOOOO" when she looks out the window, this picture proves otherwise!
She's done fantastic with the whole bundling-to-the-hilt thing, but deep inside I think she's longing for sunshine! Warm, glorious sunshine... flip flops... the smell of fresh cut grass... trips to the park... leisurely strolls... ice cream on a weekly (okay, okay... semi-daily basis)... daylight until WAY past bedtime.
No, I can't say she's exactly TOLD me these things - but I just know. I mean we're tight. We're like THIS. We go WAY back. Oh... yeah, you might be right.... I guess I'll have to get back with you on how she feels about this whole winter thing! That is something she got from her daddy after all! Apparently you can tell who the REAL Canadians are around this place!!

A Day in the Life

of Alia! It's not hard, complex, or overly stressful.... but somebody has to do it!



This happens regularly at our house... I find all sorts of things under there! At least it reminds me to swiffer under the couch!


I suppose this is actually TWO days in the life of Alia! I didn't change her wardrobe for this momentous blogging occasion... and she got a little beauty mark on her cheek since the last "day in the life"!

Look at that tongue... this is some pretty intense play time!

One can never be "too pretty" while playing... although we will have to work on the lipstick application a bit!

My heart melts...

... when I see this girl sleeping. I don't know what it is, but there's just something about a resting child, eh?

She Takes After Me...

... and I'm not really okay with that!! Why can't she take after her daddy? I mean there are hundreds of things that I would rather her get from him. Pretty much everything... okay, okay... except his dancing abilities! (It's all about honesty around here!) But I'm afraid she's hanging out with someone else a little too much!
Here we are making macaroni and cheese. She's so absolutely positively beside herself with excitement that she's eating the cheese... in the wrapper!

Macaroni and cheese is her favorite of favorite foods... case closed!

Our little growing family

For our family pictures this year we chose a nearby park just a few miles from our house. It was a B-E-A-U-tiful day, and we had a great time! My sister-in-law and I "made a deal" that I would take their pics and she would take ours! I think she had the harder end of the bargain! 1.)she was using my camera so it took some getting used to 2.)Jon hates picture taking.... with a passion, a very strong passion 3.)18 month olds don't do the whole posing thing... it's just not on their to do list! But between the both of us we managed to get some usable shots and made some good memories!!!

Two personal favorites of Jer and Joe



With the leaves everywhere Alia was happy as could be... we have poplars and evergreens at our house, what can I say?!?!



Just the 3 1/2 of us








My oh my, she's not a baby anymore! I've known that, and I'm okay with it... but looking at these pics is just another realization of the fact!




My love and I

Nov. 2 ???

Are you serious? That's the last time I've blogged... oh my! I didn't realize it was that bad. Well, all I can say is "geesh - you guys weren't kidding!" Hopefully I can find some time to blog on a more regular basis! Sorry bout that!!

Goofball

This is how Alia chose to eat her snack last night... sometimes I wonder, where'd we pick this kid up at?!?!? :)

"Crayons are for Coloring, not for Eating"

I don't know how many times I've said that over the last few weeks! One of Ali's favorite things to do lately is color with crayons - the only problem... she can't keep from sinking her teeth into them! Blah... you'd think one bite would be enough to know that wax don't taste good!

It's fun to watch her scribble as fast as she can... stop, look at it for a bit... and then scribble, scribble away some more!






Just singing away as she colors


Evaluating her work


Taking a break to check for horses out the window








It starts by simply climbing up just a little bit to reach for a crayon...


And then goes downhill fast with her reaching for anything she can find


Yesterday I caught her standing on the table, goal in hand, ready to jump to the floor. Oh my girl!

Daddy Knows Best

Yesterday Ali did great with the time change, but in the evening was just a tad bit on the cranky side. Okay... LOTS on the cranky side! I was trying to talk on the phone to my folks, so Jon whisked Alia away so she wouldn't be whining in my ear! After awhile I heard fun music coming from the office and wondered what those two were up to! Jon had plopped him and Al in front of the computer to watch... of all things... cat videos on YouTube! Jon totally knew what would make Ali smile - and for the rest of the evening we had our happy girl back! I love how well Jon knows both Al and I... he always knows just what to do for his girls!

Anderson David Lamont

Our first nephew has (finally) arrived! Anderson David Lamont was born to Jonathan's sister and bro-in-law on Thursday Oct. 29th at 6:25 am. He weighed in at 9 lb. 7 oz.! He tried staying put as long as he could, but finally was coaxed out of his comfy surroundings, and both Mom and babe are healthy!


Look at all that hair!!


Jon's mom is just in her glory, I'm sure! It's great that she is able to be there to help (and spoil!) while everyone gets adjusted over these next few weeks!


Sadly enough we won't be meeting this little guy for another month and a half! They will be coming this way before Christmas, but he will hardly be a newborn by then! Oh well... he'll still be sleepy and cuddly - so maybe we'll get some snuggle time in!

Ugh... this makes me SO EXCITED about our new little babe arriving! It can't get fast enough, yet will be here before we know it!

Peanut Butter

I have ALWAYS been a fan of a good PB and J sandwich. While in high school my best friend and I would spend many late nights chatting in between bites of gooey goodness... but we each had our own way of eating them! She liked hers open faced, I liked mine with bread on the top and bottom. Recently I decided to give Rochelle's "way" a try... and (I'll be honest) I really like it!! I eat the first 3/4's open faced and then fold the last 1/4 into a little mini sandwich! It's random... I know... but this new "discovery" makes me smile!