It's Winter...

... and we're getting antzy.









Can ya tell?

Mmmm...

I could just gobble this girl up! I'm so thankful that right now, as I type, my little one is on my lap to kiss and squeeze and hug until my hearts content!

The New and Improved Kreiser Family

Before my mom left for Ohio we took a few family pics. Thankfully they are a bit better than our first attempt at the hospital... Alia's not picking her nose, at least!

So New

As I was looking through the pics my mom took when she was here, I ran across these two. They were taken when Larren was 3 days old.

My oh my... on one hand that feels like months ago! But on the other hand, bringing Larren home seems like it never really happened. I can't quite verbalize the feeling.
Maybe it's just because I haven't had as much time to sit and gaze at Larren like I did with Alia. To soak in her little beautiful features, to watch her as she dreams, to sing silly songs and "make" her do the actions with me, to read her every single book we own, to cuddle wuddle anytime we want to.
I'm not sure when... but this whirl wind has to let up some time, right? In the mean time I'm trying not to miss these precious first few months of Larren's life.

Showing Her the Ropes

As I've mentioned before, Alia is a FANTASTIC big sister! She never misses the oppurtunity to share her "wisdom" with her younger sister!

Mommy's Birthday Treat in the Making

I have not had the oppurtunity to celebrate my birthday with my parents since I was 18. So... since this was the closest we've come in awhile, my mom surprised me with a little birthday party before she left! Her and Alia made a delicious supper and baked up some yummy red velvet cupcakes for dessert! Here's the inside look at the cupcake girls in action!



Can ya tell it's red velvet cake batter?!?!








Yes... when Mommy walked in she instinctively grabbed a bib!




This girl is quite the snitch, I tell ya!






One sprinkle for the cupcakes...


One sprinkle for Alia!


Adding the sprinkles... and making sure they are REALLY on the cupcakes to stay!



The finished product


Blowing out the candle (they were kind in not putting all 26 on!)


They passed Alia's inspection... so much in fact that she would have eaten the whole plate had we let her!


What a lovely little birthday party! Thinking back on it makes me smile all over again!

Ballerina for a week

Once again, my friend Tara blessed us by taking pictures of both Larren and Alia as a baby gift! In among some of the props she brought was a tu-tu, a cute pink hat, and a pearl necklace! Upon seeing Alia's face light up at the sight of these items, she let Alia borrow them for the week... to kinda ease some of the "babies coming home to stay" syndrome!
Ohhhh myyyy, Alia had a BALL!

Yup... that's a "feather duster" in her hand!



The little ballerina... taking a break to watch cat videos with her Daddy! (What he does out of love for his daughter!)

What would a visit to Canada in winter...

... be like without a snowmobile ride?!





And yes... if you can't tell, that IS my mom on the back of that sled!!

Praise the Lord... Gramma's Here!

With a new baby around, Gramma couldn't stay too far away of course! My mom came out for a visit as soon as she could catch a plane!! She arrived on the 15th, and was able to stay for about a week... which was great! I can't say I was the easiest of people to live with during that first week of Larren's life, but her help was GREATLY appreciated! Oh gracious, without her here we would have barely kept a float! Again, two kids is WAY more of an adjustment than I imagined it would be!

Alia and Gramma enjoying some Baby Einstein and cuddle time


Larren and Gramma just having a little chit chat




There can never be too many hugs when Gramma's here!





Bedtime stories


Alia LOVED having her very own play partner at her beck and call!






This is what I refer to as Larren's "old man grumpy face"... but Gramma doesn't mind!



Building a snowman was one of Alia and Gramma's highlights of the week.... they built it on the verandah by the back door so Alia could gaze at it and exclaim excitedly "NO-MAN" no matter how many times she'd seen him that day!


Again... I am so thankful that my mom took the time off work, spent the money to fly up, put up with a super stressed out daughter, loved on her two grand babies like crazy, cooked and cleaned on a daily basis, and left with a smile to boot! How blessed I am to have the parents I do! Thanks again Mom!