A Very Merry Christmas

Stairs!!
AG takes care of her pink baby ("Flower") and Flower's yellow baby...
and LL is starting to take care of babies herself now!

We enjoyed time with family last weekend and will be making another trip this weekend to see more. The girls love all the attention, of course, and have had lots of fun with their grandparents, great-grandparents, etc. We hope you all are well and will have a very happy New Year! We look forward to seeing you in 2007!

Visions of (our) Sugar Plums...

LL takes a look at a book on Christmas Eve at Mimi and PawPaw's house
AG enjoyed the cupcakes made to celebrate Jesus' birthday.
"Night Night!" to PawPaw
AG plays around on Christmas Day
Brothers and Sisters...

Is it really December?

Smiling and swinging...

"Baww!"
One in a million....
"Just because I take a water break doesn't mean I have to put the ball down...."

Today LL and I played outside while AG napped, and it was just plain warm! Not that I'm complaining... I'm a wimp when it comes to cold weather ,so 70s the week before Christmas is just fine with me. LL loves being outside, so it seems to agree with her, too. Today instead of the acorns, she was most interested in the leaves (which are taking over our yard, despite Trey's valiant efforts to keep up with them!) and the blue ball, which has recently inspired new verbage! She's busy adding words... lately she's said "boo" (book), "Nigh Nigh" before she goes to bed, and tonight she perfectly pronounced "Dadeee!" and "Momeee!", almost in the same breath (no favoritism here!) So, rather than chattering teeth, this December finds us with a pair of chattering sweeties.

Whatever your weather, we wish for you a wonderful Christmas!

Where the Wild Things Are

One of our favorites, the white tiger
One of the elephants showing off some neat tricks....

LL having fun on the playground
AG making sure LL doesn't miss the whooping, swinging monkeys..."You see, Lawa?"

Yes, as you can see, we made another trip to the zoo last weekend! This time we had special guests...Gran and PopPop, who came to town to visit and babysit while Trey and I went to his company Christmas party later that night (no, the post title is not meant as a reference to the party!). As usual, we loved seeing the white tiger, elephants, and other beautiful and interesting creatures, but this time we saw the elephant "show" for the first time. We had no idea those guys (actually girls, I think) could do such cool tricks!

Brownbonnets?

LL, earlier this week, fascinated with the acorns in our backyard
AG, on her 1st birthday (4-2-05), fascinated with the bluebonnets in Austin

Notice any similarities? As I watched LL with the acorns, I was reminded of this day with AG over a year and a half ago. We couldn't get her to take her eyes off the flowers for anything! Of dozens of bluebonnet pictures, there may be one where she's not completely focused on the bright blooms. Understandable, right? They are beautiful, and this spring I am sure they'll be yet another thing to miss about Texas. (Unless, of course, we can time a trip back to visit just right!) LL seems to find the millions of acorns in our backyard equally interesting, however, which is kind of cute but also dangerous, since she still loves to put everything in her mouth and these little treasures are perfectly chokable! So we keep a close eye on her while she keeps a close eye on them. Gran showed AG how their little caps fit on like hats, so instead of sweet baby pictures in the midst of a field of bluebonnets, with LL we'll have them in a yard of brownbonnets.

Breakfast with Santa

Last Saturday morning we had a special event: breakfast with Santa at Trey's office! After eating, we stood in line to visit with the guest of honor, and as AG said later , "We waited...and waited...and waited..." There were lots of other kids there, too, but we hung in there and finally made it. This was AG's first close encounter with Santa and she seemed perfectly at ease, although she held onto her cup for a bit of security, I think!

A World of Wonder

AG is our little chatterbox...constantly asking questions, giving directions and explaining things as only a two-and-a-half year old can. She loves to be silly and joke around, but then there are the times when she unintentionally cracks us up with her pearls of toddler reasoning. Not to knock it...anyone who's been around a child this age can attest to how clever they are...and occasionally their little minds put things together in a way that is so sensible and yet so unexpected and well, just plain precious. Like Friday night, we'd told AG she could watch "Rudolph" before she went to bed, so all through dinner she kept asking, "Is Rudolphin on yet?" And Sunday morning, as I was getting dressed for church, she rubbed her hand on my panty-hosed foot and asked, "Are these your water hose?" I am both amused and amazed by her ideas...seems like just yesterday she started talking... and we can't wait to hear what she comes out with next!

'Tis the Season...

Here's a peek at an especially tender moment shared by AG and LL... what's not easy to see is that AG is pointing out to LL their "Sisters" ornament that has two little girls standing side by side. Both girls love the tree, and AG is quick to bring me the ornaments LL picks off!
For some reason the basket of Easter eggs that's been around since April has become really interesting again this week! LL likes to carry it now that she can walk well and today she dumped them out beside the Christmas tree...I thought this little Christmas/Easter picture was a sweet reminder of all we have to celebrate!

Very Special Guests

On Monday we had a great treat...Mimi, PawPaw, Aunt Nanoo (aka Camille), and Great Great Aunt Ramona (Mimi's sister) came to join us for lunch and playtime. AG wasted no time laying down the house rules for everyone (such as "Don't touch the Christmas tree.") We all enjoyed Mimi's chicken salad sandwiches and had some fun dancing to Yankee Doodle, etc. It was a really special time...we are so glad to be "just down the road" from these loved ones!
(above: LL chills with Aunt Nanoo and a book, below: all smiles after lunch with Mimi, PawPaw, and Aunt Ramona).

Friday Night Lights

Tonight we went to a fun pre-holiday event at a local park. We expected the lights to be the main attraction (and they were pretty...though Austin's Trail of Lights is still the best! :), but little did we know there was much more in store. After strolling through and seeing lots of lights, we came to an area where there was a craft fair, climbing wall, moonwalks, Santa and Mrs. Claus, and even pony rides! AG wasn't game for going to visit Santa, but she was ready to saddle up and blaze a new trail (for her anyway...the ponies little circle was well worn already!) riding a pony. What fun!
About halfway through I realized I should watch my step...these were real ponies, after all.
Can you tell it was cold out there? (Grandparents, don't worry...both girls made it just fine!) It was neat to experience a bit of Christmas tradition in our new hometown.

A Few Views

Spice Girls
Black Bean Beard
Out for Jess's Birthday Dinner