Arwyn Week 28: The First Christmas - 12/31/2015

Arwyn had her very first Christmas this year.  Her favorite part was definitely all the crinkly wrapping paper, but she also got some good new toys that she enjoys chewing on.  Arwyn was a very good little sister, letting her big sister Leia open all her presents without making a fuss at all.  She also came outside to play in the snow with us, even though it wasn't particularly fun or comfortable for her.  She's such a good sport though, always willing to try new things!  We learned this week that Arwyn likes to party; she kept waking up during our dinner parties at Nana's so that she could come to the table and dance and be held by everyone...way better than sleeping!  Finally, Arwyn's been a champ at rolling over for a couple weeks now, but she finally had her first roll onto the tummy in bed!  She's still sleeping on her back, but has rolled onto her tummy several times upon waking up.

While it was literally Arwyn's first Christmas, it was figuratively a first Christmas for Leia as well.  This was the first year that she knew or cared about who Santa was, the first time she was really excited about receiving gifts, and understanding that this was a special holiday.  It was really fun to watch how excited she was about everything, but also hard to see the "more presents" monster emerge with a vengeance!  The Kolpeks arrived the day after Christmas, and Leia was so excited to have her big cousins in town, especially Jordan.  The first thing she would say when she woke up was "Where's Jordan?!"  Leia has been singing up a storm, and she's going crazy with making up her own lyrics and ad-libbing a tune as she goes...so fun to hear!  She's also telling her own stories a lot.  She'll open up a book, and start reading: "Once upon a time in a land far far away..." and the story goes on from there.  I love seeing her creativity blossom.

A couple really funny Leia stories for the week: When we were putting her to be at Nana's one night, she changed up the routine by insisting that BOTH Mommy and Daddy want to sing.  So the three of us got in a little hug circle, with Josh holding her, and Leia's arm wrapped around me (she did that on her own, by the way, melted my heart), and Leia proceeds to announce "It's our whole family!"  It was such an intimate little moment, and it warmed our hearts and blew our minds that she was able to recognize and verbalize the same sentiments we were feeling.  Then she sent us into fits of laughter when she requested we sing "Los Fandangos," the song with all the "L's" that she normally doesn't like because it's too hard.  And she knew it was funny to us because she was laughing as she requested it!  Finally, she got this little magnet dress up mermaid, and when she was changing out the bikini top, she said "And this one goes on her breast milks."  So funny what they pick up when you are breast feeding a little one around them!

The scene from above on Christmas morning!

Leia's extra stocking.

Leia's main stocking.

Arwyn's stocking.

And Leia's matching stocking...yes, that makes 3!

Sunny and the Creche.

The final results of our first family gingerbread house.

And tree #2, also stocked with presents!

Santa brought another pretty outfit for Leia to wear today, given to her right in bed!

Arwyn spent most of the morning supervising the chaos with her Nana.

Showing Poppy some of her cool new Frozen paraphenilia.

This wrapping paper stuff is awesome; tastes good and makes great noises!

Ohhh, hello new friend.  You seem kinda big but I just want to eat you!

Wahoo, new Elsa robe...just what she's been needing for the hot tub!

Emmett was more interested in climbing stairs than opening presents.  But hey, it's Christmas, to each his own!

Practicing sitting up while inspecting some of her new presents.

Happy little guy was full of giggles, smiles, and showing off his silliness after waking up from his nap at our house.

Emmett spent the afternoon hanging with the Transues.  Little did he know he was going to have to do some work, like help put Leia to bed.

More presents on Christmas Night...digging deep for the goodies at the bottom of the stocking!

Jake and the Neverland Pirates fruit snacks...big score!

Relaxing with Dad, again just watching the chaos.

It was a good stocking: Jake fruits and 2 new Willows!

Merry Christmas Nana!

This cute guy just makes me smile!

Emmett finally decided he might like to open a present, maybe two.

Poppy handsomely displaying his new wares.

Excuse me Dad, but I think I'll take that please.

Not quite doing this on her own yet, but sure looks cute trying!

Push ups are more Arwyn's thing.

Wow, have you guys seen this?  This is a great rug!

She only likes to wear "soft jams," but now she's the proud owner of a "soft dress."  Thanks Noura, I think we might be onto something here!

Arwyn's first time rolling onto her tummy while in bed!

Little flirt loves her some Daddy kisses!

Yep, this party is way better than sleeping!

Tongue contest!

Let's dance!

Checking out the manicured slopes...looks like it's going to be a good day!

First time up the Magic Carpet for the season.

Excited to be back on the hill and going fast, trying to remember how to stand up and lean forward.

Fun ski day with both mom and dad!

Hallelujah this sport is awesome!

Two little bad-asses taking a qick break and assessing the situation.

Auntie M is here to collect her big squeezes!

Arwyn says, "Goodness Carter, your swollen face from last visit really healed up nicely!"

Cousins!

All sorts of selfie action going on here!

Uncle Kole and the girls.

Wrapped in her new family blanket snuggling with her daddy.

After being rescued from a horrible session of bedtime tears, I didn't think Emmett was ever going to let go of his beloved savior Poppy.

At age 6 months, it is still possible to fall asleep in an uncomfortable backback on a cold morning while your sister sleds and your mom dives into the snow attempting to fend off a potential collision.

High speed road luge.

Good news, Leia can actually pull her own sled this year!

Is that not the sweetest most loving smile ever? You'd never know we just tortured her!

Totally fired up about this big box of very grabbable things that just happened to be right next to her; she just loves grabbing and handling things!

I just love all the love!

Ha, perfectly timed shot of Arwyn letting lose...she's a time-bomb that one!

Jordan was pretty traumatized about getting puked on, but with an apology as cute as this, she couldn't stay upset for long!

"Arwyn wants to be on my back!" = I want to give her a big hug!

Ski day with Poppy!

Now there's a happy little skier!

She looks like a big kid racer in her fancy new ski clothes, not a little 2 year old!

"Check out my fancy new vest!"

"Yes you, I'm talking to you!"

Partying up on New Year's Eve in her fancy Tea Party dress, just like Sofia the First.

Passed out, lights out, and that's a wrap on 2015 folks!

Arwyn Week 27: 6 Month Sweetie - 12/24/2015

Arwyn's big news for the week is that she turned 6 Months Old! She also tried eating Rice Cereal this week, but she did not like it any better than the banana.  In her defense, I gave it to her mixed with water because I didn't have any breast milk on hand, so it really didn't taste much different than cardboard, and I wanted to spit it out too!  She really loves to roll onto her tummy these days, to the point that she pretty much flips over the second you lay her down on her back.  She can roll back to her back, but mostly she just plays on her tummy until she gets pissed and then starts fussing and crying for help.  She's also started to push up and bring her knees under her, so crawling is sure to be in the near future.  She loves to grab at everything she sees.  If you are holding her, she'll try to steal anything you have in your other hand!  She also tell that she's really starting to love and get curious about her big sister.  She's always smiling at Leia and watching her closely to see what she's all about.  It's pretty cute.  Finally, since Leia had that Hand, Foot, & Mouth Disease last week, we figured Arwyn would have it by now since we couldn't seem to stop Leia from snuggling and kissing her constantly.  However, she actually seems to have escaped it.  She got 4 little bumps on her butt, so I got worried and assumed the worst, but it never progressed into anything else.  She also had 4 shots over the weekend, and started eating solid food, so it could have been any number of things causing the mini-rash.  I personally think that Leia had infected me a little, so I was already making anti-bodies that I was passing along to Arwyn, and maybe after the shots her immune system was weakened a little, so she got a bump or two, and then ramped the fight right back up, so it never had a chance to progress.  But that's all non-medical speculation.  Bottom line it, she seems to have avoided it!

Leia demonstrated what a little smarty pants she is this week.  She is really able to make observations about things and then make meaningful conclusions.  For example, on my work days, she always sees me wearing my work scrubs in the mornings.  But on Fridays, I don't work, so I'm not wearing my uniform, but she still goes to school.  She pointed out to me that I was not wearing my work clothes, and I agreed but kind of skirted the subject, indicating that I still was doing work while she was at school.  Later, when I was talking to her teacher Lynsey, she told me that Leia told her that "Mommy not at work today.  Mommy at home."  And Lynsey said, "No, I think she's working."  To which Leia replied, "No, she's not wearing her work clothes so she's not working today."  Smart and observant little bugger that one is!  She is also crazy.  She accompanied me and Arwyn to Arwyn's well-baby check up where she was going to have 4 shots.  Leia was not due for any shots, but kept asking for some anyway.  I assumed that she just wanted the bandaid, so I played along and gave her a pretend shot (a pinch in the arm) and covered it with a bandaid like Arwyn's.  But no, that was not good enough, and she proceeded to fuss and pester me.  "No Mommy, I want a shot in my arm.  The kind that hurts!"  She wouldn't stop about it, to the point that I actually asked the nurse if she would just get a needle and poke her, but of course they said no.  It really took all my best skills to finally distract her and get her onto a different subject.

6 Months Old and bursting with excitement!

Too busy rolling onto her tummy the second she hits the floor to cooperate with a photoshoot on her back!

Feet still make me happy!

Mom, do you see how flexible I am here!

Throw these little piggies into Dady's smoker and I think we'd really be onto something here!

I'm just a smiling machine.

Did I mention that I have these really cute feet?

Hey, don't photograph me right now, I'm not decent!

Oh all right, I'll just pirouette in all my glory!

But really now, on the serious side of things, my heart goes out to all those babies who are less fortunate than me...

And now a dance party...wooooow, break it down!

Whew, that was a big shoot...gettin' a little tired here Mom.

12/18 was the first day skiing for this busy Mom...awesome wind-buff down West Face was definitely worth the wait to have as a first day!

Um, excuse me, I'm pretty sure I told you yesterday that this banana crap was not working for me here!

Now this empty spoon here, I might be able to work with you on this.

Aghhhhh, you put banana on it again!

You keep that banana away from my spoon!

I'm not letting this spoon out of my sight or my grips until you get out of here with that banana!

Arwyn already looks up to her smart and loving big sister!

Getting some bath lessons from Leia.

Kept trying to roll right over; had to hold her down to get a very happy "I Love Auntie" picture!

Leia's first gingerbread house!

Hmmm, it looks great but I just think it's missing something, Dad.

Ta-da, a fish on the crest of the roof...now it's perfect!

"I got my sword, I got my map, and I got my Pixie Dust.  Let's go!"

A very snowy, fun, hour long Christmas Eve hot tub session with Dad!

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

Hey, look at me, I like being on my tummy these days...well, until I don't!

Hanging with her frog friends.

Too funny! Stop it, you're killing me!

Arwyn, my little Christmas Elf!

Love love love snuggling with this little cutie!

Yep, got this guy wrapped around my finger!

Christmas Cousins!

The only reason we got her to wear anything besides her sundress was because Santa brought these special Christmas outfits early, and gifts and instructions from Santa were temporarily more important than everything else!

Bedtime reading of The Night Before Christmas with Nana!

Emmett and his new Christmas Elephant!

Kishka kisses!

Loves her Poppy snuggles!

Hey there Uncle John, you look different from this angle!