Catch Up...Quick!

 Oh goodness...there is a lot to blog.It has been a while, but there were so many things going on (including the stomach flu (YIKES) and family being in town that it just never got done. So here I go.

So one night when I was bored out of my mind, I decided to see if I could put Katelyn's hair in pigtails... it was a success! Ha ha ha... pigtails at 3 months. Ok, so they are more like antennae, but she sure is cute! And Katelyn tried out the Bumbo for the first time.

So here are some of Tori's many photos (like I picked a dozen from the 100 she took). She loves to take pictures and was really excited when there were 3 more subjects (Grandma, Grandpa & Auntie Marie) to photograph.

Here is a major montage of the family fun that we have had in the past few weeks. From the top going clockwise. Brooke's new favorite past time is coloring (as you can see coloring also includes coloring herself!).  Then there is all 3 girls in their footy pajamas on the Love Sac. Daddy and Grandpa doing calisthenics with the girls! Ha ha ha! Then there is Brooke "doing" a cross word puzzle (more like scribbling) and then Katelyn and Grandpa joining in. Above that is the "tree house" Tori and Daddy made. Above that Tori and Brooke in Jason's shoes. In the middle: Jason shaved one day and came out with a 'stache! YIKES! And going full circle, Brooke coloring again!

Ahhh...Thanksgiving! Auntie Marie got in the morning of Thanksgiving and we had a real Thanksgiving dinner...not one at 2 in the afternoon! Gwen and I SLAVED (ok...it really wasn't all that bad, we both know how to manage time well) in the kitchen all day and our spread included turkey, mashed potatoes, yams, cranberry jelly, stuffing, olives and of course, pie (thanks Marie Calendar for your amazing frozen pies!). Jason even made his own green bean casserole! What a chef!

Our tradition is to put up the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving and we decided to put it in our Living Room this year because our den has now become the catch all room. The girls love it because they get to see the Christmas tree all the time. Brooke really wasn't all that interested in decorating the tree (maybe because she had the stomach flu) but Tori took over like a champ and decorated the tree herself. As you can see most of the ornaments were placed at her arm's length all in a clump, but I kept it that way because they were so cute. I knew they would be rearranged a few days later anyway. I LOVE the 2nd picture of the star going up. Tori wanted to put it on so bad, but her death grip on Jason's hair wouldn't allow the use of 2 hands! Ha! So jason had to take matters in his own hand but Tori continued the death grip on the hair.

Another tradition is that we have Christmas with our family that came for Thanksgiving a few days later so that they can see the girls open their presents. Tori got her own camera from Grandma and Grandpa Dinger and some clothes and Barbies from Auntie Marie. Brooke got a picnic basket from Grandma and Grandpa and some Strawberry Shortcake movies from Auntie Marie (among other things, but I am not listing it all!). I got a new camera! Bye Bye Fuji Film Fine Pix with only 5 megapixels! Hello Olympus VR-330 with HD/3D capabilities and 14 megapixels! YES! Can't wait to start taking pictures with it! Jason is really creative this year and only asked for money. Well, alas, our family off and went back home (just after I had the stomach flu and right as Tori caught it). I have just had about enough of this stomach flu junk and luckily Katelyn hasn't gotten it! As we know well, babies and stomach flu are a scary mix.

 

Last, but not least, Miss Katelyn keeps growing. Here she is in the infamous purple outfit. She is the only one that has fit into the outfit at the appropriate age (3-6 months). Lately she has learned to stick out her tongue, to blow bubbles, to grab toys and to have giggle fits! As you can see, she is a doll. Oh, and she still hasn't chosen what color her eyes should be. My guess: Hazel. She sleeps like a champ. I feed her between 8 and 9 and she goes to sleep right after until 3 or 4 in the morning! Sometimes even until 5! Then she eats again and falls back to sleep!  Her hair is getting long enough to stop sticking straight up and lays down well, but she did get the bald spot in the back of her head and we sometimes call her a monk.