7 Months

 With the chaos of Christmas I forgot to take Lucy's 7 month picture and write an update.  Here it is, two weeks late.

We hauled the high chair up from the basement and she has taken a  huge interest in people food.  So far she has had baby rice cereal, baby oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and squash.  I am trying to do all homemade foods again.  I forgot how time consuming it is!

She had eaten all of her food and wanted more so I put an apple in a mesh feeder and let her gnaw on it for a while!  She had a hard time parting with it.

She continues to love love love her sister.  Lilly is so good and tolerant most of the time.  She loves to make Lucy laugh and even wrestles around with her.  So sweet!  

Right now Lucy:

*weighs 18 pounds (1.5 lbs more than Lilly at the same age).

*sleeps 10+ hours over night and naps two times per day.

*is very very mobile and is pulling up on everything possible.  We had to drop her crib mattress down because I walked in several times to her standing up in the crib.

*is mostly happy, however, she has had a nasty cold and screams bloody hell when she gets her nose sucked out. 

*has 2 teeth and loves nothing more than to chew on things.

Shirk Christmas

The day after the Stous Christmas we headed to Great Bend for four days. Hanna and Grant, and Abby and Adam and the kids were already there.  We went straight to my Grandfather's house to celebrate with my mom's side of the family.  The next day the whole family went to the Children's Choir mass at St. Patricks.  It was the same service Hanna, Abby and I used to be a part of.  

Baby Lucy is getting so big and starting to pull herself up on everything!

 Have I mentioned that Lucy loves cats?  I think she made the connection that her hair is soft like Sophie Kitty's.

 We opened most of the present on Christmas Eve after church. No matter what it is, Lucy likes the tags best. 

 Jack kept a good eye on the baby.  He has been know to steal of toy from time to time.

 Lucy did a pretty god job of tearing her present open. 

 Lilly got a craft box complete with chalk-board lid and full of crayons, markers, and coloring books.  It has been used everyday since she opened it!

 Lilly made sure to show Lucy what her present did.

 Christmas night, John and I bundled up and took Lilly over to the neighbor's to see all of their Christmas decorations.  Since it was so cold they only had a few of their 50+ inflatables up!  Nana Bobbi took her back a few nights later to see all of them!

John, Lucy, and I came home the day after Christmas and Lilly stayed and got some special Nana Bobbi time.  We were all so well taken care of during our time in Great Bend.  We left with full tummys, sleepy kids, and a full car!

Stous Christmas

 This year we gathered at our house for dinner and presents with John's family.  Lucy sure loves her great-grandpa Bob.  Hard to believe this guy is 96!

Cousin Leighton got a new drill and just couldn't wait to try it out!

 Leighton is such a sweet little guy and just can't get enough of Baby Lu.  He wanted to hold her and kiss her the entire time he was with her.  His mommy told me he keeps asking to come back!

 The three bigger kids gave Bob a big group hug for their presents! I am pretty sure he teared up after this.

Lilly and Raeghan got Hello Kitty lunch boxes.  One of these days Lilly will actually call it Hello Kitty instead of Hu Hu Kitty.  

All in all it was a great night with the Stous family.  

The End of Gizz

 Gizzy made two final visits before heading back to the North Pole for a while.  Lilly told me this was her favorite picture of him, just hanging out and watching over Lucy.

Santa told him we were going to be in Great Bend on Christmas Day, so he brought Lilly's gift from Santa early.  Little guy is a smart one.  Wonder how he knew I had a lot to do that day, and nothing would occupy the girls more than a new toy?

 I am still amazed how well they play together!  What three-year-old lets her 7-month-old sister play with her new toys?  

After Christmas we read the story about Gizzy one last time and talked about how he would be back next year to check in on us.  Lilly asked the next day if I though Gizzy made it home.  She just loves her little elf! 

A Little Christmas Story

 The various Sunday School classes came together to tell the Christmas Story this past weekend at church.  Lilly, and the others her age, played the stable animals and held up masks and made animal noises!

They also sang Away In a Manger and Silent Night.  I think this picture was "but little Lord Jesus no crying He makes."  

All of the kiddos looked adorable and did a great job!

Sweet Tooth

 Last Friday the girls and I headed out to the Debusk's house for a little gingerbread house building.  Lilly, Olivia, and Zoe did a great job building and eating the candy at the same time.  Lilly had quite the sugar high by the time we got home. 

Gizzy hung out with the marshmallow gingerbread men and added a few decorations of his own.  Lilly was so worried he was going to eat her house!

Gearing Up

 I am finally starting to feel like we are getting back into our "normal" routine.  John was gone every night last week reffing and I played single parent.   Evenings were fair, bed-time was tough, and the mornings were just plain stressful! It is fair to say Lilly and I were tired of each other by the weekend!  Gizzy stopped by to check on us a couple times.  

He though he would have a snuggle with Lucy's ducky and giraffe in her swing.

When he returned later in the week, he watched us from inside Lilly's stocking. 

We are all looking forward to more of his visits and Lilly is already wondering if he will visit us when we leave for Great Bend.  

Rockin' with Dad

There is nothing better than watching a child try to do everything her daddy does!

Wordless Wednesday

Meet Gizzy

"Have you ever wondered how Santa could know if you're naughty or nice each year as you grow?  For hundreds of years it's been a big secret.  It now can be shared if you promise to keep it.  At holiday time Santa sends me to you.  I watch and report on all that you do.  My job's an assignment from Santa himself.  I am his helper, a friendly scout elf."

Gizzy the Elf (The Elf on the Shelf) has made the Stous's his Christmas family.  He made his first appearance this morning and is currently en route to the North Pole to let Santa know how we all did today.  I hope to document all of his visits this year!

Cat Family

 My kids are animal lovers, and thankfully we have very tolerant kitties!

Baby Lu gets so excited when Juan sneaks into the house, which typically happens several times per day. He always checks her out and licks her fingers.  She has just gotten to the point she wants to touch him.  

Lilly was about a year old in this picture.  She stills loves her cat as much now as she did then!

6 months

How is it possible that this little bundle of joy has been with us 6 months already!  

 At 6 months Lucy:
*weighs 16 lbs 3 ounces.
* is 26 1/4 inches long.
* is still sleeping and eating like a champ!
*loves, loves, loves being talked to and being the center of attention.
*is all over the place!  She is so very close to crawling and right now is rolling and doing a sort of army-crawl-arms-then-belly drag across the room.

One of her favorite places is right under Lilly's chair at dinner time.  Just keeping an eye on everyone!

Crafty Me

 I hit up Pinterest for a way to solve our headband and clippy mess.  Here is what I came up with. 

I bought a black frame on sale at Hobby Lobby, added some hooks to the bottom, spray painted it shiny purple, and stapled some ribbon to the back side.  Perfect!

Wordless Wednesday (a day late)

K-S-U WILDCATS!

This past Saturday, just like every other Saturday when the Wildcats play at home, we packed it up and headed for Manhattan.  Hanna and Grant were in town and Lilly was so excited to see them!  All I wanted was one good picture of the four of us. 

Check out my shoes Aunt Hanna!

No clue what Lilly is doing!

1 out of 4 looking at the camera.

Apparently trying to escape.

Some deep conversation.

Again, only Hanna is paying attention.

Let's be done already!

 I am going to blame my husband for never getting a good picture.  His method is to snap and snap and never count to three.  Wonder where he gets it from?

2 Little Pumpkins

 Pumpkin number one is Lilly and pumpkin number 2 is Lucy.  

I keep thinking Lucy is taking on her own look, and then I get out old pictures!  Amazing how similar they are!

Sidenote:  my husband just asked which kid is which!

Happy Halloween

I am so happy Halloween is over!  After all of the chaos at school, I just about didn't have enough energy to celebrate with the kids! Lilly and her besties (Olivia, and Zoe) got to wear their costumes to dance class the day before.  Cutest Dorothy, Snow White, and Olivia (hehe) I have ever seen!

 Nana Bobbi surprised Lilly in her clown costume! I think Lilly knew it was her, but was pretty confused. 

 She warmed up pretty quickly and thought it was pretty funny!

Lucy wasn't thrilled to be hauled around and put in and taken out of her carseat over and over again.  She was pretty mellow about the whole thing.  

We made half a dozen stops and called it a night.  Lilly came home with far more candy than she would even need.  Good thing she has a mommy with a sweet tooth!