New Year's Resolution

After a particularly difficult day involving temper tantrums, wresting Meg into the car seat, and chasing her through Target as she attempts to escape I've decided to make a different New Year's resolution. In 2010, I vow to appreciate my children & their stages more. I've caught myself wishing they were older, or out of this stage. What's the old saying? Motherhood - the days are long but the years are short. Too soon they won't light up when they see me. In the blink of an eye I'll dropping them off at college and I'll long for the days of cuddles and sloppy kisses. So yes, I may wish for the time when I can eat a meal without someone in my lap or have a complete thought without interruption I need to remember how lucky I am that I've been blessed with these 2 perfect little babies. I need to appreciate how much they love and need me right now. Growing up is hard and I am lucky I get to watch Quinn & Megan grow and change into amazing little people. So God please give me the strength to get through the upcoming years of tantrums, clinging to mommy, & new found independence.

Christmas!

On Christmas Eve we went to one of the kids' services at church. They had a puppet show, and Megan liked it. She got to sit in church instead of going to the nursery. The adults got candles and the kids got glow sticks for the last few songs. Quinn was transfixed by the light candles in the dark church. It was so funny to see him so fixated on the candles we were holding.

Both kids decided they needed me and only me after church so here I am juggling them both. My arms defiantly got a workout that night.

Isn't this just a great picture of the kids? I LOVE it!

Quinn's first Christmas Eve.

Megan in her Christmas dress. This is her second one because the one I originally bought, at a huge consignment sale in September, was way too short. It didn't even cover her diaper! The girl had a growth spurt.



Christmas was a big hit here. Santa brought her a kitchen, a stroller for her dolls and a Leap Frog alphabet game. Uncle Aaron got the kids a Little Tykes car and Megan LOVES it. You should have seen her Christmas morning she couldn't decide what to play with first. Meg was standing there going back and forth between toys. In the end the car won out. But Megan compromised - she takes a cup from her kitchen, and the alphabet game and gets in her car. She tells me she's drinking coffee and talking to Grammy on the phone while she pedals around the house. Grammy and Grandpa came down later on Christmas Day. Mom got the kids hats from Disney (when she was there visiting Aaron). As soon as Meg opened them up she put them on and announced she had to go bye bye in her car. SO cute!


Quinn in his Mickey hat. Too cute!

Here's Megan in the car Uncle Aaron bought. She loves it. On Christmas Day she didn't eat breakfast or lunch, because she didn't want to get out of it. We had to pry her out of it to get her to eat dinner. She has to find a parking spot for it every night before going to bed. Usually it's right by the stairs so she can get right back into it again in the morning.

Quinn gets a turn too, although Meg wasn't so very fond of sharing it. She kept telling me Quinn was a baby and the car was for big kids.

Pre Christmas Pictures

Busy, busy Christmas. But lots of fun. Here are a few pictures of the celebrations with Nathan's family and my dad and Bernie.

Megan and I opening presents at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Megan was more than happy to open her presents and a few of Quinn's. Well, until we had a mini meltdown. But all was well after a brief time out.

Quinn sitting on Grandma's couch as we separated the presents. Note his serious face. It's as if he's saying "Mom, let's get on with it already."

One of my favorites. Here's cousin Katie handing Quinn his pile of presents. What a good little helper she is! Watch out world because Miss. Katie will be ruling (with her big cousin Megan of course) very soon.

Megan tearing into a present at Dad's. It was a pimped out wagon - cup holders, juice box holders, a canopy, storage space, different seating configurations. All of which I'm very excited about using this summer, by the way.

Pre Christmas

This is the first year Megan "gets" Christmas. She understands the idea of Santa, but is still afraid of him. We celebrated Christmas with my dad and Bernie on Sat. and Nathan's parents, sister and her family on Sunday. At my dad's Meg wanted to open every one's presents for them. She was excited over everything -from socks to the wagon. Everything got the same "Oh, wow! I like it!" reaction. It was very cute. Quinn just drooled over it.

At Nathan's family's Christmas Meg was tired and we had a few....issues. She didn't want to say thank you (even though she's usually very polite. She even says bless you after I sneeze. anyway.....) I took her into another room to discuss her manners. As we were walking out she started yelling, "I not tankful. I not." Don't you just love the over load of Christmas. After Megan had a chance to cool down she went right back to opening presents and saying thanks. She loves the books, and blankie Aunt Jill made. She's cuddling up with with it every day whenever she gets hurt, (I hurt myself.) or just needs a cuddle. It's adorable. Thanks Aunt Jill!

Meg after picking out our tree. Believe it or not she was more interested in the cows & dog we saw on the farm than the actual tree.

Quinn in the car seat after we picked out our tree.

Getting ready for Christmas tree placement.

Back to Work

Well I'm officially back to work. The first couple of days were really hard, but once I started I remember how much I love my job. Add in joining a gym & getting up to work out before school to lose this baby weight. But man, oh man is it crazy around here. I get up around 5 on work out mornings, or 5:40 on non work out days, get to school about 7, teach from 7:30 to 2:10, leave work & pick up the kids around 3:30, spend a little time with the kids at home, make dinner, clean up, put the kids to bed around 7, clean up and get ready for the next day, and in bed around 10. Then get up and do it all again. Now with the craziness of Christmas I'm barely sleeping. See how much fun it is having small children?

Anyway, here is a picture of Quinn with Santa. Megan refused to even sit in my lap when I sit at his feet. She declared he was scary. At least she was honest about it. ;) Quinn slept through it. He fell asleep while Nathan was holding him and stayed asleep handed over to Santa. Megan loves to see all the Christmas lights that people have on their houses. She looks out our window and points out all of our neighbors houses....every day. Then Q and I have to go check it out....every day.