A Very Happy New Year!

Christmas was fantastic, and so much fun now that Dylan and Ava are both older. We did our usual family traditions like look at holiday lights, trim the tree, Meghan’s Christmas party (with a surprise arrival of Santa), Park Cities brunch, Alex’s for Christmas Eve, and then the day is split between both families. The kids both wrote letters to Santa, which Dylan included in his “Ava does not listen.” I thought it was funny – and soo true!! This was the first year he told me what to write, and I wrote down exactly as he asked. Dylan’s main wish was that he receive a video game, and Ava wanted a baby doll – which both got! Of course, Charlie the Elf (on a Shelf) helped keep Dylan and Ava in line since Charlie reported back to Santa. That was always a nice card to play if I ran out of my usual options like timeouts and taking away toys :-) They know that when I hold Harper it’s easier to get away with things, and Charlie sure did help me out during those times.

Meghan's Party

Aunt Amber, Dylan and Ava


Ava Grace and her Dress Up Clothes

Christmas Lights Watching

I seem to be wearing my “Referee” hat a lot more with Dylan and Ava, but then I have this gorgeous baby girl who does nothing but smile and wants nothing more than to be held and talked to. Two opposite ends of the spectrum – I try and discipline and then I try and love on the baby, and let’s just say my disciplining is sometimes not so quiet because the majority of time Dylan and Ava don’t have on their “listening ears”…like EVER. I’m starting to call them Double Trouble, because they egg each other on and conspire together. It certainly is a juggling act which, although at times I get stressed and don’t know how I’m going to do it all, I very much cherish. No REALLY, I do ;-) It’s like a quote from the movie Parenthood which I’ve always liked: You know, when I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster. Up, down, up, down. Oh, what a ride! I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn't like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it. My life motto can pretty much be summed up from this line!

Dylan’s 4th birthday is right around the corner and he wanted a dinosaur party. So, we are having a dinosaur dig at the museum! Of course, yesterday he said that he really wanted a remote control helicopter for his birthday. Where do kids come up with these things?!! It’s amazing how much he has grown up lately, and he’s learning to read and do math at school. This morning we were driving through the neighborhood and he said, “Mommy, S-T-O-P. Stop.” Stop growing my sweet boy!!!

Ava Grace…hmm, words can’t express her shining personality! She’s a little mommy, the girliest bully you’ll ever come across, a cuddler, a wrestler, a smarty pants, miss independent, and the silliest little girl. She’s two going on twelve! She also just loooooves lovin on Harper, and both children help out any way they can if Harper’s involved.

Speaking of Lil Miss Harper Adele, she is thriving and then some!!! She began rolling over just shy of being three months old. Now, at almost four months old, not only is she rolling over-constantly, she’s scooting around on her blanket, holding her head up, grabbing toys, and even trying to sit up (I call it her exercise crunches). I think she wants to play with her older siblings sooner rather than later!

Michael and I have already begun planning several trips this year. We haven’t skied in four years!!! So, it will be nice to go to our good friend’s wedding planned in Jackson Hole. I’m already looking forward to it! The new year we will see a little bit of snow, a little bit of beach, and who knows what else is in store for our family.

Hope 2011 brings you and your family joy, happiness, and many, many roller coaster rides!!