Christmas craziness!

It all starts with Christmas Eve. Saturday morning Auntie Kina came over to hang out and exchange gifts. The kids got to spend the whole day with just those gifts, no other gifts to distract them and they had a BLAST. That evening we did our traditional dinner at Grandma and Papa H's. Then came Christmas. Christmas is always a wonderful, crazy day for us. It worked out slightly differently this year since it fell on a Sunday and obviously you aren't going to skip church on Christmas.  Grandma and Papa G joined us at our house again for Christmas morning.  Grandma even helped wake up the big kids. 

Good morning!  Grandma went in and whispered that it was Christmas to Kayda, she immediately popped up and smiled at Grandma. 

Dillon wasn't quite so enthusiastic.  He got right up but he has a much harder time becoming alert in the mornings, takes after his Daddy that way.

The kids came out and checked out what Santa brought them.  We asked them if they were ready to open presents, Kayda immediately said yes, Dillon said he wanted to keep playing.  So to get them started Daddy and I opened their gifts from preschool.  The kids made us picture frames and put the kids' pictures in them.  They're supposed to be magnets but they made them too heavy for the magnets they glued on!

Then is was off to the races.  Fortunately Grandma and Papa were there and snapped pictures for us while we orchestrated gifts, opening, getting the paper out of the way, making sure toys don't get lost in the rubbage etc...

Carson liked his Santa gift, SO cute!

Carson spent more time in Papa G's arms than anyone elses'! 

Daddy REALLY loved the little einstein set he opened!  Fortunately he was willing to share with Carson!

See Grandma G was here!

After presents we were able to do my family's tradition of cinnamon rolls and/or scones, we did both this year.  Normally we skip this because we would be heading off to Baba's for breakfast, instead we were headed off to church.  Then we went straight over to Grandma and Papa H's.  Here are almost all the grandkids!  (Brett was getting his diaper changed, but our pictures with Brett in them we can't see Dillon so I chose to see my little boy...)

When that were done we hung out for a while before going home.  We got a short break before Grandma and Papa G came back and we got to talk to Uncle Justin on the phone!  One of his two phone calls home a year (all he's allowed on his mission).  Then it was off to the races getting dinner ready at approximately the same time that the meat would be done.  Grandma and Papa H joined us as well.  It was a great time!  I'm so glad that we have such a good relationship with BOTH sets of Grandparents AND that they seem to enjoy eachothers' company as well!!! 

Santa gave Carson some rice cereal, he's not even 5 months old yet but he will STARE at my food when I'm eating, and the doctor gave me the go ahead.  So we went ahead and let him have his first solid food on Christmas!  He LOVED it.  At one point I paused holding the spoon over the bowl to talk to the Papas, Carson wasn't willing to wait though.  He started leaning toward the spoon with his mouth open wide.  Good thing Grandma G was holding him good and tight!

It was a couple of crazy, busy, wonderful days.  We all got some great gifts and got to spend a lot of great time with the people most important to us.  Thanks everyone!

"Let's Dress Up for Christmas"

Today was the preschool Christmas program.  Kayda got to be Mary and Dillon was a donkey!  They were so cute!  You could hear Kayda singing over everyone else and occasionally you could even make out Dillon's voice!  Kayda spent most of the time giving us all thumbs up and smiling at us.  Dillon spent a lot of time yawning, when he wasn't belting out the singing.  These kids are quite the performers!  They are SO much fun to watch!!!  We are so fortunate to have both sets of grandparents live so close and be so supportive of our children.  Both sets of grandparents were able to make it today!!!

Unfortunately I "epic failed" as a mom today.  I was so excited for the program, I sent out advanced emails and reminders to all the grandparents, I counted down the days, this morning I ran to the store to buy a tripod so I could get the best video possible, I got there 20 minutes early to get the best possible seats, we recorded it, it was lovely, I take the kids to swim, come home get the pictures uploaded, pull up the videos and I start editing it and adding captions.  Then after saving two separate files from the editing program I deleted the files off the camera.  Little did I know that the editing program wasn't actually saving the video, just my modifications so now I don't have said video.  I look in the recycle bin, guess what...since I deleted straight off the camera it DOESN'T GO IN THERE!!!  Fortunately a friend AND one of the teachers were also taping it so I have already arranged to get at least one other copy.  Otherwise I would be bawling my eyes out. Two words.   BAD MOM.  Then I go back and look at the pictures and mine are crazy dark, then it occurs to me that the last setting I used was the plant thing so I could take this picture:

I thought it was so cool that this rose is holding out against the elements when all the rest are dead.  Of course I didn't think to check the setting before I started snapping pictures (you know since all I ever take pictures of are my children).... so NOT worth it.  Just not my day.  I'm sorry children, I failed you something awful today.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town!

Last weekend we decorated for Christmas.  We ended up taking out pretty much all the decorations, which I didn't think we'd have the space to do.  Between that and FINALLY putting up our pictures our house feels completely different.  Sad that it took us 6 years to put up our family pictures.  Anyways, Kayda and Dillon had a great time putting up the ornaments!  Especially the ones I've made for them because they are THEIR ornaments with their names on them and everything. 

Today I finally got motivated to attempt a few pictures with all three kids.  It worked out nice that the baby santa hat fit Carson and Kayda and Dillon could wear Daddy and I's hats!

Dillon is having a rough day today, very emotional.  Check out that face!  Don't miss his little tear drop!

Carson was reaching for Hank, so I go to take a picture... this is what I got instead.  Not sure how I feel about that.  Kinda gross but weirdly cute at the same time.  No Hank's tongue never actually went in Carson's mouth, he's just licking Carson's drool covered chin.

Other, completely irrelevant information:

Check out this guy!  SUCH a handsome boy!  Can you believe he's 4 months.  Carson and Kayda both had doctor appointments last Friday.  Carson's 4 month check up and Kayda's 5 year.  According to the doctor Carson is the size of the average 6.5 month old!  Holy cow!!!  He cried for about a minute after getting his shots and then was right back to his smiley self.  Kayda got a finger poke to check her cholesterol and a few other things (standard procedure), she did fairly well.  It took her a little longer to calm down but she's bigger so that's to be expected. 

Carson's stats:

Height - 26.5 inches (95%)

Weight - 17lbs 2 oz (90%)

Head - 17 inches (75%)

Kayda's stats:

Height - 42.625 inches (50%)

Weight - 41.2 lbs (60%)

Sight 20/30 (normal for this age)



Swim Lessons

We're back into swim lessons, this time we have Mary.  The kids ended up being the only ones in the class and they're doing great!   Today I was lucky enough to have Grandma G with us so I could take some pictures and videos!  Here they are waiting for swim lessons to start!

 Kayda is turning into a fish!  She swam almost all the way across the shallow end by herself today and randomly decided to do backstroke... and was successful.  You can tell that she has decided she likes the way it feels to glide, she's a pro now.  She can also swim along the bottom of the pool as well as flip from her stomach to her back and back to her stomach without any problems. 

Dillon isn't being his usual brave self for this round of swim lessons.  He's usually very adventurous in the water but he's toned it way down this session.  Despite this he's still doing a great job flipping over in the water, doing his floats and he's figuring out how to do his glides on his back.  He's always done well with his his front glides. 

I love that my kiddos are such water lovers.  They seem to prefer being underwater when they're in the pool and spend as little time as possible with their heads above the water.  I'm working on getting that same love of water in Carson.  So far he loves baths and showers!  He hears the water and he calms down if he's been crying.  We've even started teaching him to hold his breath.  When we're at swim lessons he absolutely will not interact with me, he wants to be looking at the pool NOT Mommy. 

Grandma G has a thing with baby teeth so she's constantly searching for them.  Yesterday she discovered that Carson has his two bottom front teeth cutting through.  You can definitely feel them and if you can get him to cooperate you can even see them.  This is how he spent the whole swim lesson!  Can you tell he's teething?

Kayda's Birthday Party

We celebrated Kayda's birthday with a few friends today.  Most of the kids we invited from preschool didn't come but we had the most important people (Kenzie- best friend, Ella - favorite cousin, Addison- only girl playdate buddy) there so it really didn't matter!  She was so excited to have a party and she wanted a "Tangled" theme. 

They were dancing to some of the Disney princess music while we were waiting for friends. 

 Next we painted "lanterns".  Yes they actually lit up. 

 Then it was on to pin the hair on Rapunzel

 We played "Feed Maximus apples";  aka throw tennis balls in a bin.

 Freeze dance.

 Cupcake time!!!

 Presents!

Kayda's 5th Birthday!

Saturday night (the night before Kayda's actual birthday)  Grandma and Papa G got back from Pullman and wanted to take Kayda out to Azteca for her birthday.  She wanted to go there so she could wear the "big hat".  After we ate, they came over, put the hat on her, started singing and set some chocolate mousse on the table in front of her. 

In the middle of the song a man reached over and stuck the mousse on Kayda's nose.

She thought it was hilarious and it gave her nice and hearty laugh!

Back in the day at one of my birthdays they stuck the whole bowl in my face... I wasn't such a good sport about it.  My parents, with their love for Azteca, have never seen them do it to anyone else.  Apparently it's reserved for me and mine.

Sunday morning (Kayda's actual birthday) Auntie Kina came over to visit and say happy birthday. 

She even brought a little something for Dillon!

Then that evening we had all the grandparents over to celebrate with confetti cupcakes. 

We spent the remainder of the evening playing "Guess Who" and the "Tangled" game on the Wii.  Daddy had all the kiddos while he was playing the game, talk about multitasking!

I can't believe my girl is five!  Time flies so fast and she'll be going to kindergarten next year.  WHERE IS THE PAUSE BUTTON!?!?!