Santa Visit

Visit to Rain Forest Cafe before seeing Santa

This is the first year Quinn didn't cry.
She was happy to share that she wanted Stompeez slippers and Dream Lites pillow pet (she has watched one too many infomercials on Sprout) 

Quinn waiting in line with her friend, Stella.  

Quinn was barely hangin' on.  

Can you tell Molly is teething?

Jolly, our Elf on the Shelf, has been entertaining Quinn. Every time she finds him she laughs and runs to be sure she shows Daddy his newest hiding spot. She was amazed that Santa knew about him and Stella's elf, Tinker. She can't stop talking about it.  

Molly 6 Months

Molly is 6 months! She has been such an easy baby.  However, for almost two weeks this month she had decided that she wanted to wake up frequently in the night. I think it was due to congestion. This month has been full of sicknesses for our family, but she has managed to stay pretty healthy, compared to the rest of us.  She has been full of life and really trying to express herself through loud screeching. It is quite comical and so fun watching her develop more personality.
Likes:

• Chewing on everything
• Eating cereal and solids
• Watching her sister
• Rolling and scooting herself 
• Playing in the exersaucer (compliments of Mema)

Dislikes:

• Dirty diapers
• Getting in her carseat
• Face planting into her toys

Happy Baby.  She had been on a blanket and managed to scoot her way onto the wood floor. 

She loves this airplane pose. She also loves chewing on her lips.

Quinn feeding her sweet potatoes for the first time.

Quinn took this job very seriously.

I think she liked them.

Such a little mom.

Tis the Season

Quinn and Molly enjoyed their first experience with Santa this year. We joined our cousins, Shannon and Ryan, and their two girls, Maggie and Claire, for a horse-drawn ride through the forest preserve. Santa read us a story on our ride and then we enjoyed crafts, cookies, and hot chocolate. The best part was just spending time with everyone. We don't get to do it enough. We all had a nice time and couldn't beat the near 60 degree weather in December!

Santa we hope we are on the "good list"

After our ride through the forest

Maggie wasn't so sure of Santa this year.

Running to the crafts

Huggers

 Besties

Burning off some energy

Making bird feeders

Happy baby

Cousins (Maggie 1 1/2yrs, Molly 6mo, Quinn 3 1/2yrs, Claire 3 1/2yrs)

Makin Daddy a little nervous

Molly and Daddy

Running back for some cookies and hot chocolate

Thankful

It's hard to believe the Thanksgiving festivities have come to an end. We were able to celebrate with both families this year and spent a day helping Granny put up her tree.We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful family and friends. We are also thankful that we are all in good health again this year. This past August was Andy's 6th year of being cancer free. We're thankful for that EVERY day of the year!

Last year around this time we moved into our new home. We were lucky we got the tree up with all that we had to do around the house and let us not forget that I was pregnant and feeling awful  This year has been so much more relaxed and we were able to get up all our Christmas decorations. Our Elf on the Shelf, Jolly, arrived the day after Thanksgiving and Quinn has been scared to death of him. She even wrote him a note stating that he needed to stay away from her room. The second night she wrote another note saying he wasn't aloud upstairs. She is also scared of Santa "seeing her when she's sleeping" and if you think about it I'd be freaked out too if I knew there was someone watching me while I slept. I told her that is just in the song and really he is only watching you when your naughty. She went for that. Let's hope this doesn't cause sleeping issues until Christmas. 

Here are a few pictures of Quinn helping with the tree. She really got into it this year.We can't wait to watch Molly take part in the decorating next Christmas.

Molly 5 Months (a little late)

Molly 5 month update:

She loves to get on all fours and rock
She has been rolling from front to back and back to front
She is scooting around and trying to sit assisted
She loves laughing at her sister and is constantly watching her every move

She is a very happy and smiley baby

She has started taking formula and cereal this month and is adjusting

She wants to put everything in her mouth, including her feet

Here are some pictures Ms. Blue Eyes:

Happy Halloween

This was Molly's first Halloween and our first Halloween in our new neighborhood. We witnessed multiple hayrides, golf carts, go carts, trucks loaded with children and even someone on a HORSE! I guess that's the way trick or treating works around here.  After only going around 1 block in an hour and a half on foot, I began to understand and we already plan to take full advantage of the hayride concept next year.  We met up with one of our new neighbors and her daughter, Evelyn.Quinn and Evelyn held hands majority of the walk and  were so cute together.  They were quite the little trick or treaters.  I think they will both sleep well tonight.

 Our little pumpkin, Molly was all smiles before we went out and then slept almost the whole way. 

 Best buds....seconds later moods shifted (see below)

Couldn't resist snapping a shot mid-meltdown. She was not happy about wearing double layers of tights, but we made it out the door.

Happy again and ready to put her coat back on 

 Quinn and neighbor buddy, Evelyn.  

(Quinn even packed some dog treats in her costume for the neighbors)

 Running to houses. 

Lots of smiles and lots of candy= a successful Halloween.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

Happy 3-0 Auntie Ali!

Happy 30th Auntie Ali!  We love you and your little gnome too.

 Caroline the gnome.

 Handing Papa every leave she found 

 Yummy breakfast at Wildberry for the birthday girl

 Waitress Quinn and Michael

 

 Quinn putting on a show for everyone at the restaurant

 What a group. Poor Molly.

 Quinn was quite excited about her blue eye shadow.  

 Our happy pumpkin laughing at Daddy

Sleepy pumpkin ready to go home after a long weekend of fun