Merry Christmas!

Wow! What a blessed Christmas. We are so happy to be near family this year. It is crazy to think this time last year I was packing up to move back to Cleveland while Chris was staying back in Savannah. So happy to all be together!

EC had fun opening gifts, but got distracted after each gift. It took us about 12 hours to finish up ( with me opening a lot...) but we had fun for sure! I think her new kitchen and art supplies have been the winners with her princess castle and trampoline in a very close second!

In amazing news, Adam got engaged to Marissa! Yay for my new sister in law!

Another weekend closer to Christmas, yay!! We had a very chill weekend (so chill in fact I took no pictures-so instead I'm posting some from right after Thanksgiving when Nana took EC to Chuckie Cheese's...yikes). Friday Chris and I went out with another couple for dinner and Grandma watched EC. Saturday Chris and I made 120 candies for his cookie exchange at work. Lots of fun-just a good thing EC took a good nap through it all! We had dinner with my Godparents and EC was a riot. Sunday was just a lazy day with no real plans. Just enjoyed all the snowfall out of our windows! I can't believe we are almost at Christmas-can't wait!

 Climbing up high! 

 Nana went in with EC-Chris and I were pretty sure we wouldn't fit (or at least that is the excuses we used!)

 Again? Again? 

And this is just a throw back from about 1 year ago...crazy how much she's grown!! 

Santa?

Two more weeks of work until both Chris and I have two weeks off! So excited, but it will be a busy two weeks! Guess you gotta earn the time off, right? This weekend we had EC's first haircut (and didn't take a picture!!). I think I was just in shock that she sat still! We gave her a sucker, but she had no idea what to do with it, she just kept rubbing it on her lips! Sunday we had a pancake breakfast with Santa. EC loved the pancakes and didn't mind Santa...until we wanted her to sit in his lap. Nooooo Thank you!

 Emma Clare and Santa

In a serious conversation in Mommy's Office

Happy Thanksgiving!

So the only reason I'm happy about Thanksgiving is I can now listen to Christmas music openly without being ridiculed! : ) But in all seriousness, we have so much to be thankful for. We are so blessed to be close to family again, and to have the most amazing little girl. We had lots of fun over the long weekend-some highlights- we got a new car (Rav4-let't talk about how freaking happy I am not to be driving the corolla in a Cleveland winter!), spent time with family, black Friday shopping, attempted to go downtown to see the lights (don't ask) and just hung out. It was great! A few pic below!

 Loving her ball pit!

 Look at that hair!

hehehe

First look at the Christmas tree! 

Thanksgiving week! So excited to have a 2 day work week! WAHOOO!! This weekend was lots of fun-I went and saw Once (AMAZING!) with my mom and Chris and I saw Catching Fire (also AMAZING!) Emma Clare is the cutest thing ever, but what else is new. I am so amazed by all the words she knows now! She is also singing her alphabet (I'd say she gets about 13 letter right...but she sings the whole tune!) and can count to 12 without skipping numbers...much. We think her back molars might be coming in because she kept chewing on her fingers and has been sleeping a little less and kept saying her ears hurt. She has tubes and no...hmm...how do I put this...drainage is happening so I don't think it's an ear infection. I guess we'll keep an eye on things! So excited to spends some family time together and FINALLY put up the Christmas decorations! 

Little guys tuckered out! 

My silly goose! 

 

Another Weekend Closer to Christmas! :)

Great weekend! (not many pics...sorry!) We spent Friday at Nana's and Chris and I went out for a date. Saturday Nana, Grandma and Denise and Tom came over for dinner. Chris made Chicken and Waffles...and OMG it was the best thing I've ever tasted. He made this apple butter spicy syrupy thing to go on top. Ok, so I shouldn't be a food blogger, but seriously it was so good! Sunday we spent with Tom, Kate and their daughter. The boys watched football and babies and Kate and I knocked out some Christmas shopping. You make fun, but Christmas is not that far away!

Going to daycare on Friday. Look at that hair...I love how she wants to wear her backpack. Our little miss independent! 

Lazy Weekend!

I don't know if it is the cold or the fact I'm getting over a bit of a sore throat, but this was just a lazy, lazy weekend! Ray, Jill and the boys were in town-Emma Clare had lots of fun playing. In fact, she tried to leave to go home with them, twice! She is still learning how to share her toys, but overall they had a great time! Other than hanging out with family and friends, pretty much the only other thing we got accomplished was sleeping! Emma Clare took a 3 hour nap on both Saturday and Sunday-Chris and I took a 2 hour nap both days! Maybe this is why by Sunday afternoon Emma Clare was literally climbing the walls! (bad parenting...eh...) Enjoy the pics!

Just hanging out with Daddy watching football...

Dad, could you give me a boost? 

Ok, perfect. Trust fall in 3..2..1..

Happy Halloween!

We hope everyone had a fun Halloween (and didn't get too wet!). Emma Clare had a great time trick or treating. We only went to about 5 or 6 houses due to the rain, but it was super fun. She did a great job saying her please and thank yous (so proud) and refused to let us carry her or her pumpkin (which got very heavy even after just 5 houses!) This weekend we pretty must just chilled out and relaxed. Enjoy the pictures!

Ready to go! 

Trick or Treat! 

The police were also passing out candy...kind of cool!

And the sugary aftermath...

Cheese! 

She sure did love that crunch bar! 

Happy Girl! 

COLD!

So we picked the COLDEST DAY to go pumpkin picking, opps! But it was still fun! We were supposed to go to Boo at the Zoo, but tickets were sold out, so we went to our backup plan. We went to Red Wagon Farms and picked pumpkins, went on a hay ride and drank warm cider. Emma Clare was the only one that didn't mind the cold! It was a great time!

Other than that, our weekend was pretty relaxed. We spent a little time at the library and watched A LOT of football on Sunday.

Can't believe that October is almost over...you know what that means, right? CHRISTMAS MUSIC! Don't even start with that after Thanksgiving nonsense! I've waited too long already! :)

Daddy and Emma Clare! 

The Mullen's and the Grandmas! (or Nana's according to EC)

Emma Clare and Mommy! 

Another fun and exciting weekend! Friday night we had an indoor picnic and then headed off to the park. Emma Clare now goes down the big slide all by herself (kind of gives mom a heart attack, but she is an independent soul and DOES NOT want any help). Saturday was kind of deary with all of the rain (and Chris was gone at a trivia competition with his students) so EC, Grandma and I went to the mall to walk around and play. And I found the deal of ALL deals! Crocs for $9.99. What a steal I tell ya! EC loves them since she can put them on herself-and I love them because she can put them on herself. Win, win!  Sunday we went with Nana to a Halloween Party (can't get enough of my little strawberry...although everyone thought she was a watermelon. If that was the case, I would have dressed up like Baby and carried her around saying "I carried a watermelon". Get it? Dirty Dancing fans out there??) As you can see from the pics below-our little girl went pee pee in the potty! Don't worry, I sent pics out right away too (you lucky recipients!) What a big girl! We are not really starting the whole potty training thing (and this is actually the second time she's gone in the potty-but we didn't catch the first time in the act) but we do have her sit on the potty before bathtime each night, and last night she went! She was so proud (or maybe that was just us?)

Since I know EVERYONE wanted to see this, it will be the first picture! You're welcome!

What a little ham! 

The whole outfit! 

What a big girl, putting on her own shoes...now if she could just find some pants...

Here I come! 

Where Has This Week Gone?!

Yikes! Already Thursday and no post from last week! Really, I have not excuse, just busy like everyone else! We had a great weekend (and now it is almost the weekend again, WAHOOO!). Chris chaperoned a dance on Friday, so EC and I just hung out at the house. Saturday we took Lou and EC to the park and went to the waterfalls. Lou loved it because she got some off leash time-EC loved it until we would not let her go into the FREEZING cold water (sorry for the blurry pics-this is why I need a nice camera for Christmas...hint hint. Really not too much went on, just hung out with friends and family! Emma Clare has her first Halloween party this weekend...can't wait to get her in her costume!! : )

 EC is really thinking about making a run for it! 

 Beautiful! :) 

Grocery shopping anyone?

What a cutie, huh? Sorry, not too many pictures this weekend, I'll try to do better next weekend! So, earlier in the week, little miss Emma Clare had her 18 month appointment-and guess what, she's perfect. Yep, that is what the doctor said, we have a perfect baby on our hands (well anyone who has ever met Emma Clare already knows that, right?) All joking aside, EC checked out healthy and proportionate (exactly 75% in height, weight and head circumference...weird). She is 33.5 inches and 26.5 pounds. The doctor was impressed with Emma Clare's vocabulary and ability to identify things (nose, ears, head,feet, etc.). She was also happy about her good eating (let's be honest here, she did not get her love of veggis from me...but who cares). So it looks like we are right where we should be! I was so impressed with her last night, she was looking at a picture book and I asked her "Where's the duck" (she always gets that one...) so I started asking her some of the harder ones we hadn't done, and she was getting ALL of them right! You go girlie! She is also starting to be able to communicate things she wants better (oh, she is really good and saying "paci mommy(or daddy) peas?"-which makes it really hard to say no to her as we are trying to break the paci habit...). In other news, I'm getting super excited for the holidays! I may or may not have already started Christmas shopping....

BFFs getting ready for bed (there is also an adorable bath picture that will be used for blackmail in the future!) 

What? What?

Eating Cheerios at Grandmas!

Yum! 

A weekend with nothing really to do! We got to hang out with Tom and Kate (and EC's BFF) on Friday. Had a relaxing Target and Library trip with Nana on Saturday, then hung out with Grandma on Sunday. EC loves eating cheerios out of measuring cups...very odd little girl. But we love her. Like a lot! 

Climbing the BIG ladder with Daddy! (no fear!)

Little Ladder!

This one taste good guys! 

Family Picture! 

Yummy! 

First Apple picked! 

Library!

Happy Fall! So excited for the fall weather and fall activities! We had the best weekend. Saturday was kind of rainy, and Chris had a ton of school work to do, so EC and I headed off to the Library to play. Grandma met us there. North Olmsted Library is great! There are a TON of activities to do. EC didn't want to leave after being there for almost 2 hours! We then went and got an ice cream cone at McDonald's (this is the only thing we'll let her eat there...and even this I'm a little skeptical of...). Sunday we went apple picking with Grandma, Nana and the Grodek's and had a ton of fun! We got over 10 pounds of apples (and only spent $10!). EC had a blast running through the orchards and picking her own apples. Sadly, she did get stung by a bee (poor thing had never screamed so loud!) but she was a real trooper and even aside from the swelling she still had a fun time afterwards. Great weekend, great family time, happy, happy, happy! Now just have to get through the next 5 workdays so we can do it all again...