Monkey Daughter

Christmas was great and busy! The girls both really enjoyed the excitement of seeing family, opening presents (favorite part), and now playing with new toys. Katherine really enjoyed it this year and would say "more, more, more" after opening a gift. The first day of opening gifts she seemed to be more concerned about getting all the paper off and throwing it away before actually seeing the gift. That changed by the 3rd day of opening presents...someone else could throw the paper away by then. Still busy trying to prepare for our trip West to Pasadena, California to cheer on the Badgers in the Rose Bowl! So this is my excuse for lack of photos and blogging. Here though is a great video of our monkey daughter, Katherine, doing her monkey walk. We tried to get her to show it to family and friends over the holidays but she would have none of it. Watch quickly...and enjoy.

Happy New Year to all! May God bless you with good health, memories and love in 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKQ4zWMPpt4

22 months and counting...

2 more months and my baby is officially a toddler. She is saying more words - plus trying to say even more - putting 2 and 3 words together - becoming even more independent and stubborn (is that possible?) She is willing to kiss any ouch that you may have including her own if she can reach it. You try to get her to say "you" and she says "me". Ask her what her name is and she either says "me" or shows you 1 finger. Not sure who taught her but she knows she is one and shows one finger. She walks like a monkey on extended hands and legs and sometimes even says "oo--aa--oo--aa". I have a video just need to post it. She waddles like a penguin or a duck, as well, plus she can even walk as slow as a turtle. She loves to jump and if she is not walking an animal walk than she is running! She is becoming more daring and wanting to jump off of higher and higher steps. Oh and by the way the animal walks she created all on her own. She loves to play with her dolls and give them "nums" or put them to bed, "nigh nigh". She enjoys coloring and if her big sister is home she loves to play with her and follow her. :-) She is fun to watch when she plays with the pretend food, tea set and her dolls. Oh, and she loves to put her hands in her pockets whether its her pants or her jacket. She will not hold our hand sometimes because she has to have her hands in her pockets. Goofy girl she is. I am sure I am missing something but I will add it next month. :-)



Our monkey



Just Arrived

We are going to the Rose Bowl! The tickets have arrived. We now have everything we need. Go Badgers! Merry Christmas to all!

December Events in Review

We have had a busy December...It all started with heading north on the first Thursday to pick out a tree at Whispering Pines Tree Farm in almost darkness. We were the only ones there around 4:30 with the sun setting fast. We actually found a tree pretty quickly, I thought. We had to with darkness coming faster than we realized.  Next up was a Friday night trip to the North Pole on the Polar Express. Emma has experienced this before but it was a first for Katherine. She really seemed to enjoy the train. She likes to play with trains whenever she has the chance. And of course it ended with seeing Santa after exiting the train. Hoping Katherine would be okay with Santa. She cried less than usual and actually said goodbye to him and gave him five at the end but would not sit near him! The next day we celebrated at two different birthday parties. Sunday, Ethan and I helped worked the Packer seat rentals at the game for Emma's school. That was an interesting experience.

There's our tree behind Ethan

Posing with the Conductor



Waiting for the reading of the Polar Express to begin



Aboard the train

Waiting for her ticket to be punched

Katherine actually relaxed and smiled with Santa (Mom still had to hold her though)

The next week included dinner with Grandma Sue for her birthday on Tuesday. Wednesday we visited Santa with friends and then enjoyed dinner at Texas Roadhouse. Our friends have a 7 month old and he had no fears of Santa. Friday (now the 10th) Emma and I went to the Meyer Theatre to see The Green Bay Nutcracker Ballet. I took her last year and she really enjoyed it. She has asked we make it a tradition. Once again she was mesmerized. Halfway through the story she leaned over to me and said, "When I grow up I want to be Clara." :-) Saturday morning started with Breakfast with Santa at Lakeland College with Nana and Papa, Aunt Heidi and cousin Ian. Then we returned to Green Bay (before the storm). Packed up the girls and took them to Grandma's house for an overnight while Ethan and I spent the evening at his company holiday party and a night away at the hotel connected to the convention center - thanks to a gift certificate from his Mom and StepDad last Christmas. Quite a coincidence that it was for the same hotel that the party was at and we had yet to use it. Plus we needed to use it because it was about to expire. Thanks Sue & Dave - it was a fun evening of dancing and visiting with friends. The snow did come but since we were at a hotel we didn't have much to worry about it. The only oops part was we went to Mass before the party and headed to the hotel to check in and get ready there. Ethan decided at the last minute to switch cars. So I put all the bags from the trunk into the new car but there was one important thing I forgot - my dress! I didn't realize it until we were already in our room and Ethan was out at the car putting in the parking pass. By now the snow had started so even though we were not that far from home - the roads were not dry and quick and it took longer than usual. Unfortunately we missed Cocktails but dinner had yet to start when we finally arrived just before seven.

Happy 6th Birthday Jacob!

2nd birthday party was at an inflatable place - our girls love it!



Katherine couldn't get enough of the inflatables! This was a first for her.



Mom & Daughter at The Nutcracker Ballet



Emma with her new Clara ornament



Emma and Ian posing with Santa at Breakfast with Santa

My hubby and I enjoying the company holiday party

This past week was a little less busy. Thursday evening the girls and I attended our Goddaughter's Preschool Christmas concert. We made cutout christmas cookies with Dad, spent a night at Nana & Papa's so I could enjoy a dinner with my two best high school friends, and then today we decorated the Christmas cookies. That was something with Katherine. I was doing fine with all of it until she decided she wanted to put the frosting on. I no longer felt in control and wanted to keep it moving. Oh well, I relaxed and we have some beautiful looking cookies with pink, green, white or blue frosting. Photos of all this to hopefully come soon.

Amidst all of this I have been trying to finish preparing cards to send, tomorrow finally. I had hoped to send them much earlier this year. Oh well.  Trying to finish shopping and some homemade gifts as well as keeping up with some form of exercise. I did run outside in Sheboygan Saturday morning. Even though it was snowy and icy on the sidewalks it felt great!

Reading Material

As we left the house yesterday Katherine saw a doll on the cover of a catalog in the basket. She decided she needed this reading material for the car. To Katherine this catalog is just dolls. To Emma this catalog is many good things. Luckily, for now, only one knows about American Girl and the other is okay with just looking at dolls.

I just love her expressions.

A mimic of all sorts

Katherine knows that when either myself or husband is done running we have to stretch. She likes to stretch with us or even try push ups and sit ups. Here she is yesterday trying to do sit ups with me. Too funny!

Holiday Card

After many different versions of cards and photos tried and deliberated on - we took a family vote and decided to go with a red card (favorite family color - Go Badgers!) with 3 photos which capture our beautiful daughters and a recent family photo taken of us at a Green Bay park.

Snow Flurries Scarlet Christmas Card

Shop Shutterfly for elegant custom Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AbM3LNi3Yt3Vw