Christmas 2016

The countdown to Christmas weekend was extra exciting this year. Uncle Cory came home from the academy on Friday night and stayed with us the whole weekend. We watched Christmas movies, wrapped gifts and put the final touches on our Christmas plans. 

On Saturday evening, we headed to church for the Christmas Eve service before the rest of the gang arrived.

"Your name will shine for all to see. You are the one. You are my glory. Glory in the highest! And no one else could ever compare to you Lord. And all the earth together declares...Glory in the highest!"

It had been ten years since we were all together to celebrate Christmas in one place. Nagymama came home for Christmas. It was our best Christmas present by far.

The power of FaceTime is amazing. We talk to Mama everyday on the phone. The last time Juliet was with her face to face was in July (when she was 10 months old), but when they saw each other it was like they had been together just the day before (because thanks to FaceTime, they had). These two have a special relationship already!

Papa and Nagymama were here when we got back from church. Ella's words were pretty much non stop from the minute Mama got out of the car to the time we sat down for dinner. She had her heart set on taking care of every one of Mama's needs. The royal treatment! 

"Ohhh Mama, I've missed you so much! Come inside. Would you like to wear my sweater? I don't want you to get cold. Here...let me take the cap off of your water for you. Would you like something to eat? I'll get your plate." -Ella

These girls were loopy with excitement, sugar, family and anticipation!

After dinner, the Christmas Eve traditions continued when the girls opened their Christmas pjs and annual Christmas ornament. 

After the girls were tucked in and fast asleep, we finished up the last bits of wrapping and stocking stuffing. Then, it was time for our annual Home Alone movie night. 

My dad has laughed at the exact same parts since I was a little girl!

The pups were comfortable!

As we were getting ready to sit down for dinner, Nagymama walked over to the tree and placed the red heart ornament on it. It is a picture of my grandfather. He's been gone for ten years, but when she placed him on our tree, it was a reminder of how his love, legacy and influence lived on in that room. Ella walked over to his picture and said, "Look Mommy! It's Nagypapa. Hi Nagypapa!"  Our girls have never met him, but they know all about him. 

My favorite view of the tree is on Christmas Eve. It's the one night we leave the lights on all night. I love walking out and taking it all in after we shut everything down, the house is quiet, the gift are laid out and the lights are twinkling.

Christmas morning came early! The girls could hardly contain their excitement when they came out to the tree. They waited a bit and then went to wake up the rest of the house. When we have a house full of people for Christmas and everyone adds their piles under the tree, it looks kind of crazy on Christmas morning.

Oliver knows the drill! 

Sisters in their matching Christmas jammies!

After a full day of fun and excitement, the house was quiet and it was just us. We were tired, but the good tired that comes from the sweet chaos of having a house full of family and Christmas celebrations all day. I'm so thankful for this guy. No one else I'd rather have by my side in this crazy life. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgEPnL1eij0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHfuBnrHKhY

Aunt Cyncy's tooth pillow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXrJCAjUXnQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYtJg3kjDCc

After breakfast and gifts, the girls stopped to take it all in and play!

Ella and Papa took on the annual Christmas morning Lego build! 

Grandma and Casey arrived in the afternoon! We had seven adults, three excited girls and three dogs under one roof, a few wild rounds of Pie Face, Jesus' birthday cake and lots of memories that made this Christmas extra special.

Ella was showing off one of her Christmas gifts in this pic, another beautiful sweater made with love by Nagymama.

Coloring with Grandma!

The dessert spread

Happy Birthday Jesus!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VISeqpB2H1g

Jesus' birthday cake was fun to make, but let's be honest...nothing on the table could compare to Nagymama's kremes. Nobody can get enough of the yummy goodness!

Mother & Son 💜

A definite highlight of the afternoon: Pie Face


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJzZvjGlomo


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3eyCtdLQ58

Someone needed a nap...

These two... 😆💙

Three generations!

It was such a special Christmas weekend filled with memories we will never forget! Memories that remind me over and over again of God's kindness and faithfulness in my life. 

The difference one year makes! Sweet Juliet: last year and this year. 😍

Christmas Musical

Abby and Ella ran around the house singing the same songs for months as they prepared for the annual Christmas Musical. Ella was especially excited because this was her first year singing in the show (and Abby's third). It's hard to say what they were most excited about: the show OR the chance to dress fancy and wear their beautiful Christmas dresses. They were lovely! It was fun to see the way the girls personalities shone through that night.

Ella was equal parts nervous and excited. We thought it was because it was her first time and she was anxious about being in front of people while she sang, but the more we thought about it, the more we realized she has the complete opposite response when she dances in her recital (and the crowd, stage and lights are even bigger). When we asked her why she was so nervous, she told us it was because "they told her she has to stand still up there throughout the show. She wasn't allowed to dance. She just had to smile and sing the whole time. AND THAT IS SO BORING, MOM!" I assured her it would be ok if she wanted to dance with her shoulders a bit and put some movement into her song. Be you, girl! 😊 Fast forward to showtime and she had a blast. She always found a way to make eye contact with us in the audience. She put all of her joy and facial expressions into the songs. She even found a way to bounce around a bit. Ella was the little girl in the front row waving excitedly to her parents (and Uncle Cory) between songs and then got into it when it was time to sing.

On the other hand, Abby was not nervous at all. She knew what to expect and had all of the songs memorized. She was ready to get on those risers, focus on the musical director and perform her part to perfection. And she did. In fact, she didn't take her eyes off of the musical director to the point that she kind of refuses to make any eye contact with us. It has been exactly the same for the last three years. We laugh with her about it and ask her why she won't look at us (at least for a good picture?) and she said it's because she has been told to do that. Abby takes her role very seriously and told us that she is supposed to stay focused and watch for her cues. I also think it's because seeing her parents makes her a little nervous, but that's between you and me! I have to give her credit though because this year she looked over exactly once for our photo op. Though she tends to look more serious and focused up there, she had a great time too. Both girls left the performance feeling energized and ready for some celebratory hot chocolate!

The pictures and videos aren't the best. In this one you can see Abby second row from the top and second one in from the left.

Ella is on the floor in the front, two students down from Abby. This picture is a good example of what I described! Abby is looking in the complete opposite direction at the musical director and Ella is all eyes on us. We were so proud of both of them! They all did a beautiful job.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aByulkKYZUc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4br9ihuTLM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc6wbB08tIo

With their school buddies: Abby with Christine/Ella with Gianna 

A few days later...

It was Saturday night. I was making dinner and everyone else was hanging out when there was a knock at the door. Our neighbor, Brian, was at the door with free tickets for us to Disney on Ice. The show was in two hours. It was such a fun surprise blessing! The girls were thrilled. Juliet and I stayed home and had a nice quiet night together. The big girls got ready for their special date with daddy complete with pizza and a show. It was a memory we will never forget for lots of reasons, including the kindness and generosity of our neighbor!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccigd_ExOgA

Snow!

We were all very excited to enjoy the first significant snowfall of the season a week before Christmas. It's been a couple of years since we've had enough snow to even make a snowman, so anything more than a dusting was super exciting. After all, we do live in NY!

Juliet's face during her first time in the snow made all the time it took to get five people ready in ALL the snow gear totally worth it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-kkT1uomOk

The girls had so much fun out there. Please note: The baby in our family takes her role very seriously.

Abby and Ella took turns giving Juliet sleigh rides around the front yard.

It wasn't long before some neighborhood friends wandered by and the snowman building began!

In other news, a friend sent me this picture of a really handsome guy while she was at worship team practice one night!

Juliet Grace: 15 & 16 months

Our sweet little Juliet- 

It has taken me so long to write these updates lately, mostly because our days are full of life being lived and they move so quickly. I want to learn how to be even more present in these moments and in my down time, I'm learning how to rest better. So, that means my memory blogging to-do list usually builds up more than I would like, but I'm not giving up! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lEl7pfM_bE

You are such a joy! I really enjoyed every bit of the baby months, but I also really love 'one'. I remember this with your sisters too. Just like the first year, every month we get to enjoy all the new things you are learning and all the ways you are growing and changing. These last few months with you have been so much fun in a new way. You are so responsive and express yourself to us in new big girl, toddler ways. When you hear the blender, you rush in, open the drawer, choose a cup and bring it to your daddy because your very favorite thing is your morning smoothie. Daddy makes the best peanut butter banana smoothie and you start most mornings by chugging your smoothie down in one breath. Speaking of food, I would have to say you are shaping up to be our pickiest eater by far. You love fruits (mainly bananas, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, apples and sucking the juice out of clementine slices before you spit them on the floor), but you refuse EVERY vegetable. If you were my first baby, I'm sure I would be convinced that I must have done something wrong, but as my third (with two older sisters who LOVE their veggies), I know it's just your preference right now. I'll keep giving them to you until you decide to stop throwing them on the floor. So, when you are loving brussel sprouts in your twenties and  are reading this post...know that I persevered! ;) 

You aren't walking yet, but have taken a few steps and are standing confidently on your own. We love watching the excitement on your face when you try new things and succeed. You are so proud of yourself when you stand up or take a step that you usually sit right back down to laugh and clap for yourself! You are so close to walking, but I think you just prefer getting around on all fours. Though recently you created a new method that is more like crawling/scooting, while using your right leg to get you there more quickly. It allows you to carry a book or toy, while keeping up with your sisters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX5RcvW0u98 

Oh, you love Abby and Ella so much! If one of your sisters cries, you imitate their crying sounds and rush over to hug them while patting them on the back to comfort them. You want to be in any and everything they are doing. Some of your new favorites are playing princess barbies with them and coloring. You love your drum and instruments, pushing your babies in the stroller and all things Sesame Street. Keeping our cell phones (and Nagymama's iPad) out of your reach is a constant. You try to sneak them every chance you get. You love crawling into your room and sitting in your reading corner by yourself with your books. You sit there for long periods of time and read book after book. Sometimes you are quiet, but lately you have been reading in a loud and animated voice. When you disappear, we know where to find you. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN6bUr_tXCk

Abby grabbed my phone to capture this moment: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEWLyoD7Cs0

Words/sounds: da-da-da-deeee, ma-ma, poop, "moh" (more) AND shaking your head "NO"

Favorite songs: Better When I'm Dancing by Meghan Trainor and Can't Stop the Feeling by Justin Timberlake 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFpZ_gTyQLc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzIl1OZT-Is

Other things you love: 

• throwing away garbage: If you find a piece of scrap paper on the ground, you bring it into the kitchen and put it in the trash. When we leave a dirty diaper on the toy box in your room, you pick it up, carry it down the hall and put it in the trash can. 
• shoes: Not only do you love touching everyone's shoes (yuck!), but you bring us your shoes and sit in our laps to tell us you want us to put them on. 
• sitting in our laps 
• only taking one nap a day (always quite the adjustment, but I think you're settling into the new schedule more and more each day)
• every time your daddy walks in the door or comes up the stairs from work (You seriously adore your daddy. Like all smiles, all the hugs and kisses...sometimes you sit at the top of the stairs and yell for him until he comes up to give you a kiss!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBU8Mr91uRQ

• Oliver kisses and petting him 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUll7rUoKhw

• brushing your hair and brushing your teeth 
• clearing out the entire DVD cabinet! Who needs toys? On Christmas morning, the DVD cabinet is the only place you wanted to be.     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwOj2B4xqrY
• when I put your coat on...because that means you are coming with me. When you see me grab my purse or put on my shoes, you are devastated. Your little lip starts quivering and the tears start flowing until I pick you up. If I put your shoes or coat on and assure you that you're coming with me, you instantly stop crying and are all smiles. 
• weight: 23 pounds 
• height: 30.71 inches 

In other news, we learned after two weeks with a clogged toilet that we couldn't clear (and we tried all the things), that you can not be trusted around an open toilet lid. 😆 Lesson learned. Thankfully, the pen was discovered at about round 276 of serious plunging and right before we gave up and called a plumber. Crisis averted.

Words can't express the joy you bring our family. We love you so so much!

Love,
Mommy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GNKotItMvc