Everything Christmas - Start to Finish

Gosh, I can't believe I haven't shared anything about my Christmas! I have been keeping to busy that I haven't updated in awhile.

Well, I'll start with the Santa party we went to at my Aunt and Uncle's house. They invited Santa over to their house and he even brought us each a gift. I wasn't too sure about Santa at all. I got nervous and then cried and cried. Daddy saved me from Santa. I was excited about the awesome Minnie Mouse toy he brought me though.

Daaaaad!!!

 All of us with Santa!

Cohen and Santa!

Me opening my Minnie gift.

Christmas Even we spent the day at home as a family. Mom and Cohen made a Ginger Bread house. Maybe next year I'll be big enough to help. We watched Christmas movies and just enjoyed being together. Mom and Dad let Cohen and I each open one gift from them that day - to break it up a bit and let us have more time to enjoy our gifts. I got a new chair with my name on it. Cohen got a Lego set. 

Me in my chair I got on Christmas Eve from Mom and Dad.

Christmas morning Cohen woke up before me. Mom and Dad let him open his gifts before I got up. They said it was ok because I needed to rest, he shouldn't have to wait and that way they could really enjoy watching each of us open our gifts separately. It worked out well I guess. 

Me and the Princess Castle Santa brought me.
I love it - it plays music and I dance to it. 

Me and my talking and singing Puppy Santa brought. 

Cohen with his gifts from Santa.

Us and Mom with Great Grandpa and Grandma Cota at 

their house the day after Christmas.

Santa brought us all new stockings this year - even Marlie!

Marlie waiting impatiently to open one of her gifts. 

Cohen with the Gingerbread house he and Mom decorated.

Mom did some holiday baking and I got to be a taste tester.
I liked it!

I loved wearing this reindeer antlers.
I would bring them to Mom or Dad and basically ask them to put them on me. 

Cohen and me by our tree.

Cohen in his light up antlers.

Cohen me and Marlie!

Aren't I so cute in these antlers?

Cohen and I getting our Nativity Set out for the Season.

On Christmas Day - after we opened gifts, had breakfast and some time to play we packed up to head to Harpers to celebrate with our family there. After we got on the road Mom and Dad decided to turn around because the roads were very snowy, traffic was moving very slow and it was starting to sleet. We went back home and spent the rest of our day at home relaxing and playing with our new toys. The next morning after breakfast we headed out again.

We visited our Great Grandpa and Grandma Cota and Jones, Grandpa Cota and Granny. Both Cohen and I were very lucky kids and got some very nice gifts. Some of the gifts I got included shoes, clothes, sleep sacks, books, some that play music, toys...it was a very good Christmas. I even started to get in the hang of opening the gifts toward the end. :) 

After a few days in Harpers we headed back home. We had a day at home and then went to Waterloo to celebrate with Daddy's side of the family. We went to Uncle Dolly and Kari's house. We both got spoiled there too! I got a bunch of stuffed animals, Mickey, Minnie, Daisey, Donald and Goofy, books, a dolly, baby bed, doll baby diaper bag - it was a great time with our family. 

Mom and Dad got Cohen and I each an ornament this year - like they do every year. Mom forgot to take pictures though, I think. I got a Minnie Mouse ornament and Cohen got an Iron Man ornament. :)

One exciting thing for me over the Christmas holiday was that though I had been walking a little bit before that I really got a lot better, faster at walking and was starting to stand up on my own without having to hold onto anything. I'm really cruising around now! 

Busy, Busy Girl

I have been a very busy little girl. I recently turned 14 months old. I'm officially walking now. I've been taking steps here and there since I was about 12 months old and getting a little better and a little better all the time but in the last couple weeks I've pretty much perfected it and in the last few days I'm now walking more than I'm crawling.

I still have just the eight teeth - four on top, four on bottom. Still don't have too much hair but it's growing.

I like...not I LOVE to talk. I talk, talk, talk ALL. THE. TIME!! Some are actual words and a lot is just jabber chatter but I have a lot of fluctuation and emotion behind what I'm saying. To me - I'm really saying a lot, even though Mom and Dad can't understand all of it - yet.

I love to look at "pictees" (pictures) and point and ask, "oooz at?" (who's that)

On my most favorite things to do is to take a bath. I get so excited and repeat, "Baf, baf, baf, baf" over and over and over until I'm in.

I do have a long list of words though:
Dog, Blythe, eat, eyes, woof, up, please, bye-bye, nana, cheese, cracker, snow, tree, Santa, baby, pinky, hop, Minnie, yes, no, go ride, pictee (picture), who's this, book, monkey, bath, blue, green, pants, toothpaste, diaper, shoes, socks, hi

I've been working on my animals sounds. The ones I have down are;
Snake - hiss, Cow - Moo, Sheep - Baaa, Dog/Puppy - Woof, Tiger - Raaar, Monkey - ooo  ooo

I also know Santa says "Ho-Ho"

If we're out shopping I say "hi" to nearly everyone I see. They don't always hear me but sometimes they do and they respond back with a "hi" and a smile.

I know where eyes, nose, feet, belly and hair are. I do better at point out others eyes and nose than my own. I always just point to my chin for everything but on someone else's face I can differentiate.

I'm a very good sleeper at night and most days am a good napper. I go to bed for the night around 7:30 - 8:00 and get up 12 - 13 hours later.

Most days I take two naps that are 1 1/2 - 2 hours each. Occasionally I boycott one of them but like I said, most days I get both in.

I still need to have my pinky (taggie blanket) to suck my thumb. I won't suck my thumb without it and I won't calm myself without sucking my thumb - so therefore I need both my pinky and my thumb to fall asleep.

Something else that makes me so happy that Mom and Dad thinks is so weird is how much I like to hang upside down. Daddy will hold me by my legs upside down and I just love it. I will hang there happy as a clam, looking around. If he tips me up I push to go back down. If I'm fussy this makes me settle down.

 I think I'm big stuff when I'm up on the couch. It makes me so happy.

That's about all I've been up to. I love to laugh, snuggle, give kisses and play with mommy, daddy and Cohen. I'm growing fast and turning into a big girl.

Thanksgiving Time

I haven't even updated about Thanksgiving! Wow! We spent a few days back with family over Thanksgiving. We spent time with Granny, Grandpa Cota, Great Grandpa and Grandma Jones, Grandpa and Grandma Dahlstrom and both sides of their family, Ranzenbergers and Reisers.

We spent a night at Ranzenbergs and I got to play with Ryland. We had a great Thanksgiving.

Cohen and I with Great Grandpa and Grandma Jones

Some of the Grandkids and Great grandkids with Gram D.
Back: Brent, Flynn, Jasmyn, Cody, Trey, Lamista, Mercadees, Serenity, Gram, Reese, Daddy, Me, Cohen
Center: Bruce, Josh, Brian
Front: Shahn, Trevor, Dustin

Two Little Monkeys Rolling on the Bed

I love when I get to crawl and roll around on beds and couches etc...I get in a silly mood when I do that. One night before Cohen and I went to bed we were playing on his bed and I was silly as ever. We were making eachother laugh and Daddy was making us laugh too.

Reading With Daddy and Cohen

Most every night Mom or Dad reads me a few books before they put me to bed. Once in awhile Cohen will join in on the snuggles and story time. This was one of those nights....

Legos with Cohen

Cohen has been really into playing with Legos lately. They are too small for me but he got his Duplos out too and has been also playing with those. I like playing with them too so often we will both be playing with them. I like when I get to play with my big brother. He's pretty cool!

Trick or Treat

It wasn't my first Halloween but it was my first Halloween I got to go out and watch the kids trick or treat. I think next year I'll get to trick or treat myself. It looks like fun!

I was a good girl and glad the rain stopped and it wasn't too cold so I could go along.

Me, Dad and Cohen

Bella, Parker, Cohen and Me

Our friends the Lombardos. 

Me, Aiden, Andrea, Bella, Cohen and Parker