A Little Christmas Cheer

We decided to make cookies today.  We started our gingerbread cookies but they are chilling for the night.  Colin was really excited to make those type of cookies.  A while back he picked out the Gingerbread Man book and loved it.  He is funny, it was like April.  He always ends up picking a random book that really does not fit the time when we are reading it.  We are going to the library tomorrow and he will probably end up with an Easter book.  So, today we made oatmeal raisin and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.  A lot of them! We are set for a while, especially since I am not a big cookie person. 

Baker Colin

Colin was a knight protecting princess Meli, Queen mama, and daddy the King. He did think that the King should help him fight too.

~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~

The B Family

Santa Baby!

Meli is 7 months today!  I am guessing that she is between 17.5 and 18 lbs.  I think she definitely added some length to her also.  Her onesies are getting too short again. She is making so many different noises now.  She does a cute one when she sees her ba-ba.  Will is thinking she is saying "da da".  I think she is but not quite sure it is directed at him yet, but maybe soon! Her bottom two teeth are in and it looks like her top two may be starting too.  Colin likes to point out her teeth to others.  She is a determined little thing when something is out of her reach.  She will reach until she her tummy is touching the floor. 

Our precious little princess let us take some Christmas photos of her today.  Here are my favorites.

~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~

 The B Family

A Visit by Christmas Past

Here are some of my favorite Christmas moments...

2007: Colin's first Christmas tree

2008:

Colin discovering ornaments - a few years later he broke my Eeyore one that is in his hand...so sad

Colin being obsessed with the tree

2009:

Seeing the Christmas trees in D.C.

My adorable little Santa's helper

A very cool helper

Going to Oregon for Christmas and seeing one of my favorite places, the duck pond

2010:

Colin being super excited on Christmas morning and understanding Santa Clause a little more

Playing in the snow

And so far for Christmas Present

2011:

Christmas pajamas!

~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~
The B Family

Santa: All I want for Christmas is...

...to say "goodbye" to my glasses...please!!!

I am finally doing it!  I am getting iLasik!!!!  I am super excited...and nervous at the same time. I have wanted to do it for years. I hate spending so much money on contacts, solution, etc.  Especially since my contacts have been giving me trouble these past few years. Last year, I had an infection from my contacts where I had to go without them for a while (of course during a trip) and wear my glasses, which I hate!  I love the look of glasses but do not like wearing them.  They give me headaches and they are just a nuisance.  Before my Germany trip this year, I went to see if I was a candidate since my eyes were again giving me trouble.  The doctor took one look at my eyes and told me that I could no longer wear contacts. EVER again.  So, iLasik here I come!

I am doing my eyes on different days since I have to get two different procedures done.  My right eyes is perfect for iLasik and will be a quick procedure (and a day recovery).  My left eye, the bother, is proving to be a little more difficult.  I have a scar on my eye (from a severe case of conjunctivitis years ago).  The scar prevents me from being a candidate for iLasik but I get an older procedure done.  That works just as good but it is more painful and more recovery time. 5 days compared to 1! With my first eye they create the flap.  Do their thing.  Replace the flap.  The eye heals fairly quickly.  The second eye, they do not do a flap, they just take it OFF!!  Do their thing. Then put a contact like thing over it to protect my poor eye.  Then my amazing eye will create a new top layer.  5 days later (give or take) I am good to go!  No glasses! 

In between the surgeries I am going to look so cool with my glasses on with one lens popped out.  Oh, yeah!

~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~

The B Family

Name Change...Again.

So, I changed the name of my blog...again.  I know, I know - how annoying, right??  Well, I had wanted to change "The World of Master Colin" when Meli came...so I went with "Dragons & Unicorns" but I just was not really feeling it.  Tonight, as we were driving home with May screaming the whole way, (It was past her bedtime and she was letting us know she was not thrilled about that fact) a new title just came to me - Playing in the Rain.  I think this is a good title because it sums it all up.  Parenthood is the most amazing thing, the most precious gift BUT it is tiring, and challenging and will push you to your limits...When you reach the point where you think you will have to scream - that is when you get a glimpse of a single smile or laugh that just reminds you why all of the good, the bad and the in-between times are worth it.  We are playing in the rain.  Making life work.  Pushing aside the stress of parenthood and realizing the blessing that it all is. 

~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~

The B Family

Feeling that wonderful Christmas spirit

I just love, love, LOVE this time of year.  There truly is a Christmas spirit.  Even if life is stressed, busy - la, la , la - it is just a happy time.  Colin is thrilled to the max about Christmas this year.  He wants to write Santa a letter and is already talking about leaving cookies & milk for him (and carrots for the reindeer - of course).  He also has a Star Wars Lego advent calendar that has been a very exciting item.  He loves opening the new window to see what he gets.  He recently watched some of a Star Wars movie with Will, which thrilled Will to death!  So, Colin knows the characters and is having a hay day with the legos.

Meli has been clapping after every bite of food.  So cute but it makes for a long meal.  She also has her first two teeth.  Colin thinks that is so cool.  Meli probably does not.  Colin got his teeth so easily.  You barely noticed anything was wrong.  He may have been a little more cranky but he was such a happy baby that it was nothing.  Meli is having a little more trouble.  Still not bad.  Definitely doable but poor baby.  May's face is getting a little chubbier. So cute.  I just want to pinch her little cheeks.  She still has a pretty small frame.

Meli is so lucky to have Colin as a big brother.  He is always ready to help make her happy.  I may have already mentioned this but there have been two times where he really shows this.  On our drive home on Thanksgiving he sang most of the ride home (over an hour) to make her happy.  She calms down whenever someone sings "Meli had a little lamb...".  Then the other morning he heard her crying, so he took his pillow and blanket in her room and laid down and sang to her again.  Such a sweet boy!

~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~

The B Family

The Parents' Corner

It is time for a parent update.  No baby talk (for the moment). I wrote this forever ago and forgot to post it.

BEWARE: Husband bragging session *Divert your eyes if needed*

My hubby is such an inspiration to me.  He is an amazing father, a wonderful husband, a caring friend, and just an overall great person.  With all that he does for our family he has been very busy with his career.  He recently received a PMP (Project Manager Professional). He is in a Project Manager position at work.

He has been looking at possible Master programs and he just finished his last class to receive a Masters Certificate in Project Management. So proud...*tear, tear.

He is also doing a lot with his band. I am so glad that he is able to enjoy a hobby of his.  His musical abilities just amaze me.  He can play the trumpet, piano, drums and bass guitar.  He wants to play something, he just picks it up and does it.  A little jealous over here in this corner where I cannot even sing on key.

I will hopefully be completing my bachelor's degree either this Spring term or Summer term, if all goes to plan.   I have been working on this degree for way longer than I would like to admit...but you do what you have to.  I was determined not to have student loans...and I do not!  Such a headache to deal with.  It also has taken me a bit longer than needed because I switched my major a few times.  I got an Associates in Psychology and then decided to pursue pre-Physical Therapy with a minor in Ancient Greek Civilization and Art History.  When I moved to D.C. I decided to switch again, and to a totally different type of subject.  Now I am working on Computer Information Systems with an emphasis in Database Management.  Several  credits transferred from Portland State University, but there were a lot of core classes that I needed to take fort this new major.  After this quarter, I only have 5 more!!  So excited!  I must enjoy a challenge. Not only am I working full-time, traveling around the world, and raising two kids - now I decided to double up on my classes so I can finish up sooner. Ca-razy!

~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~

The B Family

Do you hear what I hear?

We like to get our Christmas decorations up the weekend of Thanksgiving.  It is easier because we know it is a long weekend and plus, we get to enjoy the Christmas spirit that much longer.  Colin was singing "Do you hear what I hear..." throughout the day.  It was super cute.  Probably more so since that is one of my faves. 

So we are having a bit of a Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas.  I brought back a lot of ornaments from my Germany trip this year.  Things like:

My Father Christmas ornament.  I love wood ornaments, especially ones that depict old fashion pictures.

You have to really look, but there is our pickle!  The German tradition is to hid the pickle within the tree and whomever finds it gets an extra gift.

I bought Meli and Colin their ornaments this year from the Käthe Wohlfahrt store.  This one is Meli's. 

My biggest find from Germany was something that Will and I have been looking for since our first Christmas 6 years ago...our Christmas Angel!  Will is a bit picky when it comes to tree toppers and we both wanted something super special.  So we have our own Käthe Wohlfahrt angel.  Is she not the most beautiful topper ever?!?

My cozy little Christmas baby! Probably dreaming of Christmas ba-bas

Colin enjoying his hot cocoa while we put up the tree.

May loving the lights!

Our tree!

A bonus picture of little May sleeping with a stuffed animal that Colin let her borrow.  She loves his Big Bird.

So excited for Christmas!!!!

~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~

The B Family

Poor Gobble Gobbles

I enjoy this holiday because it brings family together and there is always good food.  I am, however, a strong believer in the fact that the victors write the history books and usually those individuals want to paint events a little nicer than they occured.  Thus, I have a hard time believing that the first Thanksgiving went the way we learn in grade school.  Maybe it did.  Even so, the times to follow were not so pleasant.  I am split with the event since my family was more than likely on both sides of that dinner.  But I never condone the idea of inhabitants being forced off their land and having religious views pushed on them.  I also feel for the poor turkeys.  How they must dread this month.  Besides all that I do plan on using the holiday to teach Colin and Meli about a group of people whose existense has been so diminished.   It will be a celebration of the natives of this country.

Enough of the seriousness...we did have a wonderful holiday spent with family.  We started the day at my father-in-laws to wish him a happy birthday.  Colin, as usual, had a blast at his house.  Always so many little trinkets to play with. Grandpa showed him all of his little bones he uses for school.  Like a rat, a turtle,etc.  As most boys probably would, Colin thought they were fascinating. 

Then we headed over to Grandma Liz's to have dinner.  It was a lovely dinner.  Michael made delicious holiday cookies and Liz made a turkey, corn pudding (a must for Will), sauerkraut, asparagus, stuffing, mashed potatoes and several other wonderful dishes.  Liz was so sweet and took care of everything.  All I had to do was make a winter salad.

Another aspect or tradition of this holiday that I like is the part of reflecting on what one is thankful for.  I have so much to be thankful for.  I am very blessed. I am so thankful for my loving husband, my two beautiful children, our jobs, being so close to being done with my degree, my wonderful mom & dad, my brothers, the sweetest mother-in-law a girl could ask for, my always entertaining father-in-law...all of my in-laws actually...life is good.

~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~

The B Family

A Chronicle

Our sweet, precious little baby boy turned 4 yesterday.  I cannot believe it.  Last year he understood that he would get presents but the concept that it was his birthday was still a little away from him.  This year he really seems to understand.  He had his party and he knows that yesterday was his special time with our family.  We went to the library to pick out some new books, opened his gifts from Grammie and us, and then had a cake with strawberries on it.  That was his special requests.  I asked him what he wanted for dinner and he squinted his eyes like he was really thinking and then he answered, "I do not need dinner, just a treat will be good".

I thought to celebrate my favorite little boy I would  post some of my favorite pictures of Colin.  A little chronicle of his first 4 years...

2007/2008

First Christmas

His introduction to Football Sunday

First Halloween

First birthday

First Thanksgiving...well second one but first out of the hospital

2009

Intro to Superheroes!

Pretty Little Blonde

More Pumpkins

2010

First Big Snow

First Bike

2011:

Love my baby boy!  Happy birthday, Colin!!

~ Love, Hugs & Kisses ~

The B Family