Christmas Eve

It is so fun to experience Christmas through your children's eyes, minds, and imaginations. Christmas has always been one of my favorite holidays, but this year it seemed to have even more meaning now that Izzy understands Santa, his elves, and reindeer. She also understands that it was Jesus' birthday and sang to him a few times throughout the holiday. She also started requesting, rather loudly at Mass on Christmas Eve, "I touch Jesus!?" It was fun to start new traditions for our family this year, including Buddy the Elf, baking cookies for Santa, letting Izzy and Bobby pick out gifts for each other, etc.

 

Very proud of her milk and cookies for Santa.

Reading the note from Mrs. Claus about Reindeer food to sprinkle outside for Santa's reindeer to eat.

 

Izzy loved being in control of the speed of the mixer while making Santa's cookies. She didn't understand why I told her to put it on low while I added the flour, I think she does now.

 

Pretty proud. Did I mention this was her Christmas dress from last Christmas, but we were in Mexico so she never wore it. Turns out, it still fit. 12-18 months!

Izzy dictated, I wrote.

Opening presents from each other on Christmas Eve.

Bobby really loved Izzy's wrapping job.

 

Pretty excited...Bobby looks mammoth. 

A Very Christensen Christmas

We had a very low key  Christmas, it was nice, but also very different. We went to Nana's house for a Christmas Eve brunch, came home for naps, woke up for Mass and then had dinner as a family. Pat and I helped Santa wrap some gifts and put them under the tree, while watching Elf of course. We were awoke at 5:45 on Christmas Day thanks to Bobber. Izzy woke around 6:15 and off we went. She was more excited to discover if Santa ate her cookies and drank her milk, than she was to see if he left her presents. She was sad when we wouldn't let her use Santa's milk cup that still had some leftover drops of milk in it. Pat was trying to get his coffee cup and sit down to watch the kids open gifts, but Izzy just couldn't wait! She immediately started ripping them open. We let her open one, then Bobby, and so on. She loved helping him open his presents and insisted we open them all up and get them out of the packaging before moving on. Once she had them all open and had time to process all of it (so Izzy!), she started playing with everything and was excited. I think anyone who has come in our house or Facetimed with us recently has seen her new shoes, her Princess Legos from Uncle Chase, her sleeping bag from Auntie Heather, and her Princess castle from Santa and so much more. It is amazing how we tried to get simple presents, some wants and needs (shoes), but how generous everyone else is too, Izzy and Bobby are truly spoiled. 

Christmas night, Uncle Tom came over and we had a delicious steak dinner. Izzy showed him all of her toys and they played with her Princess castle and fetch with Stella. It was nice to be with some family and jealous of a majority of our families who were in warm places for Christmas...Florida, Hawaii, Australia to name a few. Next year, we think we need to go to Florida for sure!

All dressed up and ready for Christmas Eve Mass

Daddy was being goofy to get them to smile. 

Such a helper, helping Bobby open his gifts.

He started getting the hang of it!

So fun to watch Christmas through their eyes!

Her new balance board, a snowboarder in the works.

Always working together, this might be trouble some day.

She saw this puzzle in a catalog and said she wanted it, she was pretty excited to see she got it.

It doesn't take much to make this little man happy!

Trying on her new  Light up Shoes...she slept with them for nap that day and hasn't taken them off much since she got them!

Her reaction to her Princess castle!

Wearing their hats (and Bib) from Great Aunt Carol!

Super excited to help daddy put the stickers on her Princess Castle.

Some assembly needed.

Balance board and light up shoes, what more could a 2.5 year old want?

"What are these?"

Santa Bobby!

Stella with the Photobomb!

Snuggles with Uncle Tom!

6 Months

Seriously, where does time go!? 6 Months already? We are going to blink and he will be 1 year old! We are officially at the moving stage so these monthly photos are going to be hard to capture, especially since we take them in a moving rocking chair. Bobby has become such a ham in the last month. He is a total flirt, he loves to eat, he loves the smile, and he is seriously, obsessed with his sister. Izzy can jump, scream, roll around, dance, etc. and he will belly laugh. See the video below for proof and sorry it is a little blurry.

Milestones/Likes:

*Bobby eats three meals a day now! So far he has eaten: carrots, avocado, sweet potato, pears, sweet peas, bananas, and butternut squash. Next up, apples. He is starting to prefer food over milk so he can be like Izzy.

*He started using a sippy cup. He loves it! He will do anything to be like his big sister. 

*He FINALLY sleeps through the night! He will occasionally wake up for a diaper change or he'll need his nuk to be put back in, but will usually go back to sleep. He has been going to bed at 6:15-6:30 and wakes around 5-6:00.

*He rolls from his tummy to his back and occasionally from his back to his tummy, he is pretty lazy. We also spoil him a lot and hold him often.

*He is getting REALLY close to sitting up on his own. He will do it for a little bit and then usually face plants and then rolls over. 

*He is obsessed with Izzy and his jumperoo. Both are equally entertaining for him. 

*He made his first trip to Wisconsin and met his Great Grandparents, Great Aunts and Uncles, and 2nd cousins. 

*He loves to chew on anything and everything, including his toes!

Sibling Love

Kathryn (known as Chatty to Izzy), had her friend make Izzy and Bobby these adorable hats. Of course, I had to stage a photo shoot with them this morning! I am having so much fun with my camera and figuring it all out. Thanks for the adorable hats Chatty! Izzy can't wait to wear it to daycare this week.

Seriously, I am obsessed with this little man!

Trying to eat the tree...

I would love to get in his head and know what he is thinking.

 Chewing on the ribbons.

Whoa, an ornament!

These two, my heart melts!

I mean, seriously! How cute are these two?

 Precious!

Her smile kills me, it looks painful!

I love this photo even though Izzy isn't looking.

This is these two.

Goofballs

Carrots and Christmas

A right of childhood passage I guess... Izzy cheated for the first time in a board game!

Bobby wasn't so sure about carrots at first, but has started to come around!

Best job for Izzy...she feeds Bobby dinner while we cook and prepare our dinner! It is adorable listening to her little motherly comments, "Good job, Bobby! Bobby, open up! Bobby want some food? Bobby drink some water, Bobby needs a break for water." 

Bobby also tried pears last week and LOVED them!

Izzy helped decorate the tree this weekend. We had a lot of ornaments on the bottom of the tree.

So focused!

We went to visit Santa, Izzy was fighting back tears, Bobby just like playing with his beard!

Smiling takes a lot of focus and work apparently!

Busted this little lady licking the gingerbread ornament on the tree!

Not sure why she insisted on her hand on his head...

I just want to squeeze their cute little cheeks!

Holding herself together, but super unsure about Santa!

Meanwhile, Bobby is twirling his beard hair!