Happy Birthday Baby Jesus

Making birthday cupcakes. Claire picked out chocolate for our birthday celebration. Although she wouldn't look at the camera and smile at the same time we had a good time. 

Then on to the cookies for Santa. Daddy and Grammy got into the fun this year. 

Christmas Fun

We had lots of fun adventures in the month of December. Keizer hosts a Christmas Starlight parade every year. Our home is just a few blocks from the parade route so we walked down. The downside is we are at the end of the route and had to wait a long time for the floats and cars to get to us. 

The Anderson girls with us and Vonda, Brad and Jossie joined in the fun too. Thankfully Vonda brought blankets and chairs for all of us to share. Although we were all bundled up the ground would have been too cold on our tushies. The girls did a great job waiting patiently. We sang Christmas songs and drank hot cocoa. It was lots of fun and next year we know that we don't have to get there so early, in fact we can be really  late and be totally fine, not missing a thing. :)

Abigail, Claire, Emma, Jossie and Olivia waiting for the parade to start

Emma watching the parade

Olivia, Edie, Abigail and Claire

Movie time afterwards

Next up on our adventures was Christmas lights. Lots of Christmas lights. We decided to forgo our normal Zoo light and Grotto viewing and try more local venues.

Mission Mill in Salem had a fun activities along with their light display. We made reindeer food, wrote a letter to deployed soldiers, toured the old woolen mill, used a loom and attempted to see Santa Claus. Claire stood in line for a few minutes before changing her mind.

The Oregon Garden in Silverton also had a Christmas light display. It was okay. This being only their second year having a display there is lots of room for improvement and growth. Dave and I are more excited to back to the garden in the spring or summer to check out all the plants and flowers. We are such nerds. 

Our attempt a family selfie

Although, I don't have any pictures to share another fun night was when we toured Keizer's Christmas lights. There is a route of houses in Keizer of two miles or so that all decorate their houses. We decided to surprise the girls one night after bath time instead of getting ready for bed we load up in the car, all in our pj's. We had popcorn, hot cocoa and Christmas music ready to go. Both girls fell asleep on the way home. Ahhh! Fun memories and I think a start of a new tradition. 

Laureli is 9 months

Can you believe it's been 9 months?!?! Here is a few tidbits about Laureli:

• She's huge! 20 lbs (89%) and 30" tall (99%).
• Wears 12 month clothes and size 3 shoes. Both of which are just about too small.
• Loves food (obviously!).
• Is very smiley and happy baby.
• Says mama.
• Makes the sign for milk.
• As taken a few steps and will walk while holding onto something, but really has no interest in doing it on her own. 
• Is a proficient climber. She mastered the stairs a few months ago.
• Claire and Tucker can maker her laugh like no one else.
• Has four teeth. Two on the top and two on the bottom.

Quite proud of herself as she climbed up all by herself

Playing in water anywhere we can find it

More water play

And just for comparison here's Claire at 9 months…

• 6 teeth (4 on the top, 2 on the bottom)
• Weighs 19 lbs 11 oz (75 percentile) and is 27 1/2 inches tall (98 percentile)

Christmas Cards?

I didn't get Christmas cards out this year. Here are the photos we had taken that were going to go on them. It was cold, wet and windy. Some cute ones, some okay ones and some to make you laugh. Why is it so hard to get good pictures of everyone? 

The most photogenic of us all

 My fav!

New Toy?

Laureli loves water! Wherever she can find it :)

Good thing she has some water toys under the tree!

dance class?

Claire has been asking to do ballet. I didn't think she would like it much, as it would require lots more focus and less of an energy burn than her previous sports. Thankfully I found a gym that offered both gymnastics and dance on the same day, at the same time, same price. Yeah! I told her she could try both and then pick one. One week she tried gymnastics and the next she tried dance. Wanna take a guess on which one she picked? Gymnastics!! Now we are off to find a leotard and shorts like the big girls wear. 

Claire's one dance class

Anyone need a Christmas gift idea for her?

A bit behind…….Here's Halloween

Carving pumpkins with daddy, a harvest party at school and trick or treating a few houses summed up our Halloween this year.

This is what I get when I ask her to look at me and smile. 

Tinker Belle

Giraffe