Cohen's Voice Recital

Last Thursday Cohen had her very first voice recital!  She started taking voice lessons a couple of months ago and got to pick a Christmas song for the recital.  She chose "Silent Night" and has been practicing all her verses the past 2 months.   She has loved singing with Mrs. Emily, who happens to have the most beautiful voice!   I was really so nervous for her.  It takes a lot to get up in front of people and memorize all those words, but she did so good and we were so proud of her.  I really could have cried because her little voice was so sweet.  It was such a good recital and all the kids did so good.  Cohen keeps saying she wants to take piano now instead of voice so we will see, but she did a great job and I'm glad she had fun doing it!

Cohen & Emily

Cohen & Savannah...they both sang so good!

We had some more Christmas fun last Saturday at an ugly Christmas sweater party at our friend's house.  We look forward to this party every year.   We always have the best time with all our close friends and the kids love it too.  It was a fun night for sure!

Blake & Kelly were almost twinning

Bryce-2 Months

I know Bryce is a little over 2 months now but I waited for his wellness check-up to do this post so I would have his stats.  I am also still coming to terms with the fact my sweet boy is already 2 months old.  He is such a sweet baby and I am enjoying him so much.  He is such a cuddle bug.  He is starting to be awake more and more during the day.  There is nothing like looking down to these big blue eyes staring back at you.  He is also starting to coo more and more every day.  He loves to be laid on his changing table.  He will smile the biggest smiles and stretch those little arms.  I am pretty sure he is going to wonder what the big pick rectangle is in front of his face...(my iPhone taking his picture).  I could stare and talk to him all day!  You can tell from all the pictures!  He is one loved little boy!  I'm not the only person who is completely in love with him :)
At 2 months:

• weighs 11 lbs 4 oz (25-50%)
• is 23 inches long (25-50%)
• smiles and coos every day
• wears 0-3 mos. clothes
• LOVES his baths
• Loves to be on his changing table
• Has 2 big sisters who can't get enough of him, especially Kate!
• Sleeps pretty good at night now.  He wakes up normally just once and that is between 5-6 am
• Eats every 3-4 hours during the day
• LOVES his paci.  I have never had a child to like a paci so this is a first for us.  He is kind of a paci snob too.  We have found that MAMs are his favorite.
• LOVES to be held.  Getting things done can be hard because he wants to be held but thanks to the Sakura Bloom sling we are making it!

Life is still crazy and I am still learning how to adjust but it will come.  Right now I just want to enjoy him!   I know we will miss these crazy days!

The Pink Pig, a Visit with Santa, and Christmas Lights!

This Christmas has really snuck up on me!  I don't know what it is but I feel like everything has come so quick and I have so much I want to do and so little time to do it in!  I don't know what it is but....Seeing Santa and going to ride the Pink Pig is a yearly tradition of ours so I was adamant that we pick a day to do this and Tuesday it was!  It was Cohen's last day of school before Christmas break so we were able to get her out early and Kelly took the afternoon off.  We loaded up and headed to Atlanta.  We rode the Pink Pig first since both girls were so excited to ride.  We got our tickets and headed in.  Kate would have nothing to do with Priscella the Pig character but Cohen jumped right up in her lap for a picture.

The girls then ran up to get on the train.  The ride is just a short little "train" ride but they just love it! This year we were going to let them ride it together by themselves and they headed up hand in hand and jumped in the seat together.  Then I look and Cohen is getting out of the car and getting in by herself.  I kept asking for her to ride with Kate and she said Kate didn't want her to.  It broke my heart seeing them ride apart but it didn't seem to phase them at all.  We were letting them ride twice but Cohen decided she wanted to wait so the second ride was just me and Kate.  Which I love the little ride myself and I love it more with my girls.

Next we were off to see Santa.  Cohen had made a Christmas card for Santa.  She still gets a little nervous though going to see Santa.  She must have a little of me in her...I never liked Santa and didn't have a picture with him until I was 14...not even kidding.  But both girls went right up to him and even Bryce wasn't phased by him.  I figure the fun with him will come next year :)  We do have to beg Kate for a smile.  She looks everywhere but the camera and has a little fake smile on her face.  Finally we just took what we got.  It was so funny though because when I was looking at the pictures on the computer she came up beside me and said, "no Mama I don't want to look like dat".  I told her that is why we always ask her to smile.  It was just so funny hearing her say that.  I loved our little Santa picture though and I have already added it to our collection on the book shelf.  I felt so good to finally see Santa too!

Of course there would have to be a mannequin picture...Kate in a mall?!  Its going to happen!

Another reason we love going to Atlanta to see Santa is we also get to go see my friend Betsie.  Betsie is one of my best friends from college and I wish I saw her more often but life gets so busy.  She has adorable twin boys so the girls were so excited to get to see Jack & Andrew.  Even though our visit was short I loved getting to catch up with her and hopefully we will do it again very soon!  I hate that I didn't have a picture of the kids but they were going full on the entire time so stopping to sit for a picture wasn't happening!  

While we were out we decided to check out the Atlanta Botanical Gardens for their holiday lights and I am so glad we did.  It was beautiful!  I love love love Christmas lights and they had so many pretty ones!  Pictures never do justice for Christmas lights but I would highly recommend anyone go to see these.  We will probably be adding this to our trip each year because we all had so much fun.  We barely missed the S'mores so we will have to give ourselves more time next time.  

Kate loved the frogs!

School Christmas Parties!!

On Monday both girls had Christmas parties at school.  Luckily they were at different times so I could be at both places.  Kate had hers at 10:30 and when I got to her school she was already having a ball eating her cupcake! Or should I say her green icing :)  The kids got to have a Christmas party snack then they had a book swap and opened up gifts.  They were all so cute and so excited about each gift they got.  Kate loves books so she was so happy to get a new book and Mrs. Lori gave everyone a book too.  All the kids had also made a gift for their parents too.  Kate was happy to open mine for me!  Christmas is going to be fun this year!  I think she may want to open everyone's gifts for them! During the party Kate was so funny because while she ate she would eat a bite then run over and hug on Bryce.  By hug on I mean go head first into his carrier and rub all over him.  The idea of any germs never enters her mind.  She loves him so and I love it!  She really had so much fun and I'm so thankful that she loves her class and for a sweet, loving teacher like Mrs. Lori.  Kate has really loved school since starting a couple of months ago.  I was so hesitant about it but everything has gone so smoothly and I love getting to do these fun things with her.  AND...I am happy to say that we have made HUGE break throughs in potty training!!   She still has to have pull ups at night and may have an accident here and there but for the most part she is finally potty trained.   I am very proud of her!  I love my baby girl and she definitely keeps us laughing all the time.

Picking her number for the book swap

Kate's gift for me

Kate and Mrs. Lori

After Kate's party and a quick lunch it was back to the elementary school for Cohen's cookie decorating party.  The one thing that makes me sad about elementary school is that we don't get to do a lot with the kids so when there is something special to attend I jump on it!  I love getting little glimpses into Cohen's day at school and to see her interact with her classmates.  I also love having one on one time with her.  Each child was given 2 cookies and got to decorate them any way they wanted, which for Cohen meant covered in icing and sprinkles!   After we decorated she could leave with me.  Here are a few pictures I took.

Cohen & Keely...these girls have been in school together since they were 2!  

After school the fun continued because it was pajama week at baton!  Cohen got to change into her new Frozen pj's from Tina!  Not only was pajama week exciting but Cohen also got to twirl a fire baton!  Since she stays with me while I work she gets to watch the big girls.  I think this is probably her most favorite part!  They were getting to work with fire batons so Cohen got to twirl one too!  She said "no" to even holding it at first but once she saw those big girls doing it she wanted to hold one and then she got brave to do some "ice cream scoops" with it.  She kept saying how she wanted to hold it over and over.  Who knows, we may see her twirling fire one day!!