Sleepin in Malines Room

We have had the same night time routine since BOTH Madeline and Mikas were babies. We take a bath, brush teeth, and read books in bed. Mikas always went with Daddy and I always went with Madeline. This was our routine. I would read 3+ books to Madeline and then rock her in a rocking chair or now I lay down with her and we listen to 3 songs. Well it has changed lately..

After Daddy reads to Mikas , tucks him into bed and closes the door, Mikas gets out of bed and comes into "MALines room"with his yellow "Ganky" (blankey) to read books with us! Its a sneeky, little last minute book reading, and cuddling of the night. It kinda puts a dent in Madelines routine as she is used to having me all to herself with cozy dozys and last minute cuddles, which I love as well!

Tonight was diffrent tho, this time when Mikas came sneeking in, it was a NECESSITY that not only does he read books with us, but that he SLEEP in "Malines" room as he didnt want WIENER CATS to get him! All of a sudden he has found these horrible felines which come to get him! Wiener Cats (or meaner cats?) are scary with sharp pointy teeth that growl really scary and come to get his toes, or baby brother, or yellow ganky or his helicopters!!

So, tonight when Mikas came sneeking in and said he COULD NOT sleep in his room cuz of "Meaner/Wiener" Cats I couldnt make him go back to his bed where "Wiener" cats would creep out and get him!

I tucked him in next to Madeline and Madeline rolled over and went to sleep. I left him in bed to fall asleep with sissy and within minutes he was out! This little boy LOVES his sissy and I love the fact that he feels safest with his "Maline" in

"Malines Room"

Snow day, our way!

It snowed, and we bundled up the kids to go play in the white, fresh, clean powder..

Madeline made her first snow angel

Mikas got some good use of his "dr glubs" (gloves) while he pushed the snow off the rocks and kept knocking his GLUB off and needing help!!

(ps.putting little kid mittens on is REALLY HARD!)

and then after helping Daddy shovel the driveway..we had fun OUR way!! Daddy taught them to put their bottoms on the shovel and SLIDE down the drive way! They thought it was the funnest thing EVER!!

The Girl SQWEELLEEED with laughter and kept giggling and screaming as they started off going down the driveway FORWARD and inevitably, hit their foot which turned them around backwards and the finished the run totally backwards!

Soo fun with $4 snow shovels..who needs a sled!

Baby Ari and his favorite toy..

Yup, its his tongue!

He LOVES to stick it out, lick his lips and generally entertain himself with his cute little wet tongue! It makes Madeline TOTALLY crack up!! She giggles everytime he starts sticking his tongue out..she will say, "Where's your tongue" and he will stick it out and LAUGH!! HE is SUCH a sweet, happy baby!

He is our sunny funny boy!

Good Morning MOM

This is how we start the day..I sleep with baby and he wakes up at about 7am.

Then at 7:30 Madeline wanders down to climb up into bed with us..

Then we have Mikas and his brown helicopter join us around 8am..

We all cuddle for a while, watch a minute or two of tv untill someone says

"Mom, can we have a little bit of juice?"

and I am out of bed, reluctantly, to start our day..

I'd rather just stay in bed and cuddle...all day

Madelines 1st Rodeo..

and the rest of us came too!

We have special friends named Lanie, Jessie and Holden. Jessie was a professional rodeo rider and so when the rodeo came to town, WE were invited to come to the rodeo! MADELINE was OUT of her MIND that SHE WOULD get to ACTUALLY go to the rodeo and see all the HORSIES!! When we got there I was overwhelmed by the smell, but MADELINE ran right up to the fence, and climbed up to see the horsies!

When she found out that we were going to a RODEO she HAD to wear her cowgirl boots, her cowgirl skirt and put her hair in a "pony tail" just like cowgirls wear!Here we are, Lanie, Jessie, Holden, Mikas, Madeline, Reed and yes BABY ARI

THIS is the happiest the girl has ever been EVER!

Little Kid Paradice

Funny things tonight:

Madeline, with a very VERY intense sigh, said

"ahh, I have been watching 'stein bears all day long!!" (she hadnt, she had just watched 1 episode..

Whilst Mikas said

"Madeline!! (with a knit brow) stop acting like a PENGUIN!!" ( she was walking around with her arms flat at her sides and hands out and it was making Mikas MADDD)

and baby is laying across my lap sucking on his tongue and licking his lips..he has the baldest head and it is perfect for rubbing your hand over..

yep, just another day in little kid paradice..

ps..right after I read this post to Reed Mikas said.."Look Dad, Now I am MADDD cuz Madeline is acting like a CHICKEN!!) lol

These are a few of my

favorite things..

My 3 precious children.

The best gifts I have ever recieved.

The only things I have EVER wanted in my whole life.

Yes, these are a few of my favorite things..

Madeline,

My sweetest girl ever. Loves horses. Loves baby brother and Mikas. She LOVES her daddy, she LIVES for the time she gets to be with Daddy. Loves to cuddle and do cozy dozy. She wears pink pony jammies because HORSES and PINK are her very favorite in the whole world. She LOVES to give hugs and kisses. She loves friends and is the first to say "I love your hair/dress/earrings". She is a tender soul who genuinely loves from the bottom of her heart. She tells me all day long how much she loves me and very very much misses Daddy when he is at work. Madeline has set the tone in our home as kindness and sweetness is the way she lives. Madeline, I love you, your heart, your spirit and the gift you give to me every day just by being my sweet girl.

Mikas,

My tender boy. Loves helicopters and big jet. He loves the word NO and it is usually followed by "I do it MYself". He is my independant boy who loves to climb into the car/bed/tub HIMself. He loves orange suckers. He wears light blue jammies with helicopters on them because he LIVES for his brown helicopter. He GENUINELY loves "baby bro-der" and loves starting his day holding baby bro-der and always giving him a kiss on the head. He LOVES Daddy and CANT WAIT till Daddy comes home. First thing he says is "Daddy did you go to work? Take off your flight suit!!" His big brown eyes melt my heart. Mikas, you are my funny, tender, strong boy who reminds me of me and papou. Through out the day you will say "Mom?" and when I say "What" and you say "I love you". You capture my heart with your tender ways and impress me with your independance. I love you my sweet boy, forever.

Ari,

My cuddly baby. He would be held 24/7 if given the option. He loves mama. He LOVES sleeping with Mama, a habit started while traveling and now has stuck. He love his little spot on my bed, all wrapped up and cozy. He loves to suck his hand and get both in his mouth with a slurpy sound if possible. He coo's, chatters, and makes baby sounds when happiest. He is my cuddliest baby ever, as the other 2 were so active they were hard to hold! He loves his brother and sister and loves to be where they are..even if they are noisy. He loves to be hugged by Sissy and Brother and doesnt even protest when the cuddles get a litte suffocating. He LOVES his time with Daddy, with "shimmy shimmy shimmy shimmy, shake shake shake" and tickles on the ribs, thighs and RIGHT under his shoulder blades. Daddy makes him LAUGH sooo hard that he sucks in all of his air and gets sunshine eyes. Ari, I love you. You are a miracle baby as last year at this time I was told I wouldnt be able to have anymore children. You are my brother bear, my kissy, huggy, cuddle baby. You wear a ear to ear grin when you see me come to get you after naps. I LOVE having you in my bed and miss you terribly when you sleep with Daddy on the couch. You are my sweet baby, my sweet and gentle soul. I love you.

Santa Claus came..

to town..

VERY EARLY in the morning!

Madeline came down stairs and woke up Daddy..it was still dark outside! They came and woke me and we got Mikas and Baby and we ran to the livingroom to assess the loot!

First thing that happened was that Madeline said "There are no horses for me!!" My heart sank, and I decided that even tho I THOUGHT we could have a "Horse free" Christmas, I was wrong!! I THOUGHT the Pottery Barn Doll House in the lower picture would be THE GIFT as MANY little girls only DREAM of such a doll house!! WRONG..BUT then we started tearing open paper and gifts were found that saved the day!!! (Phew)

Madeline with the fated doll house, enjoying her HORSIE books that KINDA made up for the fact that there was not ONE horsie under the tree!

THIS was Mikas' Christmas!! Every time he opened a gift it was a HELICOPTER or a AIRPLANE!! He was squeeling with delight all morning! He lined them up so I could take a picture of ALL OF HIS HELICOPTERS!!

The "Firestation" Doll house for Mikas was also a real stinker. I THOUGHT with all the poor weather, they would LOVE to play "house". Instead, Mikas took the helicopter OUT of it and used to be a HELI PAD for ALL OF THE helicopters that came to his airport! It was the simple helicopters and BIG JET that WERE THE BEST!

After glancing at the doll house, and then assessing that there "ARENT ANY PEOPLE" (again Mama sucks cuz she FORGOT to order people, sending me into the closet crying) Madeline opened up a BARBIE DOLL! It was her FIRST BARBIE and Daddy had picked it out!

She was thrilled that she could color her hair and dress her..but it was really the..

HORSIE BOOKS that saved the day..she sat and read all of her new books for the rest of the day! Warmed my heart to see her all cuddled up in Baby's swing, reading!

Baby Ari got a HELICOPTER too! Ofcourse! and as you can imagine he was THRILED! He was my little lap warmer all morning!

Ari and I enjoying his 1st Christmas in our Christmas Jams..LOVE this baby..its always been love at first sight...He is so sweet

A Christmas miracle occured her in KF. Santa found Reedies FAVORITE SOCKS and Base ball caps! All Reed wants for Christmas is FLUFFY new socks, Base ball caps with no sweat stains, or advertisements..and I was thinking it was IMPOSSIBLE but

Fred Meyer really pulled thru, as it is our ONLY "department" store, and they had

HIS FAVORITE BRANDS!! (Phew)

The home run gift was Cassies! She had wanted a Coach purse, and Santa came thru! She had done soo much for us this past year that we decided to spoil her! I loved her responce as she saw it and clapped her hands at her chest and squeeled with delight! YAY!

We had a wonderful breakfast, just like Mom had made for us all of these years. I even made nut bread..It was soo nice to have egg/sausage dish, with Hashbrowns, Sparkling Cranberry juice and Nut Bread.

It made me remember how nice my Mom had always made Christmas..and I now know how HARD she worked to do it! It took me 3 days to prepare and cook..and I didnt even make cookies! We also realized how much we missed family today. We are used to going to Sophia's and Jordana's and seeing Nana and Papou. It didnt happen this year, and we thought it would be nice to just sit around and relax. BUT Christmas isnt the same without family..and we now know and appreciate that we both have great families. Next year we WILL be with family and will love it!

Baby's 1st Christmas

Merry Christmas Baby Ari!

The best thing YOU got for Christmas was your tongue! He loves to suck, stick out, lick his lips, and play with his tongue!

He also got some chubby on his knees and theighs! I am ever so happy I didnt get such a WONDERFUL gift!! Nobody says "gee I wish "I" could get chubby knees for Christmas!!

He also got a sweet baby smile for Christmas that is a gift to us all!

This isnt his REAL baby smile, but it is the beginning of a GREAT baby grin!

Merry 1st Christmas

Baby Ari!

We are soo happy to have you with us!

Ps..This is Mikas on HIS 1st Christmas...

HAD to do the Brother/Brother comparison!