The better to see you, my dear...

Here is Sammy's new vanity desk and mirror.  Finding room for it in her bedroom has been a challenge!

Dear Uncle Dude...

I love you and all but you're reminding me of someone (can't put my finger on it) that scared the beejesus out of me wearing a hat just like that.....

Check out this pose!

Sammy got a pair of graduating Barbie roller skates from Auntie and Uncle Dude.  She kept them on her feet walking around like this for a good part of an hour before being cajoled into taking them off.  I can't wait to see how she learns to use these.

Sisterly love

Daddy was playing around with Papa's brand new camera when the girls started messing around right in front of him.  He asked for them to hug each other and this is what he got.

A baby doll

for a Baby Doll!  Both are cute and squishy and you just want to hug them tight!

And a one and a two....

For your listening pleasure

Merry Christmas 2011

From Sammy and Olivia and Mommy and Daddy!

Dancin' girls

What makes me smile is how Sammy is dressed or undressed.  Completely clothed from the waist down...

Ain't no big thang...

Sammy is now an old hand at seeing Santa and sitting on his lap.  She was at the Christmas party Daddy's gym put on for clients and their families.  I just can't wrap my head around a jolly (fat!) Santa at a gym.  I'm pretty sure that this Santa has a few pillows tucked into his clothes!

I see what you did there...

When Mommy first sent me this photo I thought, "Jeez...another one of the the yoga position?  How am I going to journal it?"  Then I realized that although it looks like a typical yoga position, I saw that the girls are at the exact same location in both photos....right at the entrance to the kitchen.  They are both bowing down to Mommy for cooking all the good things she does and could they please have more mac and cheese now?

Owie

All this walking around results sometimes in all this falling down.  Livvie has a nice bump on her noggin to prove it.

Downward Dog?

Little Olivia looks confused about all this 'Walking' nonsense.  Walk on my feet?  Walk on my hands?  Walk on both at the same time?  Whatever...

It's been a long autumn....

It seems that Sammy has had one long cold, starting in September and now with this latest one.  But there's nothing like resting on the floor in front of the tv with her snuggly blanket to while away the days....

Nitey-Nite

Once the thumb goes into the mouth and the blankie gets cuddled, it's time for a nap.  A long nap.

Still in recovery mode

Baby Girl was still trying to get over being close to that fat guy in the red suit.  She was not happy about it at all even when Daddy put a Patriots hat on her head....
HAPPY BIRTHDAY NANA!!

Nutcracker Time again

Last weekend the annual performance of the Nutcracker Ballet was here in town.  And we all went!  I love the music, the dancers and the expressions on the girls faces...I love this tradition!

Noisy kids

They love the echo in this house!

Guess who loves candy canes?

And she also loves to pat my face with those sticky hands!

My new BFF

Compared to last year's attempt these two are now best friends forever!

Who's that guy again, Daddy?

 The approach....

 Reality sets in....

The tearful recovery.....

Annual Christmas Party

Last night was our annual Christmas party.  This little car features the M&M guys in it.  And guess where it came from?  All the way from Australia and her Mimi's second cousin.  So that would actually be Olivia's cousin twice removed?  Gah.....

Hi Santa!

Santa:  Hi, you've grown since last year!

Sammy: Hi.

Santa:  What would you like for Christmas?

Sammy:  All the toys.

Santa:  Who's your favorite Princess?

Sammy:  Olivia.

Did you lose something?

A morning of shopping and Sammy brings this:  her baby doll stroller with only keys in it.

Any big news lately?

YES!  Yesterday little Olivia has decided to join the Walking World!!  Yea!!  Also, because she turned 18 months old, I weighed and measured her.  She's 31.25 inches tall and weighs in at 23.4 pounds!

Pretty as a picture

and off to school!

One small step for mankind....

Olivia's walking is just getting better and better!  But guess who took this picture?  My protege', Sammy!

Now what?

I thought that I could take some photos of the little girls with a string of Christmas lights around them.  Sammy thought it was neat while little Olivia didn't like them at all once she realized I draped them around her shoulders.  Take them off NOW!!

Don't smile

Trying to get these two to look at me and smile at the same time was nearly impossible.  She wanted to be tickled and he obliged her every time....

Chicklets

See all these little pearly whites she has in her mouth now?

Santa's helper

A week ago, Mimi's back went out on her (old football injury) and she has been hobbling along all week worried how she was going to get the house decorated for Christmas.  Then she had a brilliant idea!  Sammy could come over and help put up all the decorations!  And she did, too.  Here we are unwrapping our favorite Nativity set and I was explaining to her what each figure was.  She was entranced with the sheep....

Discovery Center

I'm so glad that we have this now in town.  In many ways, it is like the Exploratorium in San Francisco.  All of the grandkids are official 'members' to this including Little Miss Pink Bow!

Baby, it's cold outside

We are experiencing a very cold morning this morning.  In fact, our temps will be 20 degrees lower today than they were yesterday....brrr!

Hard worker

This is what happened after Sammy helped Mommy cook all afternoon.  Time for zzzzzzzzzzz on the couch...

And on a full stomach, too!

Most of you know that Daddy works out at the gym a lot.  So it wasn't surprising to any of us when, shortly after Thanksgiving dinner, he started showing all the kids how it's done.

Ahhhhh.....

Don't they look cute?

Looking out the window

Olivia, next time you look out this window, there will probably be snow out here on the lawn.  Yuck.

Happy Thanksgiving

...from Sammy, Olivia, Mommy, and Daddy

Stylin'

She's was off to a birthday party in her leopard print cape....love it!

Sticky Icky

I had to wear a hazmat suit to get in close to her to clean her up after she ate a waffle that had one cup of syrup on it.  What she really wanted to do was rearrange my hair and pat my face with those sticky fingers!

And another one

Grandchild number 3 has discovered a cabinet that doesn't have locks on it and that she can get into with out any problems.  It's only a matter of days before she throws what's in there out and crawls in herself.  Sigh.

One year ago today

Remember this little face?

It got a little hairy

Sammy got her second hair cut and little Olivia got her very first haircut!  I hope there is still some curl left..

How many are there?

Sammy has managed to put on not one tutu skirts, but two, three, four, FIVE skirts!!

Determined

Her daddy is like this as well, practice, practice, practice..no matter the time of year.

Follow the leader

Olivia's cousin is further into the room than she is but she is watching him...closely.  He will eventually draw her into the room all the way and they will sit and will continue to say 'bye' to each other at the top of their lungs.....for what seemed liked hours but they were having a blast.

Sisters

I love this photo so much!  I hope that they will always hold hands no matter the age and always love each other as well as LIKE each other.  Being friends with your siblings is the best thing!

It has been a long two weeks

Princess Baby came over yesterday after being out with a bad cold.  I sure have missed this little face!

Ballet class

This is Sammy's first experience with a ballet class.  Or maybe it's a cheerleading class combined with tap shoes?

Wanna try?

...to comb this out?