Pieces of our life...

Here are some random pictures over the last couple weeks...

Calla has decided she really likes the piano and has picked that instrument to play in Barry's family band pursuits...



After MUCH MUCH turmoil over the tree, I finally got it up and decorated. It's alot bigger than our last one, so I need to make some more bows and buy some more giant ornaments, but I still love it! Surprisingly, Calla doesn't bother it too much...

Barry got Calla up last weekend, laid her on the floor and changed her diaper, and then- she just kept laying there (watching ESPN I assume!) Lazy baby...

Here is Santa-Rudolf...

We ate over at our friends house the other night, and Calla just kept crackin' up at Jenna kissing on her neck...

I've been really excited about Calla's hair getting so much thicker and longer! But, it's becoming more and more problematic that she likes to sleep with her head wrapped in a blanket and the top of her head up against the crib bumpers...

So, this picture is about a month late (second child syndrome I guess.) Now that she's picking feet up and taking steps, I figured I better hurry and get a picture of her standing by herself before it's not special and exciting anymore...

Entertaining Calla...

We were out eating a couple weeks ago, and Calla kept on trying to eat the table. So, I put my arm down in front of her and got this... The video is from my cousin's cell phone, so it's not great quality, but I think you'll get the idea. And, this is just a small fraction of how long it actually lasted.

(turn your sound up loud)

Needless to say, we were all cracking up. Everyone was turning around laugh at her... or us. Either way, she's a funny funny baby.

Extras...

Barry got Calla up the other morning, changed her diaper on the floor in the living room in front of the TV, but instead of crying for a bottle afterward, she just laid there... watching ESPN...


Here's a picture of the tree and stockings...

Calla's making a stand for becoming the pianist in our family band. Barry isn't assigning specific instruments until the girls are a bit older...

Snow Day...

Last week we had a rare Midland snow. It was pretty much all over night, so we woke up to a beautiful winter wonderland. I told Leslie we'd go play in it when Calla went down for her morning nap, but when the sun broke through, I knew we needed to play now. So I layered Leslie up, and sat Calla in front of the TV, so I could go outside and have some fun, too! She loved being out in the snow, but she didn't really know what to do or how to play in it. So, I showed her a few basics like eating it...


We live in the dessert and only get enough snow to play in every few years; so, we don't have water proof snow clothes. I layered up her pants and shirts and told myself that by the time she soaked through 3 layers, it would be time to come in. And, I had some regular gloves for Leslie to wear, but I knew they wouldn't stay dry, so I made her put her little hands in ziploc baggies then I rubber banded them shut! Funny Mommy...

"Leslie! Don't eat the snow on the grass! Just off the playground is okay..."

"Okay- you're face is turning red... don't eat anymore snow. Wanna learn how to make a snow angel? ... Now flap your arms and legs reeeeally big!"

Pretty good first attempt...

Making foot prints in the snow...

And then I had her make some hand prints with her baggied hands so I could laugh...

Lots more snow angels...

She rolled out of this one pretty well. It's weird to see how green the grass is underneath...

And as quick as it came, our happy winter melted away...

I was so happy to get to play outside with Leslie some in the snow. Most kids her age didn't seem to like it, but Leslie thought the snow was beautiful and wanted to stay out in it all day. Tune in again in a couple years and we'll see if Calla likes the snow, too...

Visit with Santa...

We took the girls last Sunday to see Santa. They had Santa sitting outside this year which I didn't anticipate, so both the girls have their beautiful Christmas dresses on under their matching sweaters. Still, they were super cute...

Like always, I need to crop heads around to get a single good picture of both girls...

"Have you been a good girl this year?" "Um- I've been a big girl!"

"I want a train set and a cookie cake!"

This Santa was at a fancy Christmas Store in town, so after Santa we went inside to take pictures by some pretty trees and actually see our fancy dresses...

This is about as good as a picture gets for us...

Thanksgiving Leaves...

So I guess it's a tradition... This makes two years in a row Leslie has played in the leaves beside our house on Thanksgiving. She really enjoys it the simple things in life- like walking through a pile of leaves...

She took handfuls and through them into the air. It was super cute...

Calla was really happy she got to come outside and watch...

Uncle Ben decided to pile some leaves up and play too...

We even let Calla play in the leaves some too. She was surprisingly good and not trying to eat them...

Barry picked Leslie up and threw her into the leaves several times. She loved it except she couldn't get up by herself because the leaves were so thick. I think that's a good problem to have though when you're tossing your child into them...

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was unbelievably good this year. Everyone that was in town came over to my house for Thanksgiving lunch (with food in tow)...


I tried to give Calla a taste of a few things, but she only wanted strained carrots and frozen peaches in her little mesh eater. Oh well- maybe next year! She was a happy baby...

A rare picture of just Mommy and Daddy...

It was a fabulous Thanksgiving. The girls took naps when they needed to, they had all their own toys, and we got to play as much as we wanted! I hope to have many more holidays this easy, and relaxing, and joyful. It was truly a time I was thankful for...

A week in the life...

This was busy week with several random things. All of these pictures were taken over the course of just one week! There's never a boring moment with a baby and 3 yr old!

I was getting out another batch of old Leslie's old clothes and came across this little hat. Calla's going to be way to small for the outfit it goes with, but I made her wear the hat around a bit so we could laugh and take pictures before packing it back in the box...



So... the other day we were all getting ready to take pictures. When Calla woke up from her nap, I changed her diaper, but left her clothes off until after lunch, so I would make sure she stayed clean. I went to finish getting myself ready and when I came back, I found this...

Luckily, I thought, the diaper was dry. She was super proud of herself. And I thought it was pretty funny too... until I stepped in a huge puddle. Ugh.


Speaking words of encouragement to your children works! Presenting Calla Grace with, ta-da!, a bow! And before Christmas, just as I requested...

I don't know why they can't take good pictures together. I'm going to have to ask my step-mother for some tips on cropping their heads around, so I can make a good picture. This is the best we managed...

At least Toola-Roola and Star Song were both looking at the camera! Good ponies.

Leslie was playing basketball at my mom's house the other night and Barry said she made at least 30 shots in a row! He had to take a picture because she was actually standing back throwing them in, not just dunking like usual. I figure it's probably good she starts now because she's probably going to be pretty tall...

Bath fun...

Leslie and Mommy had fun decorating Calla with letter last week in the tub...


Calla thought it was pretty funny. She was just too busy to look at the camera...

"I'm number one!"

Crazy girls...

Maize fun... again

A few weekends ago, we went back out to Fiddlesticks Farm with Grandmommy. It was pretty cold most of the morning because the clouds didn't break til lunchtime. Here's Calla all bundled up ready to play...



Here's baby Leslie crying for someone to help her off the hay because she's scared to slide down it by herself...

Calla got to play in the hay some this time, too...

We did the Maize again and decided it was easier to carry Calla than Leslie, so we made Leslie ride in the stroller when she got tired...

We all got to ride the Cow Train this time too. Leslie loved it; Calla didn't seem especially impressed at it though...

The biggest adventure was family time on the Corn Popper! We took Calla and Leslie and bounced them both super high...

Calla really loved crawling around while everyone else bounced her...

"Bouncy Bouncy..."

We really do try to take equal amounts of pictures with Leslie, she's just not very cooperative these days. Here's the best girls picture we got out of her...

We slid down the side some too...

We had alot of fun with both the girls. It's amazing how much more Calla got to do in just a month since our last visit! I'm afraid it confirms my suspicion that Calla is growing up way too fast. Check back for the fun clean up pictures...