We had a very busy holiday season (so much so that I'm just getting around to posting the pictures ;)). On December 13th, Jack had a little Christmas concert with the rest of the 1st grade. He had been singing his songs all around the house. His favorite was "Jolly Old St. Nicholas." He had every word memorized on all the verses - I didn't even know them!
On December 16th, I celebrated my 3oth birthday. That morning Jack came in my room and told me to get out of bed because he wanted to see if I had gotten any bigger. Then he wanted to see my hair to see if it had gone gray. Funny kid!
Jeff ordered a cake for me. I laughed at the icing sentiment - "Love Jeff and the Kid." Sounds like a wild west duo doesn't it? ;) It was supposed to be "kids," but I guess they liked the sound of "the kid" better!
On the 18th, we went to Jeff's parents house for the Neuberger family Christmas party. We had so much fun eating a huge dinner, laughing and opening presents. This is one of the only pictures I got before the battery on my camera died (of course I have back-ups, but with me always being prepared, they were all dead too). Grandma and Makele:
The next morning Taylee was born. We came home Wednesday - I'll post more about that later along with the pictures from her homecoming. My parents were able to come up to help out and stay for Christmas.
On Christmas Eve we made sugar cookies and decorated them for Santa. I handed Aiden one to decorate. When I looked back, he was shoving it in his mouth as fast as he could! I guess I underestimated his appetite!
That night my sisters came over for a little Christmas Eve program that Taryn put together. The kids each performed a talent then did the nativity scene. Makele played the part of Mary, Taylee was baby Jesus, Dustin was Joseph, Laney was a shepherd, Camille was an angel, Jack was a wiseman and Aiden was a reluctant sheep.
After the program, the kids opened up their Christmas pajamas.
Aiden was pretty excited about his Buzz jammies and Jack's Woody jammies. I didn't think we'd ever be able to get him to take them off!
Santa had a long night of putting together a doll house, but he managed to get everything set up before the kids woke up the next morning! ;) Jack and Makele were so excited and happy with everything they got; Aiden wasn't too impressed. We kept trying to get him to open up a present only to hear him say nonchalantly, "no." I think the problem was that he saw Jack's little basketball hoop the minute he walked in the room and didn't want to play with anything else!
Finally got him to open one up! Don't know what Jeff's hands are doing in the shot!
Taylee slept through all the excitement. Makele was dying for her to come in so she could "help" her open her presents.
That afternoon we went over to my older sister's house for Christmas dinner with my parents and younger sister's family. This was the first year we have spent Christmas at home. It was low-key and nice. We were lucky that my parents were able to come up and spend it with us along with my sisters and their families.
The next day the kids and I packed up and went home to Flowell with my parents. The kids were out of school for the whole week, so we decided to go down where I could get a little more help while adjusting to 4 kids! I was a little nervous about the 2 1/2 hour drive down, but Taylee did great - she slept through the whole thing!
The weather was unusually warm while we were there. The kids were even able to play outside a couple of the days without their coats!
On Friday, Jeff came down with Taryn's family. My brother's family and Shawna and Kylie also arrived that night for the weekend. On Saturday afternoon, a whole crew went over to Delta to bowl. I stayed home with the baby, but Tia got these cute pictures of the kids.
We had a rockin' New Year's Eve party complete with Jeff knocked out cold on the couch before 10:30!
The kids had such a fun weekend playing with their cousins and didn't want to go back home. The girls: Dakoda, Brinlynn, Kylie, Camille, Chloe, Laney, Makele & Taylee.
The boys: Tanner, Aiden, Dustin, Jack, Durgan & Dawson.
With all these kids under one roof, you can imagine there wasn't a dull moment (or a quiet one either)!
We had a great holiday season!
And just because he's cute (and actually smiling naturally), I couldn't help but post one of Aiden in Jack's Luigi hat:
I told you she wasn't down with the pictures! ;)
I told you she wasn't down with the pictures! ;)
Our little Santa Baby:
When I crocheted the owl hat and the Santa hat above before Taylee was born, they looked so little to me; I didn't think there was a chance they would fit her! Then I put them on and they were too big!
That newborn diaper pretty much swallows her whole:
Our little Santa Baby:
When I crocheted the owl hat and the Santa hat above before Taylee was born, they looked so little to me; I didn't think there was a chance they would fit her! Then I put them on and they were too big!
That newborn diaper pretty much swallows her whole:
My mom gave me the stocking to bring home Taylee in. These pictures were taken when she was 9 days old:
I went over to Taryn's to enlist her help in the posing department since she got Camille to do the aforementioned pose. But even with her professional help, we couldn't do it. I gave up while she snapped a few pictures with my camera. 15 Days old:
