christmas

our christmas celebrations began on christmas eve, eve.
we went to mom and dad's for christmas with the smith family.
these two cousins enjoyed their time together!

we munched on yummy treats and opened presents.

tatum enjoyed everyone, though she slept or ate most of the time!

and superman was more than pleased with his new pajamas.

christmas eve we went to a beautiful candle light service.
then visited with the cruise family.
the kids opened their christmas pj's and jumped into bed for blue popcorn and a movie.

next year tatum will be in the thick of it with them.

on christmas morning, we were very pleased that santa came to visit.
he brought all the things august wanted:  a bat cave and a bat man fishing pole.
much to august's surprise, santa even brought some things he wanted, but didn't ask for.
gotta love how much the big guy knows!

santa thought tatum was a pretty good girl too.
so did mama, she gave me 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep!

later in the morning the stivender's came over for breakfast and gift giving.

august was so excited when he found out that the big present was for him.

sweet, sweet girl!

out to the front porch for family pictures.
another sweet little person.

a couple dogs came over to say merry christmas.

later that afternoon we went to visit at the farr's.
zack and hannah are so good with the kids.
i'll have to go back to find pictures of them with august when he was just a wee one.
my how they all have grown.

cruising on up the road to grandmama jahna's.
tatum and avery get their first pictures together.

the flashes are bothering tatum's sleep!

and these two supervised the entire process.

i wanted at least one picture of the four of us on christmas day.

we had a performing monkey on our hands.

finally some cooperation, and everyone is looking with their eyes open!

our holiday season was wonderful.
we have been so very blessed!

tatum: one month old

yesterday tatum turned one month old.

hard to believe that it has been a month already.
she is a wonderful baby.
sleeps long stretches through the nights.
only cries when she is hungry.
has beautiful lips and long fingers and toes.
is starting to grow long eyelashes like her brother's.
her mama could just eat her up,
and can't stop kissing her sweet little head.
makes her brother laugh with her bodily noises.
has completely stolen our hearts.
is her big brother's "girlfriend."
daddy's sweet girl.
and is truly a blessing to our family.

and just because i don't want to forget:

naked pics didn't happen because somebody was over it.

and peed all over her mama and clean cloths hanging in the closet.

oh, the ways they can create a load of laundry!



lately

august has been trying and liking some new foods.
among them: olive garden bread sticks, noodles, mac and cheese, and homemade potato chips.
not exactly healthy foods, but we'll take anything he's trying!

tatum's view of our christmas tree.
imperfect, perfectly decorated and redecorated daily.

my addiction, my weakness,
my "morning coffee",
at christmastime my "elf juice,"
and to the rest of the world it's simply known as coke.
i need to quit.....but it will have to wait until another day.

jack the elf made a late appearance this year.
the jury's still out on its effectiveness.
maybe next year he'll be more mischievous like so many others.
some fun elves out there on facebook and in blogland.

my sleeping beauties:
august at the dr.'s office.
he's not sick either.
got a clean bill of health and clear lungs!

tatum in big brother's passed down pj's.
mama may or may not have joined in her snoozing a few moments after snapping this photo.

out before christmas.
'tis the season of miracles!

i am loving instgram on my iphone....so easy, so fun!

tatum's first bath

tatum finally lost her ambilical cord.
or "nasty thing" as august called it.
so a real bath was in order.

her ever watchful brother overseeing the process.

unlike august she didn't cry one bit.
i think she's gonna be a bath girl like her mama.

august preceded to run around like a wild man.

she felt so tiny tonight sitting in my sink.
i know these days will pass quickly.
and i intend on soaking them up.