Tree decorating...

As per our usual post-Thanksgiving tradition, we put up our Christmas tree this weekend. I was not super fired up about doing this, as it entails bringing up boxes from the basement (Mike's job) and digging through to find the ornaments that tickle my fancy this year (read: make a mess!). With having a toddler in the house, I feel like I'm constantly picking up...and this task would mean more picking up and organizing! But we ended up doing it and were happy we did. Izzy had a great time "helping" and I think Delaney LOVES the lights.

Izzy helping daddy find the lights that work
Izzy thought it was funny to actually WEAR the stockings (she found a box of old items and I let her do as she wished)

Izzy helping to decorate...we put a lot of kid-friendly ornaments at the bottom that she has since taken off, kissed, and put back on. Over and over again.

And of course the girls had to look up at the lights from below. It's become a tradition of ours.

Delaney spent some time under the tree admiring today
The finished product

Just a random picture...I tried bathing both girls together last night. Was not an easy task, but was different and fun for us. I'm looking forward to when Delaney can actually sit up and take a "big girl bath" in about another 3 months!

Thanksgiving in the Fort...

Mike, Delaney & I drove up to Ft. Wayne Wednesday afternoon to celebrate Thanksgiving with his dad & step-mom...and to reunite with our Izzy Lou!!! Izzy was spoiled rotten and had an amazing time with her grandparents...I don't even think she missed us! She slept in a tent (indoors, of course), which she thought was just the best. She giggled every time she had to go in there, as her lovies were in there and her books and her flashlight...a girl could get used to that for naps and nighttime! Anyway, we had a great time visiting, although it was short. I had to get back to Indy to work on Black Friday. It's our biggest sales day of the year and I volunteered to work. Let me tell you, it feels good to be back at work. I get to sit down. I get to go to the bathroom without 2 year old eyes watching me. I get to work out at lunch. Heck, I get to go OUT to lunch! Ask me again in 6 months if I feel the same way, though :)

Izzy snuggling with daddy. Notice her lovie is swaddled.
The twins surprising Grandpa

Mike, Izzy & Grandpa Bob

Grandma Laura, Izzy, & Grandpa Bob

Playing with baby Laney

Aunt Aimee snuggling with Delaney

Thankful for friends...

Mike and I are transplants: neither of our families live in Indianapolis. The vast majority of our friends are in the same boat...so we tend to rely on each other for a variety of things throughout the year. Sometimes we are traveling all over the country to celebrate the holidays (from Lake Tahoe to Boston, in fact!). And sometimes we are all in our own homes for the holidays. This year Jason & Sandi invited us over to their home to celebrate the season. How wonderful it is to have such good friends and be thankful for the adopted families we have in Indianapolis. Thank you, Morses, for hosting a special evening with delicious food!

Kids' table
Adult table

Sandi, Mike & a sleepy Delaney

Rick & Christopher

Minus One...

As mentioned last week, Izzy went to stay with her Grandpa Bob & Grandma Laura for a few nights (Sunday-Thursday), which left us home alone with Delaney! The house was VERY quiet. Well, at least in the evenings it was quiet. Mike battled our very stubborn Laney girl to take a bottle. Monday she went 11 hours without eating. Tuesday she gave in and took two bottles from Mike. Wednesday, she held out again. Thank goodness Thursday was a holiday! And then Friday Mike had both girls at home and was begging me to come home (to feed Delaney...and most likely to relieve him!). We have one strong-willed little girl on our hands. Wonder where she gets that from?!? Anyway, we sure did enjoy having one-on-one time with Delaney last week. Here are a few pictures of her super-smiles!

Funsters at Mardi Gra

Last night was our final Funster event of the year and it did not disappoint! Mike's dad came in town to watch the girls so we could enjoy a night out. This event was planned by the Bowdens and they kept it a secret until we got to our destination: Zydeco's in Mooresville. This is a cajun restaurant that has all Mardi Gra decor - a place like nothing we have in Indy. We enjoyed a pitcher of a drink called Hurricanes, Mardi Gra beads around our necks, Jumbalaya, crawfish, ettouffe and many other creole dishes. The food was delicious and we all laughed so much...was such a special evening with special friends. Here's to another great Funster year in 2010!

Molly, Adam, Mike, Kelly, Clay & Maggie (we missed the Allens that couldn't make it from Cincy)

Swimming and such...

Since this weekend was my last official weekend of maternity leave, I wanted to do something different and special with Izzy. We have had a beautiful weekend here in Indy, but I wanted to do more than the typical park/playground outing. So we headed to the Monon Center to swim!!! The indoor water park is kept VERY warm and so is the water...Izzy immediately loved it and ran right into the water (she has no fear and was walking until the water reached her chin!). Delaney hung out in the front carrier with me while we watched Izzy go down the slide and play.

Our social butterfly, she had to wave hi to all the kids and lifeguards right away. Giving a shout out to her peeps.

At the top of the slide...

Cheering for herself at the bottom of the slide

Playing in the water

Delaney fell fast asleep, as the heat of the park and all the white noise put her in a deep slumber.

This was too cute...while Izzy and I ate lunch, Mike swam laps (he's gearing up for a University of Evansville Swim Team Reunion in a few weeks). Izzy was so infatuated with watching him, calling for him every time he swam away and waving to him every time he came back. She was his biggest cheerleader and even wanted to get in the lap lane with him. Ah-dorable.

This is a picture of our (now nearly empty) freezer. I have been working hard the last few weeks to get approved to donate all my frozen milk from when I was on dairy. Couldn't feed it to Delaney (read: COLIC fit if I ingest dairy) and I didn't want to throw it all away. It was 6 weeks' worth of supply. After an intense physical background check, OB & Pediatrician approval and blood work, I was given the go-ahead to make my donation. My donation was over 150 ounces of milk, which I am told is the quantity ONE hospital orders each week. Milk banks help preemies weighing under 2.2 pounds and mothers who have had double mastectomies to feed their babies. Makes me feel good that I will be helping families in a small way. And that we have our freezer back to storing regular food items :)

This is a picture of Izzy mimicking mommy: she is tucking in her lovies for bed. She is very into swaddling and caring for her babies like I do for Delaney. Too cute.

This is what it looks like when we chat with my mom on the web cam. Mom reads books to Izzy (shown above) or Izzy will show my mom her toys or play dress-up with her. Too cute.

Mike and I might be web-cam-ing with Izzy this week, as we just waved goodbye to her: Izzy is spending 3 nights with Mike's dad until we head up for Thanksgiving. I will admit that I shed a few tears as she pulled out of the driveway. I am going back to work tomorrow and our nanny doesn't start until next week. Mike will be at home alone with Delaney while I'm at work (starting a new job - I got a promotion while on maternity leave!). Will be a big transition week for us, so please keep us in your thoughts!

Fall Feast & Visitors...

This last week was my final week at home on maternity leave...and it was filled with lots of fun activities! The girls and I hit up our weekly library "Shake, Rattle & Read," we my dad in town for a few days, Mike's dad in town for a few days, and a few other fun activities. Was jam-packed with family time and it made my last week home very bitter-sweet. I spent lots of time cuddling the girls and holding them, not wanting the time to end. Anyway...here are a few pics:

Delaney is very strong, she always wants to be sitting up. If we put her on her back or in her car seat, she lifts her head up and tries to sit up. Much stronger than Izzy was at this age...maybe because her head isn't nearly as big :)

Playing with Grandpa Tom

On our way into the Cool Creek Nature Center

Izzy loved the turtles (you can see one in the background)

On the lookout for birds

Swinging!

Thursday was Izzy's pre-school Fall Feast where we celebrated the holiday with songs, dancing and lots of food. Was fun to see her in her glory!

Playing in the gym

Showing daddy how it's done

Grandma Anna & Delaney

Grandpa Tom with the girls

Grandpa reading to Izzy before bedtime. They brought her a Dora coloring book and Izzy wanted my dad to read it to her. Poor dad, he read the ENTIRE coloring book to Iz. Ha!

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

This last week has brought several changes in our house:

Laney Bug smiles and coos at us more than ever, as we've figured out her routine and my diet.
She's a HAPPY baby...who knew?!
Izzy is actually enjoying being WITH Delaney instead of just saying hi and kissing her all day.

This little girl got 3 inches cut off her hair from an amazing hair stylist named mommy.

Izzy actually shows Delaney how her toys work and even helps her accessorize.

Some intense potty training is going on in our house. Doesn't Mike look thrilled?!

And I got 5 inches cut off (from the back) of my hair. I figure I'm going back to work in another week, why not get a fresh cut, too?!

I took pics for JZF and to remember how much I love this cut!

Feels great not to have all that hair on my shoulders.

I told you we had a lot of changes going on around here!

**Oh yeah, and Delaney slept 11 hours UNINTERRUPTED last night!!! Fluke? Who cares! We slept!!!**