piper diaper

Just thought I would fill you people in on what I have been up to lately.

smiling.

(my dad says I am never more than 10 seconds away from smile)

 chillin.

growing teeth.

(2 came in when I was 5 months)

hangin' with dad.

laughing.

playing with my brother.

talking.

(dadadada is my favorite. but baba and mama have made appearances)

and crawling.

(at 5 months I really started getting into this one!)

as you can see I have been a busy girl!

cole and ali are obsessed with me and I have mom and dad wrapped around my little finger.

It's been a good six months.

Shall we?

so many things about coles outfit are hilarious. I don't know where to start.

inside out, backwards, and too small. Don't worry he got new pj's this week.

but the real reason for this post is our new year celebration!

ali said she wanted to do a toast. and said she knew just the glasses for it. then she pointed these out in the cupboard. and instructed us to clink by saying..."shall we?"

we made resolutions and had some laughs.

then when it was all over, we told the kids it was time for bed...

then came the best comment of the night.

from cole, "But what about our toast? We didn't eat it yet"

haha. apparently ali knows more of the party lingo than her big brother. classic.

Picture a Christmas...

Christmas morning cole was ready to go!

  we finally woke ali up at about 8:30. 

she was cool with it.

stockings brought fun treats,

that were put to use immediately.

 santa was kind, but mom forgot to document his generosity on film. 

after santa's gifts were sufficiently awed over we moved onto gifts from mom and dad.

both cole and ali were given books.

cole loved his Junie B books.

ali thought his reaction was intense.

  until she opened one of her gifts from us...I'd say she liked it.

don't worry, piper was in on the action!

but this picture should tell you how she felt that morning.

poor kiddo was the last one to get hit with the cold going around.

but she toughed it out!

she loved her first princess...

and the paper it came in.

everyone was pretty excited.

this was cole's reaction to the hulk mask ali got him.

and this was ali's reaction to the bow and arrow he gave her!

a happy dance was done and all began to enjoy the spoils.

she means business with this thing people.

and she reminds me to tell her

"no weapons on the table"

nana and papa gave cole his first big lego set.

Justin said it would never get put together.

challenge accepted.

hours later this thing was done and daddy was super impressed with mommy's skills!

Cole was very specific about these pictures.

which is why there are so many.

that and the fact that it took long enough that it needs to be fully appreciated!

Daddy and mommy hooked each other up with some holiday surprises as well.

and even santa was spoiled by holiday goodness.

We read the Polar Express on Christmas Eve and learned all about Santa's sleigh bells. 

Cole left reindeer food out for the reindeer and they must have loved it because they left sleigh bells for cole and ali! You can even see the reindeer tracks!

This Christmas we ended the day by telling the story of why we really celebrate Christmas. 

Cole and Ali told a lot of it and it was a very tender family moment.

Ali even sang a very sweet version of Picture a Christmas for us. 

We are so grateful for the real meaning behind this season.

(and as it says in the polar express)

as are all who "truly believe".