Christmas #3

We had Christmas in Clinton with Grammy & Papa John on Monday.  It was very low-key and relaxing.

Christmas #2 - At Home!

This was our first year to celebrate Christmas at home with our kids.  Well, except for the year we had the blizzard, but we were totally unprepared for that one!  This year was so much fun!  I was a little lazy to make cookies for Santa so we left him cake that I had made earlier in the week.  I cut a circle piece out for Piper to frost and decorate!  She really enjoyed that plus she loved sneaking a bites of sprinkles too!

We did leave the reindeer some carrots to munch on as well as they waited for the Big Guy to finish up in our house!

Michael read "The Night Before Christmas" to Piper and she was so excited to go to bed so that she could see what Santa brought her the next morning!

Christmas morning was fun!  I woke up at 8 am!!  Yay, to sleeping in!!!  I was so shocked the kids were not up yet.  So, I went to listen in on them and Briggs was still asleep but Piper was awake in her room listening to music.  Crazy girl thought she couldn't get up!!!  So, we got her and Briggs up and the craziness began!

There were a lot of 'ooohs' and 'ahhhs'!

Piper received these fake glasses in her stocking and wore them to a restaurant the other night!  Ha!  We got a few looks!!  Michael kept asking her 'What is the square root of 9?"  

Christmas #1

Our first Christmas celebration was in Fargo at Grandma and Papa Roger's house on Christmas Eve.

Briggs was eyeing the tree all day!   

 All the grand kids were there.  Seth, Piper, Paige, Anna, Briggs, Olivia

 Briggs liked opening gifts but Piper LOVED it!  She opened Briggs' presents and my presents.

 Her first Barbie!  She was really into the present thing this year.  Fun!

 Briggs was really into the tree!  He was obsessed with this snowman on Grandma's tree.

 Santa worked so hard he couldn't stay awake!

 What??  No more presents!!!

Piper's First Movie

 Michael began a tradition, with Piper this year, to go on a Christmas date!  Their first Christmas date involved going to the movie theater and getting ice cream!  This was Piper's first time to ever go to the movies!  They saw the Muppets movie which she said she didn't like, but you would never have known it because she came home all smiles and keeps asking to go back!

That same day, she was able to play with her cousins.  One thing they did was bake and decorate cupcakes.

And, eat them...

This little guy looks a little mischievous!

Briggs is Walking!

On Monday (December 19th; 14 months) Briggs officially started walking!  He's been taking two steps every so often since the week of Thanksgiving but nothing more.  The first video is of him Monday night

This second video is of him at the beginning of November when he first learned how to use his walker!  He can go a lot faster on his walker now!  And, needs no assistance steering it like he does in the video!

Daddy's Home!

Michael had to be in Pennsylvania for work for two weeks this month and we really missed having him home!  We kept ourselves busy and tried Skyping so the kids could see him but there is no substitute for good ol' Daddy-O!  (He did get to come home the weekend in between!)  Piper really wanted to have an ice cream party for him when he got home so on Saturday we all went to the Science Museum followed by a visit to the ice cream shop!  

Look how big Briggs looks in this picture!  Please ignore the horrible red eye!

 

She absolutely loved this device.  It spun around.  She loved it so much she didn't want to share with other visitors and cried when I made her get off!  I painted her face at the face painting station!

 Piper is a total Daddy's girl!

A funny side note:  While Michael was in Pennsylvania, he met a guy that was from Woodward and Michael told him I was from Fargo. (They are neighboring towns.  We went to church and shopped in Woodward for those of you who don't know the area!)  The guy didn't know me but knew my friend Mendy and my friend Chandra.  Then he came back later and asked Michael if his kids names were Piper & Briggs!  And, said, "My wife kind of stalks your wife's blog!" Long story, short...I don't know her husband, but his wife and I have mutual friends and I think we worked together one summer or one Christmas break.  I always knew who she was growing up even though we didn't run in the same circle!  Ha, small world!  Hi Jill!  I know you are not a stalker!

Christmas Playdate

We had a little Christmas party play date at our house last week. Three of my college friends and their kids came over for crafts, playing, and lunch.  Poor Briggs was the only boy...again!  Ha!

Renna, Reagan, & Piper coloring some Christmas pictures

I'm sorry, but he is so handsome.  Look at those cheeks!!  They are perfect little balls!!

Piper & Renna.  I love Piper's big smile!  These two may be a year apart but get them together and you have double trouble!  They are mischievous!

 All the kids!  All our guests were two year old girls!

Piper & mommy making an ornament craft.  We made two ornaments.  One was a salt dough hand print ornament which turned out to be a flop!!  The second was a miniature Rudolph ornament made with their thumbprint.  They were cute and I got the idea from Pinterest!

The lineup...Renna, Reagan, Piper, Briggs, Molly, and Natalie.  Molly gave us all matching 'I love Mommy' shirts and Briggs got a new striped shirt.  Notice the 3 year old is crying while the 2 year olds are sitting there with smiles!  And, she doesn't have her pants on! Ahhhh, independence...

Thanks to Mendy for taking all these pictures!  Also, I do realize every post recently on my blog has Piper and Briggs in the same Christmas outfit!  Ha!  They did wear other things during the month of December!!

Santa!

We went to visit Santa for the first time ever this month!   I thought this would be a good year to try it out!  She seems to be less afraid of costumed things and people lately, but it just depends on where and when it is! Plus, I decided that this was a more intimate experience and we'd go with our cousins so it would help her be less afraid. In October I found out that a local cookie shop holds an annual "Cookies and Milk with Santa" event so I knew that would be perfect for her!  No mall Santa for us!  

Getting ready to leave our house to see St. Nick!

I made their shirts, by the way!

We met Aunt Sheryl, Olivia, and Anna at the cookie shop!  Everyone was excited!  Sheryl made their shirts also!

Piper & Anna waiting to see the big guy!

Olivia was up first.  I thought that if Piper watched someone else there would be less of a chance to be scared!

She was a little nervous.  She picked at her lip and she twirled her hair...two of her nervous twitches!

But, she loved talking to him!  It was if he was not a stranger to her!  She proudly, without hesitation, told him she wanted a new umbrella and purses!  She had thought about it long and hard and decided that's what she wanted weeks before this visit!

Santa hugs...

and, really I'm done!  Ha!  This cracks me up!

This picture cracks me up too!  Briggs didn't think the jolly old guy was too much fun!  Ha!

Anna was last.

It was fun and I think Piper decided wanted to continue talking to him but other kids were waiting!

After visiting with Santa, they got to sit down and enjoy their cookies and milk!

Briggs hung out with Daddy most of the time.

Santa really tried hard to win Briggs' favor!  In this picture, Briggs was grabbing for his bells.  Next year, if you live in the OKC area or want to experience the fun of Santa without waiting in line, remember to visit One Smart Cookie.  It was on the second week of December and tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance.  It's located at 122nd and Rockwell!  We will be doing this again!