Our Party of Five: Pre-holiday fun!

We have all been staying busy these past few weeks in our own ways.

For me, busy is a little different- as busy as a bedridden momma can be! I have spent my time working on lists of things to get done, online shopping for Christmas, searching Craigslist, folding laundry, sorting through baby stuff and figuring out what we still need to be ready for these two girls, and what few nursery preparations that I can do.

Todd has been making great strides getting the girls furniture put together, I think after tonight we will have a dresser ready to be filled with clothes and blankets! And the cribs are ready for their bedding. Maybe by Christmas we will have a completed nursery? He even got a chance to run out and get some Christmas shopping done last weekend while good friends Scarlett and Shannon came to babysit Lucas and I! On top of all of this he had also been shopping for our new(used) mini-van. He found a great deal last weekend and brought it home Tuesday afternoon. I love it and know that it will be a lifesaver to tote around our family of five, and Bailey too of course! I would be lying if I wasn't a little sad to say goodbye to my 4-Runner- I loved my SUV...but the Sienna drives great, so much smoother than a truck! Not to mention the fact that we had outgrown it...;) All of this on top of work and taking care of the house and Lucas, I know that I have said it before but I will say it again- he is such a fantastic husband and daddy- we are VERY lucky!!! Who else would get up at 6:45 to clean bathrooms and counters before heading off for breakfast with Santa, a day of shopping, and vehicle test driving?

As for Lucas, he too has had lots of fun getting ready for Christmas and spending time with family and friends. He continues to LOVE school and comes home every day with another cute story. He tells us about hugging and giving kisses to his little girlfriends- Bri and Ce-Ce. "M0mmy, I gave Ce-Ce a kiss" You did honey? Where did you kiss her? "On her cheek!"...He and Scarlett walked around the corner in the hallway with their arms wrapped around each other the other day, SO cute! Maybe we should be worried about this at his age? Naaa... He loves to sing Jingle Bells and fill us in on his painting and drawing adventures for the day. His fantastic teachers really work with them on potty training by trying the potty every time they change their diaper. He has peed on the floor in front of the potty a couple of times now, which we did not realize is a GOOD thing. It is a big step in the right direction to not peeing in his diaper. Well, yesterday daddy got a great report that Lucas "pee-peed in the potty!" He was so excited to tell us and Todd treated him to a special treat at Bruster's to celebrate :)

As for the saying...I get by with a little help from my friends, it is so TRUE!!!

Ne-Ne, Grandpa, and Uncle John have been down helping us get things ready for the girls arrival-painting, hanging trim, picking up furniture, shopping, washing baby clothes, etc. And playing with Lucas of course! Along with family help we have enjoyed visiting with the Webb family, the Edmond's, and The Smith's. Rusty, Wendy, and Russell came to visit a few weekends ago and the boys had a BLAST while Wendy and Rusty helped get our Christmas decorations down from the attic and up around the house. It was so nice to catch up with them and spend some time together before the holiday rush got here :) Russell and Lucas played trucks, colored, watched Bob the Builder, and ran around like mad men on a rainy Saturday before they tuckered out for some good afternoon naps :)The Edmond's clan stopped by one evening with yummy dinner and the kids got to play while we chit-chatted and caught up. Shannon and Scarlett have come to play a few times over the last few weeks. They enjoy playing together too, he even chased Scarlett around and gave her lots of hugs and kisses this past Saturday! If she wandered off on her own he quickly tried to wrangle her back up "C'mon Scarwet, run wif me, come get me!" Shannon and I really enjoyed some girl time while the kids played and napped and she also helped so much in the nursery and fixed us three yummy meals- we were truly spoiled!!! ;) We really have been blessed with such great family and friends and cannot thank them (YOU ALL) enough for all of the help you have given us! Be it a sweet phone call or email to check in, running to the store, spoiling Lucas, meal, card, giving Todd a break, everything- WE LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

Some of our fun adventures:

Lucas and Aubrey- smooches! Well worth the removal of the paci ;)

Two little monkeys jumping on mommy's bed!

Russell and Lucas-"We didn't do anything!" Don't they look guilty in this one?

The Webb Family

Scarlett and Lucas acting silly on the couch

Hugs for Bailey!

We pulled out the old car seat and Lucas took advantage of a new "rocking" chair

Helping Daddy decorate the tree

The finished product, minus my bow that they can't seem to find in the attic! :)

Daddy and Lucas had breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus last weekend. I think he was more excited to tell mommy that " Santa rode in on a yellow fire truck" :) It was at the volunteer fire dept.