A Belated Christmas Gathering

We got together with our friends Jaisen and Mahrya two weeks ago to celebrate Christmas. Due to busy schedules, this was the first chance we had to get together. It was nice to catch up with them and spend a relaxing afternoon together. The kids had fun playing.

Paityn checking out her new toy.

Allison daintily unwrapping her present.

Look at those eyes! Aren't they gorgeous.

We also celebrated Jai's birthday. Sorry we didn't get you a real cake, Jai.




The three Amigo's.

Due to my cold, I restrained from giving her kisses. Let me tell you, it was awfully hard not to kiss a cute face like that.

A Hand to Hold

I am hoping this is the first of many times that Allison takes Mia's hand into her own. I envision Allison guiding Mia into the mall playground as soon as Mia is old enough to walk. Allison helping her along at daycare. Reassuring Mia that everything is going to be ok, as they walk into the building on Mia's first day of school.

I know that there will be times that Mia will take Allison's hand as a sign of support and love. When Allison takes a tumble on the playground. When she doesn't get invited to a birthday party or a boy breaks Allison's heart.

I know that the day I see Allison and Mia walking along holding hands, my heart will swell with love and pride and I will thank God once again for the amazing gifts he gave us.

I asked Brian if this post was overly sappy and cheesy and based on his laugh half way through the post, I take it as a yes.

Yea for Home!

The last few times when Brian pulled into the driveway after picking the girls up from daycare, Allison has clapped. I guess she likes it here. Or she is happy she made it home safe and sound from dad's driving. Sometimes I silently cheer as we pull into the driveway.

Allison vs. Ozzie

This video was taken at the end of October. I tried posting it earlier, however it was too large so I had to edit it down. I just finally got around to doing that.

The Take Down

The Take Over

Say What?

The first video clip is of Mia from just a couple of days ago.

The 2nd video is of Allison from a few weeks ago. She loves talking on the phone to Nana and Papa. If Allison is in a bad mood and I need a distraction, I will call my parents so she can talk to them.

The third video is of Allison when she was five and a half months old. Notice Mia is wearing the same pajamas (at only three and a half months).

18 Months Old

Another big milestone has occurred in our household - Allison is 18 months old. We have a full-fledged toddler on our hands. She runs, climbs, laughs...screams, and is beginning to show signs of temper tantrums. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

All in all, we love watching Allison grow up. She is so funny and we get a kick out of her discovering new things, including how to climb into Amelia's toy box. Over the past six months, she has learned how to walk, run, and her latest thing, walking backwards. The discovery of her belly button has been very fascinating to her, and she is also very interested in other people's belly buttons as well. Allison also knows where her eyes and her mouth are located. She isn't quite sure about her nose and ears.

We play hide-and-go seek, which consists of me either hiding behind the couch or around the corner as you enter the kitchen. Although my spots are quite predictable, it brings Allison great excitement when she finds me. She knows that when she finds me, I will tickle her belly, so she cautiously walks up to my hiding spots while covering her belly with her hands with a look of anticipation on her face.

While she only has a few words that she says clearly, Allison "talks" like crazy. She will gladly tell you about her day if you give her a minute of your attention. She loves talking to her Nana and Papa on the phone. We are hoping that recognizable words will start coming soon.

Allison loves getting kisses, but don't expect one in return. While she doesn't do kisses, she will gladly give you a "hug" by placing her head on you... a "lean and hug".

Finally, Allison loves her little sister Amelia. She likes laying next to Mia on the floor. We just have to be careful she doesn't roll over on her. Keeping Mia up high doesn't always guarantee safety either. One day I ran into the kitchen to put something in the oven. As soon as I heard Mia's swing stop, I knew that Allison was up to no good. When I ran into the living room, I caught Allison trying to climb into Amelia's swing - with Amelia already in it. My yelling "NO, NO, NO - don't you EVEN think about it" didn't deter Allison as she proceeded to climb right into Amelia's lap. This brought a time-out, which we have started to introduce to her these past few weeks. Did I mention toddlerhood includes yelling and temper tantrums?

Bath Time