We have had a busy month since the last post! What fun seeing family and visiting friends. We took a trip up to Erie for Thanksgiving. What fun!
We actually got a family picture. (Only one kid didn't look at the camera - guess who!) Here's another one that probably captures the spirit of the visit more!
Reese had lots of fun with her cousins Brody and Madison. They enjoyed playing and laughing and watching their shows with Grandma and Grandpa.
After our visit in Erie, we made the trek back to Ohio and the next day we visited the other grandparents. First we went to Grandma & Grandpa Abbotts'. Reese got to meet her newest cousin, Elijah. After lunch, we loaded up the car and traveled across town to Grandpa & Grandma Chilcotes'.
It was fun visiting all her grandparents, but after a long week, Reese (and her parents) were ready to head home.
Reese has really begun to develop her vocabulary these past few weeks. She can ask for her "shows" by name - "Melmo" (Elmo) and "Ayee-ahh" (Olivia) She also loves her favorite breakfast - Fol-fohs (waffles). She loves when her friends Nanna and Seesee (Anna and Casey) and also Lilah (which sounds surprisingly like "Lilah!"). She also recognizes Mammaw and Pappaw - all three sets - from the pictures on the fridge. A few other common words we hear
a lot are "down," "shoes," "please," "Lucy," "no," and "sippie" although you may need us to translate! We still hare having a tough time getting her to say her own name. Note to future parents - when you point to pictures of your child, refer to them in 3rd person, not 2nd person. Reese thinks her name is "Itzyou!"
It's so fun to see her little personality really develop. She is a big joker and does amazingly goofy things to make us laugh. She also likes to dress up in Mommy's jewelry and gets excited about new clothes. She always loves showing off her PJs at the end of the night, strolling down the hallway with a big grin that says "Am I really this cute?" She recently tried on Daddy's shoes all by herself.
Walking in them was another story.
One fun thing for Nicole and I, and our friends - We restarted our tradition of watching the
Lord of the Rings Trilogy during the holiday season. But with 1 year-olds running around we've had to do it in 6 installments! It's fun, though. Dinner and hanging out from 7-9 - then kids go to bed and grab your seat! We've gotten through
Fellowship, Towers, and the first half of
Return. Now have to wait until 2010 to finish! What anguish! Good thing we know what happens.
We've gotten to see other fun movies this Christmas season. With so many cable channels running so many movies, we've definitely got our pick.
Christmas in Connecticut, Elf, Christmas Vacation, White Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life just to name a few. We'll be joining many others tomorrow night and tune in to see
A Christmas Story after the Christmas Eve services. Is that tomorrow already? WCC has three services - 4:30, 6:00, and 7:30. Nicole and Reese will be going to the 2nd one, but I'll be there all night. Afterward, we will continue the tradition of Chinese food with Ralphie.
Can't wait for Christmas morning! We've had so much fun buying presents for Reese and for each other. We've definitely spent more than we should of, but it's tough to stop when there are so many great things to buy! She doesn't know that she's going to have so much fun getting new toys! Nicole and I are excited to share some small gifts with each other too. Then it's off to Sidney, Erie, and friends houses again!
And most of all, we've had fun sharing the real story of Christmas. We know Reese doesn't really know what Christmas is all about yet, but we've been reading from her baby picture Bible. It's fun to see her start recognizing names and stories. She has a tiny little Christmas book she wants us to read all the time. She points to the nativity ornament and asks in her always inquisitive way, "Whats that?" "Jesus," we say, and she says "Sheesheesh!" Love it. That's what it's all about! A little "bay-beee."
Nicole and I were looking forward to this day off after having almost 2 weeks of a sick Reese! We had a great Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. It was fun seeing family and friends. Unfortunately, the Sunday after Christmas, Reese woke up with a high fever which ended up being Roseola. We kept the fever down and headed to Erie for Christmas with the Truitts, but Reese definitely wasn't herself. There were a few mornings where she started playing and being her goofy self, but most of the time she was on the couch with Momma or Dadda watching Elmo.
It was still fun seeing Grandma and Grandpa, but it will be more fun when she's not sick! We got home and her fever broke around Thursday followed by some nice red spots (the Roseola). Then on Friday, a new fever popped up. After a trip to the doctor on Monday, we found out she had bronchiolitis and a bit of an ear infection. So, a second week of taking temperatures, watching "shows" and constantly calling for her binky.
