Farewell 2012

Another year in the books.  This will be the last post of 2012.  Matt and I were talking today about how fast this year went.  You know, we're going to blink and be back at Christmas time already.  That's how this year felt for me.  Crazy fast.

We had a fantastic Christmas holiday.  It was pure pandalerium here Christmas morning.  Christmas Eve we went to church and then to dinner.  We actually got to sit at church this year, albeit in the cry room.  We were about an hour early and still no chance of a seat in the church.  Oh well... there's always next year.  Dinner was enjoyable.  By the time we got home, Hannah was out for the night.  Poor thing didn't even make it to open up her Christmas jammies!  Laura was so excited, she was overflowing with energy.  She beat my mom at Checkers that night.  Emma was practicing her rolling around on the carpet.  She was trying to crawl, but she just hasn't quite figured it out yet.  \'

When Christmas morning came, they couldn't wait to get downstairs.  Santa had come, and those little girls were overjoyed.  Laura kept bringing Matt presents for him to see if they were for her.  She just wanted to open one after another.  Hannah's approach was different.  She opened one and then wanted to open the package and see it up close.  Emma really was just interested in the wrapping paper :)  Next year Christmas will be real to her.  We spent about an hour opening presents, and then we ate breakfast, which was a yummy potato, egg, bacon, cheese, mushroom back that I had prepped the day before.  Then the girls went off and played quietly for a long while.  They were so content just to play with their new toys.  We had an enjoyable afternoon.  One highlight for me was making oyster soup with Dad.  It's a Prochaska Christmas tradition, and it turned out awesome!  Then for dinner we went over to Aunt Lisa's house for dinner.  My sister and Justin were over there too.  The kids were hyper again since there was tree with present under it!  Again, they had a great time opening gifts.  Hannah would bring a gift over to Matt and I and show it to us and then promptly toss it on the ground and go get another one.  We had to gather all of Hannah's stuff up afterwards, as it was scattered everywhere!  Laura and Lisa played a ladybug game.  And then Mom, Lisa, and the girls played with their new playdoh set that made ice cream cones!  Although Christmas flew right by, we still had a nice time.  And it was certainly fun to watch the kids experience the excitement of it all.

The kids have had fun the last couple of days in our latest snow storm.  They played in the snow yesterday with Matt, and today they sledded at Chuck's house.  Hannah likes to throw snowballs, but she's not really into sledding.  Tonight the kids are watching Rapunzel.  It is Hannah's favorite right now.  Laura and Hannah fight over which movie to watch.  Laura usually wants 12 Dancing Barbie princesses or Pegasus Barbie Princess.  Although they both like Princess and the Popstar too, which we watched yesterday.  Emma loves to play on the floor and keeps trying to crawl.  It will happen soon!  She also likes to play fun games with faces.  She will repeat whatever we do.  Like if we turn our head to the side and say, "Where's Emma?" and then look at her, she will turn her head to the side.  Then she will turn back and look at us and laugh.  It's so awesome to watch her grow and develop.

We have been blessed in 2012 with healthy, happy children.  May we remember to stop and enjoy our little blessing even more often in 2013.

Twas the Night...

Twas the Night before Christmas Eve and all through our house, we are busy preparing!  We have been super busy with our holiday preparations this year.  I have baked twice now, the second time last night.  But I can't complain since I got to use my new Kitchen Aid!  Matt and I did some wrapping last night, and we have to do quite a bit tonight too.  But the house is decorated, and the kids are spilling over with excitement.  The next two days will hopefully be filled with fun memories.

On to some stories from the last several weeks.

One morning Laura and Hannah were sitting at the table eating breakfast, and one of them spotted a ladybug on the floor.  Laura was concerned that one of us would step on it and expressed to us that it was important that we be careful, "they are living creatures too."  Hannah turned to her and tersely said, "Laura, it's a bug!"  Matt and I busted out laughing and then assured Laura that were not going to kill the ladybug.  Laura is so sensitive, and Hannah is the polar opposite.

Around Thanksgiving, Laura's class was talking about the Pilgrims and the Indians and why we celebrate Thanksgiving.  Well one day she was trying to tell me a story about what she learned at school, and she asked, "Mom, who are the ones who didn't have food and some died?"  She was trying to remember the Pilgrims.  Lovely.   A little disturbing that she understands starvation, at least on a surface level.

Hannah is obsessed with Rapunzel.  Every morning I brush her hair, and she wants me to say, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair."  However, she is not a fan of Flynn Rider.  She always says, "I Rapunzel and I going to mawwy Maximus."  She LOVES Maximus.  It's hilarious.

Both girls have a love affair with horses right now, probably because Laura rode a horse on a few occasions this fall.  She did really well, and so now she wants everything horse.  Jayne and Chelsea came over a few nights ago and brought the girls these big plush purses that are horses.  Well, Laura and Hannah have ridden them around the house like crazy, and the straps are already ripping off.  I'm going to have to use my 4-H sewing skills and perform some surgery.

Emma is developing and becoming sweeter every day.  She is the happiest baby ever!  She wakes up happy, and nothing phases her.  She is excited to get to school and really doesn't fuss to speak of in the evenings.  She is the biggest hugger.  When she wakes us, she gives me a hug.  Then she wants Matt, and she gives him a big hug.  Then when we get to school, she gives her teacher a hug.  Her hugs are awesome!  She also gives kisses too.  Of course they are opened mouth, slobbery kisses, but so sweet.  She is also very close to crawling.  She lunges on the floor to her stomach and then rolls all around.  She can get up on her knees once in a while, but she hasn't figured out the actual crawling motion.  It won't be long!  She is becoming quite verbal as well.  When her sisters are running or wrestling about in the living room, Emma wants to be right with them.  And she yells at them and waves her little arms.  In the morning, the girls give us a count down in the van to take off, and Emma has recently been trying to join in the yelling.  It's so cute!  She got her first tooth on 12/12/12.  It is one of her bottom teeth, and she looks awnry as ever when she wrinkles her nose and grins with it popping through.  Her first Christmas is going to be so fun!  Can't wait to watch her enjoy it :)

Merry Christmas to all!  Cherish your blessing and relax during the next two days!