Helping, helping.

Mom, I got the popcorn bowl!

She kept balancing there, using no hands, and then grabbing the metal bowl to catch her balance. I tried to catch it on film, but in the end I just got some cute pictures.

A New Christmas Tradition

For as long as I can remember, my mom has picked out a special ornament for us for Christmas. She likes to choose one that represents a major event in our year. For instance, last year, Richard got a home-made ornament: a chicken leg bone broken in half and "fixed" with two screws. Get it?
Well, I want to do the same thing for our children. I wanted Shirley's first ornament to be something very special...so, I preserved* the shoe she wore on the day she was dedicated and turned it into her very first ornament. I plan to do this for all of our children. Cool, right? It's very simple, but I'm pleased with how it turned out.
I love you, my girl. Thank you for a special Christmas.


*To preserve the shoe, I dipped it in craft starch and let it dry for 24 hours, then re-dipped twice. It is stiff and should hopefully stay as white as possible over the years.

Christmas Festivities

Opening stockings together at home.

My Great-Aunt Jackie has been making Christmas stockings for all of the children on my Mom's side since Mom was a little girl. Shirley's came in the mail on December 22. I was SO touched. Here is SJ opening her stocking before we headed to Grandpa and Grandma's house.
Helping unload at Grandma & Grandpa's house.

The waiting is the hardest part...


Every Christmas, we get a "Special Gift from Dad." Some years, there is a theme, other years they are specially selected for each child. This year, we all got Stormy Kromer wool hats.

McClain has low standards...A little music with dinner...
SJ is very excited about her Kromer.

Kromer family photo.

(Pedro had one on, but refused to wear it. Go figure.)

Merry Christmas to you all, my blogfriends. You mean so very much to me. As we give eachother gifts this weekend, let's please remember the REASON we give gifts at all: to celebrate Christ's birth by which we have been given a new lease on life and the guarantee of eternal life.

Runaway!

This photo giggles me much.

Re: My Last Post

Too true.

I don't even want to admit how true this cartoon is.

More and more milestones!

This weekend at my parent's house, I saw Shirley Jean do all of the following:

-Give kisses.

-Patty-cake (with her feet).

-Show everyone that she is SOOOOOO BIG!

-Wave bye-bye to Grandma.

-Listen so intently to Grandpa singing at church that she made everyone in our row cry.

-And tonight she clapped for herself (after doing so big)!

-She also pulled herself up to see what was in my suitcase.

I also suspect that she is starting to sign "all done" to me when she is in her high chair. Watch for confirmation coming soon!

What a big girl I have!

What was that I was saying about Milestones?

SJ is now (in the space of about 6 hours) completely proficient at pulling herself into a sitting position. The sad part? I have never actually seen her do it! I look down while she's on her tummy, then I look up and she's sitting up. She is SO proud of herself.

Here she is celebrating her accomplishment:

Milestones in Rear View Mirror May Be Closer Than They Appear

Guess who just pulled herself up on the edge of the couch to be near Mama while she was blogging...

What else is there?

My Sweet Potato hugged me today when I got home.

I was gone all morning from 6:30 to 1:30, and when I got home she was on the floor playing with Sophia. I picked her up to say hello and she wrapped her arms around my neck and squeezed me hard.

Is there anything else to care about?

Look what somebody learned on Monday...

I suppose it's time to babyproof...

Holy Crap!

Sometimes you just gotta throw the whole onesie away.

Elf Baby

Don't you just love her? I mean, I do.

Happy Thanksgiving from Shirley Jean!

Today Shirley got to eat fresh green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, bread, stuffing and cranberries! She is such a big girl. I can see her full tummy from here...It's dragging on the ground when she tries to crawl...

I am so thankful for my little girl. She is such a joyful presence in our lives.

Shirley Jean Meets The Chips!

Erin & Kendall, Jill & Kaleb, Lauren & SJ

This weekend my cousin Jill and her husband Jamie were in town visiting friends and we were able to get together and finally meet their beautiful twins! They were absolutely darling, and we had a wonderful time.

Kendall thought "Bebe Lurley" was pretty cool.

CHEESE!!!

I think hamming for the camera runs in the family. :)

Starfish Baby

Randy: I can't put my arms down!
Mother: Well... put your arms down when you get to school.

SJ's First Hockey Game!

Cheering Noonie on for the very first time.

I'm sure there will be many more hockey games to come!

Prune Face

Splish Splash

Somebody learned how to splash tonight...

Also, BUTTCRACK!

Mommy the Songwriter

I have written a song.

Its purpose is twofold:

1. It entertains and distracts.

2. It teaches some life lessons that Richard and I both feel are very important.

Do listen.

Baby Jail at the Grandma Spa

She just can't seem to crawl FORWARD and keeps getting stuck.

Remember how I said she hams for the camera? She was just mildly unhappy until I held up the camera. Then she FREAKED. Couldn't possibly be because I was taking a photo instead of helping, could it?

At the Grandma Spa

Little baby in a big tub...

Shirley Voted.

Did you?

Halloweeney Shirley Jeaney

My Sweetpea

By the way, my Sweetpea has a tooth now! She cut one of her bottom teeth last night!

Greats, Grands and Cousins

I can't believe I forgot to put these photos up!
Last weekend, Shirley Jean got to hang out with her great-grandparents and cousin. It was a really nice evening. I think she and Gavin look SO much like their great-grandpa! You be the judge.

I hope Shirley Jean's husband looks at her with this much love some day.

There are four generations in this photo. Gavin's dad, Jeff, had to work, so he couldn't be in the photo. : ( From L-R Great-Grandpa Dick, Shirley Jean, Grandma Brenda, Richard, Cousin Gavin, Great-Grandma Joyce.

Great-Grandpa Dick having some alone time with sweet Gavin.

I figure in about 15 years, these photos will be perfect for blackmail.

Lexi, helping out.

As long as I continue to bathe SJ regularly, she will never become dehydrated.