A Lap Full

We got to hang out with Kristin for quite awhile Friday evening.

It was good to visit and catch up!

She got quite a lap full while she was here!

I'm pretty sure Liam wishes the other two would just get up and let him snuggle Kristin alone!

But where you find one, the other two are usually not too far behind!

Big Brother

Yesterday morning Nolan wanted to hold Liam.

I was a little nervous about letting him because I didn't want him to think he could pick him up whenever he wanted.

It was actually quite a cute moment between brothers.

He held him for a long time and then wanted to do it again later.

Their first photo together...just the two of them.

Nolan was very attentive to Liam.

He shushed him several times.... "ssshhhhhhh, sssshhhhhh"
He patted him gently and a few times not so gently...
He experimented with Liam's arm to see exactly how flexible it really is...
He gave him the paci...
He was quite proud of himself for that...

He gave the paci sometimes not so gently...
"Uh-oh" as the paci would fall out
He gave kisses...
Patted some more...
And more...
Then he showed us Liam's eyes, mouth, ears, and nose
Then his own too...
HK had to help supervise this brotherly encounter, of course.

Oh Nolan...

You have been making some good stories for your memory book this week!

Today you proved the sinful nature you were born with...or as Uncle Noah would say...you are depraved...

Nolan found a bowl of candy and pulled out a box of Nerds. I told him "no". A little while later I was writing thank you notes at the computer. It was awfully quiet!!! I said his name a few times and he didn't answer. I knew he was behind the recliner. I quietly walked over and snuck around the corner. He was standing behind the recliner eating the box of Nerds.
When he saw me he got an awful look on his face...put his head down...

and he began to try and hide behind the blanket. He knew he had done wrong!!! The little booger! Why was it so stinking cute?

Mean Mommy took the Nerds away and put him in time-out which totally broke his heart.

Then I ate the Nerds! They were already open!

Then the other day Nolan decided that it was time for Liam to also chew on his giraffe's ear like he sucks on his puppy's ear! He was trying to stuff it in Liam's mouth.

Here is a better view. Liam is not quite ready for that yet!

However the whole scene was hysterical!

Brothers

So....

Here are the brothers...

Brother 1

Brother 2

Which one is which?

Brother 1 is Liam

Brother 2 is Nolan

What do you think?

Traditions

This has been the latest year ever that I have started listening to Christmas music. I'm not sure why? It's not like I've had anything going on this fall!

The Christmas season is always full of traditions. Every family has their own. One that we have started is the official putting up of the Christmas tree. I decided that's when we would give them their Christmas pajamas (matching as long as I can pull it off) and their new Christmas ornament. So far Veggietales has also cooperated with a new Christmas movie the past couple of years. I love the messages of those movies! Unfortunately, this past weekend was crazy because Daddy worked the ER both Friday all night and Sunday 24 hours. So he slept half the day Saturday. What a chore trying to keep all 3 kiddos out of his room and quiet so he could rest. Then we had to take care of leaves in the gutter and in the yard to get it ready for outside lights next week. HK and Nolan were quite the help with that as well. Once that was done our evening got started...

I found two Christmas books for almost a steal at Lifeway back in October. HK's was Gigi, God's Little Princess, and a manger story for Nolan. Couldn't pass those up!
Ohhhh....the matching pjs. Nolan actually loves getting new clothes! Thanks to Children's Place for the matching pjs. At first HK was upset because hers was not footed like the boys. I explained why and that they were still matching. She seemed good with that.

All of the kids got a candy cane ornament with their name and year (thank you Hobby Lobby for 50% off ornaments). HK's ornament was ballet shoes and said DANCE.

Nolan's was a tractor with Santa on it.

Liam's was a baby's first Christmas ornament.

After baths and pizza, I tried to get a picture of all three of them together in their new pjs. Have you seen the commercial with the Mom on the computer taking and cropping the family picture she wants. She took each person out of a different photo and put them into the perfect picture. I need that program!!!
I would take HK from here...

Nolan from here...

And Liam...well I think he looks almost the same in any of them.

There's my little climber.

I LOVED that Daddy had so much "help". I love when he can experience the good help that I have each day.

There were looking through the end of the tree like it was a telescope or something.

We also had popcorn and watched our movie that tells the birth of Jesus.

Here is HK helping her Daddy with the tree as is tradition. Notice Nolan watching and figuring out how all of this works.

Ohhh trip down memory lane with tradition...2009

2008

Oh my goodness oh my goodness...2007. I can't believe my little girl is sooooo big! I tell her to quit growing but she doesn't seem to listen.

See those little legs sticking out? Nolan figured out how to help Daddy!

Ahhh... new favorite picture. All three of them under there. Next year I am sure Liam will figure it out too! This year he and I just watched contently while he got his belly full!

Nolan definitely observing and figuring out what to do!

Despite Daddy being dog tired we had our first tradition of the season! Daddy and HK are starting a new one this year. I always helped my Dad put up our lights outside. That was probably because I was the only one that cared, and I wanted to make sure it got done. I also enjoyed the time with my Dad! So now that we have a house...Daddy and HK get to light it up this week!

Now I just have to stay caught up with the blog through all of the happenings over the next several weeks!

Almost Forgot...

I almost forgot that Nate, Amy, and Kelly dressed up the Friday before Halloween.

Nate was Cat In The Hat and the girls were Thing One and Thing Two. I think his new patients that day thought he was crazy!