Kids and Christmas!

As usual, life just continues to speed up. Landry is 4 months old today! I can't imagine life without her. She is my favorite girl. She is starting to get tickled and giggly.. It's so cute! She laughs when we hold her and swing her down towards Luke... When she gets to laughing hard, it always turns into the hiccups (Luke calls them pea-cups). Above her changing table in her room, I have a sign hanging with a verse from Psalms that says "He shall give His angels charge over you." Call me crazy, but I swear her guardian angel hangs out over there. Since the day we brought her home, that table has been a happy place for her. She's really got me thinking that little ones can see into the spiritual realm in ways we adults can't. She always smiles and coos while she's laying there. Makes me wonder, any way!

The holidays go way too fast when kids are in the picture. We barely had enough time to get Luke into the swing of things for the holidays. Heath and I discussed almost daily about where to draw the line in teaching Luke about Christmas festivities. It's not easy to conclude! I think I want to make Christmas fun for him and don't want him missing out on stuff, but lies tend to snowball at Christmas time. I struggle with the guilt associated with all of that.

When my brother and sister-in-law were in town, we got to talking about it, and she shared with me how she had read a blog where the family buys their kids "something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read." I liked that! I still have gifts wrapped for our kids they never opened, and they aren't missing them! After all they got from family, I decided to hold them back for later.

So this year, we got to participate in our church's dinner theater. Heath, Landry, and I were part of the live manger scene and stood in as Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. Landry did awesome both nights! It was a humbling experience for me because I had the comfort of knowing that the real baby Jesus was born to die... So, my babies already have a Savior!

The dinner theater kicked the holidays off for us... And then during the week of Christmas, we met up with friends and family for 6 nights in a row! We were super busy. Here's what I mean..

We started out at the Roses.... John Brandon with Landry.

And Baby Courtney with Baby Norah. :)

The kids all opened presents... This looks like a "(Gasp) What'd you get!?!" look. :)

Luke with his little gator. His first present! He was pretty excited about it.

Jeremy and Landry.... He got some daddy-to-be practice.

Then we had Christmas at my parents' house. I love being home with both of my brothers and their families. It just warms my heart for all those little cousins to play together just like we did with our Rose cousins!

Luke, Jaxon, and Miley decided to join Norah for her bath.

Look at the beautiful skin that baby girl has! Just like her Mama! The hair..... well... that must be from here Mama, too. :)

Dustin, Jordan, and Heath

Rachel & Norah Rose

Opening presents - Jaxon & Papa

Dustin & Steph

All 7 of the kids! Luke, Jaxon, Keeton, Emma, Miley, Landry, and Norah

Next, we went to visit the kids great-great grandparents on Heath's side...

Between babies and Nanny, we can't always get a good picture!

And then to Heath's parents - Guggy and Kakee.

Ben and Luke helped Londyn with her gifts.

Keelee and Londyn checking out her presents. She is sweet and super sassy!

Heath's Aunt Kim joined us for Christmas this year.

Landry just chillin - I had to fold up her Christmas tree on her shirt to keep her from choking on the bow.

Luker and Mama - He cheeeeeeeses it big! :)

Here is Luke reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" to Landry. Sweet boy!

Christmas morning - Luke woke up saying, "My gator!?" :)

Ready to ride - even though there's lots of snow outside!

Overdue Pictures and Thanksgiving!

I'm taking the day off today. I rarely do this, but it sure feels good. A day off for me means sweats and DVR. I still change diapers, wipe bo-bos, prepare and serve meals, help get toys out of reach, etc. I just spend all the time in between laying on the couch. It's a treat!

I enjoy having a day at home with just me and my kids. I know it sounds crazy, but Luke sleeps better at night when he gets good one-on-one time with me during the day. He's never been a good sleeper, but when he gets in a slump of not sleeping good, I can usually look back and realize I've been too busy. People might think, "Uhh, you stay at home. What do you mean, too busy for your kids?" I think this house takes lots of maintenance because we ARE here so much. Between a new baby and house chores, I think Luke misses out on some of the TLC he requires sometimes.

I realized I haven't uploaded pictures from my camera in a while...

Landry's first sponge bath after we came home.

Landry meeting cousins Miley and Emma!

Luke was pretty skiddish of her in the beginning.

Landry meeting the Abneys.

Ben and Londyn... Our last summer family get together!

Kakee always has her hands full... Luke and Londyn.

Mimi and Landry

We've had our first broken bone! Luke broke his collarbone somehow. We can't even really recall how it happened. He was fine one night, and the next morning, he cried to be picked up, put in his car seat, etc. We were thinking it was just lymph nodes from the cold we've all been passing around, but we got home after Thanksgiving from Kerrville and noticed the knot on his shoulder. A trip to the ER and X-rays confirmed the break. He's been a trooper though. It was a clean break - didn't need set or anything. They expect it to be healed in 3-4 weeks.

For Thanksgiving, we spent Wednesday evening with Heath's family and Thursday with my family. Afterwards, we took the camper and met up with Heath's parents at Kerrville to visit his Daddy Don. We planned on going to Sea World, but we all got sick, so we're saving that for next time. We are lucky to have both sides of our immediate family in town. Holidays for us are pretty easy going.

Luke loves driving his tractor at Guggy and Kakee's.

Londyn - She's 8 1/2 months and a sassy mess!

Landry's first Thanksgiving - almost 3 months!

Courtney and Aunt Cindy with Landry.

The boys wanted to be in this picture too! :)

Emma, Miley, Jaxon, Keeton, Dustin and Steph

The oldest and youngest grandchildren, Keeton and Landry.

Cousins - Missing Norah Rose!

Best buds - Jaxon and Luke

The Rose Fam

Heath and I with our tired babies!

Papa and Mimi

Daddy Don and Judy at Pappadeaux in San Antonio.

4 Generations around 1 toy :)

Heath's new hobby - RC cars. This could save our marriage during the slow months of farming. Ha! :)

Luke got a balloon bouquet from his Stanley friends for his big boo-boo!