Sesame Street LIVE!

One great way to beat the cold long winter is to go see Sesame Street LIVE!  Allie had a lot of practice attending shows on our cruise this past August.  So, Todd and I figured she would be the perfect audience member for Elmo!  Allie was dressed in her Elmo dress...she was just as adorable as she was on her birthday!

Before the show there were some fun photo opportunities and Zoe, Ernie and Murry came out to sing a few songs before we took our seats. 

All ready for the show to start

 

 

 

The show was about 2 hours with a 15 minute intermission.  Allie did a great job sitting and watching.  Whenever a character would leave the stage she would become concerned and wonder where he went.  She clapped and sang along.  Big success!  I see more shows in our near future!

 

2 Year Check Up

Allie passed her 2 year check up with flying colors. She was very excited go see Dr. Economy. This check up was fairly painless...no real shots...just a finger poke for lead screening.

Allie has grown like a weed these past two years...even though she still falls into the 3% for weight...weighing in at 21 lbs and 14 oz. Allie's height is in the 46% measuring at 34 inches tall. She's still our peanut. The doctor said she developing right on track.

Happy 2013!

New Year's Eve was celebrated with the Ader's this year.  Since there is USUALLY a snowstorm, this always works out great for us because they live right around the corner from our house.  We decided to make this year extra special and have a New Year's slumber party...aka: don't have to pay for a babysitter! 

 

I planned some fun things to do with Allie and Austin...even though this is a night for grown-ups, I wanted to make it special for Allie girl and hopefully start some new family traditions. 

 

Allie and Austin each made their own "Happy New Year" hat...



 

...and they each made a time capsule to keep and look at next New Years and maybe every one after that.



A fun tradition I thought would be really fun was to write a New Year's wish on a balloon and then let them go at the kiddo's New Year...aka: just be bed at 8:00.  Austin had an ORANGE (his favorite color for EVERYTHING) balloon and Allie a pink.  Each of their New Year's wishes were very fitting for two and three year old kiddos.  Austin wished to go to big boy school in 2013.  Allie's wish was to play more in 2013.  Kathleen and I also made our own special wishes on a balloon too...hopefully they will come true!!!

Outside to let the balloons go.  I bought extras just in case someone had a hard time letting their balloon go.  Unfortunately, they all popped before we even made it outside.  Fortunately, everyone was very cooperative about say bye-bye to their balloons. 

Back inside for a quick cheers to 2013!  Sparkling grape juice with a grape kabob of 12 grapes (one for each month of 2013).  Every sweet grape represents a good month in 2013 and every sour a not so good month in 2013.  Allie and Austin didn't eat any to find out what their 2013 beholds.

Quick family photo before bed.  Happy New Year!!!  It's been an amazing ride 2012...but we are on to bigger and better in 2013.  May all our dreams of this following year come true.  Dreams of travel, dreams of new experiences, dreams of watching Allie grow up, dreams of ever growing love in our family.  Happy 2013!!!

On the 12th Day of Christmas...

...my friend, Dani...made a snack together shaped just like a TREE!

Allie just loves when her friends come over to play...now more than ever with her new play room!  Todd's best friend from high school happens to have a daughter the same age as Allie.  Danica and Allie are only TWO months apart.  We don't get to see them as often as we'd like, but we made it a point to get together over the Christmas break to hang out and have some play time. 

Allie and Danica

 
There was lots of playing and lots of reading.  The girls liked jumping in Allie's new trampoline!!  Dani might be asking for one for her upcoming birthday now!  With all the playing that was going on...bellies grew hungry and I had a fun snack prepared for the girls.  We put together Christmas tree snacks using apples, Fruit Loops, cheese and a piece of chocolate.  GREAT JOB decorating, girls!




Dani and Allie making their trees



Allie's Christmas tree

Thanks, Lentz's, for making the hike on over to our house...even with the new addition of Baby Katie!  Allie just LOVES babies and having Baby Katie over was a real treat to her (sorry, no pictures...I forgot).  We wish we could see more of you guys! 


On the 11th Day of Christmas...

...Mommy and me...built a gingerbread house out of CANDY!

After Christmas (when all the Christmas candy is on SALE) we got together with Allie's cousins and made GINGERBREAD HOUSES.  Allie has so much FUN!!!  Aunt Jess and Whitney did a fabulous job setting everything up and making the frosting for us.  Thank girls...you did an awesome job!  Thanks for inviting us.  We are going to look forward to this EVERY YEAR!

Allie and Ethan all ready to make their houses

Check out all the yummy candy to decorate our houses with

Allie and I worked together to make her house.  I got the house formed for her and then put the icing on.  Allie stuck all the candy on in different places.  I think she did more eating than decorating...candy was her dinner tonight!  Her favorite candy?  M&M's...of course!

Aunt Jess and Ethan hard at work

Allie is so proud of her gingerbread house!

Allie's masterpiece!

Time for pictures of all the gingerbread houses.  Good job everyone!!!  We have a little gingerbread village. 

Whitney and Allie

Mommy and Allie's gingerbread house 2012

On the 10th Day of Christmas...

...Santa came to MEEEE...and left a bunch of presents under the TREE!!!!

Allie was a little nervous to come into the family room Christmas morning.  Todd and I both went in first (I wanted to get a video of Allie seeing the tree and all of her gifts for the first time).  I think Allie thought Santa would actually be IN the family room.  Todd had to walk her in and hold her hand.  Once she saw all the presents...she was completely as ease. 

Check out what was left under our Christmas tree!  All for Allie!  Santa must have thought Allie was a GOOD GIRL this year because our family room was FILLED with lots of goodies for Allie girl!  Allie got a foam letter puzzle floor set, a rocking horse, a Bitty Baby with a crib, changing table, wagon, and clothes, a little people farm set, books, a Dora sippy cup, a bowling set, and a cookie monster doll.  Allie named her Bitty Baby, Addison.

This is an oldie, but goodie...Santa's elves must have made this toy from scratch

Santa spelled Allie's name out in the puzzle pieces

Allie had lots of yummy treats in her stocking.  Santa always fills up all the stockings hanging from our mantle.  Todd and I got goodies from Santa too!  Santa ALWAYS leaves an apple and an orange in the bottom of our stockings (which Allie decided to take a bite out of as soon as she pulled them out...peel and all).  Santa sure does know Allie well...M&M's, Cheerios, Tootsie Rolls and potato chips!

Allie's Christmas goodies in her stocking

After looking at all the gifts, Allie noticed the plate of cookies she left for Santa.  Allie said, "He drink it all.  We need more."

Allie SURE DID MAKE OUT THIS YEAR!  Check out ALL she got from Santa, family and friends.  WOW!  Good thing she has a brand new playroom to put all this stuff. 

Auntie Ellen and Uncle Joe sent all of us Christmas gifts, but they were accidentally mailed to CALIFORNIA!!!  Cousin's Emma and Sydney's gift were mailed to us by mistake...ooops!  We resent the packages and they arrived on Christmas Eve...so we had even MORE gifts to open on Christmas morning!

Nana and Papa came over for Christmas breakfast before we headed out to church.  I made Allie a special SANTA pancake for Christmas breakfast.  All of her favorite things...banana, pomegranate, chocolate chips and whip cream!  She didn't touch the pancake though.

Yummy whip cream...I don't need a spoon...I'll just use my finger.

I feel so blessed to share Christmas day with my Allie girl.  She makes Christmas so much fun for Todd and I.  Christmas just keeps getting better and better every year with Allie here.  Merry Christmas to ALL...and to all a good night!

On the 9th Day of Christmas...

...all of my family...came over for CHRISTMAS EVE!!! 

Christmas Eve is celebrated at our house every year.  We have dinner.  We have dessert.  We OPEN PRESENTS!!!  We leave cookies out for Santa and then Allie climbs in bed while visions of sugar plums dance in her head.  We are so lucky to have such wonderful family to surround us every Christmas.  Allie's grandparents came over. Uncle Monte came down into town too!!!  We wish he could have stayed longer.  Aunt Jess and cousin's Whitney and Ethan came over...and even Auntie Linda. 

Allie looked very Christmas-y in her red and green plaid dress and red sparkly shoes.

Allie really liked her chest with dress-up clothes...THANKS, ETHAN!  It's just what I needed.  I hope you liked your Elf on the Shelf and your fun Elf shirt!  It should fit you next Christmas.

Allie, Ethan and their momma's

Allie did a pretty good job unwrapping her presents this year.  She did get a bit distracted at times.  Thanks everyone for all the goodies Allie received.  Todd and I gave Allie a wooden block set and vintage Raggedy Anne and Andy dolls.  I'm pretty sure someone in my family made them for me or my mom.  Nana and Papa Hammerick gave Allie a TRAMPOLINE (which she absolutely LOVES)!  They also gave her an Abby doll, a tunnel to climb through, an apron, books, a Velcro dress up doll and other little fun Christmas stuff like a goodie bag and stickers.  Allie dropped whatever she was playing with when Todd said, "Is that an iPad?"  Yep...Papa Ray got Allie a Tabeo (sort of like an iPad...that's what we have named it).  This was another one of Allie's favorite gifts.  Uncle Monte gave Allie MONEY!!!  It's going directly into her bank account.  She has enough presents to last her a few more Christmas'...she doesn't need to buy herself anything just yet.  Allie's Aunt, Uncle and cousin's (The Parkinson's) got Allie an AMERICAN GIRL DOLL.  It's going up on a shelf for a while though.  It's too nice to let her play with it just yet.  Thanks everyone for all of the fun, adorable, and wonderful gifts.  Allie's says, "Thank you!"

Allie and I painted another plate for Todd this Christmas.  It had Allie's feet print on it again.  I decided to make a VALENTINE plate we could display in February.  Can you see a pattern here?  I wonder what next year's plate will be???  Daddy loved it!  Thanks, Nana, for coming with us.  I would have never been able to paint this without you.  Allie would have broken every piece of pottery in the place before I would have finished.

After all the presents were unwrapped and everyone went home...Allie picked out some cookies to leave for Santa.  The cookies slid off of the tray only two times on the way from the kitchen to the family room...and I only have to vacuum up the crumbs two times.  Even though the cookies were broken and crumbled...we still left them out by the chimney for Santa and we didn't forget about the reindeer either.  We left them a carrot to share.

Santa...these cookies are for you!

I wonder what Santa will leave at our house this year?!?!?