Peter's Place

We've spent a few days and nights with Peter. It has been really fun for he and Suzanna to reconnect, they were roommates for the first year of her life.
Sunday was today and we made a trip to the Federal Way Ward to reconnect with some dear families. I thought I packed up all I needed for our sleepover with Peter, but I quickly learned this morning I forgot Suz's tights. I began to brainstorm. Hummm....can't run to Alisha's.....maybe call and borrow Allison's....then Joni came up with a plan. We borrowed her knee highs. They became Suzanna's Sunday thigh highs. It worked.
Suzanna fell asleep in the car and so everyone was trying to nap before we headed out to the Burt family dinner. Ella and I were the only ones awake. She started to babble "Daa daaa daaa daaa" (it was cute). I put her on the floor and some how she inched (rolled and scooted) over near where Peter and Joni were snuggling on the floor (trying to nap). I next heard "Ooh, who is tickling my feet!" out of Peter's mouth. We all looked over to see who the culprit was.
And she's on the roll again. She's getting to be fast!

She smiles so much, especially with her eyes. It really makes me in a better mood instantly.

Grateful Sunday

Even under the weather my girls sleep soundly at night.
Peppermint Hot Chocolate at the Burt's.
Laughing with Peter.
Getting to know my new sister-in-law.
Lizzy and Ethan wrapping up their old presents for Suzanna at Christmas.
The rain.
Finding twice used treasures at the D.I.
Ella's chubby cheeks.
Hearing "Thanks-a Mama, for da pretty ponies!"
Vicks Vapor Plug-in's
My family putting us up for a month.

Christmas Past

Here we are in 1986. Look where Alex's snowball happened to land from the camera's view.
Each year in our family we act out the Nativity. This is Christmas 2004 (our second Christmas married) in Washington. This year Casey joined Liz as one of the angels.

Sleepover and Peter's

We've had a sleepover party at Peter and Joni's. It has been nice spending time with my little brother. Suzanna especially loves the two of them.....they play Crazy Eights non stop, perhaps that's why!!

Cousins

Here are the girls on Alisha's bed. They are all smelling clean....they just got out of the bath.
Wow, sitting up on your own!!

Hippo Birdie Two Me

Today is my Birthday. Wow, 30 years ago a little Bitty gave birth to me. It has been a great day. Best of all, when we got home from shopping, Ella, Suzanna and myself all took a 2 hour nap! Suzanna took Ethan's bed, Ella the Den and I got to sleep on Alisha's bed. We are all feeling great!
Sunset. It was a heavenly birthday card, just for me!
Someone started sitting up on her own Sunday. Just one day she did it.

Of course, with a lot of praise from Aunt Alisha, she giggled the entire time.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day we went to a park down the way from Alisha's house in Maple Valley. It was beautiful. I have to add when we are in the car, Suzanna says "Wow, Mama! Look, trees!!" She says that everywhere we go. I chuckle because we are surrounded by many trees, we are in Washington!During the ride over to the park, Suzanna fell asleep in the car. When she awoke, she saw the kids ahead of her playing in the park. She said "Wait, friends. Wait!" Oh, she called the kids "friends".....that was cute.

Kisses from her Maddy.

Ethan, Maddy, Suzanna and Lizzy.

I had to steal a hug at the park. She wanted to do everything else but sit still for one picture.

Ethan is Suzanna's new buddy. She can always get him to drop what ever he is doing to play with her, including going down the slide.

It is so nice being here with my family. The girls are having a blast with their cousins.

Christmas Eve with our Family

Each Christmas Eve we read out of Luke and act out the Nativity Scene. This started back when we were kids at home. Ella was baby Jesus.
Watch out, Suzanna is at the wheel.

For You, Nana

Christmas Eve in Seattle

We spent Christmas Eve in Seattle. We all met up downtown and went to the Ginger Bread expedition. Here's Peter enjoying Ella snuggles.

Can you see the Space Needle?

Unfortunately Suz has been so exhausted from waking up sporadically thru the night, she slept through the entire Seattle experience.

We couldn't have asked for better weather. Mid 40's is great for me!

One of my favorite places in Seattle.

Merry Christmas from Babylon

Hello everyone, I hope this finds you in good spirts surrounded by friends and family. Everything is going good over here.

Today has been a free day, so I've made every effort not to go into our office. Myself and two other guys decided to do some sight seeing within the IZ. There isn't a whole lot to see within the IZ, but we managed to stay out most of the day. It was a cool day and extemely quiet. We went to several shops around town, but most of the stuff is the same no matter where you go. We were able to go to the Rasheed Hotel, where many of the journalist reported from during the inital war.

The chow was good today, they go to great efforts to accomidated everyone during the big holidays. It's a tradition that the officers serve their troops during these holiday meals. I think we might all get together later and watch a movie after chow.

Thank you, so much for all the letters, packages, and emails. I really apperciate it all (and I know the guys in my shop apperciated it also). I have had no complaints about being over here (except being away from my family), I'm safe and the living conditions are good. There are plenty of service members in Iraq and Afganistan who are really roughing it day in and day out for much longer.

I love you all and look forward to being back home again. Feel free to email me at cdshock at gmail.

Little Buddies

We've known our friends the entire time we were living in Washington as a family. It all started when Diane and I were both teaching in the Young Women's together. We next had baby girls. It was nice having someone expecting around the same time we were, discussing baby things and awaiting the birth of our first baby girls. The girls are exactly 7 weeks apart. When you are around the two of them, it gives you a feeling having twins....in a fun way.

Last night we rolled into F.W. and both Suzanna and Ella fell asleep in the car for me. I had to wake Suz up prematurely for the Ward Christmas party, she was not happy. After a good nights sleep for everyone, we were all back to high spirits and the girls began to talk with one another, play and just little girls.

So sweet....little hugs.

I heard some whispering and came into to see the girls in Allison's room reading books together with only a night light for light.

We played many games of Crazy Eights, yes, Mimi....your discovery of this game has made it from St. Louis to Seattle! Thank you!!

Before the Pattillo's left for family time in the Tri Cities, the girls were snuggling on the bed watching a little T.V. Neither one really gets a lot of T.V. time, so when its on , they are glued. I think they liked when I plopped Ella in between them, what a snugly group.

The Boys

Alisha had a great idea of inviting Ella onto Daniel's bed to wake him up. Ella was being so sweet with her cousins.

My Birthday Wish

This is my Birthday month. Above all I wanted to come home to Washington. Secondly I wanted to shop till I dropped at my favorite store in the entire universe, the D.I. Let me tell you why I love it so much. It's clean, organized (better than most department stores), they are donations from charitable people, I can find anything I need there (if I just think ahead of what I need and pray really hard), well...it just has a great atmosphere. Yes, somehow I talked my sister into driving the 20 miles to Federal Way and we did some shopping. First we went to Target to get diapers, next she dropped Maddy, Suz and myself off at the KOREAN MARKET (second favorite store, and it happens to be right next door to the D.I.). We got some Bulgogi, and lots of Kimbob (yummmy). Later we went to my third favorite store.....Trader Joe's. Oh, Casey you've got a good box coming your way. I almost cried when I saw there were dried Rainier Cherries, I knew you'd love that.

Casey, you'd appreciate this. Doesn't it remind you of when Suz played Uno with us?
Somebody lost her second tooth!!

Seems as though everybody loves to read. That's such a quiet and peaceful thing to behold.

The girls were racing around with the strollers. I think Suz wore Liz out....Suz kept going and going.

Suz is in heaven. It's a house full of play buddies.

Love at Home

We had a nice day today. The kids had half day at school, so this morning we walked the little ones to the bus stop. Suz got really sad when Ethan and Lizzy loaded up on the bus. She began to cry! It was sad. She cried "No, kids no go". It was a chilly rainy day so the beads of tears began to accumulate on her eyelashes. It is very evident that she loves her cousins.
In this picture, Lizzy really wanted to hold Ella and she pulled out the Friend and they were reading together.
Jason has taken many opportunities to snatch Ella and enjoy her snuggles. Ella was also reading with him. Indeed Ella is the perfect snuggle buddy. And how can my girls be so happy when they go to bed at 7:30 and wake up at 4am? Two nights ago Ella kept waking up and last night it was Suz. This morning Suz woke up for good at 5am and Ella not until 5:45. Will we ever get on Washington time?

I think the biggest hit of the new house in Maple Valley is the stairs. Every day Suz goes up and down many times, making it a game with her cousins. This was a racing game, look she is winning! It's been so nice to have the kids here for Suz to play with. Thank goodness we won't have to see them off on a bus again until the Christmas break is done. I don't want to see any more tears for the "kids" as Suz calls them.

Oh, everyone loves Aunt Alisha kisses!

Good Thursday

~ Airplanes taking you home.....only a 4 hour flight compared to a 3 day drive
~ We are in Washington!
~ Lizzy, Maddy and Ethan played Crazy Eights with Suz for over an hour last night
~ The rain
~ The girls adapting beautifully. They warmed up to Peter and the Burt's in no time (even Ella who has started getting stranger anxiety....even to our dear Home Teacher)
~ Alisha dinners
~ Car rides with Peter
~ Blogging
~ 3 weeks of Alisha dinners and the kids to play with my girls
~ Did I say we are home??
~ Brrrr....looks cold in St. Louis

Our Journey Homeward Bound

Ahhh, it feels so nice to be home. The girls were wonderful the entire flight. Not a peep from either of them. A man from across the way commented that he'd have a kid if they were guaranteed to be like Ella. Ella slept on me for about half an hour and smiled the rest of the time. Suz kept busy reading, playing Crazy Eights and watching Veggie Tales.
It was nice when we started to land in Seattle. From the airplane window we saw a lot of evergreens and even two ferries on the Puget Sound. I had a flash back of memories when I lived in Poulsbo and commuted to the University of Washington by ferry.
We were greeted by Uncle Peter in the airport. On the way back to his place it began to rain. It was nice, the rain felt so fresh and clean. I love when you are in the car and hear the pitter pattering. It was very soothing for the girls as well, they both feel asleep.
It didn't take long for the girls to warm up to Uncle Peter.....this is the size of Suz that he remembers. We miss having Peter as a roommate in our home.....but he picked up where he left off.

Next.....can't wait to see the Burts!!

Rice Cereal

I've been going back and forth when to start Ella on solids. She's been nursing strong every 3 hours from the beginning. With good advice from Bits, I agreed that it was about time to stretch her to every 4 hours. So, this week was the magical week that she had her first taste of rice cereal. Look at that expression!
Suzanna wants to be my little helper. She insists on feeding Ella every other bite.

And she finished off the bowl for Ella and said "Mama, please-a- more cereal".

Early Gift Giving

We celebrated a little gift giving when Mimi was in town.
Ella enjoyed working on her little gift...boy was she determined to open this one!

The girls say a big THANK YOU....we've had a month filled with lots of things to keep us busy for awhile.