Christmas!

Christmas Eve

Reagan with her favorite present

Payton with her Cinderella DVD

Payton and Reagan on Christmas Eve

Payton as an angel in the spontaneous nativity

Payton has been so super excited about Christmas this year. On Christmas Eve we went to church, they had a spontaneous nativity which turned out to be very neat. All the children were able to choose an angel halo, sheep ears, king crown or shepherd hat. When they read the Christmas story they called each group up as they went with the story. Payton wanted to do it and wore an angel halo, she went up to the front by herself no problem. She even ended up holding one little girl's hand. At one point she turned around and was looking for us, she waved real big and said "look there's my Mommy!"
She sings Rudolph all the time but instead of Rudolph guiding the sleigh, he "guards" the sleigh, it's so cute to hear her sing! She also sings Away in a Manger all on her own.

Reagan wasn't too into opening presents yet, she thought what was inside the presents was cool though a little baby just for her, a stroller so her and Payton both have one and other things to play with with the baby. The little Zhu Zhu pet hamster was fun too, Reagan liked chasing him around the kitchen. Reagan bit the leg off my applesauce camel ornament Payton and I made last year, she thought he was a cookie and said Yummy as I was taking him away from her, then she decided not so yummy because she spit it all out. 5 minutes later she was trying to eat the play-doh Payton was playing with.

We had prime rib, brussels sprouts and roasted red potatoes for dinner, and white chocolate raspberry torte for dessert. I'd like to drink more chocolate wine tonight but after the killer headache I had last night after drinking it, I probably shouldn't.

Christmas is always an exciting and special time of year but having kids makes it that much more special. Seeing them so excited, is the best thing in the world. Especially Payton this is the first year she's really been very aware and excited. She put out cookies and milk for Santa, sprinkled her Reindeer food outside on the snow and carrots for the reindeer, 8 carrots one for each of them. And was so excited this morning when she saw them all gone, except for a few carrots with bites taken out of them. She laughed and laughed.

Merry Christmas!

Rockettes

It's been a long time that I have wanted to see the Rockettes and finally I got to see them. It was a lot of fun, exactly what I hoped they would be! My favorite were the Toy soldiers that all fall down in the line together.

Reagan's words

Reagan's words have exploded in the past month. Recently she started saying "ap-pul" now everything she sees to eat is an apple. Tonight when I was reading her a book with one word under the pictures, one was a door, she knocked on the book just like we knock on Miss Gail's door in the morning. So fun to see her starting to connect together her words!

Snow!

All bundled up to go outside
I do not like this white stuff

So cold!

I think she didn't like being so bundled up and stiff the most

Oh what fun all the snow is! Payton loves it, Reagan not so much. She didn't like it on Saturday because it was still snowing and windy and stung your face a little, so we bundled her up and stood her in the garage. Poor thing she was a stiff marshmallow and didn't move at all wondering when we would take her inside. Today she was better but was still a marshmallow, she did let me sit her on the snow next to us while Payton and I made a snowgirl. I put water and food coloring in a spray bottle and let Payton spray pink on the snow. It wasn't very good to pack today so we couldn't make snowballs or a snowman very well. Payton wanted to come in as much as she wanted to go out because we told her we would make her hot chocolate to get warm.

Payton Opening Belle

Payton's Birthday week

Payton has been so excited about the arrival of her birthday for literally months! Finally her birthday week is here and it has started off right. Her Grandma gave her princess flip flops and a fancy princess night gown. Then in the mail she gets a Belle dress up from Grammy and Big Daddy. She's just completely wrapped in princess head to toe 24-7 and does she ever love it!
The video we made of her opening it won't post. I'll try again another time.

Flu Shots

On Tuesday afternoon I took both Payton and Reagan to get their first H1N1 shot. I told Payton I would pick her up early from Miss Gail's house and we had to go to the Dr. before she went to dance class. She asked why we were going to the Dr. The conversation went like this

Payton: Why are we going to the Dr?

Me: Because

Payton: Who is sick? Do we get shots?

Me: (not wanting to tell her yes she gets a shot just yet) No one is sick, we have to go so the Dr. can give you a vaccine so you don't get sick

Payton: Is that a shot Mommy?

I love her :)

Smarty Pants!

Payton is such a smarty pants sometimes! This morning Tung asked her if she was done eating breakfast and she says "Do you see pancake on my plate?!" Too funny!

Halloween

Payton of course had to be Cinderella for Halloween. Reagan was an M&M and I think she turned out pretty cute!

At the last minute Payton decided Putter needed a costume. We were watching Charlie Brown's Halloween and I got the idea to make Putter the World War I Flying Ace. Tung made her a doghouse and I made a scarf and hat. Payton cut out the circles for the glasses.

Payton was definitely more excited about Halloween this year than last. She knew what Halloween was all about and was super excited it included staying up late when it was dark outside. She got more candy than she knows what to do with so we're keeping it to put in her pinata at her birthday :)

Go Hokies!

Payton and Reagan ready for the Hokie party

State Fair

The first Friday Night the fair was open we went up to the State Fair at the new Fairgrounds. It was SO much walking! I'm glad I took the carrier for Reagan because Payton ended up in the stroller too. It's much nicer than where the old fair was and is more spread out so the animals and everything are separated from the rides. Payton had her first cotton candy and no surprise loved it! We made lego animals before we went in and the guy at the lego tent took our picture with Tung holding his lego giraffe.

Hot Dog!

The picture Payton took herself of her dinner.
Payton took this picture herself as well. I posted it more for Putter in the background!

our Saturday night dinner

dry aged New York Strip steak

This post has double meaning! I cannot get the Hot Dog! song out of my head, the one they sing on the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Tung sings along to it with Payton and we downloaded the whole thing, and found out interesting enough that it is sung by They Might Be Giants, but anyway now that we have the whole song, I cannot get it out of my head!

And last night we tried dry aged new york strip. It's not cheap, so we were thinking this better be good. And it was!! We got it at Whole Foods...and Tung cooked it up while I made a trip with Payton back to Short Pump to Saxon Shoes to retrieve Putter...that's a whole other story, but he was left at the shoe store and thankfully they had him waiting for us to come back and get him.

Anyway, Tung likes to take pictures of his food, so after he cooked the steak, corn on the cob and made salad, he lined it all up for it's photo shoot. Payton wanted to use the camera and take some pictures of her own. You can see by her pictures what she had for dinner. Too funny!!

"I don't want to be a Penguin"

We had been sitting outside after coming home with our Sonic drinks. Payton had changed her clothes to try on the dancing leotard we bought her at Target. She was trying to get her shorts back on and kept putting both legs back in the same side, it was starting to rain so we were trying to come inside fast. I told her don't worry about it, just come inside and I'll help you fix it. She says "Mommy, I don't want to be a Penguin!"

Tough!

Payton cracks me up at how she pays such attention to what you say and how she remembers things. When Tung was brushing her teeth last night she says "When Mommy wants me to do something I don't want to do she says, Tough!" We laughed so hard, I totally say that to her all the time, but to hear it said back to you is hilarious!

Reagan is walking!

The Reaganmeister is walking! She started Saturday, she walked down the hallway upstairs when Lori and Mom were here, we couldn't believe how many steps she took. Then on Sunday at Tung's Mom's house everyone got to see her walking too. She's not fast but she's getting it!

Tung's Birthday

Chocolate Eclairs
Payton eating her Daddy's sundae and Reagan waiting for her turn.

Tung with his 2 little girls.

Tung turned 31 on Monday. We went to Red Robin for dinner to celebrate, he had a coupon for a free hamburger. 2 of his favorite things, free and hamburgers!

Our waiter was very nice, though forgetful since he didn't write anything down, but he brought out a free sundae for him, and everyone came to sing. Payton was so hilarious climbing over Tung to get at the sundae even before they were finished singing. Reagan also felt the sundae was for her and made it known that she wanted some too.

I made Tung chocolate eclairs, which we had for breakfast, they were so good. Unfortunately both of his birthday presents did not come in time for him to open. One is a fire pit for our back patio, he's dying for a fire pit to sit near when it gets cool and to roast marshmallows over, not as easy to find as you might think, well one I liked anyway, those things are pretty popular!

All in all though, I think he had a great birthday.

Steps!

Reagan is taking steps!! We saw her last Friday take half a step. Paul and Becky were here visiting and Becky was holding Reagan's hands so she could walk, she let go and Reagan picked up her foot and put it back down.
Tonight she stood up herself for quite a while, turning from side to side as if to say, watch me now, this standing thing is no big deal, I'm getting ready to go! We all saw her pick up her foot and take one step, tonight she picked up her right foot first.

When Payton was getting ready to go to sleep, Reagan was standing at the dresser pulling out all of Payton's underwear and socks. Then I said Ok you have to put them all back in now, she picked them up and started throwing them back in. She did it 3 times, so I think she actually knew what I was telling her and it wasn't just a coincidence!

She's such a messy girl, we have to give her a bath almost every night now because she puts her hands on her head after she eats. Tung put his head thing for when you ride go-carts on her head to be funny and keep her hair clean, but she just pulls it off. Oh well, I remember Payton did the same thing, it's just part of being 1!

Happy Birthday Reagan!!

Reagan In the Box
Payton in the Box

After Cheeburger Cheeburger

Mmm, fries are yummy!

I think Reagan had a great 1st Birthday. She woke up this morning crying at almost exactly the same time she was born. Tonight we went to Cheeburger, Cheeburger and had hamburgers, fries and milkshakes. Reagan at fries, tried some hamburger and some milkshake. She loved them all, our girl loves food, she's going to have to teach Payton a thing or two. They brought her out a cup with a straw with a candle in the straw and sang to her.

Payton helped her open her play camera, chubby crayons and Cabbage Patch, now Reagan has a baby to play with like Payton's. I cannot believe she is 1 already!

Words & Standing

Beep Beep!

Beautiful ballerina


Wearing Daddy's hat at Celebrate Fairfax

Hokie Sisters

Payton watches my lips so carefully when I'm talking to her and telling her new words she may not have heard before. Putting together the state puzzle, I told her to put the Mississippi puzzle piece on, she asked me to say it again and watched me say it, then said it herself perfectly.

The Reagameister is standing a lot by herself. She pulls up on everything all the time and lets go. Last night, she turned herself around while standing up herself. She loves to play peek a boo and will put her hands over her face to do it herself and will crawl down the hallway, come back and peek around the corner of the room and laugh. Too cute!

We've been playing outside in the pool, Payton would stay in all day and Reagan thinks it's just like taking a bath, she loves it. Payton has started dance classes and is all about being a ballerina. It was supposed to be a fun summer thing, but I don't know if she's going to like it ending at the end of the summer, we might have to sign up for the year long one!

Obama's Big Lady

http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsYY3rLxt8c

This morning while we were eating breakfast, Payton says “I saw Obama’s big lady on Sesame Street yesterday” I had seen that Michelle Obama was going to be on Sesame Street but I didn’t know when, evidently Payton saw her yesterday and recognized her. We asked her if his little girls Sasha and Malia were on? She said no, just his big lady, she likes to exercise! She must have done a segment about exercising! Haha. And here I found the video on YouTube of her talking about healthy lunches and exercise!

Strawberries

The day before Mother's Day we went to Mt. Olympus Farm in Ruther Glen to pick strawberries. It was a beautiful day and the strawberries were so pretty and yummy. I didn't want Reagan to eat them yet, but wanted to take her picture with them, I had to snap quick because of course she wanted to bite them all!

Vocabulary bee

Payton's vocabulary just blows me away. Last night when we were eating watermelon after dinner she says, "Mommy, this watermelon is scrumptious!" I asked where she heard scrumptious and she said Sesame Street.
Then later while brushing her teeth, she says "Mommy, you're brushing my incisors, my molars are in the back, and canine's too!" Holy cow! She said she learned the teeth from Sid the Science Kid.
She is an elephant and remembers everything!!

Payton Is So BIG!

Payton seems to grow a lot at once. All of a sudden again she seems like such a big girl to me. Today was the first day she wore her big girl underwear all day long, we went out to the restaurant supply store, she had to go while we were there, luckily there was a bathroom that was actually clean, and she went. She went at the restaurant when we at lunch and did so well all day! No accidents and she told us every time!
While in the restaurant store I was naming off all the things I saw, high chairs, trays, bowls, cups and she says yeah and machines too...in the back were fryers, freezers and big appliances. She always amazes me with the words she uses. I wish I could tape her sometimes so I could remember everything she tells me.

This afternoon I was packing some things up and giving her things to carry to the kitchen to help me out. She carried 4 cans of mandarin oranges I told her to just put them on the table. I come out to put them away and can only find one can, she had put the others away herself, one under the sink, one in the cabinet next to the stove, and two in the big cabinet. We didn't find them all at once but throughout the night as we opened things up.

She helped Tung take all the clean dishes out of the dishwasher, she carried him a pile of plates and bowls that we thought for sure would be too heavy for her but she insisted upon helping. It's so cute how much she loves to help and how good of a job she does.

She makes me crazy with her 3 year old crazies, she still doesn't like to sit in the chair and constantly worries me about falling...is she going to be in Kindergarten and stand up at the lunch table?! haha. I love her more and more the bigger she gets, she's so amazing.

Snow, or lack thereof

Yesterday I stayed home with Payton and Reagan. We had a lot of fun, until the afternoon when Reagan got super bothered by her teeth and the fun was over for her, but in the morning big snowflakes came down. Now, as soon as they landed they were melted but still I put Payton in her snowpants and coat and we ran around in them as they fell anyway, it was a lot of fun and Payton tried to catch them on her tongue.

We colored, cooked in her kitchen and played CandyLand. I also exercised by carrying Reagan around literally all day since she was so fussy with her teeth she didn't want to be put down. But we had a great day.

Reagan

Reagan has a super cheesy smile that just cracks me up, I've been trying to catch her doing it with the camera and finally did!

Childrens Museum

Since we really can't play in our house all weekend because it would be too much to clean up before someone comes. Especially if they come at the last minute like yesterday calling at 5:00 to come by at 6:00..but anyway...we went to the Children's Museum.

Payton played in the bank, kitchen, grocery store, hospital, Payton got to pretend to be a weather girl and even got to paint and glue things. We had a lot of fun. Though Daddy deemed it more of a Mommy thing since he's not so big on huge crowds of people and screaming kids :)

Dentist

Payton went to her first dentist appointment yesterday. She got to watch Sesame Street on tv and got bubble gum toothpaste. Tung took her and said they showed her all the tools they were going to use before they cleaned her teeth. She let them count them all, 10 on top and 10 on the bottom and when she was done she got to pick a prize from the treasure chest. She chose clappy hands :)

Reagan went to her 6 month check up. She weighs 14 lbs. 12 oz. and is 26 inches long. Poor little girl had to get 5 shots, but she did good. We gave her sweet potatoes tonight for the first time and she loved them!