January 19, 2009

Chris made me the happiest girl on the planet for the 4th time (married, Amelia, Miles) yesterday. He just accepted a job in Del Mar, and I couldn't be more thrilled. Looks like this will be my view for the next few years...

mugshot

My sister just sent over this photos of amelia. Looks like a mugshot.

While I'm blogging...since it doesn't happen that often anymore, i thought i should write down some funny things amelia has said recently.

The other day Amelia was getting dressed, and she put on her white shirt...see the photo above...and then she said, "Mom, I fink I am going to wear this shirt when I get married." And I asked her why she had picked this particular shirt, and she responded, "Because, it's cute."

Amelia is quite concerned with getting married. We talk about it A LOT. She often says, "I don't know who is going to marry me." Or, "Do you know who is going to marry me?" A few weeks ago she said, "I fink my Dada is going to marry me."

I'm really not sure why she is so worried about this already...well, I guess when your Dad is so awesome, and he's already taken, it could be a little worrisome....

A few weeks ago a neighbor brought us a giant piece of Costco cake, the kind with about 2 inches of frosting on top. Chris and I ate the cake and threw the plate of frosting away. The next morning I was doing the dishes and I turned around and saw Amelia's face covered in frosting. She said, "I eating cake out of the trash."

Speaking of trash. I don't like to see trash on the ground and until I had a 2-year-old I would also pick up trash off the ground. However, since Amelia can pick stuff up off the ground and will eat whatever she picks up if it at all looks edible, our new rule is no picking stuff up off the ground. The other day we were all headed out to the car and Chris (being disobedient) stopped and picked up a piece of trash on the sidewalk. Amelia promptly scolded, "You put that down RIGHT NOW! We do not pick up trash."

The other day I asked Amelia to stop doing what she was doing so she wouldn't break something. And she said, "What? Are you breaking my heart?"

We have a new Wignall family rule...#3...No Singing Christmas Songs Until December. Every single family member has broken this rule multiple times today. We owe it to Amelia who dearly loves all Christmas music and it constantly singing it loudly and getting it suck in our heads.


Oh, and Miles is cuter than ever. He is sitting. Still no crawling or rolling over...though he really likes to stand and hold on to stuff. He loves rolling balls back and forth and playing with his big plastic dump truck. He loves to swing at the park and is curious about everything. Miles is always checking something out...and always doing it so very, very quietly. He is always very silent (usually sucking on his thumb) when he is observing...so different from Amelia would babbled constantly...and continues to do so. Miles does say dadadada, mamamamama, and bababababa often though. Its cute to hear his little voice.

Miles uses his thumb for a lot of reasons:
1. To soothe himself when he is crying.
2. To put himself to sleep.
3. To soothe himself when he is hurt.
4. To show his mom that he is ready for a nap.
5. To communicate he is uncomfortable with a situation.
6. To show his Mom he is hungry.
7. To show his Mom that he dislikes the food she is feeding him.
8. To show his Mom he is done eating food.
9. Because he just plain likes it.
10. Because he knows he looks so cute sucking his thumb that his Mom will kiss him, and he really likes my kisses. I just know it...because he sucks on his thumb a lot.

Angel

Every year my Grandma Sandy does a nativity on Christmas night. As children we all had to dress up to play the parts. It is wonderful that Amelia gets to help carry on the tradition. I didn't have my camera with me this year, but my brother took this on his cell phone...i love that the halo is just a bit big.

New Pajamas

I love buying Amelia new pajamas...well, new anything really. She is always so grateful for every little thing we give her and expresses her thanks for weeks afterward. The other week Chris received a new briefcase in the mail from his parents. A keychain was attached to the suitcase, and Chris gave it to Amelia. You would have thought it was a million dollars. Amelia was so grateful all day, and even thanked him for it several days later.

As my old high-school anatomy teacher used to say, "Niceness is Nice."

Christmas #2

When we got home from my parents house a few days after Christmas we had Christmas #2. I know, I know, we Wignalls know how to do Christmas right!

Actually it was time to open presents from Chris' family. Sorry, Nathalie, I didn't take any pictures of the kids opening their presents from you...i'm a bad sister-in-law. But, Grandma Stephanie, here are the pictures I know you've been waiting for...

Amelia is now the envy of all the kids in our neighborhood...since she is the proud owner of her very own powerwheels jeep. And, Miles has every reason to look as concerned has he does...Amelia has absolutely no concept of steering the car. She pushes on the gas and relies on us to steer the car away from danger.

Christmas Day

We spent Christmas Day at my parents house with all of my siblings. It was so much fun to be with everyone and spend the day together. I have a lot of photos to post...so...in no specific order....

Chris with our adorable niece "baby Kate." We all love her so much, and can't get enough of her. She is such a sweetheart.

Chris and Amelia acting goofy.


Baby Kate with her parents, Brian & Courtney.








Could they look any more alike?


Showing off her new bling from Grandma G.

SNOW

The week before Christmas my parents got 18 inches of snow...which hasn't happened in my parents desert city for 30 years. By the time we arrived a week later there was still plenty of snow to enjoy...well, at least for Amelia to enjoy while I stood inside the warm house and watched.

The first thing we did when we got to my parents house was to make a snowman. Amelia's instructions were to, "make a circle and a bigger circle and a super bigger circle." I forgot to get a photo of the snowman...it was just her size and she loved it.

We didn't have any clothing to play in the snow...so we used a jacket from a few years ago when we spent christmas in Utah and borrowed the rest...hence the cute but very large red gloves.

The Nutcracker

One of the ballet companies here in san diego does a matinee showing for school kids. I snagged some tickets for Amelia and her friend Hannah. I think the anticipation of going to the ballet was as much fun as actually seeing the ballet.

As we were getting into the car to go Amelia walked through the mud and got some on her sock. While I was trying to get the mud off with a wet wipe Amelia exclaimed, "I need to get it off. I want to look beautiful for the ballet."




They only performed the second act, and the show only lasted about an hour...perfect for 2 and 3 year olds.

After the show we took the girls up to the stage for a few pictures. Since I couldn't remove the red-eye from the pictures, I had to make them black and white.


On a side note. Miles also went with us, and anytime the audience clapped he would freak out and yell. It was really, really funny.

It (Was) Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

Usually I really like to gussy up our house at Christmas. But this year with 4 people in our family our apartment already seemed crowded, so I decided to go minimalistic. I loved our simple Christmas.


We had a few Christmas trees...I LOVED these little ones I found at Trader Joes...and the best part is they will last me all winter.



And, of course Amelia had her own tree, which she helped decorate.


We also did a little avent calendar....see the mittens on the wall? There are 25 and each contains a slip of paper with a Christmas activity written on them. Amelia loved to ask what number it was each day and do the activities.


I decided to make snowflakes to hang in our window, so one night while Chris and I were watching a movie I tackled the project. Chris mentioned casually that he could make a better snowflake than I. Not being one to shy away from a friendly competition (especially involving crafts and Chris), I told him to bring. it. on. After 10 minutes of cutting we both held up our creations. Let's just say that I needed to go back to 3rd grade and learn how to make snowflakes. And Chris, well, his was so beautiful. I made Chris teach me his technique and made quite a few more...aren't they lovely? I had to take the picture when it was getting dark so you can see the snowflakes...but I loved when the light would shine through the window and cast snowflake shadows all over our apartment.


I saw these incredible yarn wreaths on a blog I read, and if I had $100.00 to blow on a wreath I would have bought one, but instead I spent $4.00 at Michaels and attempted my own


Christmas in our home was simple and fun and lovely. And, I think Amelia is already plotting next year