See ya, 2009

It was a great Christmas. It came super fast and left behind a huge chaotic mess, but when watching the holiday through your child's eyes it makes all the work put into it, so very worth it. Christmas eve was at my parents house, I really look forward to it every year. I was so freaking exhausted I didn't take a single picture, and now of course regret that.

Christmas morning spent at home with just my little family. I remembered Christmas eve night that I didn't think far enough ahead to plan a special breakfast for Christmas morning. Here it is a week later and I could not tell you what any of us ate (except Kathryn, of course) :-) I want to find a good, easy traditional Christmas breakfast that I can prepare every year. Any ideas would be appreciated!

Christmas day, afternoon spent at my in-laws. Ryan and Kathryn's cousins, Ruby - nearly 8 years old and Kimberly, 3 - really entertain Ryan. Especially Kimberly. Those two are starting to play really well together. It's fun to watch.

Other stuff. . . Little Kathryn hits 5 months old tomorrow. The very last picture is her, napping in her crib for the very first time. 90% of the time she'll put herself to sleep without needing to be rocked. She still wakes up every 3 to 4 hours every night.... on a few RARE occasions she'll give us 7 hours. It's starting to catch up with me. Months of interrupted sleep. As hard as it is to cope with night after night, I have Ryan as an example that all too soon she'll be an all night sleeper. I am trying to enjoy every moment of her infancy. It's going to be gone in a flash.

My hopes for 2010:

My little family and my extended family stay healthy.

Paul finds a good job.

I get myself back into running shape. I so very much want to be able to keep up with my Dad - who can kick my butt with his running!

Happy 2010 everyone. :-)

Christmas morning

Ryan, helping Joey with her stocking So very excited about the fruit bar he found in his stocking

The kids

Grandma Soon Papa and his grandkids. Ryan was oh so uncooperative for this photo. This was the best of 4 attempts! Papa and Kathryn. Kathryn, wearing her very first pair of tights! Gotta love little girls in tights. New PJ's, she wears them well. Nap time

A day of firsts

It didn't start out as a day to reach a whole lot of "firsts" for us, but it sure ended that way. All small stuff, but made for a fun day for our little family. Below, I proudly show off the first decorated Christmas tree of my adult life. Hard to believe I never had one before and truly if it were still just Paul and I, we would probably be still sans tree, but I have great memories of growing up with a Christmas tree and I really want to pass that on to Ryan and Kathryn. That was first #1.

Next Ryan, Paul and I decorated our first gingerbread creation - in this case it is a train and caboose. It was a messy endeavor, but we created a messy masterpiece that really took all three of us to get in place. First # 2.

First # 3, Ryan can turn on lights now. On the tips of his toes he can just hit the switch to turn it on, and on and on they went. He likes this new skill.

First # 4 - Miss Kathryn took her first bath in the big kid tub. She outgrew the bathroom sink (bummer for me, I liked standing to bathe her).

First # 5 occurred as I prepared the tub for her.

I had laid her down on the bathroom floor, on her back, on a towel, in the buff while I was checking the bath water for a good temp. Look over and she is on her belly on the cold linoleum looking shocked. She rolled from back to belly for the first time! I imagine the second her sweet little belly hit that cold floor she would have gasped if she knew how!

Like I said, all small stuff, but warms my heart, big time.

"helping"

He only crushed one Peanuts ornament box as he stepped on it - and as a Peanuts collector that hurts a little. MIB is important to collectors out there! Supervising the decorating.

Catching up

Greeting! Just a bunch of pictures from the past few weeks of our lives. I feel incredibly busy and near overwhelmed. I used to be so organized and able to plan my life out just how I wanted it and now... well I feel like I have so much to do and even though I am constantly on the move, I don't feel like I am getting anything done! That's not a complaint, I just feel scattered and it's driving me nuts! :-) Happy Holidays!

My little family at Korryn's house, on Thanksgiving

Seattle's Macy's Holiday Parade

Ryan struck it rich with a million dollar bill!

Just cuteness Finding the perfect Christmas tree with my Mom and Dad Awwwwww..... Eating an old family favorite made by my Mom. Kapushnik - a split pea, ham and sauerkraut soup. It's AMAZING! Ryan ate 3 bowls of it at that sitting.