12/8-12/15

We had a quiet week and weekend.  Henry stayed home from school on Friday with a sore throat.  He was down all day and pretty slow on Saturday but by Sunday he seemed to be feeling better.  He spent a hour with Aunt Kelly playing video games and then went with this Uncle John for a late birthday gift.  John has a friend that runs the video projector at the KU Union movie theater so he took Henry to watch one of his favorite movies with the theater all to themselves.  I think he had a pretty good time.  They played tag and explored the projector room.  Henry loves being with John.  He came home in a great mood, despite his lingering cold. 
Georgia also seems to be a bit under the weather.  But it takes a pretty serious cold to slow her down.  She was busy exploring and hiding behind the Christmas tree and just generally getting in to things in her usual style. 
This week and weekend we finished up our Christmas shopping and finished decorating the house.  I have a few projects to finish; gifts for my sisters and Georgia and Willem, but I feel pretty good about where we are at with being prepared for the big day.  I really hope to make it as magical and special for Henry and G as it was for me when I was a kid.  I loved Christmas. 

I have to say one more thing.  We had a difficult week in our country and there are a lot of parents that do not get to spend the holiday with their children.  It's heartbreaking.  I'm holding my babies a little closer, giving extra kisses, playing a little longer and slowing down to enjoy my family every day.  Keep your loved ones close. 

11/25-12/7

 We started decking the halls this past weekend.  Wade put up some lights and Henry proceeded to break one with a ball within a few days, but that's okay we're going to put up more this coming weekend (and fix the broken one).  Georgia LOVES the lights.  She says OH, AH, WOW and points every time she sees them.  It's wonderful.

 December 1 is the annual Christmas parade in Lawrence.  It's a horse parade with Santa as the closer.  We ran in to Henry's friend Jude while we were there, which made it even more fun.  Horse poop and a buddy is just about as good as it gets for a 7 year old.  Georgia slept through most of it but seemed to enjoy the little bit she stayed awake for.  After the parade we went to Pizza Hut to cash in Henry's Book-it certificate.  Oh the memories it brought back....

When we got home from the parade we turned on our local tv station and discovered that the camera was on Henry and Jude the entire parade.  Henry was so excited to see himself on TV.

St. Nicholas visited us on Saturday and he brought with him an Elf on the Shelf.  Henry was ecstatic.  He watches the elf and talks to the elf.  He named him Eddie and keeps saying, "I can't believe that now there are 10 people in our family (the cats are people to Henry)".  We are enjoying finding places for to him to hide.  I feel like he might find himself in a few hairy situations in the future.

Seven

The Bean is seven.  Seven!  It feels like a big deal.  Like, it could be the biggest birthday since one.  I'm not sure why but, for me, 7 is a milestone.  It's just full on little boy time.  No baby bits left at all.  Hand dimples: gone.  Neck: fully grown in.  Chubby cheeks: see ya.  And it's not just the physical changes that I notice with Henry.  He is really pushing for his independence right now and he is showing all the obnoxious little boy tendencies.  Farts have never been funnier.  His fingernails are always dirty.  He loves to throw thing, break things, build things and talk about gross things...He's loud and silly and physical.  But in true Henry fashion he is also so much more than that.  He's sensitive and loving and unsure sometimes.  He's a joy and he's growing up so fast.

So for this seven year old's big day we started with his favorite, Rudy's pizza.  He sat at the head of the table and didn't even have to eat a salad with his pizza.  A first in our house.  Then we headed off for bowling.  Henry loves to bowl.  Uncle Sergio won, but a good time was had by all.  After that we headed to Gigi and Grandpa's for cake, ice cream and a good old chili cook off.  Uncle Sergio and the boys won that also, but the girls put up a good fight.  Henry opened his gifts and made a volcano, built a hero guy and played Angry Birds.  Then Papa, Mama, and Aunt Kelly took him on in a basketball game.  He's a pretty good shot people.  

He requested lemon cake with lemon icing and birthday cake ice cream sandwiches.  He wouldn't tell me what he wished for.                                                                                                                             

 Aunt Annie and Uncle Sergio gave him a circuit builder that he has been playing with for weeks. 

By the time we got home everyone was exhausted. 

one

November, November, November.....whew...

It's December 5 and I feel like we are just now coming up for air...just in time for Christmas.  But we did have a great time.  Georgia's first birthday was a beautiful day.  For mid-November it was sunny and warm.  We had a party for her and just invited family, which for us is a lot of people, Wade and I both have 3 siblings.  Our house is tiny and was packed to the gills and I'm pretty sure there wasn't enough seating, but we don't have a lot of complainers in our families, so it wasn't a problem.  No, the seating wasn't a problem, the fact that the birthday girl decided on that day that she was going to take a 2 hour nap at 12:30 when the party started at 1:00, that was a little problem.  Wade's dad, Grandpa Benda, had driven all the way from Western KS for the celebration and he was ready to see his granddaughter.  But in the end I think the nap worked out pretty well because all the adults got to visit and Henry got to play soccer with Grandpa Benda and Uncle Sergio.  By 2:00 GB was getting impatient and headed in to her room to watch her sleep.  Then they started taking photos of her sleeping (which I totally get, I take them all the time, here is one from Monday- and I have about 200 more on my phone).

Anyway, she woke up once the paparazzi came in and we decided to open presents rather than jump right in to cake.  Here she is looking tired, confused and happy.  She didn't seems nervous or shy.  She wasn't sure about all the people, some of them she doesn't see very often, but she was up for it.  Henry gave her a small gray cat and she hugged it and said "oh".  that's what she does these days.  She loves to hug stuffed animals (and some people, Grandpa Heiman and Henry are usually the lucky ones) and she points at everything and says "AH" or "OH".  It's the sweetest thing, like she is amazed and interested in everything around her. She got shoes and a car seat from Grandpa and Grandma Heiman. An ASPEN jacket from Grandpa and Grandma Benda.  A stuffed turtle from Aunt Lillie and Uncle Scott.  A fuzzy coat and red hair clips from Uncle John and Aunt Lydia.  (Sorry I am writing all of this out for posterity sake, feel free to skip to the next paragraph.) Mittens and a hat from Aunt Susie and Uncle Ted.  A wooden sorter toy from Aunt Kelly and Cooper. And little gray chucks and a cupcake blanky sleeper from Aunt Annie and Uncle Sergio.

She was funny with the cake, which was to be expected since she hates anything that isn't milk, cheerios or Annie Cheddar Bunnies.  She poked at it, took a few bites and then was ready to be done. After that it was time to play and take photos with the Benda's.  Overall I would say it was a success.  I can't say enough how blessed my children are to have these people in their lives.  Every single one of their relatives brings something unique and special to the relationship and I can't imagine doing this without them.  I love them all and feel their support and generosity every day.  It takes a village to raise children and this is the village I want my children to grow up in.  So lucky.  So so so thankful. 
I will post about Henry's birthday celebration tomorrow.