Last Day of the Year

It is so hard to believe that this is the last day of 2010. This year has really flown by. It has been a great year for our family! We added to our family this year and became a family of 4 (or I guess I should say a family of five with Patton of course). Drew has grown up so much this year and he has kept us laughing with all the things he says. Anna has changed a lot in short life so far. The best part of this year is to watch our two beautiful kids interact together and build such a wonderful bond. They are best buddies! This year I've also started a new job at a new school and Mike's practice has continued to grow. We are all very healthy (minus my foot I just has surgery on) and we are very thankful for that.

What a great year and I can't wait to see what 2011 brings for us and our friends and family!

As for celebrating tonight...we are staying in and watching some movies.

Goodbye 2010! Tomorrow I'll be able to say "I'll be 30 this year." Not sure I like the sound of that!

Here are some pictures from the last couple days.

Anna's 9 month Stats (a little late)

Anna had her 9 month appointment on December 23rd. She was 9 months and 11 days that day. Here are her latest stats:

Weight: 19 pounds 9 ounces (70th percentile)
Height: 28. 5 inches (75th percentile)
Head Circumference: 17.5 inches (75th percentile)

Once we got home I had to look up Drew's 9 month stats and it amazed me that Drew was 20 pounds 4 ounces and he was only 28 inches long. His percentiles were both in the 50th. We always see Anna as our chunky baby, but Drew did have a small time when he was pretty chunky. Anna is also a lot more mobile than Drew was at this point. He was army crawling and she is one fast little crawler and gets everywhere she wants to go. Drew always stayed right by our side!

Stuck...on the couch

Here is my view these days...my foot propped up.

So today is my second day in a row that I'm stuck on the couch. I had foot surgery on Monday (to remove a lovely bunion) and I'm supposed to spend the first three days after surgery with my foot propped up. This isn't the easiest of tasks for a mom of two little kids, but luckily we have great family and friends. On Monday Toots watched the kids for us and yesterday Julie and Kyle had them all day. Today Ma and Pa have them and tomorrow Kate is coming over to help me with the kids and keep me company!

I have realized that I'm not a person who enjoys sitting around when I could be doing a million other things. During breaks like this from work I always have projects around the house I like to get to. I guess my projects will have to wait until spring break! I have taken the time to get some school work done (like my grade cards) and get the blog updated a bit. Now I'm off to watch a dvd Mike got me to help me better understand how to use my camera.

I hope the next 3 months goes fast, that is how long I have until I can run on this foot. Good thing it is winter time and I don't always love running in the cold. By the time I can run the weather should be getting warmer!

Here are my x-rays the doctor took after surgery. Notice the screw I have in my foot...ouch! I also have a plastic implant in my second toe, which you can't see on the x-ray.

Thanks to a friend (Emily) I have figured out how to upload a collage of pictures. I love this new feature. It won't take near as much time as it does to upload each picture individually! Here are a few shots from earlier this month and the last couple days. Drew and Anna are enjoying there new toys!

Merry Christmas!!!

What a wonderful Christmas we had this year. The kids had a blast and Drew was very into Christmas and opening presents (a little too into ripping into the gifts this year). Anna loved being in the middle of it all and she chose to eat the wrapping paper. Drew and Anna got some great gifts from Santa.

Here are some things the kids got this year from Santa and mom and dad:

Drew - scooter, moon (to hang in in room), batman shoes, batman shirt and lunch box, cars, Toy Story 3 Movie, an arena for his robot bugs, and I'm sure I'm forgetting things!

Anna - Sophie the Giraffe Teether (just in time for her first tooth to push through the gums), socks, clothes, baby dolls, a piggy bank , and more

We started out morning at home. Drew raced down the stairs and was thrilled to see his scooter that Santa left him. We opened gifts from Santa and each other. Mike and I were thrilled to open the gift Drew had made at school. It was a little ball ornanament with a finger print snowman on it. It was fun getting a gift he had made for us. The kids exchanged presents (with much help from mom and dad of course). Drew kept asking for more presents and helped all of us open our gifts too (we need to work on this greedy streak in him).

Sophie the Giraffe
Mommy and her two babes.

Army Big Brother Pj's

Anna's new dolly from Drew

Drew helping Anna open her present.

Pa & Ma checking out their 2011 Grandchildren Calendar. There are two new features this year...Robbie & Anna!

Drew & Celia eating breakfast

Uncle Matt with Ma and Dean

Daddy and his Knight in Shining Armor (Drew got this cool costume from the Taylors...it was hit. He wore it for the rest of the day).

Poor Mikey was tired. He woke up with hives and had taken Benadryl so he was a bit tired!

Daddy with Drew & Dean looking at Drew's new Toy Story Toy from Ma & Pa

Pa with the babies (Anna & Robbie)

The Taylors The Wos Family

Pa and Toots opening a picture of Drew and a Cobra
Anna sitting with cousin, Jill and Aunt Maureen

Anna in her new pink chair from my aunts and uncles (she now has one to match her big brothers). Our first stop of the day was Ma & Pa's at 10:00. We ate a delicious and huge breakfast and then started in on the gifts. I should have gotten a picture of the family room full it was gifts. It was unreal.

The walking boy, Peter!

This boy had one amazing Christmas!

Anna in her new rocking chair. The second she sat down she started rocking. Anna playing with Peter
We almost forgot to get a family of 4 Christmas Picture
Christmas wears a baby out!

What a wonderful day full of family and fun. We are one very lucky and spoiled family. Thank you everyone for the kids' gifts (you were all too generous...we need a bigger house now) and for our presents!

Christmas Eve

We had a great day! We had a gathering with my dad's side of the family in the early afternoon. It was our first Christmas without Pop Pop and that was hard, but I'm sure he was watching over all of us and there was a smile across his face. He would have loved to see Drew and Anna. He always had a special bond with Drew and I'm pretty sure he's enjoying watching Anna getting bigger and bigger! In the evening we went to Mike's parents' house for their yearly open house. It was fun visiting with everyone!

Drew hugging Nana the Great

The kids loved the organ (it was turned off).

Enjoying a moment holding my baby girl (this doesn't happen to often anymore all she wants to do is move!)
Visiting with Nana. She doesn't always remember who we are, but her sense of humor is still top notch! She had us laughing!Anna and her great aunts.
Aunt Kathy holding Anna as she gazes at her daddy.

Daddy and his baby girl.

Batman Drew and cousin, Will

The Howell grand kids.

Drew, Peter, and Pa playing Batman and Robinsmiling at Pa
buddiesPa & Anna
doing tricks with ma
A teething baby girl.
Ma and Anna Mae
Silly girl!
all wrapped up...do you see a little boy peeking out?
Toots and her two babies.
Reading Twas the Night Before Christmas with Toots and Pa
Picking out cookies for Santa.

Cookies are out...now it is time to wait.

In Drew's bed listening to daddy read.
Listening to daddy read Twas the Night Before Christmas