Baby's 1st Christmas...........

She might not have a clue as to what is going on this Christmas but she has looked pretty cute doing it.  Our girl is getting so big....sitting up by herself, saying "mama" and "dada", and working very hard to say "papa".  She is still a very happy baby sleeping thru the night!  Yea for mommy!  She is starting to look a lot like her brother.....which I think is pretty darn cute!  

                                  You just want to chew on those cheeks! 

                Stylin' in her Studio Emma Reese skirt!!  Thanks Aunt Sara!

                                                      Happy all the time!

Here comes Santa Claus..............

They say that Christmas only comes once a year..........but in the Stephen household we've been celebrating for over a week!  It all started with a much anticipated visit from Grandpa and Uncle Tyler.  This trip we also got to meet Tyler's girlfriend, Liz........Dawson had a little crush on her.  The week started with opening presents with Grandpa, which is almost the same as Christmas morning =)  After Dawson opened (with disappointment) the clothes that Grandma Donna picked out for he and Lauren (I loved the clothes! especially the tutu for Lauren!) he was very ready for a toy!  That's when he opened his new Wii........I'm not sure who likes the Wii more Dawson or Daddy?  Nonetheless, it has been fun watching the two of them fight over who is going to play next and daddy staying up late to see if he can turn pro at tennis (almost there!)  Needless to say mommy has only played a couple times and is not so good!

                                                  Dawson and Grandpa

                          Opening the Wii with Lauren sitting patiently in the back.

                                            Say Cheese.................

Then came Christmas at Helen's house....or should I say Papa's birthday party.  During party we got a surprise visit from Santa!  That's right the man in the red suit made a special visit.  Dawson was shocked and a little star struck!  Of course Lauren didn't like him at all, which is good because Daddy didn't want her anywhere near him (a little protective of his girl).  Dawson got to sit on his lap and tell him everything that he wanted......Kota, monster truck, new DVD player, etc.  The best part was when Santa asked him if he made his list.......that's when he didn't hesitate to tell him that he did and that Maggie helped him.  I hope that he remembers this forever!  

                                 Telling Santa everything on his list!

                                I think Santa hurt his back when picking him up!

                                  Dawson and his girls - Betsy, Maggie, and Katie

So Big...............

Lauren Leigh - 6 months old!!

Polar Express 2008

Last Monday, Jeb and I took Dawson on the Cuyahoga Valley Train for their rendition of the Polar Express.  Dawson has the movie so he watched it almost everyday for two weeks before we went.  Since he could probably recite the movie in his sleep it wasn't long before he started pointing out what was different on "our" Polar Express.  

Right after we got on the train one of the "elfs" came over to tell him that she liked his pjs and that she knew the elf made them.......he looked right at her and said, "an elf didn't make these, my mom got them for me at the store".  It was a fun ride, we got to have hot chocolate and cookies on the way to the "North Pole", listened to an elf read the Polar Express and sing Christmas carols.  Once we got to the North Pole (aka Pennisula) we got to see Santa ride up in his sleigh and all the elfs busy at work.  Dawson thought that was pretty exciting (as he fogged up the window).  It was then time to leave the North Pole and head back, at that point he was pretty much done......it was getting very close to his bedtime (mommy's too!)

His interest was perked again when Santa appeared about half way back to the train station.  He got to sit on Santa's lap and Santa gave him a bell from his sleigh.................he has been sleeping with that bell since he brought it home!

Where does the time go?

Its been almost two months since Dawson's birthday and I am now just updating the blog.........shame on me!  We didn't have a party this year but Mommy did try to make him a Pirate Ship cake........and apparently wasn't to his liking, I had put one too many captains on the cake and to a 4 year old that was completely unacceptable =) Instead of a party he had his cousin Jordanne over for their first sleep over.  They had so much fun, Jeb built them a fort in our bedroom and they watched TV until they fell asleep.  Dawson was the first to fall asleep and of course the first one to wake up..........like mother like son!

Mommy and Daddy fell into the consumer trap and got him "Spike the Ultimate Dinosaur".........that is all he could talk about for weeks!  Every time the commercial came on all we heard was..........."Oh, I wish I could have that for my birthday".......how do you say "no" to that?  The look on his face when he opened it was all we needed to know that he was the happiest 4 year old that day.  

After his birthday it was all about Halloween.  I thought I had one more year of telling him what he was going to dress up as...... but I was clearly wrong.  I thought he would of made a very handsome Pirate and Lauren was going to be his Pepperkin (aka Parrot).  But of course the week before Halloween he decided he wanted to be a skeleton.  I have to say he was the cutest little skeleton I had ever seen.  Lauren ended up being a butterfly - I had her dressed up all day! We went trick-or-treating at Nanni and Poppi's that night and I think it was about 20 houses out that Dawson decided that he was tired.  But Mommy wanted more candy so we talked him into going a little further =)

Then came the sickies!!!  Every single one of us was sick at the same time - it started sometime in October and I think we are all still hanging on to a little of it!  Jeb started it with his annual bronchitis......then Dawson, then Lauren, then of course me.  Lauren made her first trip to the emergency room for a breathing treatment.......I am sure its was the first of many.  She was very brave.  We knew it was bad when all four of us made a trip to the Doctor's office on the same day.  At 3:30 on Veteran's Day Copley Medical knew the Stephen family was there!  Of course since it was the beginning of flu season they were really busy and we had to wait a little bit to see Dr. Panzner.  Once the Dr. got to our room Dawson didn't waste any time to let him know that he didn't like waiting that long.  Luckily Dr. Panzner has a good sense of humor =)  Since we were all good we went home with a handful of suckers!

Dawson's pre-school had a special Thanksgiving Tea in there classroom the Monday before Thanksgiving.  Dawson was able to invite one special person to come to school with him.  It took him a while to decide who he was going to take - I think I was invited and un-invited at lease three times =)  He finally decided that he wanted Poppi to be his special person.  Poppi said that it was a lot of fun, especially seeing him try to perform a song they learned special for that day........"The Turkey Hooky Poky"........it's the cutest thing when he shakes his tail feathers!

Well among all the excitement, Lauren is growing like a weed.  Everyday she does something new.  She broke her first tooth on Halloween, rolled over a couple weeks after that and now is sitting up.  She still is a very happy baby and loves to cuddle.  I still can't believe that she is going to be six months old next week.

  

 

 

Preppy Punk.................

A girl with attitude!

Dawson's Birthday party at school...................

Dawson got to celebrate his birthday at school on the 11th.  I think that mommy was more excited then he was.  Since he got to take a special treat that day I made pirate ship cupcakes and took paper pirate hats for all the kids to wear.  When the kids bring in a treat they get to help Miss Anne put out the napkins..........he did it perfectly!  She only had to ask him to do it once and he didn't question anything...........I wondered what she did with my kid =)  After school that day we also went for his 4 yr. check up - our big guys is weighing in at 46 lbs. and 44 inches tall.  He is our big boy!  Lauren had her 4 month check up too that day and our petite little princess weighed in at 13 lbs. 9 1/2 ozs. and was 25 inches.  

Eating cereal..........

Lauren started eating cereal last week..............and she loves it!!  

School trip to the Pumpkin Patch.........

Last week we went on Dawson's first field trip.......to the pumpkin patch.  Of course we were just there a few days before but he loved it just the same.  The minute we got there he looked for his new best friend Evan.  I would have loved to have gotten a picture of their faces but they were to quick.  From what Miss Anne says they are inseparable and play very well together.  We got to go on a hay ride and pick our own pumpkins.  He was so proud of himself when he was able to pull the pumpkin off the vine himself.  We got to pet some of the farm animals........which I have to admit was gross.............and who lets 25 3 and 4 years olds in with a bunch of animals and the mess they make?

Such a big girl these days.............

Little Miss Lauren decided last week that she was a big girl...........she now can hold her bottle by herself.  Its amazing how she is changing!  I don't want her to grow up!!!

Pumpkin Patch 2008

We went to Walsh Farms last weekend to pick pumpkins and for Mommy's favorite photo-op with Dawson.  We got the pumkins but not the photo!  Dawson has become to busy for the camera and when I do get him to sit still he has forgotten how to smile........that is smile normally.  We had perfect weather that day and were very surprised when we saw they had a 60 foot slide...........Daddy and Dawson rode on it three times, once together and then Dawson wanted to go by himself the next two times.  What a big boy he has become.  Lauren and Mommy waited at the bottom with hopes that they both made it down safely.  When we got home that afternoon Dawson and I decorated our pumpkins with my new favorite things!!!  No more carving for us =)  

Grandpa meets Baby Lauren.............

Grandpa Doug was here visiting this past week and got to meet his little girl for the first time.  Of course she was as good as gold and had Grandpa amazed that a baby could be so good.  Dawson had fun with Grandpa too - he loves to show him all his toys and this visit it the most exciting because he got to show him all the ghosts in his room - oh yes mommy has already decorated for Halloween.  

Our Pretty Little Girl..................

Lauren and Emma

Lauren got to play with her friend Emma a couple weeks ago - and loved every minute.....although I think Emma loved it more.  Emma was very sweet and gentle with Lauren - a little mommy in the making.  

Two Peas in a Pod!

Always Something to Say..............

Tonight was the first time that Dawson talk (at length) to his Aunt Helen on the phone.  He told her everything.....from wanting to catch Peter Pan in a cage to the chipmunck that was in Poppi and Nanni's bathroom two months ago!  The best part was how he was dressed....doesn't everyone dress like a pirate in camo rain boots when they talk on the phone?  

This one is for you Alphin Girls!  I hope tomorrow is a better day! We Love You!

The Pirate says............ARGGGGG!

This summer Nanni took us to the Richfield Community Days parade to see our very first Pirate Ship.  Dawson loved the parade especially his ride in the Pirate Ship but I think it was the candy he collected that he talked about for days after.  The thought of people just throwing candy at him was the most exciting thing EVER!!  I think that night he did just have candy for dinner.

Mommy's little Super Model

You can have this skirt too......... go to http://emmareesestudio.blogspot.com