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!