Getting into the holiday spirit!

Here are some pictures of Grant's first snowfall in VA and his first time playing in snow!  We only got about 3 inches but it was enough for his big brother to teach him how fun eating snow is and an attempt at the snowtube:-) 

 

 

Time to get the tree!  It was a nice warm day and Grant thought it was quite fascinating that a tree has taken up space in the playroom.  He is loving all the holiday decorations around the house.  Of course decorating the tree turned into Grant and Auden dancing around to Christmas music and Mommy doing most the decorating but that was fine with me!  It was so fun to have two little ones this year while decorating and Grant got to put on the star topper this year!  Potty training was in full effect so only undies were required:-) 

 

 

 

We were hearing a bit too many "I wants" out of Auden this Christmas so I found a great opportunity through our Church to buy gifts for two little boys in our County's foster care system.  I had a big talk with Auden about how sometimes kids still haven't found their forever families like his brother and they need our help to get new clothes and some new toys.  He was a great little "elf" and I was so proud of him for helping me.  I think it really resonated because suddenly his Christmas list shrank down to two things:-) 



 

To kick off the holiday season we hosted a party with all my sorority sisters in the DC area and their families.  It was a great time and so fun to have the new babies and boys play together!

 

 

 

And as of this weekend, this little santa is officially potty trained!  He has been wearing undies out and about with only 2-3 accidents the past four days.  Our fingers crossed for the same success this week at school.  Now only if I knew how to wean him off the M&Ms he gets every time he goes!  Grant will do anything for chocolate so potty training went pretty quickly once Mommy committed to it, ha!

 

 

 

The house is all decked out and we are looking forward to spending our FIRST Christmas at home!  Cody and I started living together in 2003 after college and we have always been in PA or NY for Christmas- so this is a big deal!  Two kids means grandparents come to us now!  Can't wait!  

 

 

 

 

 





Halloween and Thanksgiving

Halloween and Thanksgiving were extra exciting this year because they were Grant's firsts! 

We unexpectedly found ourselves in New York for Halloween because Cody's beloved Grandfather (Auden's middle namesake, Henry) passed away and we decided to stay for a few days after the funeral.  It was a beautiful service and a wonderful tribute to a man that lived his 94 years to the fullest.  He lived the kind of life that made everyone leaving the overflowing church wondering how they can be more like this beautiful soul, smart businessman, generous philanthropist and loving family man.  You will always be in our hearts Grandpa Henry.

It was a nice time to be with family and the boys enjoyed their time with Nana, Pappy, Tia Jody, Uncle Tom and their second cousins.  It was raining a bit on Halloween but we made the best of it and went to the Children's museum during the day for a special Halloween party and trick-or-treated with the boys second cousins at night.  Grant LOVED dressing up as a pirate and Auden really got into trick-or-treating this year, running from house to house with his cousin Casey:-)

 

 

 

 

 

For Thanksgiving we hit the road and finally got Grant to the Pennsylvania to see my side of the family!  We enjoyed a great Turkey Day at my cousin's house and the boys had a great time.  We got to see more cousins later that week and Grant loved his first sleepover at Grammy and Grandpa's.  Before we came back to VA we stopped for a night at my best friend Aimee's house because she graciously offered to babysit the boys for 3 hours while we went to my high school reunion nearby her house.  We weren't sure how Grant was going to do with being babysat in a different house but luckily he had a great time with Aunt Aimee, Uncle Justin, Nate, Sydney and Auden.  He only got a little upset after all the other kids went to bed, so that's when Cody and I decided to come back.  So, all in all a success and Grant spent quality time with his Godmommy:-) 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

So how does Grant do with the traveling?  He acts a little funny when we are packing up the car and we repeat to him that we are just going away for a few days and we "always come back home."  When we are at our destination he has an awesome time because it usually means he is around a lot of family that is playing with him and paying attention to him which he loves (and he gets to sleep in the same room as us which he loves too).  When we get back from our trips it's the hardest part for him.  He loves that we are home but he acts extra clingy which makes it a bit difficult to unpack because he is sad he's not getting attention 24/7.  Back to reality of Mommy and Daddy having chores to do and not being able to play, play, play like we can during holiday trips.  He also has to get reacquainted with his room and his sleep is a little off for a few days after we get home.  But the more we do these trips and the older Grant gets, it should get easier and easier for him to understand we always come home.  We just booked our flights for a Florida trip in March which will be Grant's first plane ride since coming home (I'm already scared about how that is going to go, but fingers crossed!)