Happy Holidays!

Hayden and Madelynn

Maddy all smiles

Hayden is so excited for Christmas. Each day his excitement grows. We have three count down calendars going. One that is a cloth Santa clause with the dates on it, you move the Elf each day. The second one is a traditional chocolate calendar. The third is a chain count down Hayden made in preschool.

Yesterday Hayden brought home an ornament that he made in preschool, it is a tree. Plus this year he made us a present that was already in a box. So yesterday after preschool I helped him wrap it as he was adament that we couldn't open it till Christmas. He is so proud of it, it is very sweet and I can't wait to see what it is.

In just a few short days we head to WI for a week. Hopefully the weather will cooperate. Before we go there is lots to do, more baking, packing, etc.

Merry Christmas to everyone!

December

Maddy practicing sitting up

Hayden and all his stuffed animals.

December has been full of surprises. It all started in the beginning of the month on a Friday night. Hayden was goofing around after dinner and he fell and hit his front tooth on the step into our sunken family room. We still have no idea what he was doing, it literally happened in an instant. He did knock one of his front top teeth loose. We could tell because it was pushed back. Surprisingly this has never happened before, so Andy and I were a little panicked. We called the pediatric dentist. Andy was able to pop the tooth back into place, just by lightly touching it. The dentist said that was great and it was a wait and see game. So far the tooth is fine, we hope it will stay like that.

About a week ago, Madelynn just wasn't acting herself. She was fussy all day and didn't sleep at all that night until we put her in her car seat. I knew once she couldn't sleep that she must have an ear infection. I knew she wasn't teething and we remembered how Hayden couldn't sleep when his ears hurt. No fever though. So last Friday I took her in and sure enough she has an ear infection. Hopefully it will be her first and last. She's doing better now and will be on antibiotics for a few more days.


Hayden and I have had fun making cookies this week. Madelynn enjoys just hanging out in the kitchen with us. Hayden loves to listen to Christmas music while we bake and dance around. Maddy sure enjoys watching him and just giggles when he looks at her.

The Weekend of St. Nick

Hayden with his St. Nick goodies

Maddy enjoying her new Rattle

St. Nick is a holiday that is celebrated in our household. Thanks to the grandparents who keep this holiday alive. Hayden was super excited Friday night as we told him St. Nick is like Santa's helper who brings a few little presents early and checks to make sure you've been being good. Saturday morning we were up early, well Hayden and I were. We let Daddy and Maddy sleep till 7:30am, it was very hard for Hayden but he managed not to open anything until we got them up. I figured it was good practice for Christmas morning, just in case he gets it in his head to wake up at 5am that day:)

Hayden enjoyed opening up his gifts, then Maddy's, then mommy's. Hayden got a fun transformer that he loves and a cool top that spins with lights. Maddy and him both got reindeers that are so cute. Maddy got a fun rattle that is a big hit with her. She loves to put things in her mouth. And they also both got new ornaments to put on the tree.

Hayden and I decorated the Christmas tree on Friday afternoon. Hayden loves to put the ornaments on the tree and really does a great job. He places them evenly and doesn't clump all on one branch. It was fun to watch his eyes light up when he would find an ornament that was his. This year he got a red race car and Madelynn got pink shoes. We have more ornaments than we can put on the tree.

Hayden and his Preschool Friends

Hayden has really been enjoying preschool. Last week he came home on Friday and in the middle of finishing his lunch started to tell me about what he and his friend Mya talked about that day. She is one of his new girl friends this year. So here is how the conversation went:

Hayden "Mya said today when we grow up and are adults we should get married."
Mommy "And what did you say to Mya when she said this?"
Hayden "I didn't say anything."
Mommy "Well what do you think about that idea?"
Hayden ".......(thinking).... It's TOO Girly!"

Isn't that just a typical boy for you. I love to hear the stories he shares with me, gives me a glimpse into his preschool time. I try to remember these stories and record them for him to share with him when he is older.

Madelynn's 4 month check up

Madelynn had her four month check up last week on Friday. It was fun to find out her stats. She weighs 16 lbs 1 oz and is 26.5 inches tall. When Hayden was 4 months old he weighed 16 lbs 1.5 oz and was 26 inches tall. Pretty close to the same, kind of scary. She also got her shots and did wonderfully only cried a little. Maybe she will take after Hayden, he never really cried either.

She is more determined than ever to try to learn to sit up. It is fun to watch her practice in her bouncy chair. She grabs hold of the toys on the bar and really does try to sit up. She loves the exersaucer that a friend of mine loaned us. We have one but it is taller than most so Hayden had a hard time using it till he was a little older. Thanks Danielle and family for the exersaucer, she loves it!

Soon we will start her on some rice cereal, she isn't quite ready but she thinks she is. She loves to watch us eat. We brought up the high chair about a month ago as she just didn't think it was fair that she couldn't see what was going on at the dinner table.

Hayden today said he can't wait till Maddy grows up. He informed me that he thought after Christmas she will be grown up and then they can play together. He told me then I won't need to play with him b/c he and Maddy will be busy playing. He already loves to interact with her in the exersaucer. She's lucky to have such a fun big brother.

What a Thanksgiving

Yes while I realize Thanksgiving was awhile ago now, it has taken me this long to get to blogging about it. Our Thanksgiving wasn't exactly how we had hoped it would go. It all started out good, left the Saturday before and visited with Grandma and Grandpa Banas on Sunday. We should have known then when Madelynn just wasn't herself that something was amiss. Monday morning is when it struck poor Maddy first. She was all smiles until she threw up at I think 7am in my lap. She just threw up that once but it explained why she was so fussy at Grandma and Grandpa's the day before. We all thought maybe it was just her cold that caused her to get sick.
We were all wrong. Early Friday morning, otherwise known as Black Friday, at 2am in the morning Hayden threw up while in bed. Then it struck Nana as well. By Saturday it had taken out Andy and Papa.
Turns out in the end the only two still standing were Heidi (my sister) and myself.
We did manage to have some fun. Hayden got to go to the Children's Museum in Milwaukee with Grandma and Grandpa and his Daddy. We also made a trip to Auntie Heidi's house and tried to get a picture with Santa. Hayden wasn't a fan this year, but Madelynn had fun sitting on Santa's lap.

Hayden and Grandpa at the Children's museum

Nana and Maddy

Papa and Madelynn