Happy New Year!

We hope everyone has a safe & happy New Year!

No big plans for us, just an evening at home (watching Barney) and nibbling on some snacks! Sounds like fun huh?

Thank You Aunt Nancy!

Today Annabelle received a package from Aunt Nancy in the mail. She was SO excited about opening it and very happy that there was a beautiful quilt inside! (Then she spent about ten minutes hiding under it...something she does quite often now, "I'm hiding, I'm hiding") She loves her other blankies and I'm sure this one will make it to the top of her "blankie favorites". She already told me "that's my blankie" when I tried to touch it! Here are a few pics of Annabelle with her quilt. Thank you Aunt Nancy, we wish you the best in the New Year!

More Christmas Pics

More pics from our Christmas.

Thanks everyone for all the great Christmas gifts, cards and thoughts!

We love you all & We wish you the very best in the New Year!

Christmas at Our House

We celebrated Christmas at our house Saturday morning, Santa brought Annabelle the "Rose Petal Cottage". Annabelle LOVES it! She kept saying over and over again "I got a house!"...The only problem is the Rose Petal Cottage is bigger than our house so Justin and I will now have to live in the garage...just kidding, for now, the Rose Petal Cottage is in our entry way and will (hopefully) soon make it's way to Annabelle's room. For now, we just hope no one stops by because we can't get to the door! We are definitely low on space around here, Justin says it looks like a two year old owns the house and two adults just happen to be around! Hopefully some day soon we'll be able to move to a bigger house...

Obsessed with the Vacuum

For months before Christmas if you asked Annabelle what she wanted for Christmas she would say "a vacuum"...don't ask me why, she is DEATHLY afraid of vacuums, if we bring ours out while she's around she screams, cries and hides! She also has a weird obsession with looking at our vacuums with the flashlight, most nights she'll go get the flashlight, look in the closet and say "there's the vacuums"...maybe she's just checking to make sure they aren't coming out to get her? Ms. Ruth gave Annabelle a Dora flashlight for Christmas so now she can look at the vacuums WITH the Dora flashlight. Anyway, I told Aunt Lisa to get Annabelle a child size vacuum for Christmas and she did...Annabelle LOVED it and spent the entire time at Siti & Papa's dragging the vacuum cleaner around their house in a circle. The vacuum actually makes noise and picks up dirt so Siti's carpet and floors should be spotless thanks to Annabelle! and the Vacuum cleaner obsession continues, she's cleans my floors every day and looks for the vacuum first thing every morning, she even wants the vacuum by her bed at night!! Maybe next we can get her hooked on mopping or cleaning the toilet ;)

Christmas at Siti & Papa's House

We spent Christmas at Siti & Papa's house in Chanute. We went to late night Mass Christmas Eve, Annabelle lasted about 30 minutes and then wanted to go home. We ended up leaving early. Lisa, Leslie, Jim & Rylan and all the Qualls were there. It was chaotic, as always, but I think Annabelle had a good time. I've been sick, again, with a cough and cold so Christmas wasn't as fun for me this year! Here are some pics of Christmas at Siti & Papa's house. Leslie & Jimmy brought their dogs, the pic of the dog is Sayla their sweet boxer.

Making Christmas Cookies

Today, Annabelle and I made Christmas Cookies - It was quite an adventure. Annabelle liked rolling out the cookie dough and cutting out the cookies but she cried when we put them in the oven, she wanted to keep rolling out the dough and cutting, over and over again. The cookies turned out pretty well! I think Annabelle's Play-Doh experience makes her a cookie making pro! We spent the first fifteen minutes of cookie making putting flour on our noses, cheeks and other body parts, I'm not sure why, Annabelle just wanted to do that...We taste tested them after nap time and they're pretty good!

Thank You Uncle Lynn & Aunt Tyra!

Annabelle received a couple Christmas gifts from Uncle Lynn & Aunt Tyra. She couldn't WAIT to open them even though Justin and I told her we should put them under the tree, I guess we're just pushovers because we let her open them. She was so excited! She loves the new doll, wagon, dog and the book!. She took her new doll to daycare on Friday and it was a real hit with all her friends! Thanks Lynn & Tyra, we wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year!

The BEST Toy - A Box of Packing Peanuts

Annabelle had more fun playing in a box of packing peanuts than playing with her "toys". Here are a couple pics of her playing in the box...she called it her "couch". Sadly, the "couch" had to be thrown away, just no room for a large box of packing peanuts in the living room!

Sick...Sick...Sick

Annabelle had a stomach virus all weekend. No fun. I stayed home from work with her on Monday. She is back to herself now but it was a rough weekend. Glad she is feeling better since Christmas is just around the corner!

2 Year Check-Up

At her 2 year check-up on Friday:
Annabelle
Weighs 28 Lbs.
34.5 Inches Tall
In the 50-75 percentile!

My little girl is growing up!

Ruby Red Slippers - Just like Dorothy's! & a New Stroller!

This has been an awesome week for Annabelle. First - Yesterday her new baby stroller (from American Girl) arrived - it was a birthday gift from Aunt Lisa. She's been pushing the stroller around since it arrived! She even made Justin put it by her big girl bed before she would go to sleep last night! This morning she jumped out of bed and put her baby back in the stroller and pushed the stroller into the living room. Second - Aunt Nancy (from my office) bought Annabelle a pair of ruby red shoes just like Dorothy on the Wizard of Oz (one of Annabelle's favorite movies)! Here are some pics of Annabelle in front of our Christmas tree (yes, it's up already) with the new stroller and her awesome ruby red slippers - she can't stop looking at them!

Annabelle's BIG GIRL Bed

We converted Annabelle's crib to a "big girl" bed on Friday. She was SO excited! She kept saying "I can get in, and I can get OUT" over and over again. She loves her new bed and is amazed with the concept of getting in and out all by herself. I keep thinking she's going to get out of bed in the middle of the night and cook herself breakfast or something crazy like that but so far she has stayed in her bed (almost) every night!...let's hope it stays this way!

Thanksgiving - Peek-A-Boo

Annabelle playing peek-a-boo with my Cousin John. We had a very happy Thanksgiving, we got to see family and eat lots of great food! We had a "traditional" Thanksgiving dinner at home on Saturday...Annabelle decided she doesn't like turkey and ate Chicken Noodle Soup instead!

Thanksgiving

Funny Pics

Here are a couple more funny pics from this week. Annabelle eating cheerios from her skirt, better than a bowl any day!

Drinking her bottle and holding Daddy's sleeve, she has to either touch a sleeve with her fingers or toes while drinking her bottle! We're trying to get rid of all the bottles or "babas" as Annabelle would say but we can't seem to get rid of them yet, she only uses them at home now and not at Ruth's - thank goodness! Hopefully all the bottles will be gone in the next couple months along with the binkies!

Caramel Dip, Fries & Chicken Nuggets

Annabelle really likes Happy Meals now. She has also found a new delicacy...caramel apple dipping sauce with fries or chicken nuggets, she thinks it's delicious! Check out her pinky in the air while eating, she does this a lot.

An Evening in the Life of a Two Year Old

Annabelle's typical evening...trying on hats and hanging out in her "kitchen", searching through the drawers for a "blankie for her baby" a.k.a dish towel, dancing, "brushing" walter (look how happy he is about that!), and following Daddy around. Busy, busy, busy.