Christmas 2010 Part II and III

We celebrated our second Christmas at Brandon's grandparents on Christmas Eve. I was so prepared and had the camera sitting next to the door, but guess who still forgot the camera? Grampy Rick saved the day and documented the evening for us. Matney received a tricycle, clothes, and several other toys that evening. She had her first bike wreck while pushing her tricycle along and it fell over on her. She was a big girl and didn't cry at all, just layed under the bike until we picked it up off of her.

Our third installment of Christmas 2010 was on Christmas morning. It was so special to spend the morning with my husband and beautiful daughter. Matney woke up in the best mood about 7:00 am. I got her out of bed and brought her to see the presents where she made a few ewing and ahing noises and was ready to dig in. Before we started opening presents I told her to give Daddy a good morning and Merry Christmas kiss. The little fart bent right over from my arms, gave Daddy her famous open-mouthed kiss and was ready for presents. She enjoyed opening her Santa present and the few that Brandon and I got her and was ready to play with everything. During the unwrapping when she got really excited, she started making this noise in her throat which was kind of a cross between a cough and a laugh. It was the cutest thing ever!

Santa was very good to us here at the Crawford household this year and we are very thankful for all we were given and our most wonderful gift this Christmas season, our beautiful little girl.

Christmas 2010 Part I

We have celebrated Christmas for several days now and still have one to come. As with every year in the past, we were very blessed with time with our families and many gifts. It was such a joy watching Matney celebrate her first Christmas. As I sit in the living room and watch her play with all her new toys, I can only see her happiness and curiosity as she plays with all of her presents, not the mess that is strewn about the floors! Though Matney had a bad cold and cough on her first Christmas, she still enjoyed the presents and of course the food. This girl can eat!

Our first Christmas started at Nannie B and Papa G's on December 22, 2010. We spent the day at their house fixing dinner and preparing for the evening ahead. The boys helped Papa bring in wood and Matney and Kennon supervised as you can see in the picture below. Our first annual grandkid Christmas picture was a bit of a challenge, but we got it done!

The highlight of my Christmas was the amazing surprise from my parents. This past year Abby and I have started learning how to sew and often have commandeered Mom's sewing machine for hours on end. We were both completely surprised by our presents, new sewing machines just like Mom's! Thursday morning we had to take a trip to Wal-M*rt to get material and thread so we could start our projects! I have already been working on a few things and cannot wait to do more. Thanks Mom and Dad for the great present!

Santa

Matney's daycare had a Christmas program last Saturday night and we were able to enjoy singing, dinner, and Santa. Matney hadn't been feeling very well and had only had a short nap, so I was worried about how she would respond to her visit with Santa. I think it was a success!

Today on Christmas Eve, we reflect that there is a Santa and the joys that Christmas morning will bring, but we lean more on our belief of Jesus and celebrate His birth. May you all have a Merry Christmas and remember the real reason for the season.

8 months

My little Matney, you were 8 months old on December 3, 2010 and are such a blessing to us. We recently had the discussion on what life was like before you existed and had a hard time remembering what we ever did without you.

Here is a list of your accomplishments in the last month.

*You weigh between 17 and 18 pounds now and still wear mostly 6 month outfits. If we put a 9 month outfit on you the pants are either way too long or fall off of you and the sleeves have to be rolled up.

*You have 5 teeth and your 6th one is on its way! Besides pulling on your ears and maybe changes in your diapers, you haven't been overly fussy while teething.

*You have added a new word to your vocabulary and I am pretty sure it made your Nannie B melt when you said "Nannie" for the first time. You said it really well one time and now you jabber nannna nana nannn.

*You wave "hi" and "bye" very well. You know when someone is walking out the door and when you wake up in the morning you start waving at us!

*You had your first Thanksgiving and ate with the best of them. You are a fan of broccoli cheese, just like your daddy.

*Miss Tara at daycare told us on 12/3/10 that you took two steps going after your pacifer and then tumbled over (you don't take a paci, you just have to have one in your hands when your friend Lillie has hers).

*You "cruise" with the best of them and will let go of things for a second or two and then you grab hold again. You like to hold our hand and take several steps.

*No matter where I am in the house, you will crawl at top speed to find me. I don't remember the last time I went to the bathroom without you finding me :)

*You love to clap to "If You're Happy and You Know It".

This month will be so exciting as you get to celebrate your first Christmas! As we celebrate your first Thanksgiving and Christmas, my heart overflows with love and the thought of how blessed we are to have been given the chance to be your parents and to help you become a beautiful, strong, Christian woman.

Deck the Halls

We started "decking our halls" on the night before Thanksgiving. It went much easier than I expected with a 7 1/2 month old under foot. Matney was in awe the entire time I worked on the tree and has been loving it ever since. She will crawl over to it and look up at the lights and then just sits there most of the time staring. Putting up the tree was apparently a lot of hard work from her as you can see from the picture below. We started our first family Christmas tradition of watching all the Christmas shows that are on t.v. in the evenings. Matney loved the Grinch and kept crawling up to the t.v. to get as close as she could. The Grinch has always been one of Brandon's favorites so while I was out shopping on Sunday, I picked up the book and a stuffed 'Max' for Matney and Daddy to play with and read.

Can't wait to see my little lady at Christmas and how much fun she is!!

Thanks Giving

In the past few weeks, we have been reflecting on all the things we have to be thankful for and this year our blessings have be bountiful. We celebrated our first Thankgiving with our beautiful daughter and all day I just kept thinking about how blessed and thankful I was for her. She has changed my life in ways I never expected and can only imagine how blessed I will feel in all the years to come.

We celebrated Thanksgiving at Mam'as and Pampa's just the 5 of us and then went to my Uncle Bob's to see my side of the family. Grandma Janie wasn't able to make it to Thanksgiving this year because she has been pretty sick, but we were all thinking about her and wishing she was there, but knew it was for the best.

We are so lucky to have our health, our faith, a warm and happy home, vehicles to get us to and from, and our jobs; as well as many more blessings that I cannot begin to list. I am so thankful for the life I have been given and can't wait to see what all the future Thanksgivings hold.

Brrrrrrr

Today has felt and looked like the first day of winter in the Ozarks. As I walked in to work the morning air was damp and cool and as I left for the day it was rainy and cold (and for some crazy reason, I wasn't wearing a coat). On the way to pick up Matney I reflected on the enjoyable moments that every Fall and Winter brings such as cozy evenings at home, decorating for Christmas, and enjoying cold, snowy days.

I couldn't wait to get home this evening; put on my jammies and relax after a long, busy day at work. As I sit here drinking a glass of wine and watching my little lady asleep in her carseat, I am letting the stress release from my body and thinking of all the fun memories that will be made in the next several weeks as we celebrate our first Thanksgiving and Christmas with our beautiful little blessing. My mind quickly moves however, from all the fun to all the things I have to accomplish between now and then and I realize I need to start making my list of tasks. I look forward to the challenge of decorating with my little love underfoot and watching her every move as she celebrates her first Thanksgiving and Christmas and I look forward to the chilly, winter days and evenings to snuggle in and enjoy the Reason for the Season and my many blessings.

Happy Halloween!

We celebrated Matney's first official holiday this weekend and boy was it fun! We spent the evening at Auntie Ab's and Uncle Brian's with our favorite little boys and Nannie B and Papa G.

Our evening was filled with tons of food and candy. Our 4 little trick or treaters were such troopers and made it around a majority of the subdivision with lots of candy received for both the kids and the mommies and daddies!

Here are a few pictures of our little Wolverin Brayden, Chef Grayson, Kennon the Monkey, and Matney Moo. Our little baby calf fit her part perfectly, as we were about 4 houses in to the tricker or treating when she perked up, bent over, and spit up her milk all over a neighbors sidewalk! She was just reminding us that baby calves eat lots of milk!

Refreshing

The past few weeks at work have been very hectic, so I made a pact with myself that this weekend, I was going to relax and do something "I" wanted to do. Many people would assume this would probably mean a pedicure, massage, or shopping trip, but to me it meant a day to learn something new and a day with my wonderful mother!

(Cutting out Matney's stocking)

For years my mom has wanted Abby and I to learn to sew, and in the past it was never that important to me. I don't know if it was having a child of my own or the idea of having a hobby that would actually produce something useful and not something that would collect dust, but in the past several months I have had the "itch to stitch".

(preparing the letters for B's stocking; they had to be strategically placed around the deer)

(Almost finished!)

Growing up we always had Christmas stockings that were hand-made by Mom and had changed throughout each year that when a new stocking was placed on the mantel when a new member entered the family. I always knew I wanted something similar for my house to make each person feel special on Christmas morning when they picked up their stocking that was unique to them. Today I had the opportunity to make that desire come true. My mom patiently taught me many techniques and steps to sewing our beautiful new Christmas decorations. I don't mean to wish my life away, but I can't wait to hang them on the mantel!

(the finished product of which I am extremely proud!)



Today was very refreshing for me and made me love my Mom even more for her patience and talent. What will she teach me to make next? I can't wait.

It's a party

This past weekend we had the privilege of sharing a special memory with Uncle Brent and his new bride, Jackie, as they celebrated their marriage with a reception filled with family and friends. Jackie did a wonderful job planning the reception and the simple elegance of the evening made it very enjoyable and relaxed. Congratulations, Uncle Brent and "Aunt" Jackie!

Busy little lady

Our last few weeks have been filed with watching Matney change with each passing moment. Here are a few pictures of our recent memories while spending time at home. I am a major fan of our "family nights" at home where the 3 of us lay in the floor and play or go outside. Soaking up every moment with my little bug and wonderful husband each evening is the highlight of most of my days and I couldn't treasure them more.

6 months

My little Matney, you are now six months old (actually 6 1/2 as I write this) and you are still growing on your Mommy and Daddy more and more each day. With every new move you make or every action in your little life, you open our hearts to more and more love.
You have so many tricks that I don't know if I can count them all. You are now a professional crawler and pull up on anything in sight. You eat just about anything we will let you, but Mommy tries to be pretty careful about what you eat and are introduced to. If you see a Mum M*m coming, you go crazy and start shaking your hands. You say "Mamamamah" and "bahbaabahba" and you are starting to say "daahhh". You shake your head "no" all the time, even though you have no idea what you are doing, but you often shake it "no" at just the right times. You are very curious and will get in to anything that is within reach if we are not watching closely. When we went to our first Parents as Teachers appointment, the educator kept listing off things you were supposed to be able to do by 6 months. When she got in to the 8 month list and you were already doing those things, I didn't have the heart to tell her you could do all of those, because I didn't want her to think we were crazy. When asked where your Momma or Daddy are, you will look around the room for the person you were asked about. You are starting to clap your hands when we are singing or talking. You do not take very long naps during the day unless you are at school and you have a few issues sleeping at night. You will sleep in your own bed until about 4 or 5 am and then wake up to eat, after eating you cry until you get to cuddle in bed with Daddy and Mommy. You love to snuggle with your Daddy (I think it is because his body temp is about 150 degrees and our room is always cold). You also make some of the funniest faces and noises.

Here is how big you were at your 6-month check up with Dr. Vo:

Weight: 15.4 lbs (50th percentile)
Height: 25 inches (25th percentile)

Mommy and Daddy can't believe our little angel baby is now 6+ months old, but we are loving all the new stages and changes in your life. You are such a good little girl and such a blessing to us. We can't wait to see what the next month brings.

Happy Birthday, Grandma

(Matney-6 months and Grandma Janie-91)

On October 3rd, one of the most beautiful, kind and loving individuals that I know, celebrated her 91st birthday. My Grandma Janie has always been such a wonderful, caring woman and it is such a blessing to celebrate each passing year with her. The love she has for her children, grandchildren, her siblings, and pretty much anyone is just a small portion of what makes her so special. I have never heard her get upset or say anything mean about anyone. The only time she gets fussy is when someone tries to mess with her food (do not ask her if she wants eggs or oatmeal, or she might just through the plate at you).

This year her birthday was celebrated at the nursing home where Grandma now resides. She takes her new life in stride, just as she has done with everything else throughout her life, and enjoys everything she possibly can. I can only hope that someday my granchildren will think so highly and fondly of me and will have more memories than they can count of days gone by. My Grandma made a lasting impression on me in so many ways, from her Christian life and strength to her ability to cook the most delicious food imaginable and many, many more. She made such an impression, that the day I knew I learned I was having a little girl, I couldn't think of any better name than a strong family name that would always and forever remind me of my Grandma Janie (Matney is named after Grandma Janie's mother).

Family Time

We have been spending a lot of time with the Biggers family in order to soak up lots of family time before they left on vacation. We typically see them almost every weekend or talk to each other daily, so this week has been long without them here. Nannie B was starting to get her feelings hurt since our get togethers were on all the weekends she had to work :) Brayden, Grayson, Kennon, and Matney all love the outdoors, thus much of our time is spent playing outside. Nannie recently hung the baby swing again so the little ones have been experiencing the joy of swinging outside in the fresh air. (I didn't get a picture of little Kennon, but he loved it too!) Brayden got a "T" and bases for his birthday from Nannie B and Papa G and many evenings have been spent attempting to teach him all about baseball--tagging the bases seems to be an issue we need to work on this fall and next spring.

Pickin' Pumpkins

Last Saturday the Carpenter-Biggers-Crawford family went to Gunter Farms to pick pumpkins and enjoy a family day before the majority of the CBC family left for Hawaii for a week. The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed our time playing games, sitting in a pool of corn, and chasing each other through the corn maze. As you can see above, the boys are very excited for fall and couldn't want to wear their Halloween shirts (there Momma too! It was a great afternoon in which memories were made and then followed by a yummy dinner at Nannie B and Papa G's.

Nannie B and Papa G are very proud of their newest grandbabies.

For once we got a family shot and no one was missing!

Matney wasn't so sure about sitting in the middle of the field filled with pumpkins.

They all loved the corn pool so much, that we discussed getting them one so we can keep track of all of them!

Family time

I have been on vacation for the last few days and I told myself before vacation started that I was going to get as much enjoyment out of it as possible. We have already had 3 days of fun and looking forward to the next 3 days, however I think we might have to have a recoup day so we can enjoy the last few days without being completely worn out.

Today, Brandon and I look Matney to Cracker Barrell and the zoo for the first time. She zeroed in on our grits at breakfast and I think she ate an entire bowl. They stayed down and she didn't break out, so I think I will buy grits for her enjoyment! She loved every minute of the zoo, though she missed a few animals as she was tuckered out from the heat and snuck in a cat nap. She got her first official stuffed animal, courtesy of Daddy. She loves her giraffe and can't stop attempting to eat him. We saw so many animals and look forward to the day we take her back and she can interact more.

Oh how I love thee...

Oh how I love the cooler weather and the approach of my favorite season...FALL! I am so happy it is finally on its way after this hot, hot summer. I now have two favorite seasons because of my Spring blessing this year, but Fall will always hold a special place in my heart. Here are a few of my favorite things about the season.

Fall decorations! I get the itch to get them out sooner each year. The colors and the smells make me so content. If a pumpkin spice or harvest flavored candle is burning; it is as if a fire is lite under me and I can accomplish so much in an evening while the candle flickers on.

Pumpkin Spice Latte's make me one happy girl, however, they hurt the pocket book. As a treat to myself I have decided to let myself have 1 a week and no more (I still have baby weight to lose and these are not that conducive to weight loss). I am hoping I can find pumpkin spice creamer at the store this weekend to serve as a nice, cheaper alternative for the other days I feel the need for a latte.

Warm and cozy corners lite to warm the room on a cold, damp day or in the evening when the sun goes down, makes me so happy. I love the low lighting and the warmth I can almost feel as I snuggle up on the couch for an evening of tv or reading. I was feeling the need for my lamp a little sooner this year so I have been turning it on in the late evenings when it gets dark. I had a crafting day a few weekends ago and gave this lamp a make over after a trip to Farmers Market.

Hobby Lobby is one of my best friends in the fall time and gets a lot of my money. As my fall decorations have started growing in number, I have had to limit my purchases but this year I splurged and made a wreath. I made it because I wanted to be crafty and was flabergasted at the prices of the pre-made ones in the store. Who buys a wreath for $150 when you can make one for $15--granted it probably doesn't look as good, but it makes me happy!

I can't wait for the mums to bloom and the pumpkin patch excursions to begin. This year I have someone knew to share the adventures with and to share my love of the season.

5 months

Oh how quickly time goes once you become a mother. Our little lady was 5 months old last Friday and is changing with every minute in time it seems.


Matney Paige, your Momma and Daddy love you more than you could ever know. With each passing moment and milestone you brighten our hearts in a way I never really knew was possible until I had you.


Your first two teeth have come in this past week. You have been quite the trooper through the process and only get fussy every now and then but seem to be more tired as if your little body has worked so hard it just tuckered you out at 7 pm. This is kind of nice for Momma once in a while so I can get things done around the house. You are becoming a very BIG Momma's girl. If I leave your sight for a split second you scream bloody murder, but when I walk back in the room you are fine. I think this hurts your Daddy's feelings just a little bit, but we know it probably won't always be this way!

In the last 2 weeks you have mastered sitting up on your own. You still get a little wobbley but you love to be up and checking everything out. We even had to get out one of your Christmas presents to keep you entertained! If you aren't sitting up, you are on your belly and scooting all over the place. You have also started eating bananas and avocados, both of which you love. We had a few issues with cereal so we decided to skip right on to something more appetizing. You eat cereal at school but it is more of a cocktail since you are a little picky. You love daycare and that is about the only time you don't cry when I leave you. It broke my heart the day you reached out for your teacher when I dropped you off. This week you made a new friend at school, who happens to be your first "girl" friend as you are surrounded by little boys at home and away. Hopefully you and Lillie will be good friends and hold your own with all the boys.
.

You have also started entertaining yourself for 15-20 minutes at a time, especially if Baby Einstein is on. Any time you see the computer come out, you start reaching for it and making noise to get our attention that you want it turned on. Thank goodness for the internet so we can keep you happy!

I cannot wait to see what changes the next month brings in your life as this month has been full of changes.

The three amigos and their lady

Our family has been blessed with two babies in one year and two growing boys full of energy to keep us all on our toes. My sister can take care of all three of her boys at once with grace and poise, but when they come to visit the farm or Bubbie and Meme, it takes all of us to keep them in line!

Last weekend while Abby and Brian were on a short weekend getaway, Brayden, Grayson, and Kennon came to visit Nanny B and Papa G. Matney and I were invited over for a play date on Saturday morning and ended up staying until bed time. Our day was filled with make believe fishing, tire swing rides, fights over who was going to drive which John De*re toy, and much much more. It was a magically, quiet, serene moment when Dad, Mom, and I got all four of them to sleep at once (which lasted all of maybe 10 mins)

Little Kennon doesn't get much camera time and is usually seen sleeping in his 1980's stroller or in someone's arms. He is such a good little baby and so mellow. I am sure he is this way after having two spit-fire big brothers. We love watching him and Matney grow together and comparing their rolls and activities. They don't know it yet, but I hope they will be great friends one day; even though at this point all they do is stare at each other. They have seemed to figure out that if their respective mommy is holding the other one during a rare baby swap, it is time to start fussing so they can get "their" momma back!

Grayson has such a sweet disposition and loves his little brother and cousin. He is always wanting to kiss on them and runs around saying their name. He has been known to call Kennon by Matney's name, but can you blame the kid for being confused when two babies show up at once :) It is so much fun watching Grayson grow and seeing how quickly he changes.

Brayden, the oldest and the wildest of the three boys, is such a joy to call my nephew. Though there are times you want to ring his sweet little neck for not listening or for torturing the others, it never seems to fail that he will give a random hug or ask some deep question and all you can do is remember how much you love this little man. I cannot believe my little Brayden who I drove 90 mphs an hour from Columbia to KC in order to be there when he was born, is getting ready to turn 5. I love watching how he grows and changes and how much he loves his brothers and cousin (even though there are times we question this!)

I cannot wait to see what the future brings for these four cousins. I can only imagine all the adventures and trouble making that lies ahead. The looney bin might need to make room for Abby and I in a few years--hopefully we can room together!