First Black Eye :(

This happened last month, that is how behind I am on blogging but still a worthy post to remember one of her "firsts".  Not such a great first to have, but it was going to happen sooner or later....so I am documenting it! 

I have been taking them to the YMCA every day with me for about two solid months now.  With our membership there is free child-watch while I work out in the mornings.  Dorian had no problems going in the first day and playing with all the children that are there each day.  Addeline, on the other hand, is still adjusting two months later.  The staff worked with us for the first two weeks with Addeline.  They knew as well as I did that she NEEDED to learn to go to other people and it wasn't going to happen over night.

Anyways, after 3 or 4 weeks of going there I had the "dreaded" tap on the shoulder as I was working out.  The lady at the front desk was standing there with Addeline, and she was crying, AND rubbing her eye.  Addeline was coming down the slide and at the end when she got up to walk away tripped over a toy and landed on another toy that hit her eye. TOTALLY STINKS!!!

I felt so bad!!! I made her go when she didn't want to go and then she gets a black eye...ha ha ha so horrible!!! But, as Addy`usually does, she bounced back with in minutes with her signature smile and all was well again.  You can clearly see in the pictures her eye was not bothering her in the least, she kind of liked getting all of the attention!

So here it is, Addeline's first black eye!!! Even with the bruises she is still as cute as ever!

Addy Cakes

Addy is a character, and her personality is really starting to shine in the past few months.  She can go up and down the stairs with ease, she can climb ANYTHING she sets her mind too, and loves to be outside walking around!  She is a diva and proud of it!!!  Addy is learning new words every day with the help of Dorian telling her what everything is.  Dorian also teaches her many other things, like how to climb things she shouldn't! he he he I can't wait to see what Addeline's personality will bring next!

The South Gets Snow...Again.

We heard it was coming but honestly didn't think anything of the "snow storm" that hit.  We assumed that NOTHING could have been worse than what hit us when we were at my sister's in Virginia on Christmas night.  Well, We were wrong...so wrong! 

The snow that hit North Carolina hit quick and left the state in a disaster.  The south DEFINITLY doesn't not know how to prepare for a snow storm.  It started at 4am on Monday and it is now Friday and there are still schools shut down and many places running on a two hour delay.  Walmart JUST re-opened yesterday!  It is crazy for me to live in a place that doesn't "get" snow.  I over heard some people talking yesterday when we were out that they had NEVER driven in snow and for the past 5 days have not left their house. CRAZY!!!!! ha ha ha 

So North Carolina, and the entire south, was hit by a snow storm.  This won't be the first storm and won't be the last storm.  So I guess I better get used to the crazyness of the south and learn that EVERY winter I will think this is wierd that people don't drive in snow ha ha ha.  Either way...we had fun playing outside in the snow!!! Dorian and Addeline loved it!!!

Making Brownies with Daddy

Like mother, like daughter!  Dorian LOVES to help bake.  She doesn't like to cook or prepare any other meal, but she loves to bake.  Probably because the end result is always something yummy.  But we have embraced this new love of hers and have been baking a lot.  This isn't going to go over well with my waist or my jeans...but she likes to do it, allows me to have something on hand to give her when she is good, and always great bonding time we have! 

Our Family In NC

We dug ourselves out of Virginia, literally, and drove home in just enough time to clean up our Christmas disaster and open our doors to Niles' family!  Niles' aunt, mom, grandmother, and niece all came down for the week to see us and our new home.  It was so great to see everyone after such a long time of being away, and the week went by to darn quick!  Before we knew it they were packing up to leave!  We had such a great time seeing everyone, taking walks, building snowmen, and eating great food!! We can't wait for everyone to come back down...hopefully soon!

Christmas Day with our Family!!!

For the past four years we've had to travel by plane to get to our family on the holiday's or we would have to drive 33 hours not including stop times and over night stays along the road.   This is the FIRST year since we've been married that it only took three hours to go see our family on a holiday!  I can't describe to you how happy it feels to be so close to family!!!! We've been waiting for this, unpatiently, for four years!!! 

Our lovely ladies opened their gifts on Christmas morning and when it was time for their naps we loaded up our van and drove to see my sister and her family, my brother, and my dad!!! It was sooooo FREAKIN' good to see them!  We had so much fun!  Virginia was hit by a huge snow storm.  Probably the worst snow storm that state has seen in 13 years!  We took every advantage of playing in the snow we could...and the kids had a blast!  It was a great Christmas, one that we will remember for ever.

Christmas Morning Pictures

 We had a fantastic Christmas!  We started out the morning with breakfast and opening up presents at our home in North Carolina.  There was a lot of mess, frenzy, and crazy for about 2 hours but everyone was so thrilled with their presents there wasn't a person not smiling in the house!  These are just a few of the MANY pictures I took, but lets you see how happy the girls were opening up their presents! Dorian's big gift was her bike which she had been asking for for months!!! And Addy was happy with anything that made noise! 

This was really our "first" Christmas together, in our first actual home.  This is the first year in three that we've set up our Christmas tree and hung our stockings.  We almost forgot what the tree looked like it had been so long.  So this Christmas meant a lot to Niles and I to simply "be" in our home on Christmas morning.  We truly had the best time watching our girls rip the paper off of those presents!!!

After we opened up gifts we loaded the car and headed to my sister's house to be with my family for the rest of our Christmas weekend!!!  Those pictures will be in my next blog!!!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas too!!!!