November recap...now I'm back on schedule

Well, this little girl is growing, literally, before our eyes. I put her down to bed or for a nap and it seems she has grown just in that short amount of time. She is working on sitting up. She hasn't quite gotten it yet, but she is definitely almost there. She loves to watch Anna Claire move about the room while sitting in this chair so I think that is helping a lot.

Molly loves to smile and she really is a contented, well mannered baby. I am blessed to have had two very easy babies that were easy to figure out when it came to what their needs were. Molly only cries when she needs something, either to eat, when she is tired or needs her diaper changed. Other than that, she is in a good mood all the time. :)

Anna Claire, on the other hand, being almost 3, is giving us a run for our money. She has finally hit the terrible two's. I was talking to another mother the other day and I mentioned that I think she has hit that stage. The mother looked at me and said, "wait until she actually turns 3." Wow. Okay.

We are trying, very diligently, to instill in her a sense of responsibility for her actions and words and to teach her that she can control some of the emotions she is feeling. But I'm learning....NEVER TRY TO REASON WITH A TODDLER!!!! I have to give her credit though, she is realizing that there are boundaries, which ones she absolutely should not cross and which ones she tries to cross but knows she will likely get in trouble. It's just a season and I have to remember that we are not the first, nor the last parents to ever go through this with their child.

She brings us so much joy. She is funny, compassionate, she loves her sister and she has a huge imagination! Her favorite thing to do right now is to dress up. She usually puts together an ensemble that includes a princess dress, her Tinkerbell shoes, her crown and her baseball bat that serves as a wand or microphone, depending on whether she is going to sing or just walk around like a princess. She loves to dance and always wants some sort of music on.

The other day it was raining outside and she wanted to play baseball. I told her we could so this is what she put together....

See that Tinkerbell shoe popping out down there! :)

We headed to Tuscaloosa for Thanksgiving this year to visit some of Mike's family. It is always a good time with lots of laughter and fun! Santa Claus showed up to pass out some early Christmas gifts to the children. It was the first time Anna Claire has been that close to Santa. Last year she didn't want to have anything to do with him but this year, I think she warmed up a bit since he had a present for her.

We did take an afternoon to get some family pictures done. It was a beautiful afternoon at a park near the campus of University of Alabama.

We are looking forward to December and all that it holds for our family. The holidays, our wedding anniversary, Mike's birthday and visits with family. And a bonus...Jessica, my niece, flies in today to spend a couple of weeks with us!