Merry Christmas!

I knew this Christmas was going to be extra special and it's been extra relaxing too. (I've taken a long nap the past two days!) No traveling, low stress and minimal trips to the post office--that's the way I like it! Jeff and I were commenting how it's so easy to last-minute shop here. No need to worry about weather. I hope everyone is still enjoying this very special holiday and enjoying their family, too. I'm enjoying this week mostly off with some work to do during naps, but that's it!

Can't believe this was taken on the second try with the digital camera timer!

"Almost 2"

It’s time for another update because Andrew is 20 months as of December 10. Yikes…I’m starting to tell people he’s “almost 2” and that is just not right! We even packed away a lot of “baby” stuff and it made me very sad. That reminds me…I better book the photographer now for the 2-year photos since I never really did 18 months officially.

BUT, Christmas is going to be awesome this year with Andrew understanding so much more. His newest thing now though is to say “No” to whatever question you ask him. Do you want a cookie? No. Do you like playing with Daddy? No. Where is Minne? No. Aunt Beth heard it on the phone and she declared it adorable. Well, it is for a while :-) Do you want to take a nap? No! And that one gets a “real” NO complete with headshaking, etc. If he really means no, he does more of an “Uh, uh!”

We’ve been busy Christmas shopping, decorating (as much as we can with “almost 2-yr-old” hands grabbing at everything!) and hanging out together enjoying “normal” life now that Jeff is back to work. He’s liking it so far and of course we like that paycheck back. I’m still plugging along part time and loving/hating every minute of it! ;-) It might be time for the pros and cons list soon…

Big milestones for Andrew this month were his second haircut and a second visit to Santa. He did a LITTLE better at the haircut, but he still had to sit on my lap. He just doesn’t want those ticklish clippers near his head! Last year Santa was scary, but this year he didn’t care—it was the waiting in line that he would have no part of. We had to abort the line at San Tan mall since he started a tantrum and then this past weekend we went to Superstition Springs Mall to try again. I got smart and bribed him with a sucker that lasted JUST long enough so he had tootsie pop slobber on his chin for the photo! Santa told me he wanted a laptop and a cell phone!

Andrew is also trying to "sing" lately...this video is a rough singing--he does better! hahahaha...

Can’t believe I’m saying this, but I wish it was colder around here … But only when I’m not taking Andrew to the park for a playdate! Yes, I want to have my cake and eat it too!

With all the stress in our lives with Jeff’s job search (more on that later), etc, we have been having some fun around here lately with the family’s visit during Halloween, then Thanksgiving and now all the fun holiday stuff like decorating with Andrew and seeing his amazement with holiday lights (especially the Griswalds display next door…Seriously, you AZ people, please drive by my house and see what I mean). Not to mention other stuff like dealing with Andrew touching the tree and eating fake berries off of it … oh, and the dog eating a piece of Advent calendar chocolate meant for Andrew and me cleaning three puke spots off the carpet!)

As you can see below, we’ve been having some fun. And during all this, Jeff got offered a job—in Phoenix! So that means at least two more years here and no deploying for a while. Phew, I am glad this waiting is over! He is the OCS (Officer Candidate School) Coordinator for the Arizona National Guard in Phoenix and he just started on Monday. Hopefully all goes well, but he’s on the right track that’s for sure. Two more years here and then we’re off to wherever the Army takes us as he’ll probably go back in Active Duty. It’s exciting and scary all at once. I don’t even have time to think about that because I am too excited to have my little family together this year. It literally just hit me the other day that this is our first Christmas together as a family. Wow. And the first of many years Jeff wasn’t working some weird shift as a deputy patrolling the backwoods of Maricopa or Pinal county. Yippee and Merry Christmas to me! :-)

Mom and sis

Jeff and Sue, one of our family's best friends!

At his first house to trick-or-treat. Aunt Beth was there to capture the moment!

With Aunt Beth on to the next house.

With Grandma at the Wildlife World Zoo

The chickens were just amazing to him.

"Come here and let me hug you!"

Finally a date night after about a YEAR. Toby Keith's Veteran's Day event with Cowboy Troy!

Thanksgiving at the Howards

Helping to decorate after his bath.

P.S. When it says "Believe in the Magic" up there in our banner, we really mean it because my graphic designer friend had to super-impose Andrew's head onto that photo so we could ALL be smiling in at least ONE of our family photos!