Lake House with the Moseleys

After I dropped Jonathan off at the airport (did I mention he went on a mission trip to Haiti?), the boys and I joined the Moseleys at a lake house they rented on Lake Norman for a few days.

Before the lake, everyone joined us for a big Christmas meal and exchange of gifts at our house. One of the most precious ones was a recordable storybook that Dad Moseley gave our family. It's his voice reading the Christmas story. Josiah LOVES it. He listens to it over and over. It'll be a treasure for years to come.

Micah playing with Granddaddy's hat.

Micah with Aunt Anna

Somebody took a picture of me! I loved getting some Caleb snuggles.

Tickle fight with Granddaddy!

Caleb and Josiah teaming up...

Josiah taken down.

Micah getting some Mimi snuggles. She was trying to get him to sleep...

But everyone wanted some Mimi-love.

Cousins enjoying lunch together. They really bonded during this trip I think. Caleb learned how to say "Siah," and they hand lots of fun running back and forth together.

Micah hanging with Great-Granddaddy.

Snowball Fight With Daddy

Nailing Daddy with a snowball.

Getting hammered by his own father. Daddy pulls no punches, even for a 3-year-old. Josiah just laughed and laughed.

Our Finished Snowman

White Christmas

Starting to Understand Christmas

Josiah really loved our Advent calendar and had much more fun this year putting the pieces on the picture. So much so that there was normally a lengthy discussion each day about why we can only put one piece on at a time. A good lesson in patience... He also requested I read him part of the Christmas story from his real Bible each day.

I was telling him what was going to happen on Christmas Day: "First we'll read the Christmas story, and we might act out part of it. Then we'll go downstairs and open presents!"
Josiah interrupted, "And put Jesus on the calendar!"
Absolutely...

Overall, he understood so much of the Christmas story this year. When we pulled out his Little People Nativity, we went through the characters, and I brought out Joseph. I asked Josiah who it was. He said, "I don't know." I said, "who was Jesus Daddy?" He thought about it and answered, "God." He's a pretty good theologian for age three.

He also told everyone who asked him what Santa was bringing him for Christmas that "Santa is just make-believe." I didn't hear him say it to any children.

Christmas Jammies

The Children Were Nestled All Snug in Their Beds

(I know we already did a picture like this, but they were in Christmas jammies, and the pictures quality was better and expressions sweeter...)
More Christmas to come...

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Luke 2

John to the World

"Let every heart, repair him room..."

Santa Hat Returns

Remember the very cute pictures of Josiah in his Santa hat on his first Christmas?
Here is a reminder:

And here's Micah...

A little jollier, I'd say.

I didn't think cheeks could get any chubbier than Josiah, but Micah may have outdone him. Of course Micah is 2 months older than Josiah was in his pictures.

My Talented Mimi

My Mimi made me this handsome smocked outfit for Christmas.

Didn't she do a good job?

I love it so much that I avoided spitting up on it for several hours.

And it's making me give the sweetest smiles.

Mama said she wasn't normally a big fan of smocked outfits for boys, but she's completely in love with this one (and me). I think my Mimi is very talented. I can't wait to give her a big kiss to thank her.

She also cross-stitched a new stocking for me. I chose my Uncle David's pattern so it would match my family's stockings.

Here are the rest of my family's. The intricacy is amazing (don't I have a good vocabulary for a 6-month-old?). She spent hours and hours and hours making these!

What a treasure!

Preschool Christmas Performance

Josiah had his first Christmas performance on Wednesday at his preschool's Birthday Party for Jesus. They made their t-shirts in class with their handprints.

The angels making their appearance.

Josiah stood stock still the whole time, staring into the audience, but not singing a word. It's pretty funny because he is always singing to us at home and even blasts out a tune at a restaurant or store. But he said he was too afraid to do it this time. But he was very well-behaved. Some of the other angels were er, less angelic.

After the performance in his classroom.

Sometimes he looks so grown-up it hurts a little.

This is a video only a grandparent could love, but feel free to peruse.

Micah at 6 Months

Half a year already! So blessed with our sweet little boy!

This cute giggle was out of focus because I can't get him to laugh and look through the viewfinder at the same time.

Having some crazy shadow light issues.

"Of course you need a fill flash, Mama. Don't you remember anything from your photojournalism degree?"

Going down, but happy about it.

Scratch near his eye. Poor kid. We try to keep an eye on his nails, but if he even gets the slightest edge, he'll scratch himself.

We started solids a week or so ago. He's not a fan of either the rice cereal or bananas, but I fed him pureed pumpkin today, and he seemed to really like it. Maybe he'll be a veggie-man?

He's doing much better with sleeping. Generally he's up once after we lay him down the first time, but before we go to bed (self-imposed dream feed?). Most nights lately he'll sleep until 6-7 a.m. A little crying-out is helping, but we haven't perfected everything yet.

His naps are much longer too, especially while Josiah's sleeping. His morning nap is dicey because we're normally out and about or the environment is not conducive to sleep (aka brother is really loud and fun).

The other thing that's been helping him sleep longer. We've laid him down on his tummy. *Gasp* He's pretty out of the danger zone for SIDS at this point, and he can flip over.

He's sitting up really well and enjoys more of his toys. He's like Josiah in that he loves paper and plastic things. Josiah used to play with my hair while nursing, and Micah does the same. That's a sweet Mommy-memory I'll hold onto forever. He also loves to yank my hair, and boy, is he strong. He actually pulled down the shower curtain rod the other day.

Still doesn't fall asleep in the car seat. He's not miserable there, but he doesn't just lull off to sleep like his brothers, so eventually he gets bored. We've had to get creative with car trips!

Overall he is still sweet, snuggly, smiley, easy-going kid. As long as he's not starving, he does great in the nursery and with strangers.