Let me see if I remember how to do this...

Finally I've found a little time to blog! It's been forever! The only reason I have the time right now is because all three of my children are in restraints. No, I've not "finally gone off the deep end," we're in the car on the way to AR for the holidays. I've been able to check my email, surf the web, play on my facebook page and now blog. I'm actually enjoying this 16 hour drive we're on! :) There are only so many demands that can be made on you in the car. I'm thinking we may have to sit in the car more often. Can I hire anyone to drive us around while I check email and blog? Any takers?? The pay is good...well, probably not but I'll buy us a round at the Starbucks drive through!

So, updates on the fam since my last blog...

We returned from AR the weekend after Thanksgiving and Nathan left again for more job training in Houston the following Monday. He was gone for two weeks and just returned this past Thursday night late. He was glad to get home. He was surprised to see how much Addison had grown in that two weeks. He is nearly done with his job training now, thank goodness! He will leave in January after we return from AR and will be gone for three weeks to Tulsa again. That will finish up his training and then hopefully he will not have to be gone as often or for as long.

Nathan's mom flew down from AR on the tenth of December to stay with us. She came to help me out with the girls while Nathan was gone so that I could get some things done around the house and get some Christmas shopping done too. It's been so nice having her with us. It's given me a little more freedom, especially in the mornings getting them all ready for school. The girls have enjoyed having her too.

Taylor started back to school after we returned and the transition back into her classroom went really smooth. She picked back up with everything just like she'd never left. She is still enjoying her first grade year. She has an awesome teacher who is so sweet. We celebrated her 7th birthday on the 10th. I can't believe she is 7!! It has gone by way too fast! On her birthday she wanted to go to El Chico for dinner. Since it was her birthday she got to choose where we would go out to eat that night. I was not looking forward to going there as I am still breastfeeding the baby and mexican food could really hurt her tummy if I ate it. But, since it was Taylor's day, I decided I could find something there to eat and would use every ounce of will-power I had to resist the salsa (my favorite!!) since she wanted mexican food. She ordered chicken strips. (CHICKEN STRIPS!!!!!) On Sunday we had her birthday party at the skating rink. (Is it ring or rink? The word rink sounds funny...anyway...) She hugged the wall around the rin(k/g) for about two rounds, maybe, then said she was done with skating. She didn't like it anymore...she played the arcade games and won tickets for some rinky-dink toys instead. She had a good time with her friends regardless, so I guess mission accomplished.

Emma has been a real mess lately. I'm not sure if it's all the adjustments with having a new baby in the house or what. She has been getting into EVERYTHING and has just been really high maintenance. Some days are good, when Taylor is at school, and she will be really sweet and will play and watch tv and be contented. A few days ago I was getting her dressed and decided to try to straighten her hair. I finally got all of her curls straightened and her hair was so long! She thought she was so pretty. She couldn't quit looking at herself in the mirror and flipping it. All day she fluttered around on her tiptoes like having her hair soft and straighted made her float around like a fairy. Her Christmas party at her preschool was this past Friday. She had a good time at that. Her friend Jaden came over that morning to ride with us to school and she kept asking him to come into the bathroom where I was straightening her hair (again) so that "he could see how beautiful it is." He'd come to the door and she'd say "look at my hair, it's straight and so pretty!" He'd say "I see it Emma, I'm going to go play now." That same dialogue occurred about three more times before I was finished with her. Later as I was finishing getting dressed I heard Emma and Jaden talking in Nathan's office...(There is a mounted deer head on the wall in there) Jaden said "Hey Emma, why is there a reindeer on your wall?!!" Emma said, "That's not a reindeer, that's just a deer! ha ha!" Then Jaden says "Well, where's his butt?" Emma said "Ha ha ha!! He doesn't got no butt!" I was cracking up listening to them. They are so cute.

Little Addison is really growing. She was 10 lbs and 23 inches long at her one month checkup several weeks ago. She'd grown 3 lbs and 3 inches in a month! Rightly so, as much as she eats. She's a little piggy! Her cheeks have really filled out now. She's had a little trouble lately when she nurses. The pediatrician says it's reflux and she's now on Zantac for that. I can't tell much of a difference, she's still having some difficulties tolerating my milk, more so at night between 8 pm and 11 pm. During the day and at her 2 am feeding she is better. She has now grown out of her newborn clothing and is in 0-3 months now. :( ...so sad. They grow so fast. I swear she is getting bigger right before my eyes. She has started smiling at us now when we talk to her and also when she sees something familiar, like things hanging on the wall. Last night I thought she was going to laugh out loud at the refrigerator as I stood filling my glass with water. I was a little jealous that I'd never gotten a smile that big before.

Well, I'm beginning to get a little lightheaded staring at this computer screen in the car so I'd better get off before I have to use Addison's burp cloth myself! Hopefully I'll get to post again soon...probably on our way back to FL after Christmas. Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

Happy Holidays from the Holland Elves (QUICK! Scroll down and pause the music player below!)

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