A delayed 7 month post

In all the Christmas rush and holiday cheer...our little guy turned 7 months old!  What is he up to lately? Well, let me tell you!

Sitting on his own
Still trying to crawl (up on all fours and moving backwards)
Reaches for me when I go to pick him up (LOVE this one)
Gives the biggest hugs in the world!
Eating three meals a day and 4 bottles
Sitting up in the bath with sister
In absolute adoration of his sister
Two 2 hour naps a day and then sleeps from 7pm-4-5am, then back to sleep until 7:30am (hoping this is the month he drops that really, really early morning bottle)

He is truly one of the happiest babies I have ever seen.  Hoping that might have something to do with us?!?  In all our traveling, he did amazing.  Hardly a peep.  Instead we got spit bubbles and happy squeals from the back seat.

Graham will be starting Mother's Morning Out where Anna went last year.  I am a bit sad but happy about getting two days to really work on my business and then spend all my other time with my two wonderful children!

No appointment this month.  Next one at 9 months old.

Christmas Part 2

Friday, December 23 - LOAD up and drive to my parents house in Cartersville!

We arrived to the smell of Christmas.  You know that smell.  Home cooking mixed with mulling spices, wine and LOVE.  Lots of love.  My sister and her crew arrived shortly after we did and the family just kept on coming.  John's cousin, Blake and his wife and their son Barrett came and then Matt showed up after that!  The stage was set for another amazing holiday.

Graham and Barrett reviewing the toy selection.

These two are just trouble.  But just stinkin adorable.

Saturday, December 24: Christmas Eve!

My parents surprised us a couple of days before we arrived with tickets to the GA Aquarium and Dolphin Show.  The kids L.O.V.E.D it and well, us grown-ups thought it was pretty awesome.  We arrived right as it opened and basically enjoyed the large wall of fish all to ourselves.

L to R: All lined up in front of the GIANT tank, Dad's face filled with child-like wonder, Anna pointing out all the SHARKS!

After a long morning and a brief food stop courtesy of the Varsity (Whadya have whadya have?!?)...it was nap time.  We went to a beautiful Christmas Eve service and then Kristen and her family headed back to their house to get ready for Santa and we did the same at Mom and Dad's.  We were lucky that Santa had already visited Anna and Graham...but we needed for John to read, "Twas the Night Before Christmas" anyway.  You can see that next year might prove to be a bit easier.

Sunday, December 25: Merry Christmas!!


It was a wonderful Christmas Day despite the rainy weather.  This year we focused on the kids and that proved to be crazy enough!  The girls loved their giant Minnie Mouse's and stylish clothes, while the boys giggled over trucks, books and new winter caps. It was a great day.

This paper is delish!

The girls studying Anna's new Disney Princess calendar. 

Best game ever- Headbanz!

G- It's for you!

Me and my beautiful sister

Monday, December 26: A slow morning and sad good-byes.

It was a leisurely pace around the Wilkins' house with big yawns, steaming cups of coffee and Christmas twinkles in our eyes. The kids ran around the kitchen, bounding up and down the stairs and just soaked up all those last hours together.  This year the kids really played...as in, went off by themselves and played together.  Next year will be even better.  Anna was quite attached to Ryan this year and as Ryan said, "Anna likes to play "chase Ryan".

This is hysterical.  The girls eating their breakfast houses.

My amazing family!

Thanks Mom and Dad for another unforgettable family holiday.  You guys are the glue and our ROCKS.

Katie, we missed you!  Look forward to seeing you soon!

Our early Christmas.

This was the last year we could probably pull this off.  But it went off without a hitch.  Santa was able to visit our house 8 days early due to our holiday travel schedule.  We are so thankful for that big guy and his elves who we are sure spent at LEAST 2 hours putting together the kitchen for Anna.  But this face was totally worth it.

She ran right to the kitchen and squealed with delight and immediately made us breakfast.  How awesome is she?

Graham loved his wooden sea animal musical instruments.  He showed us by chewing on them with vigor.

John's parents came to visit us and brought beaucoup's of presents with them.  They did good.

Anna busy in her kitchen.

Anna also showed us that she had NO problems tearing into presents.  In fact, every day after this she woke up asking for "More presents?".

Graham LOVES his new walker and almost has the hang on it.  He can scoot around pretty good.

More coming about our trip to Atlanta!

Merry Christmas!

Poor Santa had his hands full last night with these two.  And their hands were full of his white beard.

I don't want to forget

There are so many days I say to myself...Oh!  I don't want to forget this memory!  And well, I have proven on a daily basis that I am extraordinarily forgetful.  So here is my brain dump...

The way Anna says:

• Sinkerbell (aka Tinkerbell)
• Hold You (with her arms stretched up to me)
• Bye-bye Cooper and Abbie!  (as we walk out the door to school)
• More Prayers!  (in an attempt to have me stay longer before lights out at night)
• Puh-lease!  (just a good ol' fashioned, drawn out, southern way of saying "Please")
• Sally Go-Go.  (this means turn on Cat and the Hat.  ASAP)
• When we are walking down the stairs, she says, "Bye-bye, Self!".  Meaning...keep on walkin' Mom, I got this. 
• Silly lamby.  (oh Lamby.  You are the silliest lovey she knows.  How you are so funny as an inanimate object I will never know.  But you are, very, very silly.  This is followed by a barrage of kisses only reserved for Lamby) 

Graham got his second tooth and is starting to sit longer on his own.  SLOW down buddy.  Puh-lease!!

I know I am forgetting so many things so I must get much better about writing all these wonderful things down.  I seriously never want to forget.