Bo Bo's First Christmas

Well, let me start off by saying that all my dreams of matching Christmas outfits and beautiful pictures did not come true this year. While we did have a great Christmas, we were really not able to capture that on camera. Our Christmas cards ended up having separate individual pictures of each kid after MANY failed attempts and tears. I think everyone here except for Fred ending up crying during at least one of our photo sessions. Oh, well. Maybe next year. Here are some outtakes...

The Santa pictures were equally horrible. Bo was asleep in the line. I thought it would work out perfectly and we would just hand over a sweet sleeping baby. Then he woke up and just looked really confused and/or mad in all of the pictures. Womp, womp. 

Miller's class did a little Christmas program in which they screamed sang a few songs while wearing animal prints. It was super cute. 

Then, it was Christmas. 

Santa brought Disney tickets, which were hidden in Miller's stocking. Now, we had convinced her that she should ask Santa for the tickets but that he might not bring them because she might not  be old enough to go to Disney. When she thought she had seen all of her presents, she almost started crying because she thought she wasn't getting the tickets. She was trying so hard to be brave and act happy. It was really sweet. When she did finally find the tickets, she said "Oh, that's gonna be so fun!"and then just kept digging through her stocking. It wasn't the amazing moment I had anticipated, but that's usually how it goes right? We also started Elf on the Shelf this year. Miller started out terrified of it, but eventually got into it. She named her elf Elf. Anyway, Miller had a great Christmas and was really into everything. Bo just pretty much played with a gold ribbon and slept. 

Princess Academy

In November, Miller met up with some friends from school for SCCT's Princess Academy. They had a great time. Miller's favorite part was when we arrived (last of all of her friends, of course) and her little friends started chanting, "Miller! Miller! Miller!" She still randomly says, "Mommy, remember when we went to that princess thing and all my friends were like-Miller, Miller!" Ha!

Sweet friends. (Miller, Ava, Camille, and Natalie)

Princess dance party!

Sweet girls with "Tangled."

Miller and Cinderella. 

The Princess Academy was good practice for our trip to Disney. I was so  glad that Miller wasn't scared of the princesses like she has been in the past. Of course, I told her that these princesses were just girls dressed up, because the REAL princesses live at Disney World. :)

Halloween

On Halloween, I was still on maternity leave, so I got to go to Miller's school and watch their Halloween parade. It was so stinkin' cute!

Miller's Class

Miller and her buddy, Camille. 

That night, our neighborhood had an awesome party on Halloween with food, a parade, and a fire truck! 

Naturally, Miller was very focused on eating. This kid can eat! It's amazing. 

Batgirl started out the evening being really jerky and refusing to smile for any pictures. She finally warmed up for a picture on the fire truck!

Superman and Batgirl protecting the neighborhood.

Batmen.

Super Blevins!

Batgirls.

Neighborhood Super Heroes (and a cupcake.)

Pumpkin Pickin'

So, we had quit an adventure this year at the pumpkin patch. We went to Denver Downs, which is awesome and has all kinds of fun kid stuff other than pumpkin picking. Sounds like good family fun, right? Well, it mostly was....if you don't count the part where a jerky kid threw dirt at Miller, which made me yell at the kid, which made the kid's dad almost get in a fight with Fred. Oops. Other than that it was good times. Miller picked out about 9 little, ugly pumpkins of all colors, shapes, and sizes. We ended up having to buy more at the grocery store to carve because none of her weirdo picks were suitable. Here are some pics....

Starving Artist Show

In October, Miller's class held their annual Starving Artist Show. They did a little performance where they sang songs and their artwork was on display. We put money in a jar for the school, hence the "starving artist" title. Basically, I paid money to take home my own kid's artwork. Well played, ARBC. Here are some pics of the show.

 Mrs. Nancy and some friends. 

Snacking with Camille and Daddy.

Posing with Brother. He slept through the whole thing, naturally.

Taking It WAY Back...

I haven't blogged since fall. I haven't had a whole lot of time, obviously. So, right now while Fred is making dinner, Bo is sleeping, and Miller is practicing forward rolls on a stack of pillows, I'm going to start trying to catch up. I have to go in order or it drives me crazy, so I'm going back to October.

First, we went to Sky Top to pick apples. It was our first big outing as a family of four, and it was freezing!  Bo was all bundled up in the Bjorn and slept the whole time. Miller was a little cranky because she was so cold. Then she burned her mouth on some HOT chocolate. Fortunately, an apple cider slushy and a doughnut saved the day. Those doughnuts! They are so delicious AND they don't have eggs in them. After Sky Top, we went to get pizza in Flat Rock. I guess that's become tradition. It was good times! Here are some pics.

Picking apples with Daddy.

I wanted a picture of her in a tree like I got the year before. No dice.

 Bamboo forest.

How tall this Fall? I'm still only 5 feet-same as last year. Darn.

Yay for apples! By the way, she doesn't really even like apples. 

Single Parent Weekend

Fred had to go to Alabama this weekend to help take care of some things due to his father passing away in August. I was left alone to parent two kids ALL BY MYSELF for a WHOLE weekend. I know that people do this all the time, but those people aren't me and I am definitely not cut out to be a single parent. When Fred got home, I told him to feel free to cheat on me or do any other horrible husband behavior he wants to for the next year, because I will definitely not leave him  until Bo is at least one! I wish I was kidding.

Needless to say, things didn't go so well over the weekend. Everything was okay until bed time Friday night. Neither kid would lay down without screaming. If one was down, the other was up for HOURS. There were several points where they were both up and crying. It's all a little hazy due to my exhaustion, but I can tell you that at some point Miller pooped in the bathroom floor. Have you had the pleasure of cleaning preschooler poop off a floor while holding a screaming baby? Well, I have.

Saturday started out fine. We had Miller's soccer game, she played with her friends across the street while Bo slept, and we had a floor picnic while we (I) watched the Carolina game. Let's not talk about that horrible display of football, by the way. So, since things were going so well, I thought we would walk up to the playground at my school. Spoiler alert: things did not go well from there.

We were all set to go when I realized I had left my phone in the house. I left the door open and ran in to get it. While my back was turned for 2 seconds, I heard, "Mommy, I'll just go ahead and push Bo down the driveway." I ran outside in slow motion yelling "NOOOOOOOO!"  It was too late. Bo's stroller (with him in it) was in the street and Miller was bawling and saying, "It wouldn't let me stop, Mommy! I tried to stop when you said no, but the stroller wouldn't let me!" Poor kid. She really didn't know she was doing anything wrong and she's lucky she didn't face plant while being dragged down the driveway. Bo is lucky we don't have much traffic on our street. Geez. I probably should have taken  that as a sign that we should have stayed home.

Instead, I got Miller sufficiently lectured and calmed down and we headed to the playground. Bo was asleep at this point. Two minutes later, he was not. He refused to go to sleep the whole time we were at the playground. I tried swaddling him, strolling him, shaking him (just kidding) and wearing him all while Miller yelled at me for not playing with her. Finally, I gave up. I stuffed that kid under my shirt and fed him. My nursing cover was conveniently at home, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, right?  And thank goodness I did because that put him right to sleep. For about ten minutes. Then he went back to screaming. At that point, I had to get out of there, so we walked back home with a baby screaming bloody murder and a very slow-walking, pouty Miller. It was delightful.

I decided my best plan of action for bedtime was to put Miller in front of a movie and get Bo down and just let her stay up until he was done with his night time up and down routine. She was up about 2 hours past her bedtime, but I avoided the drama of Friday night at least. That is what you call stellar parenting. You should probably be taking notes.  Oh well, I had them both down by 9:30 so  that was a success. Bo woke up about 146 times in the night, but who's counting?

Sunday, we just hung out and anxiously awaited Daddy's return home with Miller's  promised bribe of a Lite Brite for good behavior. I have never felt so relieved as I did when Fred walked in the door. I might have cried a little. He is never allowed to leave me again. Ever.