Here's to 2009!

New Years Resolution #1 = Be a better blogger! I know that because of Facebook many people (including myself) haven't been blogging as much. Honestly, it has become more of a chore for me after blogging for 4 years. However, I don't want to view it that way. I need to be keeping a better record of what my girls are up to so that they have something to look back on. I SURE haven't been good about scrap booking or keeping up with baby books. So, hopefully, 2009 will be a well documented year.

With that said, if you want to see Christmas pictures - please look at my Facebook account.

This morning is a quiet one. Kaitlyn is in Lubbock with my parents for a few days, and James is in Dallas visiting some friends that he hasn't seen in awhile. Cora is walking around the house putting lip gloss all over her face. I can also tell by her arms that she had a fun time with a black sharpie marker while I was in the bathroom. Claire is sleeping now since she hardly slept at all last night. She and Cora both have double ear infections and bad coughs. Tis the season I suppose.

Since it's my first post of the new year, I will share some of what each girl is up to lately.

Kaitlyn Anne: It's so hard to believe that she is half way through Kindergarten. She has done so well this year. Her goal at school is to get "Student of the 6 Weeks." She is a VERY smart girl, but I'm afraid a little bit too social! :) Many times her prayers at night include the phrase "and please help me to not talk so much at school so that I can get Student of the 6 weeks." Bless her little heart.

She has lost 4 teeth so far. Her bottom 2 are about half way in, but the top two don't even look close to making an appearance. She looks so cute with her little gap in her mouth.

Things she likes to do: ride her scooter, play Wii, go see Gus the cat next door, play games, her Leapster, create cards and pictures - any kind of craft really, listen to music, play with friends, play/bug her sisters. Make up stories. We've talked a lot about telling the truth. She also likes to say "Raise your hand if you.." to ANYTHING. Raise your hand if you want to go outside! Raise your hand if you like me! Raise your hand if your bored! Raise your hand if you like ketchup! Raise your hand if your tired of the raise your hand game! (Okay, that one was mine)

Things she doesn't like: anything girly, no dress up stuff, no lip gloss, purses, etc. She has no desire to learn how to ride her bike. A few months ago she practiced for a couple of days and did really well. I know she could do it with no problem - she just doesn't want to. This drives me crazy! She doesn't like spicy foods. I have to pick the "red things" out when I make chicken spaghetti. Brushing her teeth. This is a fight every night. Taking baths - she much prefers showers.

Cora James: She is also just growing up too fast. She turned 2 on December 21st. We just had a little family (Elmo) party. We are going to have to figure out a way to really set her birthday apart from Christmas. It was okay this year though.

She is talking non stop. She can pretty much say anything she wants too. Her most common phrases/words are: Hi Sissy! Hi baby! Thanks, Mama. Apple juice? Lips? (lip gloss), Purse? I want to watch it. I a silly goose. I wanna draw. No. No. No. No. Yea. Bible. Pray? I see you!

Things she likes: ANYTHING girly. She has a purse that she carries everywhere. She only wants her lip gloss in it, nothing else usually. I don't wear that much make up, but she loves watching me put it on. She loves dress up clothes and making lots of noise with her dress up shoes on the hard wood floors. LOTION. She loves eating yogurt and nutrigrain bars. For as big as she is she really doesn't eat that much at all. She loves to play outside and swing. Rearranging furniture. The girls got a little table and chairs for Christmas and she is constantly moving them around the house. Any kind of toy that you have to put things in - shape sorters, puzzles, etc. She has a big plastic piggy bank with huge plastic coins that you put in the slot. She could do this for hours. She loves going to school and bible class, chewing gum.

Things she doesn't like: Her feet or hands getting dirty, too many foods to list, sharing - we are really working on this. She will not get out of the car until she buckles the straps on her and Claire's car seat. A little OCD maybe? When car alarms go off, or when the dryer buzzes.

Claire Elizabeth: I feel so bad that I haven't been keeping up with when she has done things for the first time. I really have no idea when she started crawling. I know that she really started walking around Thanksgiving, so that would make her about 10 months old. She really gets around well now. She wants so bad to do whatever Cora can do! She can wave bye-bye and mimic any kind of sound or facial expression you can make. It's hilarious. She can curl her tongue all sorts of ways. She is definitely skinnier than Kaitlyn or Cora were at her age. She puts everything in her mouth. She will literally crawl under a table or reach as far as she can under a dresser for the TINIEST piece of paper to put in her mouth. We have to constantly watch her. Her words: daddy, mama, bye-bye, thank you, uh-oh, book, sissy (sis), and lots of jibber jabber!

Things she likes: her bottle and paci. Her pink lovey. Her sisters making her laugh, sleeping with James on the couch, any toy that lights up or makes noise, pretty much any food that you give her, taking baths - she is CRAZY in the bathtub. Lotion. Playing with my phone.

Things she doesn't like: when Kaitlyn or Cora take something away from her, green veggies, when she gets woken up from a nap before she is ready to.

Well, there is a good starting point. This was probably kind of boring for most -but I needed to get that recorded! I'll try to make the next post more entertaining!

Okay, okay.. I'll add a few pictures.

I just loved this one of my Papa.