Birdie & Monkey

Birdie and Monkey are two of the most important friends in our lives right now. Birdie belongs to Jonah. Monkey belongs to Silas. Silas received Monkey as a baby gift from my cousin. Initially, Jonah really liked Monkey and played with him a fair amount. We brought him on a vacation last summer. The first night of our vacation, Silas woke up screaming and could not settle down for anything, which is so unusual for him. After trying everything else that we could to quiet him down, we thought we would try giving him a stuffed animal to clutch. It worked. Since then, Silas can't sleep without him and Monkey is often found riding in a Little People school bus or dancing to whatever music is playing.

Jonah got Birdie for his birthday in November from my aunt. Jonah has never attached to a stuffed animal before but for some reason ever since he set eyes on Birdie they have been best friends. Jonah named Birdie "Heezy." We have no idea where that name came from. One day, we asked him where he got that name from and his reply was, "I heard it in the bathroom." Huh?!?! What does that mean? Birdie takes naps with Jonah and sleeps with him at night. Often times, Jonah prefers that if we ask him a question that we also address Heezy. I have kissed and hugged Heezy and brushed his feathers. Just now, Jonah brought me Heezy and said, "Mommy, you are a nurse. You take care of Birdie." Then, he proceeded to find a play knife from our kitchen set and start cutting Heezy's hair. Yesterday, Jonah told us that Heezy came from Kababa. Anyone know where that it? :)

Mike set up this picture the other day when Monkey and Birdie were down in the basement. He showed me and I just thought about that one day years from now we will look back on this picture or find Heezy and Monkey after them being packed away for some time after the boys are through with them and smile and remember how sweet this time of life with an imaginative 3 year old and a busy, loving, and sweet 18 month old was. And, we will miss it.

Christmas With the Nelsons

The Tuesday after Christmas (the 27th) we left the Cities for Mountain Lake. That afternoon we enjoyed Christmas with my parents, my sister and brother-in-law, and their girls. It was a bit hectic to have a 3 year old, two 20 month olds, and an 18 month old running around but lots of fun, too!

 Trying to get a good picture of all of us is impossible in this stage of life

 Sometimes Brother's affection is welcomed....

 Sometimes it is not...

 Mommy read the Christmas story with Jonah's help

 Grandma and her bag of Goldfish were a hit

 Jonah worked hard at handing out gifts

 Sy enjoyed resting with Grandma until the present opening began

 Daddy and Jonah read some of his new Little Critter books from Grandma and Grandpa right away

 Silas and Uncle Paul kind of matched...Uncle Paul will need to work on the snowman patch for next year

 Silas and the girls thought shaking the plastic bag was hilarious

 More attempts at a cousins picture were unsuccessful

Me and My Love

Christmas With the Rues

The day after Christmas we enjoyed Christmas with Mike's family. In the morning, we opened gifts with Mike's parents and his brother. Later in the day, his grandparents and cousins came for dinner and games. It was a fun day with the family!

 Silas seemed to really take to Great Grandpa. He typically doesn't cuddle up next to anyone but us, but while in his still-groggy-after-nap phase he cuddled up next to Grandpa. It was very sweet.

 Silas has been known to walk around the house for some time with his beloved Monkey hanging out of his mouth by its tail.

 One of the "games" we played was a coloring contest with our non-dominant hand. Jonah was allowed to color with his dominant hand. Can you guess which one was Jonah's? It is the middle one in the top row. He did an AMAZING job. He isn't much for coloring at home, but when he was sitting at the table with all of us working so hard on our trees he really worked hard, too.

Jonah and Great Grandma enjoyed some Berenstain Bears reading time.

Christmas Day

Our Christmas day started off with a church service at Calvary where Mike and I along with the rest of the worship team led our congregation in singing a few Christmas songs followed by a brief "talk" from Mike about Jesus being born as the friend of sinners. He came to bring salvation to us all!

After church, we took off for Minnesota with hopes of being at my Grandma's by early evening. Thankfully, the weather was perfect. And, the boys did great! Even with Jonah being potty trained now, he does wonderfully traveling. We arrived at my Grandma's house around 6:30, I think. Everyone else had already eaten supper, but we still got to eat and visit and open some gifts.

 The boys Christmas morning

 Our Family - Self-Timed

 Two of the many attempts at a cousins pictures

By the end of the night, this was the best picture we could get with Great Grandma. We love our Grandma so much and are so glad that we were able to visit her at Christmas even if it was for such a short time!

Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Eve was spent at home enjoying our own little family Christmas. We had a GREAT day together! The boys got to open their gifts and spent most of the day playing with them. Mike and I enjoyed some time to mostly relax, although I had to work on packing for our trip to Minnesota. 

 The boys opening their first presents of the day.

 The boys checking out their new train table

 We missed out on the extended Nelson family Christmas, so we made our own cinnamon roll Christmas tree.

 Later in the morning, we opened up our stockings.

 Jonah got an Angry Bird in his stocking.

 And, he got a slinky. It didn't go down the stairs very well, but they tried.

 Silas got tired out and decided this would be a good place to rest.

 After naps, we opened a few little presents.

This advent we used an Usborne nativity book that had a piece of the nativity scene that you took out and set up. We read the book every night and by the end Jonah could almost recite the book by memory. 

We are always thankful for days when our whole family is home together for an entire day. It doesn't happen that often. And, we are especially thankful for when that day is a day to celebrate Jesus' birth!