Happy New Year

Happy New Year Everyone! We hope this is your best one yet. We are looking forward to this year especially, as we'll have a brand new baby in May!!!:-) Yeeeaaaahhhh! Very exciting. Please keep baby Babby #4 in your prayers. Thank you:)

Baby's 1st and last (I hope) Cast

So, who was it that said, "Girls are less rambuncious."? I'd like to argue that point. Just kidding. It's the most ridiculous thing. We had just gotten home from the sonogram, excited to show the kids pictures of "their" baby (nope, we didn't find out, it's a surprise) when our babysitter told us about how Patsy had just tripped/slipped down a stair. She was holding her hand, but Patsy has been doing this slip-hop manuver and sure enough she landed on it wrong. Long story short, she had to have a cast for a week because no 2 year old in the world will be compliant with a splint. X-ray looked great, no swelling (we did ice it for quite awhile) but when it came to weight bearing, she cried--poor baby. So, she had a pink cast for a week. At least her favorite color was an option.

This is the second time, while pregnant, I've had a 2 year old in a cast for what seemed to be a minor little accident. Nathan had a long arm cast for a week (buckle fracture to R. thumb) right before Brandon was born. He was doing the dangerous act of crawling in a bounce house. CRAWLING. He wasn't even jumping! There wasn't anyone jumping, he just rolled on it wrong...???? Drives me nuts! Oh well, as long as it's nothing serious or irreversible, I'll continue to count my blessings:) Thank you God.

The Countdown

We let the kids watch the ball drop in NYC. EST comes in handy for little ones who need to get to bed! We told the kids their resolutions would include not being injured this year (God, please help us on that one). Nathan got four stitches on the bottom of his chin in the beginning of December--injury on the playstructure at school. That happend while David was traveling, fun for Mommy!

Happy New Year to all of you. We wish you a peaceful and healthy 2010.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

No, he's not ours...I wish. He does make me want another boy:) After we got Patsy's cast on, we headed to the city in attempt to fulfill our original plans. The pleasant surprise was meeting our brand new, GORGEOUS nephew, baby Timmy (this type of change in plans, we don't mind). He's perfect. We had our own baby-on-the-way appointment right after and David was gloating a bit that he got to hold the baby the longest. Happy Anniversay darling!

Me and My Pony

Patsy was enjoying some time on the rocking horse in front of the tree. She actually gave me a smile without closing her eyes and doing the "cheeeese" response.

Christmas Eve

Here they are, our 3 wee ones ready for mass on Christmas Eve. We attend a 3PM "parishioners" mass (every C&E in town is there-my father's term, not mine) which gets us home early enough to do our festivities and still get the kids down at a reasonable time. Lots of fun.

From our family to yours...

God bless and Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve Gift

In keeping with the Farrelly tradition, the kids get to open one gift on Chritmas Eve. The gifts are Christmas pajamas that they wear to bed and wake-up in on Christmas morning to open all the presents Santa left the night before. Usually, I buy this gift and I buy them big so that the following year they have festive PJs they can start wearing Thanksgiving night to start the season. But, because my husband gets the "Husband of the Year" award for doing all the Christmas shopping (fortuantely it was a very busy 4th quarter--literally I only bought David's gifts), the kids got practical PJs that they LOVED. Thanks sweetheart;-)

All Snuggly

At least they can wear these all year round.

We Wish you a Merry Christmas

This is a Babby tradition. This kids sing and mime, "We wish you a Merry Christmas" in their jammies before bed on Christmas eve.

Santa vs.Tooth Fairy

We tried to convince Nathan that it would be very cool to have Santa and the Tooth Fairy come on the same night. But the tooth just wasn't ready (L. central incisor). I'm getting a bit anxious because his permanent tooth is already growing in behind the loose one...potentially creating quite the "Billy-Bob" situation. His dentist told me not to worry as it would move forward on its own. Hmm, how early can they get braces?

Hanging Stockings

Patsy (Patricia) now has her name on her stocking and finally in the correct font! Daddy does the honors of helping her hang it. Soon we'll see if anyone gets coal.

Goodnight...Merry Christmas

Sleep well everyone, the kids will be up soon... :-)

Santa Visit

Since we didn't have our "annual" Christmas party, we went to a house nearby that really goes for it decorating-wise (they've been published), and this year they had Santa too! No lines, no waiting. Patsy still has no interest in the man, regardless of his reputation. She loves him from afar but flips when we get too close. You wouldn't know it from this shot because she has her "cheese" face plastered on (she literally closes her eyes and says "cheese" whenever she sees a camera--we've ruined her) but she doesn't like her brothers getting too close either.

Big Hug for Santa

Very sweet. One of Nathan's friends recently suggested that there was no Santa, and the presents he brings are really from his mom. Can you believe that? I'm appalled. No worries here, we believe:)

1st Grade Nativity Pageant

Nathan was a liturgy reader/angel at the Nativity Pageant which the 1st graders perform the last day of school, before Christmas vacation. What a great job they did! About 72 1st graders in all, and I couldn't have been more impressed at how absolutely perfect they all were--so sweet. After mass there was a big party in honor of them and their families.

Here's his costume, that I made from an old tablecloth (you wouldn't believe how hard it is to find a masculine angel costume. You also wouldn't believe the look on Nathan's face when he thought I was going make him wear a tule-dress-with-sparklies-on-it angel costume.) I ordered a boy's costume on-line, however, it left the warehouse late and arrived the day after the pageant, NICE. So, I borrowed a pair of wings from my girlfriend, added Patsy's feathered wings, reinforced the halo with more fur and wrapped him up in gold cords. He looked great! The HUGE feathered wings from the other costume would've been perfect, but, oh wellll. There's still Brandon and Patsy. Plus, if you're ever in need to borrow an angel costume (even if it's just an attempt to brainwash your kid that he/she is an angel) let me know, I've got you covered:)

I'm Ready!

Nathan and some of his friends/classmates as they wait for the show-I mean Mass-to begin.

Welcomer

Nathan is being introduced by the principal and the pageant will begin with Nathan welcoming everyone. He had 3 lines and he practiced for nearly a month.

One of Nathan's teachers said to me the other day, "We love Nathan and he's a good boy. He doesn't do anything the other kids aren't doing, but he often gets his ticket taken away (a reward system) because we can hear him. He just has one of those voices that carries. It will work for him someday- he'll never need a microphone and could be a radio announcer someday. But poor kid, he just can't blend when it comes to talking."

Nathan Saves the Pageant!

After Nathan did an outstanding job welcoming everyone, David and I sat in the pew looking at each other every chance we could- elated at seeing him up there and very, very proud.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I see this extra furry halo bouncing up to the pulpit (boing, boing, boing). Suddenly, there stands Nathan next to Cooper and he starts reading. I don't mean 3 lines, I mean reading. I found myself thinking...uh-oh, we didn't practice this at home. Someone must've gotten scared. Then he sat down again, and I thought to myself, great job Nathan.

Then as I'm sitting there, what do I see again? Boing, boing, boing comes the bouncing halo and Nathan's at the pulpit reading again. This time he read for quite awhile and busts out with "they brought him sweet-smelling frankincense and myrhh...." Sweet-smelling frankincense and myrhh! I don't when it was that I could read that so easily and without practice, but it wasn't 1st grade. He was amazing. He loved being up there in front of everyone, he loved rising to the occasion, he loved giving his gift to Jesus.

Okay, I will stop gushing--but you kind of knew this would happen when you blogged in;) To be a little more fair-and-balanced, the pageant didn't need "saving" and I will post an excerpt from an email our friend forwarded on to us from Nathan's teacher regarding the pageant. No one got scared, just had to stay home due to illness:( Poor babies, they practiced so much.

~Oh, my, how we missed you at the First Grade Christmas Pageant!Guess what, though? Nathan Babby stood in for you, and he did a fine job reading your part--on such short notice, too! He and I rehearsed your reading part in the classroom, and he was ready to go! It was lucky for us that hehappened to be sitting right by the microphone so when someone came up without a buddy, Nathan hopped up to read the part. He also substituted for Aaron who was sick, too. I bet Nathan had no idea that he would have not one, but three reading parts when he woke up today!~

At the party afterwards his other teacher said to me smiling, "See this is when that voice works for him!" Well done Nathan. We're very proud of you! XOXO

"MY BROTHER'S DRESSED LIKE A GIRL!"

It's okay Nathan, your brother's day is coming!

A New Tree Skirt

The kids got a new skirt for the children's tree, finally. I had a specific skirt in mind. Of course, I've never seen this skirt before and it exists only in my mind, but I was on a mission. I looked everywhere; on-line, discount stores as well as boutiques when I realized, I'd have to make it myself. Then my logic kicked in...yeah, I'll just whip that out in my spare time. Luckily PB had a darling one, so that became the one. The kids love it because it has the name of each reindeer embroidered on it's back, and due to a mishap by the monogrammer, they have two fonts to choose from (don't ask).

Brandon's Christmas Show!

Here's our little man, just entered the stage for his 1st Christmas show. They sang songs and did little dances for us. Very cute. I'll post the video...later;)

Dancing Partner

They're cutting a rug!

B. Boy's Class

They were perfect. Now they get a party!!!

A Star is Born

Patsy kept trying to join the kids on stage and did quite show herself between David's and my lap. Here you see her finally get up there and she remembered a lot of the moves and was singing away all on her own. I thought it was quite entertaining but she does come from two tone-deaf parents, so... did I mention her coordination and natural rhythm?:)

Nathan's Christmas Concert

Two concerts the same day, lucky they were at different times! Well here is our only decent picture as the canon backpack with my lens and new flash is right where it should be-- at home on the dining room table...AAHHGG! We have video that I'll post...later.

(In my copious amounts of spare time) :-)

Leopard Girl

Patsy is an avid fan of all things Leopard. Actually, we saw the cutest pair of Zebra printed rainboots with pink trim the other day, so maybe it's an animal print thing. She cried when we didn't make the purchase. Hmm, maybe Santa will bring some...best stay on the nice list, Patsy!

"The" Tree

Well we found the perfect one for 09. A even bigger feat was getting these 3 out of the bounce house the tree farm had to take this picture.

All of Us

Let the decorating begin!

All I want for Christmas...

Well it finally happend...Nathan lost his first tooth! I remember vividly the day it was first discovered to be loose. First I'll give you some history on the subject. Nathan has been asking me for about a year, if not longer, when he was going to have a loose tooth. He had heard stories of grandeur about teeth falling out and the tooth fairy coming to collect the goods while leaving money or prizes behind. Needless to say, he's been waiting for this to happen to him and getting a bit impatient. I told him, "Sweetie pie, your father and I were both late bloomers, so it's likely you'll be one too. Don't worry, I promise your teeth will fall out. If not now, in old age." He didn't like that answer.

Now fast-forward to present time. October 18th to be exact. Nathan and I were sitting on the floor in my bedroom and he was telling me about something (I don't remember what), and I noticed his bottom teeth looked crooked. He's always had straight teeth and then I realized what was happening...he had a loose tooth. I gasped, then zoomed in close to his mouth while grabbing his chin. He got this little grin on his face and kept saying, "What, what?"

Mommy: I can't believe it!

Nathan: What?

Mommy: (a little louder with more enthusiasm than disbelief) I CAN"T believe it!!!

Nathan: (smiling while a bubble thought popped over his head saying, "She can't know.") WHAT???

Mommy: (big smile and almost whispering) You have a loose tooth.

Nathan: (Buries his head into my lap and hugging my legs) No I don't.

Mommy: (enthusiastically patting/rubbing/tickling/hugging his back) Yes you do, yes you do--oh my gosh...Nathan, I'm so happy for you!!!!

Nathan: (looking up occasionally from hiding his face and smiling from ear-to-ear) I do not. How do you know that?

Mommy: Oh...well...I mean...I'm calling Daddy. C'mon, let's call him.

Nathan: (leaps up and goes into hiding behind our bed--we have a big sleigh bed that leaves a small space/gap in between the wall and bed and the kids run there to get away from us/hide from us, etc.) No, don't call him. Don't call him.

Mommy: Oh we have to call him. He's going to be so excited, we have to call.

Nathan: Don't call him.

This went on for awhile.

When David got home, I gave him a secret clue of what was going on in his son's mouth. Of course, he made a big deal over it as well. So we went into loose-tooth-watch mode-- placing bets, on-line pools, etc. Just kidding. His response totally shocks us because he's been looking forward to this since early kindergarten. You just never know...

Baby Loses his First Tooth

David did the honors of pulling his tooth out, not too dramatic (it was ready, that's for sure). Now Nathan's looking forward to seeing what the tooth fairy brings him-actually, so am I. Brandon, on the other hand, has plans to catch her!