Keeping Up With the Vandegrifts: 2011

Friday, December 30, 2011

Christmas Celebrations 2011

We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas/holiday season! We sure did! It was busy, but we had a wonderful time with family. Christmas Eve we went to my grandma's(on my mom's side) before I had to work. That was a lot of fun and I loved watching Addy open her gifts and seeing her eyes get so big was really fun. She mostly liked the paper, but is now playing with all her new goodies. I had to work that night, normally on holidays it isn't too busy but man this year was really busy and nothing seemed to go right, thank goodness for a great co-worker, or else I don't know that I would have made it. Mom and Jason stayed at our house with Jared and Addyson, I was more than ready to get home to my little girl and husband. When I got home we saw what all Santa brought, opened gifts, read Santa's letter to us, and mom made our favorite breakfast, biscuits and gravy. Then we had to get going to the next stop. We went to my dad and stepmom's and had a great time. Santa had been there as well and we opened gifts and Penny made our traditional lunch of schnitzel, rice, green beans, and crescent rolls. As always, it was AMAZING! We then loaded up and headed down Greenfield, MO where Jared's extended family is. It was great to see everyone, and we had more great food. We definitely didn't go hungry that day!!We did our usual man and woman gift exchange and then the women also do an ornament exchange. We stayed the night with Grandma Betty and Addy had been sleeping through the night for awhile, but she woke up every couple hours and started coughing and sneezing, and had her first cold by morning. I highly suggest the batter operated nasal suction (suggested by a co-worker when I was pregnant). We have used it a lot this week and it works great. We had another great breakfast Monday morning, stopped by Jared's Mamaw's house and then headed home. Before coming home we had Christmas with Jared's mom and dad, and Kirk, Jenn, and the kids.We had another yummy meal, smoked brisket and other treats. It is so fun having kids around to see Christmas through their eyes. We then made it home and we were exhausted. Our great room looked like a tornado hit it. Addyson's pile was overwhelming and she was definitly loved a lot!! She got so many wonderful things and we made so many great memories. Jared took the tree down that night and got stuff ready for me to box up the next morning. When Christmas is over, I am ready to get my decorations down and clean up. Jared had off Tuesday as well so we finished picking up the decorations and went out to eat lunch before I had to nap. I ended up getting cancelled from work so Jason hung out with us that night and the next morning. Wednesday, Addy and I were lazy and caught up on sleep.We got the new stuff washed, cleaned, and put away. We brought up my wooden toybox my great grandpa had made for me, and it is now Addy's toybox. Last night, Addy had her first limo ride. My stepmom, Penny got a limo ride/lights tour and we went with her, dad, Jason, Angie, Jeff, Miami, and Henry. We had a great time and got to see some sights my mom had taken me to when I was younger like the house that was all decorated, including the entire garage, and candy cane lane. Addy was pretty good,and enjoyed the lights and not having to be in a carseat for the ride. She was tired at the end and fell fast asleep once we got in the truck to come home. Today we took my grandma shopping for her birthday and out to lunch and Addy is the best lil shopper (mainly sleeping the whole time!) . Tonight Addy weighed 13 pounds, 4 ounces on our scale and is 24 3/4 inches long. She has been eating oatmeal cereal in the mornings and rice cereal at night. I am still breastfeeding and that is going well. She is getting more rolls and doing new things all the time. She now holds her hands out more when we say "Come here Addy" and is starting to turn herself a little in her exersaucer. She loves having new toys to play with, and is laughing out loud but won't do it when we try to record her. We have had a wonderful 2011 and are looking forward to what 2012 has to bring and hope it is great too. We are praying for good health and happiness for our family and friends. Much love to all!!

Pretty blue eyes

So big!

Family Pic Christmas 2011

Relaxing in the limo

Group Shot

well rested and ready to go to dinner with mom and dad!

Friday, December 23, 2011

Happy Holidays!

Wow, what a whirlwind month this has been. I had starting feeling sick before my last post and it just got worse. I was down for a week and a half and even went to urgent care I had felt so bad. It started with a sore throat and each day a new symptom came and I felt horrible.I had a bad upper respiratory infection that turned into a sinus infection. Thank goodness for my amazing husband, he took such good care of me and Addy and I don't know what I would have done without him. I was worried about Addy getting sick but she did awesome and I am just hoping she continues to stay well. Jared ended up getting a cold but was able to shake it off pretty quickly. We got Addy's Christmas pictures taken and a few 5 month pics too. She was so funny. We did the Christmas ones first and she wasn't crying but had few smiles, I fed her before the 5 month ones and she was a happy girl, smiling and interacting with the girls taking the pictures. I love seeing her expressions and watching those beautiful big blue eyes as she takes in EVERYTHING around her and you can just see the wonder and amazement in her eyes. She makes the holiday season so much more fun and is the best gift EVER!! Since the last post she has started doing a few new things, one is flapping her arms to her sides when she gets excited, and looks like a penguin, she can hold and put in her pacifier (which she only takes when she is tired) and takes it out. She has started spitting when she blows bubbles. She pulls herself up to the little bar on the front of her highchair when she is sitting in it and wants to reach something, she also sits up really well with her boppy and on our laps. When we try to let her sit by herself, she is top heavy and just leans forward most of the time. She reaches for her toys, the remote, and has held her arms out once for me. She also started panting this week when she gets excited and smiles and even starts to laugh a little when you do it back. We got our first real laugh from her Wednesday night and we tried to get her to do it again so we could video her and of course she wouldn't. She is changing so fast and getting so big. Everyone that sees her says she is still so little and petite. She seems big to us and looking back at some of her pictures the past few months, it is hard to believe she was so little. I went through her clothes and packed away the ones that were too small and started washing up her 3-6 month and 6 month sizes. The 3-6 month stuff is too big around her little waist so she still wears a lot of 0-3 and 3 month sized but is quickly getting too long for them. She eats cereal in the morning and evening. She started on oatmeal cereal in the mornings this week and is not too sure of it, but loves her rice cereal. She has been sleeping really well for a few weeks now at night, usually going to bed between 9:30 and 10:30 and sleeping til 6 or so. Her naps are shorter during the day unless we are out and about, she sleeps really well when shopping and in the car!
I finally got my Christmas shopping done last week and finished wrapping stuff today. What fun it is to shop for my own little girl! I just kept buying and buying for her, it was addicting!! I know she won't understand it all, but who cares, it is making this holiday season the best yet!!
We hosted our Stoneking Christmas last weekend, Jason came out and helped with Addy while we watched the Pitt State Championship Football game, which they won! Jared and I made enchiladas and had mexican food and barbacue. It was great to see my dad's side of the family and we had a great time! Of course, Addyson was spoiled and got a doll, kermit the frog, a cute winter hat, baby with stroller, puzzle, her first teapot, shape blocks, and a jungle exersaucer that lights up and makes now and is really neat! She loves all her new toys and I think she was ready for some new ones.
My brother came home for his winter break last week and has helped us out by watching Addy a couple mornings when Jared leaves for work until I get home so that way Jared doesn't have to get her up and take her out in the cold. It has been really nice seeing him more and Addy is mesmerized by him, (probably the camo hoodie he always wears!) He is really good with her and she loves her uncle J. We have a busy weekend ahead, as I am sure most everyone does. We hope everyone has a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and we will blog about ours next week. Here are some pictures, the Christmas and 5 month ones are on Facebook and I will put up others from last weekend on there as well:

Visiting with Kelly

Fun with Uncle J

My pretty Red dress and black shoes

Silly Girl

Addy with Miami and Henry

Love my diaper baby

Stoneking Family Christmas 2011

Paper!!

What a nice seat :)

My new exersaucer after the entertaining Jared/Jason duo put it together

So tired

I'm out!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

A month in review

Recap of the last month:
After my Nov 6th post, our freezer went out, luckily we had a back up one in the garage to get us through until we could go look for a new one. I got lucky and got a black one with French doors and a bottom freezer. It has the ice/water option on the front and after being without an ice maker for 2.5 years since we didn't have a water line, it was so nice to get it and not have to use those darn ice tray!! Addyson had her 4 month check up Nov. 14th and weighed 11 lbs, 13 oz and was 24 inches. She is in the 50%ile for height and 10% ile for weigh and head circumference. We have had several lunch dates with friends and family the past month, and as always we enjoy those very much! My grandma and Brett got moved to their new place. We had Addyson's ears pierced November 21st, she did awesome! She cried a few seconds and then was fine. She doesn't even notice them, and let's us clean them without any fuss. Addy's first Thanksgiving weekend was a great one and we loved seeing family. Thanksgiving night we went out shopping and were at Toys R Us and Walmart. I have always done Black Friday shopping with my mom, but this year Jared, Jason, and I went out early and mom watched Addy for us since it was way too cold. I was tired from working the night before and being up all day so after getting home at 1am I crashed and we didn't go out again on Friday. The day after Thanksgiving we usually put our tree up so we got that done and got the house decorated. Addy loves the lights! We also took down the bassinet as we had to have somewhere for the pack and play since the tree went up in that spot and she will be too big for the bassinet before long. We had to get one more photo in it though ;)
Yesterday we went down to Frontenac/Pittsburg with my mom and dad and saw my brother and their Skills USA program put on a pancake breakfast and then we went to the mall and had lunch before going back to the Harley School so Addy could get her picture taken with the Grinch on a Harley and Jared and I got in on it too. We were disappointed Santa wasn't there so back to the mall we went and Addy got to sit on his lap. Last night was my work Christmas party and then we went and had a couple of drinks after and my mom stayed at our house and watched Addy for us. This was the longest we have both been away from her at the same time. It was nice to get out and we had a really good time, but we missed her a lot! Grandma said she was really good and did scan the house for us awhile after we had left. It is amazing how much Addy picks up on for being so little. I am not feeling well, so Jared took Addy to his parents this evening for a visit and dinner with them and his brother's family and he said she was really good! She is so entertaining and keeps us laughing! We are about 70% done with our Christmas shopping and can't believe Christmas is 3 weeks away now! Where has the year gone? I plan on updating before a month next time! Happy Holidays everyone :)

Family Photo for Addy's first Thanksgiving

My dad with Addy and me

Nana and Papa with Addy

Time to decorate the Christmas tree

Our best present ever!

Last time in the bassinet

Addy and Mamaw

What?

Ready to drive Papa's Truck

Uncle Jason and Addy at the Harley School

Papa, Uncle Jason, and Addy

With daddy after sitting on Santa's lap

Just hanging out after breakfast

Cheering on the Saints!

Oh how I love my fingers! Who needs a binky when those taste better.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Our First Thanksgiving with Addyson

We sure have a lot to be THANKFUL for, especially this year! We are thankful for having God in our life and all that HE has given us. We are so incredibly thankful for our best blessing God has given us, Addyson! She has changed our lives in the best way possible and we are eternally grateful for her, she is our whole world. We are thankful for amazing parents, great brothers, wonderful family, and phenomenal friends. We are also thankful for the roof over our heads, good jobs- for me especially my job which makes me realize how good we have it and how hard others do, I love my kiddos so much, reliable cars, and the ability to function day to day. I am thankful for the best man a woman could dream of and so blessed to call him my husband.
We are heading to my aunt and uncle's for lunch and then to my dad and Penny's later. This weekend we will spend time with Jared's family. We hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend and give thanks not only today but every day. I will update later in another post about what we have been up to lately, I know it's been awhile.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

One Year Ago

It's so hard to believe it was one year ago tonight we found out I was pregnant and I asked Jared if he was ready to be a daddy. It seems like just yesterday, but man has this past year flown by and provided us with numerous changes, and the most amazing experience that words can't begin to describe. We are so thankful and feel so incredibly blessed for all that God has provided for us. We love and cherish our precious girl and can't imagine life without her in it. It is so amazing to see the world through her eyes and have someone hold your finger, look you in the eyes with all the wonder and amazement, and give you smile after smile while blowing bubbles. Becoming parents has been the most rewarding job one can imagine and is such a wonderful feeling. Yes, there are days when sleep seems a thing of the past and you can't just get up and go BUT it is all worth it. Here are a few pics from one year ago until now.