'Twas the Week Before Christmas

'Twas the week before Christmas and all through the house presents were being wrapped, carols were being sung, cookies were being baked (and eaten), and everyone was getting more and more excited for the big day.  Here are just some pictures that we've taken in the last week or so:

 Will lost his second front tooth at Thanksgiving, but I realized I had not taken a picture of this historic event.  Here is the picture :).  It appears he will be getting at least one front tooth for Christmas.

 John has been relegated to the spare bedroom.  (Yes, we have a 3 bedroom house with 4 kids and still have a spare bedroom...it is character building!).  However, the happy situation is that John is a better sleeper now than he has ever been.  He's slept through the night more often than not since we have given him his own room and even takes better naps.  And, frankly, now that he is well rested, he is even more cheerful than he was before. 

 Last week Eric had three Christmas parties with his work.  We were invited to two of them and all of the kids made very good impressions.  Our family looks huge to the few couples who only have a baby right now.  Not to mention that in their sleep deprived states, they can't even fathom what magic I work to have four and not be slightly crazy.  Jokes on them.  I am slightly crazy.  A perk to having the only kids older than 8 months is that they totally cleaned up in the one game for kids and we are the proud owners of three stockings filled with candy.  And it is good candy, too!  #bonus

 John crawled for about three days before he started pulling himself up.  I love walking into the Florida Room and seeing him playing at the same table as the older kids.  Every day he gets quicker and quicker as he moves from activity to activity.  As John is no longer an infant and Dom is pretty capable, I will on occasion leave Dom in charge as I head to shower...alone.  The other day I was brushing my hair when Dom came in and the following conversation happened:

Dom: Oh Good, you are out!
Me:  How's everything going?
Dom: Not good.  John spit up big time, Molly is crying, and Will won't help me clean up the spit up! 

I walked over to discover that Dom had tried to clean up the mess by himself.  Who knows why Molly was crying, but all in all, everything was fine. 

 Speaking of cleaning up...Molly was on clean up duty for the recent chocolate chip cook baking. 

 If there is one cookie I highly recommend you bake with kids, it is the peanut butter hershey kiss cookie.  As I rolled out the balls, I instructed Will to count out 85 and Dom unwrapped them.  It did not take Molly long to join in (was sugar involved?).  Will took his task so seriously.  He even cleaned up all of the wrappers afterwards and explained how the whole process was like a factory.  A cookie baking factory to be exact.

 Another picture of John playing with his siblings.  They are all sporting footie pajamas.  It isn't even that cold here.  Dom has not worn footie pajamas in years, but he requested them this winter.  I think the climate is finally getting to him.

 We are taking things pretty easy so I don't feel a lot of stress as Christmas comes nearer and nearer.  I enjoy the quiet evenings of game playing, movie watching, and carol singing.   And cookie eating. And now a little 8 month old is requesting my attention, so I'll leave it at that.

Have a wonderful Christmas!