Tanner

I just downloaded a bunch of pictures off my camera today and laughed as I looked through them. Most seem to be of Tanner doing funny things. So I labeled this post Tanner, and we'll have a glimpse of what he's been up to this month.

I feel bad for Tanner sometimes because he is around girls ALL the time. He is home all day with Ashlyn and me, and then it seems like all my friends that I get together with have little girls his age, but not boys. He is in need of some male companionship I think! The next few pictures will attest to that!

I love this picture of the kids together. I got out of the shower the other morning and Ashlyn excitedly runs to me and says, "Mom come see what I did to Tanner." The picture doesn't give you the details, but he has pink lipstick on and he was wearing a pink tutu (you can see a little pick fabric in his hands). She had dressed him up and they were dancing together, and unfortunately (at least in Brad's opinion) Tanner was just as thrilled as Ashlyn!

A few days later I found Tanner in the bathroom applying the lipstick himself with no encouragement from his sister! ( I probably shouldn't have taken the picture because that probably encourages him more, but he was so cute!)Yes, those are what you think they are... like I said before, he is around women WAY too much!I'm not too worried about him though, because he would take power tools and helping his dad with a project over anything. His favorite thing lately is vacuuming. It has gotten to the point where if I'm trying to vacuum I have to get out another vacuum for him to help me because he will cry the whole time I won't let him use my vacuum. Take today for instance, he followed me around crying and trying to get the vacuum away from me. I finally gave in and shared...When he was finally in-control of the vacuum he even went and used the foot adjustment to change the height of the vacuum. The "other" vacuum. Some days it distracts him, other days he is still on my heels the entire time I have the "bigger" vacuum. The kids are becoming such great friends and can play with each other for hours... this is a wonderful development in their relationship for me in so many ways because I don't have to find ways to entertain Tanner as much. This is also hard too because Tanner is SO attached to Ashlyn. The other morning she went to her friends house instead of coming to the gym with us. Tanner has never had a problem in the daycare at this particular gym until that day. They said he wandered around looking for her and cried when he couldn't find her. He was so lost without her. She is always telling me how if he is sad at the gym she picks him up and lets him put his head on her shoulder and reads him books. She is a great big sister! In this picture Tanner has just shut his finger in the drawer ( I had the camera out because Ashlyn had just done his hair in a bow, but bow fell out). So he showed me is owie finger and then....He went right over to his big sister to kiss it! So sweet!Brad laughs at me because sometimes at night when we check on the kids before we go to bed I'll take their picture while they are sleeping. I LOVE how they look when they are sleeping. Maybe it's because they aren't talking back or crying, but they always look so peaceful and happy. Although lately we haven't seen much of Tanner's face when he is sleeping because he is always covered with his puppy. We always wonder how we'll find Tanner when we check on him. Without fail his puppy is always strewn across him some how. Funny kid. When he wakes up in the morning or from naps he hardly ever cries for us to come get him. We know he's awake because he is talking to his puppy. He also has become so cuddly lately. I'm not sure if it's because he wants to cuddle or if he's figured out it is a great way to stall nap or bed time. He'll hold his puppy and blanket and say, "roe, roe" and point to his rocking chair.... how can I resist. So I have been rocking my almost 2 year old to sleep lately. Hardly the time to start the habit, but I love every moment of it!

Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas. Here are some of the highlights:

We went to my parents for Christmas Eve. The night was filled with a yummy dinner, stories, Santa watching, cookie decorating, talent shows. It was a great time! We gave my dad an electric train for Christmas this year, it was definitely one of the grandkids favorite things. They all took turns controlling it. The kids all told the story of the nativity with this advent calendar.

Grandma and all the kiddos with a complete nativity scene!

Ashlyn decorating Santa cookies.

I was in charge of making the sugar cookies this year and so Ashlyn and I baked them all to take to my parents. After we finished cooking them, we sat down to sample them. After about 2 bites Ashlyn turns to me and says, "Mom, do you like these cookies we made because I don't." OOPS! They were horrible. We accidentally used baking soda instead of baking powder.... 5 dozen sugar cookies and 3 hours down the drain. I was so bummed. We decorated the cookies anyway and just didn't eat them. We were sure Santa wouldn't mind!Christmas morning.

Once he saw the tools, he was captivated! He wouldn't leave the tool bench to open more presents. Santa must have really known what he was doing when he brought this toolbench to Tanner. 2 weeks later it is still a hot toy around here. Brad had some tools out the other day and they went missing. We found them put nicely on Tanner's toolbench... he was just adding to his collection!We had to coax him away from the tools to see what else Santa left for him. Love the grin as he is posing with his play dough! Ashlyn loved all her baby stuff. She was a little puzzled that all she asked for was a binkie and bottle and she got so much more; a carseat, swing, bed and diaper bag. She decided she must have really been on the "nice list" for Santa to throw in all the extras!

Our dancing queen in her fairy dress.

A new bike...

she was pretty excited, but it is always hard to get something you can't use right away.

Christmas morning was not boring around here. They moved so fast from one thing to the next, but they made sure to play with everything!

I loved Tanner's face in this picture. He is such a cute kid!

Reading one of the many books from Grandma and Grandpa Wells.

Ashlyn with her baby all packed up ready to head out to Grandma and Grandpa Gunnells. She is really getting into this baby thing. Today she told her primary teacher she has a baby in her tummy.

Her baby comes everywhere with us now, and she always makes sure she is buckled in. When she has to leave her baby in the car she makes sure to put a blanket on her. She is so cute with her. It is so funny how the mothering instinct seems to come so naturally to little girls, and on the other hand Tanner is all boy with his tools and roughness. We spent Christmas afternoon with the Gunnells and loved all the chaos there too! It was fun to see Todd and Kristine (Brad's brother and wife from California). We don't get a chance to visit with them very much.

Tanner carried his puppy with him all day. We gave him a huge stuffed puppy for Christmas, and we thought he would love it. As soon as he opened it, he threw is aside and ran and grabbed his puppy and kept it under his arm all day. I think he thought we were trying to replace his special puppy. Funny kid!Well that is our Christmas is a nutshell. Kids make Christmas so much fun! I feel so blessed this year, and that goes beyond all these material things. I truly hope we also helped our children understand the Spirit of Christmas.