Happy New Year - Time to Catch Up.

Happy New Year Everyone!!! I decided to send out 2009 by posting some of the pictures that I had not shared yet.

• These pictures are from a warm day (remember those) in November when we took one stir crazy kid out to play in the woods while her sister tried to get some sleep.

• Phoebe went to church for the first time on November 8, 2009. I hated waiting so long to take her, but we had to avoid having her around people during the first wave of the flu. She was a really good girl and slept the whole time. Kids, if you ever wonder why Vivian was not included in the picture it was because she was CRANKY and in her bed napping as soon as we got home and was unavailable.

• Vivian, Grandma, and I attempted a 2 year old photo shoot of Vivian out at Grandma and Pop's farm. It was a fun day and we got some neat shots. Vivian has to be on the run all the time so a picture of her sitting down is rare. Vivian wore her pink cowgirl boots for the first time and loved them. I see lots of shorts and cowgirl boot outfits come summertime.
  
  
  



• We got our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. Rick wore his camo so that the tree would not see him coming. Seriously, I think Phoebe wonders why she got such strange parents. Vivian seemed to enjoy the Christmas tree farm and did not want to get back in the truck when it was time to leave. Vivian also really enjoyed the Christmas tree once it was home - I got to redecorate it daily. She is pretty good at taking ornaments off, she just does not put them back. She also enjoyed throwing her small toys into the tree, however, she did not want to reach into the tree to get them out - so she either kicked it or found something to use to poke the toy out with. Needless to say, the tree was missing some needles on the lower branches.

• Since the weather has been so nasty and Vivian has had a runny nose for what seems like forever, we have been amusing ourselves indoors. The bicycle helment has been a big hit - usually she just wears it to watch the t, as she calls the television.

Vivian also spends a bunch of time with her cat - Smokey. For some reason, Smokey has to be carried around our house at all times. Smokey is a pretty good sport, although Vivian does have a few scratches to show for her efforts.

• Phoebe is full of smiles and giggles now. She is growing so fast that it is hard sometimes to believe how small she was. She is a lot of fun, particularly in the evenings before bedtime when we hold her and she "talks" to us. She likes to interact and has so many cool facial expressions. Lucky for us she sleeps through the night most of the time and is an all around good baby.
  

• The big storm was a big pain. I ventured out on our porch to shoot some pictures. See that bit of gold sticking out from the snow - that would be my car. Nice. The other shot is looking north on High Street. After shooting these pictures I returned inside where I hoped to remain until all snow is melted and spring returns.
  

• So I did the kid's Christmas pictures this year. Quite frankly, I don't think we would do well at a portrait studio. Heck, we barely survived in our own home. I was so wanting another neat outside shot, but with the weather and the wee one, we had to make do indoors. I took 157 photos. I found three out of the bunch that were decent.

Then there was this picture - in retrospect I should have used it for the Christmas card. Rick had the idea that we do a family picture after Vivian refused to be still very long for a picture of her and Phoebe (or if you had her holding still, she was in tears - not good picture material). So we quickly threw on outfits (Rick is wearing shorts with his suit - pretty funny), and tried to take a picture setting the timer. Problem with timer shots is that Vivian is generally not ready when the camera is and has totally ducked out of this picture. It still makes me smile.

• Christmas was fun. Phoebe did not know what was up, but she was a pretty good sport. Poor Vivian refused to take naps and was exhausted by the end of Christmas day. Rick really messed with me and made me think I was getting a handgun that was on back order for my Christmas present. Then later that day he gave me my real present - a new camera (the Rebel T1i). I am pretty excited about it, just hoping for nicer weather to get out and get some great shots.

I hope to post some more Christmas pictures later. Blogger cut me off at two.

I hope 2010 treats everyone well. We already know that we will be meeting Baby Crawford II sometime April/Mayish and I am excited for you, Elizabeth. I am sure there will be lots of other good things in store for friends and family and I am looking forward to them. Best wishes everyone.