Santa!

We finally got the kids out to visit Santa at the mall. We braved the crowds and lines the last Saturday before Christmas. It actually wasn't that bad. The kids behaved in line and didn't bother me one bit...oh wait, that's because I was walking around the mall holding my cell phone waiting for Mike to tell me that they were close to the front of the line! Both kids happily sat in Santa's lap and told him what they'd like for Christmas. Annabelle after being told a number of times that Santa doesn't have time to paint her room finally conceded and told him she'd like fairy movies. MJ had to confirm that elves know how to make metal detectors. $15 and 1 5x7 later we have a memory to last a lifetime.

Today we're finishing up our final preparations for Christmas. The kids are getting more and more anxious about the Big Day, and honestly I think Mike and I are as well. Saying a prayer that the real meaning of Christmas doesn't get blurred by a sea of paper and ribbons. We keep reminding MJ and each other that the greatest gift of the season was the perfect life that Jesus lived to give us a path to Heaven.

Merry Christmas, y'all!

Congrats to Kristi!

We had a fantastic visit to NOVA where my sister graduated college, with honors! I'm going to quickly post some pics from the graduation and then in a bit I'll post more of the visit with everyone. It was a fantastic weekend full of highlights, but being able to celebrate this accomplishment with my sister was the best! Congrats Kristi!

Waiting for the speeches to be over!

A room full of names!

Here she comes!
La'Kristina graduates!

Blow the fog horns! Ring the cowbell! Wooohooo!!!!

Not quite yet, just practicing.
Kristi and Eddie
Kristi and Julie reenact a special moment...
A kiss from Belly who missed her Aunt Kristi.
Proud parents!
Proud sister!
Proud family!
Proud out of focus sisters!
Hey! Hey! It's a college handshake! Yeah!

Something to be thankful for.

We had our Level 2 ultrasound at the hospital today and everything looked great! Our baby girl has a beautiful heart, liver, kidneys, stomach. Perfect arms, legs, feet and hands! She was very wiggly and perfectly formed. She's about one pound right now and measuring exactly where she should be. That makes one of us! :) Here are some pictures of her.

We also got to go to MJ's school last Friday to celebrate Thanksgiving with his class. MJ was a great Indian and sang loud and proud!

A picture of me with all 3 of my babies. This one is for you Charrissa!

We are looking forward to seeing everyone over Thanksgiving. It's been a while since we got to participate in family Thanksgiving meals so we are particularly excited for this year.

Gobble Gobble!

Let me introduce myself

I know I know, it's been a while. I had no idea how having a kid in school would actually make me busier than when they both were at home. Suddenly I have homework to do and projects to participate in. I have meetings, class parties, field trips, etc. not to mention t-ball practice on Tuesday nights and games on Saturday mornings. Annabelle keeps busy with music class on Wednesday mornings and My Gym on Mondays and now sometimes on Thursday mornings. Combine all of that with Mike's new and terribly hectic work schedule and I have found myself with very little time to talk about the things that are keeping me so busy!

I don't dare attempt a recap of what, the last 2 months! But here's where we stand for now. MJ is doing great in school. The level of confidence he has to try writing words he doesn't know and attempt to read on his own has skyrocketed. He's surprised me and his teachers by being able to write words he's never seen before simply by sounding it out. That's not to say he doesn't have his weak points. But I'm very proud of the job he's doing. Annabelle is a chatterbox. She sings and plays make believe all the time. I can't wait to get her in dance class soon hopefully as this child proclaims, "I can do that!" at every move made on So You Think You Can Dance. She's so full of energy and spunk. I find it adorable and freaky at the same time when I look down at that sweet face full of devilish and sassy girl attitude and all of a sudden see myself. She is awesome. And news that we haven't posted on here but I assume most everyone knows is that we are expecting #3 in March. We found out this past week that it is a baby girl. We're pretty settled on a name but are going to hold that close for a little while before spilling the beans. For now we call her Bark or Barky thanks to Annabelle. The kids are really excited about having another sibling.MJ has gotten over his massive disappointment at it not being a boy. I have gotten over the same disappointment and am anxiously awaiting March when all hell breaks loose and we add to the chaos of the Zaiko house.

This weekend we are going to a Monster Jam. Gammy, Poppy, our whole house, and family friends will be at the show on Saturday night. We're all excited to see the show. MJ and I went earlier this year in Washington. This will be Annabelle, Poppy and Gammy's first show. We're confident that everyone will have a good time.

So that brings us up to date a bit. Perhaps I'll throw some random pictures up from the last couple months just to bring some color and life back to my blog. Thanks for checking in and sorry for my laps in posts. I'll try to be better but I'm not making any promises!!

Family day at the airfield, the kids cheered Mike on as he approached the runway.

Fall


I love this pic of MJ. The full moon, the posture, it's adorable.

MJ's first day of school

Perhaps I should title this post, "My first day with MJ at school" since I can't really blog about MJ's day. He's only been gone an hour and a half. I have been picturing this day in my head since the day he was born. It was to be a sunny late summer morning filled with excitement. We woke to find pouring rain but no less excited. MJ's been talking about going to school since I brought home his new backpack and clothes. Here are some pictures from our morning.

After we came inside the rain really started coming down. Fortunately the bus stop is right in front of our house or we may have gotten caught in the downpour.

MJ had just spotted his bus coming up the road. He was so thrilled to finally be getting on one of those big yellow buses he's been staring at since he was 2.

It took Mike and I a while to decipher what was going on in this picture. I was wondering if MJ's leg fell off while I wasn't paying attention. Really he's stepping with his right leg and the wind is blowing in such a way that it appears he is short one leg.

At this point I was trying to snap a picture without letting anyone know the tears were coming.

Annabelle held back far less. Coming in the door she was bawling saying, "He's all gone. MJ's gone. I miss him!" I had to snap quickly.

Hopefully the rain will let up and I can get a picture of him coming off the bus. I hope he's smiling as big as he was going on.

Mini Updates

I just thought I'd post mini updates as we start our journey back East. We are getting ready to spend our last night in the hotel in Washington before we start out tomorrow morning for our drive. At dinner tonight MJ lost his second tooth completing the gap on the bottom. It won't be for long though as the new tooth from the first one he lost is peeking through.

As excited as I am to come home I must say I allowed my roots to travel a little deeper here than I had intended. I guess that's what happens when you meet so many great people. I have made some great friends here that I will miss. I will also miss the crisp air, view of the mountains and water, Mt. Rainier, evergreens, and much more. Washington state isn't one that was ever really on my list to visit but it sure is on my list to revisit!

More to come!

Annabelle says Thank you!

Ok, so I know this is totally tacky, but so is not sending anything for which I am guilty as well. But I wanted everyone to know how much Annabelle enjoyed her birthday so I thought I'd post a little of it here. If I wait, I'll forget and I just don't have time right now with the move coming up to do formal thank you cards.

So, Karla, thank you so much for remembering Annabelle. The outfits are adorable. She has already worn the flower one and declared that it was pretty! We love them.
Carol, Annabelle really enjoyed the musical card. She played with it for a long time. Thank you for sending it to her.
Ken, Tracy, Jake, Zane, Drew...thank you for the adorable outfit for her dolls. I think it may be a little loose fitting because the doll still manages to be naked all the time...humm... :)
And thank you guys also for the weaponless Abby! As you can see Annabelle was thrilled! She carries her around all over the place. It really was perfect!

Is it just me or does she kind of look like Cinderella after the step sisters got to her? Hahaha! Mom, Dad, this is adorable. And she wears her streetwalker shoes all the time. We have to fight her not to wear them to the go on errands!I had a really cute one of her in the blanket but my computer/camera was acting up and some random pics didn't transfer and I formatted the card before I realized it. But she loves the blanket. Even in the heat she insists on pulling it up to her chin. It's super cute.
Here she is talking to you guys about her gifts and her day.
And I'm sorry but Brian and Dawn, I don't have a picture of her opening your gift but she really enjoyed getting mail! We'll take her to Barnes and Noble soon. She is a book lover. As a matter of fact the other day I was sitting with her on the couch and in her cute little voice, nodding her head looking at me she said, "How bout book?" My cue to read to her! She'll love being able to pick something out.

So here are some images from the rest of her "party."

She had just woken up to discover the dining room with a party atmosphere including balloons and an Abby Cadabby birthday table cloth. Look how big her eyes are!

Enjoying a crab claw, even if in an unconventional way!
Mike, needing to spend more time in the gym, wrestles with the claw...he should go on Deadliest Catch!
All for me?




She actually blew them out all on one breath and with no spit! Impressive.

Getting her MP3 player. I know, what 2 year old needs an MP3 player but she LOVES it!

Annabelle unwrapping MJ's gift to her in his homemade gift wrap.

Here's what he gave her. It's a nursery rhyme we found in a book I read to him at night. He drew a picture of sunshine, sky, grass and flowers and then traced his hand and we traced Annabelle's hand on it. Isn't it adorable?