Few words to be said about this post...
My litte girl turned one...obligatory photos...loved photos...glad we did photos...even if the little girl was going on a 20 minute nap that we woke her up from to do these pictures...glad the little boy did so well (after two weeks of coaching from mom about what he was going to do for the photographer and what he was NOT going to do!)...all worked out and we got some good ones...

...all in a days work!

January 13...
I turned 31...yep...can't go back...can I stay 31 for a few years?...
Do my kids understand what this means? Will they ever know/remember me "young"?

Of course, Reger tradition says that my birthday gets to last at least a week. So we had a get together on the Sunday before, dinner on my birthday at Gramma Mimi's, and then ended the week with Gramma Momma and Grampa Phil at a water park/resort in the Dells.

The kids LOVED the pool, the water, splashing, climbing, sliding, etc...

new experiences...will they be remembered? I guess we'll just have to keep doing what we love and the re-occurrence becomes the memory...right?

CHRISTMAS UPDATE AND MEMORIES!
What is Christmas without Grandma and Grampa! We were so lucky to have such a long, wonderful visit from Wisconsin...Tazzy and Co.!

Gramma Momma had fun with Owen's gifts as well and the whole family! How does a kid really need??

Christmas Eve brunch was at Nanny and Pappa's again this year and the kids are multiplying and having even more fun that ever!

Katie and two of her LuLu girls...what fun to sing carols! (led by roger, of course!)

Christmas Eve service was at Edinbrook this year...This dress has been planned for her first birthday/Christmas since I was pregnant with her. I don't think this is one I will part with...ever. I will finally understand why my own mother still has my cubbies vest I wore when I was three.

Snack-time...there is always "snack-time" built in somewhere!
Gabby is to the age that when brother is having a snack...she better get one too!

"Who? Me?"

After Christmas Eve service...and snack-time...we had a jolly good time at Grandma Nanna's and Grampa Rog's place for food, song, good company, and raucous dice game where we walked away with next to nothing! All was fun though! :-)

By the time we opened gifts...Gabby was already down for nap! so Owen had fun opening and helping all open theirs.

Even Gramma Mimi slept over Christmas Eve (after her midnight service!), and was there to wake up with us on Christmas morning for breakfast, gifts, and playing in the snow that came down and down and down some more.

Gramma returned the generosity (as always) by inviting us over for dinner the next day. I have to admit that Owen wore these jammies from Christmas Eve (when he got them from Aunt Lori) and did not change until Sunday morning when it was time to say good-bye to Gramma Momma and Grampa Phil...What am I going to do with this little man? Stubborn little man...I have already had to make big decisions about which battles I must fight and which I can let go of. He did take a bath...but jammies went right back on! Gotta love him! :-)

What more could a girl ask for?...What more could a momma ask for????
:-)

I KNOW I KNOW! I have to update with Christmas pictures but I had to share today's "crafty" Saturday! I had a bored child so I had him lie down on one of the big boxes we got from Christmas and I drew his outline...we did Gabby too. It was Owen's idea to put the Packer jerseys on...how appropriate! should we hope that Vikings and Packers play again at the dome???

I couldn't convince Owen to get in the picture right away and in this one...Gabby is about to walk away! Yes, I had to take off shirts so I could do their outline! But I guess it is not a rare occurrence to see my kids with little on when at home...after all...it is home!

Other "projects" we did to stave off boredom:
*tye-dyed/crumple-dyed coffee filters with food coloring
*glued seeds, beans, peas, and rice to construction paper
*practiced coloring/scribbling with a magic marker that makes the color suddenly appear
*practiced using scissors that Gramma Momma sent
We didn't take pictures of those...
Fun times on this COLD Saturday!

Short Visit from the Kaisers...Dan, Andrea, and kids in tow!
Is it ironic that we have not pictures of Dan and Andrea? or do you expect to just see the kids having fun together? :-)

We did pull the kids away from the toys long enough to eat a bit of dinner and to take a few pictures with Gramma...

I hope they all made it safely to their Christmas destinations (I am sure I would have heard if not...) and are having a wonderful New Year so far.

With a new baby and two growing, wonderful, curious, outgoing older ones, Dan and Andrea have an exciting year ahead. I wish the best for them and for those who will be touched by their choice to leave Chicago and be in Africa...serving. Personally I am very excited for them and am encouraged by their leaps of faith in life. Thanks for always being a big "brother" of sorts for me, Dan. God truly has blessed you and your beautiful family.
(The kids are probably watching you make some goofy face or some monkey dance as I take this picture!)

DECEMBER 23rd...

On Little Girl's actual birthday, we dressed in candy-can stripes and went to see Santa and play with some friends...
We started out quite happy and grateful to begin a week or two where Little One could be with her momma and not have to go to daycare...Gabby has this thing with men...or men with facial hair...or men she doesn't know...she cries, screams, and gets away as fast as she can...a good habit to be in, I guess. :-)
So we watched brother go talk to Santa, ask for Gordon and a puppy (again), and pose for a picture...

But when it came time for her turn...she was NOT havin' it!
Am I such a horrible mother to want a picture of my little girl with Santa????
Oh, she'll thank me someday...won't she?

So, what did I do? I showed her that he wasn't so bad and that if you are appropriately chaperoned, you can be in the same room as a man with facial hair...maybe...perhaps someday...oh wait, your daddy has facial hair! We'll have to think this through and give you the rules straight-up!

I guess it helps to be holding onto your security blanket

Actually...Owen loved Elodie like his own little sister. He played, protected, and encouraged her-he loved her adventuresome attitude!

I have been told that being a Grandparent is three times better than being a parent...hmmm.
Does this Gramma and Grampa look too pleased? Happy? OK...you got me! :-)

Julie and I wanted some sister time so we hit the hot tub at the Club while the kids napped. When we got home, Rog had everything under control! What a man!

Is it just me or does Elodie always have something on her face in my pictures??? :-)

All jokes aside, I am so truly thankful, grateful, loveful (is that a word? I was trying to have parallel language...), and... happyful ! that my sister surprised me and my family on this day. Thank you so much for the sacrifice (of plane ticket, getting put on a spending freeze, and flying with a one-year-old) just to see us! We owe you and will find a way to "get you back"!

I hope you are having a great time in the snow and getting Elodie on Skiis! I can't wait to see both our little girls on skiis together!

Cousin fun, cousin fun!

boys? I didn't sign up for this! i'm outta here!

more cameras for me!

hmmm...how can I take care of this...?

Ah ha! I'll pull her hood over her eyes and bug her! :-)

my little instigator! :-) Actually, we made him get in the picture and he wasn't too pleased at first.

Our little angel turned one...we celebrated for an entire month so this is the party that we had at the beginning of December...Owen, my precocious and spirited first-born, said "da-da" before he ever said "ma-ma" and his first official word with object recognition was "baby". I remember it so well...we were reading Prayer For A Child, one of his favorite books at the time (tho he calls it "fire book" to this day because there is a picture of a fire). There is a picture of a baby and he pointed to it and said, "baby." I think that was even before he turned a year.
On the other hand, Owen didn't walk until he was 12 1/2 months old...Gabby, my sweet precious little girl, walked at 10 1/2 months but has yet to say anything other than, "ma-ma". Regardless...I will hold on to the picture of her teetering around and the sound of her calling to me with her arms outstretched for as long as I draw breath. I cannot explain what this little girl has done to my life.

We celebrated with cup-cakes-her first taste of cake in her little life...

enjoyed and made fun with cousins...

Cousin Elodie (the little monkey!) surprised us and made herself at home here in MN. I have a feeling that she does this everywhere she goes! :-) We love it! She cracked me up time and time again...you should see the things she climbs on and gets into!

I don't think owen has a favorite cousin, but whomever will pay attention and play with him, he will cling to!

Yes, she did double-fist it once she got a taste of the good stuff!

Elodie got a lesson from her mama on how to play nice...

Of course, not a surprise, Gabby loved the paper more than the presents, but she will be able to enjoy many of the blessings for years to come....

She was surprised with a gift from he aunties: a little kitchen! I don't know who loves it more, owen or gabby...or me! We got it all set up the next day and played and played and played. I guess there are going to be many more opportunities to live vicariously through my children! :-)