Santa Baby!

Santa and Mrs. Klaus (AKA Jackie and Vicki Lackie) have started a tradition of going around to several houses and playing Santa. Unfortunately, they arrived right around bedtime and Sydney was NOT in the mood for a photo shoot. She calmed down after I found a pacifier and sat down with her, and then we got the brilliant idea to pose with the grandparents too.

I love how the adults are just pretending like Sydney isn't screaming her head off in this one.

This afternoon Aunt Erin came over the play and take us to Target.
And this is Sydney's pretty dress from Ms. Glenda!

One of the biggest blessings I am thankful for this holiday season is having a healthy, happy and well-adjusted child (most of the time- please see pictures with Santa:) ). Anyway, I am SO HAPPY with Sydney's infant center and her teachers at school. Her "Ms. Glenda" mentioned one day that she saw a dress that would be so pretty on Sydney and the next day I walked in and she handed me a present. She BOUGHT Sydney a dress! Isn't that SO thoughtful!?!? She modeled her pretty dress for our Christmas service at church today, but was more interested in playing than sitting still for a photo session after church.

Jonas' Awesome B-Day Party

The Birthday Twins
The Birthday Boy during one of the games
Our March babies: Reese, Jackson and Sydney
Or: Jackson and his Girls

Well, the LAST thing I would want to do is rain on the Lozada's blog party details, so I will just include a few pictures of Jonas' really fun birthday party. It was a Gymboree, and Sydney and I (and the rest of the crowd) had a great time. I'm thinking that a March party there for Sydney will be just the ticket...

Before I was a mom

Before I was a Mom I never learned the words to a lullaby.

I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom - I had never been puked on.

Pooped on.

Drooled on.

Chewed on.

Peed on.

I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.

I slept all night.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.

I never got gloriously happy over a simple little grin.

I never sat up for hours watching a baby sleep.

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.

I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.

I never knew that I could love someone so much.

I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom - I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.

I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.

I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

I had never known the warmth, The joy, The love, The heartache, The wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.

This is a really cool Harley Davidson hat that my dad and Doris got for Sydney when they went to Sturgis last spring. We went on a little wagon ride and she got to sport it.
And since she wasn't feeling good, I let her play with one of the toys Santa has hidden in the guest bedroom. It is the Fisher Price Sing-Along-Stage. As you can tell, she LOVES it and started laughing, clapping, banging on the mirror and musical pieces and kissing herself in the mirror. Oh Lord, a Drama Queen already.
One of her favorite games is to wave at and try to kiss that cute baby that shows up in the mirror where ever we go.

Waving "Hi" to Mommy before dinner

Sydney has another ear infection! Yikes! I am trying to stay calm and not stress over her language development (because ear infections are a major red flag for articulation and language delays people). Good thing her Mommy is a "Red Headed Speechie" :) Anyway, even though I know she must not feel very good she was still fun to hang with all day.

"Myrtle" at Breakfast with Santa

Sydney meet Santa- Santa meet Sydney.

Sydney with her friends Karoline, Dayle, Mika and Aunt Erin

These 2 pictures best capture "Myrtle"

I don't think Sydney is ready to babysit just yet. I do think she thought Karoline was just a prop for her close up.

We had a great time at Breakfast with Santa, benefiting Children's Hospital. One of Sydney's, uh, personalities? is who her Daddy and I call "Myrtle". She sucks in her lips and looks like a little old lady with no teeth and tries to smile. She did it a lot over Thanksgiving but for some reason she kept making that face this morning. She sat really still in Santa's lap and just looked at him for the longest time. Dayle and I had the great idea of having Sydney "hold" Karoline for a cute picture. I guess we forgot that Sydney is just 8 months old and not quite ready to hold a real baby. Thanks Erin for all the hard work the foundation put into making it a great event for the kids! And yummy pancakes for the Mommies :).

Sydney Elise- 8 months old

These are some pictures of Sydney at 8 months old. I am really pleased with them. I asked the photographer to capture some pictures that show her personality and that don't seem "posed" and I think she did a good job! My favorite is the top picture, but I also like the last one. If you know my mom, you will crack up at how Sydney is holding her hand and acting all "prissy".

My Little Turkey

The whole fam
Sydney's Thanksgiving "feast" of sweet peas :) and oatmeal

Sydney and her Daddy

Sydney's new favorite "meal" is her plastic food

Trying to break open the food

Sydney and Uncle John

Sydney and her cousin Tyler

Gigi and cousin Mary Lynn feeding Sydney her Thanksgiving leftovers.

We had a great Thanksgiving in NW Arkansas with mom's family. On Wednesday we got to spend some precious time with my grandparents in Fort Smith. Sydney is the first grandchild/great-grandchild, so it was fun and different having a baby around for the holiday. Sydney had so many wonderful people fighting to play with her- she is still having withdraws. How many blessings we have received this year!!!

I love the fall!

Thanks to Meredith for capturing Sydney at the park. I have had the opportunity, just in the past week, to observe some "Super Mommies" in action- Kelly Reddin, Meredith Eisele, Scarlett Luce, and Ashley Eaton- thank you all for being an encouragement to me! I still think I might jump off the 430 bridge if I was pregnant again (kidding!!) (OK mostly kidding) but you give me a great example of how to do it all with more than one kiddo.

Say "Mama"

Daddy- Look at me!

Brent has been out of town with work since before Halloween :( and he is dying to see Sydney crawling, or close to it. And, I finally figured out- OK after 2 hours and Erin's IT help- how to up load video. I have another clip of her clapping and "talking" but for some reason it won't upload. This is will work for now though! We will see you very soon Dad!!!

A great playdate

Wow, they are super babies who climbed into the jungle gym all by themselves and posed for this cute picture!!! ;)

Look how they have grown!!! The Birthday Twins at almost 8 months and almost 1 month :)!

Sydney, Jackson and Greer (and their moms) went on a walk and played on the playground today. Yea God for fall afternoons and Yea God for some great "mommy talk" about sippy cups, sleep, toys from Santa, and how having a baby changes EVERYTHING. Oh, and this is so weird! Jackson and Sydney are "Birthday Twins"- March 9th- and they BOTH got their first tooth this weekend! Yes, Sydney teething has been a whole new ballgame for Mom. She was up at 10:30, 11:30, 3:00 and 5:00 am last night crying for her Mommy to rock her (which of course I sort-of loved because she won't let me rock her these days). And I saw today- not one but two bottom baby teeth have broken through! Worth all the crying I guess :).