holiday traditions // sugar cookies

Sugar cookies for a Christmas party are like pumpkin pies for a Thanksgiving dinner.  Well, this year I had the best helper ever.  He truly enjoyed pushing those festive shaped cookie cutters into the dough and finalizing each cookie with a not-so-healthy dose of sprinkles - almost exclusively blue sprinkles.  :)  And I too enjoyed this special time spent together while Natalie was napping.  As a young family, we don't have many holiday traditions yet but this is one that I will continue for as long as I can before Kurt and Natalie are grown and have families of their own.  In addition to teaching my children how to follow recipes, measure, and stir, teaching my children what this season is all about is something I will look forward to each year.

* Thank you Mom for passing on your love for cooking :)

never grow up

Oh, how time flies.  I'm going to bottle up every little grunt and squeak from a hungry growing girl and the smell that radiates from her silky soft skin, and the sounds of footsteps from a boy who is running around looking for his train.  Truth be told, these days are numbered and I want to remember them forever. 

'tis the season

our family of four

Going from one baby to two babies was much easier than going from none to one.  None the less, finding the balance as a family of four has had it's challenges as well.  I must say though that life is much sweeter as a family of four.  Yes, our tiny family of three was pretty sweet before, but another little babe has added a different kind of sweetness to the mix.  The kind of sweetness you feel when you see a little toddler doting over his newborn sister.  It's the love I tell you.  Just as naturally as we fell in love with Natalie so did Kurt.  Upon the faintest cry from her little lips, Kurt shouts, "Baby" and runs to check on her.  Of course, he has had an extra meltdown or two (or three), but I don't blame him.  He has had to become more patient overnight.  That's a lot to ask of a 21-month old!  Thankfully, it's nothing a little one-on-one time can't fix.  :)  I have roughly a month left of maternity leave and I'm enjoying, appreciating, and savoring all the one-on-one time I get with my family - challenges and all.