December

I knew it had been a while since I posted, but I was looking at pictures on our computer and realized I haven’t even downloaded anything from my camera for a month! Yikes. Here are some from Ava’s 5^th birthday – FIVE! Sometimes I look at her and she seems so grown up. She loves to help and tries to anticipate when I’m going to ask her to do something, doing it before I have a chance to ask. She loves to color and create. A new coloring book keeps her occupied for days on end. She loves dresses and ribbons and glitter. She loves to sing and dance. We have been so blessed with this girl!

traditional birthday pancakes

much anticipated (and oft-asked for) Sleeping Beauty doll

The same weekend we had her party, the kindergarten choir sang in church. I had a hard time getting a picture since Ava was in the second row and every time she tried to poke her head through so I could get a take a photo, the 2 little girls in front of her would block her! Too funny.

December has not been the best of months at the Button house. From me trying to fit too many tasks into too few hours to multiple bouts of sickness, this holiday season has been more stressful than we would have liked.

I have been busy finishing up a variety of projects that I’d started for a craft fair that was this past week. As is typical for me (surely I’m not alone), I misjudged just how much time it would take to finish up what seemed to be only a few things, so the first 2 weeks of December found me trying to eek out work-time on every possible occasion. As luck would have it, Ava & Carter decided this would be a grand time to stop going to bed nicely each night and come out of their rooms every 10 minutes during afternoon rest-time asking if they could get up. (We’re still struggling on that front and I’m wondering if they make pajamas with built-in straightjackets… maybe that will keep them in bed!). Oh, and Carter came down with strep throat on the first day of December. Then there were extra rehearsals for our church’s Christmas program in which I was involved. Last Saturday, the weekend of both the Christmas program and the craft fair, it became clear that Mark was getting sick. He had taken vacation time from GE Sunday through Wednesday, and it was a good thing since he spent that entire time in bed. He had been scheduled to work at his second job (Smashburger), but had to call off. Thankfully, he ended up with Thursday off as well (he was supposed to have some training that day and the trainer was sick so they just gave everyone the day off!). Monday morning Carter complained that his throat hurt and as he talked I realized he sounded exactly as he did when he’d gotten strep 2 weeks earlier, so we visited the doctor again to find out he somehow managed to get it AGAIN … only days after finishing his first round of antibiotics (or, maybe the first round of medicine didn’t completely get it?). Thankfully (so far) the only other ailments at our house are a runny nose for Audrey and a sore back muscle for me (let’s just say I was not so excited about getting to shovel all the snow we got this week!).

In the midst of all the craziness, there have been some definite highs. My birthday comes at the beginning of the month and about a week before, Ava had cards made and a present wrapped. Closer to the day, she wrapped up one the presents she had received for her birthday on days before to give to me (wrapping paper created by Ava, of course!).

I don't know if you can read it, but the card says, "Iluveoomombecuseoorsespecial" translated, "I love you mom because you are so special." The only word she asked how to spell was "special." I had to take pictures so I never forget her thoughtfulness! (She doesn't believe in spaces between words... no matter how many times I encourage her that they are quite helpful!)

The biggest highlight comes as a result of talking a lot about Christmas and reading the Christmas story from a variety of books. Over the past few days, Ava & Carter have been reenacting the Christmas story using all sorts of different toys from stuffed bears and dolls to dump trucks and school buses… and sometimes even the Little People nativity set. My heart melts when I hear them repeating the word of the angels to the shepherds and then hearing the shepherds excitedly travel to find baby Jesus. Ava has told me several times that her favorite gift at Christmas is that Jesus came. She seems so very close to understanding just what that gift truly means and I’m excited to think that soon she may ask Jesus to be her Savior.

And some random pictures since they're too fun not to include:

Carter (aka, Superman) boxing on the Wii


Pretty sure the chocolate chip pancakes are a hit!