It’s our last day with Madison, or LaLa as she’s lovingly referred to by my girls. We had such a wonderful visit with her. She stayed with us and was a huge help with the girls. She’s always willing to change a diaper, help with baths, help get them dressed, help with meals, and most importantly play with the girls. She’s such a good cousin and the girls adore her. After the girls went to bed each evening, Madison and I stayed up and watched movies, tv shows and caught up. It’s hard to believe she’s 10 already – it seems like yesterday I was visiting her at the hospital the day she was born.  I’m really proud of the girl she is growing up to be. She is really sensitive, sweet, and has a tremendous heart. I’m lucky to have her as a niece and I’m very proud to be her Godmother.

The girls assume the picture taking position

Time for hugs!

Everyone wants some hugs from LaLa!

My girls will be devasted when Madison leaves. We all wish she lived closer so we could see her more often.

After waiting for a new plane due to mechanical issues, Poppy & Melissa finally arrived! We were very excited to see them. Our first ‘to do’ was exchanging gifts. They must have thought Annabelle and Gwyneth were pretty good this year because the pile of gifts appeared to be endless. Everyone received lots of wonderful gifts and we loved having the family time.

Gwyneth loves her learning bus. There’s a talking G so B taught her to push it over and over…”GG…GG….GG…GG…”  She’s our little GG and it just never stops being funny to us, especially Annabelle!

Poppy & Melissa are here and anxiously watching Madison open her Christmas gifts.

Now that’s some serious Christmas loot….

The girls are digging their stools. They received two – one with their names and “their bug”, and the other with their names in a puzzle.

Madison and Auntie Becky gave the girls twins from the American Girl store. They have both been named “Baby LaLa” because they look like their cousin Madison.

Gwyneth takes a gift opening break to enjoy a lemon cookie. YUM!

Thanks to Poppy, Melissa, Auntie Becky, and Madison for the Christmas gifts. We love them!!

The girls woke up to a wonderful surprise – Madison is here!! They were so excited to play with their cousin. They pulled out their ladybug and bumble bee pillows and showed them off. We had a fun morning laying around being silly and then took the girls out for chinese food because that’s what Miss Madison was in the  mood for. They all ate great and then the girls went down for a good nap waiting for their Poppy and Melissa to arrive.

Loving their cute new pillows from Grandma and Grandpa Meyer

After much anticipation, Madison and Becky arrived from Chicago! We were so happy to have them here. They didn’t arrive until 8:00 so Miss Gwyneth didn’t stand a chance of seeing them. Annabelle tried hard to stay up, but she melted down about 2 minutes before they got to our house. The girls were in for a huge surprise the next morning!

Madison is very into vampire right now so we watched Twilight her first night here. She’s team Edward!

The girls looked so cute and SO BIG in their Christmas dresses. They certainly don’t look like my little babies anymore. I couldn’t ask for sweeter, cuter girls! Its tough getting them to stop long enough to pose for a picture together, but I think even they knew they were looking adorable and wanted pictures.

Christmas Eve had finally arrived and it was time for our family gift exchange. The girls were so cute giving each other the presents they had picked out. They both received a newborn baby. They gave hugs and plenty of thank you’s. The girls each gave me a book and a movie – Twilight and Elton John Live! The girls gave B a new green fees change jar and a Bose home stereo system for his Ipod. Hard to say who was happier with their gifts – B or the girls.

Posing with their babies

Gwyneth showing B how to work his new remote

present time

The girls each received an ornament. I don’t think Gwyneth was too impressed.

Sharing a little baby doll down time

Sweet girl

I’m asked this question quite often…”Which of the girls is easier?”. I really enjoy it, because it implies that one of the girls is easy and the other is easier. I think the question would be posed more accruately “Which one is more difficult?”, but I guess that’s just semantics. My standard response to the original question is always “Whichever B is looking after” and his response is the exact opposite. We usually say it with a laugh, but I think there is a lot of honesty there. We both naturally assume the other is on a cake walk while we’re struggling away with “the less easy one”.

Weekends are much easier than weekdays and we get more quality family time. After a long workday, the patience is a little thinner, the tantrums are a little more frequent, the whining is a little more piercing, and everything is just a bit more hectic. I honestly wouldn’t say either one is dififcult, but I’m certainly not crazy enough to say either one is easy!

Being just a year apart can prove to be interesting when Annabelle can do something that Gwyneth just isn’t quite ready to do. Apparently we forgot to tell Miss GG that she’s only one and just not old enough to drink out of water bottle yet. Although Annabelle has mastered the skill, Gwyneth has not, but she certainly wasn’t going to be left out. To answer the above question – I’d say Gwyneth was a bit “less easy” than Annabelle this evening….

We opened gifts from the Carlson boys this evening just in time for Gwyneth to soak herself. I took her up for a bath and Annabelle got to enjoy her new dress-up dolls all to herself.

And what the heck, since Gwyenth wasn’t around she helped herself to Gwyneth’s ballerina bear puzzle too. It pays to be able to keep the water in the bottle instead of all down the front of you!

Thanks Jack and Ben for the Christmas gifts. The girls love them!

The girls are very into trains these days. They line up their nativity figures and make a “baby Jesus train”. The latest is to take all their chairs and make a train for themselves, their Shmoozes, and their babies. They even made B get involved and he played right along with a “Choo Choo”.

I hope Santa is listening and maybe a train will be in their near future!