Well, our last stop was in Camano with Shawn's mom, step dad, sisters and grandparents. The smallest of all gatherings. I kind of like how we go from ginormous get-together, huge get-together, smaller get-together and smallest get-together. It's nice to get smaller and smaller each time so that it's not INcreasingly overwhelming..... :)
I enjoy getting together with this side of the family for multiple reasons, but at Christmas time, one of my favorite reasons is that you know there will be plenty of puzzles to put together! In the office, there is always a card table with a puzzle on it and people just come in and out of the room all day working on it throughout the day. It's a nice break away from the girls when they start to exhaust you or when the guys are watching football. And I think it's good one on one bonding time since there are always only 2-3 people working on it at a time.
We are definitely blessed to have so much family. But with all that family comes a lot of gifts. Oh my. a LOT of gifts. They really do go overboard, but as Shawn pointed out to me, it's not overboard to them and they truly love to do it. That's how they "do" Christmas. :) So I relax and enjoy watching the girls open their gifts and play with their new toys. Our truck was packed TO THE BRIM when we left! I honestly don't think we could have fit another single thing in there!
Our trip to the outlet mall didn't quite help that situation. haha. Living in basically the middle of nowhere means that there are no "cool" baby stores. No Babies R Us, no Carters, no Osh g'Osh.... so when I go over there, I always have the itch to go to all the outlet malls and to all the "cool" stores that we don't have. Well, on Thursday, all of us girls went out shopping and I got a little carried away. It was so easy to do with all the great deals we ran into! I went with the intent of buying a new coat for KaeLee, but I came back with three very large shopping bags filled with new clothes for the girls. I've never been a "shopper" when it comes to clothes, but shopping for baby clothes is WAY different. And if you have a little girl, you know what I mean!! So, in the end, I enjoyed the shopping trip but realized my money could have definitely been better spent. Especially since so many people had just given them a ton of new clothes for Christmas!
Anyway, we enjoyed our time with the Strephensons and the Garretts! It was nice to see them again for sure! I charged my camera all day Christmas Eve so that I wouldn't have to worry about taking our charger with us and chance losing it...... only to have our camera die on me Wednesday morning! What the heck?!?! I was so frustrated! I started hinting (again) to Shawn that we are due for a new one! I don't know how long a camera should last, but I have had this one for 4 1/2 years now. I think it's had a good run, right? Anyway, I had to put my memory card in Christina's camera and use hers for the rest of the time being. Thanks Christina for being so gracious! :) Enjoy the pictures!
Hannah being her mobile self! She's getting so big, walking around so much! I know it'll be any day now before she takes off across the room without holding on to anything!
Christina and KaeLee. KaeLee REALLY took a liking to her during this trip. It got a bit ridiculous when, on the last night, no one bit CHRISTINA could wash her in the bath tub. Really, KaeLee? That's a bit much.
**On a side note: every time I type the word (name) Christina, I have to delete half of it and fix it because I keep typing Christmas.... hmmmm.... that's annoying!**
KaeLee is blowing out Jesus' birthday candle after we sing happy birthday! I love that we do this every year! Thanks to Shawn's grandma anyway! I'd probably forget half the time!
KaeLee is super helpful and absolutely LOVES to help pass out the gifts! Thanks for helping beautiful girl! You are way too sweet! :)
KaeLee opens a gift. By now, she has this whole opening gifts thing down good!!
Hannah opened a singamajig and KaeLee is over checking it out and showing Hannah her new "Emma" dolly.
KaeLee gets a "sing with me" Elmo and loves it of course! Hannah has been playing with it lots too! They both love anything that has to do with Elmo!
KaeLee loves getting new clothes! She is going to be my fashion queen.... I just know it. haha
Hannah is slowly getting her gift opened, one little tear at a time.... haha. It's pretty funny to watch her. But she seemed to have a blast! ;)
Happy KaeLee
The girls both got an animal ball that vibrates and they both love holding them while they vibrate. haha. It reminds me of the bumble balls they love so much!
KaeLee got a crib for her dollies! She has it next to her own crib in her room and tucks her dollies in at night and nap time and gets them up in the morning. It's pretty cute. She'll be a great mommy one day (one day far, far, FAR from now, that it is!! haha)
Daddy helps Hannah open a gift
Hannah is showing daddy what she got! haha. And KaeLee is also checking out what Hannah got for Christmas!
Both girls got a bean bag chair from Sue and Jon. Purple for Hannah, of course! And she loves it!
KaeLee got some new crayons and coloring books! She sure loves to color! Oh, and the little stuffed animal laying next to her..... those were super cute! Shawn's grandma got them for the girls. You press the hand and one sings "Jesus Loves Me" and the other says the "Lay Me Down to Sleep". They are so sweet! Speaking of sweet, I just love this picture! Her smile here is just so sweet! :)
KaeLee loves her bean bag chair too!
Here they are, watching Sid the Science Guy DVD (also a new gift) in their new bean bag chairs. Can you tell Hannah is super excited that Sid is on?!?! haha. She's so cute!
Hannah had to try KaeLee's chair out too...... haha
The Stephenson family photo. I am really bummed that I didn't think of this BEFORE, while we were with my family too! It's not too often that all of my family is together, with one at college and one that, well, just never shows up. But hopefully we can reiterate those pictures soon! Shawn, Alyssa, Jon, Sue, Hannah, me, KaeLee and Christina
KaeLee discovered a new trick! She has always liked olives, but until recently, I have not given them to her whole because I am a paranoid freak about choking sometimes.... so when Grandpa Jon put them on her fingers, she fell in love! haha. It was really cute
KaeLee with Grandma Sue
Hannah with Grandpa Jon
Well, Christmas for the Cox family is officially over. Ahhhhh...... it always feels good to be back at home in your own bed! (no matter how much you may love your family....) And the best part is how much the girls sleep because they are trying to catch up on their sleep and are enjoying their own beds instead of a playpen and a blow up bed!
Now I can move on to the New Years blog..... hmmmmm... maybe tomorrow though. I think I am going to go to bed for now. I am sure I will be up pretty soon here. Poor Hannah woke up this morning with a really raspy cough. She skipped bath tonight and has been in bed since 7:00. So I am preparing for her to wake up in the next couple hours at least, looking for a bottle. I hate it when the little ones are sick. It makes me so sad that there is so little I can do for them. Today was a cuddle day with Hannah for most of the day. Oh, and Shawn is over in Seattle tonight at the Seahawks game. But more about that later. Another post is soon to follow. Have a great night everyone!
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