doctor visits

The girls are both strong, healthy, and growing, growing, growing! We had their one and three-year doctor visit last week and I thought I would write some of their stats and milestones in a post!

NATALIE

-Has been walking (running!) since November

-Doesn't say ANY words yet (not even mama and dada) but can nod her head "yes" and "no" and uses the signs "milk", "eat", "more", and "please" in the right context. Dr. Rupp isn't worried about her speech (yet) because she understands what we say to her.

-Is in the 60th percentile for weight (out of every 100 kids, 40 are bigger and 60 are smaller), and 75th for height

-Sleeps from about 7:30 pm to 8:00 am every night, but only naps about 20 minutes a day

-Has switched from bottles to sippy cups and drinks whole milk or formula, but isn't really getting enough since the bottles went bye bye... Dr Rupp says we might have to supplement (don't really know what that means) if she doesn't start drinking more. She's not a huge fan of the sippy cups, although she does use them.

SAMANTHA

-Is in the 55th percentile for weight and 50th for height

-Speaks extremely well, has an amazing vocabulary (maybe she speaks for her sister too much), and seems to be doing better with separation anxiety

-Has been potty training! She is having about a 95% success rate (while awake) with #1 and 5% success rate with #2. Dr Rupp said that's very common and to just keep it positive and keep working with her.

-Still doesn't pay much attention to Natalie unless she is taking things from her, pushing her, or yelling at her. Maybe someday they can be friends. {Sigh}

Overall, the girls are doing wonderful and we feel so blessed to have two bright, healthy, smiling, loving, fun kiddos!!! :)

nashville convention

Every year there are two major conventions and trade shows for professional photographers. This year one of them was in Nashville, Tennessee, which was a perfect place for us to travel! (Above, Dan is standing inside the hotel/convention center, The Opryland Hotel. It was a very cool, very big place!) 

Imaging USA includes a HUGE trade show (almost 1,000 booths) full of the latest greatest anything-you-can-think-of-that-relates-to-photographers-stuff! :) Frames, albums, labs, training, editing, equipment, jewelry, EVERYTHING. It can be overwhelming but we had a very specific plan of attack this year. :) And, we came home with the most adorable new framing options that we think will knock our clients socks off! Can't wait to launch the new line! :-)

There are also many classes to go to at the convention. We were {a lot} more excited about what we learned at this show two years ago when we attended in Florida, but since returning home this trip we've decided we picked up enough little things to make it worth the trip.

Ah....my favorite part of the trip! Our good friends Patricia and Thomas moved from Detroit to Nashville several years ago and we had yet to visit! They were gracious enough to invite us to move into their home for the week & we LOVED "living with" them!!

Their loft in Detroit was SO COOL that it was published in a magazine!!! So, it wasn't surprising that their huge new home was even better!!! (If that's possible!!!) I'm not sure these photos do it justice but I HAD to show it off!

Living Room

Kitchen

Their patios (yes, plural- which are on 2 of their 3 levels) overlook the city skyline. AMAZING! Like I said - these photos are terrible! I didn't even get all of their zen-like patio furniture!

Thomas is from England and is a vegetarian which meant two things.... 1. They cooked us all of these different foods and vegetables that we'd never tried before and LOVED, and 2. It gave Patricia an excuse to cook/eat/share meat! :) So....we were treated like royalty eating lamb, an amazing chicken dish, and going out for a fancy steak dinner! 

Dining Room

Sitting Room

Dan lounging...reading from their collections of art books

A separate office for Thomas.....SO SWEET!

Thomas still flies to Detroit to work 4 days a week so he had to leave us on Monday. The three of us went out to eat at a FABULOUS place. We got appetizers, sides to share, steak, crab, salmon, and lamb, and get this...... Patricia had a super duper coupon that we stacked on top of the half-price bill for arriving after 9, and we paid a total of $40 (plus tip) FOR A $220 unbelievable dinner!!!! (Did I mention she is also one of the SMARTEST people I know?!)

After dinner we went on a tour of Nashville, which was absolutely beautiful. 

Patricia and Thomas both are some of the most giving, unselfish, smartest, most fun people I know and it was so nice to see them and catch up on life. Although the actual conference was a little bit of a bummer (maybe we chose the wrong classes?), we had an amazing trip seeing them and also catching up with some of our photographer friends - also VERY fun!!!! Overall the trip was great and we are glad we went.

A special thank you, as always, to Dan's parents for watching our girls the entire week - which we know is a major sacrifice (even though we do know you love them) and we never take for granted all you do to help us with life & our business!!!

And thank you, Patricia & Thomas for hosting us & giving us a wonderful week away! :-)

birthday sledding

We waited to celebrate the girls' birthdays until we got back from a business trip, but I wanted to do something fun on Sammi's birthday before we left, so I took the girls over to mom & dad's to sled on the hill behind their house. Daddy had to work, but he celebrated with us later...

Sammi ate up every minute of it and didn't want to come inside! Poor Natalie's shoes were way too big (she outgrew the ones Sam wore at this time so she has to wear the next size up which are too big) so she couldn't walk in the snow and kept falling on her face when we'd try to put her down! Sam sled on her bottom, on her back, forward, backward, and went stomping through the snow! We were all getting cold so grandpa pushed the three of us down one last time REALLY fast and we CRASHED! Sammi and mommy giggled and giggled but poor Natalie cried and cried! 

We went inside for cake and special soft pretzels my dad makes from scratch (YUM!) It was a great way to spend a birthday together! :-) The official birthday party post will be coming soon..... 

new year's eve

Where do you go on New Year's Eve after you have children? To other people's homes that also have children! :) We had so much fun hanging out at Brian, Shannon, and Hailey's house on New Year's eve with many friends. 

It wouldn't be a gathering at Shannon's home if she didn't make 800 bazillion delicious and incredible from-scratch foods!!! 

Natalie hanging out with Stephanie

Our next house will not be purchased until we find one with an EXACT replica of their basement!!! HUGE living area, full bath, eating area, separate movie room, and this playroom separated with full glass doors to block sound but not vision! AWESOME BASEMENT!!!

What else would Natalie be doing but eating!?

Sam enlisted Tim and daddy to help her with princess puzzles. I'm sure their idea of a perfect New Year's party!!! :-)

The guys playing darts

Sammi and Hailey are such buddies! They enjoyed seeing each other so much that they kept sneaking out of bed to play together... so we finally told them they could just stay up.

Sammi goofing around with mommy

...and with Shannon

They made it to midnight....unbelievable! The late night hours included watching Disney movies on the big screen in the movie room!

Thank you so much, friends, for spending New Year's with us!!! 

CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA!

WOW - Did we have an awesome Christmas WEEK! I am so far behind in blogging that I thought doing one long (!!) post about our Christmas would be the best way to catch up!

Our Christmas Week...

MONDAY

We started with some fun in the first real snow of the year!

Snow Angels...

My grandma sent me an adorable Christmas letter and included a recipe for sugar cookies in it. She doesn't like to travel and we don't see her often enough, so when I read the part of her note that said "Make these cookies and maybe I can come try them in person..." I held her to her word, even though I knew she was joking! Sammi and I made those cookies on Monday and on Tuesday Dan and I drove to Cincinnati to pick up Grandma and bring her back to Indy to spend Christmas week with us! It was the best gift to us to have her with us!

TUESDAY

Dan and I spent the morning at IKEA and the afternoon driving Grandma back to Indy. Although I don't have photos, we had a marvelous time catching up!!

WEDNESDAY

We brought the sugar cookies to mom & dad's to decorate! (Unfortunately all the photos from Wednesday are my grandma's so she's not in any of the photos!) She definitely helped us decorate (and eat)!

As a gift to us, that night mom and dad took Dan and me and Jordie and Ashley to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and it was awesome!!! 

THURSDAY

We were off to bake, bake, bake again all day! On the trip to Indy, grandma mentioned that her all-time favorite cookies were the ones from the recipe on the OLD box of Quaker Oatmeal, which she's never been able to find since they changed it. Thanks to our trusty friend, the internet, we were able to find that recipe for her, and of course we had to make the cookies for her too! 

Thursday afternoon we headed to my parents' for our official Christmas and were greeted by this miniature snowman! :)

Sam walked in to see all of the presents...

But she was sad that she had to wait to open them until after dinner!

She enjoyed all of her presents...

And Natalie mostly just stood on hers! 

Grandma's gift...

The only photo I have of her this Christmas! Love you, grandma!

Natalie was wiped before our night ended!

FRIDAY

Well, "Friday" technically started on Thursday eve when we prepared for Santa to come to our house!

All that cookie baking, and we TOTALLY forgot to leave some cookies at OUR house for Santa!!!! Whoops! No worries though, Sammi instead rummaged through the pantry and picked out all of her favorite snacks for him. 

Santa came, and Santa liked the snacks! He left the girls a note and these presents on our child-proofly-decorated tree! (No ornaments lower than 3 feet!) *Note- we are also waiting on furniture to arrive for our downstairs....it's not always going to be so bare! Should be here any day!

The girls got candy canes on their doors and came down to find their presents...

Sammi's favorite... candy necklaces in her stocking!

Another favorite... her own pink chap-stick, just like she asked for!

A present for Sammi and Daddy who both LOVE Spongebob...

Natalie figured out how to open presents pretty quickly...

...but I think she still enjoyed climbing on them more than anything!

Our house was a colorful mess!

SATURDAY

On Friday night we drove to Fort Wayne to spend the weekend with the Brand family! Christmas was full of gifts and spending time together. It was relaxing and wonderful!

The kids did their gifts first and then took naps while the parents exchanged!

...And, once again, Natalie showed off her climbing skills to the Brands too.

Seeing (Great) Grandma Brand is always a treat!!!

Dan playing his new PS3...this was just the start of many late nights avoiding work and cleaning! I'm not sure I approve of this gift! :) (JK - he LOVES it though!)

SUNDAY

Sunday wrapped up our Christmas extravaganza by attending the extended Brand Family Christmas Exchange!

The kids draw names ahead of time and exchange...

And the adults buy a generic gift and do the "open a new gift or steal another until it's been stolen 3 times" game...

It was especially nice to see (Great) Uncle Joe, a favorite uncle of all the Brand Family, and especially was a favorite of our girls!!!

Uncle Steve playing...

Uncle Scott is also loved by all the kids!

Grandpa Brand found one last gift!

Oh my goodness! It's "Sammikins"!

One last visit with Uncle Joe before he goes back to Georgia. He thought it would be fun to take Sammi out in the snow...in her BARE FEET! 

....and, RIGHT back in!!!

We had an amazing week with lots to feel thankful for, especially all of the family to share the holidays with. We've already started our new year off busy, busy, busy....and we are looking forward to seeing where the wind (and our goals and dreams) may take us this year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!