Sledding

I am completely and utterly not prepared to return to work tomorrow. Annaliese is going to a new day care and I'm not prepared for her to head there, either. So instead of getting ready, I'm killing time on my computer. What better way to do that other than to write a blog post. While all the Christmas parties consumed a lot of our winter break, it wasn't the only thing we did. Ian had the chance to go sledding behind my parent's house while we were home. He was very excited by the idea (we have less than a quarter inch on the ground here in Omaha) until we got there. Then he didn't want to go down by himself.



They rode tandem A LOT. Every time they got to the bottom, we'd ask him if he wanted to go by himself, but he'd always say no. So Darrin would haul the sled back up the hill.



Eventually Darrin got tired, so Ian tried to take over the job of getting the sled to the top. It was a bit of work with Darrin still in the sled, though.


After doing the well worn truck path, Darirn convinced Ian to try the steeper hill. They came to a stop in the piles of snow the plow had made on the other side, and we convinced Ian to sled down the little piles by himself. As he safely made it to the bottom, he decided he was up for trying the big, steep hill by himself.


He was so surprised when he made it to the bottom he said, "Hey! I didn't any snow on myself. Let's do it again!" And that continued several times after. Darrin and I were so happy. It always takes Ian many, many exposures to things before he is confident enough to do them on his own. Usually he's the one begging to go in, but this time it was Darrin and me.

Christmas #7- The Kuehl Christmas

This is the last Christmas recap. I know it's been a lot for some of you to read, but this blog is how I document our life, so years from now when I finally get around to scrapbooking the pages for the kids' albums, I can remember what happened. Christmas with the Kuehl side of the family was on Sunday. There were more games of Wits and Wagers and some rounds of cards. We had ham balls and chicken for lunch. Ian barely ate anything before he fell asleep in Grandma's bed. I guess all the Christmases and lack of a nap were finally catching up to him. Annaliese got a doll that giggles, and she laughed the minute she heard it. She also got a Sesame Street doctor's kit.





Apparently we should have given all her gifts to her in a gift bag, because she paid more attention to this one packaging than she did in all the other packages combined.



I don't know if she confused Uncle Brian with Darrin or not, but she liked to crawl and hang out with him, too.



Ian LOVED his truck, trailer, and riding lawn mower that he got. He also got a coloring book.


He had the honor of giving Grandma her present- a money tree. She's got the fun job of getting all the money off of there and spending it as she wants.



And finally, nearly 10 months after her birth, I remembered to get a 4-generation shot when they were all together.

Christmas #5 & #6- Christmas Day

Christmas Day was spent with Darrin's family. For lunch we went to his aunt and uncle's house to join his extended family in a delicious meal. That was followed by the game "Guess what's in Santa's bag" and several rounds of the game "Wits and Wagers."


Darrin and I aren't pictured because I was holding a sleeping Annaliese on the couch and Darrin was taking pictures.

After spending most of the afternoon there having fun and catching up, we headed back to Grandma and Grandpa's house for more presents and the annual family picture.


It was quite a transition from the first Christmas of the season to this one for Annaliese. She was actually interested in pulling the paper off the packages. That was until there were a few presents open, then all she wanted to do was crawl around and check everything out. Owen got a Leap Frog table like she has at home and all she wanted to do was play with it. Annaliese got a baby doll and stroller, singing cow, a toy that pops balls into the air, and a variety pack containing a little radio, keys, and a book.





Ian opened a Buzz Lightyear snuggie, easel (this one to stay at Grandma & Grandpa's), Buzz puzzle, and Memory, but I don't think any of those, nor any previous present from the entire Christmas, compared to the Buzz wings he got. As soon as he saw what it was, we couldn't get them on him fast enough, and he left them on the entire night until it was time for bed. I can't wait to see them on him along with his Buzz costume from Halloween.

Christmas #4- the Doerscher gang

On Christmas Eve Day, we joined my parents and my sister, along with her family, in a Christmas brunch followed by even more presents. Before Cara, Shawn, and Oliver arrived, Ian opened a present early- a snow shovel- and put it right to use. Otherwise, no one would have been able to get there.


Little Oliver slept through almost the whole thing, but he stayed awake long enough to get a family picture.


Ian again passed out all the presents. Since the majority of the present were for Oliver, Annaliese, and himself, he could practically do it all by himself. He'd just look at the first letter on the package (he can identify I, A, and O) and then know who it was for.


While visiting my grandparents for Thanksgiving, Ian had noticed their flag and asked for one for Christmas. He was excited to find one in his stocking. As for presents under the tree, they contained a toy drill set, Cars bean bag toss, Toy Story the movie, Toy Story Alien fishing, lots of clothes, and a toy shopping cart filled with groceries to share with Annaliese.




Annaliese also got lots of clothes, a baby doll, a toy that pops balls into the air, and formula (and I'm sure I'm forgetting some- all the Christmases are blending together at this point). She finally started to get into opening her presents, reaching out for the paper. Of course once she got the paper torn off, that's all she wanted to play with.

Christmas #3- Our Christmas

Santa came to our house early. Because we were headed back to Iowa for the holidays, we woke up Thursday morning to open gifts before heading back. Instead of opening our presents right away, though, we had to get our picture in our new pajamas. Every year on our Christmas Eve, we get new pjs to open presents in the next morning.



Annaliese continued her indifference towards her gifts. Instead of diving into her stocking, she took off towards the camera. And after the stockings were emptied, she found Ian's granola bars from his stocking more fun than opening the gifts under the tree.





Ian, however, was very surprised to open his stocking and find Chick from the movie Cars inside. He hadn't even asked for it and Santa brought it. He even gave it a quick hug, which unfortunately the camera didn't capture.


While opening his gift from Santa, Ian exclaimed, "Hey! This is for Annaliese!" We encouraged him to look inside, and he was sure glad he did. Inside he found his yellow ambulance and a rescue helicopter.


But after all the presents were open, it was Annaliese who first played with the helicopter while Ian and Darrin looked through is Cars Seek & Find book.


When finished, it was on to play with the helicopter until it was time to head to Iowa.


The post is lacking pictures of Darrin and I, but he did a good job. He bought me a new laptop, and I gave him (and myself) an XBOX 360, as well as Fable 2 and Red Dead Redemption. Annaliese ended up getting stacking rings, books, a pink tea set, and a VTech helicopter. In addition to his ambulance, helicopter, Cars book, and Chick, Ian got a Buzz flashlight and books for his Leap Pad.

Christmas #2- the "Friends" Christmas

I didn't forget Christmas #1- it happened at Thanksgiving, and you can catch up here if you need to. On Tuesday, Dec. 21, we had our second Christmas with our Omaha friends: Sara, Marlena, Noah, and Walter. After a soup super, we opened presents. Ian enthusiastically took on the role of passing out presents, piling them all up in front of us. In the past, Ian's opened each present, and then in turn wanted that present open to play with; we practically had to bribe him to open the next one. Not this year. This year with our friends he just torn into one, put it to the side, and wanted to open the next. It took a bit of convincing for him to wait until everyone else had chances to open some before he could open his next. Annaliese didn't care one bit about presents. We tried to get her to pull the paper, but she was more interested in just crawling around to everyone and playing with the already-opened gifts.

Darrin got to open the first gift, a flash for our camera, and what a difference it made in our pictures.


Pre-flash Elf Ian passing out presents


Annaliese opening her first present- a "2010" ornament.


Ian reading "Mater and the Ghost Light" from Sara.


Between Annaliese and Walter, Sara's lap and arms were busy helping us out!


Annaliese celebrates


Annaliese and Walter size each other up. A few seconds later, she attacked his face. Guess we know who won that showdown.


Ian getting ready to open his big present. The string attached led to his present in the garage.


And hiding in the garage was this easel made by Noah. As soon as we got inside, Ian went straight to work playing school with us.


Ian wasn't the only one to get a homemade gift. Annaliese got a baby bed made by Noah. Marlena made a sheet, two tiny pillows and a quilt that matches the one she made Annaliese for her baptism.

Thanks Marlena, Noah, Walter, and Sara for some fabulous Christmas gifts and memories!

Santa's Message for Ian

If you have little kids and you've never been to the website Portable North Pole you need to check it out. After providing just a few details and/or pictures of your child, a video will play with a special message just for him/her.

We did one for Ian and he watched it tonight. He was so stoic while watching it. I was expecting lots of smiles or a look of awe, but he just silently stared at it. As of now, I can't directly post the video on my blog, but you can view it by clicking HERE.