Christmastime with Little Lincoln

This is the first year we have Christmas lights.  Hazel got out of the car one evening, saw our neighbor's Christmas lights and exclaimed, " They're SO BEAUTIFUL!" So I HAD to get some!  It's hard to tell, but she's standing at the bottom of the ladder, "helping."

Cups are one of Hazel's favorite toys, and making nests is her favorite thing to do with them.

Grandpa Tanner came to help for a week.  He was so helpful and fun!  Did housework, ran errands, played with the kids, and let me sleep in after night feedings with Lincoln.  Thanks Grandpa!

This was also the week that Lincoln was circumcised.  He's a champ though, was only irritable during diaper changes for a few days.

Dillan turned 5!  Happy Birthday!

  We went to Red Robin to celebrate with Gpa Tanner and Gpa and Gma Hardy.

Notice the muffin with candles: sugar-free, blueberry muffins were our treat!

He was awkward, but enjoyed being the center of attention while the workers sang to him.

A big Christmas present...

...filled with Dillan and Hazel!

We had a cold snap while Grandpa was here.  A pipe froze (only the hot water to our kitchen sink)!  Upon inspection of the frozen pipe Kyle found a broken drainage pipe that made a nasty puddle under our house.  Good thing he's handy, it was fixed in a jiffy.

Dillan was a wise man in our ward's Christmas party Nativity.  I love our thrown together costume, very Arabian.

Lincoln's favorite position.

Dillan's Christmas program at preschool.  He didn't sing much, but he was great at the actions!

 I didn't even know Kyle took this picture.  Must have been exhausted.  Snuggle-sleeping with Lincoln is the best!

 Hazel is being just like Lincoln.

 How is he holding his brother and playing a game on the phone at the same time?

 Dillan had a little party at school for his birthday.  We played a balloon popping game, where a balloon was tied to each child's ankle and they all tried to stomp on each other's balloons.  A lot of kids ended up crying due to the noise or wanting to keep their balloons.  The second game was an unwrapping game.  If you rolled a "blue" you got a turn trying unwrap the present.  Dillan was the only kid that never rolled a "blue," he ended up crying at his own party.  I guess I need to improve at choosing age appropriate activities.

 Santa brought the kids a block castle for Christmas.  He is so cool!

 Christmas morning, waiting to go down the stairs.

Gma and Gpa Hardy came over Christmas morning.  They got to watch the kids open presents, eat breakfast with us, and play with all the fun new stuff!  Dillan got some stilts and spent the whole day figuring out how to walk with them.

I'm so grateful that Kyle was able to take so much time off and that my parents could each come help.  Christmas season would have been so challenging with a newborn without all that help.

I like the angle of this picture. Dillan or Hazel must have taken it.

 She fell asleep at the dinner table before we started eating, and slept all through dinner.

 Grandma Tanner also came and helped me for a week.  She let me sleep in, was great at playing with the kids and helping with Lincoln, and babysat several times while Kyle and I went out.  I think we wore her out!  Thanks Grandma Tanner.

 Lincoln got his baby blessing on December 29th.  This is our new great family!

 Our home teacher gave us matching ties for Christmas.  These boys look great!

 Kisses for Lincoln

 Talking to a one of her great grandmas.  She's got the pose down!

Banana Cream Pie.

We attended Patrick's wedding reception (Kyle's cousin) and gave a gift from the wedding registry for the first time.  I feel like we are entering the real world of adults, one small step at a time!

We also got to go to a New Year's Eve Party.  So fun!  Kyle and I are pretty good contenders for Just Dance!  2013 was great and went by so fast, bring on 2014!

Welcome Baby Lincoln!

 In November, we started off by rearranging our family room.  The furniture was covering the baseboard heaters, and with a baby on the way, we needed better heating in our house!  We also lowered the fireplace mantel in preparation for getting a flat screen TV to put there.

 Tiki tiki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip perri pembo!  She's reading it!

Last weekend out before having the baby!

 So creative!

 Her favorite toy of the month!

 Picked out her own clothes, like usual.

 9 months pregnant!

 6.5 hours of labor, no medication, less than 10 minutes of pushing, and it's a boy!

 Lincoln Richard Hardy

Born November 22 at 6:30 AM, 7 lbs 12 oz

 No problems with Lincoln, easiest recovery for Mom!  Success!

 Now I inundate you with tons of pictures of my newborn, just like he's my first kid!

 Going home!

 Dillan loves holding Lincoln and is very helpful.

Hazel was worn out from playing so much at Grandma's while we were at the hospital.  This is how she was returned to us!

 All my kids still fit on my lap!

 Grandma Hardy made this for Lincoln as a cocoon to take pictures in.  So we all participated!

 Our new TV!  Biggest, most expensive furniture we've ever bought.

 Santa happened to be outside in Downtown Gresham when we were eating dinner there!