Christmas 2012 and McKay Turns One

Updates on Clifton -
Potty training has started and it literally just clicked for him.  The first day was a long day of accidents and putting him on the potty every half hour but now he tells us when he needs to go and has gone a couple days without accidents.  Even at church he went and did not have an accident.  Now we are slowly starting to venture out of the house again.  I could not be more proud of my big man.  He is no longer my baby boy:/  Bitter sweet.  He is such a good boy and very smart too!

Updates on McKay -
She turned ONE!!!!  Yep on Christmas day:)  This year has flown by so crazy fast.  I swear I just was holding my new baby girl in my arms like a week ago and now she is running around, being silly, and starting to communicate.  Too fast!  What a joy she has been in our lives though.  We love her silly, crazy, dramatic ways.

Last blog I forgot to post our Sunday Christmas outfits.

 Clifton looking so handsome!

 Love:)

 They are just so cute!

Alex changed but still a good picture of us.

Christmas eve we decided that we wanted to do our own Christmas before going to Alex's parents home.  So we could enjoy Christmas with just our little family.  I am glad we did because I got to focus on them when opening presents and watch their faces light up and then play with them at home.

 Playing with their new toys.

 My wonderful gift from my wonderful husband.

 Figuring out what is in there...

 Then dumping it all out.

Walking around dumping her stocking out slowly.

Then we packed up to head out to Grandma and Grandpa's house.

 All the girls looking so cute!

We enjoyed the evening with family eating a yummy dinner and then having the Peterson Christmas Program.

CHRISTMAS!

 The kids waiting on the stairs to go open presents.  (Clifton is a goof)

 Matching PJ's!

Helping Daddy pass out all the gifts.

We had a white Christmas!!!!!

 Catching snowflakes on our tongues.

 We love playing in the snow!

 My little birthday girl all dressed up warm and looking like an angel. This is by far my favorite picture of McKay.  She is so cute!

Our first snowman!

It was a wonderful Christmas and birthday for McKay (we will celebrate later).  I took so many pictures.  It is so hard not to.  I want to capture every minute of my kids lives so I can remember it.

Playing in the Rain and Snow!

Updates on Clifton -

He has gone potty on the toilet a few times at his request.  After all the holiday craziness we are going to officially start potty training:)

Clifton is such a comic!  He makes some silly faces.

Updates on McKay -
 She signs more and we are trying to learn some other words as well.  She lets you know when she does not want something by saying no and shaking her head.  And she does it often!  She has also said "love you." She will sometimes repeat it if we say it.  It is very very cute.

For FHE we started a new tradition I hope to keep going throughout our kids childhood years.  We went through our toys and found good toys that we might not play with that often and chose a family that may not have a lot to give to their kids for Christmas and left it on their doorstep.  I hope that my children learn that there is more than getting presents for Christmas.

This week we had rain like usual but we went over to Clifton's friends house, Benson, and took advatage of his acreage.  We got our hats, gloves, jackets, and rain boots on and splashed in some puddles.

The boys loved it.  McKay really wanted to get down and join them:/  Soon enough she will be!  It was a great afternoon.

Then Wednesday, we got SNOW!!!!!!

 We got squirt guns out and filled it with colored water.  It did not last long but it was fun will the water lasted.

 McKay looking all cute bundled up.

 Alex taught the boys how to make and throw snowballs.

 She wanted to get down and play in the snow as well.

 We got our cars out and pushed them around in the snow.  Clifton just got this tractor from Grandma at our last Portland trip.  It went to good use shoveling some snow:)  Clifton loved the snow almost as much as I do.  He continued to ask to play in it and stayed out there longer then I expected him to.  We love snow!!!!  Alex even got a snow day off from work:)

Sunday we had Christmas with the Stewart's!  Dinner and swapping presents.

 Then playing some games!  Good times.

Just as we were walking home, we saw Santa on a fire truck.  He stopped and gave us some candy canes!

 

 Clifton loves Santa on a fire truck.  It is the only Santa he will not run away from screaming.

Portland Christmas 2012

Updates on Clifton -
He is finally interested in going potty on the toilet and went just the other night.  Just walked in and went potty!  So I am going to officially get potty training going.  Wish us luck!

Updates on McKay -
She has four teeth coming in!!!!  Just the other day I was thinking that she is lacking in teeth for her age and now four are poking through.  I guess that's what I get for thinking that:)
She struggles so much with going to the bathroom.  She cries and screams when trying and when she finally has gone she is sweating and so exhausted afterwards.  It is hard to see her struggle so much and the tension in the house goes up when there is a screaming baby.

This week we went over to a friend's house and made gingerbread houses.  It was a ton of fun!

 Finished product.

 McKay even made one and she actually put the candy on the house.  It was a little messy but she understood what to do.

Group shot.  A fun group!

 Clifton's and Evan's houses

Candy, candy, candy!

We also ventured back to the mall to ride the little Christmas train.

It is a big hit with the boys and McKay quite enjoys it too.

I had an Ugly Christmas Sweater Cookie Party.

 Here is my ugly sweater.  My mom had a good collection for me to choose from!  Thanks mom:)

 We played some minute to win it games.  And just enjoyed the cookies and each others' company.  Cheryl makes me laugh in this picture.  She was trying so hard to get the cookie in her mouth!

 It was a fun group of ladies and a good girls night out!

The next day we took a trip to Portland to celebrate Christmas with my family early.

Opening presents is always fun!

 And seeing cousins and other family is so much fun!

My sister-in-law hosted an Usborne book party for me.  It was my first one alone and I had some mistakes but it was a good first run at it.  She has always been such a good support in my life.  Thanks Mechelle!