B-U-S-Y

That pretty much explains how I have been in a nutshell.

Thanksgiving was wonderful, but unfortunately my camera broke shortly after Halloween. I was without a camera for the entire month of November so I don't have many pictures as far as updates go. We had so much to be thankful for this year. We were able to spend our second Thanksgiving with our little chicken wing, who was only given a 39% chance of ever spending a Thanksgiving with us, and this year we also had the incredible blessing of Grace in July who arrived happy and healthy. I thank God every day for Ian, Jacob and Gracie, but it is nice to have one special day every year to remember what we are thankful for.

Jacob has glasses! They are ridiculously ugly (sorry it had to be said), but they are a necessity and hopefully this is short term and something that will resolve on its own. If not, I just keep telling myself that eventually he will be responsible and not try to rip them off his face so one day he will not have to wear white rubber glasses. He pulls them off his face so keeping them on will be a real challenge. I feel bad for him because as a person who wears glasses (and contact lens) I know how obnoxious they are. I was hoping he wouldn't have to deal with it, but if this is the worst thing that happens to him because of his 24 week arrival then we lucked out!

Grace is starting to sit up and roll over now and life is starting to get interesting. With the two of them on the move we had to expand our play area in the living room and the "adult" area is getting smaller and smaller. I am sure eventually it will disappear all together, but for now we have one little corner of the room all for ourselves to watch TV and have a fire. Grace weighs a whopping 16 pounds and she is not even 5 months yet! Jacob is only 21 pounds and 21 months at the end of December so I am just waiting for the day she officially passes him. That's what happens when you have a micro-preemie and then a huge full-term baby.

Both kids are on their fourth colds since September and I am just crossing my fingers that we make it through this Winter without any major illness. Winter hasn't even officially begun yet and I am already anticipating the Spring. To help the Winter go by faster, I have already started planning Jacob's second birthday party (complete with a Wonder Pets theme!) and I am hoping that will keep me busy along with sending out our first annual New Year cards. I was going to do one last year, but Jacob's "Welcome Home" announcements had just been mailed in September (I was a little behind) and I found it kind of useless to send another card so soon. I already have the card designed and I am just waiting for the kids to get better so I can take a picture that doesn't have raw, red noses. :)

I will be sure to start taking some pictures with my new camera (which, by the way, is AWESOME!) and post them soon.