Playing catchup, at least for December!

I figured I'd finish out the year strong! 

This past year has been blog worthy, I just haven't gotten around

to blogging about it! 

But I'm hoping to, soon. At least blogging about the two trips we

took. We went to Utah, for my sister's wedding - and Charleston, SC

for a little trip. So hoping those will follow soon!

Anywhos, back to December. Here are some highlights, leading

up to Christmas. 

Paige's highlights for December

Pic 1. She thought she was hilarious, dropping her plate of the table. 

Oh the giggles!

2. Just being adorable ;) I took a video of her, pointing to all her 

body parts. She was quite adorable.

3. She is a Doc McStuffins fan! She didn't get any of these toys, but

she was in heaven, getting to hold them through the store.

4. Girl loves herself a popsicle! I didn't have any bibs, so I used a puppy

training pad, for some we had left in the closet. It worked amazing well! 

5. Wearing Dmitri's old coat, while we waited for him to get out of school. I 

had ordered coats for the kids, the day after Thanksgiving, and it took almost

3 weeks to get them! 

5. Ready for church, on the Sunday before Christmas Sunday. I ordered the dress

from a deal of the day site, and it was much  larger and fluffier, than I expected! But it 

worked for the one Sunday.

In December, Paige also started saying please. But it's more like "peas." She also

started walking down, and up the stairs {while holding onto the rails of course}. She

now has to buckle the top buckle of her carseat, because if I go to do it, she arches her 

back so I can't buckle her, and scream. She's also been pacifier free, for about a month

now! Naptime hasn't be easy without her pacifier, but at least bedtime wasn't affected too

much. Though I think she'd fall asleep faster, with one. Ohwell. At least she can't climb 

out of her crib yet! Fingers crossed anyway.....

 Dmitri's highlights for December -

1. Enjoying a frosty morning, before school. It hasn't snowed at all, in

the two years we've been here - but every few years it does. Well good thing

frost is almost as exciting as real snow! Daniel had scrapped ice off his

car, and made it into a snowball. He threw it at Dmitri, and then Dmitri

was on the hunt, for a snowball to throw back. Unfortunately he didn't 

have much to work with!

2. Dmitri took this box, and asked me to cut a hole for his head. He then

added a 'speaker' which is the purple thing. I helped him add some lights 

as well. He had fun making his little contraption, and played with it for a 

long while.

3. Walking to school, with our long shadows!! 

4. He volunteered to bring the trashcan back, after the garbageman had

come. He wheeled it all the way from the street, to the house. 

5. This snowman was a centerpiece from our ward party. I'm not sure we

were supposed to take them, but Dmitri smuggled one out, and has been enjoying

it since! 

Dmitri is halfway through the school year! For the most part, he loves school! 

He is really good at sounding out words, and is really good with math. I hope 

math continues to come easy to him, because it was one of my hardest subjects! xP 

The past few months, his coloring has really improved. He now uses more than

one color, and really tries to stay in the lines, instead of scribble all over, like a maniac.

Even though it's improved, coloring is not one of his favorite things to do.

One thing he continues to work on, is his penmanship. It has definitely improved, 

but still needs work! 

His prayers have also gotten better. I've noticed he's been taking his time in tasks,

and prayers are one of them. He actually thinks about what he wants to say, instead

of just repeating the usual prayer. 

Oh! This was from October, but I'll add it. Dmitri got up and said his part for the 

Primary program!! The year before, he would not do it. This year he did, and 

ever memorized his part!! I was so proud of him :)

 

Some tidbits, leading up to Christmas; we have a tradition, where we each pick

out our own wrapping paper. Well we were at the store doing that, when Dmitri

spotted this. He thought it was a real toy truck, but we told him it just carried

hot chocolate. He said, "Oh, that's really cool! It brings you hot chocolate?!"
We went to Lights of the South, for the second year in a row. It's always

such a fun {and cold} experience! Dmitri was sad, that we missed Breakfast 

with Santa, and was sad that he wouldn't get to see Santa this year. Well his 

wish was granted, and we were able to visit him! Dmitri was SO excited! His

heart was beating so fast! He told Santa he wanted a real elf for Christmas.

One that could play with him, and do his chores, while he lounged on the couch.

Yea, you probably guessed it, but Santa didn't bring him one! If Santa was giving

out elves like that, I would have asked for one!! xD

Also, Paige wanted nothing to do with Santa! Daniel tried to sit her down, and

she started crying, and held on for dear life! So Daniel was able to sit on Santa's 

lap, for the second time {the other time, when Dmitri was two}.

 Some highlights of Dmitri and Paige together;

They have been playing a lot together! Dmitri is sweeter to Paige, and Paige 

likes to do whatever Dmitri does.

Pic 1: Paige would not let go of Dmitri! She had a death grip hug on him! 

He asked if she was glued to him, because he couldn't shake her off!

2. Christmas Sunday! The kiddies in their Christmas attire. I totally forgot I 

had bought Dmitri a Christmas tie, and only remember two days after this. So 

he'll be wearing it this Sunday.

3{5}. Paige has been very huggy. When Dmitri came home from school

that day, she tried to hug him - but he wasn't paying much attention

 to her. He pushed her out of the way, and she got mad, and kept trying

 to hug him. I told him she wanted a hug, and once he realized it, he gave her one.

 I talked to him about being more patient with her, and I could tell that he was trying, 

and even let her play with him. When it was time for her to go to bed, I had her give him a

 hug, and he grabbed her, and held her. She put her little head on his shoulder, and they sat

 there for a bit. Melted my heart!! She loves him so much, and he disregards her a lot. But

 sometimes he is so tender hearted towards her.

4. Much to my dismay, I caught them playing in the dog crate... So of course I locked

them in! Dmitri wasn't mad, though he looks it in the picture. He was just playing the 

part of a dog.

So those are our highlights from December! I'll squeeze in another post,

for Christmas, and post Christmas. 

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!!