Christmas and all the trimmings

This year we went up to my parents house for Christmas.  Liam was a little concerned about how Santa would know where to find us.  He wanted to make sure that Santa knew where to deliver his “choo-choo train”.  Since Christmas was on a Sunday this year we got to wake up and go to church with Grandma and Grandpa then came home to find that Santa had visited while we were away! Liam was soooo excited when he walked in and saw all the gifts.

 

Christmas morning….still waiting for Santa to come after church

 

Home from church and Santa has visited!!!  The boys looking so handsome in their church clothes!  I’m not so sure Spencer enjoyed sitting with Liam!

Liam’s fake smile!  He was waiting so patiently for presents.

 

Just one of the many gifts!  Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Liam has new pants!  No more high waters!

While we were up visiting my parents we took an evening to go look at the lights and beautiful decorations that they put up at Gilroy Gardens.  We got there around 4pm and froze our buns off!  The boys were in so many layers of clothes they could barely put their arms down.  That cold damp air chills you to the bone!

The boys chilling!

Auntie Darshan and Uncle Kyle

 

It’s tough to hang on to your pony with big mittens on! 

Handsome boy with the pretty lights

 

 

Uncle Jay, Spencer and Auntie Marcy

That is one “cold” kid!

When we got back to Southern Cali we met up with Grandma Ruth, Grandpa Ray, Uncle Michael and Jackie and had our SoCal Christmas.  Liam scored a super cool construction set with a remote controlled dump truck from Grandma and Grandpa.  Super fun!

 

Some assembly required!  Look at the concentration. 3 generations of Ellett’s

 

This has been hours of fun!

Liam’s first trip to the Dentist

In mid-December we took Liam to the dentist for the first time.  Liam is usually  very good boy at the doctor’s office but I was a little worried how he would do with someone poking around in his mouth.  For weeks we practiced.  After brushing his teeth we would “play dentist” and Mommy would check all Liam’s teeth.  He did AWESOME!!!  He sat very still, listened to the hygienist and followed instructions.  He was such a big boy!  I hope I didn’t annoy the dental hygienist too much by taking so many photos but I was so proud of my big guy.  And the best news…..he had no cavities!  Good job Liam Boy!

All ready to start.  He got to watch as I had my teeth cleaned so he knew what to expect.

 

 

Liam loved the little sucker straw thing.  I love that you can see his big smile in the next picture after he got to use the sucker (I’m sure that’s not the name of it!)

Good job big boy!

The Hunt

Since Liam is still little we decided that we would get a short tree to put up on the table again this year.  We checked it out and found a Christmas Tree Farm not too far from our house.  It was so much fun to go out, walk through the trees and then pick one to take home.  I love having a real tree!  Sure, they are messy and you have to remember to water them, but nothing makes a house feel more like Christmas than the scent of a Christmas tree.

 

We found our tree!  Perfectly trimmed and so nice and green!

I was about 20 weeks pregnant here

The nice lady at the Farm gave Liam a pair of antlers.  He was so thrilled!

They cut the trees down for you at this farm.  The guy that cut ours was so nice and offered to let Liam help (even though it slowed him way down).

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year.   We had been planning to have it at our house but knew that I would be scheduled to work the night before the holiday.  As it turned out, I was put on disability leave for this pregnancy.  So it was great to see everyone and not be exhausted from work!  It was so fun to have a house full of family!  I’ll do it again next year!

The table

Ready to eat…or sing!

Isn’t it a beautiful bird!?!  I can’t take any credit for it though.

 

My handsome boy.  I have so much to be thankful for!

We snapped a few pictures of the boys together.  Spencer wanted to crawl away so we had to give him a toy to play with.  Do you think he likes all the attention he’s getting from Liam?

 

 

 

I am so grateful for my family!  I have truly been blessed with a full and rewarding life!

A quick trip to Mickey Park!

While everyone was down for Liam’s birthday we made a quick little trip to Disneyland.   That meant that Liam became the newest PAYING member in our family!  I was tempted to see if we would get him in, he was just 3 years and 2 days old when we went.   Just 2 days past the 3 year cut off.  But I knew if they asked him he would say “I’m 3!”  and then I’d be stuck in an awkward situation.  Since Liam is tall he has been asked his age by the Disney staff before.  I knew it would happen again!  Now we can go whenever we want and not worry about the age dilemma.  We had so much fun!

I liked this picture.  In the reflection of Liam’s glasses you can see Daddy, Uncle Kyle,

Aunt Darshan and part of Grandma.  We were riding “It’s a Small World”

We stopped on our way out of the park to take a few pictures near the statue.  Love the Castle decorated for Christmas in the background.

Having fun!

 

 

See!  I told you everyone came to visit! 

Birthday Fun!

Since Liam’s birthday was close to the weekend we were lucky that all of my family was able to come down for a birthday weekend bash!  We celebrated the actual birthday day with Grandpa Ray, Grandma Ruth, Uncle Michael and Sweet Jackie.  Just a little low key birthday night with yummy food and cupcakes.  Tough to believe it’s been 3 years!

Uncle Mike continued the tradition of gifts you can hit with!  Super fun bat and ball!

 

 

 

Chillin’ with Grandpa and Grandma

Showing Jackie and Uncle Mike his new camera!  We were so glad Uncle Mike and Jackie could make the long drive to our house to share the day!

Saturday Party Day!  Look at all those presents!

 

How old are you? 3! That’s kind of a tough one for little fingers to do!

That’s double 3’s

 

Ready….set….go!

 

Sometimes I wonder where my brain is?  I’m going to let pregnancy take the blame.  I managed to take pictures of Liam opening tons of gifts, the cake, the decorations….all that stuff and none of my family!  Really? Where was my brain!  They were here…I promise.  We had such a good time!