Growing So Fast...

I can't believe that not only has 2012 begun, but that January is already practically over.  I've been sick with shingles* all week so I stayed home from church with Candace. 
(*Shingles are TERRIBLE!!!  I'm finally turning the corner and feeling a little better but WOW, it was definitely the worst pain I've ever experienced (childbirth included!).)

I took some pictures of my beautiful little girls this morning.  Picture taking is always an adventure.  Megan was pretty willing to have her picture taken, but she kept making goofy faces and looking away from me.  Brooke was NOT as willing and mostly ran away or looked crazy.  Candace definitely was the easiest--just drooly, but I guess that's true to life!  But we got some pretty decent ones (decent enough to update our frames on the mantel that are 1 1/2 years old now).

Oh yeah, and both Megan and Brooke had their first haircuts in the past week.  I did both and am pretty happy with how they turned out.  Brooke just got her longer wispy hairs in front trimmed to bangs.  Megan's hair was pretty v-shaped in the back, so I trimmed off the bottom of the v and just evened it out a little.  

Jan. 29, 2012
Megan, 4 years 3 months

Brooke, 2 years 6 months

 

Candace, 6 months

Candace, 6 months old/January Randoms

At 6 months, Candace:  loves to smile, laughs a lot (especially at her sisters), starting to scoot around on her tummy (slowly), sleeping through the night most of the time (7pm to 7:30 am), 2-3 naps every day.  She is rolling tummy to back and back to tummy.  She started eating solids this month too--first bites on Thurs, Jan. 5, 2012.  She is eating rice cereal once a day for now and loving it.
She's such a happy, easygoing baby, we are so thankful to have her in our family!
At her 6 month check-up on Jan. 31, she weighed 14 lbs, 12 oz and was 25 in long.

Candace throughout the month...

When my brother-in-law Trent came into town for the day on Jan. 6, we had a nice dinner at Dad's to say hi and then Shad showed off his new projector-in-the-garage setup.  These were some adorable and happy cousins :).

I just love seeing my kiddos in footie pjs.  Especially when they snuggle each other.  Megan and Brooke on Jan. 13.

Brooke finally had enough hair for french braids (also on Jan. 13)

Playing in the hot tub at Grandpa's on MLK day (Jan. 16)

 
Snuggles with Daddy after work!  Jan. 18

Cutie girls before church on Jan. 22

Horsey rides (ha!) on Jan. 25

Surfside

With New Year's Day on Sunday, Dan got Monday Jan. 2 as a day off of work.  So we invited our neighbors, the T family to head to the beach with us.  I love Surfside.  It's always less crowded than Galveston and on this day, it was almost empty!  It was windy and cool, but we had fun watching the surf and enjoying the sand.  It was such a fun little day trip to start the new year.

Maddie...

Dan and Beckett enjoying the horseshoes...

Our darling almost 6 month old.  She snuggled into the chair and took a nap.

Brooke dipping her toes in.  It was cold!!!

Megan dipped her toes as well...

Building a sandcastle with Daddy...

 The T Fam...

Our family minus sleeping Candace...

The girls were in HEAVEN when these guys rode by.  They were kind enough to let the kids say hello.  

New Year's Day 2012

Like so many things since Mom's death, starting a new year was bittersweet.  How could there be a year that Mom would not be in?  I missed her.  And celebrating with our old friends both reminded me of her in happy ways and made me miss her fiercely.  But I suppose that such is life after loss.  It still goes on. 

We celebrated New Year's Day with some lifelong friends of my family, the Talbot family with a fun dinner and games at their home after church.  It was fun to catch up with everyone, talk, laugh, eat, and let the kids play.

Megan, Brooke, and Kaden...

My childhood best friends--reunited!   Amber (27), Jenn(27), Kat(28), and Kate (29)