Where has the time gone?

I can't believe I haven't posted since September. I got sucked into the Facebook world, consumed by working full time, being a mom full time, running a house full time and randomly finding time to work out and be a wife. My race came and went. I did quite well. The time on the clock said 2:25:12 but my official time according my shoe chip on the website was 2:20:53- not too shabby if I do say so myself. Halloween came around also. Melanie was Dorothy and Natalie was the Lion. They were so cute and seemed to have a great time and the rain held out for us. Our neighbor, Nate, was the Tin Man...so cute. It was a great bday party for me also. Can't believe next year I will be 30. Thanksgiving was great. We were able to be with the Gilbreath's and travel to Chattanooga to spend time and see all of our family there. Though we don't travel too much with the girls the trip went well. It's still odd not to go to my dad's parents though it has been well over a year since they both passed away.

Christmas was a huge event at our house this year. Melanie was the cutest she has ever been and Natalie seems to understand it somewhat. Melanie got a dollhouse and an "American Girl Doll" (or the Target version on one) for Christmas from Santa. Natalie got a Cozy Coupe Car and an Activity Table. I have given up on my house and it has a become a kid play zone. I am busy organizing and purging. Melanie was so mature and learned so many lessons over Christmas. She learned a) you don't get all you asked for b) it is not about quantity but quality and c) that you still can be gracious when you get repeats. I swear she is the kindest kid ever and really seems to understand the lessons I teach her. She is so wonderful to her sister who just is drama drama drama and beats up on Melanie. They each had a funny Christams break story: Natalie has been potty training and was playing with a plastic grasshopper before we left for school one morning. She apparently dropped the plastic grasshopper in her pullup and the teacher found it when she took her to the bathroom and started to scream thinking it was real. I would have loved to be there!
Melanie's funny story involved Santa, AKA "Pops". My dad came to the school to be Santa again this year. He loved it and it went great. However, in Melanie's room she raised her hand to sit on his lap first and when he asked her if she was leaving milk and cookies she started laughing and said, "You're not Santa." I had to explain it all to her and that Pops was helping Santa out and wearing a Halloween costume. I told her to not tell the other kids so it is still a secret to them and she listened to me and didn't say a word. I know, she is so sweet :)

A quick update on each girl:
Natalie: 21 months, 27 lbs
Wears 24 month clothes and 7W shoes
Sleeps all night (7:45-7:00) eats most things, does not like mashed potatoes or too much meat...LOVES spicy foods, especially salsa and jalapeno cheese dip
Potty training and doing great...hopefully not too much longer
Talking much more and "others" can understand her. Her favorite things to say are "mere" when she grabs your hand to "come here", "no", "you hoo, are you?" when she is look for people and she finally talks on the phone normally without hanging up on people
She thinks all colors are "blue" and cannot label them correctly, she semi- counts to five she knows animals sounds and will point to items in the book asked about
She will sing along to songs (Jingle Bells, Twinkle Twinkle) and likes to "recite" nursery rhymes such as Humpty Dumpty and Baa Baa Black Sheep
Favorite toy: Lovie, she has 6 of them

Melanie:
Will be 4 in January
Wears a 4T and a 10.5 shoe
Eats everything, hates spicy
Sleeps perfectly in her big girl bed with no rails
Amazingly well behaved, gets her feelings hurt easily
Helps with chores, cleaning up, laundry, putting dishes up, etc.
Gets herself ready for school/bed (brushes teeth, gets dressed including shoes, puts dirty laundry in hamper)
Knows alphabet, letter sounds and words that start with each letter
Can count in English and Spanish
Writes her first name, knows her phone number, birthday, city, state, country, planet
Getting better at gymnastics but has not for sure picked left/right hand but leaning towards right
Loves dance class and reading books
can ride a bike with training wheels
Her favorite toys are still babies and books and art supplies

so that is what I've got...hopefully you will not have to wait until March for the next update!