Family Photos

We have been a family for over two years now so we figured we should probably make the time to get some family photos done, especially since MJ and I usually try to hide from the camera!  After a scheduling nightmare and bad directions on my iPhone we finally made it out to Dorr for our shoot (I didn't have a clue where Dorr was until now...).  Unfortunately, Abby had been sick the few days before and was a little drugged up on Benadryl due to those misdirections and added time in the car so she wasn't really feeling it, but we did get a few decent shots.  Here they are:

Like what you see?  Jump on over to Christy Pacanowski to see more of her work.  To Christy, thank you SO much for your hard work, your willingness to squeeze us in (and spending some extra time trying to warm Abby up to the camera), and your continued communication!  You were a pleasure to work with again!

Art, Family and Yummy!

Here is a weekend update, short and sweet:

I think that I forgot to post about Abby getting her top left front tooth a week or so ago...ooops!!

Abby brought home her first work of art from school on Friday (which is proudly hanging on the fridge)...



Just incase you can't tell it is a footprint snowman. LOVE it!!!

I found out the hard was that Bra World by Oakland Mall no longer exists...Ugggghh!

I decide that i can't take much more of the winter-blahs without saying/doing something that I'll regret. So to the tanning bed I went :) Boy how I have missed you tanning bed! Keep you lectures to yourselves please--I know the risks and have decided that this is the only way to make it (and I am lecturing myself as I drive to and from said appointments).

We had a great visit with Uncle Tom and Aunt Amanda yesterday. Lots of playing, dancing and laughing.

Pics to come...

And we finished our weekend with a busy Sunday full of conducting singers at church, dinner with Nana and Papa, and Abby's first trip to Coldstone...







She refused to eat it until I gave her her own spoon and then she was unstoppable!! She was double-fisting with a Timbit, so cute!!

And that was it (well now I'm off to do some grocery shopping...)! Hope you had a great weekend!

Merry Tooth-mas

After getting home from our Christmas Eve visits Abby crashed hard and MJ and I got busy prepping for Christmas morning. As always, there was some last minute wrapping (but not much this year), cleaning, and other odds and ends to attend to. But little miss Abby had other plans for Mommy and Daddy...around 11 pm or so she woke a not so happy girl and refused to go back to sleep on her own. So MJ took one for the team and went to bed with our Little Peanut. So, on I went with prepping for breakfast, filling out cards, and other elf like duties (I never realized just how hard Santa's elves have to work to get ready for his arrival!!!). I called it quites about 2 am. That is what I get for being a perfectionist/control freak!!

Anyway, I have come to the conclusion that Abby loves to give herself gifts on big occasions...when we woke up on Christmas morning I decided to check to see if she cut her first tooth overnight since refused to go back to sleep on her own and sure enough the razor like tooth was there just above her gum!! So it is official, my 16 month old daughter has her first tooth! A quick "thank you" to Abby for making it so easy to remember these milestones ;)

Christmas morning was just perfect:

Family photo 2010
Let the opening begin!

Santa gifts first

Abby has the hang of unwrapping!

Play food complete with an apron

cutting board and crackers too

Daddy's girls

Then around 10 am we got a personal visit from Santa!!! We are so very lucky to get these visits, we hope he is able to come every year though we know it can get tricky ;)

Abby was excited to see Santa, but at the same time didn't want to get too close. Here she is checking him out from Grandma's lap.

She was interested in his bag and all the goodies it held

Santa was even nice enough to help with the bows :)

I love this one! You can see the "OOOOOOO" on her face

Puppets!!

What else you got, Santa?

Almost--close--enough--Got it!

I'm not sure if she is checking out Santa or her new tooth here

A new dolly! Abby loves the nose on this one...

Abby showing Santa how to push dolly in her new stroller

Reading a new book with Grandma D

I see you Santa...

After all that hesitation, Abby was sad to see Santa go. She watched him from the window and told him "bye" time and time again.

After our visit from Gramps, Grandma D then Santa, Nana and Papa came over for dinner and we Skyped with Grandmama in Virginia! It was a busy day full of love spent in our Christmas pajamas--perfect if you ask me!

This sums up our feeling at the end of the day: time for bed!

Christmas Eve 2010

Christmas Eve festivities started at the Johnson's at about 1:30 where we had yummy appetizers and opened gifts:

Gracie, Abby and Julia in their pretty Christmas dresses

Abby just wanted down to play with the toys...


Helping Nana open her gifts

Abby refused to put down Aunt Stacey's phone...

One handed attempt to open her gifts

Serious Abby

Gracie loved her backpack of coloring stuff

Off she goes! Too funny!

Julia loves to help Abby when ever she can

A doll!

This is Abby's "it hard" or frustrated sign--she squeezes her fists and shakes them while clenching her jaw...it is so funny to see in person! She just wanted to hold her doll and Daddy wasn't get her out fast enough

Can I touch her yet?

Almost time to hold my new doll

Time to open the next gift

Abby got so excited each time she opened a gift. She let out a little "yeaaaa" for each one.

Then it was time for a visit with Grandma Kat, Great Grandma Davis, Aunt Lauren and Uncle Jason! This was a special visit since everyone but Great Grandma lives out of town and we don't get to see them as often as we would like. It was nice to get some one on one time with them during the very busy holiday visit.

Abby and Grandma Kat hanging out

Munching on some Goldfish with Great Grandma Davis

A little love from Aunt Lauren and Uncle Jason

After a long day of visits, gifts and food we headed home and got ready for the big day ahead of us!! I was so excited for Abby's second Christmas after the preview Christmas Eve gave us!