The Days of Christmas Continued...

 On Saturday we had our Dieffenbach Christmas in Lebanon and everyone was there to celebrate. Emmie had lots of fun with all her cousins, especially Ilijana who is the closest in size.  She also enjoyed watching all the big kids and opening her gifts.  Before we headed home we put both girlies in the bath tub.

Emmie and Ilijana are in their festive outfits minus the tights and shoes

Playing peekaboo with Aunt Rachael

Games after dinner

Bath time

The Days of Christmas

The days of Christmas have begun. They're filled to the brim with activities, get togethers, meals, napless babies, rejoicing and happy memories.  We had no idea taking a Christmas picture would take 1,000 attempts because our 14 month old cannot sit still for one second.  In retrospect its rather funny. But this picture below was right between tears and dancing around the room. 

Sweet Ben is two weeks old! He is growing up already!

Little miss E practices and cries when we ask her to come down off the bench. She uses one finger sometimes
and loves changing from high notes to low ones. She adores Bach and Baroque composer but currently despises Brahms and Schumann. 

Emmeline wants to go outside so much but on these cold days a quick jaunt outside is all we can muster so
we search for take out and put back in games that do not include the Christmas tree.

Its true- all a 1 year old really needs for Christmas is a box

We've had lots of pretty Christmas dresses to wear

Lots of big girl faces happening around here

Christmas morning in front of the fire

Uncle Adam and Ben

Uncle Mark and Emmie

Sam

Christmas Night with Emmie's new table

Nana and Ben

Winter Solstice?

We've had a week of cold weather and then strangely, a warm day on winter solstice.  So these pictures seem strangely out of place for the spring weather we had today.  We've had lots of book reading, warm bubble baths, "big girl" eating with a spoon, playing in the snow, watching the snow plows out the window and fun times with Granddad and Sammy. Its a special season of playing inside and snuggling up with our girl! Can she really be fourteen months old already?  This week we thought we'd learn what type of sibling Emmeline will be having come spring. However Baby No. 2 proved coy and refused to reveal any information.  We're thankful that he/she is growing and healthy and to have reached 17 weeks of this pregnancy already and we'll be thrilled either way.   Praise God!

Welcome Baby Kleeman

Our little nephew/cousin entered the world on a cold morning to a welcoming crew of many who love him already. Benjamin Lewis Kleeman was born yesterday and we can't be more excited to meet him. Hello there little fellow! Happy Birthday.

Waiting....

 It feels like a wonderful season of waiting: waiting for Baby Jesus, waiting for the arrival of Baby Kleeman, waiting to know who our little baby is.  But we're busy preparing and rejoicing together.  The other night we got together and cousins made gingerbread houses (actually parents did). We also got our tree and decked our halls for Christmas.  Although this is technically not Emmeline's first Christmas, it feels as if it is her first because she is able to enjoy the snow, lights, music and story of Jesus.

 

Thankful hearts

Our hearts are thankful for many things including our families, our wee baby and our big girl baby Emmeline, for sweet little hand-made tunics, wispy hair, books with baby and silly faces. In the difficult moments we try to have thankful hearts and look at the many blessings God has given us. Wow friends, sick days are so tough!

Advent begins

Our days have been full of steamy baths and droopy eyes as we enter week four of sickness in our house. It seems that just as Emmie gets better she gets another round of colds. But somehow the quiet, stay at home, grey days are perfect for the beginning of advent in which we prepare our hearts for remembering the birth of our Savior.  In these moments I recall His great coming into a dark and fallen world, coming as a tiny babe to save us.

We've been busy despite the colds and Emmie has taken up the recorder and laughs with delight when she produces a sound. She makes us laugh so often with her silly antics, words, animal sounds and expressions of love. In the busy Christmas tuning, teaching, dissertation editing season of life our wee baby girl makes us think of Jesus the baby who came so long ago.  Let every heart prepare Him room.

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

and ransom captive Israel,

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel,

shall come to thee o Israel!

Our 2014 Advent Wreath

Bath-time beauty

Wintertime Emmie

Playing by the fire

Our 13 Month old Emmeline

Emmie plays the recorder with great joy

Working on right end