Tessa - January 2012

I'm not THAT late, but I don't have pictures.  I can't find my camera, which has all of our Christmas morning pictures on it, but we'll do the best we can with what we've got for now, and I'll add them later.

Dad went back to Texas for a big chunk of December, so we did whatever we could to stay busy at home.  It wasn't very easy!  We made these apple spice ornaments and we also made some cute ones using your thumbprints in paint to make some cute reindeer.  I hope I can keep finding cute ideas for ornaments because I love the thought of having a tree that is full of ornaments you guys have made.  You absolutely loved the tree this year, and I would put you and Logan to bed and go into my room to work only to come out a few minutes later and find you out there by yourself with the tree plugged in and an ornament in each hand rearranging things here and there.  I'm still pretty sure there are ornaments all over the house that I haven't found yet.

Christmas was definitely fun with you and Logan again this year.  You "get" it a little bit more of course, and I did a  little idea planting to make sure you got what you asked Santa for.  You like to play with your dolls in their stroller and the few toy horses that you have, so Santa made sure to get you a baby nursery set with a crib, high chair, etc., and I also raided Grandma and Grandpa's storage to find some of my old Barbie horses and wrapped those up for you too.  That may seem cheap - but it is fun for me to see you play with the horses that I spent so many hours playing with when I was little.  Don't be surprised if you get a few Barbies and some outdated clothes in the next few years too...

 You were all smiles at the Pollock Christmas party and not one bit afraid of Santa.

On Christmas Eve we had Grandma and Grandpa Hillier and Aunt Lisa and Uncle Joe over to our house for dinner.  We had a lot of fun eating, playing, and opening our presents and stockings before it was time for them to head home.  Then we got you guys settled down and in your Christmas penguin PJ's I made with my new sewing machine and we watched a little bit of Alvin and the Chipmunks before heading out to look at lights.  We thought with all the excitement of the day that you would fall asleep sooner than you did, but I'm pretty sure your dad and I ended up going on nearly ever street in Kanab before the two of you finally gave up and fell asleep.  We got you home and tucked you in and got on to the fun part of putting out Christmas and stockings.  The next morning your dad was out on the couch sleeping and I was working when I finally decided to head out to the front room to wait for you guys to wake up.  Well I ended up sleeping another hour out there because you two slept in!  Of all the days for your brother to sleep in it seems like Christmas is always one of them!  We finally woke you both up around 7:30 and opened stockings and presents.  You got Logan a monster truck from the dollar store, and he got you some more horses and a Barbie car, which you promptly put your horses in.  Dad got me a new sewing machine and a speaker/charger for my iPod, and you guys got him an Arizona hunting license and we surprised him with the gun he's been wanting.  Overall it was a pretty successful Christmas!  We went to church and came home and played and overall enjoyed the day.

I don't remember the story behind what you and I were doing when dad took this picture or how on earth I managed to get up off the ground, but I do remember us blinking back and forth at each other like nerds for a few minutes before I finally got you to give me a kiss.  You are such a sweet girl when you want to be.

Your little brother made his appearance a few days after Christmas.  I was so sad that you and Logan weren't able to come in and take the new family picture, but your dad was able to take you guys around to the window outside and wave at me and Ty from there.  I missed you and Logan a lot while we were stuck in the hospital!  You have been really good and haven't seemed to really act out too much yet.  You get in your bad moods where all you say is "NOTHING!" in the grumpiest voice you can muster, but overall I've been pretty impressed by your ability to take the new baby thing in stride.  I hope that continues!

I'm so grateful for your funny personality.  You make your dad and I laugh every single day with silly little things that you do, and we've needed it with the stress in this house over the last few days.  We love you sis, even when your name is Nothing.

Love ya,
Mom