Our first Christmas!!

Our first Christmas was too much fun...and way to fast!! It wasn't one of those holidays where your going, going, going..and never enjoy one place for to long, but it was just done to quick. I worked on Christmas day, but cannot even complain about that. A guy from night shift asked me if he could stay over for me so I could enjoy my first Christmas morning with Charlie...how nice!! I got up Christmas morning and we did our Christmas at home as a family and then did our traditional brunch over at mom and dads with all our friends. I got to work at 11am and when you are used to a 12hr shift an 8 hr shift is a breeze!! Thanks so much to my friend Patrick for staying over!!! These pictures are from Christmas Eve with Bradley's family....I will post Christmas Day in a few days..I don't have them yet! Mutti and Papa gave Charlie and Libby this huge dog!! We got some cute pics of them on it!! I love his expression in this picture! His face cracks me up..sorry about the blur, he was moving!
They had matching onesies to wear. but Charlies was way dirty by this point in the day!

Love how big Libby's belly looks in this pic! So much for a silent night! The three of us at Christmas morning brunch.

So, this was Charlies gift from Mutti and Papa. I have to admit I was real confused at first! They gave us these pics and said they got him a cow and a calf to live at Aunt Laura and Uncle Derricks house. After some explaining it all made sense!! They got him the cow as an investment towards his education. The cow...named August... will have 1-2 babies per year which we will sell and that money will go towards his education..it will earn way better interest then in savings account!! Not many kids can say that got a cow and calf for their first Christmas!!!
This is the book I made for him..I mean that Santa a gave him!! This is the cover..yes, that's him on the cover!
Each page has his picture in it somewhere..this was one of my favorites!!!
We met with Mark..birth father.. and his family for lunch the day after Christmas. The meeting was great and very enjoyable. We really enjoy him, his brother and love his mom!! His aunt came along to take pictures! Mark sent me a text asking to see him and said he would drive anywhere, anytime, any day..I thought that was very nice of him.
Lynelle (Mark's mom), Charlie and Mark. Look at Charlies bald spot...nice!!

Merry Christams Eve from Charlie

Okay, so it's been a while...it's not like it's the holidays or anything! And it's not like we have been hanging out doing nothing....my mommy has been busy taking care of me while I am sick. I happen to be the happiest sick baby ever , but still..cut my mommy some slack!!-Love Charlie "Merry Christmas!! I hope you guys get better gifts then I will. My mom says I wont remember this Christmas and I hear she did not give me much to open this year..that sooo wont last!!"" I hear that my mommy went on and on how "White Trash" blue Christmas lights were..and then demanded Christmas lights. My Daddy was very funny and welcomed mommy home that night with the Christmas lights...blue ones!! This was 3 years ago. This year Daddy wanted to put up red and white lights. My mommy said something to him like.." do you smoke crack, don't touch my blue lights." I think she kinda likes them now!"

"Mommy and Daddy were trying to figure out why pictures in the living room are always blurry..so we took picture, after picture, after picture. You'd think I'd get used to it, but I heard Daddy mumbled in my ear that you never get used to it." " Are we done yet..I really feel like it's time to eat again. Yes mommy, again"
"Here we are at Moms school where Santa flew in on a helicopter. I thought it was fun, but mommy let me sit in a dirty diaper so we did not have to miss anything. I feel certain that Moms friends now think of me as "that smelly baby". Oh well, I taught them to leave me sitting in it...I got it all over my cloths. Mommy had an extra set with her, but it was 3 months. I feel certain I looked fat in that outfit..I was busting at the seams!""Here I am with frosty. Mommy has told me stories of these "cold" people, but I am not following. It has not been cold where I live. My friend Heidi told me that where she came from in Minnesota was cold..she told me this was like summer for her!"
"Why is my mommy holding another baby? Since it's Brady and I LOVE him and REACHED for him..I guess I will let it slide"
"Mommy, what's wrong with that kids ears?"

" I lucked out..all my friends were there at Moms school. I think Mommy told me that my Aunt Christy only has 3 kids, but when I see here there is always like 4 or 5 with her. I heard mommy telling Heidi that Aunt Christy is soooo nice to take all those kids to each school to see Santa, Moms and their mommy's. Mommy mumbled something like.."She is such a better person then me"
"Moms, it is way to sunny to be doing this, but I do look cute!"
"Mommy, not going to lie.. I was a little freaked out here"

"Okay, so this was not cool at ALL. I was coughing a little...really it was a little..and then I started dong something mommy called wheezing. Really it's not big deal...please don't take me to the Doctor..PLEASE. It actually was not bad to see the Dr..I laughed at him when he put his stethoscope on me. Then the Dr told mommy and daddy that I sure was happy. I thought this was where the Dr would tell mom she was crazy and to go home...but then that mean Dr said I needed a breathing treatment and some antibiotics for me ear infection (the Dr was not really mean, but was that contraption really need to give me a breathing treatment). Mommy said she was glad I was wheezing while the Dr was in the room, I don't know what she meant, but I don't think it was nice to wish wheezing on me"
"All I can tell you is that mommy said "Bradley, I don't think the fire is working" and right after that our house started making lots of loud noises. Daddy told mommy she should have said something sooner and mommy mumbled something about "how hard is it to start a fire and open the chute" The house no longer smells like camp fire"
"I love when my daddy rocks me to sleep. My daddy is the best daddy ever, and I am not just saying that cause he is my daddy. I hear mommy say it all the time so it must be true"

It's not the Prom; it's the deer lease

So, last weekend Bradley, me and Charlie went to the deer lease with my parents and Adam. So, this is your warning that there are pictures below of animals that are "not so much alive" anymore..if that bothers you...hit the back button now!! I grew up going to the deer lease with my Daddy..I think my first visit was when I was 3 weeks old. It was always a special Daddy-Daughter bonding time. Dad took each of us once a year and we went on our own weekend and when you were down there it was all about you...seeing why I like this place!! Bradley has surpassed me on skill level, but I can always hold over his head that I have been doing this 28 years now..beat that!! I love all the memories that I have as a child with my Dad at the lease and I love that those memories are now being made with Charlie and my nieces nephews. It is such a great time as a family...there is a TV now with cable, but no one really watches it cause the Hunting Channel is always on. So you find yourself doing other things..riding the four wheeler, playing games, napping(!!!) and chasing goats ( that's for you Christy). I was "teaching" Charlie his animals at the deer lease and we covered..goats, deer, boars, lama, cow, bulls, snakes and more stupid goats. It's just soo different down there from our daily life and that makes it such a nice break!

So, I went hunting and shot my first buck (the deer with horns)..I have always in the past shot Does (girls)..so this was a big year..my first opportunity to shot at a Buck. I technically got my first chance my Jr or Sr year in high school, but got really nervous and missed when I shot! So I shot and it was a "sweet" shot..it fell instantly and never moved..kind of me! So when we get back to camp to take pictures I said to Bradley " I wished I did not look so nasty and maybe had some make up on cause we could get some great pic, since were all in camo"...his response " It's the deer lease Amie, not the Prom"..thanks! So, any time the rest of the weekend that someone commented on my looks I just informed them "It's the deer lease, not the prom"

I tucked my socks in to block drafts..it was cold!!..remember..not the prom He had such a great time! And he loves to sit in that little high chair. He has never loved leaning back, always wanting to sit upright and now he can!!
Love the matching camo..he loves his uncle Adam!!

Imagine if I were showered and all prettied up..this pic could have been good!

My first Buck..it was a nine point. The ninth point was a sticker..meaning it is smaller and just barely over an inch long..so you can only see it in some pics.

It was not super wide cause the front horns curve so far in towards each other, but it was a very thick rack... I got told " Nice Rack" all weekend..nice!

Moms came to watch Charlie so mommy and daddy could hunt all weekend..so it was a win-win for everyone!! I loved that they all got to see him so much that weekend cause they got to see him smile all the time, giggle and see so much more of his personality!

I had like 20 smiling pics in the high chair..I think I narrowed it down and kept like 3 or 4 of them! Grandaddy and Charlie..love this picture!!! Thanks Melanie for the camo PJ's..they have come in so handy! We took Charlie and Libby to Portrait Innovations to get their picture together for a Christmas gift for Allene..we went ahead and gave them to her since they were Christmas themed. Both kids did so great. It really was enjoyable and not time consuming..and we got some AWESOME pictures!!
Love how he is holding her hand!! He tried to get her ear in his mouth, but mommy intervened!!

Libby did so good and we even managed to get one with a smile from her..which is awesome since she was just a few days shy of being one month! Love how she looks bored with all of us in this pic.
This is the one on the Christmas card..so act surprise if you get one!! I love that every pic I ordered of him he has a huge smile!!

Happy Holidays!!

Nope, no great Christmas pictures to post..just was at a loss for a good title!! Not much has been going on..going back to work has been a very easy transition. It is really okay to leave him since I am leaving him with his Mutti. The days are long since he doesn't sleep through the night most nights ( although he went 10 hours straight last night!), but can I even complain about work since I only work 2 days a week! Here are some recent pictures.. Allene is so good to me!! I was at work the other day and this is the picture I get!! Just a "Have a great day..I miss you mommy/daddy" photo to brighten the day! I was horribly abnoxious and made everyone come look at it..call me Crystal!!!!!!!!! Just teasing!!
This was his last day with his Aunt Amber..last for now. Until I fly to FL in a few months and stalk them out!! He sure misses her singing inapporiate song to him!!

I think he is her favorite..till I see her with Brady..then Katie..then Addison!!
Getting some good bonding time in with Grandaddy! I am pretty sure they were watching football!!

All the kids got an updated pic for Dads Harley frame..any more kids and he will have to get another bike for them to sit on!! Teasing mom!!!
Just the boys!!
Funny..the first thing I noticed is that his pants are unbuttoned in one spot..other then that it's a cute pic! I love this outfit...I bought it like 2.5 years ago and have been waiting to get him in it!

He loves to be on his changing table..and he loves to have his cloths changed. I am sure that it has nothing to do with all that clothes changing he did as as newborn!! We always get lots of smiles on the changing table!!
Finally...he loves bath time!!

He loves his daddy..so much so that I spend lots of free time working on him saying "mommy"...just to keep things even!!!!

At the Jingle Bell run....much better weather...many more people..like 4,00 more then our Turkey Trot!! It was a lot of fun..love to people watch at those events!
Daddy and Charlie..I don't know what setting I had the camera on, but most pics from that night turned out like this...bummer!
Love this face...I really could just stare for hours