So I wasn’t sure if I was going to share this with the whole world, or at least those of you who read this blog, but I think this is definitely something we will want to look back on and laugh.

Rose does not watch TV, it’s not that we don’t allow her to watch TV, she just doesn't watch it. She does, however, love YouTube videos, especially those of babies…laughing, swimming, driving, and eating cake. Rose REALLY loves the videos of babies eating (smashing) their first cakes, so much that she asked for her own cake to smash. So I made her some J

Last Saturday during her nap I made 6 small Bundt cakes and we let Rose have at it. She ended up mostly smashing it and eating very little, although I can attest that the cake really was delicious. Since we had so many she also enjoyed smashing one again on Sunday at lunch and Tuesday at lunch! (I even sang the Happy Birthday song to her…she really loved that!) 

This may seem very silly to some and yes, cake was wasted in the process, but Rose had fun! I guess for me, it’s more important that Rose be a toddler and have lots of experiences then a couple extra crumbs on my floor. So that’s my parenting confession!

Tuesday we enjoyed a SNOW DAY! I did work a few hours, but was excited to be able to stay home and enjoy an extra day with Rose. This year Rose seems to love the snow (yay…) so after watching it fall, we headed out to play before lunch.

Rose decided to kiss/eat the snow...

Rose also asked to have my ceramic Christmas Tree in her room this year, she loves to redecorate the lights J My grandmother and great grandmother have/had trees like this, this is a thrift store find from my mommy, but I hope to pass it down to Rose one day for her home.

We also made a snowman to hang on Rose’s door

And even found a couple pumpkins to paint (hey, technically it is still fall)

The rest of the week was back to normal, which for Rose means lots of time playing with her babies. 

(do yous see how looong this little girl is getting? last week I had to buy her 3T pants!)

Justin was all prepared to go out plowing early Saturday morning, but luckily it held off, so we enjoyed a whole Saturday together. We made our rounds at the farmer’s market, baked chocolate chip cookies, and even did a little more present shopping (I am *almost* done!). Justin and Rose also played in the snow.     

Even with the snow outside Rose still enjoys her frozen treats!

 I thought we were almost in the clear for Justin being home until Rose was in bed, BUT he got the call right after dinner L Rose and I reconfigured her train track and then had bath time. Rose has become quite the little fish in the tub. Baths have been taking 45+ minutes and Rose floats on her back and washes her hair several times J Justin did make it back home in time to kiss Rose goodnight and get a little sleep before he headed back out and did not return home until 4:30am…

Sunday, Rose and I made ourselves breakfast and played a bit while Justin slept a few more hours. After he woke up, he and Rose cleaned off the cars and sidewalks, then he got called out to plow again…

We ended our weekend with dinner at my parents and a nice evening together. I just have to get through this week and then I am home with Rose until the New Year!!!

I also mailed 99% of our Christmas cards this past week. This year we sent cards as far west as Arizona and as far east as Africa! Most of our cards were to family in PA with many in Berks County (my grandparents actually live on the same road as us, it just changes names!). I feel very fortunate to have family so close to share in many memories with Rose (although Hawawii sounds good about now).

I would love to send everyone a card…but that would really blow the budget, sorry! So here is our 2013 Christmas card with pictures from Carlson Photography.

Tis the Season

We had a very typical week, which is just how we like them! Rose was up to her normal fun...

walking in mommy's shoes

 playing babies...yes, this is how messy Rose gets when 'playing' with her babies

and yes, Rose climbs up with her babies :)

and reading to herself :)

This weekend was another story, however, we were BUSY! I started some decorating last weekend, but we decided to get our tree on Saturday (since we don't have music class in December, we have a bit of extra time, which gets used up fast!). 

I didn't really think Rose knew too much of what was going on the last two Christmas's, so I didn't worry about her 'tree picking experience' and we just picked up a tree from a Boy Scout group. This year I decided we would have an experience :) After shopping at the farmer's market we headed to Geissler Tree Farm. We rode out to the field in a horse drawn wagon, picked and cut down our own tree (we got a Fraser this year), and then enjoyed hot chocolate while the tree was prepared for our trip home! Rose loved the wagon ride and watching the tree fall down. 

After Rose's nap, she and I decorated the tree including a nativity and train...I'm starting to wonder exactly how I am going to explain Christmas (who is Santa, why we have trees, give lots of presents to each other, and celebrate Jesus' birth) to Rose as she starts to ask more questions in the next few years.  Anyway we had fun decorating the tree and daddy helped Rose put the star on top!

 (look at that little baby)

AND we weren't done with our festive activities. We went to Oley Mennonite's Live Nativity after dinner. I'm not really sure what Rose thought was happening...I tried to explain that we were celebrating the birth of a baby. I wonder what all these Christmas activities seem like to her?

(Justin LOVES being in pictures with Rose)

Sunday after church, my parents came home with Rose and I for lunch. After Rose started her nap, Justin and I headed off to our neighbor's birthday party. We have been VERY fortunate to have awesome neighbors both in our first home and again here. 

We made it back home just as Rose was waking from her nap and as the snow started to fall. We had watched a bit of the Eagles game with lunch and Rose kept looking out our windows trying to find the snow. Needless to say, she was delighted when she woke up and there was snow everywhere! So we bundled up and headed outside. Rose loved the snow and would have stayed out for hours, but I brought her back inside after about 30 minutes...I am not a fan of the cold :(

I am thankful that this was a short work week (although now it is almost over) which means I got to spend two extra days with this little lady having lots of fun!

Preparation for Thanksgiving started the evening before when I baked these two beauties! I remembered to make the foil covering for over the edges BEFORE I put them in the oven and they came out perfect :)

This year Justin's parents did not trek up to New York to be with his extended family, so we went over to have Thanksgiving breakfast.

While some years we have 10+ family/friends for Thanksgiving, this year we only had 6 adults and Rose for our meal. I didn't feel as worried about the house being clean or getting every little detail just right. It was nice to be more relaxed for Thanksgiving!

I forgot to take a picture later when everything was more assembled, but here was the start of the dessert and extras buffet. 

My mom always gets the job of 'preparing the turkey'...it's a good thing she does it, because there is NO WAY I am sticking my hand in that bird and cutting off all it's 'extra' parts!

 This was our 4th? year frying the birds...yes, for only 6 people we made two 16+ pound turkeys...you need leftovers for a few weeks it's that good!

Dad carving the bird (my dad also fixed my freezer door handle, that my husband, has not fixed for a week...dad is my favorite handyman!)

Look at that yummy spread (except for my rolls...they should have cooked a bit longer)

Rose was sure to save room for dessert including this yummy cheesecake that Aunt Kate brought!

**On another note, it was just last Thanksgiving, at 18 months old, that Rose said her first word 'go' when she was getting spun in her little pink chair! We have come along way since then (and still have a long way to go)...  Rose is continuing with speech therapy through Early Intervention and has also started outpatient speech therapy with Good Sheppard Hospital. While we have been hedging around a diagnosis for over a year (because she is still young) we are using the same approach that we would if she had a diagnosis of Speech Apraxia. Rose is trying SOO hard to talk and we practice our homework every day, I just wish I could make this all easier for my sweet little girl :(

Friday, instead of going shopping, we headed to the farm and I rode for the first time in 3 1/2 years. I won't lie, I am sore...REALLY sore! But I had fun and didn't fall off, so it was great. Rose even got to have a ride on the 'big' horse.

(someday Rose and I are going to have our very own horse...shhh, don't tell daddy!)

On Saturday Rose and I attended our last fall Music Together class, we won't see our friends until next year ;)

After her nap, Rose also helped make our first batch of Christmas cookies. I have made these cookies for years and now I get to make them with my little girl, I am such a lucky mamma!

Rose also started her first runny nose of the season...I don't know where all the snot comes from! Luckily, besides slowing her down a little bit, she seems pretty much her same old self. A couple times today, she requested to lay down on the couch with her blankets and iPad...can you find her little head sticking out?

Ok, just 3 weeks to go until I get 12 days off for Christmas/New Year...not that I'll be counting down ;)