Cracking Me Up!

Savannah is seriously cracking me up these days. I know I will always remember that Savannah was a cute & funny toddler, but I am so afraid that I will forget all of the darling things she does every day to bring joy to my life. So, I thought I should record some of her recent moments:
1-We went to the grocery store today. Savannah was climbing all over the cart & I asked her to please be careful. She confidently replied, "Yes Mommy. This is very dangerous."
2-Savannah spent the evening running around the house, chasing the light from her flashlight. At one point, she hollered at the light, "get back here, you stinker!"
3-Rod has spent the past couple of days at home sick. Savannah keeps worrying about having a band-aid big enough to make Daddy feel better.
4-Although it's been 4 weeks since Savannah got a little tiny nip on her arm from the neighbor's dog, she continues to remind me (and everyone else) daily, "the monster doggy bit my arm."
5-She is completely entertained by bath time. Her morning bath usually lasts an hour, and sometimes she takes an evening bath as well. She LOVES being in the water.
6-Savannah is obsessed with drinking water from her Nuby sippy cup. When I asked her if she wanted a burrito for dinner tonight, she said, "No thank you, Mommy. Just water. Just water in my cup." Our biggest battle currently is getting through the night without her screaming for more water. Last night, she wanted 3 cups of water. Tonight, I had a big talk with her to help her understand that she only gets one cup of water & she has to make it last the entire night.
7-She will do anything for a Kit Kat. Since Will was born, we've had some potty training regression. In just two days, Kit Kat bribery has resolved all of our issues.

Finding Focus

About 4 days ago, Will started really focusing on objects—the mobile in his crib, the toys on his swing, and (best of all) the faces of his family!
He is so much fun!!
 

Merry Christmas!

We had a wonderful Christmas!
Savannah was thrilled to open all of her presents. A big thank you to all of the grandparents, aunts & uncles who helped us out with loading her up this year! She loves all of her new stuff!!
After opening presents, we ate our traditional Hinze Family German Pancake Breakfast & then headed out for a very long walk with the kids (we’re so grateful for our beautiful Dallas weather!)
Taking naps & playing with new toys kept us occupied for the rest of the day.
What a fabulous Christmas!!



 

Will at 6 Weeks

Updated pictures of Will—he is growing too fast!!
He has been so smiley lately & is such a good-natured little guy.
Will is extremely active. He spends a lot of time kicking & punching the air, which we all find very entertaining. We love our Baby Will!!

 

Christmas Eve

We had such a wonderful Christmas Eve!
Rod & I did our very best to prepare Savannah for the big day tomorrow by starting some of our own Hinze family traditions:
1-Peppermint Ice Cream & the Grinch
Since we are HUGE ice cream fans, I bought an ice cream ball to make our own special dessert! The ball is plastic & has a metal cylinder in the middle, where we had Savannah pour in cream, sugar, vanilla & peppermint pieces. We filled the rest of the ball with ice & salt. We then took the ball into our bedroom & played with it for 20 minutes while watching “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”. Savannah loved throwing the ball around & she REALLY loved the movie. When the show was over, we all shared a pint of FABULOUS ice cream!
2-Pajamas from Santa
After bath time, we heard a knock at the door. Santa had left a present on the doorstep for the children—brand new pajamas, with a note reminding them to head to bed quickly so Santa could come & put presents under the tree.
3-Luke II
Rod & I always watch the “Luke II” church video on Christmas Eve. It is only about 5 minutes long & is just so sweet. We turned off all of the lights in the house, except for the Christmas tree lights. As we watched the video, we talked to Savannah about baby Jesus & explained the Christmas story. When the movie was over, she had only one thing to say: “Again!” So, we let her watch it one more time before family prayers & bedtime.



 

Birthday Boys!

Tonight, we had a big birthday party for Rod (32) & Henry Purser (4)!
I made a cheesecake for Rod & a chocolate cake for Henry. We had a great turnout from our wonderful friends--we feel so blessed to have such fantastic people in our lives!!

Will's Nursery

I finally took some pictures of Will’s nursery.
It is such a sweet room & I love the quiet time I spend in there with my little dude.


 

Good Form!

Savannah, as a typical 2 year old, often has a very hard time sharing.
So, Rod & I were completely delighted when we caught her sharing her Wendy’s Frosty with Charlotte, her new kid’s meal toy.
We’re so proud of you, Savannah!
 

Rodney On Ice!

We’ve been so excited to take Savannah ice skating this year! So, we decided to pack up the kids on the Saturday before Christmas & brave the crowd at the Galleria.
Savannah, unfortunately, is still a bit too young for the event. She was a pretty good sport, but was definitely finished after a few times around the rink.
Rod, however, was an entirely different story. After Savannah exited, Rod entertained the family for 30 minutes with his “ice spectacular” performance.
Rod is VERY good on his skates & held nothing back. I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time!





 

He Found It!

Last night, I walked into the nursery to some pretty intense sucking & smacking sounds.
I peaked into the crib to find that Will had found his thumb!
I love to think about the world of discovery that Will has ahead of him. Imagine a time when you didn’t even know your thumb existed! It is just so incredible to watch my baby grow.
 

Wiggly Play Center

Savannah is a pretty intense kid who REALLY knows how to play.
Yesterday, her friend Chancey invited her to a birthday party at the Wiggly Play Center.
Savannah had a total blast.
I love this picture of her adjusting her glasses before taking off down the slide. She looks so focused—just pausing for a moment to plan out her next move.

Sick Day

A couple of days ago, we woke up & I asked Savannah, “Do you feel happy today?” She replied, very firmly, “No, I feel sick today.” She did have a little fever, so we took a day to relax & get better.
I love this picture of her in her “happy place”—on the sofa watching her favorite show “Little Bear”, drinking water, eating applesauce & peanut butter toast, while surrounded by her Disney Princesses.
The second picture was taken later on in the day. She actually fell asleep & stayed just like that for over an hour. What a cutie.
One afternoon of “sick” was plenty for Savannah—she was up & running the next day.

 

Charlotte's Web

Since it was my very favorite childhood movie (and began my crazy love for pigs!), I was so excited to take Savannah to see the new “Charlotte’s Web”. So, I packed up the two kids & headed to the theatre. We had a great time (as you can see, I still can’t face the idea of pushing a double stroller, so Savannah rode on top of Will today). Savannah loved watching the huge screen, bouncing in her chair & eating her popcorn, while Will slept like an angel!


 

Fossil Rim

Yesterday, I drove Savannah & Will, along with our 2 friends Lara & Lulu, to Fossil Rim. Fossil Rim is a Wildlife center about 1 ½ hours away from Dallas. They have 1,800 acres of land where 1,100 exotic and endangered animals roam freely. We drove all through the area & were able to feed the animals from our car. We saw giraffes, zebras, rhinos, cheetahs, antelope, and much more! It was AMAZING! As you can see, the animals put their heads right in our cars. Savannah had an absolute blast!




 

Happiness!

I recently heard happiness described as 3 things: enjoyment, satisfaction, and fulfillment.
I truly experienced all of these feelings tonight, as our family ventured out to look at Christmas lights. We enjoyed our beautiful Texas weather, the beauty & amazement of the decorations, the joy of the holiday season—there was just a good feeling in the air tonight! Savannah, of course, could not run from house to house quickly enough. She spent the entire night “oohing, aahing, and wowing”. Will, meanwhile, quietly enjoyed his ride in the Bjorn. (He is such a good baby!)
I feel blessed to experience enjoyment, satisfaction, and fulfillment--true happiness--from my role as a mother. I love these little people & learn so much from them every day. They are so good at appreciating the little things in life!
 

One Month Already!?

Although it's hard for me to believe that Will is already one month old, it's even harder for me to think of a time when he wasn't a part of our family. He fits in just perfectly around here!
Will went to his one month check-up yesterday and measured in the 50th percentile for weight, height, AND head. Not too big, not too small...just right! He also impressed the doctor by rolling from his tummy to his back two times! I'm so proud of my strong boy!!