Happy Birthday Alyssa

Alyssa is TWO!!!!! I can hardly believe it! Cliche... but where does the time go???

We had a nice relaxing day at home. The girls are still in play mode with all their new Christmas toys... which is a nice break for me.

Alyssa video called with Mom Mom and Pop Pop after lunch and opened their gifts that they had sent. They gave her a Mickey Mouse doll that sings the "Hot Dog Dance" song. Both girls have enjoyed that ALL day! I think I will be singing it in my sleep tonight!

After nap time, Alyssa had her 2 year well visit. That was not the best thing to do on her birthday, but it had to be done. She had to have a TB test, and they also had to do a finger prick for blood work. Nothing worse than hearing your little one say, "No Mama, No Mama, No Mama" Needless to say, she was pretty upset after that. Upswing though, is the treasure box that she got to pick a lollipop out of... after that, everything was back to normal.

We then headed to dinner to celebrate. We went to Champps to eat. They have free kids meals on Tuesdays, plus there was a balloon clown, as well as a sundae bar. Can't beat it! Alyssa had a great time. She wasn't so sure about the waitresses singing to her... but everything else was a hit.

When we got home, Alyssa opened her mail and then opened her birthday present from Hayley which was a Mickey Mouse book, and then our present which was an indoor ring bounce. (I can't wait to see the girls play in this!) After that she talked to Grandma and Grandpa on the phone, and then it was bedtime.

Happy 2nd Birthday Alyssa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas

Merry Christmas...

Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas. We had a very nice relaxing time at home. Only our second time staying in MI since we have been married... that's what being preggo and due so close to this time of year will do!

Christmas Eve we had a nice ham dinner, and then we went and drove around looking at Christmas lights. Hayley kept saying, "so pretty". A girl after her Daddy's heart. We went to one house that is only a few miles away that had their lights set to a radio station. That was fun, and the girls liked that. When we got home, the girls opened ornaments that Mom Mom and Pop Pop had sent them, and then they got to open their new pj's. Hayley was really excited and new their would be presents in the morning. Alyssa still didn't get the whole thing yet. The girls went down pretty easy that night.

I told Jeff to set the alarm for 6:45 so I could get up and get showered and ready before the girls woke up. Well, I heard them at 6:30! I couldn't believe it. They are never up that early! I opened our door and saw that they even had their bedroom light on. I woke Jeff up, told him to keep and ear out so they didn't' come out of the room and I jumped in the shower. Thankfully, when I got out of the shower, Jeff had said they went back down to sleep. We got up, got things ready for breakfast and then went in and got the girls up. As soon as we walked in the room Hayley asked, "Are there presents under the tree?" I told her she would have to go and find out. We let them open their stockings and then we had a nice breakfast. After breakfast, the fun began and we let the girls open their big gift first which was a kitchen set. They had a lot of fun playing with that... we pretty much had to pull them away to start opening the other gifts. It was a very fun morning.

Later in the afternoon we went to our friends parents house for dinner. It was such a fun time, watching the girls play with their friends and just relaxing and enjoying the day. They had a Santa show up at their house, and as soon as Hayley saw him, she ran and took cover. Alyssa just stared with an unsure look on her face. We don't promote Santa, and this is the first year Hayley even knew who he was from Christmas movies. Santa did offer Hayley a candy cane, and I think that won her over, however, Alyssa was still not going anywhere near him by herself.

Happy Birthday Jesus!!!

Our Christmas Letter...

Getting to know the "Growing Gerwings"

Welcome to Growing Gerwings! This is going to be a blog about our everyday life as a growing family. I was doing a babysite, however that required keeping up three separate sites for the kids and it was just too much. Especially now so many of the stories/events/pictures overlap with each other I just felt like I was repeating myself. So this is the new site... a place where you will be able to read about what is going on in our lives.

Jeff is busy, busy, busy at work. Last week was a crucial week for him in getting his budget for 2010 in and it required many a late night. Thankfully, it was work he was able to do from home. But after the girls were down he was on his laptop at the kitchen table till about 3 am every night last week. He is really enjoying being the Director of Operations for Smithgroup, and as hard of a decision it was to make to leave design, we can clearly see that this is where God wanted him for "such a time as this". He is still able to have a hand in lighting design which is a double blessing.

Hayley is almost 3 1/2 - Wow! She is such a joy. She is very polite and loves being "Mommy's Helper". I do preschool with her once or twice a week, with practicing writing her letters and numbers. She really enjoys it and if it gets to the end of the week and we haven't done school, she will remind me. She is excited for her Baby Brother to arrive. She talks about it all the time. I can't wait to see her with him. She is really into the Disney Princesses and loves anything pink. Another new favorite is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. The girls only get to watch one show a day (on most days... some days Mommy needs more of a break!) and most days she will choose Mickey over Sesame Street.

Alyssa will be 2 in just a couple weeks. Can't believe how fast time flies. Alyssa is a punk. That is the best word to describe her. She knows she is cute, and will do things just to see what kind of reaction she can get from you. She pushes the limits, yet knows when to stop. Jeff and I both declare her each other's daughter! She has a contagious laugh and smile. She is almost always happy, however when she is not - you know it by her bottom lip. Alyssa is very attached to her "BaBa" (little blanket) and needs it almost all the time. She is now in a big girl bed and her and Hayley share a room.

BG#3 is putting me through the ringer with his daily acrobatics. He is so active, so much more than I ever remember the girls being. We are anxiously awaiting his arrival. I am due January 16th, but Jeff is betting I go early (fyi - he also said this with Hayley AND Alyssa and we know how wrong he was there!). I can't wait to see him and hold him, and just to see how the everyday dynamics of our life change with a baby boy.

Me... I am in nesting mode right now. Think spring cleaning x 10. Which actually isn't good, b/c I haven't even started wrapping Christmas gifts yet! I think I rationalize it that it is more important to have the house clean for the baby, than it is having wrapped presents... at least they are all bought! I have begun the hermit phase... I really do not like going out in this cold, and taking the girls out and getting them bundled up and in and out of car seats is just not worth it to me. How soon until summer? All in all I am doing well, and I am so thankful that I have always had such easy pregnancies. I only have 4 more weeks to go...

Thanks for reading, and I hope you will check back often to see how life is going with the "Growing Gerwings"!