Wow, I can't believe we are on the eve of a new year...2009. Time really does fly (faster and faster it seems as we get older)! As I reflect on the year 2008, I see how truely blessed our family is!! God is good! We began 2008 knowing we would have a new baby joining our family. In March we found out, with great delight, that it would be a baby boy! In April, our little angel, Claire, turned one year old! We also bought a van to fit our growing family in. In August we welcomed our bouncing baby boy, Oliver, into the world! We have had a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas! How lucky we are!

We have also suffered great loss and sorrow this year. In May, our dear friends lost their baby, born 3 months too early. In August, just a couple weeks after Oliver was born, we tragically lost my grandfather in a house fire. And a few weeks ago, my Aunt was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, stage IV. Yet through these heartaches, we come out stronger, more committed to making the most of every day! I know there are many who suffer beyond anything I can imagine.

So, here's to 2009, may it be a year full of many happinesses and joys and few heartaches! I will try everyday to see the world through my children's eyes, with wonder and excitement!! I pray that you all have a blessed new year!

Here are just a few of the many pictures I haven't been able to post until now. There are quite a few on here so, enjoy!

Claire is such a great big sister!!

Merry Christmas!!

My little artist!!

My not-so-little man!

These next few are from the Grandstaff Christmas

Our nephew Hayden

Ryan's brother Randy and nephew Mycah

Claire modeling her new pajama pants, necklace, and dress up shoes

Ryan's sister Sherry and her boys Riley and Hayden

This was the best shot I could get of everyone:

Mycah, Madeline, Riley, Dylan, Claire and Hayden is back there somewhere. Christmas Eve... Our little munchkins Mommy and Ollie

Santa paid the Grandstaff's a visit!! Claire was in amazement, she didn't quite know what to think at first!

Opening presents

Daddy putting together Claire's desk

Claire helping daddy Ollie likes his Elmo...

and his rattle!!

Christmas at the Runyon's

Our niece Brooke and Brother-in-law Brent

Katie, Erica, and Mom

Erica, Mom, and Jared

These are just some random pictures from this week.

Ollie chillin' and talking on Claire's princess fold-out couch

Claire playing with stickers, she even shared with the dogs

Passed out on her couch while watching "Horton Hears a Who"

Wearing an old Halloween wig.

Ollie sleeping with his doggie blankie

4 months old!

Ollie is now four months old! I cannot believe how time flies by. He weighed 16 lbs. 8 oz. and measured 27 inches long. Claire was only 27 inches tall at a year! The doctor changed his dose of Zantac and now he is a very happy baby! He does, however, recognize strangers already. He screamed and screamed as soon as Dr. Hoddinott started touching him! So, this will make for an interesting holiday time! Well, I"ll try to get pics up soon, but our card reader isn't working at the moment. I hope everyone has a blessed Christmas and enjoys the time spent with family and friends!!

Stinky Diaper Change

Here is a cute video of Claire playing with her baby doll. If you listen closely you can hear her telling her baby to lay down. She also says "stinky" and "yucky" and maybe even "gross." I hope you enjoy the video as much as I did. She spent a good 45 minutes playing with her baby and the diaper. Enjoy...

No Pics

I am a little frustrated with this blog at the moment. I have a ton of pictures to upload from Halloween on, but everytime I try to upload them they show up in text. The show up fine on my actual blog, but I don't have anyway to know what picture is where to put a caption with them when they only show up in text on the screen for me. So, for now, I have no pictures to show you...sorry! Finding time to post is becoming more and more difficult and I imagine that beginning in January it will be even harder. That is when I am starting up classes towards my Master's once again. I have one class to take Spring Semester and a class and my capstone to complete this coming summer and then I am finished...YEAH!! Things are going well. Claire is keeping us entertained every day by showing us new things she has learned. She is becoming more and more of a jabber box and just in the last week or so her favorite word has become "NO!!" She often speaks in short sentences and phrases, she can name many body parts (head, hair, ears, eyes, nose, mouth, teeth, tongue, lips, chin, neck, etc., etc.). She LOVES Elmo and Bear in the Big Blue House. She doesn't like her hands to be "gucky." She also loves to sing and dance. Oliver is over 15 lbs. now. He is on Zantac for acid reflux, which has made a world of a difference. He is so much happier and more content now. He is smiling often and even laughing. He is not yet rolling over, but he does a good job of holding up his head and shoulders while on his tummy. He is bound and determined to get his fingers or thumb in his mouth, but has yet to do it with much success. He also loves to coo and watch his big sister. So, for now if you want to see pictures, check out our myspace page.

Crazy Life!!

My life is both beautiful and crazy at the moment!! Things just never seem to slow down. I love being the mother of two beautiful babies! It is so rewarding, but exhausting at the same time. It seems I can never get caught up or have time to do everything that needs doing in a day. But then I tell myself the most important thing is to love my family and everything else will fall into place. As I said in the previous post we went to "Boo at the Zoo" this past weekend in Columbus with our friends DJ, Jim, Lincoln, and Truman. We had a good time and the weather was really nice for the occasion. Most of the animals were out and very active. Then Sunday we went and got pictures taken at Sears. We went ahead and did them all at once, even though Oliver isn't quite three months yet and Claire is a little more than 18. We figured we could get the biggest "bang" for our bucks this way:-) So, enjoy the pictures...

A little too cold for costumes, but we're ready to go!!!

First we went to the North America section of the zoo. Claire loved the goats!!

She thought she should pet ALL of them!!

The sun bear was eating a pumpkin and there were lots of people there, but Claire wanted to get right up next to the glass!! Watching the bear... Watching the other kids!! Getting on the tiger... Riding the tiger... Flamingos are one of Claire's favorites

Watching the gorillas. They were really active, chasing each other all over the place.

Claire posing in the grainery hut!! How cute! Claire wanted to ride the "horsh" until it was actually time to get on. She didn't really enjoy much of the ride until the very end.

She did enjoy the play area though...

Hi, dad...you can't catch me...

Pictures from Sears