NINE things I'll remember about 2009 (a strange mix and in no particular order)...

1) Gracie's hair turned curly (something I never saw coming).

2) For big people, it was the year of Twitter, Facebook, Lady Gaga, and vampires. For little people, it was the year of Up in 3D, Hannah Montana, and the Jonas Brothers.

3) I read all the Twilight books. And liked them.

4) My violin studio ballooned from 12 to 24 students. In a recession!

5) We said goodbye to Great-Grandpa.

6) Jonah's baby voice disappeared, and he outgrew his 3T's, straight into 5T's.

7) Michael Jackson passed away. There was so much media coverage, Jonah figured out how to moon walk (sort of) without my knowledge.

8) We started cloth diapering.

9) I stood in line (with Jonah and Gracie) to vote in the presidential election. Michael stayed home from work to follow the election results, and we watched together as Barrack Obama was elected America's first black president.

Gracie's crib tent arrived today. She's zipped in and seems to be okay with it, so far. Please let this work!!!

Things to remember about December and Christmas 2009...

Daddy was home with us all month, since he was recovering from his 2nd shoulder surgery. We loved having him home! Every morning, straight out of bed, Gracie would run to snuggle with him.

Jonah started singing improvised songs to Gracie, although some of the words don't quite make sense. "Gracieeee you're my fortress! You're my sweeeeet baby GIIIIRRRRRLLLL".

For Christmas, Jonah got a Big Wheel, a Nerf gun, loads of trucks and super heroes, and an Erector set among other things.

Gracie began climbing out of her crib at 17 months old. She's sleeping in her PeaPod until the special crib tent arrives.

The bottom half of our tree has been undecorated a couple dozen times. Gracie looks straight at Mama, says, "NO NO!", then pulls the ornament off anyway. Excellent.

The words Gracie has gotten the most mileage out of this month are:
UH. OOOH.
Oh NOOO!
and GUK! (stuck)

For Christmas, Gracie got a tea set, lots of adorable clothes, an Elmo shape sorter, and a Leapfrog activity table among other things.

Hope you had a Merry Christmas too, and praying your New Year is blessed!

Jonah's Christmas program was tonight. His class was last. There was standing room only. And a LOT of tired screaming toddlers. It ended up being worth the wait ;) Sorry for the shaking camera! There were a lot of heads to film over!

I know the videos are long, and probably only my family will watch them, but Jonah is in a class full of HAMS, and the dancing in this next one is classic. Especially Jonah's friend, K.C. (He's the one in the white sweater vest, busting a move during the instrumental bridge. I guess the laughing hurt his feelings!)

And, of course, Mary, Did You Know...

These are two of my favorite photos from the last couple of weeks.

Michael captured a great one of Jonah on their guy "trip" to the White Tank Mountains. And I snapped the one of Gracie snuggling her Trader Joe's balloon in the car.

Jonah: Mama, sing dat song 'bout cattle alarms.
Me: What song, Jonah?
Jonah: Dat song! 'Bout cattle alarms. *sighing* You know! Duh cattle alarming, duh poor baby wakes?

Gracie's talking a little more every day. She got off to a slow start compared to Jonah, but now she's committed! This video's for Marmee...

I added this one just because she was being such a goofball...

I was going through the motions of our bedtime routine the other night, singing a couple of songs to Jonah before saying goodnight. I can't remember how we got around to it, but Jonah started singing, "Mary, Did You Know". When I got over my initial surprise that he knew the words to that song, I started singing along. I eventually realized we were probably rehearsing for his school's Christmas Program.

As we sang, "oh, Mary did you know", he began instructing me (in a perfect imitation of Ms. Tiffany), "this is the big part, Mama! Sing out! MOOOORE, Mama!". I couldn't stop laughing as he prompted me, hands raised high above his head, using what are probably the exact facial expressions Ms. Tiffany uses.

Later he promised me, "that song will make your parents cry".

We put up the Christmas tree today (it's a fake one...don't hate),

and since then, Gracie's been a busy girl. What kind of a toddler would she be if she didn't examine every light and bobble?!

We just spent an awesome morning at the zoo with good friends. I imagined I would come home worn out, ready to cage the kids for their naps (kidding). What a nice surprise to feel refreshed instead. It was BEAUTIFUL weather. Gracie was mostly content in her stroller. Jonah was thrilled to have time with his friend, Lester. And I got to visit with a good friend. Win!

Jonah kept making faces at Valentina. He was determined to make her laugh...

Angelina's a sucker for "peek-a-boo"...
I turned around and saw the boys holding hands. I guess they missed each other! We haven't seen The Animal Family in a while...

This afternoon, Jonah poked the storm screen in my bedroom window out of it's frame...

Jonah: Hey look, Mama! I can crawl outside!

Me: Jonah! What are you doing?!

Jonah: Nuffin!

Me: Go straight outside and push the screen back in.

*Jonah races to the outside of my bedroom window as fast as he can*

Jonah: Hey look, Mama! I can see you!

Me: Yeah, Jonah. Fix the screen, please.

Jonah: Mama? You sure look beautiful.

Me: Just fix the screen, Buddy.

Football season is upon us, and Jonah is learning to love it...

He's been asking to play catch with Daddy, and is learning to keep his eye on the ball...

...a skill that goes against one's natural instincts, if you think about it...

Daddy's birthday was a lazy, low-key kind of day. We did our best to let him sleep late (a VERY hard thing for Jonah to do). We hollered, "Happy Birthdaaaaaay!" when Daddy did wake up around 8:30. We sneaked out to have his car washed (upholstery, and all) and then gave him our homemade cards and the "fancy" socks that Jonah picked out. (It was either socks, or a Bakugan. I managed to sway Jonah toward the socks). We had dinner with Meemaw and Papaw, then carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

The only part of the day that got photographed, though, was Gracie and Daddy, cuddling and sharing their breakfast cereal.

This morning, Jonah woke up with laryngitis.

My son, whom many identify by his VOLUME, has been reduced to a pathetic croaking.

He is devastated.

At one point he wailed, "I sound like a stupid garage doooooooooor".

How do you not feel sorry for the kid?

Michael was snapping pictures of this quiet moment...

...when Lucy decided to enter the picture...

Every time I turn around these days, Gracie is either....

a.) Spilling every plastic bowl we own out of the pantry and blindly tossing them over her shoulder
b.) Emptying a box of Q-tips or tissues by the fist full
c.) Unrolling the toilet paper and SHREDDING IT
d.) Pulling Jonah's nightlight out of the wall so she can mouth the plug
e.) Sprinting toward, escaping through, or already out the dog door
f.) Climbing the kitchen table to stand on top and touch the low-hanging light fixture

When I put her down for a nap, I feel like whispering, "mischief managed" to her bedroom door.

Jonah has always had an expressive face. Almost like rubber.
I love those eyes.
I have to capture these silly moments before he gets too cool to let me share them!