Our Finley Christmas Eve and Morning

This was the first year we spent Christmas Eve just the four of us. It was actually really laid back and nice (no offense to our other family members).

Emma and I made homemade sugar cookies for Santa!Jameson gave me kisses while we made the cookies
After a yummy dinner, we decorated our cookies with buttercream frosting and sprinkles

Emma was really excited about Santa visting this year. She came into our room Christmas morning and whispered in our ears "Merry Christmas." I thought it was too cute that she was respectful of us sleeping, and she didn't yell her head off.

Here is Jameson with his new cell phone, fortunately Santa new he was wanting to use ours all of the time, so he brought J one so he would stop using ours ; ) Yea, he still wants to use ours!

See the Barbie and the Diamond Castle in the background? In Emma's words, "it's gynormous!"

How on earth did Santa ever fit it on his sleigh? Personally I wish he would have left it at the North Pole, I really don't know how we are going to make room for all of this stuff!

Anyways, Maddie is sitting nicely for the treats that Santa brought her, he is so thoughtful!

Checking out their toys, Christmas is so much fun!

Posing in their PJ's

Emma and Jameson ready to go to AA's house (will be in next post)

Lots of fun this Christmas Season

We have had so much fun during this month of December, and I haven't had much time to make posts, so here is a recap of the past few weeks. December 6th, Emma, Jameson and I had breakfast with....SANTA!!! We had a fabulous meal, got to see an elf make neato balloon creations like candy canes, reindeer, snowmen...so entertaining. And the big man himself came around to all of the tables and talked to the kiddos.

Emma and Jameson at our table

Where is Santa?

I want Barbie and the Diamond Castle, and a Snow Globe

Emma says "I've been a good girl", Jameson says "who are you and where did you come from?"

Last weekend, the 13th, we headed down to Medical City for the Heart-n-Hands Christmas Party. It is so much fun to see all of the kiddos doing so well. We also had an opportunity to meet another family who is about to have a baby boy in February with HLHS. I hope we encouraged them by letting them see how well Jameson is doing. I also met a mom whose little boy Maverick has been in the picu for 15 weeks. He is having a difficult time coming off of the ventilator, so please say a prayer for him. They live in Oklahoma and have 3 more children at home. They were in the hospital for Thanksgiving so my prayer is they will ALL be home for Christmas. After talking with her, I counted my many blessings.

Jameson and Nurse Stacy (one of our faves!)

They had so many fun booths, like caricatures and face painting. Radio Disney was there with lots of fun activities and gifts!
Smile for Santa! Not so much...J had a big block of cheese in his mouth!

Jameson and his awesome surgeon, Dr. Mendeloff. We are so thankful for this man!

J and nurse Kim. Another favorite nurse, he kept giving her kisses.

J and Kathy. Dr. M's right hand woman.

Finally yesterday, Emma had her school presentation of Christmas around the World. Our country was Mexico. Thank you Kimberly for helping get all of the authentic Mexican stuff we were able to share with the class. First Emma gave a presentation of how they celebrate in Mexico. She did awesome, my girl is reading from note cards!!! I don't think I learned how to read until 2nd grade? She wasn't flenching at words like unique and traditions!!! Then we had King Cake (not worthy of a picture although it could be on the worst cake blog) and finally everyone had their shot a the pinata! Another thanks to my neighbor Jenny, she totally helped me pull this off! She helped keep J quite during the presentation, helped me video, hang the pinata, and took this great picture of Emma!

Emma giving it her best shot!!!

Happy Birthday Blake!

Today would have been my nephew Blake's second birthday. He was born on December 7, 2006. After 3 months and 9 days of having this precious miracle in our lives, he was tragically taken by SIDS. I want Emma and Jameson to remember their sweet cousin, that is why I am sharing this story on their blog. It's hard to make sense of why God takes little babies and children, although I know all things are for His glory. Today I found my own way of making sense of it and here's what I came up with. Babies are a little piece of Heaven, and Heaven is the most wonderful, perfect place. If there were no babies in Heaven, to me, that would make Heaven less than perfect. I know Blake is up there making some of the older ones smile, so that is what I will cling to until I see him again one day. Happy Birthday sweet boy, we will never forget you!

9 days old

Emma 4 years, Blake 2 months

2 months

3 months 8 days

Those Crazy Little Boys!

Oh my, I never knew there could be such a big difference between little girls and little boys. I was really convinced that if they receive the same parenting, they would act at least somewhat the same! WRONG! My little guy has really thrown me for a loop. He hits me in the face almost every time I pick him up, Emma tried that once, I have parented them the same. He throws his food on the ground and says Ahh OHHH, Emma never did that, and I never had to tell her NOT to! He throws his toys across the room and no matter how many times I get on to him, he still does it...Oh my, how I was wrong. I do believe consistency pays off, so I will continue to "try" to get him to obey me, but the whole deal is just baffling to me! I walked in his room after his morning nap and he had thrown everything out of his bed, including his underpants...how in the world did he get those off? I am not yet writing of the "diaper droppings" he used for wall art, but I am certain I will be in the near future. I have realized that even though I am the same parent, my kiddos are not the same!!! And each of their differences I love and treasure!

A Spooky Fun Time

We had a great time getting the kiddos ready for trick-or-treating Friday night. Emma went as Jasmine from Aladdin, and Jameson went as a "little stinker," which fits his personality to a tee. After visit great grandparents and great aunts and uncles, we went out for some trick-or-treating fun! This was the first year Emma was really pumped to pound the pavement. She was not intimidated or scared at ALL!

Getting Emma ready for the big night!

Trying to get the perfect pose is next to impossible...

Looking a bit dazed and confused!

There's that "stinker's" smile!

She has no problem posing

Jasmine and our neighbor from Star Wars

This is what I mean about Emma not being scared, she just pranced up to this man with a big scary mask on, and got her a piece of candy. Star Wars man, not so much.

Chit-chattin Charlie

Jameson is becoming quite the "chit-chattin Charlie." He loves to pick up his telephone and say "ra ra ra ra." If he hears the front door open he says "da da da da." Ahh ohhh is definately his most favorite thing to say, even over ma ma : (, his cutest little mouth looks round like a baby bird when he gets to the ohhh, and his little nose looks even tinier!

Besides talking, he dances to his "fridge DJ" singing the alphabet song, and I promise, he was trying to sing it today! When you say "Jameson get your guns up," he puts his little guns in the air! I think we definately have a little Red Raider on our hands! Of course I get my kisses all of the time. He also likes to play peek a boo, here is a cute picture of that!

Getting Them All and Losing Them All

Tonight I pulled Emma's second tooth! Of course it was the usual drama, screaming, crying, and she was telling me, "I'm not going to give you a picture!" Anyways, I did get my picture, because after about 15 minutes of settling down, Emma was in front of the mirror, admiring her new toothless self. I'm sure your thinking, "why are you traumatizing her by pulling her teeth?" Well, first off, they both have been very loose, and second, her teeth are growing in behind, so it's like she has two sets of front bottom teeth, and finally, if you know Emma's personality at all, she is quite dramatic about everything (don't have a clue where in the world she gets it ; ) I must say I am quite proud that I can actually stomach pulling her teeth! So now I have my little girl losing all of her teeth, and Jameson is gaining a mouth full! It's so funny to see him smile cause there are so many teeth!

Bedtime Devotional

Last night Emma and I were laying in her bed, reading her bedtime devotional. The scripture was about God talking to Samuel, but since Samuel did not know God at the time, he didn't realize it was God talking and thought it was Eli. After reading the story, there were questions to answer. One in particular was 'What are some ways we still hear from God today?' Emma looked at me with big eyes and a questionable face and said bewildered, "I didn't hear God talk to me today!" She was so sincere and kinda scared, and of course I started laughing! The answer, of course, was through the bible and Holy Spirit, but I guess she thought she was going to be hearing God address her loudly while she was outside playing or something!

Random Act of Kindness

Today, Emma and I frosted and decorated homemade sugar cookies. They were little pumpkins with orange frosting and fall colored sprinkles. I was so proud of Emma because she suggested taking the cookies to our neighbors and to her school teacher. Of course, I was thinking about eating all of them! So we wrapped them up on cute Halloween plates and Emma delivered them to the neighbors on either side of us. She also wanted to take them her school picture, but we kinda "forgot" about that...although I'm sure that they would love a picture of Emma on their refrigerator : ) Seeing her initiate a random act of kindness and then actually follow through with it was so very special, it brought a big smile to my face as I'm sure it did our neighbors.

The Big Orange Pumpkin Patch

Today Emma's Kindergarten class had a field trip at the Big Orange Pumpkin Patch. They had so much fun. Here is her class. Emma is on the far left.

Emma got to pick two of her most favorite Pumpkins!

And Jameson wasn't real crazy about the pumpkin pickin thing!

We had lunch, took a hayride, and Emma's most favorite part was feeding the animals...she pranced along making sure every goat, sheep and cow had been fed, telling them to "now wait your turn!" She acted very Cinderella-like while feeding them...it was too cute.

Here is Emma and two friends from class.

It's Gone!

I have been telling Emma for the past week to wiggle her tooth to get it nice and loose so we could pull it. So Saturday October 11th, after many tears and much screaming, (even Jameson was crying because Emma was) I yanked the first tiny tooth out of Emma's mouth. She was so dramatic at first, but after she calmed down she said, "I can't believe I cried, that didn't hurt at all. I wish I could lose all of my teeth. I really like the way I look with my tooth 'losed.'" The Tooth Fairy came that night and she was really excited about that too. I can't believe that first one is gone! It's kinda sad but exciting too!

Chocolate Hot Dog

Flashback to June 2008. Emma, Jameson, my mom, and I were having lunch at La Madeline. After entering, we all stand around the display of pastries and puffs, deciding on our dessert before we even get to our lunch. I was going to have the fruit tart, mom was going to have the pecan tart...and after much deliberation, Emma says, matter of factly, "I'm going to have a chocolate hot dog." We see she is talking about the chocolate eclaire, and we start laughing. She is quite confused as to why we are laughing, but goes right along and laughs with us. Too cute.

A Strong Bond

Emma and Jameson have always been really sweet to each other. Emma is patient and kind, (most of the time) sharing, and wants to love and kiss on him alot. Jameson's little face just lights up a room when he sees his big sister. I pick Emma up from school today, and as soon as she gets in the car she says, "where's Jameson? (joking around), where's my little baby brother?" Then she just reaches over and gives him the biggest hug and kiss. He responds with a big belly laugh (one of these days I will have it on here), which is exactly what she wants to hear. The ride home she holds his little hand, of course, after a while he gets aggravated and starts crying, but it is the sweetest thing to witness my kiddos being so sweet to each other. I know that in a few years, it won't be the case anymore!

Haircut

Jameson got his second haircut today. He screamed, cried and snubbed the entire time...I felt horrible. I told the lady I wanted him to have a "spikey due" and that's definately what we got...here is a picture after he calmed down, this is a good snapshot of his personality!

The Lord's Prayer

This makes me so proud!

Pitcher or Hitter?

We all have dreams for our children, and I am no different. So the other day Jameson is screaming in his bed, during "naptime." I finally go to console him, and upon entering his room, I step on a pacifier...ahh ha!...a pitcher!, if he can throw a paci that far, he is going to be a pitcher! I proceed to get him out of his bed, to be greeted with a big WHAM to the face. This is a stage that has still not come to pass. So I conclude, a hitter, he is definately a hitter!

Tangely Teeth

Emma has two loose bottom teeth. One of her permanent teeth is growing in behind the baby tooth, so I told her this morning that we are going to have to pull it so her teeth won't grow in crooked. She is a little nervous about the whole thing, but does want to pull them soon so she doesn't have, in her terms, "tangely teeth!"

My First Kiss

I took my car to get cleaned up this morning, and Jameson was standing in my lap in the little waiting area. He leaned over and grabbed my face and gave me a great big open mouthed kiss. What a joy that brought to my day, my first kiss from my little man!

Anytime, Anyplace

We went out to our favorite Italian place for my "birthday dinner." We are sitting there conversing, and notice this other table looking our way, smiling, and of course, admiring our children! (if this grosses you out, remember, this is for my kids!) I look over at Jameson, and he is hunkered over, with a serious, bright red face! Not only that, he is making indiscreet sounds at the table as well! We all started laughing, and even the table next to us got a good laugh out of it. When it comes to Jameson taking care of business, it's anytime, anyplace!

I'll Only Take It From Emma

Ok, those of us who have chemically enhanced hair can appreciate this...we are blonde, we don't spend tons of money to have our hair done, to be labeled brown, brunette or "black headed." No offense to dark headed folks. So Emma is brushing my hair (after having my hair done a week before) and she says, "Wow your hair is sooo blonde, (she keeps brushing until she sees underneath), Oh, but it's so black! It's blonde black...and it's getting like Rapunzels, you need to cut it!" The truth hurts real bad, but I'll only take it from Emma!