Firehouse Santa.

So since Ayden has been born, I never got into the whole Santa thing. Mainly because I didn't want to fight the crowds of annoyed parents and squirmy children waiting to get 2 seconds on Santa's lap, with a picture that never turns out because the child is overstimulated, uncomfortable in their dressed up clothes, and scared. Not to mention you paid a day's work of pay for the picture that never turns out. This year I got lucky, so lucky. One of Ayden's nursery school classmate's father (you following me?) works for the Edgewater firestation. They decided to put together a breakfast with Santa. Come to find out they had even posted an ad in the newspaper, but it only seemed to attract the kids from Ayden's school. So at 9 this morning, Ayden and I headed over to the station, where we were fed pancakes, sausage, coffee, and juice and ate alongside of Santa and some of the firemen. I couldn't have asked for anything better! Ayden was thrilled. I don't know which was more exciting-Santa, the firetruck, the firehat, or the sausage. Ha. These shots capture our great morning.

"Ho Ho Ho" is what Ayden said the entire ride over.


Yummy sausage.


Enjoying a candy cane.


Ayden gets up close and personal with Santa as Santa ties his shoe.


Give a big smile!


Ayden and Lilly, one of his classmates.

Two, going on big boy.

For Ayden, life is now:
In 3T clothes, size 8 1/2 shoes.
He knows his ABCs.
He is almost potty-trained.
Can sing, on key, twinkle twinkle.
Knows the basic colors.
Can pick out numbers 1-5.
Only wants to play instruments.
Or some form of ball.
Doesn't have all of his teeth.
Crawls into my bed in the morning and rubs my back.
Still nurses in the morning and at bedtime.
Insists on holding hands for prayers before meals.
Talks to his dad every day on the phone.
Loves to eat yogurt.
Plays in the bath until the water is nearly ice.

And in a blink of an eye, he is a big boy. And knows it.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008 things I am thankful for:
*Finding a great nursery school for Ayden that he loves and that is teaching him about Jesus.
*Hearing Ayden's first words (ball, football, cheese, please, juice, water, pooh, read, sit, let's go, eat, up, hello, dark, bubbles, dance---notice a trend? ha)
*Getting to know the Ball family, receiving countless blessings from them, gaining a friend for life.
*Watching my brother (Erich...Kurt will be in 2009!) get married and gaining a sister.
*Having God pour out financial blessings onto me and Ayden when I never thought possible.
*Taking on many different jobs, all that were a perfect fit for that period of my life.
*Joining the Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Center team, showing me how all the hard work and schooling finally pays off.
*Being a part of Rachel's wedding.
*Reuniting with Corey every month.
*Having faith and trust in the Lord that my future family will come, but in God's timing.
*Gaining security that Corey loves me more than anything.
*Corey getting through his first round of nursing school.
*Wise support and counseling from my father.
*Trip to Disney World.
*Trip to Hilton Head Island.
*Having the strength to continue nursing Ayden.
*Mom's care for Ayden half of the week while I work.
*Ayden's neverending joy for life, showing me a greater appreciation for life.
*Support from some of the Godliest women I know from my Sunday school class.
*The freedom to pray and worship.
*Moving to the basement so Ayden and I can have more of our own space.
*Highschool and college friends who still keep in contact.

Happy Thanksgiving family! I am really enjoying mine with the newlyweds (Erich and Lisa), not having to work, soaking in love from Ayden, eatinggggg, talking to family on the phone, getting vitamin D from a beautiful day, napping, watching the Macy's parade and reminiscing on memories of being there last year, relaxing, going through wedding photos (which I have more that I will put up later), praying.