Emalina 3 months

Emalina is 3 months old!!! Wow, how time flies. This little girl is just so sweet, we can't get enough of her. Her personality is really coming out now... She has the greatest facial expressions and definitely reacts to us when we talk to her. She still sleeps a lot during the day. Emalina is a night owl... like her mommy!  I would say her awake time is in the evenings. Sometimes in the evenings, she can get a little fussy and on the rare occasion that she does cry, she can get really upset, and boy she sure can cry. I don't think Bella or Ethan had lungs like her. She cries so hard that sometimes she chokes on her saliva (which is a little scary). When this does happen... usually it means that she is tired and wants to be put down to sleep. 

I don't know how many times a week I say (out loud) that Emalina is the easiest baby. It sure would make life a lot harder if she was a demanding baby. 

She definitely gets a lot of love from everyone! Bella and Ethan just love their little sister. She completes our family (for now:)! 

 Here are some of the things she is doing this last month:

• Loves Loves Loves her pacifier
• Found her hands and likes to suck on her knuckles when her susu is not in
• Follows people with her eyes
• Loves to watch Ethan and Bella play
• Fits in 3-6 and 6 month clothing
• Is in size 2 diapers
• Loves being held in the baby bjorn carrier
• Loves to be snuggled and warm
• Still loves her swing and bouncy seat
• Her eyes are still BLUE and I would be surprised if they turned brown
• Nurses well, burps easy and toots often (she has bad gas)
• Loves being in her car seat (as soon as we put her in, she falls asleep for the entire time she's in there)
• Doesn't make many sounds yet, but she smiles a lot and even chuckles a little
• For the most part, she sleep all night
• Eats at least every three hours during the day, has lots of wet diapers... but usually only has one dirty diaper a day (if that sometimes)

Thought this progression was funny! What a sweet little girl!

Christmas Eve

We had a great Christmas Eve with Steve, Ann and Auntie Liz. 

We went to the Christmas Eve Service at 5:30 at Faith Baptist... and then headed home to make up a HUGE feast of for dourness, drinks and a Ben sized cookie plate! We were all stuffed! And had a tone of leftovers (except for the cookie plate, that was pretty much cleared off)! 

Grampy read the Christmas story, we all sang Happy Birthday to baby Jesus and then we opened some of the presents under the tree. Bella was in fine form and stayed up with us all until at least midnight. Liz and I stayed up until past two wrapping presents from Santa and putting out the kids' stockings (except I don't have stockings for any of us. I haven't needed them, as we have alway spent Christmas up at my parents or the Shaub's... something i have to remember for next Christmas). Thank goodness for kids who sleep in. Bella didn't get out of bed until 10:30 (and Steve woke up with Ethan around 8:30), so we had plenty of time to get some good rest in the morning. 

It was a great night, filled with good food, laughs, smiles and memories from our first Christmas in our own home. And yes, skyping with Uncle Dan and Aunt Frannie too! 

Our Sweet Children

Heidelberg Castle Trip

Heidelberg, Germany

We ventured out to Heidelberg on Wednesday with the whole gang. We've been to Heidelberg a few time, but never up to the castle. One thing Steve wanted to do while he was here was to see a castle... this was the perfect one. It is so beautiful. It is amazing to think that it was built so long ago. I could just imagine Bella living in the olden days as a princess (wearing princess dresses, tiaras and acting all proper)LOL! 

It was a neat adventure. 

We visited the Heidelberg Christmas Market afterwards... no pics from that though. 

First Snow

We had our first taste of snow yesterday. It didn't stay for long, but long enough for Bella and Ethan to play around in it and build a snowman with Mimi. It has been really rainy here this fall. By this time last year, I guess Rodenbach had already gotten a foot of snow. The kids had a great time experiencing snow for the first time this year. It was fun to watch them from inside the warm house!

Couch Surfers!

We hosted two of LIz's friends from Korea for two nights last week. Hayley and Brooke were wonderful house guests. Bella was overjoyed to have some new faces and playmates for a few night. 

Brooke has been traveling through Europe for the last 5 weeks and has been couch surfing... Yes, that's right surfing on couches! I had never heard of it before, but it would probably have been something I would have done in my traveling days through Central America and Europe way back when. There is a whole network for couch surfing... a website, personal profiles and all. I was a tad freaked out about it at first, but the more Brooke explained it to us, I can see how it would be a fun and economical way to travel.  

Anyway, I don't quite know if we'll open our house up to couch surfing strangers... but these two were a lot of fun! 

Thanks for visiting Brooke and Hayley. Hope to see you again sometime in the next 3 years.

St. Nicholas Day

December 6th was St. Nicholas day in Germany. This is the day where the kids leave their shoes outside the front door and St. Nicholas comes in the night and fills the shoes with goodies, candy and fruit. 

I didn't really know about St. Nicholas Day until late the night before, so I had to work with what I had this year (Next year I'll be more prepared). Of course Bella was into it, Ethan not so much... But he sure did like the candy that showed up in his shoes in the morning. 

Bella was so enthralled with the fact that St Nicholas came... she just stood there looking at her shoes before she dug in. It was really cute! 

Emalina is 2 Months

I wanted to get these adorable photos of Emalina's shrinking bear pics before we head into the weekend. I will update what she is doing these days later. It was a little dark outside today, so I had to use the flash... and it doesn't do justice to her beautiful blue eyes. And it amazes me how different our children all look! Isabella brown hair, brown eyes... Ethan blonde hair, blue eyes... and now Emalina brown hair (lighter then Bella's though) and blue eyes! 

I took the photos with her clothes off, to show off her cute little rolls! Her thighs seem to grow every time I change her diaper! 

We just love her so much!!!! 

 Here are Bella & Ethan 2 month shrinking bear photo (click on their names).

Bella

Ethan

Christmas Pictures... Sort of!

I tried to take some Christmas photos of the kids the other day... It was interesting to say the least (especially when Ben stepped in dog poop trying to help. lol) It is almost impossible to get them all looking in the same direction and smiling at the same time. But here is the result. We sure do have cute kids! 

 Bella really was excited to hold Emalina... although this pic doesn't say it!

 Ethan lasted sitting for about two minutes! 

Bella wasn't much better maybe 5 minutes... and then they were off!

Not as good as LAST YEARS.... Maybe I should have brought candy canes!