Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Merry Christmas Tree


Merry Christmas Tree is how AJ says Merry Christmas. I just love listening to him talk! Anyway... here is our Christmas Card for 2009, along with a few pictures.

Dear Family & Friends,
This has been yet another exciting year for us. I think I can just cut and paste this next line from our previous Christmas letters, “We have yet again moved and welcomed a new baby to our family”. We have two family goals for 2010… First, we are NOT moving next year, and second we will break our “having a baby every year streak” (2007, 2008, and 2009) right now! No getting pregnant and having a baby in 2010. Do you think we can do it? I hope so or you’ll be sending this mamma to the loony bin.
While the last six weeks have been insanely crazy, we are so very happy to welcome our new little girl Emma Renon, born November 16. She has been such a sweet baby. Of course I think she is the most beautiful little girl in the world, but I may be a little biased. She sleeps great, four weeks old and almost all the way through the night! She loves getting kisses and hugs from her big brothers and I’m pretty sure she already has Daddy wrapped around her little finger. Other than eating and sleeping, she really doesn’t do much. But I sure am having fun dressing her up in cute girly clothes and pink bows!
Mikko will be two in March and has become our little “Mr. Personality”. He loves to tackle AJ and wrestle with him. He also loves to talk, attempting to repeat everything big brother AJ says. He is completely obsessed with trains, and loves to gently run his cars along the walls. Okay, I lied, he doesn’t gently do it, he puts huge marks all over my walls by running those stinking wheels along everything. He eats almost anything you put in front of him and one of his favorite things to do is drive me crazy by going in the pantry and dragging out boxes of crackers eating one handful and moving on to another cracker box. We got smart and put a lock on the pantry in our new house. Mikko is always full of surprises, and we can’t wait to see what he does next.
AJ will be three in March. He has finally reached the age where he will sit and watch an entire movie. I cannot tell you how many times we have seen Cars and Finding Nemo. A couple months after AJ turned two, he suddenly started talking like crazy! He loves to ask questions and repeat EVERYTHING we say. We have had a few really funny moments with AJ repeating what we say, but I would feel inappropriate writing them in this letter, so if you want to know what they are give us call. AJ loves to sing songs and read books. He also loves to count things and point out letters. He carries the most random things around with him, and won’t leave the house without them. AJ has been so exciting this year with all the new things he wants to learn, it already makes me feel like he is growing up too fast!
Aaron and I are doing great. Moving and having a baby within two weeks of each other may have gotten us into a few arguments… okay, maybe a lot of arguments, but we came out of it still married and loving each other. Aaron is still with Eli Lilly and serving in his same calling at church as Young Men’s President (which he totally and completely loves). I am still lucky enough to stay home and raise my sweet beautiful children. And while some days Aaron comes home to a “ready to break down” wife who just wants a moment to take a shower, most days, we do just fine.
Our growing little family has been such an amazing blessing. Despite any hardships we have and will face, we are so very grateful for what we have. We are happy and healthy and during this time of year especially, we feel so fortunate for our knowledge and faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ. May you all enjoy this Holiday Season as well, and have a very Happy New year!