Christmas Day 2014

Early Christmas morning...

I was actually the first one awake and stuck with the tradition of making cinnamon rolls.  I got a great scratch recipe from Laci and we ate these before opening presents.  

Zero guilt too (I AM 9 months pregnant after all...)

Making the boys pose for a picture in their matching minion jammies.

Owen more excited this morning than last night.

2 BIG presents mysteriously appeared during the night...

paper flying

duel sleeping bags:

a colorful caterpillar for Kaden and an alligator or Owen.

How to draw books

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve at the Dows

Kaden had also been asking me to help him make snowflakes...

Lucky for him, Mary came...

... and loves art projects

pre-dessert fun

Owen showed up right in time for dessert. 

Right on Papa's lap to eat his pecan pie.

presents

Like last year, Owen wasn't incredibly interested in opening his own presents... 

We did, however, talking him into opening one from Nonnie:

a CAT truck.

I got my 11-cup Cuisinart FOOD PROCESSOR!!

My kitchen is now complete!

1 week to go...

Christmas Holiday

A few random pictures just before Christmas 2014

Kaden during his TOT basketball performance during 1/2 time at the Amarillo High game.

my own basketball

STILL pregnant... 

New hat AND jammies from Aunt Dorothy.

Kaaren Price wanted to take the boys to pick out their OWN Christmas present before they moved to Mississippi.  We went to Target and found this race track right away.  Owen didn't seem interested in getting anything for himself- he just wanted to share Kaden's toy.  

a little (or a lot) of help from daddy piecing it together while mommy took a (much-needed) nap.

playing with the new race track.

Kaden LOVES the holidays and coming up with fun plans for all of us.  

For weeks he has been wanting to use the Christmas cookie cutters.

Wish granted.

38-weeks

typical Owen

more typical Owen

playing in the baby's car seat

Final cookie product- even safe for everyone to eat this year... 

the boys got a lesson in not licking icing or touching their nose/face.  

They probably had to go back and wash their hands 6x by the time all of the cookies were iced.

Just like great-grandpa Cook

Cocoa Puffs!

watching Mary sew

and wanting to help

Christmas Program

Thought I'd take a few photos after Sonlight Preschool's Christmas program (organized chaos). 

Owen (3) and Kaden (5) 

The person THE MOST excited about Christmas this year. 

Mommy being the most excited about meeting this new baby girl. 

Kaden taking photos around the living room.

Gingerbread Houses

Our friend group has been trying to do fun projects with the kids once a week since most of us stay at home the majority of the time.  This is a reason why we stay home, right?

At the top of Kaden's Christmas wish list was to 

"make a gingerbread house like we did at Grandma's house that one time."

Julie and I remember decorating small houses when we were in elementary school. 

Decorating, while trying to keep Owen from just eating his candy the whole time.  

Kaden in his element.

And later, after the kids did their "project", I worked on mine:

jarred up some "whipped body butter" like I made last year.  

I love this stuff and use it all year.  

and tried a little soap making with re-batch soap (fun/easy process) and the results weren't bad. 

Owen at 3...

What Owen David Dow is like at 3-years-old.

You still suck your food a lot of the time...

And take FOREVER to finish a meal! 

This is how many nights look around here: everyone gone from the dinner table (with the exception of Schatzi scavenging) with you still sitting, rubbing your hair and sucking your food. 

You are FUNNY- I think it's your facial expressions and you love to pretend. 

(Pretending to fly while running around the house, pretending you're a scary monster, pretending you're shooting alligators with your toy drill.)

You love Kaden. Love to be around him as well as wrestle and irritate him. 

Sometimes there are no words...

You definitely like to dress up in costumes and have a vivid imagination.

Ready for preschool

You like to use the vacuum and help me in the kitchen (where I spend a lot of my time).

You like to color with markers (scribble big blocks of color) and tell me what it is (usually a "scary monster")

You have a very sweet/tender side. At this point you typically come up and kiss me (on the leg, belly-- whatever you can reach) and say something nice (

AND you have a very sensitive side. Sometimes you laugh or smile when you get in trouble but if it's serious you seem to get your feelings hurt and want to me alone to cry. (A big hug usually fixes it). 

You love to be touched, pet, patted, etc. it soothes and calms you. 

Luckily you seem to like my food and cooking! You also have radar for whenever someone is eating, "I wanna bite..."

You like most fruits (apples, bananas, grapes, peaches, pears, prunes...)