Santa Again...

So today I had to go to Walmart to finally get the pictures for the Christmas cards. NJ was standing beside me as I was working on the photo machine, I reached down to make sure she was right beside me and she was gone, my heart fell and I screamed out her name. When I turned around she was up in Santa's lap talking to him.

She was not dress to get her picture made!

She went back over again and the girl at Walmart got her picture. She was so excited she couldn't stop talking to Santa even when other kids were trying to get in his lap.

I guess we have a Santa lover now!!

Santa

It was off to the mall today for some Christmas shopping. The entire way to the mall NJ said she wanted to see Santa, I talked to her about it but didn't really think she would do it because she has been so afraid of him. When we got to the mall she covered her eyes and said she was scared. We did some shopping and finally got down to Santa. She almost jumped right out of her stroller trying to get to him. She was so excited she got down and went over to see him. At first she stood beside him but then she got in his lap. Emma sat in his lap long enough for a picture but wanted her mommy. NJ told Santa what she wanted for Christmas and then got a coloring book at colors. The rest of the time we were at the mall she talked about how proud Santa was that she wasn't scared. She is so excited about her picture she keeps wanting to look at it.

Our Son Emmett...

Gotta love that smile!


Everyone knows that kids will tell you like it is. NJ is no different and she is so funny about the things she thinks up. NJ was spent Saturday night at my sister Wendy's house, so Sunday after church Emma and I went to get her. Mark had dressed Emma in a very cute boy outfit (I do really like the outfit but was going to put some girl touches to it before Emma wore it). After Emma and I picked up NJ we started on the 40 min. trip home. About 5 min. into the trip NJ say "Mama why is Emma dress like a boy?" I couldn't help but laugh.

Daddy's little boy!

Decorating the Tree

Saturday morning Daddy decided to start getting the decorations out from under the house, I guess that was a hint I needed to get all the Thanksgiving decorations put away. We all worked together and by noon we had all our decorations up. NJ was so excited to have the tree up and the fireplace all decorated.

She loves to "ham it up" for the camera.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is Mommy's favorite holiday. This year was great as always. Both girls had a great time and really enjoyed seeing everyone. Cousin Erynn was the only one not there, she was off in Hawaii having a great time with the JHS band.

NJ was really confused by everyone being at her Granddad and Grams' house but she so enjoyed playing and dancing for everyone. We hope everyone else had a great holiday.

Poor Baby

I don't have good stories of our exciting adventures but I do have so bad news about Emma. Emma ran a fever all weekend but she was a great little trooper and went to my cousin Mindy's wedding and acted like a perfect angel. Monday morning after we returned I took her to the doctor to see what was going on. They checked her ears and her throat and they looked fine so the nurse did a little finger prick to check her blood. This test came back with a high white blood cell count so poor Emma had to be catheterized and a large vile of blood taken. She received 2 antibiotic shots and we went home. Emma slept most of the day Monday. Tuesday it was back to the doctor. The doctor gave us the bad news that it was a UTI and that she would have to have 2 more shots and then a referral to Children's Hospital in Little Rock. For those of you who don't know NJ had this problem back in January and it was discovered that she had Kidney Reflux and she had been on medication ever since. Please keep Emma in your prayers that this is not the same thing that NJ has and that she will not have to start daily antibiotics. I will post more information when we have it.

Christmas Tree Farm

On Nov. 4th Emma, NJ and I picked up Grams and Granddad and headed north for the Christmas tree farm (about 30 min north but still north). NJ was so excited she checked out all the trees looking for that special tree. Several were too big and several were too small and then she found the one that was just right. She also helped Grams find the tree that would be just right for Grams and Granddad.


She got to see some sheep and some guineas. She liked the sheep because they were fenced in and she could stay a good distance back but the birds she wasn't to sure about they got a little to close. After picking the perfect trees we headed off to Applebees (NJ's favorite restaurant) and had lunch. NJ just wanted the strawberries that came with Granddad's sandwich so, we had to ask for more and she ate all of them too. After that it was ice cream and then a good nap on the drive home.

NJ's perfect tree!!

Emma Got Something......

On Halloween we got big suprise, EMMA GOT HER FIRST TOOTH!!!

Emma has slept through the night since she was 3 months old. I had always thought it was a great blessing and then a couple weeks before Halloween she stopped. I was a very upset mom, I have always enjoyed my sleep. Poor Emma was a different baby and I was very worried about her then I felt it, she bit me and for once it wasn't all gums there was something there. She has always loved to suck on peoples fingers but now she is enjoying sinking her little tooth into them. The second tooth is already to the surface so #2 will be here soon.

Halloween

Halloween was a very fun day for the Lane family. We went to the church down the road and did Trunk or Treat. NJ had a lot of fun and enjoyed getting a TON of candy (thanks to Mrs. Betty who made sure she got extra). NJ finally wore her Dora costume to this activity, the week before she only wanted to be a Cheerleader. It is so tough being 3 and having to pick just one thing to be. Emma enjoyed seeing all the people and smiling at them, she went as Emma in a Halloween shirt (thank you cousin Emily for the shirt). We did wait around all night for Trick or Treaters and no one stopped by. I guess that is what we get for living in a retirement community. We had a great Halloween and NJ is already for Halloween 2007.

Boo at the Zoo, Fall Festivals and Family fun

So I am a little behind on my posts, this should be from the week before Halloween.

The girls and I had a busy week and a half leading up to Halloween. On the 22nd of October we went to Little Rock and enjoyed an exciting night of Boo at the Zoo. NJ and I took cousin Lane and her friend Katie with us for the excitement. NJ had a little trouble understanding and wanted to know why Boo (our dog) was going to be at the Zoo, when we got that explained we were good to go. NJ enjoyed most every part of the Zoo, she went around to all the booths and got her candy. Then the older girls went to the Haunted House, NJ thought she wanted to go but Mama was way to scared to take her. We did go on the Haunted train ride (we didn't know it was haunted until we were on it). We survived and she is happy she went on it. Besides a few costume scares she had a great time.

We also enjoyed 3 Fall Festivals at the local churches in the area. On the Wednesday night before Halloween we went to the Village Church of Christ festival. NJ was having fun and even won the cookie walk but then she saw him, the guy from Scream was sitting beside the cookie walk and she took off. I had to find her in the crowd and she was ready to go. The second Fall Festival was a little more fun and she actually stayed a little longer. The final Festival we didn't even make it in the door, she saw an adult in a costume and we had to leave that minute. Emma loved all 3 festivals and was ready for more.

Besides all our fun outside the home we did another little pumpkin project. The 2 small pumpkins we got at the Pumpkin Patch were just to small to carve so NJ and decided to paint them. We cleaned off the coffee table and put newspaper down and got all our paint out and had a great time making our pumpkins beautiful. NJ's had several layers of paint and ended up all one color but it was the best pumpkin she had ever seen. She then thought that all the newspaper needed some color too so she painted it. All in all the week leading up to Halloween was a lot of fun for the Lane family.

Pumpkin Patch

Today we all loaded up in the van and went to Cox Berry Farm. David and Debbie Cox are friends of ours and every year they have a pumpkin patch and hay ride. NJ enjoyed looking at all the pumpkins and finding one that was just her size. Emma had a lot of fun looking at the pumpkins. NJ had a great time until we were on the hay ride and someone jumped out of the woods. She was ready to go home because it was "pooky". All in all we had a great time and now we are up to 5 pumpkins.

Emma's Smile

I thought this was such a cute picture of Emma smiling. She was smiling at her daddy after we carved the pumpkins. She had such a good time watching us all work. She is so sweet and such a good baby.

Pumpkins

NJ and Emma decided tonight that they wanted to carve their pumpkins. Daddy helped NJ and Mommy helped Emma. NJ had so much fun. She really got in there and dug the middle out of the pumpkins. She tried to say the word jack-o-lantern, but had a little trouble. She was so happy and so proud of her work. She is already talking about going and getting a couple more for mommy and daddy. She has helped decorate the outside of our house with spider webs and ghost. We are the only house on our street decorated.

NJ learns to ride

When NJ was one I got her a little tricycle, I thought it was so cute. I had no idea that it would be so big she couldn't ride it for over a year. She is finally big enough to reach the peddles so Mark has been working with her and she is finally getting the hang of it.

I'm the Big Sister you're the Myemma

Since Emma was born NJ has let the world know that she is the Big Sister. She has also let the world know that this is Myemma (all one word). She is so cute. If ever Emma cries she is right there telling her "It is OK, I am here." These are their shirts showing who is the big sister and who is the little sister.

NJ's Birthday

These pictures are from the count down to NJ's birthday. She was so excited that we made a entire wall counting down the days until she turned 3. Each morning she would get up and take one down. 3 looks like it is going to be a very exciting year.

Dress Up

NJ loves to dress up. She would rather wear dress up clothes than her regular clothes. Here are a couple pictures of her dressing up. She is already wearing her Halloween costume and is asking to be called Dora instead of NJ.
NJ is even wearing her costume to church tonight. They are so fun!!!!

They Look Alike They Dress Alike

Mom loves to dress her girls alike. For now NJ likes to wear matching stuff, she would wear everything matching if she could. I am going to take advantage of this while they still enjoy it.

Our Family

Welcome to our blog. Our family is made up of Daddy (Mark), Mommy (Darrah), NJ (Nina James) and Emma. We live in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. We hope you enjoy our blog.