Happy Holidays

So I'm finally getting around to uploading all the great Christmas photos! We had a very nice quiet Christmas here on Judge Road. Maddox absolutely LOVED the wagon from Santa. I am quite certain it is going to be very well used come Spring time. She took many rides around the living room on Christmas morning. Kennon really liked it too. His trunk stability is such that he does quite well sitting up in the seat with the safety strap on. Since Christmas day was pretty warm Eric even took Maddox for an outdoor ride. We got TONS of great presents. Our kids have to be the most spoiled kids on Judge!! We are very grateful we have such loving thoughtful family. Maddox especially loved the Saucony shoes (she had to put them on immediately and make sure she could JUMP ) from the Brooke and Tyler, the puzzle from the St. Paul Kies family and Kennon's musical drum. YES, that's right it was TO Kennon from the Denver Knowles' but Maddox was quick to 'show' Kennon how to work it. Thanks to everyone for such thoughtful usable gifts!! We actually still have 2 Christmas' to go. We broke our record for the last several years of being in Keokuk over the New Year's weekend. I came down with a terrible cold after Christmas and Kennon went on a 'no sleep' streak after he got his tubes on the 27th. So we decided to hang here, get healthy, and get KTK back on a good sleeping schedule, which we are still working on, although gaining ground. Kennon did well getting the tubes. Dr. Tyner said the procedure went well. Unfortunately after the surgery he literally would NOT sleep through the night. Add to that Maddox and I both having colds and it got pretty rough around the Kies household. Luckily, Eric was able to pull us through, by NOT getting sick and taking almost all of the night shifts with Kennon. The kid would not sleep lying down, it was awful. He had to sleep upright in a chair or in your arms, if AT ALL. We are rallying hard here in the last 48 hours though and are making a come back to sleepy/healthy land. Thanks to the Keokuk Kies for waiting to celebrate Christmas with us till the end of January! We appreciate it and are looking forward to seeing everyone. We did get Maddox's hair cut, in case you were wondering if it looked a little shorter in one of the above pictures. And I"m sure you are thinking what is up with the ice cream cone pictures, but I can honestly say this is the first real ice cream cone that Maddox has had so we thought we better capture it on photo. She loved it and ate every last bit!! She has had plenty of ice cream but never actually on the cone. I certainly haven't done this on purpose it just sort of happened this way. It also happened that HyVee was having a MAJOR sale on these ice cream cones. 10cents per box with each box having 4 cones inside!! What a deal! I couldn't pass up. Maddox is happy I didn't pass it up either :) Let's see what else. Maddox is still LOVING Kcare. She runs right in and we have to basically pry her out the door in the afternoon. In fact she is loving it so much we are planning on her going there 5 days per week next year. That will give KTK and I some alone time. He seems to always get the shaft on solo time. I haven't been able to create too many memories with him solo so Eric and I thought it would be worth the extra cost. Plus, I'm pretty sure Maddox won't mind. She comes home singing a new song everyday and her sentence structure is so good. She speaks in full sentences quite often. I've been keeping track of some cute things she has said lately. One of these days I'll post them. Her brain is so raw, she says just what she thinks. Lately she has been on a food drive!!! She is eating anything and everything we put in front of her but most specifically fruits and veggies. She is loving blueberries right now. Eric and I are hoping Kennon's tubes are going to keep him healthier because he is SO FUN when he is healthy. So smiley. He is really inquisitive lately and reaches out for anything that happens to be in his path whether it belongs to him or not ( remotes, phones etc ). I keep thinking a tooth is going to pop through soon but so far nothing. When he was at his 6 month check a few weeks ago he was up to 16 pounds 12 ounces. He loves to sit up and really gets rather frustrated if we put him on his back. So therefore he hasn't really figured out how to roll over which developmentally he should have by now. But, the physical therapist in me isn't really worried. I am quite certain this kid is not going to be slowed down by taking time to learn how to roll. He is already much happier even standing on his feet than sitting. He has been battling odd rashes and excema outbursts. He seems to be very sensitive to any changes in clothes, lotions etc. I think we've got it back under control though in the last day or so. He likes his friends at Kcare and most of the days we get a 'he was very happy today' report from the teachers. Ok. This is getting long. Thanks again to everyone for all the great Christmas toys and clothes. Oh, I almost forgot for you Hawkeye fans! The video of Maddox at the end is one of the songs that they play at the Hawkeye games in between quarters. Everyone stands up and 'du dutes' along, moving their arms like that. She also knows the Pancheros Pump it Up song too and can pump her arms up like the entire stadium does. It is super cute!! It is official she is a HAWKEYE and will fit right in when we take her to her first game. We can't wait to share that with her. What a cool tradition to have with our kids. GO HAWKS. We are already looking forward to the 2012 season.