Shoveling snow

Alena loves to help out around the house. Monday night we had 2 inches of new snow to clean off the sidewalks so we gave her her very own shovel!

After shoveling, Alena took a break to eat large amounts of snow.

Fun stuff

Today was a fun-filled day! We started off by visiting Santa at Hy-Vee, our holiday tradition. Sparkles the clown was there making balloon animals and employees dressed as elves were making pipe cleaner candy canes. If only every grocery trip were as exciting! Then we went to Grandma and Grandpa's house to make cookies. Tillie and Alena bundled up and went for sled rides down the snowy street and ate snow to cool down.

Sitting next to Santa is best. Still a little scary. Yes, for some reason Santa's chair is in front of the lottery machines.

But Sparkles isn't scary at all? Whatever. He could make a lot of cool things out of balloons and he made his first ever owl for Alena.

Owl!

Sledding down the street.

New carpet

After years of trying, Ben finally convinced me it was time to get new carpet on the stairs and upstairs. I admit--it is pretty nice. Alena likes to roll on it and I like to go into the closet and not see a giant stain on the floor.

Alena removing door hardware. Yes, this is the infamous stain.

One last crawl upstairs before Daddy and Grandpa remove the old carpet

A celebratory dance. Yeah, pictures of carpet aren't too exciting. You really have to experience it in person.

Blizzard

We really lucked out this time. We got less than two inches of snow and the blizzard that Joe Winters kept warning us about doesn't seem too menacing. It is really cold and windy, but we are warm and cozy in our house. It is too cold to play outside today. This afternoon we will venture out to go to White Christmas.

Christmas tree

We kicked off the Christmas season this weekend with playing in the snow, a horse-drawn carriage ride, and the lighted holiday parade. I even managed to get some shopping done. I guess all we need to do for the rest of the month is sit around and eat cookies.

We put up the Christmas tree yesterday. We decided to go with a white pine this year, just to mix it up. Either the tree or the cats are drinking the water, so we'll see how long the needles last. It is going to need a lot of strength, because it is well loved by the cats and Alena.

Hanging an ornament. It is in there somewhere.

Putting up the lights--Alena do!

Alena finally lost interest in the tree when she found these scented tea lights. She spent the rest of the decorating time disassembling and smelling candles. Let's face it--she probably took a couple bites out of them as well.

Baby

Alena is getting excited to be a big sister. Here she is practicing putting a diaper on her doll. Make sure you place your vote for whether the baby will be a boy or a girl on the right hand side of the screen--the gender with the most votes wins!

Monkeys jumping on the couch

It was fun to see cousins Lily and Finn over Thanksgiving. We can't wait to see the whole P family for Christmas! Other big news: Alena finally can say "mommy" instead of the name she was using for me--something that sounded like "bye." Now that she can say it she has been saying it repeatedly. Don't worry, she still says Daddy plenty! Also, Daddy got to feel a kick from the bean for the first time last night. Bean is getting pretty strong!

Where did he get those jeggings?!

Cheese!

Alena has never liked to get her picture taken, and usually does her best to turn away or scowl at the camera. But recently, she has decided that I should take her picture whenever she sees the camera out. She hands it to me and gives her fake smile; the fake smile currently includes squeezed shut eyes.

OK, now take a picture of blankie...

and baby.

This was the best fake smile yet!

What is missing?

Answer: Our tree. The tragic story is as follows: A couple of weeks ago on a windy night, one of our sad looking trees had the top half blown off, striking an RV parked across the alley. We decided to have the other dying tree in our backyard cut down at the same time as the remaining half of the fallen one. Imagine my surprise when I came home Wednesday night and they were gone with only little stumps in their places.

The bean

Here is the new baby. I told Alena that I would show her pictures of the baby, and then the CD didn't work in the computer so I put her down for a nap instead. Isn't she going to be excited when she wakes up (assuming she eventually falls asleep!) This looks like a nose-picking picture. And did they have to put my age in years and months? It makes me feel older for some reason. Anyway, everything measured right on for my due date of April 10th (currently 10 oz, if you are wondering--I read about the size of an heirloom tomato. Really, where do they come up with these produce comparisons?)

Play Dough

Alena and I mixed up some play dough last night. She chose green as the color. The confusing thing about play dough is it is made out of the same ingredients as cookies yet it is not to be eaten. In Alena's defense, she did resist for a pretty long time before breaking. It is just so delicious!

So innocent looking. But what is that green stuff on your lip?

Halloween

Alena really got the hang of trick-or-treating this year. She walked up to each house and quietly knocked on the door. She picked out her piece of candy and put it in her pumpkin (which she never got tired of carrying) and admired each house's decorations. None of the ghosts or goblins scared her at all, but she was terrified of a girl dressed up as a smurf.

New favorite thing: putting her hands in her pockets and looking cool. Here she is posing with the pumpkins we carved at Sarah and Erik's big party.

A giraffe grows impatient at the delay in getting started

The giraffe and cow (aka Tillie) approach the first house.

Ok, you can pick out one piece of candy. Alena always goes for the ones with the shiny wrappers.

Playing in the leaves

Last weekend we went over to Mimi's house to play in the leaves. We picked cousin Emily up to help with the heavy raking.

Birthday presents

Here is Alena showing off some of her birthday presents. She was a little more interested in opening them last night than she was at her party. Maybe because there were fewer distractions--just boring Mommy and Daddy!

A beautiful dress from cousin Lily and a new trike from Grandma and Grandpa pair well together

A new tool box. Alena went to the drawer and got Daddy's screwdriver so he could build with her

Happy Birthday, Alena!

The big girl turned 2 today! She spent a fun day hanging out with Daddy. When he asked if she felt older, she nodded. Now that she is two she is getting good at telling stories. Her stories are usually about falling down and getting band-aids, and they are mostly mimed with a few words thrown in.

So happy to be two!

Alena enjoys her free birthday meal from the Maid-Rite. That is bound to make Grandpa Steve proud.

Taking care of Jones

Owning kitties can be a lot of work. They need to be fed, brushed, and hugged often.

Bike ride

Alena has a new bike seat that sits on the back of Mom's bike. We have Daddy do the peddling because he is so good at it. We went shopping for helmets and got this cool one that has ducks on it. Alena gets fed up with the helmet pretty quickly, but tough luck kid--you are wearing it! Beside the injustice of the helmet, Alena loves riding in her seat--especially when Daddy goes fast!

Owls!

When Great-Grandpa Jensen found out how much Alena loves owls, he brought over three for her to have. Great-Grandma also loved owls!

This one is very wise

He eats rocks, even though most owls prefer mice

Alena cleared all of the other animals off of the bunk beds to make room for this little owl's nap. Apparently even the mattress took up too much space.

Out after dark

I heard on the news last night that the space station was going to be visible at 8:16. We told Alena that after her bath she would put on our pajamas and go outside to see it. She was very excited! We saw not only the space station, but also a bat. Unfortunately, we didn't hear any owls. Alena is obsessed with owls right now. She is always hooting and when she goes down for an afternoon nap she points out the window and says "shh" because she knows that owls sleep during the day. Where do they sleep? Trees.

Milk beard

Alena had a busy weekend! Thursday we went to a band in the park, Friday she played with Maren, Saturday she helped celebrate Mimi's 80th birthday with a surprise party, and Saturday night she stayed with Grandma and Grandpa. All of this left her so tired that she fell asleep in her stroller on the way to the park Sunday evening. Monday: she is taking an extended nap to recover.

Family time

Aunt Julianne came all of the way from Denver for a visit, leaving Uncle Sam safe at home to tend to the zucchini plants. Lily and Finn came down for a visit with their mom and dad as well. Alena worked hard on getting Finn to use proper tiptoe walking technique--he was doing pretty well by the end of the trip. Keep practicing, Finn!

Several of us took part in a Wiggles dance party

Cooking beans with Aunt Julie

Alena showing Grandma Dee how to play with shells

Lily flying a kite

Finn relaxing with Grandpa Ed