It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas...

The weekend before Thanksgiving, I hauled out the Christmas music and decided it was time to start decorating for Christmas. We got the tree up and stockings hung. Brad even put lights up on the outside of the house. When we went to bed that night, Ava asked me if Santa was going to come and put toys in her stocking that night. Apparently, she hasn't forgotten what that is all about! I told her we'd have to wait a while for that, but I could see the excitement was just beginning!

Owen is Walking...

To be fair, Owen took his very first steps on October 28, 2011 at just 2 weeks past his first birthday. It was just a single step unassisted on that day. By October 30 at his birthday party, he was taking 3-4 steps before falling. Within the last week at just past 13 months, he has really taken off. He now uses walking as his primary mode of transportation. He can easily get up to standing in the middle of the floor and just take off and walk across the house. He can't quite keep up with Ava yet, but he is close. It seems like he is just toddling around everywhere now, and he is very proud of his new skill. He couldn't be happier to be off the floor and up with the rest of us. He is a bit shaky at times, but overall he seems to have made the transition without many obstacles. He is such a big boy already!!

Early Thanksgiving on the VanMeeteren Side...

Dad, Uncle Denny, & Mom

Shelly trying to get Owen to take a few steps..

Sam & Uncle Brad

We had an early Thanksgiving celebration at my parents' house before they make their annual trip to Arizona to celebrate Thanksgiving with my sister and family. We went down the night before and spent the night, so I was able to help Mom a little in food preparation. We had a wonderful meal and ate way too much as usual. It was a great family day!

Ava turns 4 years old....

Enjoying her birthday waffles before preschool playing piano

Posing with her gifts from Mom & Dad

Blowing out the candles

The excitement over a doll hairbrush

Ava with her Bitty Babies

Ava had a fairly busy day on her birthday. We got up early and made her waffles for her birthday breakfast before preschool. She came back from preschool with a birthday crown and pin, so I think she had a good day there. I had her gifts wrapped and sitting on the table when she got home from preschool. I told her we couldn't open them until that night when Daddy got home. She anxiously awaited Daddy's arrival home, and asked about 10 times when he was going to be home. She requested Daddy's homeade pizza and pineapple for supper. She had dance, so Daddy made the pizza and had it ready for us when we got home. They even sang Happy Birthday to her at dance! I did talk her into "birthday brownies" instead of cake or cupcakes because we were kind of caked out after Owen's birthday and then the birthday party. She was fine with that and thoroughly enjoyed brownies and ice cream after supper. Her big gift from us was a set of Bitty Baby twins. I was at the American Girl store at the MOA and I thought they were so cute. She had also picked them out in the American Girl catalog we get. She seemed pretty excited about them, but I don't think they rank up with the computer or piano just yet!

Trick-or-Treat....

Enjoying some of the "fruits" of her labor

Ava once again loved trick-or-treating this year. After just a couple houses, she was no longer too shy to go up to the door without one of us holding her hand. She had a full bag of candy in no time. Owen was a great sport and was in a cheerful mood as we got him in and out of the car several times. We tried to do quite a bit of walking since the weather was very nice for late October. We were home before bedtime and had a fun night!

Happy Halloween....

In their pumpkin shirts

Miss Snow White

The Lion & Snow White

Our cheery little Lion

Ava was very excited for Halloween this year. She couldn't wait to get her costume on so she could twirl around in her Snow White dress. Owen was remarkably cooperative for putting on his costume. He didn't even try to take the hood off like I thought he would. He was so soft and cuddley in his costume, we kind of wish we could turn it into pajamas or something. Ava couldn't wait to leave to go trick-or-treating as soon as Daddy came home.

Ava & Owen's Birthday Party: Candid shots

Grandpa Glenn & Owen Dad & I dishing up the cake & ice cream

Grandma Joyce & the birthday girl

Aunt Shelly trying to get Owen to take a few steps

Hannah & Luke playing with Owen

The two girls playing doctor with their dolls.