Megan with Santa

Megan with Santa, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

Megan had her school Christmas Program last week. They all sang songs (each class did 2 songs) and then at the end, Santa made a surprise visit to see the kids. He hung around and sat in his sleigh and did photo ops with all the kids. We found this to be an amazing blessing (and no lines at the mall, etc.) It sure was nice of Santa to drop by to see Megan!



For as shy and skiddish as she usually is with strangers, and even friends, she just climbed right up into Santa's lap!

Here are some shots from her program. She sang Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and Silent Night.

AND she just about battled it out with Logan for control of their microphone!

Fall photos from school....

Just a few photos from her school photos. I got up and did her hair all cute for these. Apparently, she didn't make it down to the photo op until sometime later in the day when she had ripped the cute ponytail and bow from her hair, and got the fuzzy wavy look. As Chris pointed out, this "do" captured our Megan perfectly. At least that is how she usually looks when we pick her up anyway. Someday she'll have hair.... I think

Lunch at Disney

lunch, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

A few more photos making their way off my camera

outfitted for Animal Kingdom!

outfitted (5), originally uploaded by homanhouse.

Disney World

Wow. I have been getting bad about blogging. Really bad. Although I think once or twice a month is just all I have in me now, especially at this time of year! We have been quite busy. In the last month, our fantastic three-year old turned FOUR!

We went to Disney World in a bit of a birthday celebration, and we all had a fabulous time. Megan was soooo very excited. She loved the princesses the most. She got to have a princess lunch, and then during one of the parades, Snow White saw her excitement, and actually danced over and gave her a HUG. Megan talked of nothing else for a few days.

I still need to download some photos from our other camera, but here are a few to start!

Megan spies a jack o lantern

jack o lantern, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

Some photo fun after a night of trick or treating, and just before blowing out that candle!

Happy Halloween

Halloween 2009 (9), originally uploaded by homanhouse.

A little lawyer in the making?

Chris and I have had more than a few discussions that we seem to have a lawyer in the making. It just seems that if we discuss a rule, we have to be very clear on all the variations of said rule. Otherwise, Megan can find the one avenue we haven't really forbidden, somehow sticking to the letter of the law, if not the spirit of the law.

Today, the unfortunate victim of that was our dog Zoey. Zoey is a great great great dog. She gets climbed on, pulled on, and generally tormented, but hardly ever even whines. This morning, she was asleep and Megan jumped on her, and a very startled Zoey did nothing more than bark at her sudden menace. Megan cried for 20 minutes, and kept telling me that Zoey hurt her feelings. She is also a sensitive soul.

So back to the lawyer. You all might recall about 6 months ago, when are little darling cut her own hair (and you know how little hair she has ever had). Right before school pictures too. And before my sister's wedding where she was the flower girl.

At least ONCE a WEEK we still discuss this incident, usually when I am frustratedly trying to get that now odd length spot of hair on her head to try to fit into the ponytail, or at least not stick up.

She says -- "I know, I'm sorry Momma." or "I won't cut my hair" "I promise -- I know I am NOT supposed to cut my hair." We discuss this rule frequently, and she has indicated perfect understanding.

Yet today, when I found several sections of HAIR ON THE FLOOR and I looked at my child -- she told me, with no shame -- "It's okay Momma, I just cut Zoey's hair"

Our poor puppy dog. I guess we need to have the dog hair discussion too! Better not leave out the cat either, for good measure!

If only I'd had my camera

Kid absolutely cracked me up yesterday. I was almost LITERALLY rolling on the floor. I was laughing out loud.

I "lost" her and went wandering about the house to find her. She turned up in our bathroom, and as I looked in the crack at the door hinge, I spied Megan, pants at her ankles, sitting on the potty. Feet dangling. In her lap, she has a magazine and is flipping through the pages of BEER magazine... I chuckled, which prompted a "Mom -- I'm going Poop! Get out!"

By the time I found a camera, she was washing her hands. And really, I guess that shouldn't be a Kodak moment, but it was hysterical!

New Winnie the Pooh Book Review

Since my mom pointed out that the new Pooh book was out, and I was COMPLETELY unaware, I have since stumbled across this article / review and felt it was my duty to share!

If you had an entire Winnie the Pooh room in your house, you'd share too!

Winnie-the-Pooh's Back, But Who Invited The Otter? - ParentDish

Puddle jumping

puddle jump, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

So much water. At the end, she is actually bending down to WRING OUT her dress.

Splish Splash

after the rain kids music, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

It is crazy. It has rained and rained and rained here. Almost four straight days now of light rain. It is nice. We need the rain. For once, it is rain without tons of lightening and thunder (some, enough to reset all my clocks twice) but still -- a generally gray cloud light rain.

However, a whole weekend of rain makes the kid a bit restless (crazy wall climbing is more like it!) So when it lightened up for a bit on Sunday, and Megan asked if she could play in the water and rain, I said "Of course!" I think it was more like, "yes yes yes! please get OUT of the house for a while and run lots!" "oh yeah -- and take the dog too!" Zoey got led on several laps around the cul de sac before the kids abandoned her to splish in the water.

She must have run like this for about an HOUR straight with only a few water breaks!

Needless to say, bedtime was fantastic! I don't care about the dripping wet laundry and the extra bath for the day. She tired herself out and quit climbing the walls!

Grandpa's 75th at Texas Roadhouse!

ALH, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

They brought the saddle for the birthday person. Megan was mesmerized. She thought Grandpa was quite silly really. And mostly, she continued to remind me that I goofed and didn't have birthday cake. Sorry Grandpa, cake next time.

Watching Swan Princess

Watching Swan Princess, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

Megan is obsessed with the Swan Princess. She has seen it countless times. She knows every word to every song. Often I hear her playing with toys pretending that one is Odette and the other is Derek. She can really quote their lines back and forth even if it was from one glitter shaker to another (which it was!) She told me the pink glitter was Odette. Of course...

Here, she insisted that Grandpa watch the ever exciting movie with her, and Grandpa watched Megan sing almost all the words!

Obsessed I tell you.

yesterday, she came home from school, and complained because Collin wouldn't play with her. A little more discussion revealed that really Collin wouldn't play Derek. Megan wanted to be Odette and have Collin be Derek. Oh dear oh dear. I mean she is only 3!

A visit from Grandpa

ALH (2), originally uploaded by homanhouse.

Since it was Grandparent's day, Megan's school had a special breakfast for the kids and their grandparents if they had a grandparent to bring to school. So Grandpa came in and spent a few days with Megan, and went to breakfast with her.

Coincidentally, it was Grandpa's 75th Birthday, so we had birthday dinner, and family over!

Megan had a blast and can't wait till next time! Here are a sampling of some of the pictures!

Bats and sleeping

We have been discussing recently about animals and sleeping. Megan is fascinated that some animals (like cows) sleep standing up. She stands and snores to pretend.

One of the books had bats, and so we discussed this one night as well. Then the other day, Chris and Megan had a discussion that went something like this.

Megan
Chris

Cows sleep standing up!
That's right, and how do bat's sleep?
Bat's sleep hanging upside down.
Why do bat's sleep upside down?
Because they don't have any beds!
[pause]
lots of hidden giggling from Mom & Dad.

Megan of course is completely serious. Her answer was simply matter of fact.

The stuff you learn!

Sometimes Chris and I sit and giggle at the things that you have to learn growing up. Falling off of a bed, for example. I sleep all night in a king size bed or a super single cot, and of course, I don't fall off. But I have definite memories of frequently rolling off the bed and smashing my head as a kid. It is one of those "life learnings".

Today, we found a new one in the car on the way home from Amarillo. Megan got cranky about half way. She didn't like her movie, wanted a different one (and a different one...and a different one). She was pouty, grumpy and generally a 3-yr old grouch. After about 20 minutes she started yelling in a frustrated manner about something. I asked her what, and she said (irritatedly) "MY EYES KEEP CLOSING!!!"

I explained that she was tired, and just needed to rest, and she said "I don't want to take a nap!" Then again, the frustrated "Aarrgh! My eyes keep closing!!"

"Megan" I said, "When you get really tired, sometimes your eyes close. You will feel much better if you turn off the movie and take a nap." She pondered this, turned off the movie player, and 30-seconds later was asleep.

So THAT'S WHY my eyes start to close, huh? I guess I, too, learned that at some point in life!

What are the other "life lessons"?

Early Photography Practice

Rosemarys Wedding (22), originally uploaded by homanhouse.

Megan got a little expert practice at Rosemary's Wedding

Make up Again

P8090003, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

I should have noted that I never did recover the eyeshadow in question. I wasn't sure where she found it at, and it always wanders off in these situations. So after Saturday night's scrubbing, I was surprised Sunday when, after lunch, Megan had once again put on make up. This time she was careful to tell me that she only put it on her eyes -- I had chided her that it was EYEshadow, after all.

Kind of hard to be mad when this cute face is the culprit..... But at least Chris found the offending tube of eyeshadow base and it has moved out of reach now.

playing in the make up!

playing in the make up!, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

Well, she found my eyeshadow. The liquid cream kind. It WAS in a tube.

She knew it was eyeshadow and made sure to get her eyes really well, she just didn't see the need to put so many limits on beauty!

Of course she complained a lot at bathtime when so much face and eye scrubbing was required. I told her that was the price of beauty!

Photos from Madison's Birthday Party

Today we went to Madison's second birthday! Megan had fun with her cousin (my great-niece!)

Here are slides from the event!

Her not so Happy face

_DSC0200, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

So she had a blast today at the birthday party. She had fun most of the time, but Chris caught this great face during one of her more pouty moments.

An Oven Redesign Idea

Tonight, Megan was helping us cook dinner. Her job was to keep an eye on the bread in the oven so that it didn't brown too quickly. I am notorius for looking away and letting whatever is under the broiler blacken!!

She had a little trouble seeing, so I showed her the oven light button (labeled "light"). I told her to press the light button and she could see better. She turned on the light, watched the bread until it was done, and then asked us "Where's the dark button?" It took a second and then we both began laughing. She didn't think it made sense to press the "light" button AGAIN...? But we finally convinced her the oven didn't have a "dark" button....

Megan with her cousin Lily

Aunt AnnaLisa, Uncle Chris, and Megan with Lily, originally uploaded by Erica Seigneur.

Here is a snapshot I stole from Erica -- Chris, Megan and I walking with Lily at Horseshoe Bay over the 4th of July!

Swimming on Dad's back

P7030068, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

The lazy way to swim at the pool

A visit from the cousins

_DSC0065, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

This weekend, Megan got an exciting visit from her cousins Lauren and Lily and was excited that Aunt Erica came too! There was lots of dressing up (what little girls don't love a box of dress up clothes), swimming, playing and eating, and a little less resting and sleeping and picture taking. (I missed so many photo ops with the three kids running around, but we got a few!) Lauren also got her first haircut, so Megan went with her to show her how. I am not sure Megan is the best example, since her most recent cut before this was self inflicted, but she did a good job. The stylist just cut around that big funny patch of hair anyway....

Princess Lauren

Playroom fun

some computer time (in costume of course)

We broke out the inflatable ball house. Chris was the inflater... I was nice enough not to post those pictures since he had to huff and puff while his wife giggled and photographed.

Thanks to cousin Martin (and his mom and dad) for the cool Christmas gift. Chris might have rephrased that a little as he was inflating, since the darn thing wouldn't work with any of our air pump attachments!

Cutie Lily

THE HAIRCUT. Yes, this was probably the most excited that Lauren looked during the process, but she did survive and come out sporting a new summer cut! She wouldn't let them put the apron on her, so Erica got the honors of wearing that! : )

Dress up

_DSC0020, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

One of Megan's favorite activities

Megan the flower girl

_DSC0205, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

This past weekend, Megan was delighted to be the flower girl in Aunt Rosie's wedding. She was so excited that she and Rosie would have matching dresses. I wasn't so sure how she would do, but she did great! She dropped her petals carefully, came to the front, and then proceeded to pet Rosie's dress during the ceremony until I found something for her to hold!

Great job Megan!

Congratulations Rosemary and Ed!

Rehearsal

_DSC0188, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

This is Megan dressed all nice for the wedding rehearsal on Friday. She was so excited to wear her pretty dress and practice her flower girl duties!



Then, this is Megan outside with the ring bearer, practicing the game she named "kill the ants... KILL the ants!"

New swim gear.

P5220099, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

You wouldn't know that it can be worn all day, and not just in the pool!

Memorial Day

P5240110, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

And here are the two girls decked out -- thanks Annie!

Slip n Slide

P5240108, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

Megan's friend Annie (and our friends Dave & Melissa) hosted a cook out / bounce house / slip n slide party. Here Megan has a little fun a slippin' and a slidin'

Swim fun

Swim fun, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

Fun weekend

P5300152, originally uploaded by homanhouse.

I still have some catch up posting to do from Memorial Day and all, but here is a sanpshot or two from the impromptu trip we took. We had a great hotel rate, and a buy-one-get-one free coupon that was about to expire, so we packed up and spent the weekend in Plano at the Marriott at the Shops at Legacy. Mostly we ate well, wandered and walked, and swam lots and lots - Megan could spend her whole day in the pool!