Christmas

This year we spent Christmas here in our home in Georgia.  It was our first in this new home and Maddy's first making it special.  We do a lot as a family leading up to the day to focus our hearts and minds on the real reason for the season.

I really wanted to minimalize the gifts because one the girls have too much and two like I said I just wanted to focus on the true meaning of the holiday.  We decided to limit our gift giving to one larger present and stockings.  The girls got each other one present too.  The rest we let grandparents, uncles, aunts, etc. send.

Bike helmet from Aunt Mary

It was one of those perfect mornings involving lots of snuggles in bed before heading downstairs.  Thankfully Mara still doesn't get too excited (or frankly remember) when its Christmas so we can still delay the morning some.  We headed downstairs and started opening!

The girls both got bikes from mom & dad as well as a wagon from Grandma and Grandpa.  Aunt Mary came through with a fun Little tikes camper that is still fought over daily.  Nana and Papa gave Mara a cleaning set which she uses daily to help our housekeeper and Maddy loves on the dolly they sent.

Before Christmas Eve Service

Josh and I decided not to exchange this year and gifted each other a handwoven Georgian rug which we bought later that month.  I loved watching Maddy experience the holiday for the first time.  Mara was not into it her first two Christmas's and even was a little overwelmed last year.  But Maddy was all into it and loved pulling the paper off and exploring the gifts!

Matching pjs for Christmas Eve!

Baby's first Christmas

The rest of day was kind of low key.  The kids played and Maddy took her nap.  We headed to church service at 4 and then to a friends house for dinner after.  Dinner was so nice and I was thankful to be able to celebrate with an amazing meal and friends!

Stockings were hung by the chimney with care

Maddy was obsesed with this dolly from Nana and Papa

Christmas kisses from daddy at church

Madeline-12 Months

Weight: At one year you were 19.5 pounds and 27 inches! You're smaller than your sister but still doing well on the growth charts.

Health: Just the same little cold that everyone has around here.  You are cutting your bottom molars so you have the fussiness, runny nose and pain from that!


 Social: You are super social still and love to be around other kids.  I am amazed how much you enter your own world when you are with your sister or older friends.  You rarely look to mama and dada and just do your thing.

Diet: You can be very demanding when it comes to food!  We are already hiding when we are eating around you because you insist that you need some too no matter what it is.  Your favorites are: yogurt, cheese, beans, chicken, rice, carrots and peas.

We are still nursing a lot (maybe 5 times daily), more so with the teething.

Clothes: You are still in 12 month clothing.  You have good length still on the pants and shirts.  We have a lot of warm weather clothes in this size so we did have to purchase a few winter things to make up for it.  I hope we'll get a  few weeks of the warm stuff before we have to pack it all up because you out grow it!

Mama's Favorites: I love watching you with new family members and in new situations.  You go with the flow and adapt really easily.

Crying: You have found your voice in this department and sometimes the crying whine is worse than your sister's toddler whinning!  But for the most part it only comes when you are tired, hungry or angry.

Sleep: You are a one nap girl.  You go down for your mid-day nap around 12 and sleep from 1.5 hours to 2.5 depending on your morning and previous night.  Night time usually happens aroudn 8 and you sleep till about 8-8:30 with one random wake up during hte night.  I still try to sneak in and give you a top up at night.  I've found if I don't do this you wake at like 2 which is really hard on me (I need to go to bed earlier...)

We had a *blank* of a time getting you back on the time zone.  Man we were going crazy here on the sleep deprivation.  We used melatonin and lavender and thankfully after about a week we had you back to the correct cycle.

This Month: You traveled on your first long haul plane ride back to the states.  You also got to meet your grandpa, cousins and aunts/uncles.  You turned 1!

Baby Likes: You love to eat.  You love your sister.  You love to talk to people on skype.  You love Buddy. You love to show off your walking skills.  You like to crawl up the steps. You love to jump on the couch with your sister.  You love trying to do everything your sister does.  You love to crawl to daddy when he comes home. You love your dollies and giving hugs.

Milestones: You are walking assisted and will walk with the puss walker.  You traveled to the states for the first time.  You met your extended family and we celebrated your first birthday.  You got your bottom molars.  You crawled up the steps for the first time unassisted.  You saw snow for the first time and went sledding. You give hugs when asked. You met Santa and celebrated your first Christmas.

Best of Times: You're happy attitude always.

Worst of Times: Jet lag....

Sister Diaries: Mara gets frustrated easily with how you want to be where she is always.  I see her needing alone time to play and try to give it to her.  She still loves being near you and asks to play with you alone in her room.

A Little Comparison-Mara vs. Maddy

I love taking these monthly pictures and have been dying to do a side by side all year.  Here's months 1-3!

Mara

Maddy

Mara

Maddy

                           

Mara

Maddy

Our Year In Review-2016

2016 has once again been a year of big changes!  Looking back I am shocked and amazed how much our lives have changed since last January.  Here are some of my favorite moments:

January

This month we welcomed Maddy into our world with a crazy experience in the Georgian Health Care System.

February

February was filled with more Tot School for Mara and Maddy had her first bath.

March

This month we had visitors as my mom and aunt came to Georgia.  We kept plugging away with Tot School.

April

We celebrated Easter abroad and potty trained Mara in April!

May

We enjoyed the warmer weather with many weekend adventures and a trip to Lopota Lake!

June

In June we took a quick trip to Germany for some health stuff for Maddy but also had some fun!  We took both girls camping for the first time!

July

In July we took an amazing trip to France and Croatia!

August

We settled back in from our trip and re-adjusted to life in Tbilisi! We took a fun weekend trip to Kazbegi.

September

This month was busy as we started to explore our surroundings..  We celebrated Mara's 3rd birthday with a Neverland themed birthday party!

October

In October Mara and Maddy celebrated Halloween!  We went as the characters in Peter pan!

November

This month we moved to Digomi to be closer to other families and had a quiet Thanksgiving with co-workers.

December

We celebrated the holiday season with visits to Santa, decorating and lots of presents!


20165 has been such an amazing year!  We are looking forward to 2017 with big plans for travel, family time and of course more adventures!

A Little Comparison-Mara vs. Maddy

Because our girls are TWINS!

Mara-2nd Christmas (15 months)

Maddy-1st Christmas (11 months)

The Big Move

Right around Veteran's Day we made the big move from Vake to Digomi.  For those of you who aren't familiar with those terms, Vake is a district downtown Tbilisi with shops and stores most within walking distance.  Digomi, on the other hand, is more a suburb just outside the city with individual homes (versus apartments).

I was honestly struggling being downtown.  Don't get me wrong I really did love our apartment.  It was like a home: Two floors with large rooms and kitchen. But I hated getting the kids and all of our things up to it.  It just wasn't sometimes possible.  You can't leave the kids so the groceries or mail sat.

We were also in Digomi 2-3 times a week anyways.  I was driving over an hour round trip for play dates and embassy runs.  My kids were getting makeshift naps in the car while I was dodging crazy Tbilisi traffic.

Needless to say we took the leap.  Packed up the apartment and moved into a home.  It was a crazy day with movers working from 11-7 but we got it done!  Two trips and all of our things were now in this beautiful home with the best yard.

It took me about a week but we unpacked quickly and tried to really get settled before Thanksgiving rolled around.  It was fairly easy because unlike any other move we did, we packed ourselves.  (Note I will never pack myself again but it did help on the other end for the most part) I knew what was in each box and was able to just restructure it in our new home.  There wasn't a lot of "figuring out organization" because the furniture was mostly the same too!

The girls love the yard and the extra space.  I love that we will still have about half of our tour here and will really get to enjoy days outside in the yard and playdates we can WALK to!

Madeline-11 Months

Weight: Still hanging around the 20 lb point. Not sure about height.

Health: We've all had a slight cold this month.  You've had a pretty runny nose and some minor congestion.  We've also had some fussy night which I can only contribute to potentially teeth.  You should be working on your molars by now!


 Social: You continue to be super social and engaging with others.  You rarely get stranger danger.  You love it with older kids "play" with you and love laughing and smiling.

Diet: You still probably get most nutrients from nursing but will eat anything we give you!  In fact you demand whatever we have when you see us eating.  It's very hard to sneak food past you.  Your biggest love is the water bottle.  You can sip out of any from your simple cup to my camelbak.  You'll even try out of a disposable water bottle and a regular cup.  You had your first taste of milk when you stole someone's cup.  I think I'll have my first milk drinker on my hands!

Clothes: You are in 12 month clothing.  We did the switch when we moved houses.  I was not excited to see that you had almost no long sleeve shirts as Mara must have been in this size when it was summer.  We've borrowed a few things and have sent Grandma on the hunt!!

You just moved up to the 6-12 month robbies but man your feet are tiny.

Mama's Favorites: I love how easy it is to get a smile out of you.  You are a constant joy to us!

Crying: Really only crying when tired or hungry at this point. And only when you want something!  You can be DEMANDING!

Sleep: You have officially transitioned to the one nap.  Gosh my kids don't sleep long.  You will now wake up around 8:30 and stay awake till about 12.  Then it is down for 2-3 hours and bed by 8.  You are still my best sleeper although you have your times when its hard to get you back down.  I think these are pretty much timing in the sleep cycle and also influenced by your older sister.

This Month:  You have continued to pull up on things and are now walking along furniture.  You will only walk from right to left so that has been cute to watch.  We have enjoyed watching you during this first holiday season!

Baby Likes: You love to eat.  You love your sister.  You love the computer and squeel everytime it is near you.  You love to skype with family and get into anything your sister doesn't want you to.  You love to get into buddy's food and liter.  You have recently discovered the stairs and want nothing more than to climb like your sister.

Milestones: You are standing now really well and pull up on your own.  You walk along furniture and are climbing into things.  You clap and are saying simple words like: Mama, Dada, this, thank you.

You enjoyed your first sink bath and Thanksgiving.

Best of Times: You're happy attitude always and watching you explore.

Worst of Times: A few nights when you wouldn't go back to sleep.

Sister Diaries: Mara keeps engaging with you more and more.  I see her starting to get frustrated that you can't play at her level yet but girl you sure try to!!