Merry Christmas 2014!

Merry Christmas!   I wanted to go ahead and post our pictures from the last week and of course, from our family Christmas activities that we have just wrapped up a few minutes ago.   Sarah Avery is feeling much better (and sleeping much better!!  Hallelujah!) and we have enjoyed a fun and relaxing Christmas week.    Peter only worked half days this week, so we had lots of family time.   It has been so nice to enjoy an open calendar after the crazy busy start we had to the month.   Here are some of the photos I managed to snag.....

All decked out in our Christmas best before church on Sunday

These outfits were a big hit.   Thank you mimi!

My little elf and me

Christmas is almost here!

Santa is coming! 

"Santa!  I know him!"

Susannah was so happy to have Daddy home.   Here they are playing "talent show."

And this one is still growing......97th% for height and 83rd% for weight at her 4 month appointment.

She had to have 3 shots, but she was a trooper.

Daddy has been making Susannah morning hot cocoa.   She is a big fan.

Sarah Avery is still working that core everyday.......she can roll halfway over, but hasn't quite managed the full turnover yet.

Getting her daily checkup from sissy.

She loves the word "cookie" and is all smiles whenever she hears it.   The apple doesn't fall far, right???

We skipped the Christmas Eve service this year.   Because no childcare + open flames + big crowds + 4 yr old + 4 month old = DISASTER.    Maybe next year.   ;)

Instead we cooked lots of really unhealthy, but delicious appetizers (pigs in a blanket, Grandmama's sausage balls, spinach dip, ham and swiss honey biscuits.......yeah, it was awesome.) and opened our Christmas Eve pajamas.    

And got our snacks and letter ready to leave out for Santa.

We skyped a few grandparents too.

Santa had quite a smorgasbord to enjoy.   Susannah was very serious about this task.    

Santa knew Sarah Avery will be starting to eat solids soon, so he planned her gifts accordingly.

Susannah must have been really good this year.

Santa enjoyed his snacks.

Up close look at Susannah's stash.   

Hanging out on Christmas morning waiting for Susannah to wake.

Susannah was so excited, but also a little unsure.   She walked around the presents two or three times before she even touched anything.

"Wow!"

Checking out her sister's gifts. 

"Look Sarah Avery, this is for you!"

Baby's first feeding.

After checking out our Santa stuff, we started opening all the presents that our amazing grandparents and aunts and uncles had sent us.   Susannah immediately put on this dress that she opened from Grandmama.

Susannah helped Sarah Avery open her presents. 

Which included this new Minnie Mouse teething rattle.  

The girls got their Daddy a new Georgia t-shirt.

And Aunt Liz made them the cutest matching dresses.   

Lots and lots of presents.

Susannah was so excited by each one.

After everything was open, it was time to play!!

Her first game of "Go Fish"

And that wraps up Mallory Family Christmas 2014.   Thanks to everybody that made it so wonderful.  While we love celebrating with our little family here in Germany, it is always tough to be so far from everybody else that we love.   We missed you all and can't wait to see you all in person during our next visit!   

Christmas Programs and Sleepless NIghts

This week has been very eventful and very challenging.   Susannah and Sarah Avery have both had colds.   Sarah Avery's led to an ear infection.   Which meant that we have not been sleeping well at all.   Unfortunately, this sleeplessness happened to coincide with one of the busiest weeks of our entire year.   Some of the highlights of the week were breakfast with Santa, Susannah's first ballet recital, and her kindergarten Christmas program.   Everything was so fun and the girls were great.   But this mama is so very tired.   Even thought Sarah Avery is feeling better, her sleep still hasn't returned to normal.   So I have decided to give sleep training a try.   I moved her into her own room today and as I'm typing she is taking her morning nap in there.   All prayers that this will be the key to all of us getting more rest are greatly appreciated.    Here are some photos of our crazy week......

Susannah's first Starbucks's experience happened last week after we made a special trip to the PX to pick up my contacts only to find out they were closed on Mondays.   Little mishaps like that are enough to throw a mama over the edge when she is working on only a few hours of sleep.  But Starbuck's always helps, right??

In an attempt to make sure Sarah Avery got an afternoon nap, (she isn't a fan of napping in her crib) Susannah and I headed to the mall so that Sarah Avery could sleep in the stroller.   This plan actually worked beautifully and Susannah and I had a great afternoon looking at the decorations and eating ice-cream.

Saturday morning we were up and dressed in our Christmas shirts bright and early.  

Ready for breakfast with Santa.

Of course, a picture with both girls looking and smiling would be waaay too much to ask.  ;)

Here's a smile though.   Who wouldn't smile when having a cupcake for breakfast?   

Peter's command hosts a breakfast with Santa every Christmas.   It was a really fun event. 

Sarah Avery did great.  She is such an easy baby in all regards except sleeping and car riding.   

Susannah colored while we waited for Santa's arrival.

One of the fun things about being a military family is events like this one. 

Our first glimpse of Santa.

"Wait a second....Should I be excited or terrified?   I'm not sure yet."

After Santa told a little story, she decided she was excited. 

We had to wait a while for Susannah's name to be called, but when it finally was, she jumped right onto his lap.

She asked if he had gotten her letter.  

Santa looked and sounded an awful lot like Peter's boss.   

Santa brought her one of the things she had asked for in her letter. 

"What is it Mommy??"

Minnie Mouse!!

We headed straight from Santa's breakfast to our very first dress rehearsal.   Susannah and her class were butterflies.  

Another stop at Starbucks in between rehearsal and the actual recital.

Recital time!   Her hair was supposed to be in a bun.   I tried my best but it was a little lacking.   I'm going to need some hair styling lessons if she continues to love dance.  

Cutest butterfly ever!

She wasn't the least bit nervous.  

I don't think she even registered that there was an audience.   

She just thought it was Miss Helen's ballet class in a different location. 

I couldn't believe how grown up she looked. 

Before the show, it was pretty much total chaos in the school gym where it was being held.    Kids and parents were running around everywhere. 

Susannah seemed pretty at home on stage.  

The entire afternoon, I kept thinking, "Is this really our life?   Are we old enough to be at our daughter's ballet recital?"  For some reason this felt like some kind of parenting milestone.  

"Whew.....ballet is tiring!"

More of a football stance in this photo.   

She definitely wasn't afraid to let her personality shine on stage.  

Each class waited with their parents in the audience for their turn to perform.  Peter took a video of the actual performance.  I will post a link as soon as we figure out how to get it uploaded.

Sarah Avery enjoyed a nap during the recital.   This is right after her performance which is why she is eating chocolate.   Their teacher gave them that as a treat after they came off stage.   I'm choosing not to think about the massive amounts of sugar that she consumed that day.   I'm surprised she didn't have a tummy ache.   Or turn into Buddy the Elf.  

Last night was Susannah's Kindergarten Christmas program.  

It had something to do with a German children's book about a Christmas bear.  At the end of the program, each child received a wrapped copy of the book.  The entire evening was really cute even though we had no idea what was going on. 

The students had illustrated the story and their drawings were on the screen.  It was really neat.

Susannah's part had something to do with opening presents.   

She sat up their nicely and waved to us in the audience.   

And didn't pick her nose, which is what I was expecting.   ;)

At the end, the pastor asked that everybody make a circle around the church and hold hands for the last song.  It was really neat.  Probably would have been even neater if we had understood what was actually going on.    We are so thankful for this sweet kindergarten though.  Susannah has been welcomed with open arms and is so happy there.   

We hope all of you are doing well.   We miss you all.   All prayers and good wishes concerning Sarah Avery's sleep are very appreciated!!   Thank you!