Our Rockstar Christmas.....

We had so much fun hanging out/rocking out with family this year. Christmas 08, Ali was all about opening presents and really didn't care who it was for or what was inside....let's just open them! She enjoyed each present after they were all open but not until then! She memorized the Christmas Story and would tell anyone who would listen about the angel telling Mary to not be afraid and the hay, stable, manger, and kings with treasures. She loves singing Happy Birthday to Jesus and melts our hearts everytime!

Madeline found my face and started smiling and giggling a few days before Christmas so of course, that was the best gift! She is growing way to fast and Matt and I wish she would just slow down already! The magic of a thumb has made my life MUCH easier and has allowed me several silent nights lately~ for the thumb, I am grateful!

Christmas was quite different this year for many reasons....we now are a family of four, Alison loves the man in the red suit, Matt was home for Christmas, I am a proud aunt to a 1 year old who missed last Christmas by a day, and I have changed my mother status to Rockstar!....Rockstar you might ask, hmmmm, never saw that coming...Well, atleast not until Santa showed up with a special delivery of Guitar Hero World Tour! I never would have imagined that putting a guitar, drums or microphone in my hand would instantly bring out this feeling of purple hair, tight leather pants, chains and black lipstick....but it does and I love it!..the feeling not the purple hair! Not to say that all Rockstars fit this stereotype but this is exactly how I picture myself (just like the character I created on the xbox for myself) even though I still look like a Mom..just with a guitar in her hand.

The whole family joined my lil band at one time or another. Christmas Eve we stayed put at my parents house and invited Nanny and Grandaddy over as well as some of my cousins. We had a long concert that included Matt singing, Kevin on Drums, me on guitar and Ashley or Josh or MOM, yes even Mom (Mimi), on the other guitar. Ali joined in for a singing solo every now and again. It was a sight to see and I am ashamed to say we have no video! It was the most fun I have had in a long time! The concert continued at the Kave's and between Matt, Brian (Pappy) and Jake, someone was always playing Guitar Hero at deafening decibels and living the Rockstar dream out in the comfort of our homes. Vickie (Nina) even tried her hand at the guitar and secretly enjoyed it just as much as the rest of us! :)

We arrived back in Beaufort to 77 degree weather and have spent most days outside riding bikes and playing in the leaves that we are slow at removing! Matt is home for 4 days and then off to Top Gun for 2 1/2 months. We plan to put Madeline's crib up and doing boring tasks like cleaning the dryer lint out of the line....speaking of which, I am surprised my house hasn't burned down! Which brings me to my next point....

THE DRYER STORY.....so I discovered that they do things quite differently here in SC. I have been complaining for months about my dryer not drying clothes very well....so I went on a search for my dryer vent outside....after 30 minutes and no luck, I went to get the neighborhood handyman, aka..Mr. Mike! After finding a shovel and doing some digging, I found my dryer vent, WALAA...1 ft down and discovered that my vent coming out from my FOUNDATION....shocking to say the least. My dryer air has not been vented since I moved in or maybe ever, which would explain why my electric bill is so high and I have been extremely frustrated, beyond normal frustration with laundry! I. I mean Matt, now has to snake the line and get 2 years of built up lint out! Good times but I am thankful I found it before it was a disaster.

It is time to remove the Christmas glow in my house and pack it all up for another year. I love all of the lights , sparkle and magic of Christmas...I wouldn't mind leaving the lights on my mantle all year! Ali and I are going to tackle the tree and await Matt's arrival from work. I'll try to be better about posting in 2009! HAPPY NEW YEAR! I plan on being a rockstar all night with my honey and ring in the New Year with him for a change! Until next year......

Could it be, FALL in December?

Where is Alison?

Madeline is ready for Christmas!
Hope you all have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS! We are trying to roll 3 Christmas's in to one. We are celebrating last year and next year since we have Matt at the moment. We are blessed to have our family of 4 this year.

Madeline's 1st smile

This made my day! What a precious gift from God. We are so blessed.

Fun-filled adventures of Motherhood

Matt left today for Oceana. He will be landing on the aircraft carrier all this week. In efforts to keep my mind off of that, Sarah Geyer (another lonely wife who's husband is on the ground in Afghanistan) and I decided to take a day trip to Savannah with 3 kids to "kill" a Saturday! We braved the Mall and did a little "retail therapy" while the kids were on their best behavior. (meaning we made it through one store! HA!) Sarah wanted to give Alison a special treat by taking her to Build-a-Bear. I am sad to admit that this was mine and Alison's 1st trip ever to Build A Bear! We loved it! Alison immediately went for the pink kitten ( the closest she will get to owning one) and named it Tinkerbell. It was so much fun watching her stuff, bath and register her very own kitty. Thanks Sarah for taking us there and getting Alison her Tinkerbell.

Alison with SarahMadeline and her buddy Vance
Then, we were very brave (or nuts) and took a 3 yr old, 10 month old and 2 month old to Chuck E Cheese! Alison took off for the playland area and we didn't see her for about 30 minutes. Then she played several games and ate pizza. Her favorite part was the tokens. She didn't understand that she just needed one per game and often asked me for "more money please". We were tired and had hungry babies by the end and somehow Sarah and I convinced her to settle for a lollipop instead of redeeming her 129 tickets in a long line of hateful people! (whew!) By the time we got home it was way past bedtime and a day full of no naps so I am worn out and ready for bed! Here are some pictures from our outings today! Until our next adventure....
Monster truck style
she really got the hang of this game

Our lil baby turned 3!

This one is for sweet Alison....Happy Birthday Alison! Born on October 27th 2005, seems like yesterday. Every birthday has been special but this one was extra special for 3 reasons.

1) Your Daddy and Mommy were both able to celebrate with you

2) You could tell us exactly what you wanted your birthday to look and feel like, not to mention exactly what you wanted to find when you opened up your presents!

3) You donned the title "big sister" just one month prior to turning 3!

It seems like you have been talking forever but your true personality really starting to shine over the last year. It has been fun watching you complete sentences and repeat the cutest sayings. There are several that I will always cherish:
-I so nice to meet you

-I NEED it ( you never want something, you always NEED it)

-want to cuddle with me?

-can I have a POC-is-el (popsicle)

-is that what I did when I was bor-ing (meaning born)

-I SO SICK (a pocisel will make it better)

-I la you so much ( I love you so much)

-I so proud you are here ( she tells her daddy this often)

-Goodmorning sunshine

-you come back!

- in 1 more day? (countdown could be 10 but it is always in 1 more day til she sees family/etc)

You learn and explore something new everyday. It is such a joy being your Mommy and I will always cherish each year of your life.

1st Birthday

2nd Birthday

3rd Birthday

-

Saying Grace!

Alison attends a Christian preschool MWF. We are so impressed at how much she already knows about our God and the bible. She has really cool songs that she recites daily. We are having fun watching her grow in Christ. We have been working on saying Grace at the table for a long time and she was not interested. However, they say it before their snack time daily so now it is cool for her! Here she is...

Madeline hung out on her changing pad on the kitchen table as all of this was going on. She wanted in on the action.

Go Lions Go!

Saturday's in the Kave household are all about football. Alison immitates football players by saying they do like this...(and she rolls around on the floor) Here she is dancing to the Penn State fight song as they fight their way to yet another victory....undefeated season so far. Matt is one happy fan! He will be going to the Michigan State game in Happy Valley on Nov.22nd!

I have an awesome video of Matt and his girls dancing but for some reason it won't let me post! Next week is the biggest game of the season...until then.....

Big Sister status

On September 25, 2008 at 815am, Madeline Elizabeth was welcomed into our family. Arriving at the hospital without being in labor and knowing that within minutes, we would be greeting our newest family member was surreal. I can't say I didn't panic as I was wheeled into the OR room completely conscious with no drugs in my system yet! To say I was shaking is an understatement but once Matt came in to comfort me, the lights, knives and needles got a little easier to bear. He talked to me about my favorite season, the FALL in hopes to get my mind off of the fact that Dr. Armand was cutting through various layers of my abdomen! I tried to envision that I was sitting on my parents front porch in Virginia admiring the beautiful colors of leaves covering the Blue Ridge Mountains...ahhhh...it was getting better.....In no time, I heard the newborn squeals coming from Madeline and I instantly feel in love......Together, WE DID IT..hooray!.... as Dora the Explorer rang in my head from the frequent daily episodes watched in our house! I guess I was missing Alison at about that time! ;)

It took a long time for me to get a room as all of the beds were being occupied by new Moms so it was an extremely painful 4 hours of longing to hold Madeline for the first time. However, once I got wheeled into my room I was greeted by Nina, Pappy and Alison which made my day even sweeter. Alison wasn't sure what to think about this new baby and I think secretly she was hoping Madeline belonged to the hospital and not to us! The first week was an adjustment but with Nina's help, in just 6 short days, Alison was in love with Madeline and very proud of her BIG SISTER status! Alleluia..... At bedtime on the 2nd day, Alison did pose one question....Mom, when Mimi and Peepaw come, will they take Madeline home with them?

As you will see in these pictures, Alison couldn't be more in love with Madeline and I know for certain that they will be great playmates before we know it. Knowing how fast this infant stage passes, I am having a hard time putting Madeline down. If she is awake, we drop everything to hold her and cherish each moment as we now realize that Alison grew up WAY too fast! Madeline looks just like Alison so it is really like a time warp for us. It will be so much fun to watch them grow together. Enjoy the pics and video.

Alison holding her sister for the 1st time

Last belly kisses....

We are bidding farewell to Momma's belly this morning and getting ready to welcome Madeline into our family tomorrow morning. It is funny to see these pictures because I can feel how HIGH she really is being breech but cannot really see it that well. These pictures truly show the beginning and end of her lil body. She must be curled in a huge ball. What a miracle!

Alison loves kissing my belly and trying to get a big squeeze from Madeline in return. Sometimes this can be painful but she enjoys it so much so I go along with the fun! I wanted to be sure to get some pics before the belly disappears. It has been an adventure teaching Alison about babies growing in bellies, etc but I think it is safe to say that we are all ready and anxious to finally meet this Madeline we have been talking about for months.

Recipe for Alison's progressive kiss......It begins with a hug, then a smile, bury your nose deep in Momma's belly, then a MUAH!...oh and make sure everyone is watching and camera is rolling...so sweet.

Dance like no one's watching....or say Cheese?

Turn music on anytime, anywhere and you will find Alison dancing away, or headbanging if it is in the car. She certainly has inherited her Dad's appreciation for music (she especially likes Beatles and just about any of the classics). Unfortunately, she also likes listening to it at mind numbing decibels like her Daddy too! Lately when we rock out to the child version of "I love Rock n Roll" or "J-U-M-P, she tells me she cannot hear it until everyone in Beaufort can rock out with her! I then shift my eyes in the rear view mirror to find her headbanging and playing the air guitar all the while saying, Mommy, look at...look at me...I headbanging like Daddy...you do it Mommy. So anyone driving by on any given day probably gets a good laugh when they take one glimpse into my car...it must be hilarious to onlookers! It always puts me in a good mood when she asks me to sing the song because we all know that I cannot carry on a tune to save my life...but guess what...Alison loves to hear my voice squeak! :) She makes every day fun and adventurous.

We were dining at Moe's Mexican restaurant on Sunday and they were playing great music over the loud speaker. Immediately I was nervous that we would not get Alison to eat a single thing because her legs were just trotting to the music and she could not sit still. Thinking on my feet, I came up with a game plan. I told Alison that she could rock out to the music as long as she ate a bite of her quesadilla every time it was offered to her....so check out the food chomping, foot stomping, Cheese screaming Alison in the video....enjoy! She ate her quesadilla and we were offered 20 minutes of great entertainment!

WE ARE...PENN STATE

For all that know Matt, you are well aware of his undying love and devotion to Penn State. Watching college football on Saturday's and getting decked out in his attire is one of his favorite times of year. There is NO sleeping in this house when the game is on as he pretends he is outside in the stadium cheering on his team when in reality he is confined in a small house with very poor acoustics....He is desperately trying to share his love with hopes of it wearing off on Alison. Since she could talk, he has been working on the Penn State chant....within weeks of her birth, he had her sporting a Penn State onesie, bib and socks..taking pictures...so proud.....Well, it is no surprise that he was smiling from ear to ear when she repeated the words in the video.......Enjoy.....He gets all googly when she repeats it and they continued this for the entire game...and afterwards much to Mommy's dismay :)

Notice she says Penn STEAK....hee hee

Grandparents are GREAT!

Alison is so lucky to have 2 sets of wonderful grandparents! Her all time dream would be to have her Mimi, Peepaw, Nina and Pappy at the same time ALL of the time! They come with great energy and never seem to tire of playing the same games over and over.... and singing the same songs...nor are they quite as ready to put Alison to bed as Daddy and I are only a nightly basis. Here we are pushing bedtime at the Waterfront Park..one of my favorite scenes in Beaufort! Matt's facial expressions never get old. I had to post this one...36 weeks, Madeline is breech but Mommy is convinced that she will get adventurous and find her way down.

Do I have to go to bed Mom? Peepaw is so comfy...just a little longer, please please!

Making sandcastles and playing dress up with Mimi. If we could have one wish, it would be to live near both of our parents so that our children could enjoy their undying love and energy year round instead of just in weekend spurts. For now, we will take what we can get and cherish every moment. Thanks Mimi, Peepaw, Nina and Pappy for being Alison's biggest fans! We are so thankful for you! Nina and Pappy will visit in a few short weeks when Madeline is born...we have already started the countdown!

Mommy, I pee peed in my bed.....

It's 6:45am and this is not a great way to start my day. Having just put the finishing touches on a clean bed less than 12 hours ago, I get the call from the room....Mommy...come here...I'm WET! WET?...wet? Babe, that is an understatement...SOAKED is more like it. I arrive to her bedside to find that she apparently threw the super absorbent pull ups overboard "dry" during the night and decided to spring a leak as she woke up. My thoughts at this point after observing the situation with crusty eyes and funky hair...(did she stand on her head to pee? How could this have happened?) Then it came to me....she did what any other kid would do after shedding at least 3 cups of water....lay in it and maybe the whole thing was just a dream and Mom won't really have to wash all of my bed linens for the 3rd time this week??? Wow....bless her heart, she was apparently terrified to disappoint me so she slept a little while in the soaking wet bed. Her shirt was drenched as if she walked a mile in a rainstorm....pillow...saturated....hair...reaked of pee pee! I'm happy to report that she was bathed and the clothes/sheets are in the wash AGAIN...all before 7am this morning... No pictures this time....words are enough here......

THE BIG 30!!

It was 20 minutes to midnight as our heads hit the pillow. I informed Matt...this is it honey, 20 minutes to enjoy being 20 something...then they are gone forever...he did not find the same humor in that as I did!

We woke up this morning to Alison singing bday songs for Daddy. (this continued until bedtime) We then met him for lunch at the O-Club followed by a yummy steak dinner and cupcakes. Don't forget PRESENTS...anyone who knows Matt knows how much he treasures gifts...he is such a kid and very fun to buy for. We had a great time opening presents and being together as a family for his 30th.....

As I write this, it donned on me.... Matt and I have been in love for more than half of our lives! Where did the time go? I have celebrated the last 16 birthdays with him....what a blessing. Here's to our next 30 years...it keeps getting better! Happy Birthday Matt!

After the video pose

New Penn State Cycling Jersey and Waterproof IPOD holder for the mind numbing 2 hr swims

Alison upset because she is not the center of attention...CHEEESSSEEEE..let me see, let me see!

Time is ticking...34 weeks

Looking through old pics, I realized that I have neglected to take pictures of Madeline growing in my belly. Before you know it, I will be posting pics of both kids! Alison reminds me daily of how big my belly is getting....like I could forget! She gently rubs her hands in big circles and sings lullabies to Madeline. Her favorite way of greeting people lately is to pull up my shirt and show everyone MADELINE! Needless to say, many unprepared strangers have gotten an eye full of my belly and luckily I have managed to catch my shirt before Alison tries to get it completely off! She is really proud of my belly and the thought of being a BIG SISTER!

What a miracle it is....Madeline is developing around the clock preparing to be nestled in our loving arms..... She loves to stretch and tumble about anytime that I am hoping to catch some rest. Even though it keeps me awake, her movements comfort me. I have been daydreaming about meeting her..I feel like I can smell her already!

Bring on the pink.....

Kristy and Lisa threw a baby shower on Saturday for Rachel and I. We both got a ton of goodies for our lil girls. Lil' Zoe came into this world early so she was present at her own shower :)
Cute outfits for Madeline
Jenn Pizzuli and I. She will be headed to Japan soon :( I thought this would be a good belly shot but it was cut off.....YES :) I will get my big belly in a picture soon. 6 1/2 more weeks.
VMFA 312 ladies...Lisa and Kristy are the first two ladies in pink, front row on the left. They threw the party for us. Thanks so much. The food, 4 layer cake and punch was delicious.
Our lil sailor....CHEEESSSEEE!

Alison had to pose a few times for the camera as I was preparing to leave for the baby shower. She wanted to secure her place among the pics today.

And in true Alison fashion, photo shoot polished off with a crown. After all, she is THE PRINCESS!

Just hanging out...

I found a few holes that Hazel dug and decided to go get my shovel and see if I could "help" matters . Minutes before Mom got the camera, I was throwing the dirt up in the air, making rain, and laughing when I got "wet". Mom runs to get the camera thinking this would be great for her latest blog....then I stopped. This is all she was able to capture.

Off to the swingset to play on the seesaw. This is my new favorite. Mom says to pay NO attention to the back yard and how "non-manicured" it looks. This is not her forte!

After all of that, it was bathtime (blue and yellow tablets make green). Like mom said, I live in a fairytale world most of the time. I am Dora, Diego, Ariel or Einsteins at any given time. Right now, I am pretending to be singing mermaid. I watch the Olymfics as I call them each night and beg to dive and swim like they do. I will have to settle for the bathtub for now. I decided to let you all in on my version of "hush lil baby"...it is a long song with lots of complicated words. Don't mind the legless babydoll in the background.

Nothing like polishing the day off with a homemade smoothie pop....my favorite. I love to pretend I am putting on lipstick just like Mommy.....It's time for bed after a hard day of playing. Notice, princess dress is my PJ of choice! Dad really likes playing with my hair and keeps wondering how I got so big!

You are my Sunshine......

Alison loves to sing and we all love to hear it. This is her latest debut...

Alison, you will always be our sunshine. You brighten all of my days!