Ringing in 2014 with a bug

The weekend between Christmas and New Years Andy and I got to go to a Hawks game.  Avery stayed home with babysitter Rachel (who she loves playing with) and Malin (hater of strangers) came with us for her 2nd Seahawks game.  We met up with Jess, Mike, Brian, Charlie & Curt in Safeco Field for some pre-game action. 

Cousins

Malin was quite a spectacle.  People all around us were oohing and aahing over her and taking pictures.  What, people don't take babies to loud, crazy Hawks games? :) 

She even took a snooze during 3rd quarter. 

Unfortunately, Avery caught a bug over Christmas and it hit her the day after the Hawks game.

We had to cancel our NYE plans and stay home.  Malin & Daddy had a dance party that wiped her out.  The bug was hitting her too...

Avery's fever was over 102 for 3 days, so we took her to urgent care on New Years day.  Poor sick girl.  We found out both girls had some nasty virus (probably flu) and an ear infection.

Malin tried to console her Sissy even in her own agony.

But they finally started feeling better after a week and started their usual chenanigans.  Thank God! 

And fortunately, the girls kicked the bug in time to make buddy Madeline's 1st Birthday party - Madeline in One-derland!

Such a polite, good girl!  Maddie tore into the cake... very neatly in her hands.  We're so glad we were able to celebrate this very special girl's very big day!

We also rang in 2014 with the discovery of a leaky pipe in our walls.  3 weeks later... we now are all dried out, sheetrock replaced and have brand new carpet downstairs... just in the nick of time for another special first birthday party... ;)

Malin's First Christmas!

We started our Christmas off with our now yearly tradition on Christmas Eve night with lasagna dinner at our house with Namie, Opie, Oma and the Jaliwala's!  We had a great night celebrating with everyone.  Nanie, Opie and Oma spent the night so they could be with us in the morning to open presents.

Even though my girls are not big fans of jolly ol' Saint Nick and wouldn't tell him what they wanted for Christmas (or even stop crying at him), he still put them on the good list.  (Even though 1 Hunt girl was leaning pretty far over on the naughty list this year...)  Avery asked Santa for a car, and he brought one for both Hunt girls to enjoy toghether!  It was so fun to see Avery's excitement this year as she woke up and ran down to see if Santa had come.

Malin thought it was pretty cool to roll around with bis sis.

Santa also brought Malin a Little People princess castle.

The kids had a blast distributing, opening and playing with gifts.

One of Avery's favorite gifts was her Ariel doll from Nanie.

After gifts and breakfast, we got ready, said goodbye to the Hermans and headed up to Arlington to spend the rest of Christmas with the Hunt family.

We had a great dinner and Daddy rounded the troops for the annual Hunt ping-pong championship.  Maybe one of these years Daddy with let one of us ladies play!

We hope you all had a great Christmas with your loved ones as well!  Thank you to Nanie, Opie, Grandma & Papa who helped make our Christmas a truly memorable one!

1 month to the big ONE!

On Christmas day our little Malin turned 11 months old!  I can't believe we only have 1 more month of officially having a baby. :(

 

Malin must know that she's almost 1, she sure is acting like a big girl these days.  She's getting closer to walking, testing her balancing skills whenever she can.  I'm sure she'll be walking by her birthday.  She loves pushing sister's shopping cart all over the house.  She also loves playing with sister's doll house and pulls herself up on it.  She also cruises up the whole flight of stairs if we let her, in about 30 seconds flat.  She'd do it all day if we let her.  She loves baths and thinks it's hilarious to splash Avery, Mommy & Daddy.

 

She's still very much a Mommy's girl, and hasn't grown out of her stranger danger fear yet.  She's still a great eater, eating pretty much whatever we are eating.  She was recently weighed and came in at 20 lbs, which surprisingly, is about where Avery was at this age too.  She's exploring her sounds and starting "chat" to us.  She also points at everything waiting for us to tell her what it is. 

 

Malin has the cutest smile and laugh.  She is a true joy in our life.  I just can't believe it's been almost a year that this little miracle has been in our family!

Here's to our last month with our "baby!" :(