Playdate (Before We All Got Sick)

January 15th

Sam & Raquel smile next to Samantha's play Kitchen

Samantha had a playdate with our neighbor Raquel (2 yrs). Raquel and her brother Christian (4 yrs) came over to our house while their mom and older brother did their paper route in the cold weather.

Doug's Sick

Doug is now sick too! Yeah...I just hope this sickness doesn't go back around another time through our house! (Still praying that Alden doesn't get sick because they pulled all the medicine off the shelf that infants under 2 can take!!)

Sick Update

Now, I am officially sick too! Samantha is not any better, maybe even worse! I'm just waiting for Doug & Alden to come down with something now. :(

Sick Little Girl

I'm home taking care of Samantha, who caught a cold from our neighbor at a playdate. Everytime she sneezes (which is all the time!), she has tears come out of her eyes!! :( It's so sad! I think she's feeling better today. She's had the cold since Tuesday--Runny Nose and Sore Throat. It's a full time job trying to keep her from kissing Alden all the time! I'm glad to report that he hasn't gotten sick yet!!

Sammy

Yesterday, Samantha finally said her name!!! We were looking at pictures and Doug said " who's that?" and she said "SAM"!! Then, after a few more pictures, she changed it to "Sammy" and it's been "Sammy" ever since! We were so excited! She says so many words, however when we try to get her to say Sam, she would make up a name and call herself that.

E-L-M-O

Samantha smiles with a cutout of Elmo

Samantha and "Pop" pose with a few Sesame Street caracters.

...I got to get in on the picture too!

Zoe, Elmo, & Abby during the show

Samantha's favorite character - "Abby"

Samantha, "POP" and I stand on the concourse above the show.

"Pop" and Sam smile from our seats.

"Elmo's World"

They sold these huge Elmo balloons during intermission and then wanted everyone to put them under their seats so that other people could see the show. (They were $8.00!!!! Needless to say...Samanatha did not get one. "Pop" did get her an Elmo spinning light toy, a program, and some popcorn for the show.

On Sunday (Jan. 6th) my dad and I took Samantha to see "When Elmo Grows Up" in Omaha at the Qwest Center. Samantha loved it! We were in the 6th row on the floor, so everything was very close. Samantha loved Elmo and Abby the best. She would say "ABBY" really loud when Abby would enter a scene. When the monsters came down to the floor, she wanted nothing to do with them. She sat on my dad's lap ("POP" as Samantha calls him) most of the show, but when they came down the isle near us, she would want to sit with me because I was further away! Samantha was a very good girl. Lots of the other kids around us were brats, but she was good.

It was my dad's birthday too, so afterward, we met my mom, Doug and Alden at Famous Dave's in Bellevue for supper.

3 months old!!!

Where has the time gone? Our little boy is already 3 months old!! He turned 3 months old last Saturday! He is such a good boy still. He smiles all the time and laughs out loud (and I mean loudly) at the weridest things! He loves his sister so much. Samantha calms him down when he's fussy by talking to him. He loves to hear her voice. Crazy huh? Considering she used to beat him up! Even when he's crying in the car, she can say "Albo, Ok, Albo" or rub his tummy and say "Happy Albo, Albo Happy" and that usually calms him down!

I took him to get his pictures taken on Friday and Samantha was so jealous. Samantha went with us but she didn't get to get her picture taken, and she was heartbroken! I tried to prepare her for the fact that she wasn't going to get her picture taken. But the whole way up to Omaha, she said "Cheese". Like she was ready to get her picture taken. She had this sad expression on her face. She survived and was actually and really, really good girl that day! She's growing up so fast!

Richardson Christmas - Our Last Christmas!! (#7)

A quick family picture! But Samantha wouldn't put her milk down and Alden wouldn't wake up! It's a good one of Doug and I though!! :)

Everyone lined up on the stairs to take family pictures ( a tradition for Richardson Christmas).

Sam with Uncle Chris

Sam, Uncle Chris, Michelle, & Alden waiting our turn for our family picture!

Hanging out on the couch-- Jen, Kayla, Macy, Nancy, Sam & Traci

Alden with his cute penguins on!

Waiting to open gifts....Doug, Alden, and Samantha by the tree.

Macy & Andrew fought over who got to hold Alden! So they ended up sharing!

Girl Cousins (boy are we out numbered! We are only missing two)

From to to bottom: Heather, Sam, Kayla, Macy, Traci, Jen, Michelle, Katie

Boy Cousins: From top to bottom: Lyle, Dan, Keith, Christoph (exchange student), Bryan, Ryan, Matthew, David, Tyler, Chris, Julio, Scott, Brice, Doug, Alden, Andy, Jacob (we were missing two)

All of us cousins!!

Michelle, Alden, LJ, & Val

Alden, Macy, & Sam (Macy loved to hold Alden, when I asked for him back, she said....no....me hold baby!)

My cousin Jen from Illinois holding Alden for the 1st time at Christmas

Great Aunts- Lou Ann holding LJ and Karen holding Alden

We had the Richardson Christmas on December 29th at my parent's house in Humboldt. We had almost everyone there to celebrate the holiday season. We had a total of 49 people in the house at one time or another!! It was definitely a FULL house! We had fun talking to family that lives in Illinois and Indiana which we don't see that often. We had soup from supper, the aunts and my mom made 5 different types of soup to choose from!

Opening presents is always fun! There are tons of gifts (you can imagine...49 people opening presents at the same time!!) Brice has Alden's name and he gave him a Musical Aquarium and Alden loves it!! Samantha entertains him with it and puts the balls in it to play music. Katie had Samantha's name and she gave her a Little Einsteins DVD, Alphabet Puzzle, and a My Little Pony coloring book! Sam has watched the Little Einstein DVD about 20 or 30 times now, in just 1 week!! Grandma Farmer (Richardson) gave Sam a set of pots and pans for her play kitchen and she gave Alden a rattle. Great-Aunt Karen gave Samantha a Crayola bank and Alden a piggy bank.

Holman Christmas (#6)

Samantha, AJ, and Shayle watching Doug fix AJ's guitar strap

Shayle & Sam waiting to open presents!

Our attempt at a great-grandkids picture!

Nick, AJ, Grandma, Alden, Grandpa, Sam, & Shayle

Samantha and Nick playing us some Christmas tunes.

On Christmas Day at noon, we had the Holman Family Christmas (Doug's mom's side) at Doug's parents house. This was an eventful Christmas as there are lots of kids (great-grandkids). Samantha enjoys playing with her cousins-Shayle, AJ, and Nick. Alden enjoyed being held by all the different people! Samantha got a book from aunt Teresa and family and a Cheerleader outfit and a duck purse from aunt Linda and family. Alden got a Nebraska baseball hat from aunt Teresa and family and a camo outfit from aunt Linda and family.

McKnight Christmas - Christmas Day - Christmas #5

CHEESE!!!

Auntie Debra with Alden on Christmas Morning

Samantha smiling by the "Advent House" that Debra and Greg gave their parents.
Playing around after opening gifts.

After we opened presents with the kids, we headed out to Doug's parent's house outside of Plattsmouth to open gifts with Doug's immediate family. Doug's mom cooked a nice egg bake for breakfast and then we opened gifts. Samantha and Alden got clothes and money for their college fund from Grandma and Grandpa McKnight. Samantha also got some books by her favorite author - Karen Katz. Uncle Greg & Auntie Debra gave Samantha a book - "Duck for President" and Alden a BabyGap Rainbow shirt. They also gave them money for their "travel fund." After we were done opening gifts, we cleaned up and then I helped Doug's mom get ready for her family to come. (Our 6th Christmas....)