Wow...

I am really bad about updating this blog. I'm going to be better, I promise. Things have just been really crazy busy lately.

Now to update on all the happenings!

Thanksgiving was great this year. My mom hosted the festivities and we had all of the family there - even Justin's parents and sister came. I love that my in-laws and my parents get along so well - it makes life so much easier! I made a squash casserole for dinner that turned out okay - it wasn't my grandmother's which made me kind of sad. But I know how to make it now and it can only get better each year. The babies were so funny that day too. Alex was just happy sitting in one place playing with his solo cup (we gave the babies plastic cups to play with) or beating on a pot with a wooden spoon. Viviana, however, only wanted to army crawl to anything and everything she wasn't supposed to have. My sister is really in for it with that one!

Now for pictures courtesy of Michelle and her fancy fancy camera:

Alex and Viviana (this picture is priceless!):



Alex's Nana (Justin's mom) and Viviana - also a priceless picture:



Alex being himself:



And Alex and his Grandma:



Michelle and Dave stayed with us over Thanksgiving and it was really great to see them again. And it was nice getting to spend so much time with them. I know they love Charlotte, but I kind of wish they were able to move closer.

Justin and Stewart have had a bit of a slow down with the remodeling but it will hopefully pick back up pretty soon. A friend is buying a rental property at the end of the year and he's going to have them remodel it - so that's good news. And they are also working on a proposal to remodel parts of a local middle school - also good news.

Since they've been slow, Justin has been staying home with Alex this month which is kind of great. I know he hates not working and being productive, but I love that one of us is home with Alex. And he's getting to see so many of Alex's milestones! I feel like that really is a great gift for him - not many dads get to be the first one to see their son crawl. Yes, you heard me correctly. Alex is trying desperately to figure out crawling. He's almost there, too. Viviana is army crawling which is what I keep expecting Alex to do but he wants nothing to do with that type of movement. He wants to be on all fours moving across the room - so, inevitably, he gets tired and frustrated before he's made it very far. But Justin just called me today to inform me that Alex crawled about two feet. It seems like such a short distance! But it's so huge! I'm secretly hoping he stays a bit slow and frustrated for a little while longer - I'm terrible, I know. I just love that he's not mobile yet. He's still my little baby and I can put him down with some toys and be confident he'll still be there if I turn away. I'm not sure I'm ready for baby-proofing. But I know I need to now just to be ready. Boo.

In other exciting news - a close friend recently told me about her pregnancy. I can't reveal who yet because she hasn't told her family. But I can't wait until she does - I'm soooo excited for her and her husband. Such an adventure!

I think that should suffice for the moment.