A Year "In Review"

WHAT A YEAR WE HAD............It started out with a visit to Delaney's school...

January

And as if that wasn't enough to send her mom into shock, then she got a big girl bed.....

February

And in her ongoing effort to grow up, she turned THREE.....

March

And as if that wasn't enough to do me in, we started potty training.....

April

And then I got a little break from all of this "kids grow up so fast stuff" and we opened the pool...........

May

Then it was off to the dentist for the first time..........

June

And then fireworks for the first time..........

July

And then it was back to reinstating growing up too fast phase......PRESCHOOL...............

August

And then the dreaded character shoes found their way into our home

(probably doesn't seem like a big deal or "highlight" to you but trust me, IT IS).......

September

And then there was the "store bought" costume I swore my child would never wear...........

October

I always know we've had a great holiday when I didn't take many pictures.....

November

Aunt Trina took some of the cousins to Christmas at the Zoo.............

December

Thanks for a great year Delaney!!!

No amount of grief could EVER replace the joy you bring to me!

And Down Came Christmas..........

We took down our tree and decorations today and there is no sign of Christmas around here! Minus the new location of Toys R Us that has taken up residence in our home.

Ok so maybe this isn't our home but who wouldn't love a PINK Christmas??  

I think this is definitely in order next year...........

Best Christmas EVER.......................

Delaney and I had the best Christmas yet!  Stay tuned for details, we're still celebrating.....and spending lots of time watching "Monsters Inc. University" as Delaney calls it..........

Merry Christmas from the Newsom Girls

I have to say, when the idea for our Christmas card came to me this year, I did NOT expect the feedback from our friends and family! I'm talking people who didn't even receive our card said how much they loved it!! How does that even happen????? Only us.............

You called, text, emailed and literally took pictures of our card and sent it to me telling me how much you liked it! You really are "our people".  And I am even talking about our die hard "Yankees fans friends".  Even you were gracious enough to comment.  And I'll admit, you almost got a different card because the Newsom girls don't like to rub it in that the Red Sox won the World Series this year!!! 

Or do we????

I actually contemplated hopping on a plane and going to Fenway so we could have an authentic dugout picture (that cannot surprise you!).  But then I realized that would probably not end well and we'd wind up in jail out of State (and more than likely my daughter would be taken from me).  So, we decided to just trespass locally (and she's still mine)!!!  

Oh, and for those of you who received our Christmas card, please don't change our address.  We're still right where you left us..........I think I am the only person on Earth who could put 60 return labels on cards and not once realize the wrong address was on the labels!!! Can't be Christmas without "something" around here....

This has been the most stress free Christmas I can ever remember....(well, for a type A like me!)

Delaney is "all in" this year and watching her enjoy Christmas has been so much fun. Just this morning, she told me she already got a Christmas present.....ME!  Now what 3 year old says that!!!!

Dear David,

Our daughter ROCKS MY WORLD!!!

(but you probably already knew that)

Cash and Money

I continue to ask Delaney what she wants for Christmas.  Although at this point, it really doesn't matter.  She has been consistent in wanting the Doc McStuffins check up clinic and I am pretty sure Santa (via grandpa) will come through with that one.  But she recently added "cash and money". When I asked her what she was going to do with it she said "give it to people who don't have it". 

What a thing for a 3 year old to say. Then I remembered she inherited her daddy's generous heart.....

"Don't forget a Carrot"......

Delaney had snow much fun playing outside! Unfortunately, it wasn't packable to make a snowman but she reminded me to get a carrot that's sitting in the freezer just waiting to be turned into a nose.....

Jesus' Birthday Party

When we got in the car for school this morning, Delaney told me she was ready to go to Jesus' birthday party! I told her even Jesus doesn't expect mommy to party at 8:00 a.m.  But 10:30 mommy can do!! 

There was ice cream and cupcakes and singing, and party hats.....

And ornament making and Bingo.......

And we can't forget gifts......

Delaney is out of school for over two weeks!! That means no alarm clock for two weeks!!! 

Today's Selfies

It Ain't Her First Rodeo............

In keeping with our Christmas 2013 theme, we are way ahead of schedule this year (by our standards AND if you don't count shopping). So we headed to the mall today to see this guy. Delaney assured me she was going to sit on his lap (but I got ready anyway just in case, cause momma ain't getting stuck in a Santa picture with bad hair!).  "We" had it narrowed down to three dresses and decided on this one!  Now,....going to see Santa is a MAJOR event when you have an entourage of people who love you.  The date has to be carefully selected around grandparents' schedules, we do NOT go to the mall on the weekends--EVER, and the perfect Christmas dress has to be chosen, and there's lots of texting and phone calls and emails. I am talking which entrance we are meeting at and of course where we will eat lunch after such a stressful trip! So, once that was all decided, and we were an HOUR late leaving, there was nothing stopping us from seeing this guy......

(notice she got her sucker BEFORE sitting on his lap--Santa, you are such a "sucker")

And I mean NOTHING......now that's my kind of line....the one that doesn't exist!

Here is what I said 2 seconds before these were taken "Delaney, let's take our picture".  This girl cracks me up.  I joked and said "wonder what she would do if I told her to make a silly face"!!!! Lord.Help.Me is all I gotta say!

 Delaney RAN to sit on Santa's lap---TOO BAD THERE WAS ALREADY A LITTLE GIRL SITTING ON IT!!  After a quick lesson in "it's not your turn", she was on his lap faster than you can say "I want a red ryder bb gun" which of course she doesn't! 

Then we made our stop at the sleigh at Von Maur and all agreed the tree had been "moved" away from the sleigh due to a little girl who may or may not have broken A LOT of glass bulbs a few years back. This is Delaney singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" to THE ENTIRE STORE.....as I said "Lord.Help.Me"

Then it was home for nap time because even Santa doesn't trump nap time!

Then mom was off to learn she needs new tires.  Maybe Delaney asked Santa for them???

So as I was typing this post, Delaney yelled "mommy, come tuck me in".  I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW SHE PUT HERSELF TO BED!!!  (Mental Note: keep a better eye on your daughter) She keeps asking me what I want for Christmas...is she kidding? What in the world could I need but that precious little girl (unless you count those tires Santa)!

"Dear Santa"

Let's not focus on the fact my handwriting looks like a 3 year old's (I blame that on an unsharpened crayon) let's focus on the fact Delaney wants scissors!!!! At least she isn't still saying she wants "everything" 'cause we know how that was gonna go!!! Here is what she told me to write.......

We had so much fun mailing Delaney's letter to Santa!!!

The Show Must Go On a/k/a Delaney's Pre-K3 Christmas Progam

Despite the bad weather, Delaney's Christmas program went ahead as scheduled.

 I requested a full length photo to verify that even I can come out of yoga pants when necessary!  I am pretty sure I haven't worn tights (pantyhose) since my wedding (circa 2007).....

Is there anything sweeter than a girl with her grandpa? 

I told Delaney she "rocked it" and she told me "we don't say that word"! This school thing is really shrinking mom's vocabulary!

When this picture was sent to me, the text said "She has Dave's eyes in this one"......NO JOKE!

We were asked not to take flash photography because it distracts the 3 year olds! REALLY, what doesn't distract a 3 year old???? So of course the picture I took didn't turn out because of all of the Christmas lights on stage! Does anyone hate the iphone camera more than me?????? But not to worry, because of course, there's a DVD to come!

I need to blog this story just in case Delaney marries Luke (which of course would require me to let her date, then marry, then leave the house)....on the way to the program they were talking about Luke Bryan on the radio and she said "did they just say Luke, are they talking about MY LUKE"??? I said "Delaney, you don't have a Luke but no, they are talking about a different one"!

"Does Her Dad Have Those Eyes"?????

The other day when we were out shopping, the man behind us in line said "does her dad have those eyes?"  You know, because it's just ONE MORE THING Delaney didn't get from her mom!

Delaney's daddy had the biggest, roundest, brownest eyes ever.  I was 100% certain before she was born she would have dark hair (she was born with very dark hair) and her daddy's big brown eyes! I was so certain of this, I told David people would think I was her step mom! (Delaney was born with blue eyes that turned green after she turned one--her daddy wanted her to have brown eyes so he could sing Brown Eyed Girl to her).  The man then proceeded to tell me that people with brown eyes really have blue eyes underneath and there is apparently some surgery these people are having now to make their eyes blue----I admit, I wasn't exactly into the conversation because I was still trying to get over the fact the lady in front of us wanted to buy Delaney the toy she was crying over!!! She wanted to know why Delaney was crying (uh, she's 3!!), what the toy was (Delaney told her while sucking her thumb AND crying) what color it was, and where it was in the store.  I politely informed the lady who had to be a grandma to take pity on my crying daughter (SUCKER) that she ALREADY HAD THE TOY SHE WAS CRYING OVER!!!  I am NOT a you cry, you get it mom! So, Delaney cried her big green eyes out of the store (yes, grandmas, it happened!).  9 times out of 10 while we are out, people comment on Delaney's eyes! My "Green Eyed Girl".........

"You Bet I Am"............

(I'll keep you posted.....)

Thanksgiving Part 3

Our last Thanksgiving was just like any other 3 year old's Thanksgiving.....or was it???

There was "order taking"...........

And a dual human nail drying station...........

And let's not forget the gambling..........

NO ONE taught Delaney to blow on the dice!! I think I finally found something Delaney inherited from her mother............the gift of gambling!!! 

"sneaky"

So many of you have asked if Sneaky came back to see us this year. I love the concept of Sneaky with a three year old.  He flies back to the North Pole each night to report to Santa if Delaney has been a good girl! I am thinking the Easter Bunny needs to get on board!! Delaney wanted to change his name (once we remembered it!) and I am not exactly opposed to that as long as we change it to headache! The Elfs make their initial appearance on December 1st and our Elf did at 3:45 a.m. (now you get why I am thinking "headache").......each time he returns, he "re-locates" and it's so fun to watch Delaney find him. He can't talk and  she can't touch him..........so far, that hasn't been a problem! He goes back to the North Pole on Christmas Eve.

Lord Help This Child's Mother

The Most Stressful Day of the Year

I know, the title seems extreme but it really is........the day we have to do Christmas Pictures!!!!!! Thank.The.Lord. A. It's Over! and B. It only happens once a year!! It takes me that long to "recover".....Taking a 3 year old to a wide open park is enough to drive you to spiked egg nog long before it's December!!!

 (Has Never Even Watched The Christmas Story!)

 When aunt Karey captures a picture like this, it makes the day worthwhile (but still the most stressful day of the year)..........

(Don't worry, I didn't spoil our Christmas picture, we hit it out of the park this year)!!!!