Happy Birthday Addison!

No longer can we refer to her as "Baby Addison", because our baby cousin is now two.  AND, she's going to be a big sister next year.  This gal is growing up so fast!

Nicole threw a great family party and our kids had a blast (and sugar rush).  The three older kids played endless hide and seek with Gia.  I just had to share these progression pics of JB finding the girls - so cute.

We're happy the other Sassers are so close in proximity and that these cousins can grow up closely together.  They're reaching the age where they can all play well and love on one another.  In another year, Wesley will be in the mix, too!

Well, and then a couple years after that, baby BOY Sasser will be old enough to join all the fun!! We are so excited about a little brother for Addison.  (Nicole surprised us all at the party with the great news about his gender.)

We enjoyed seeing our family at the party, and catching up with aunts and other cousins (like Katelyn) that we had not seen in a while.  Of course I pestered people for pictures...new camera and all... :)

  

We met up again with this crew the next day to enjoy some breakfast and playground time.  To our surprise, JB's BFF Mac came to Atlanta for the weekend, too, so we got to see them that evening!

Full weekend, full hearts - we loved celebrating baby little Addison and look forward to seeing her grow this third year.  

Wesley Robert - 14 Months Old!

I'm behind on several very exciting events and posts - Addison's 2nd birthday, an Atlanta trip, a TEXAS TRIP, a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Plus I bought a new camera right before all of these things, which means I've downloaded 350 pictures from the last 10 days alone.  (Of course, many of those will be deleted - still getting used to this new Sony and all the settings!)  But, can't let too much time go past November 23rd without capturing the fact that Wes is now a month older.  FOURTEEN MONTHS OLD!!

Let's see, most exciting thing this month (a few days before he turned 14 months):  a few very cautious steps!  I wouldn't say he's a "walker" yet, but he's getting so very close.  Just needs to up his confidence a bit.  He has a permanent cheering squad with his fam, whenever he does wobble over. His siblings are thrilled and scream "good job, Wes-a-ley!!!!!" 

Teeth are still very much MIA. When in the world will I get to report on those pearly whites!? 

A few other funnies or notables about our little caboose baby this month:

• He loves to clean up toys and put things away. Sometimes I'll find things in drawers, the trash, various buckets.  We have to watch him carefully, especially with keys.

• Loves to play peekaboo.

• Loves any toy that makes noise, especially obnoxious noises. He has this blue truck (thanks Aunt Wyllene!!) that he insists on playing with in the early morning, before his siblings are awake. 

• Speaking of early morning, he's entered into a new phase where he's up before the sun....

• However, he's the easiest child to put down for a nap or for bed. He doesn't even like to rock or cuddle anymore!  He'll request a book, then he points to his crib.  Once he's down, we don't hear a peep out of him. (This even goes for new places or new cribs - he's so easy!!)

• Wesley babbles quite a bit - he's a vocal guy!  He definitely says Dada, Mama, Fish, and Dog. What he can't say he can point to, quite forcefully.  He's always pointing and grunting.

• He's starting to pretend and mimic, like talking on the phone, brushing his hair, trying to put on shoes and clothes. Even though he's my third and this is age appropriate, I still can't help but think "gosh, this child is a genius!" every time he does something like that.

• Wes loves his siblings, and tries his best to keep up with them.  He has serious FOMO and he'll throw a FIT if they leave him or you take him away from whatever they're playing with.

• Wesley gives loves on command, and it's the absolute sweetest.

• Poor dude needs a haircut so badly!  He has a definite mullet - and a very blonde mullet, at that.  

• He is growing so much, and eating so well. I'm so curious as to his 15 month weight/height measurements. I know he had fallen off his charts, but there is no way he has stayed there (Mama's non-medical opinion, of course)

Love this little guy!  So very much!  Even when he screams bloody murder for a 2 hour flight. :)  

School Thanksgiving Feast

The older kids celebrated another holiday at school, learning all month about our many blessings from God and what it means to be thankful.  JB told me the other night about the pilgrims, who "came to this land because the King wanted them to go to his church, but they wanted to go to their own church to learn about God".  We talked about how freedom to worship how we want is very special, although JB did not understand why this wonderful freedom did not extend to him when it came to his clothes, bedtime, food, etc.  Hum...good question...moving on....

The school sang several songs, and the kids recited a bible verse that we've heard them repeat all  month long at home: Let us come into His presence with Thanksgiving; Let us make a joyful noise to to Him with songs of praise. Psalm 95:2

Our little turkey stood front and center, but the Indians (I tried to correct them to say "Native Americans", but they're studying the letter I - Indians it is!) hid our little Pilgrim in the back.  Always fun to watch a preschool program!

Maryn has several BFFs at school:  Isla, Charlotte, Callah, Grace.  But she holds a special place in her heart for Paul.  They've been in music class together since babies, and I think girlfriend has a slight crush... :)

Love these sweet kiddos and all they are learning in school.  One more day of class before Thanksgiving break (and a trip to TEXAS for our family!)

Santa, already? + Atlanta Weekend

Once again, we have seen Santa well before placing our Publix pilgrims on the dining room table.  The calendar for our Atlanta fancy-pants Santa fills up so quickly, and this was the latest appointment I could get when I scheduled this in January (yes, January.)  However, it is such a wonderful experience - a true Winter Wonderland - so I'm willing to don our coordinating Christmas outfits a good month before actually entering the Christmas season.  Plus, the professional pictures are fantastic (see last year).

A few from my iPhone:

Although we haven't received this year's pictures yet (and I won't share them on the blog until I figure out our Christmas card strategy), I'm sure they are real doozies.  Maryn started crying the moment she saw Santa, and Wesley joined in the second we sat him on Santa's lap.  The intensity made me feel slightly guilty - and wonder if we're actually committing a parenting sin by subjecting our kids to Santa - but the moment the pictures were done our kids were back to normal. Especially when we ushered them to the "decorate your own cookie" table.

After our pictures we headed to our condo and then to our old neighborhood hang-out, White Hall Tavern. The next morning we enjoyed French toast and omelettes at our favorite quirky breakfast joint (R Thomas).

Saturday morning we opted for Plan B (Children's Museum) after the weather turned super cold, making Plan A (Zoo) less than ideal.  Gia joined us, thankfully, as all three kids scattered in different directions the moment we arrived.  There is so much to see and explore!  Wesley could not be contained, and wanted to be a part of every. single. thing. They all loved the new Daniel Tiger neighborhood exhibit (though Sis lost her mind when Daniel Tiger actually came out to entertain the kids....)

Find JB!

Is Wesley's outfit not the cutest? Seriously, I can't take it!!! JB passed down this outfit, and he was equally as cute in it (see here).  I am a sucker for a man (big or little) in a vest.  This is also why I force them on my husband, who is not as enthused about them as I am... :)

Ah, Atlanta - I miss it.  So many good memories, so many people we love there, so much to do, so much good food to eat. Although, so much traffic and that certainly dampens my love affair with the city (and produces a lot of complaints and back-seat driving on my part!)  We had not been back in several months, but this weekend marked the first of three weekends in Atlanta before the end of the year.  More memories to make - yea!