Christmas is coming

 The kids are so excited for Christmas. The day after Thanksgiving, we pulled out the Christmas decorations and put them up. We have been baking holiday cookies at least twice a week and delivering them to a few locals.

 We often bake in small batches for two reasons: 1) if we mess up, we lose a smaller amount of ingredients, and 2) the fun is in the baking so we can bake more often.

 Phoebe may resist cleaning her room and picking up her stuffed animals throughout the house, but she will always help bake cookies.

 This little man has been eating more and more solid food and sleeping for longer stretches too. Last week I warned my neighbors and hunkered down for some sleep training. After two rough nights, I'm happy to report he is sleeping for seven hours straight - not quite through the night, but I feel sooooo much better. This is good because I just signed up for the Boston Marathon! I got a waived entry (so no qualifying time needed to enter) from my track club, so in a few weeks I'll start training for the marathon. I'm not going to impress anyone with my time this year; I think I'll be happy just to finish this time around.The 2014 race is going to be amazing though. I am really looking forward to it.

 Oliver is finally rolling over a bit. He is seven months old now, so it's about time!

 Phoebe provides plenty of entertainment.

 Not only is it the holidays, but there are all kinds of end-of-the-year things going on. Phoebe finished up a ballet class and had a little recital. She enjoyed dancing around in front of mirrors, but when I gave her the choice between ballet or T-ball for next year, she chose T-ball.

 A friend of ours gave Oliver a Santa suit that he wore to the ballet recital and a few Christmas parties. He has the big belly, but is working on the beard.

We celebrated my birthday this week. Scott and the kids picked out a cake and presents, and we had a little family party. I got new running shoes (my current shoes are way too old), a tiny mouse for my laptop, an awesome winter coat (my coat was so old that the inner liner was deteriorating and flaking away every time I took my coat off), and a skirt and tights. Bruce told me he thought I was so lucky to have a birthday in December because then I could get presents twice that month. When I told him that sometimes people would give a gift and say, "this is for your birthday and Christmas," he was appalled. I think he is okay waiting until May for his birthday.