Monday, December 31, 2012

Christmas in the Keys!

Merry Christmas!

We spent a week in Marathon, Florida with my family and extended family for the Christmas holiday.  This was the first time my entire family (mom, siblings, grandmother, aunt/uncle, and first cousins) has been together in four years.  We had an incredible time in Marathon for the week and we even went to Key West for a day. 

We kayaked, swam, rode bikes, went to the beach, and relaxed in the 80 degree December sun.  Here are some pictures from our Christmas week in the Florida Keys!

Arriving in Marathon, FL
 
My uncle surprised my Grandmother and shipped family ornaments and bought a tree.
 
Elizabeth playing around on Christmas Eve.

Ben and I before church on Christmas Eve.
 
 
Santa came to the Keys!
 
What Santa brought for Elizabeth.

Presents for Elizabeth from mom and dad.
 
Going through Elizabeth's presents from Santa
 
We woke up Christmas morning and this giantic sailboat was at the house next door.
 
Elizabeth opening her presents from Mom and Dad.
 
My grandmother, brother, Ben, Elizabeth, me, my mom, and my sister
 
My Grandmother, her 6 grand kids, and her 1 great grand kid

All 15 people that were in our house

Jen and I kayaking
 
Elizabeth loving the pool!

Opening more presents.

                                                        Family photo on Christmas night!

View of our dock from our balcony.

In Key West at Ernest Hemingway's house.

At the Southernmost point in the US.

Yum!

When we got back to DC, we had more presents to open!


 

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

A very Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours! 

-Abby, Ben, & Elizabeth

Our Red and Green tree

This says it all
 
 

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Ten months!

Dear Elizabeth,

You are 10 months old!

Our darling girl, another month has passed and you seem more and more like a child and not a baby to us.  We have loved watching you grow and change so much in the last month.  You are very active and love to play all the time.

This month you had 4 teeth come in (all at once) on the top of your mouth.  Growing 4 teeth at once made you very sleepy and not very hungry.  You slept A LOT for about 10 days while your teeth broke through. 

This month you travelled to Greensburg, Pennsylvania to celebrate your first Thanksgiving.  You had a blast with all of your Novak family!  While we were in Pennsylvania, you also experienced your first football game and your first snow!

After Thanksgiving, we got ready for Christmas and you helped put up all the decorations.  You really enjoy looking at the Christmas lights, but you don't play with them or try to touch them.

This month we (mom and dad) had our annual Christmas party.  You were so good- you slept through the entire thing!

This month you went to Landmark Mall and had your picture taken with Santa.  You really enjoyed meeting him for the first time and had a great big smile for your picture! 

You weigh 18.4 pounds and you are 28.5 inches long.  You had your flu shot booster last week and only screamed for a few seconds.  You wear a size 3 diaper, size 12-18 month clothes, and a size 3 or 4 shoe.  You pajamas are 12 months or 12-18 months.

This month you have started crawling and pulling yourself up to standing.  You love knobs (any kind- on tables or cabinets or chairs) and you like to open drawers and try to eat the knobs.  You crawl pretty fast and so Dad installed a bunch of baby gates to help you not fall down the stairs.

You take 4 bottles a day, 6 ounces each.  You eat food at all 3 meals.  You LOVE breakfast and gobble up your oatmeal every morning.  You are trying more and more finger foods- like carrots, bananas, and different Gerber snacks like puffs and maple wheels.  You love chicken and veggies, but you are not a big fan of beef.

We have also started time out for bad behavior this month.  You have gone to time out a few times and very quickly stop screaming and crying and then you get to leave time out.  You mostly get mad when we tell you that you can't have something (like the power cable to the computer) and we take it away.  You start screaming and crying and we just put you in time out until you stop. 

You have been going to Church a lot and are doing well at sitting in our laps through most of the service.  We upgraded you to the big girl car seat in November and no longer carry you in the infant car seat. 

Our sweet girl, you have changed and grown so much in this past month.  I cannot wait to see what the upcoming months bring.  We love you so much and we are so proud of the strong-willed, funny, caring, and loving young girl you are becoming.  Continue to be sweet my nugget.

Love,

Mom & Dad

PS. Below are some pictures of your adventures this past month.






I LOVE these two pictures of us!

 
Playing around the house.
 
Elizabeth and Santa!
 
Trying to get the camera.
 
First football game!

First snow (on the way to the game)
 
Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday, December 14, 2012

Thirsty Thursday

I've tried posting about Thirsty Thursday for the last two weeks but our internet has not been cooperating.  So...here are the last two Thirsty Thursdays!

Last Thursday we had Cosmos!
1 oz vodka, 1/2 oz Triple Sec, 1/2 oz Lime Juice, 1/2 oz Cranberry Juice.
Yummy!!!
 
 
Last night we had Margaritas!
Yummy!
 

Sunday, December 9, 2012

The Novak's (almost) Annual Christmas Party!

Last night was our Christmas party!  We had about 30 people over for cocktails and appetizers and enjoyed a really festive evening.  I snagged a few pictures of the party.  We had such a great evening.  Thank you to everyone for making it a fabulous party!

Ben and I before the party.


The Joseph's

The Wheler's

Scot
 
Chris and I

My neighbor ladies: Kyla, Jhena, and Nahed

The neighbor dudes: Adam, Ben, and Drew