Ho! Ho! Ho!

When we got home Christmas Eve night we found that Santa had done a quick drive-by and dropped off a few gifts....

He left me & Brian a scarf and he left this for McKenna and Ben...

yep!  Santa dropped off an aquarium with 4 fish!  How did he know that Kenna loooovvveeessss to look at the fish at Meijer???

After we went to bed, Santa came again!  This time he filled our stockings and left presents under our Christmas tree.  What a guy!  He's just so thoughtful!


SANTA came!

On Christmas Day we were having my family over at our house.  They were coming for breakfast and then staying for the day.  We just couldn't wait to get our day started.  Brian made his Wit-skillet casserole and Benny played while we waited for our late riser, McKenna.  We were going to open Santa gifts before my family came over. 


Chef Witko


Benny's excited that Santa came!


Come on, Sister!  Get up!


Yay!  She's finally awake!


She LOVED the kitchen!


Little Chef Witko


Benny couldn't wait to climb all over his new chair!


Trip wanted in on the action


FOOD!


this kid doesn't take a bad picture


starting to get her kitchen organized


you open it Mom, I'm busy holding a knife and a tomato


Big Ben playing with his garbage truck from Santa and his dump truck from the Strasser's.  Yay!  We finally have boy toys!


not to be left out...Trippy and her candy cane bone


this needs more salt...Top Chef Cheftestant in training


Mom: Kenna! Look at your fish! Santa brought you & Benny fishys! What are you going to name them?
Kenna: Pep.
Mom: You have four fish, so what are you going to name the other one?
Kenna: Rick.
Mom: (laughing) Rick?  That's a nice name and Uncle Rick will love it.  What about the other one?
Kenna: Pep.
Mom: ...and the other one?
Kenna: Pep.

There you have it.  We have Pep, Rick, Pep, and Pep!  Pep1 & Rick are blue and Pep2 & Pep3 are orange.   We already had one of the orange fish die.  We're not sure if it was Pep2 or Pep3, they were twins.

Christmas Eve

The Christmas holiday weekend began with Christmas Eve with the Witkowski's.  We headed over there when Ben got up from his nap and spent the day.  We had a really nice time and of course the kids were absolutely spoiled!


Christmas Eve dinner...yummy lasagna  (McKenna was taking a nap)


Benny's First Christmas!  He loved the lasagna!


our sweetest boy


my sister-in-law, Sabrina & I


I <3 Santa


Ben, Uncle Doug, Meredith, Kevin


seriously, the sweetest


such a big boy already


getting ready to open presents


Aunt Sabrina helping the kids get the xylophone out


prying out his new Cardinals iPhone cover


every toy had to be opened and played with immediately!






up and down, up and down...something about those stairs, they just love it


Ben needs some World Champions gear!


St. Louis Cardinals' biggest fans

9 Months Old

Dear Benny,

You are 9 months old! As always, I can't believe my sweet boy is another month older.

Where has the time gone?

I have so much to tell you. You have grown up so much in the last month. I can't get over how quickly you're moving through milestones and learning new things.


9 months old, December 14, 2011



We met with Dr. Canner this month for your 9 month well check.  You weighed 18 lbs. 10 oz. (20th  %tile), you were 28 in. long (45th %tile) and your head circumference was 17 3/4 (40th %tile).   She was very impressed with everything your doing already!  You crawled all over the place in the room, pulling yourself up on everything.  Dr. Canner thinks you may be an early walker.  Dad and I think so too!  It seems like you're so close!  The only immunization you had was your flu shot booster.  Dr. Canner told me that you can start eating more table foods.  So, we're excited to start giving you "real" food. 

You're wearing 9 month clothes and size 3 diapers. 

You are the sweetest boy I know.  You love your family, but you especially love your sister.  You want to be with her all the time.  You don't like it when she walks away from you or leaves you behind.  You love your puppy too.  You like to crawl up to Trippy and lay on her.



You learned how to crawl up the stairs this month!  You don't yet know how to go down, but you love it when we chase you up the stairs.  You laugh so hard.


look at all of that handsome hair!



You love when Brayden comes over to play.  You, Brayden & Kenna love to play in the basement together.  I think you'll be even happier when you have an easier time keeping up with them, though.  It's hard when they run around and you can't catch up! 



You learned how to do SO BIG! this month too!  You do it all the time.  Sometimes you hold your hands together, sometimes you put both arms up straight, and sometimes you just put one arm up...we always wonder which one you're going to do!  You usually use SO BIG! to get our attention.  You'll just all of a sudden put your arms up, waiting for some one to say SO BIG!  You love it!


you are so photogenic!

One of your favorite things to do is jump.  You and Kenna love to jump together on everything, but you especially love to jump on beds.  The two of you would jump in your cribs together all day long if we let you!  You also love to jump on Mommy & Daddy's bed while holding our hands.  You giggle the whole time.
 


You're now saying dadadada all the time!  You're always talking and making sounds.  Daddy was very excited that you said dada first!  I always say mamamama to you and you just look at me and say dadadada!  You're so funny :)



You love playing in the basement with all of the toys.   You like jumping on the couch with Kenna, playing with the Fisher Price Learning Home Door, the slide, the animals, and just following McKenna around. 







Lots of teeth popped out this month!  You now have two on the top and three on the bottom. 



You're starting to get into everything!  Here you are looking for a specific book to read...probably the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse book.



Just know you are the most perfect little boy in the world.

I love you sweet boy.

Love, Mommy

Joe & Erin

We were really excited to welcome my cousin, Joe & his fiance, Erin, to Chicago.  Joe & Erin live in West Palm Beach, Florida.  Erin is a Physical Therapist and came to Chicago seeking another certification.  They came out to Plainfield on Friday night to hang out and see everyone.  It's been quite awhile since we've seen them, so the Illinois Milazzo's came out to celebrate.


pizza, salad, conversation...
my dad, my sister, Kristen, my cousin, Mikey, Aunt Lynn, Uncle Rick, and my mom


Beanie & Big Guy


Grandpa's favorites....me & Joe


Dudek Family Christmas Card Photo Shoot...#1


Key & D (atleast that's what Kenna calls them!)  Mikey & Danny


#2


6 of the 16 Milazzo cousins


funny




Joe & Danny



Dad getting in the holiday spirit with some egg nog


Godson & Godfather



Trip doesn't get the joke


As always, we had an awesome visit.  If only we could have spent more time together. 


Joe & Erin will become one on May 5, 2012.  We'll be heading to Florida to party the night away!  Can't wait!