Happy Big 4th Birthday!

Last month we had a three year old and three month old. Today we have a four month old and a brand new four year old! Happy Birthday Brennan Abbott Swafford!

December 28, 2009   8 lbs. 11 ozs. 21 inches   5:49 p.m.

December 28, 2013  About 38 lbs.  About 41 inches  5:49 p.m.

You have gone from being a toddler to a big boy this year Brennan. You are so full of personality! You  like: trains, superheroes, maps, learning anything, school, helping take care of Rowe, going to restaurants, going most anywhere but especially the train store (Southerland Station), playing with Daddy, and so much more. You're favorite toy right now is your trains and you're favorite book is The Little Red Caboose. You have decided you want to have a lot of say in your clothes and shoes, and right now you prefer to just wear pajamas all the time (most often mismatched and inside out). You have such a kind heart and really want others to be pleased with you. You are also a leader and don't hesitate to give directions when you feel it's needed. You're all boy, rough and tough, but also love to give hugs, kisses and cuddles. Eating is probably one of your least favorite activities right now, unless it is candy or something sweet. You eat very few things readily. You're choice would always be peanut butter, chicken nuggets, or macaroni and cheese. A few highlights from most of your weeks: Pens and Pages two days a week, church on Wednesday night and Sunday, time at Nonna and Papa's some weeks, and time at home. You are loving preschool! If Mrs. Penny says it, it's the law to you (and we're good with that). It's amazing how independent and grown up you've become this year. I can't wait to see what is to come!

Wow! How you have changed in a year!

Today, Daddy and I woke you up singing Happy Birthday. We had chocolate chip muffins for breakfast, and yours had sprinkles. You opened your presents and played for a little while. We all went to Biscuit's Backyard for a while, and then had pizza and gelato at Sam and Greg's. We got to celebrate your birthday buddy Elijah's first birthday with his party, and then you were excited to get back home and play some more. It has been so much fun to celebrate with you!

Merry Christmas!

I love the preparation and anticipation of Christmas Eve! We started with making cupcakes for Jesus birthday. Cupcakes are Brennan's favorite part of a birthday celebration, so I thought by making them for Jesus it might make the meaning of Christmas a little more real for him.

Christmas Eve night Mom and our little family went to a communion service at our church. It is such a special way to celebrate our Savior! Brennan had his first communion, which he slurped right down in the otherwise quiet sanctuary :).  We came home and put out the reindeer food. Brennan was adamant that we needed to open the screen on the fireplace and check to make sure Santa could get through!  He and Rowe each opened a gift from one another. Finally, it was bedtime but he was so wound up it took him forever to fall asleep.

Christmas morning Rowe awoke at her usual early hour, and our day started with making breakfast. Around 7, Mike and I couldn't stand it any longer and woke Brennan. He came out very matter of fact and started with his stocking. After pulling out a book and underwear he declared this the best Christmas ever! Ha! Ha!  Seems we could have saved ourselves some money! He wanted us all to open our stockings ( or cost as he called them for weeks, much to our dismay). We had to point out the Patchwork Hiro he asked Santa for. He loved everything, and helped us all open our gifts too! Rowe loved all the excitement from Brennan! After he thought it was all done, we took him in the dining room to see a special gift. His excitement continued all day!

We enjoyed breakfast with Mom and some of our special neighbors, lunch with Mike's family, and supper at my parents. It was a great day of celebration. The grand finale was seeing a shooting star on the way home, a beautiful reminder of God's wonder.

T'was the Days Before Christmas

We packed a whole lot of fun into the weeks before Christmas! Brennan and Rowe were both sick for parts of every week since Thanksgiving, so a lot of the fun happened just days before Christmas. Brennan wanted everything to be just like the first Christmas. That would be Christmas 2012, apparently the first Christmas he remembers!

This is what a lot of our days looked like. Well, except I probably wasn't smiling that much.

Brennan had his own tree in his room this year, which he thoroughly enjoyed!

Getting our live tree!

and guess who was a big help decorating it :)

School Christmas party

Christmas pictures with the cousins

Church Christmas program

Making dough ornaments

Santa's Village as a family of four

His 1st time to write his Santa letter himself

 Cookies for Santa

Trying so hard to be patient for Christmas