Thanksgiving 2012 and Will's Baptism

For Thanksgiving this year, we headed back to Wichita to be with my family. My Grandmother had a stroke in October and has been in the hospital and now nursing home since trying to get stronger. I really wanted to see her. Even though we are so much closer to KS than when we lived in GA, it's still a 6 hour drive with a baby that doesn't care to travel too long.

We left on Thursday and went straight to Emporia to see Grandma. We met my parents and brother there and stayed for a little while and then headed to Wichita. It was a long day in the car, but it was nice to not have to make the drive up to Emporia over the weekend. We were able to get all of the driving out of the way on one day.

Katelyn and Will were pretty excited to see Grandma, Papa, and Uncle Matt. Katelyn had a little slumber party on an air mattress. She slept on it when we went to OK to visit Matt and thought it was the coolest thing, so she was kind of excited to be able to do it again. The kids has more fun jumping on it before bedtime though....even Will. He was giggling so hard! We were all laughing at them laughing.

Since we spent most of our Thanksgiving day driving, we had our Thanksgiving Dinner on Friday. Katelyn ate everything at dinner and surprised Grammie and Papa! She loved the turkey but her favorite were the rolls! I think she out-ate all of us on the rolls. She would have ate more probably if we would have let her! I'm so glad that we are moving out of the picky eating phase! Praise the Lord!

Papa and Uncle Matt went out on Thanksgiving night to score a sweet deal on new cell phones and after staying out ALL night they got what they wanted. By staying out all night, they saved over $400. I guess that may be worth it??

Katelyn is helping Grandma make the pumpkin pie for dinner.

Our little "Turkeys!"

Trying to stand up to the stairs and he was successful! It won't be long and this will be what he'll be doing to everything!

While we were back in Wichita, I got to spend a little time with a great friend, Courtney. She hadn't met Will yet and I hadn't seen her little girl since last Christmas. Boy, they grow so fast!

 My cousin Tanya, Neil and Owen stopped through on their way back to OK from Manhattan. The kids exchanged Christmas gifts. They got Katelyn a pink fleece blanket with Minnie Mouse and her name embroidered on it. She loves it and sleeps with it every night on her bed. Will got a Musical Bubble Octopus that you hang in the bath tub and this thing is the biggest hit! Both kids LOVE it and it has to be turned on EVERY night!

On Sunday before we headed back to Missouri, we had Will baptized at the church I grew up in and also the church Katelyn was baptized in and where Jack and I got married. Grammie and Pops came in from Missouri on Saturday and were also there for this special day. Will looked pretty stunning in his white outfit. :) It had a bow tie and matching vest with crosses on the vest.

Ready to go. Keeping the bib on until we get to church to avoid his outfit catching the spit up.

Waiting for church to start at Ascension Lutheran Church.

Thankfully they do the baptism at the very beginning of the church service. Will was wide awake through the entire thing. He didn't even mind when the pastor put the water on his head. I think it may have helped that Jack was able to hold him the entire time. When we had Katelyn baptized, the pastor took her and held her but she was also 2 months old and asleep. Pastor Bingenheimer probably thought it was safer to just leave the baby with his dad! And smart idea it was.

As soon as it was over, he drank a bottle and slept for the rest of the service. We couldn't have had better kids in church! Katelyn didn't make a peep either.

She wanted to go up for Children's message, but not by herself so i joined her. I remember going to the Children's message up there when I was a kid. So awesome!

And of course we had to have pictures afterward!

Will's a happy camper because of his nap, but Katelyn wasn't in the picture taking mood. Go figure - they both can't be in sync with each other!

Will with his sponsor, Uncle Matt! Thanks Matt for being both kid's sponsors - this means a lot!

With my family - Grandma, Papa, and Uncle Matt

With Jack's parents - Grammie and Pops

We had a great time over Thanksgiving but of course it always goes so fast. We'll be back before long because Christmas is just right around the corner.