I’ve been meaning to put up the girls’ latest stats from our most recent visits to our beloved pediatrician. He is so good with the girls and just the right balance between keeping an eye on the important things and letting the little things slide. Here’s where we stand:

Violet – 2 mo. visit (though she is now 3 months!)

Weight: 11 lbs 6 oz (75th percentile) Note: this morning she was 13.5 lbs according to the bathroom scale

Height: 22.5 in (50th percentile)

Our precious little flower is growing like a weed! I am switching out her clothes this week so that she will be in 3-6 months for our trip to NE. This is good as we have a lot more warm clothes in that size. Everyone likes to compare, so in case you’re wondering, Molly was a little bigger than Violet at the same age – at her 2-month checkup, Molly was 23 in tall and weighed 12 lbs 10 oz (we didn’t have the blog when Olivia was 2 months old and I don’t have time to dig through the box that has her info to compare – sorry). Violet is going to be really fun to show off as she smiles like a pro, giggles and even coos. She makes the most lovely alarm clock with her sweet little gibberish around 8 every morning. Violet loves to be worn in a sling (I’m working on a babywearing post noting all our favorite carriers) and will even stop crying if she sees me putting the sling on in anticipation of being held. She still loves to be swaddled and will sleep most of the night in her crib in her own room if she is wrapped tight enough (with a few wakings to eat, mind you) using the large flannel swaddling blankets from her godmother (that were made back when Olivia was born!)!

Molly – 15 mo. visit (though she is 16 months today)

Weight: 22.5 lbs (50th percentile)

Height: 30 in (40th percentile)

Molly is trimming down a bit and finally outgrowing clothes lengthwise before widthwise! I am getting out the 24 months tub for her this week. We may have to stick with a few of the 18-mo. lot, though, because Livy was wearing this size in the summer! Molly has started repeating just about any word you say, but still only uses about a dozen words on her own (including bi-bet (Violet), dog, nana (banana), thank you and the absolute cutest is “Amen” said with a long stress on the A and folded hands). This morning she woke up crying, “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy” so I know she is looking forward to our long Christmas break with Daddy. Here’s my favorite Molly story recently. We were getting ready to go on errands and I told Livy to go get her shoes and socks. She ran to hide behind the chair and Molly trotted off in the opposite direction. I sighed in defeat only to look up & see Molly waddling back with her shoes & socks in hand! She had gone to her closet to collect them, sweet little thing. I forget she understands as much as she does! Another cute story was when I was sitting in the rocking chair with Violet & Livy. Molly brought Violet a blanket (as she does anytime she finds a baby blanket) and Livy asked Molly to get a blanket for her baby doll. Before I could even finish explaining to Liv that Molly doesn’t understand things like that, here came Molly with a blanket for the baby! Appropriately so, Livy then showered her in praises, “Good job, Molly! You did it!!”

Olivia – 3 yr visit

Weight: 31.5 lbs (50th percentile)

Height: 36.25 in (45th percentile)

Olivia actually lost weight between her 2 & 3 year check ups. I guess that’s what they call “losing the baby fat.” She did great with Dr. Guerrero and I credit the little medical kit she got from Great Grandma Andrews (and has played with Daddy very regularly over the last year) with her comfort level with medical professionals. Hopefully, this will hold true for the dentist in January when she has her first visit. I wonder if Fisher Price makes a dental kit . . . she is not so fond of brushing her teeth! Well, I just wrote a lot about Liv so I’ll only include on story here. Yesterday she & Molly were standing in the kitchen. Livy said, “Molly, can I give you a hug?” “NO,” said Molly (which she responds to every question). To which Livy responded, “But I like to give you hugs, Molly. I tink it’s fun!” Apparently, Molly acquiesced, and while they embraced, Livy said, “I love you soooooo much, Molly! You’re a good girl.” Such a nice thing for a mother to hear – maybe I am doing something right!

The girls are LOVING their kitchen from Santa and Livy has been cooking up all sorts of noodles & eggs, but she is most fond her little pitcher & plastic cups that were an after-thought at Ikea the day before Santa came (they got the first three sets shown here and we’ll have to go back for the baking set as they were out). Livy can frequently be found working in her kitchen all dolled up in the princess dress up clothes that she got for her birthday from Grandma Kane. They have both been really good with the tree and only have trouble with the candy canes. They are so hard to leave alone – good thing we only had a few on there! Livy thinks our tree is a bit too modest, though, after some she has seen in her storybook from Grandma Andrews.

Life continues pretty “normal” for JR & I with not a lot going on aside from the girls. However, JR has been training for the Austin Marathon in February (the full – 26.2 miles) so he has put a lot of miles on his shoes! The girls & I are looking forward to an even longer race (this is his first full marathon) to have plenty of time to stop different places to cheer him on & snack on our donuts!

I guess this will have to suffice for a Christmas letter this year. It is still possible I will get some pictures up before we go to Nebraska, especially since JR has been doing most of the work while I’m writing this!

May God bless you & yours with a very Merry Christmas this year and a most blessed and happy 2009!