Lovin' Little Liah!

Alliyah has been such an added joy to our lives! She is adored by us all! Such a happy little girl, who shows her emotion so readily...usually with a squeal of delight! My sister-in-love, Mandy, recently posted on her family blog about being given something you didn't even know you wanted, in regards to her own 5 little blessings...it's so true! Who knew I wanted 5 kids? Obviously our loving Father knew just how much I would treasure each one of them! His plan is always best! What joy we would have missed out on if we decided to intervene and stop at 4 children...

Liah...pre-bath : )

In the tub...she LOVES the water...could easily become a mermaid!

Lookin' cute after her bath...love that chubby little face!!

Sittin' in the highchair (the one I bought at a yard sale AFTER Elli was out of hers...'just in case' we had another baby!) eatin' crackers! YUMMY!

Trying to get going!

Zach lovin' Liah...big brothers are the best!!! : )

It's a little blurry...but I LOVE her expression! What a cutie!!!

Nathaniel's turn to love on Liah!!



What a sweet little face!

Swingin'!!! Love it!! (Thanks for the swing back...again! The one I was going to sell after having Elli because we were 'done!')

Alliyah...she's growing!

Alliyah is growing and changing so fast! Here she is at the end of December,,,so much more stable sitting! She's able to sit and play now! (7 months old)





Here we are...trying to do a self-portrait! Liah looked away!






We purposely took this picture of her in this outfit in this position because she looks so much like her oldest sister and we have a picture of Aunt Holly holding Kaity like this in this outfit!



LOVE the walker! Look out, world...she's mobile!!

Happy girl!

Liah and Elli... ; )

Blowin' bubbles!

Truly Daddy's girl....when mama's not around!

Smiley girl...most of the time! Little precious!

Cuddled up with Daddy after a busy day of just being Liah!

More Christmas

In the middle of the day we were at Grandma and Papa Chuck's house for a while. It was fun to have all the VanZandt cousins together!

Here's Grandma and Papa with Dessarae, Garret, Kaitlyn, Zachariah, Nathaniel, Elliana and Alliyah

Nathaniel got a kit to build a helicopter!

The 'Dread Pirate Zach!'

Elli amidst the presents! She got a new dolly.

Kaitlyn got one too!


The next day we went back to Grandma and Papa Corbett's house to open presents and to have an easy to prepare (we ordered out!), no-hassle dinner. (pizza! with paper plates, cups and utensils for easy clean up!)

Here are Annie and Kaity opening presents...it's always a wild time!

Nathaniel and Zach with Uncle Sean and Beth (in motion!)

We had a wonderful celebration with both sides of the family. We did miss seeing Papa and Yada VanZandt (in Arizona), Uncle Kevin and Chris (in Michigan), Aunt Billie (in Florida) and Uncle Paeter, Aunt Holly and Asher (in Arizona too!) We love you!

Christmas Day

Christmas morning we have a tradition...the kids wake us up BEFORE peeking downstairs, we (Mom and Dad) go downstairs before the kids, get the video camera and digital camera ready, then let the kids come down the stairs to see the Christmas tree and presents beneath it. It's great to see the expressions on their faces! ( See Elli's face in the picture)

Before any present opening, we read through our Advent book which tells the story of the preparation for and birth of Jesus, so that our focus is right. This year we also sang 'Happy Birthday' to Jesus. Then we started with the stockings and the madness began! :P

I think Kaitlyn liked her new Webkinz! This is the whimsy dragon.

Zach and his new puppy (Webkinz, not real!)

Nathaniel seems QUITE pleased with his new Planet Hero.

Our little horse-lover, Elli, got several new horses...this one with a carrier!

Liah, loving her new dolly!

We went for Christmas brunch at my Mom and Dad's...here is Great Grandma Corbett and Great Papa Jim, along with my Dad and the 4 oldest kids. : )

Liah sporting her 'Baby's 1st Christmas' fuzzy bib...and sitting up so well! She's growing so fast!!!

It was a nice day, busy, but nice...we were all able to be together as a family!

Early Christmas Presents!

Grandma and Papa Corbett gave the kids early Christmas presents!

The girls got a trip to The Nutcracker at the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh.Here is Annie, Grandma and Kaity....Elli came too, but she was hiding behind Grandma! (Justus came too with Aunt Mandy...he was such a good little boy! Slept the whole time except when his Mommy woke him to feed him!)

The set of The Nutcracker. The picture doesn't do it justice!

Annie, Kaity and Elli...princesses at the ballet!


The boys got to play basketball at the YMCA as part of their Christmas present!

Here is Zach's team after their last game!

Here is Nathaniel in his basketball shirt....I know I took pictures while he was playing...just not the same week as Zach's...and I can't find them!!! Nathaniel missed his last game due to the stomach flu. But he really enjoyed playing...he was the highest scoring player on his team! (I'm sure his height didn't hurt!) Both of the boys loved spending some time on Saturdays playing basketball! Thanks Grandma and Papa for everything!