This Never Gets Old To Them...

Merry Christmas From The Akins

This year Miss Callie Rae, or Miss Akin as she likes to be called, has grown up quite a bit. She is now talking non-stop and is curious about everything. She keeps us all in check, She goes to school at the Morgan Center and she loves it. She loves her teachers and the kids in her class and she loves helping to take care of the special needs kids and babies. She loves her brother more than anyone but she doesn't hesitate to yell at him, spank him, or put him in time out. She tells him "I am your mommy too Cade." She likes watching Dora, Barney and The Wiggles, reading books, driving her car, gymnastics, playing outside, talking on the phone, playing with the Iphone, putting on make-up, swimming, the beach, pretending she knows what is going on watching football games, going out to eat, riding the train at the park, and being on the go. She remembers EVERYTHING and can give you a tour of the town saying when she went places and what she did there.

Cade has made tremendous progress this year as well. He is so excited to finally be able to communicate with us as he has picked up several signs. He was found to have moderate hearing loss in the right ear and now sports a hearing aid. He goes to public school half days and to the Morgan Center for the other half. He has speech, physical and occupational therapy twice each per week. Cade still enjoys fruit snacks, riding Grandpa's lawnmower, riding in Callie's car with her, any type of water play but especially swimming, dancing, playing outside, wrestling with his daddy, grandpas and uncles, playing with Callie and his cousins, driving Callie crazy, and sleeping between his mom and dad. He is the most affectionate kid in the world and will give you a hug and kiss whenever you ask for it and even when you don't. He is still a crazy little, easily excited, wrecking ball but has had increased focus and attention this year. My little boy is growing up!

Shane is still working for Geofill Material Technologies based out of Floresville. He does sales/estimating for commercial insurance restoration and renovation work and his job requires him to travel a few days per week. He enjoys many hobbies such as golf, gambling, hunting, and most recently has added riding his Harley.

I am still working full time at the birthing center at Christus Santa Rosa and have started taking on more responsibilities this year. I never get tired of helping bring babies into the world. I am into do-it-yourself projects and I try not to pay full price for anything. I still love taking pictures but have fallen behind on my blogging (as you know.) My job as a mommy keeps me pretty busy!

2010 was a rollercoaster for our little family. We started the year with the loss of our precious niece and cousin, Rachel. I still think about and miss her everyday. I am grateful that it has worked out for my sister and Emily to live in New Braunfels this year because I feel like we have really needed each other. We see them on an almost daily basis. It is also no secret that Shane and I have struggled in our relationship but I am happy to report we are working on that as well. We hope that 2011 has more ups than downs for all of us. We hope to move this year, see more progress with Cade, get our kids to sleep through the night and stay in their own beds, save more money, live smarter, healthier, and happier. We thank everyone for their prayers, support and friendship as we have had to be stronger than we ever thought possbile. We wish everyone a happy and blessed new year!

With Love-

The Akins

Akin Christmas

Callie and Cade got a new horse.

Banks is telling stories about his Grandpa Froggie

I'm not sure what I'm going to do when they have a child of their own... they are so much help at times like this!

Callie helped Meemaw unwrap her gift

If you can't tell by now, these kids are incredibly loved and incredibly spoiled! We had a great Christmas!

Beautiful Faces On Christmas Morning

Santa came to visit us!

I took as many pictures of Shane's beard as possible so he could see how terrible it looks. He was trying to win a bet.

Krug Christmas

The kids of course enjoyed some baby Allison time.

Bryson and Callie helped Cade sprinkle his reindeer food on the deck.

Cousins are the absolute best!

Callie loved her new backpack.

My mom got Cade some tumbling mats and he knew immediatelty what they were. He was flipping on them while they were still in the package.

Cade did so well opening gifts this year.

Love the Christmas PJs

Amy had these quilts made for us from Rachel's clothes.

Travis gave all the boys these flags that he flew on a combat mission over Iraq on the last day of operation Iraqi Freedom.

My Little Lambs

The kids were sheep in the Christmas Pageant at the Christmas Eve Mass this year. They were so cute!

Emily decided early on that this wouldn't be happening.

Cade crawled so fast that I missed him in the picture! He crawled halfway down and stood up and ran. Wasn't Nate a cute shepard?

Callie tried to squeeze between Mary and Jesus. She wanted to see that baby!

We let Cade go up for the group pic and put Nate in charge of him.

Poor Nate has known Cade a long time and he knew he needed to hang on to him. But Cade got so excited and knocked them both over and Nate's staff slammed loudly to the ground. We grabbed Cade immediatley before anyone could get hurt.

Meemaw and Pawpaw came to watch too.

Akin Christmas

Callie loves Uncle Bwane and Aunt Menan

You can't imagine the stories being told here...

Granny and her baby Blaine being a great husband and taking care of Meghan in the white elephant.

Cade just likes hanging out in the boxes...

And everyone say "cheese"

Meeting Baby Allison

I was so honored to finally get to be a part of one of Amy's deliveries. Michael was far away in the UAE but we were able to skype with him throughout the labor and delivery. My mom and I were her coaches (I'm sure she probably would have preferred more sympathetic people.) It worked out perfectly that Amy delivered at my hospital. It was so fun for me because I got to choose her nurses, her doctor, her room and everyone treated her extra special. I got to be much more hands on with the whole experience than I would have been at any other hospital. Haha Michael, you can't keep me out of the delivery room this time!

My newest niece! Isn't she cute? You can tell how much she already loves me!

I got to give the first bath!

Callie was THRILLED that Allison was finally out of Amy's tummy and that she got to come up to mommy's work and "work with the babies."

Another baby for big momma to take care of

Callie congratulated Emily on becoming a big sister