Merry Christmas!

Sammy Wobbling...I Mean Walking!

Original Video - More videos at TinyPic

A Very Silly Belated Birthday Video for Josh!

Original Video - More videos at TinyPic


Sorry, I forgot to post this video on your birthday, Josh, but we did take it the day before and remembered that you turned 3 years old!! Wow! The big 3! We are also sorry about all the nose picking in the video. Alex has been very, very silly in front of the camera lately. He doesn't want to look at the camera (you'll notice he keeps trying to see the Today show playing on the tv) and does silly stuff when we try to get him on tape. Oh, well. He's a boy just like you so you'll understand!! We might even try to get him to say hi and happy bday to you again since he can say it so much better than he could 2 weeks ago. Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG GUY! WE MISS YOU!

Freestyle Sledding

What do we do when we are snowed/iced in for the day?
PLAY!

Waiting Out the Storm

Hey Pa let's hide! (Alex can't say Grandpa yet so he calls him Pa)

Grams got Sammy to sleep yesterday while Jen and I took Dad out Christimas shopping for Mom. He snuggled right into the beanbag chair until I got home!

Alex was on his 3rd bowl of soup. Doesn't his mother ever feed him?

Goin' Sleddin'

Come on Mommy go faster.....

This was the boys' first time sledding, so they were figuring out how to balance and stay on...we had a few spills!

They had sooo much fun!

Go Grandpa Go!

A Few Days in Iowa

Well, the boys and I flew the coop for a few days and drove to Iowa again. It seems as though the trip gets shorter each time we drive it. Anyway, Ryan has to be at church half of the nights of the week for contata practice so we thought this was the perfect time to go to mom's for a few days. So far it has been too cold outside for Alex to spend much time playing out there. Today it was a chilly 6 degrees when the boy ventured outside to help Pa (as he calls dad) shovel the driveway for a whole 15 min. That's as long as I would let him stay out in this weather. He had a blast, and Sam watched from the window longingly. Poor Sam, but it is much to cold for him to be out there. Maybe if it warms up...

A mini man with a mini shovel.

Please, mommy, let me come out!

This pic was taken after he figured out that he could throw the snow onto his head with his own shovel!

Happy boy, though he must stay inside.

Tidbits

Sam has become a messy eater. Can't somebody teach the kid some manners? Actually his problem is that ever since he tasted his Grandpa Dwight and Uncle Cody's delicious Thanksgiving meal he has not wanted anything to do with Baby food. Apparently baby food has been deemed for the birds. So, I just chop up anything we eat that he can either gum or sort of chew with his 4 little teeth and he goes to town! He loves it. But it is very Messy. Here are some pics of Sammy eating one of his new favorite snacks, the teething biscuit. These are probably the messiest snack known to the toddlers of the world. I mean really messy. By the end of this snack it is usually in his hair, ears, neck, and every fold of his upper body. He usually only gets these on bath days. That kind of messy!





The Polar Express, better known as "Choo-Choo" Movie, has become the new favorite here. Alex wants to watch it all the time. And when it finishes he wants to start it again. ("'Gain, 'gain!"is heard between the tears as the tv is turned off!) Alex knows many of the lines he can say along with the Conductor like "All aboard!", "the North Pole" etc. (The Alex version of those words anyway!) We all love the Hot Chocolate song, but Alex especially loves to dance to the Polar Express song closer to the end of the movie.

Sam's 9 Month Photo Shoot

Poor Sam has to suffer from my "Second Child Syndrome," evidenced by the fact that his nine month photos were taken 4 days after he turned 10 months!! But, though I was late in getting it done I was determined to do it, so we went last night. I really wanted a pic of the two boys together, if we could get them to sit still long enough. So I picked out clothes for Ryan and I that coordinated with the boys in case we needed to sit with them to get them to stay put! And then I thought, well if we are going to be dressed for it we might as well get a family pic done as well! So, Sammy then had to share his photo shoot with the whole fam!! I don't think he cared. The boys did really well. We got several good shots--and only had to make minor fools of ourselves getting them to look at the camera! I wasn't completely thrilled with the camera lady. I kept asking her for more casual and updated poses and she kept putting us in the same traditional pose. And she had a real problem getting the picture centered. Oh, well. I am just glad to have pictures where everyone is looking at the camera and even smiling!! And yes, Grandparents, I did get the CD of the photos so that we can make you whatever copies you want of whichever poses you like best.

Pancakes for Breakfast Are Well Worth the Effort!

Alex waiting patiently--with the help of the Disney Channel and his blankies!






Sammy not waiting so patiently--about to pull all of the diapers and pull-ups out of the cupboard.

Lick-your-lips good!

Sam can now finish off a whole pancake without a problem!

This boy has been known to inhale 2 adult sized pancakes in about 5 min.!

The "my belly is full" look!

This one gets sleepy on a full belly...but just give him a few minutes and he'll catch his second wind!

This was right before he said, "Mmmm, that's good!" So cute!

Let it Snow!

There really isn't that much snow outside, but enough for my boys to have some fun in! In fact, both kids cried when it was time to come in!

Oh, So Sam

Well, Sam has his 9 month check up yesterday and was proclaimed healthy and strong! He is now 23lbs. and 31.5in. (that's in the 90th percentile for his weight and the 100th percentile for his height.) He's been growing like a weed! Here are some of the big things going on in Sammy's little world lately:

1. Sam is trying all kinds of new foods. This morning he ate half a pancake (yes, mommy puts a dab of syrup on it. duh. who likes dry pancakes!) and a slice of peach. He also loves bananas and teether biscuits--very, very messy.

2. He's not walking yet, but we give it a matter of mere weeks. He cruises along the furniture really quickly now and lets go to see how long he can balance all the time. Now he just has to get brave enough to take the first step.

3. He loves the bathroom. If the door is left open he bolts for it. He would love to spend hours in there playing in the toilet or tub or cupboards if mommy would let him.

4. Sam has the same LOVE for baths as his older brother. As soon as the bath water starts running he starts to almost shake from excitement. And oh the tears when the water is gone!

5. Sam already thinks brother is the best of the best. He watches Alex's every move and wants to be by him all the time--if only the feelings were mutual more of the time....:-)

6. From the majority of the pictures above you might think the child never wears clothes---of course he does, but he fights tooth and nail when you put them on him. And he LOVES it when he has no clothes on. He laughs and crawls around all excited! I'm worried that he may be my toddler who routinely strips and streaks....

7. He has started bee-boppin' to music. So cute.

8. Sam is cuddly. When I get him from his crib in the morning he buries his head in my shoulder and snuggles.

9. Sam plays by himself really well. One toy can entertain him for hours.

10. He is already as much "all boy" as his brother. For instance, if Ryan gets down on the floor to play or wrestle with Alex, Sam will jump right in. He crawls up on Ryan with no fear. He wants in on all the guy action. He also already knows that you are supposed to take toy cars and move them back and forth on the ground. It's All Boy at our house!

Alex's Antics

Here's a little update on the Alex boy. He is now 2 years and 4 months old. He is so tall that he is often mistaken for a 3 or 4 year old. Alwx is, how do I say this...a very passionate being! He is either very very happy or very sad. It's all black and white with Alex. He has a huge smile that reaches all the way to his dark eyes. He is a joy to our family and we are glad God gave him to us! Here are a few of the big things in the little man's life lately:

1. He just started using the potty and has had 4 successes already! With our crazy schedule we are taking a pretty relaxed approach, but so far so good! He wears pull-ups and especially loves the night-time ones with Woody and Buzz on them.

2. He knows the entire alphabet and the numbers 1-10 in and out of order. When we go to Walmart he spends most of the time pointing out letters and numbers and is now really into "reading" books again.

3. His favorite foods are tomato soup ("suuuu"), peas ("pea-a-peas"), french fries ("ffffriiiiies"), apples ("a-peeee"), peaches ("peacheeez"), and cheese puffs ("pufffffff").

4. He says many of his words like this: car- "car-a-car", or slide- "slide-a-slide"

5. He loves to show off how fast he can run and with run around the house yelling "go, go, go"

6. His new favorite movie is Polar Express, better known to him as "choo-choo" movie

7. He has a little Disney Cars cell phone on which he has entire conversations. He even takes pictures of himself by turning it around, pushing the button, and saying "cheese!"

8. He loves to color, paint, do stickers, use playdough, use glue, and anything else crafty he can get his hands on.

9. He loves all physical activity. He never stops running, climbing, jumping, playing, from the second he wakes up until the minute he goes to bed. oh, or talking either.

10. He is all boy all the time. Here is a story to illustrate: We were outside and there was a little bug on the arm of the swing. He is fascinated with bugs right now so he was watching it and pointing and telling me "bug-a-bug!" with his little voice that sounds so cute and sweet. I was enjoying the nice moment of the wonder of a sweet toddler when he pounded down on the bug with his fist and looked at me with this face of "well, he's a gonner." All Boy to the core.

Some People Say...

Some people tell me that Sam looks just like Alex. Others say they look nothing alike.
Personally I see a few similarities--enough that they definitely look like brothers, but they sure don't look exactly alike to me!

And I don't think Sam looks anything like Alex did at this age. Here are pics of both boys at 9 months old.
You can decide for yourself!


Sam, 9 months old

Alex, 9 months old

To Iowa and Back Again!

Last weekend my folks came to my house to stay with my boys overnight so that Ryan and I both could be at the teen all-night marathon our church hosted. (for pics of that follow the blog link to the left for Community Bible Youth) They stayed until early Monday morning and then Alex, Sam, and I went back to Iowa with them for a few days before the snow flies and it gets harder to travel. We have had a fun time shopping, playing outside, making Christmas decorations, visiting with Nate, Heather, and Cole, and hanging out together. In about 2 hours I will drive the boys back home--how time flies when you are having fun!