11 months!

 

Wow!  The last of our "monthlies".  I can't believe in one short month she will be a year!  Where has the time gone?  This last month has been a big one with walking, more talking, and just a noticeable difference in understanding.

 I know I'm biased but I think she's stunning.  I love when she first wakes up and she stretches and puffs up her belly.  So cute.  I tickle her and she laughs and laughs. 

 So Big and Peek a Boo are favorite games...

 These guys...they make every day an adventure. 

  Best big brother award goes to this guy.  From making sure her room is ready for her naps to building block towers especially for her to tear down, he is so sweet to her.

 Although I'm a little misty eyed that Sister has grown so quickly, this guy reminds me everyday that big kids are fun too and that the relationship just gets stronger and deeper. 

Our family is complete and I am so happy.  I couldn't imagine any better way to spend my days than with these two crazy kiddos.  Have a great week friends and family!

 

That's Amore!

 

I love it when a holiday falls on a Saturday!  Especially when it's one of my favorites and Best would not have a day off otherwise.  Peanut and Sister and I had lots of fun getting ready for the party in the basement and I was so pleased at how patient Peanut was when we told him that the party would be after resting time.  My thoughts were that while both kids were resting Best and I could add the balloons and games for a surprise.  Peanut only knew that we were having sandwiches and cookies.  It actually worked out great, and he was so excited to play the little paddle ball game with the party plates.  I think we may keep this one in our winter activity rotation!

 

Heart shaped sandwiches and cookies and those little Necco hearts were on the menu...

 

Best offered to change into red for the party but I told him he could be the contrast...he's so good to help me with these little shin-digs...

 

Speaking of good help, Best was in charge of making the clues for Peanut's scavenger hunt and he outdid himself!  He is really good at stuff like that.  They all rhymed and had Peanut running around the house like crazy!  It was so fun and the funny thing is I don't think we even mentioned to Peanut that there would be a surprise at the end. 

But there was...and it was chocolate, and he was stoked about it!

It was a tiny box with 3 different pieces in it and he loved it.  Sugar overload!

Finally Sister woke up to join the party.  I had actually made her a matching Valentines dress and headband but she was so warm in her winter jammies that I just threw on the headband and a Valentines bib and she was good to go! 

So sweet these two.  I'm already getting excited for the father-daughter dance.  Do they even still have those?

Peanut claims her as his own Valentine. Smile.

Here we are playing "Cupid's Arrow" where you shoot qtips into a target with paper straws.  A bit tricky but once he got it he had some amazing shots!

  The after-party...otherwise known as sugar-coma.

It was the best Valentine's Day I've ever had.  Just good family fun in the comfort of our own home.  My husband did surprise me with a very generous gift and I appreciate it so much.  His love and devotion to our family is my gift everyday. Hope you had a love filled holiday too.  Have a great week friends and family!

 

 

February Fun

 

 

We aren't even halfway through the month yet and it seems like we've done so much!  It's still cold, but we have had a few warm-ish days that we have been able to get out and we have soaked up the sun when we can.

We began the month celebrating the news of 6 more weeks of winter.  Yes, I said celebrating... ahem...well, Peanut is at least.  I asked him why he was so excited about it and he replied "So I can play outside in the snow with my Dad!"  Ok, well I'm pretty sure your Dad is just as much fun in the warm sunshine but who am I to question...

And then a few more days in to the month this little princess decided to start walking!  She started off at the end of last month with a few steps here and there, but now she can walk across the room.  When she wants to of course.  She likes to take a few steps, scream happily and clap, take a few more steps, and continue the pattern until she loses her balance.  It's the cutest.  I had to look back in Peanut's baby book to see when he really got going.  It was the same age down to the week! 
 Speaking of Peanut, he is growing too fast.  I mean, I love it but I just wish I could bottle these moments and conversations.  Like our nightly card games by the fire when Daddy's working late after Sister goes to bed.  He's so funny.  He IS a gracious winner and loser but has also found a way to circumvent his occasional defeat.  If I win he just says, "Well Mom, I was on your team so I won too.".  I had told Best about this and we laughed the other night when right before we started a game of Chutes and Ladders Peanut informed us, "I'm on both of your guy-es teams."  What a character.

 We are gearing up for Valentines Day as well.  We did our V page in the letter book this morning and Peanut was excited to find clip art of Volcanos and Vultures.  I will admit to going straight to the computer on this one.  I mean, I'm not sure what kind of magazines you need for vulture pictures but I'm pretty sure it's not Parents and Family Fun.  Here he is doing "5 Little Valentines" with Sister.  He told me he gave her the prettiest one.  That made my heart happy. Inside that box are pumpkins, turkeys and reindeer as well.  So as we finish he asks me if I have made him Easter chickens yet.  Um, Easter? chickens?  It's not even Valentines Day yet!

 I do love Valentines Day.  Peanut and Sister have both received Valentines gifts in the mail from both sets of Grandparents and here he is happily working on ones to send to them.  He loves to work the tape dispenser. 

Tomorrow at school He will be passing out Valentines:

 What kid doesn't like a sugary sweet Kool-Aide and a heart shaped crazy straw?  Crazy and cool just like my boy. And we made a little something for our teachers too.  Because we love them so.

 

We had some fun playdates this month too.  I'm usually way too busy gabbing with the moms and messing with kids to get the camera out but I'm glad I did this day.  These guys were having so much fun.  A pair of whacky older brothers and the sweet little beauties...

 

 

And finally, after making some dresses for Sister I couldn't help but think she needed some coordinating bloomers.  Here she is rummaging through the toy basket in them.  I love her little ruffled behind.  I think I'll make some more...Smile.

The Big TEN!

She's smart, she's funny, she's beautiful, and she's ours.  Here's a look at our little lady:

 

 

 Her "Duck Face".  This one cracks brother up every time.  She's my babycakes, her Daddy's little angel, and Brother's best friend. Happy ten months to you Sister, love Mommy.

Bowling's for Big Boys

Last week we went bowling. A new experience for Peanut! Best and I hadn't been in about 3 years either so it was pretty new to us all.

The day started off right with a couple of nice occurrences: in the lane next to us was another family with young bowlers having fun, the bowling center had 5# balls, and the 5# balls just happened to be Peanut's favorite color!  The little boy next to us was also using a 5 pounder and Peanut was so happy to have this in common and remarked that this meant they were "on the same team."  He loves making new friends. 

The approach...

 He tried out several different methods. The one pictured below incorporated a sort of hop...

 He either turned right around and ran right back to us or stayed in this position until the ball reached the pins.  Which was a long time let me tell you. 

  Sister watching like a hawk.  She doesn't miss a beat and was celebrating right along with us. 

 And as you can see here we were celebrating family fun, not our scores...

 Here is the little friend from the lane next to us.  Peanut was very friendly and showed good sportsmanship although he did tell me repeatedly that his ball was "going faster than that boy's." Smile.

 Speaking of teams... Here's mine and they're winners in my book. 

 

 And by the way, I'm not one to give bowling advice, but...if  you want to get good you should go more than once every three years!  Have a great week friends and family!