Claire - 5 Months

Claire is 5 months old and I do not know where these last 5 months went? I feel as if in the blink of an eye our baby girl went from little tiny infant to a babbling 5 month old who eats rice cereal and sits in a bumbo. She has rolled over a lot but not on a consistent basis. Her reflux is still in full force but she smiles through all her spit-up. I think she’s starting to really recognize who Mom and Dad are because she grins from ear to ear when either one of us walks in the door. She is a very happy baby and we are truly blessed!

Schedule

7:30am – awake and 8oz bottle

9:00am – cereal

9:30am-11:00am – nap

11:30am – 6oz bottle

1:00-2:45 – nap

3:30 – 6oz bottle

4:30 – 5:00 nap

5:30 – cereal

6:30 – 7oz bottle

7:00pm – lights out until the next morning (YES, we have a sleeper on our hands)

She devoured the rice cereal for the first time as if she had been eating it for months. She then wanted nothing to do with it for a few days and is now back to enjoying it. I hope we don't have a picky eater on our hands! 

Who can resist that adorable smile!

Elliott - 32 Months

Elliott seems to have moved out of the terrible two's...kind of. Don't get me wrong, he still has his normal toddler tantrums and certainly still knows how to press our limits. The limit testing has just moved to a more strategic plan rather than just screaming for what he wants.

Take for instance the simple request of asking for milk (the kid drinks a lot of milk so we have to limit his consumption a little). Elliott used to just scream and kick when we told him no. Now he’s learned to ask with such a sweet little voice “can I have just a yi-ttle bit of milk, Daddy?” No, you can’t. “Can I have just a yi-ttle bit? Just a yi-ttle. I promise.” How do you say no to that?

Some other conversations:

Dad: Good-bye Elliott. I’ll see you when I get home tonight.

Elliott: Ok. Have a good day Daddy. I love you.

Dad: Thanks. You too.

Elliott: Drive carefully. (Are you kidding me. What 2.5 year old worries about how you drive?)

Mom: Ok Elliott. I’m going to leave for work.

Elliott: Awe, but I didn’t give you a hug and a kiss (shrugging his shoulders and putting his hands in the air).

Responding to Claire’s crying: It’s ok Claire. We are right here. You don’t have to cry.

After stepping on mom’s toe: Oops sorry for stepping on your toe Mommy.

Mom: It’s ok.

Elliott: Are you ok Mommy?

He has a nasty cough and runny nose right now. He’s always bringing over a Kleenex and asking me to blow his nose. When I’m done he says “Thank you for blowing my nose, Mommy.” Such a sweet boy! 

My much wiser and older sister once said "Don't worry so much about raising a good kid that your forget you already have one." SO TRUE! 

Helping Dad with the Christmas tree

Writing his letter to Santa 

Meeting Santa at the Ankeny Prairie Ridge Aquatic Center 

Thanksgiving

We had a Thanksgiving holiday filled with family. Pops, Mimi, Ab, Drew, Kat, K'Lyn, Aaron, and Addison all came over to our house on Thursday for the traditional Thanksgiving meal. Most of the day was spent watching Addison and Elliott roughhouse and pick out the toys they wanted from the piles of Black Friday ads.

On Saturday we made the 1 mile trip to Ab and Drew's house and had Thanksgiving there with Mom, Jeff, and Megs. Drew is a much better cook and it thoroughly showed with a text the day before asking everyone their choice of steak, pork, or chicken. What is this? A fancy wedding? At our house you will eat turkey and like it! :)

Pops and Mimi giving Mom and Dad the morning off 

The boys coloring 

I want this and this and this and this for Christmas 

Future Bob Ross's
"And we'll put a little tree up here next to the log cabin"

One of few family pictures 

Cousin Love 

Don't let them fol you, they aren't always this innocent looking 

Aunt Meg with her nieces