{9 months}

 How does Aiden feel about being 9 months old???

 Happy birthday little man!  You were quite the grouch today.  Two different photo shoots, 173 pictures later, and I got exactly 0 pictures of you smiling.

But every other day, you are just happy as can be.  You are SO much fun to be around.  You have the most contagious smile and laugh, and you do the cutest scrunchy face, complete with a snort.  We always try and caption what you're thinking when you make the "scrunchy face."  At 9 months, you have two teeth and practically no hair.  You pull yourself up to standing, crawl, and you love to eat.  I've started making you homemade baby food and you seem to like it.  Today, I gave you a little bit of chicken breast and you loved that too.  But you're a man, and all men love to eat.  Ava calls you "Mr. Man" and "buddy boo bear," and the rest of us call you a combination of those things.  I haven't taken you to the doctor lately (shame shame), but mostly because of the flu outbreak.. I don't want you to get sick at a "well check."  You are growing up so fast and have so much personality.  Your daddy and I said that if we had as happy babies as you, who knows how many we would end up with!  (joke)  You and Ava are the light of our world, and we cherish every moment we have with you.  We love you buddy!

be mine.

 We had a wonderful Valentine's Day!  James and I were just talking this afternoon about how incredibly blessed our family is to have so many people that love and care about our kids!  It was like Christmas today with all of the cards and presents.. and visitors! (THANK YOU!)  We are just hanging out at home tonight watching a movie and eating some pizza as a family :)  We hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day. 

 meemaw sent Ava a knock knock joke card.. she almost fell out of her chair laughing.  ohhh, Ava and her knock knock jokes :)

 (meemaw: Ava was tickled to see the Nemo sticker on her card!!)

 Dr. Daddy and Dr. Love :):)

in[recovery]

 It's been a challenging week in our house!  A week ago today, I went and visited an ENT, who took one look at my throat and decided I needed to have my tonsils out immediately.  He warned me the surgery is harder on adults than it is on kids and said I would be "down" for a week.  Boy, am I!  On Friday, I had the surgery and it has been a rough time since.  My wonderful parents and amazing husband have been more than helpful with the kids, and I really can't thank them enough!  

Speaking of the kids.. Ava has been busy entertaining herself with her vast collection of "babies" (stuffed animals), who travel everywhere around the house.  Today, I found them ALL napping in my bed :/

 And little man.. wow, has he grown!  On Monday, he looked like he was trying to pull himself up to sitting.. but by nightfall he was not only pulling himself up to sitting, but pulling himself up to his knees and climbing on things!  I told James it was definitely time to lower his crib, and we did so just in time, because Tuesday I went in and he had pulled himself up to STANDING in his crib!  It's time to hit the emergency stop button on this baby.. I'm not ready for these things!  So today, I'm baby gate shopping online :/

post-op, rocking the ice bag!  never again!!!!!

just another day!

 oh hi blog friends! we're just hanging out at home.. playing, chewing on stuff, making messes!

 and you see, i've got these two teeth now..

 and i'm also 8 months old!

 and even though she pokes me, pinches me, and tries to pick me up.. i have a pretty cool sister

mommy tried to capture it, but you see.. i've traded in turtle face for this scrunched nose/snort/pig sound that's really cute and makes everyone laugh!

man on the move

 Little man is on the move!!!!  What does that mean for us, exactly?  Keep your stuff of the floor (ahem.. Ava) or he'll find it.. and most likely eat it!

who me?

he crawls + 2 teeth! oh my!!

 january 14, 2013

buddy crawled for the first time

every day since..

I've had my hands full!

 hanging out with great aunt kathy "meeth" :)

what a beautiful smile ^ on a beautiful little girl!

 kisses for papa!

 how fast they grow :(

crawling AND two teeth?  I'm in trouble!!

alex in da house!

 Thursday we were in the house.. the roundhouse, to be exact, to watch my cuz Alex play basketball for Manhattan HS vs. Blue Valley West in the umpteenth annual McPherson Invitational.  Cool stuff!