10 months (and a week or so...)

Sarah's walking is improving daily, she walks about 50% of the time and crawls the other 50%. She's different from Jeremiah in that when she falls while walking, she goes straight to crawling, where J would get back up and start walking again. I'm really looking forward to when she starts walking full time, crawling is just so icky to me! She's also completely eating table food - no more baby food! For a little while I was worried because anything with texture would make her gag, but now she eats (for the most part) what we eat and she is doing great. She's also eating cow's milk yogurt and has had no adverse reactions so far.

Her 6th and 7th teeth are currently working on popping through, too. I cannot believe she'll be one next month. I'm hoping she'll be on whole milk not too long after that! She had her first ear infection (in both ears) this past week and that was not fun, poor baby girl. She currently weighs 20lbs 11oz and trust me, my achy arms feel it!



So big!



Jeremiah...hmmm.. I am struggling to figure out how we can go from laughing and having fun one minute to complete and total meltdown the next. Sometimes it feels like the house is only filled with laughter or tears, sometimes both at the same time! His speech is improving, sometimes he says the funniest things: "I'm doing something!" when you ask him to come here, or "I'm busy now!" He's an awesome big brother, whenever Sarah cries he brings her toys, even if he's the one who made her cry. Potty training...continues to be a struggle. It feels like a process that's going to take forever!

Uh oh...

So sorry that this is turned funny...but here we go!

Shawn predicts she'll be walking by the end of the week...she turns 10 months tomorrow.

Videos

We've been working with Jeremiah on 'proper' questions - he normally just asks for things like this: 'MILK! PLEASE!" His speech has really improved, and he can pretty much repeat anything you say, so we started working on the "May I..." questions. In this video he's asking: "May I have noodles please?" Plus he's majorly cute, and I cannot believe I got him on camera.


Sarah and J have been 'playing' lately. This morning I was amazed when I was able to make cookies and pear-applesauce while they played together. They do have to be at least minimally supervised, as you'll see:

This video makes me so happy because, finally, Sarah has found someone else that she loves to be around - her big brother. She still prefers me but this past Thursday at Mops, I suggested that if she wouldn't stop crying in the baby room, they could try putting her in with Jeremiah's class. They did, and she did great. It was the first time in several months that I didn't have to go and get her after 20 minutes.

The kids

I love them so, so, so much. They crack me up all the time.
Here they are playing on J's Spiderman couch.


Actually got J to sit still for a picture.


We've been skyping with Bubbie. So much fun!




Sarah - current likes: food, any kind. That means baby food, food she can have, food she can't have, food I'm eating, or even if I open the pantry she crawls as fast as she can to get in there. She also loves being around bigger kids, like Jeremiah, loves chewing on objects, eating paper, being held, her mommy, feeding herself, drinking water and spitting it out, yelling at the top of her lungs, doing things she's not supposed to and being an overall klutz, just like her mommy, see the bruise on her forehead?

Current dislikes: Having her clothing or diaper changed (it's like wrestling an alligator!), naptime if she's not ready, sleeping through the night, taking longer than a 2 hr nap, if you take something out of her mouth that she was eating, being put in any childcare, being away from mommy.


Jeremiah - current likes: sleep, the phrases: "Why" "Why Mom" "What" and "What mean" (as in what does that mean?), ignoring requests, milk, goats cheese, running, jumping, somersaults, being tickled, being chased, swinging high on the swings, digging in the sand, playing outside by himself, fixing things, helping mommy (see above), Caillou (Uhhhhhhhhhh) and cuddling.

Current dislikes: using the potty, being told it's time for a nap, being told no, the 'quiet game,' doing things when you ask him to, when you laugh and he's not (he thinks you're laughing at him, I think), getting hurt.

Visit from Dza Dza!

My Dad came to town from Wisconsin to thaw out and visit his adorable grandchildren.

Sarah liked him!


We visited the zoo...


J & Dza Dza figured out the cone things...


At the park J refers to as "MY PARK"


Had breakfast at the Farm @ South Mountain


I can't believe I actually got a pic of him looking at the camera. He's been downright hateful towards pictures lately.


This doll...HATED the leaves.


Dza Dza and J 'burying' themselves.


Swings at another park!


Watching what J calls "Car Show" (the movie Cars, not my favorite, but suddenly he loves it.)


Cute silly Sarah.


A couple videos:
Sarah and the walker


Sarah going down a slide!

I love Arizona in the winter...

Before the park pics...baby Sarah has been cracking me up with this face lately. (cute outfit courtesy of Grandma G for Christmas)


Those blue eyes are so gorgeous!


A little dirt never hurt anyone! Except maybe those pants. :(


She loved the little tunnel. She's getting so big - she climbed up the stairs and went in the tunnel all by herself. I was close, being nervous the whole time.


J had a great time, too. He fell and scraped his face about 30 seconds after we got there but recovered quickly.

Happy New Year!!

Shawn took off work New Years Eve so we decided to head to the zoo...totally forgetting that last year on 12/31, J & I were heading to the zoo when we were rear-ended. The reason J & I were going there last year was for the snow...and we found out there were TONS of people there for that same reason. We left after only an hour because it was totally crazy.

I had to take a picture of Sarah who left her hat on for more than 5 seconds.


J couldn't wait to drive the green tractor.


Playing at the little people farm.


New Years day we headed down to Grandma and Grandpa G's house. The boys fixed this little car.


Happy New Year! Praying 2010 is an amazing year for everyone.

Merry Christmas!

We had a lovely Christmas here. The morning started (after coffee was made) with Shawn reading the story of Jesus' birth.


Present time!



Our favorite presents - Shawn's Dad drew these from photos. Amazing! These pictures don't do them justice, really.



My present from Shawn, Sarah and J - a mother's ring. It's kind of funny - Jeremiah's birthstone is the pinkish one and Sarah's is the blue one.


After a lazy morning we headed to the park to feed the ducks.




Grandma and Grandpa G came over and we ate well - prime rib on the grill! YUMMY!



Little guy was all tuckered out after an exciting day.


Merry Christmas!


In other news, Sarah is 9 months old today! She's getting so big - today she took a couple steps on her own!! Oh man. J was walking by 10 months and the way she acts (very much like he did) I wouldn't be surprised if she was as well. She's getting better with food - she can feed herself things like pasta, bread, but if I give her small pieces of vegetables, meat, or fruit she gags on them. So she's still eating baby food for those, but she's doing okay. She loves to eat, that's for sure. Her check up is on Tuesday but I'm guessing she's 20lbs and 30". She's huge.

(Almost) Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Our archway in the house. I hung up the banner for a "Happy Birthday Jesus" playgroup we had the house and just left it up - a reminder of why we're really celebrating.

Every year, MOPs does a little program with the kids - they always sing "Away in A Manger" and "Jingle Bells." J...didn't do so hot.


"Baby's first Christmas" ornament from Grandpa Dan and Grandma Karen - thank you!


I'm going to patent this - my new baby containment device.


We took a trip to Grandma and Grandpa G's house (Or Buh-buh Buh-buh as J calls them!) J took Dusty for a walk.


And Sarah tried In & Out fries for the first time. She loved them!


This picture reminds me so much of J. A little blurry though, sorry.

So busy!

Life has been crazy (like I'm sure it is for everyone right now!) Bailey turned 3...


Sarah's top 2 teeth popped through. (J loves this photo, he says: "Saza laughing")


These two eat as many Cuties as humanly possible without turning orange.


They made me a stylish hat. (Jealous Jen?)


We saw SNOW! (Okay, shaved ice in a parking lot)



Date night!


A cute moment of sharing.


Happy birthday Jesus playgroup - making no-bake gingerbread houses...


And learning about Jesus being born.