1 TO 10 AND BACK AGAIN

Luke is growing up so fast. He's continuing to develop his own personality, likes and dislikes and learning more and more every day.
This evening, I spent a few minutes watching videos that we'd taken of Luke in the past year. My heart ached a little bit when I realised how much in even just the past 9 months, Luke has grown and changed. Right before our eyes he has been changing from a little toddler into a big boy.
I keep thinking how much Kate has grown this past year, at such a rapid rate, like all babies do in their first year or two, but when I looked back at those videos, I realised that Luke has changed almost just as quickly. I hope that in the chaos of having a new baby and learning to be the parents of two children, that Jake and I haven't missed too much.

This is a video that we got about a week ago. I knew that Luke was pretty much able to count from 1 to 10, though I partly thought that he was just rambling it off from memory in the form of a song or rhyme... I didn't realize he was actually able to identify each individual number. To our amazement, he could not only count from 1 to 10, but he could count from 10 back to 1 again.
What a little smarty pants we have.

I love my big boy so much. He's funny and silly and smart, and even though he's getting so big, he's always going to be my baby.

I'M A BIG GIRL NOW

So I guess the title of this post is a little inaccurate. lol.
Today was Kate's 12 month check up, and she's still as petite as ever.

Weight: 17lb 11oz (8kg) - 5th percentile
Height: 28 inches (71cm) - 10th percentile
Head: 17.5 inches (44.45cm) - 25th percentile

She's walking like a pro now, and just into everything. We love it though... I never get tired of watching babies learning to walk. It's definitely one of my favourite milestones.

She's babbling a lot too, with her favourite 'sound' being 'dadadadada'... imagine that...a daddy's girl saying dadada! lol

She much prefers eating 'big people food' to anything pureed. In fact she's never really liked baby food, and I don't think she's ever going to be a vegetarian. lol. She seems to really like anything meat... pieces of grilled chicken, pork chops, ground turkey etc

She's a sweet little girl, and we love her so much


Here are a few pictures we took the other day of the kids playing in the sprinkler.
It was an impromptu play time while we were out doing yard work.. hence the lack of swimsuits. lol

KATE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY

Yesterday we had Kate's little birthday party. She celebrates her birthday in the same week as her little friend Scarlett, so we decided to combine their parties and have a dessert party together.
The decorations were all pink, and we had cupcake theme.

I think everything went really well. Now I have to spend the next few weeks working off all those delicious sugary calories :)

The Girls cute smash cakes

Cheesecake stuffed strawberries, cream puffs & Carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

Bite size cinnamon rolls

Bite size brownies

Chocolate dipped pretzel rods

A friend made this ball and Kate LOVES it

Scarletts cute family

Ready for their CAKE

 

 These next few pictures were taken today, on her actual birthday, when we opened a few more gifts with her after church.

 

Luke has really enjoyed the picnic basket toy

1 YEAR WITH MISS KATE

Dear Kate,

At this time a year ago, I was holding you in my arms for the very first time.
Your daddy, and your Gogga were with me in the delivery room, and we were all feeling very blessed to meet such a new, sweet little girl and have you as part of our family.
You were so alert, and just taking in all of your surroundings with those beautiful big eyes.


The past year has been wonderful. You've brought so much joy and laughter into our home.
You're a fiesty, but sweet little girl. You REALLY LOVE your daddy... a complete daddy's girl. And your daddy thrives on every minute that he is wrapped around your tiny little fingers. You get so ridiculously excited when he comes home from work everyday... no matter how hard his day has been, those excited giggles and 'longing' for him to come pick you up, seems to always make him smile.
You've recently learned to walk, and there has been no stopping you. You are on the go, and into everything, but so far you've been pretty good at listening when I tell you not to touch something. I am sure eventually you'll test the limits, but for now you're just a little cutie investigating the big world around her :)

You make us laugh so often with your sweet giggles, and silly faces, and your 'growl'...we're yet to catch the growl on camera... and I just LOVE your sweet, open mouth, wet kisses.

This year has gone by so quickly, and you're growing up 'too' fast... each stage is so exciting and although I wish you could be my 'baby' a little longer, I am enjoying watching you grow and develop into a beautiful little girl.

I love you so much sweetheart.
Happy Birthday

Love Mommy

KATES FIRST STEPS

Miss Kate took her first steps worthy of blogging about yesterday.

For the last couple weeks, she's periodically taken a step or two almost 'by accident', when she was distracted and didn't realize she was moving her feet. LOL. Any time she focused on moving, she'd chicken out and drop to her knees rather than take a step.

Yesterday however, she took multiple steps in a row and has been doing it again today.
I can't believe she's going to be a walker soon. She was a newborn just the other day. This first year really does go by quickly.

In just a few weeks, we'll be celebrating her 1st birthday.

JUST AN UPDATE

It's been a while since I've blogged, so I thought I'd post about a few recent events in the kids lives.
Kate turned 10 months old earlier this month, (she'll be 1 in just 7 weeks... CRAZY).
She also got her first 2 teeth a little while ago with the next few trying to make their way through.
She's standing on her own, and continuing to cruise furniture around the house. I borrowed a walker toy from a friend this past week, and she's loving it. She's like a little grandma walking around with her walker. She hasn't quite mastered turning it yet though. LOL, so once she hits whatever is in front of her, then thats it... she doesn't go anywhere with it until you turn it around and face her in another clear path. LOL. Silly girl.
She's so funny. She is a real babbler these days, with LOTS to say, and if you don't give her enough attention, then she growls at you. Literally GROWLS. haha.
She cracks us up.
She's still the ultimate daddy's girl. (I think Luke is more of a mommy's boy right now)
She's also realized that she can let out a high pitched screech which we mostly hear when Luke is bothering her. It's not the most pleasant sound, and brings a whole new meaning to the term 'screams like a girl' lol

Luke just amazes me so much lately.
He's continuing to learn more and more words all the time and his language skills are improving at a very good speed.
We bought him a bicycle a little while ago and he's mastered it. In fact he's a bit of a danger boy on it. LOL
Because its been so hot, the bike hasn't yet been outside, so while it's still clean, we've been allowing him to ride it up and down the hall way. Our floors are all laminate wood, so they're smooth, and he's discovered the ability to do sharp sudden turns, or go round and round in small sharp circles until he falls off. BOYS! :)
He's getting to be so smart. He knows all of his colours, and he's learning his numbers too.
We're really enjoying how much more we can communicate with him now too.
About a month ago he started telling us when he was done having a melt down. haha.
If he gets mad about something, he starts to cry and have a tantrum, and then a few minutes later he'll come to us and say, "all done crying", and then he stops. It definitely works for us, that he realizes the need to stop, and actually does it. LOL.
He's sooooo bossy. A real BIG brother. He bosses Kate around all the time. lol. That's usually when her 'girly scream' comes out.
He's been doing so well in nursery at church, and 4 weeks ago I started taking him to the childcare facility at the gym we go to, so that I could work out a few days a week. I thought for sure he'd go crazy if I left him there. Day 1, was a bit rocky, but by the 2nd day he was Mr Cool and Calm... now he loves going and walks right in and finds some toys or kids to play with. I've been going 3-4 times a week, so its become sort of routine for the kids I guess. Kate is taking a bit longer to learn to 'like' going. She still cries when I leave her, but she's getting better and better everyday.
It's been a great break in the week where I can take an hour out for myself, and get a good workout in. I've been doing classes, because that way the instructors can kick my butt into shape, and I don't have to rely on my own motivation (which I have little of)... it's been a great feeling pushing myself in the classes to keep up. The downside is that I feel like I spend more time in sweaty work out clothes, than I do showered and 'looking good'. lol. I've even started to just run my errands straight after a work out to save time and gas money, so I'm a sweaty mess out in public. LOL. Lets hope that in a few months, the results of my hard work will show. :)

10 months old and BEAUTIFUL

Little trouble maker...always into something. lol

My Cuties.

Look, NO HANDS :)

Little Granny with her Walker

Mr Smarty pants showing us that he knows his colours (note how the cups are colour matched with the letters in them...all his doing)