New Addition

Welcome to the world little Holden. His full name is Holden Thomas Walker. He was born on December, 18th, just a week before Christmas and he was the prefect little Christmas present. Our biggest baby yet, Holden weighed 8lbs 9oz (no wonder I was so uncomfortable). He is doing great and our family is excited about this new addition.

Our first family photo after meeting baby at the hospital.

Proud big brother.

In addition to taking care of baby, we are still trying to keep up

with a super hero...

and a tiny dancer!

My favorite kiddos...

World's Fastest Unwrapper

MY Cupcake! Why you touch my cupcake...

Wrapping Me around Her Finger

Birthday Treat Time

I wish, I wish, I wish...

Max with the ladies on his birthday

Soccer King

Easter Day

Busy Little Bee

Waking up

Best Buds

Tiny flirt

Hip Hopper

I'm One!

Our Elle Belle had her first birthday last month and here are a few pics of the birthday girl on her big day (in reverse order). As you can see Elle loved her birthday cake. She wanted every last crumb and cried when I wiped off her tray because she was sad she couldn't eat those crumbs too. We love you Elle Marie and what a fun, albeit fast year it was.

Elle at one year:

1. She is a great eater. Just look at the pictures above. Some of her favorite foods are blue berries, pancakes, noodles, beans and chocolate. She often puts her toes on her tray during meal time too.

2. She talks a lot but we can't understand all her words. For the last couple of months she says "degupti" over and over and over again.

3. Elle started walking just before her first birthday and toddles all over the house with a baby doll under one arm and a match box car in her other.

4. Elle gives kisses now (mostly to the air) but gave her first kiss to Max when he was feeling sad and it cheered him :).

5. She is a mini with a lot of wild, curly hair. I put clips and bows in to tame it a bit but she thinks its her job to pull them out.

6. Elle puts her pointer finger to good use and it often pointing at something, someone or has it up her nose.

7. She is in awe of animals and calls almost all animals "woof woof."

8. Some of her favorite toys are doodling on the magna doodle, playing peek-a-boo in her princess tent and baby dolls but her favorites are remote controls and cell phones.

9. Elle loves to help unload the cupboards, unfold the laundry and empty my diaper bag. She loves to pull our shoes out of the closet and has been trying to put Corey's work shoes on. She also loves my glittery stilettos. Our shower is a new favorite hangout that I am trying to discourage.

10. She has a toilet obsession (unfortunately not potty training) but putting her hands and toys in the potty.

11. Like our Max, Elle loves to read books and some of my favorite moments during the day are of the three of us squished in the rocking chair pouring over silly, sweet, and sometimes spooky stories.

We love you Elle bug and your funny bunny ways!

Elle: 11 Months

Our Elle Belle is growing up so fast:
1. Her hair is out of control but oh so fitting.
2. She has four little teeth. Two up top and two below.
3. Elle wants to hold my hand and walk all day long. She won't bend her legs when I try to sit her down. I am really happy she isn't walking just yet. She is growing up too fast so I'll take her holding my hand even if she is just using me for balance.
4. She is a parrot and will try to imitate anything you say.
5. We may have finally met a match for Elle: Miss Famous. Super funny pairing. They are about the same size and equally full of it. Elle is enamored with the dog. Ever since their meeting she has been saying "woof woof."
6. She loves walking with the toy lawn mower but hasn't got the knack of turning just yet. Max gently helps her after she has hit a wall.
7. Elle can clap but isn't that excited about it but loves to shake her head "no" and thinks its really funny.
8. She inherited her Mom's sleeping habits. Great sleeper.
9. She is a good eater but is still a mini.
10. Elle waves hi and good bye although its backwards so she is waving to herself with her hand straight up in the air. The motion is really funny too, almost like milking a cow.
11. Elle erupts in short bursting screams to get your attention when she wants something. Usually it is more food.
12. She loves to pull herself up and smack her little hand against our glass doors and low windows. As a result I have a lot of little hand prints all over.
13. She loves to ride on her Daddy's shoulders and pull his hair. She will pull it so he has to turn around and look at her and then smiles and laughs.
14. She pulls all clips, bows, bands etc. out of her hair and throws it down or tries to eat it.
15. Elle puts everything in her mouth. We have pulled out all sorts of foreign matter such as decaying leaves, wood chips, aluminum foil, a miniature sleigh bell, paper, fuzz, and basically anything she can get her hands on. Once it is in her mouth, luckily, she won't try to swallow it right away but sees her mouth as a safe harbor and clenches her teeth and fights to keep her treasure.

We love her and watching her and Max play together is so sweet and rewarding. Hopefully it will last a little longer.

Overheard Tonight

Max is in the bath tub and I overhear...

Max: "splash, crash, watch out little boat, don't hit the boobies!"

Daddy: "Max, what are you talking about?"

Max: "The boat has to go super, super fast so it doesn't crash into the boobies."

Daddy: "What boobies Max?"

Max - pointing to several places in the water "here's a booby, and der's a booby, and the boat can't crash into tem - like on Little Einsteins."

Daddy: "Oh, you mean the boat can't crash into booby traps?"

Max: "Yep, it can't crash into boobies."

Also Overheard tonight...

Daddy repeats mumbling to Max over and over and Max says stop it Daddy several times.

Exasperated, Max walks up to Mommy, puts his hands on his hips, and declares: "Mom, Dad's bugging me!"

Max: Age 3-1/4

Nicknames: M.A.X., Monster Max, Little Man, Max Man, the Boy, Stinky Dinky, the Super Dup (doop), Monkey, and Maxy.

Max at three and a quarter:

1. Since Max turned three he has been infected with the silly bug and we can't get rid of it. Silly and goofy are the name of the game with Max. He likes to gently tease, make funny faces, and laugh uncontrollably.

2. Max really likes being around people and his little sister is no exception. Sometime he likes it a little too much and a little too close.

3. Max wants treats constantly. He thinks I'm a vending machine.

4. He is very proud that he can use the potty by himself.

5. Max has recently developed a phobia of being in bed by himself and after a few terrible weeks of waking his sister up in the middle of the night his bed is now in our room.

6. Max is a toy monger. He also thinks he need to take at least one toy with him everywhere we go.

7. He loves to read books and look for letters he knows on the pages.

8. He has a wonderful imagination and my bed often turns into a rocket ship blasting off into outer space or the closet is a hang out for monsters (nice ones) or a pool of snapping crocodiles.

9. Taking after his father, Max loves anything with wheels. The louder and more obnoxious the better.

10. Max is all boy but one of my favorite things about him is that he is very sensitive and aware of how people are feeling.

11. He wants to do things by himself. "Don't help me Mom" is a constant now.

12. I don't know anyone who doesn't like Max and vice-versa.

Max is wonderful company and it is no wonder Elle follows his every move.

Elle: Age 9 months

Nicknames: Elle Belle, Elle Bug, Little E, Baby Girl, Wee Marie, the Stritch Scratcher and Little Sweets

At 9 months:

1. Elle is crawling like lighting, eating anything she finds on the floor, and standing up and taking little steps while holding on to tables etc.

2. When Elle wakes up I walk into her room to find her in her crib standing on her bumper and smiling.

3. She loves to eat and is finally feeding herself finger food.

4. Her brothers toys are her favorite and she is often seen with a match box car in each fist.

5. Her hair is out of control and I don't do much to tame it.

6. Her pointer finger is always out scratching at something (hence the scritch scratcher).

7. For the past 6 months changing her diaper is like roping a calf.

8. She loves Max and is doing all she can to keep up with him.

9. Elle started saying Ma ma ma a few weeks ago and is now starting Da da da. Da da daddy is very pleased with this. She is still a screecher.

10. She is our little Houdini. She can work herself out of straps and restraints like nothing you've ever seen.

11. She is making up for her first 4 months of being a lousy eater and sleeper. She is so easy to put to sleep. She puts her thumb in her mouth, cuddles her lovey, and rolls over to sleep. So cute. She also loves eating although it doesn't show- she's mini.

12. She cut her first two teeth at six months and they are super cute.

13. Lately we've found Elle standing up looking at herself in the floor length mirror trying to eat her reflection.

14. Thing Elle hates most is having her face wiped clean.

15. She has to keep moving constantly when awake and is very aware of everything going on arond her.

We are all enjoying our baby girl and feel so lucky to have this beautiful little girl in our family.