Elias is TWO!

Happy Birthday, Big Boy!

Playing at the new sand table Daddy built him.

 

Below is a link to a video looking back over the last year.

 

Elias's Birthday Video

 

And if you're feeling really sentimental, here's his video from his first birthday.

 

Elias's Birthday Video - Year 1

 

Swimming Lessons

Elias started his second year of swimming lessons yesterday. He's doing great!

 



May 31st

May 31, 2014

Last year, we found out we were having another baby.

 

May 31, 2015

This year, we held the sweetest baby, and she is just what we needed.

 

Memorial Day Parade

Today, Elias's friend Allison invited him to be a part of her neighborhood Memorial Day parade.  Since we live in a small town, we knew most of the other families that participated in the festivities. The bigger kids rode their bikes but Allison and Elias rode in a wagon that they decorated.  Afterwards, we had a cookout with Allison's family. Events like this are one of the reasons we have come to love living in a small town.

Decorating their wagon with crepe paper and balloons

Ready for the parade to start

All of the kids lined up for the parade

Elias got his first sucker.  He liked it :)

 Good friends and post-parade suckers

Elias loves playing with his friend Allison.

We went home for naps and this evening our neighbor, Barb treated us to KFC.  We enjoyed it outside on her patio.  After dinner, we brought our full bellies to a cookout with friends where we socialized until bedtime.  It was a wonderful day of rest and friendship.

Playing in the Rain

I love these photos I took of Big Boy today.  His word revolves around construction vehicles right now.  He's always digging with his toy trucks, asking to go to campus to see the real construction vehicles, or reading his books about diggers and bulldozers over and over and over again.  The librarians know he checks out all the truck books and his friends' moms know he will always have his collection of construction vehicles nearby.

It was raining today so he and I put on old clothes and played out in the rain while Daddy and Mir-Bear stayed dry inside.  I showed him how water pours down from the gutters and it's a good place to fill his bucket and we stomped in the puddles and dug a lot of dirt. 

And then, of course, I took pictures.

Warmer Weather

Two weeks ago, on a Sunday afternoon, it hit 40 degrees outside so we headed out on our first walk as a family of four.

 

Big Boy decided to taste the snow all on his own.  His conclusion was, "Mmmm! Snow! Snack!"

He loves cars, trucks, and construction vehicles, but lately this front end loader has been his favorite toy.  He specifically asks us to find this one for him by saying, "Eeng! Eeng! Eeng!" which is one of the construction vehicle noises from one of his favorite books.

(By the way, please let me know if you see this exact front end loader in a store!  Momma and Daddy lost it last week and he still asks for it a couple of times a day).

After pushing his truck for a while, he decided to be the truck!

And this little lady enjoyed her walk outside with the family.

Big Boy and his front-end loader

My Big Boy could play with his front-end loader all day long.  Even when we aren't actually out in the snow, he's loading the bucket up with a pair of his small socks and telling me it's snow.  On this day, he spent 45 minutes happily loading his construction vehicle up with real snow and finding places to dump it.  He would have continued but it was time for dinner.

All dressed up for church

One Month Old

Miriam, you are one month old already! 

Your one month photo on the quilt that Momma made for you.

This month's post is mostly photos but here are a few notes about you so far:

• Some stats: You weighed 6 lb. 12.5 oz. at birth but were down to 6 lb. 2 oz. shortly after we left the hospital.  However at your 2 week appointment you were at 6 lb. 15 oz. and at your one month appointment you were up to 8 lb. 8 oz.!  You were 20 inches long at birth and 21 inches at your one month appointment.  You are doing a great job growing, Mir-Bear!
• You were born with beautiful birthmarks on your forehead, above your upper lip and on the back of your neck.
• You don't cry very much except if you are hungry and then it is very shrill.  You will also fuss when you are waking up or if you are cold.
• You sleep in your pack n play at night in our room. 
• At about 1 week old we noticed you slept better at night if you were awake for an hour in the evenings. At about 3 weeks old we noticed you needed awake time late morning and late afternoon sometimes in the evenings as well.            
• You needed to be held a lot at night in the beginning but you now go to bed around midnight and do 3 or 4 hour stretches at night!        
• You don't need to be swaddled and actual prefer to have your hands free and up by your face when you sleep.           
• You have not needed a pacifier yet.  
• You love warm baths and your brother continously pours water over you so you don't get cold.
• You don't mind tummy time unless you want to be held.
• You met Grandma Pegelow and Auntie Kim.

 

Your brother loved you immediately.  This was his second time visiting you at the hospital.

You and Momma right before you left the hospital.

You and big brother right after we arrived home from the hospital.

Big brother loves to entertain you.

Big Brother asks to hold you frequently and loves to give you hugs and kisses.

Snuggling with Grandma.

 

 

You love those hands right next to your head.

 

 

Our Little Valentines

 

Copying Momma

Baby Girl liked when I wiggled my tongue at her the other day (the day she turned 6 weeks old!).  She flashed me some pretty smiles and decided to show me her tongue in response.  I also noted that she raised her left eyebrow a few times which is the same eyebrow her big brother raises when he's amused.

 



Big Boy & Baby

There are so many pictures to post from the last couple of weeks but for now here is a favorite from today.  He sure loves his baby.