Peek A Boo

Playing Nicely

Had to play with the color saturation of the baby blues in this one!

I was finally able to get a picture of Hazels two teeth, on the bottom front. They have really broken through and it is so cute when she eats Cheerios and Goldfish. She puts them right on top of her two teeth and crushes them before she mashes the rest up in her mouth with her gums. So smart already!

With a face like this, he must be an angel, right?!?

I tried for an hour to get a picture of the two of them sitting beside each other, both smiling at the camera. This is the best I could get.


Sometimes Gus plays so nicely with Hazey, he makes me so proud.

But... Take Cover Hazel!!! Look out behind you!!!!! Other times he plays like this, and I am quickly reminded that he is only 2.

My little walrus. Must have felt good on her little gums to chew on this bracelet. The neckline of her shirts are always completely saturated with drool lately so I am sure more teeth will be arriving soon.

She was so tired after a long day of playing that she just crashed, toy in hand.

It has been a little while since my last post, but we have been very busy. I finally had my first full week of classes at all three schools last week, and realized that this semester is going to be challenging. But, I am certain I can do it. It helps that I love teaching, if I didn't enjoy my job, I have no idea how I could handle this many course sections! Josh is settling into his new position at the YMCA, and we are getting used to the demands it requires.

The kids and I went back to Iowa last weekend for my Grandpa Kennedy's 80th birthday party. It was nice to see not only my immediate family, but most of my extended family were able to make it back to the party as well. I didn't get any pictures taken though. Josh had to stay back in KC for work, so my hands were pretty full the whole time.

The kids have been great. Healthy, barring colds, and amazing me every day. Gus says the smartest things sometimes, and is often too smart for his own good. He has his new bifocal lenses now and since he got those this week, he is refusing to take off his glasses! In the tub, bedtime... whenever I try to take them off him he says, "No I can't see" so obviously he is recognizing just how much they really help him. Miss Hazel screams ALL the time. Right now it is cute, but I am certain it will ware quickly on us. She figured out stair steps this week, much to Josh's surprise one morning this past week! So it is time to put all the baby gates back up.

We took the kids to the pool at a really nice YMCA in the area on Friday night and watched a movie with Gus when we got home. Yesterday we relaxed and today we went to church and ventured to Sam's Club for the first time. Pretty cool place.

It sounds like KC could get another pretty big storm early this week, but I really hope my classes aren't cancelled. We are already behind from the first few weeks of having so many snow days.

Videos

Crawling!

Sneaking a drink of mommy's soda.

Cold Fun!

Mommy had to work one evening last week and when she got home, daddy, Gus and Hazel had built a cool tent in the basement. The toy house was the front door, and the only way Gus would let you enter.

Shhhh... Getting into Gus's toys...


Playing the drums.

Shhhh.... Getting into more of Gus's toys...

Fighting over Gus's toys.

Our huge storm this week! Some places in KC got 10 inches. We got 7-8 at our house. My usual 30 minute drive home from work took me 2 hours and fifteen minutes. It was horrible, but Gus loved it- he finally got to use his shovel in Kansas City!

Hazel and I stayed inside and kept warm while the boys shoveled in the cold.

Sledding in the backyard.

Sledding down the driveway.

Check Ups

Gus refused to look at the camera at the same time as daddy. Naughty boy.

Lazy snow day on Monday! Even daddy worked from home.

Daddy makes a cozy recliner.

Cruising from toy box to couch.

I turn my head for one minute and Gus is sucking on an empty pop can...

Book before bed. One of his favorites: "Harry- I need you!"

We have had a few check ups this week. Gus went back to his eye doctor on Monday for a 3 month checkup to follow up on his bifocals. She was very positive and thinks that we are seeing good progress when he wears them. She and her nurses all assured us that his eye crossing without his glasses is completely normal for his condition, and as long as they are straight with his glasses on, progress is happening. His bifocal line on his glasses had to be raised a few millimeters to ensure he is using the bottom half of the lens as much as possible, but no prescription changes right now. He should get his new lenses soon, and does not have another check up for 6 months, in July. So, good news for Gus!

Hazel also had a checkup on Tuesday, her scheduled 9 month well baby check. Yes I said 9 months! Wow has this gone fast. She has lost a little weight since she started becoming more mobile since her last appointment 4 weeks ago. She now weighs in at just under 21 pounds (20#, 15 oz) for the 80%. Her height has jumped from 40% to 70%- she is 28 1/4 in. And her noggin is still large- 80% or a 17 3/4 in circumference. Since she had strep at her 6 month and was unable to get her immunizations then, she had quite the cocktail this time: 3 immunizations, the first round of the flu shot, and a finger prick/blood draw. She was NOT happy about 5 pokes- but she did as well as could be expected. She has a little cold and small temperature today, but otherwise is having no major reaction to the shots.

As far as a summary of what she can do at 9 months: Well, she now has 2 little bottom front teeth proudly emerging, she can crawl, she can cruise from toys and tables, she loves to put weight on her feet while hanging onto your hands, everything goes into her mouth, she still loves pacifiers, and she is very diva. Totally spoiled. She is sleeping in her own crib at night (finally!) and is eating food (bananas, cheese chunks, cheerios, many table foods, etc) more than taking bottles. She makes sounds, like "go dee go dee go dee go dee" and is rather selective with who gets to enjoy her smiles (daddy always does!). She loves her jumparoo, loves being held, and loves to have Gus make her smile (although he seems to be more interested in making her cry lately). Still no hair, and has huge baby blues. How I got two kids with the brightest blue eyes is beyond me!

Jumparoo!

Recent Fun

Build it Gus! Higher, higher, higher!!!

And, TIMBER... they all fall down.

This week the PJs from grandma Sue are right on track. Gus has definitely been a little monster for mommy. And daddy. And to Hazel. And at daycare. It's taking him a little while to get back on track after such a fun Christmas break. This picture was taken the day that we spent THE ENTIRE DAY looking for his glasses. Finally at 10 pm I found them under the oven, a result of an angry morning tantrum when toys (and apparently glasses) were thrown at my back as I made breakfast in the kitchen.

Yes those are marker drawings on the bathtub wall behind Gus...



"Wasn't me mommy... I'm just sitting here, minding my own business, chewing on this red bath toy."

For once, he had permission to color on the walls. Here is Gus playing with the bath markers Santa gave him. Santa Santa Santa. What were you thinking?

This gun was part of Gus's Halloween costume, but in October, he wasn't coordinated or strong enough to pull the trigger. So it was cute. Well, he figured it out this week, and mommy and daddy (and Hazel) have had to take (figurative) cover from this little cowboy's (figurative) bullets. I am definitely wishing we would have (literally) forgotten the gun when we put the costume together.