Snow Day

With February came our first (maybe last?) snow for the year! It stayed for just a few hours ... just enough to get our feet wet.

Haley staring longingly at the window. 

Monster Love

My mom knit these amazing pants for Haley. Everyone beware of our sweet appearing little monster.

Lucas: Art, Legos, & Other Fun

What's our little boy up to these days? He is outgrowing the "terrible" threes. Tantrums are starting to be less frequently seen visitors at our house and the word "yes" is falling more and more frequently. We love it! Lucas is sweet and funny and we are loving watching him grow. 

He is turning into quite the artist. Markers, paint, crayons, or stamps. Coloring books, workbooks, or self-made pictures. He loves it all. The new stamp set he got for Christmas was quite the hit on a no-school morning.

 

Lucas' newest obsession: Legos!! Matt and I love it and are happy to sit with him for hours building (even though Lucas already really doesn't need our help). He builds by instruction and makes up his own creations. So much for 7 and up!

 Lucas has also started ice skating and by lesson three is able to stay upright on his own two feet and even glide a little bit. Day one did teach almost exclusively how to fall.

And other fun: Hiding with the iPad.

Cuddling Morris

And cuddling Baby Sister

Haley - 9 Months

I love 9 months! Of course I love my kids at all ages but 9 months is so fun: personalities emerge, mobility increases but is not quite to the point where they can outrun you or reach the high shelves, babbling turns into a form of communication, and love for mommy is at a high point (I won't pretend I don't love that). 

Our little girl is sweet, curious, adoring of big brother, always smiling, and just a joy to be around. 

She's getting so big but is still my little baby. Big enough to give big wet kisses, and little enough to snuggle perfectly in my arms.

 Big enough to be silly, and little enough to giggle at everything.

 I am feeling more and more how quickly the baby in her will slip away. I am excited to find out what she will be up to as she gets bigger but am savoring every moment I can get with her baby-self now.

I've already seen how fast the baby years can pass. Just look at my big boy. It seems like yesterday he was 9 months old and now he's already a big four!

And what's Haley up to? She wants to walk. She really, really wants to walk. Of course, since she'd love to keep up with Lucas. She's a side-stepping fool and cruising along furniture at high speeds. 

She loves her and Lucas' new kitchen.

She still loves trains.

And of course reading.

Christmas and New Years Visits

One of my favorite parts about our Christmas Holidays is getting to see family and friends. 

We love getting to spend time with cousin Graham. L and G are starting to be best buds. 

HK can be fun too.

Cam and Lucas thick as thieves.

Aubs and HK opted for a more safe and less rowdy girls' time.

We finally met Baby (not so baby anymore) Nate.

And visited Baby (still a Baby) Kate.

Who Ya With?

This year we have definitely been proud to say "VU"!

Trying to teach HK the VU sign

Our Dores have had an amazing year with its first 9 win season since 1915! As one of our friends so nicely put it, "It's weird to think that your kids are growing up in a time where Vanderbilt football doesn't suck." HK must be our good luck charm!! (has nothing to do with a new coach and a newly invigorated team).

LP Stadium at Bowl game time

We made it to the Music City Bowl this year and we headed out New Year's Eve in the freezing (and sleeting cold) to watch Vandy win 38-24 over NC State's Wolfpack.

Cheering on our Dores

Fun day with family and friends.

With our favorite former Mr. Commodore

Bundled and cheering for our win

Haley - 8 Months

Haley's newest accomplishment: standing! She now wants to stand all the time. No lying down, no sitting, just standing. Haley also started crawling this month but every time she gets on all fours she realizes that she actually wants to stand up which results in the downward facing dog. We will have one toned yoga baby. Crawling is not high on her priority list. We have gotten a few seconds of free standing out of her already (usually followed by free falling). She is so proud of herself!

Proud/happy face! (Usually followed by clapping)

 Haley is still such a good, good baby. She is always cheerful, easy-going, and all smiles!

I love this age! Small enough to snuggle and be my baby, but big enough to be developing the personality of a spunky little girl.

Can time slow down just for a minute?

Until then I am just going to cherish each moment.