GR Children's Museum

 We spent the morning at the Grand Rapids Children's Museum, which is always a great time and today we met up with Landon & Kendall...wild times!

They all had a great time, but were not very cooperative when it came to a few photos...

Kendall (18 months) & Julia (15 months)... 

Julia gets kisses from Jack...

Landon & Jack...so excited to have their picture taken...

Fun with the mirrors...

Jack & Mom

Seriously...already!

I couldn't believe my eyes when I went to get Julia up from her nap this afternoon...sans clothes and diaper!  Of course I had to run and get the camera to snap a photo!

Christmas 2010

 Happy Birthday Jesus!

Jack & Julia waiting for Grandma & Grandpa to arrive so they could see if Santa had paid us a visit...

Grandma & Grandpa came over first thing in the morning to watch Jack & Julia open presents...

Julia doing one of her favorite things...showing her tongue...

Opening presents...

Everyone received fantastic presents, but there is something special about this ring...Jack picked it out all by himself (he did his Christmas shopping at school with Mrs. S.).

Surely not a Christmas picture, but it was taken on Christmas (that's what happens when you walk around with the camera!)...Little Miss love to sit on the big potty!

After afternoon naps (Jack actually napped today!) we went over to Grandma & Grandpa's for lots more excitement!

Twas the Night Before Christmas!

The presents have been wrapped for weeks, but we didn't dare put them under the tree until the last minute for fear that some of the wrapping paper would go missing!  Jack & Julia both loved putting the packages under the tree.

Yeah for Julia!

Checking out the presents...they can't wait for Christmas!

This is the cute face that Mommy gets while cooking and Miss Julia "needs" something to eat!

Jack getting cookies and a milk chug ready for Santa!  Jack had to leave Santa pink cookies (they leave Santa pink cookies in one of his Christmas books) and we are not sure where he got the idea of leaving a milk chug, but it sure was funny!

Jack's presents from Santa (Santa had already eaten the cookies and finished up the milk chug!)...

Julia's presents from Santa...

Daddy's Office & The Air Zoo

Yesterday we headed to Dad's office and Jack loved trying out the chairs...

...Julia pretended to be shy for a few minutes and then suddenly she was marching around like she owned the place!

Then we headed to the Kalamazoo Air Zoo...so much more fun than we could have imagined.  Everyone was so friendly and all of the guides enjoyed telling their amazing stories!  Jack's favorite part was watching the balloon ride go up and down.  I think he could have sat and watched all day!

Jack had fun flying the helicopter and the space shuttle...

They have the most fantastic mural (it's world's largest indoor hand painted mural)...Jack was showing us Michigan (too bad he couldn't reach it!)...

Daddy & Julia

Jack & Julia sharing a ride...

Strutting her stuff...

We had so much fun we can't wait to go back! 

Miss Julia - 15 Months

Little Miss Julia you are 15 months old today!

At your doctor's visit last week you weighed in at 21 pounds 12 ounces (34%) and 30 1/2 inches tall (56%)!  

You love to read books and some of your current favorites are Curious George's Christmas Countdown, Silly Sally, and ABC Look at Me.  I love it when I read you stories at night and ask you to get a specific book and you pull it off the bookshelf and then walk backwards until you fall into my lap!

You don't say a lot of words yet, but some new ones are Santa (you have your priorities straight!), thank you, night night and Silly Sally.

You are wearing most of your 12-18 month clothes, some are still a little bit big and you can still squeeze into a few pair of your 6-12 month pants.  We will not be buying you any more "skinny jeans"...you can barely move in them!

Your favorite toys are the rings from twister, books, Mickey Mouse, your baby and anything that your brother is playing with (especially his cars)!  You also love the play kitchen and riding the little bus!

You walk everywhere and have just started running.  You also love to sit on the potty!  When I ask if you have to go you head straight for the potty.  You sit on it a few times a day and right before your bath.  You have had a few successes (purely by accident), but I can already tell the potty journey is going to be much easier with you!

You love to eat!  You can't go shopping without your snack trap!  You are getting more opinionated with your food, but you are a great eater the majority of the time.

We have not seen a new tooth in months (it's been at least 5 months), but the doctor said not to worry.  You have four teeth on top and two on the bottom, but it doesn't slow you down when it comes to eating!

You are still napping twice a day, but I am not sure how much longer that is going to last (I am hoping for at least another month!).

Happy 15 months (as Jack would say) "sugarplum"!

The Tacky Santa has an admirer...and Mickey Mouse!

Julia LOVES the Tacky Santa (it's really a term of endearment!)!  She was even kissing the window this afternoon!  "Santa" is even part of her almost 15 month old vocabulary!

There is something that she loves even more than Santa...Mickey Mouse!  We didn't allow Jack to watch TV until a few weeks ago, but since Jack gets to watch a bit that usually means that Julia sees a little too (we are bending the rules already for the little princess!).  The only show that Jack will even watch is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  Julia loves the first few minutes when Mickey Mouse is up close on the screen and then she dances to the music before wandering off to do her own thing.  I remembered the other day that there was a Mickey Mouse in the bottom of a basket in Jack's closet.  Mickey used to be Jason's from long ago, but he now has a new little owner that loves to carry him around with her!

The Big Tacky Santa

Jack & Jason went out this morning to run some errands and this is what they brought home...a big tacky Santa!  Jason has wanted one for years (seriously!), but I was hoping the day would never come. 

Jack loves the Santa, but the Santa has been moved out to the back deck...he will not be residing in our living room!  Actually he doesn't look so bad when he is lit up on the deck!

Petal Shirt & Hats!

A few more "projects"...the hats are still a work in progress, but not too bad for my first try!

The petal shirt turned out better than I anticipated, but Julia won't be wearing it anytime soon (it's a size 2!)...

Preschool Ornaments

Jack has been working hard in preschool...he came home from school with an entire bag of beautiful ornaments!  Of course, they needed to be displayed where everyone could see them...

Third Time's a Charm!

This is Jack's third visit to Santa this year!  When you are three you need to make sure Santa knows what you really want (puzzles and cars!).  Thank goodness you ask for the same items at each visit.  So glad it wasn't snowing when we got our Santa pictures taken (as you can see...Jack loved it)!

Early Presents!

Last week Jack & Julia got to open presents from Grammy & Pa, before they headed to a warmer climate (they are missing out on all of our snow!)...

Julia loved Elmo...

and she had even more fun playing with Jack's new toy!

The fun & games were over once Jack "borrowed" the musical bottle...

Julia's not bashful...she swiped it right back!

We saw Santa...now what?

We try to get a picture with Jack, Julia & Isaac...we tried at least!

Just because I think Julia's skirt is so cute!

Jack coloring...it looks like he is writing a letter to Santa!