Getting Ready for Christmas

Two weeks ago, we took Charlotte to see Santa and it was a debacle. She wouldn't even let me hold her next to Santa, much less sit on his lap. Today, Charlotte got nervous when we got close to Santa, but Mommy handed Santa a lollipop to give to Charlotte. Problem solved. Cha-Cha jumped onto his lap, laid her head on his chest, and told him that she loved him once she got that Tootsie Roll Pop in her hand.

Grey likes Santa fine but has another Christmas quandry: how to fit his pumpkin head into this tiny Santa hat.

Joy to the World ...

... that these are my children. I love you so very, very much, my little ones.

Cha-Cha Loves Daddy

Pre-Thanksgiving Fun

Keeping with our day-before-Thanksgiving tradition, we (Charlotte, Grey, and I--Adam always has to work) went down to Hermann Park to ride the little red train and feed the ducks in the pond. Since it was 80 degrees this year, it was an especially enjoyable day.

This was Grey's first time on the train. Hard to tell if he liked it or not.

Charlotte, however, wears her delight openly on her sweet little face!

Birds

Thank You, Biz Markie

Thanks to "Biz's Beat of the Day" on Yo Gabba Gabba, my daughter has developed a healthy appreciation for rap music. Look out, Kanye and Jay-Z!

October Catch-Up

Okay, so I am just now getting around to posting this stuff from over a month ago. This two-kid life is really cutting into my blogging time! (Sorry there are no pics of Grey in the pumpkin suit, but it was just too warm to make him wear fleece on Halloween.)

At two months, Little Buddah was already busting out of his 3-month pants.

For those of you who don't think my kids really look alike, check out this picture. Same blue eyes, same round little heads, flat noses, bell-shaped mouths, pointy chins. So cute!

Charlotte enjoyed a package full of fun Halloween stuff from her Mimi.

All four babies in this picture--all in our ward at church--were born within the same week in August. Crazy!

Fun jammies from Mimi

Charlotte started out Halloween in a bad mood ...

But Grammy got her feeling better, and ...

The airplane ride at our community's Fall Festival really made her day!

She also enjoyed the pony ride, as long as Grammy stayed right by her side.

Grey Laughs and Talks

Smiley Face

I'm working on some blog posts to put up soon, but here is something I just couldn't resist posting right now.

Some Love for My Fans

In Case You Were Wondering ...

Yes, Charlotte is definitely my child.
(Me, Age 2 1/2)

Pumpkin Patch

Once again, we headed to a local pumpkin patch/church to purchase a pumpkin for the big day. Unlike previous years, we actually got a cute family picture there this time.

Our two cute little pumpkins!

Me: "Charlotte, hold Baby Grey."

Charlotte: "Nooooo!"

That is why Grey is flying solo in the pumpkins here.

Which one did we bring home? Why, that would be "Big, Big Pumpkin," as Charlotte calls him. She likes to give him hugs and kisses and point out where his eyes, ears, and chin go. (Too much time spent playing with Mrs. Potato Head?)

Duckies

Charlotte wore these cute little duckie jammies when she was a little bit older than Grey. They always seem to put my kids in a good mood because I've got a lot of great pictures in them!

Milk tongue

Yawn

Complacent

Excited!

Morning Glory

More good times on the playmat

Post-nursing euphoria

Starting to love the bouncy chair

I love these couple of pictures because you can really see how much Grey loves his Cha-Cha. He will always stop crying when he sees her and loves to watch whatever she is doing.

These sweet morning pictures reminded me of an old one I found in a box at my mom's house a few years ago.

Me and my brother David, 1977

Blue Bell, I Love You

Blue Bell, I love you ...

I can't get enough of you ...

Especially when you are "CHOC-lit". (I don't know who she gets that from!)

Another Difference Between the Sexes

The other evening as I was getting ready for bed, the thought crossed my mind that it would be wonderful if I was one of those people who didn't need very much sleep because I could accomplish so much more. Or better yet, what if I didn't need to sleep at all? I thought about what I would do in the next seven or so hours before my kids got up: go run some loads of laundry and fold clothes, go to the grocery store, pick up the family room and the play room, wipe down the counters and appliances in the kitchen, get some ironing done, get a jump start on dinner for the next evening, vacuum, organize my linen closets ... The list went on and on. Then I turned and looked at Adam and said, "What would you do if you didn't have to sleep for the next seven hours?" He thought for a minute and then said, "Read."

Yeah, that's just what I was thinking.

See How We Grow

Just like a Chia Pet, Grey is practically growing right before our eyes. Every day, he sleeps less, looks more alert, and appears to have gained more weight. His cheeks are unbelievably chubby and kissable and he already has some pretty impressive thunder thighs. He is already into many of his three-month clothes even though he is just seven weeks today. He looooves to eat and will often cry when I stop feeding him. (Ahem. Don't know where he got that from.) It is obvious now that, like his daddy and his sister, he has been blessed with the true blue Laughton eyes, and he is starting to grow some long, lovely eyelashes to go with them. Lucky little man!

While Charlotte's recent growth hasn't been nearly as impressive as Grey's, one thing is really noticeably growing: her hair! At long last, she has enough for some very cute pony tails. (Charlotte calls them "horsey tails".)

Whenever I put ponytails into her hair, she asks me to put in her pumpkins too. Very cute!

Of course, she still likes going au natural with her hair and dress whenever she can!