TODAY

Today we had the boys' 12 month well check {only five weeks after their birthday...I called late to make the appointment and today was the first one they had available}.  Here are a few pictures before the blood was drawn and five shots were given...so happy and unaware of what was to come...

They both screamed their little heads off...so mad and unhappy {but not so mad that a lollipop couldn't fix it afterwards!}.  We ate with Cathy and the girls at Chick-Fil-A afterwards and had planned on seeing Santa but the line was really long, Jeff had a meeting to get to and Cathy had to go home to pack to send her girls to Dallas for the weekend...so, we are attempting it again on Monday and going earlier to try and beat the crowds.  I had the boys dressed in their super cute googly-eyed reindeer shirts {oh Crazy 8 how I LOVE thee}.  I couldn't help but take a few pictures of them dressed up...

I used to say it was so hard to take a picture of both of them together that was really cute but now I am beginning to think it is hard to take a good picture at all.  They are just so mobile...as soon as I get a smile they look down or turn to walk away or see something they just have to have...but the whole point of this post was to get a cute picture of the shirt.  At least the reindeer is looking at the camera, right!?!

The lotion bottle...way more fun!

Or maybe the comb?

Sort of looking at the camera.  Loving the drool on the reindeer...doesn't it look like he is crying?  Total representation of our day!

On the move, not wanting a picture taken.

In deep discussion with me about his Lego blocks.

It takes serious concentration...

to figure them out.

Once the blocks became boring, banging on the window occupied some time.

Along with climbing on our toys...

Teasing and hitting Ethan with the comb...

And being tackled by Ethan...

who finally got the comb!

Telling us all about our fun-filled day!

TWELVE MONTHS OLD

Okay so I am getting to this over a month late...it really should be a 13 month update.  I think I am going to start doing updates every 3 months now that we have hit a year, which I think will make it much easier to keep up with.  And could they be any cuter than in this picture?  I took it VERY QUICKLY and it was the best we could do before they both started crawling out of the chair.

I have said it before but I really do LOVE the age that Ethan and Evan are right now.  I'm sure I may say it again a few times too.  They are doing so many new things every day and I am loving watching them grow up...not too fast though!

Here are just a few things going on with the two of them at 12 months old...

* They are no longer on any baby food and they love pretty much everything they try...spaghetti, scrambled eggs, meatloaf, tacos, bean burritos, and Chinese are just a few of the things they have tried.  Of course they still love any and all things cheese related...grilled cheese, mac n' cheese, quesadillas, cubed cheese, goldfish crackers, etc.

* No more bottles...can I get a huge HOORAY!!!  They went to only doing sippy cups a few days before turning one and we have never looked back.  Milk has also been one of the easiest transitions.  I had heard horror stories about kids who hate milk and wouldn't drink it or wouldn't take it in a cup and I was a little nervous about how it would go, but we seriously never had a problem.  They both LOVE milk.  Ethan is also no longer spitting up, which I thought would never end.  Once we switched over to milk and eating all "big people" food he hasn't had a problem.  Funny that he was on a formula to help with spit up and he spit up ALL OF THE TIME and now that he is on milk he is fine.

* They are both in size 4 diapers and 12-18 month clothes {and size 4 shoes}.

* They are both starting to "play" a lot more {instead of just putting everything in their mouths...which still happens a lot, just not 24/7} and especially with each other.  Evan still likes to figure everything out and how it all works.  He is also our climber.  If there is a way to get on top of it he will figure it out.  Ethan isn't too far behind him in this category...I found him trying to climb our big shelf in the upstairs hallway...of course he couldn't figure out what to do once he got to the first shelf and got himself stuck.  I picture many years ahead of me with boys hanging from the rafters or trying to jump off the balcony into the family room...oh the joys of two boys!  They both like to "hide" toys, whether it is under the crib, in the diaper box, behind something, etc.  I thought the dogs had eaten the cow to the boys' Nativity and found it after two weeks at the bottom of the bag of blocks.

* My favorite thing they are doing right now is "reading."  Just makes the teacher in me smile and I could watch it all day...turning the pages, pointing to things and jibber-jabbering as they do.  They love all touchy-feely books and one of their favorites right now is Little Blue Truck...cutest little story ever!

* The biggest change in our lives is that both are walking and are ALL. OVER. THE. PLACE.  Ethan started taking a few steps around 11 months and the weekend of Homecoming {2 weeks later} started walking around 7-8 steps before falling.  By their birthday party he was everywhere.  Evan didn't really care about walking, why when you can crawl everywhere really fast...started walking the day of their party {Nov. 6}...I knew he was going to be the one that just up and decided to walk one day without any slow progression leading up to it.  They are getting faster and faster everyday which keeps me on my toes chasing after them.  It is still so weird to see them walking all over the place...wasn't it just yesterday when they stayed in one place for some tummy time or just sat on their blanket to play with a few toys?!

* Imitating is a big thing right now for both...whatever we do they pretty much like to copy...clapping, brushing hair, whatever we show them...making a basket with a ball, throwing a ball, etc.  Ethan likes to pat his mouth to make "indian" sounds after I did it one day for him.  They also like to copy each other...banging on high chair trays, kicking their legs to make noise in their high chairs, if one is sitting on something the other one pretty much wants to join in, and if one is making all kinds of noise the other is definitely going to join the party.

* They really like puzzles right now, although they haven't figured out getting the pieces back in the right spots.  Evan is a little better at it {goes with his thinker approach to everything} and knows that the pieces are supposed to go back in the spots.  He gets them right sometimes but most of the time the cow will be in the farmer spot, the chicken will be in the horse spot, the fish will be in the turtle spot, etc.  Ethan will also attempt getting the pieces back where they are supposed to be but banging them on the puzzle to make lots of noise is much more fun for him.

* We are attempting to wean off of pacis, which may be a really long process.  I try to only have them in the cribs and not out during the day while we are playing.  The problem with them staying in the crib is that the boys can reach in and get them throughout the day.  I will probably have to move them out of reach.  The only exception to the "crib" rule is that pacis go with us and the boys can have them if we are out and about during their nap/bed time.

* They are still taking two naps a day and bedtime is still around 7:30/8:00 and they get up around 7:30/7:45.  They have always been wonderful sleepers...hoping that never changes!

* They love the dogs and interact with them more and more.  Moose is by far the best and is awesome with them.  He would spend all day licking their hands, faces, feet if we let him...LOVE that they are going to grow up together.

* They are pointing at everything, really into handing you whatever they have...but usually want it right back, and their favorite activity by far is walking back and forth on the catwalk upstairs.  I shut all the doors to the rooms upstairs {except their room} and sit at the end that leads to the stairs and they just run back and forth, usually throwing a bouncy ball and going after it.

* Both aren't saying a whole lot except "mama" and "dada."  They jibber-jabber non-stop but we are still waiting for those "real" words!

Ethan...

Weight: 22 lbs, 15 oz {50th percentile}

Height: 30 inches {50th percentile} 

I think he is still shorter than Evan by a little and am not quite sure the 30 inches is 100% right

Loves playing Peek-a-Boo, reading books, playing with my phone {will hold it up to his ear like he is talking}, will give you "5" when you stick out your hand and ask him, brushes his hair when you give him a brush, loves any and all balls...footballs, basketballs, bouncy balls...he throws them everywhere and into his little basketball hoop and then claps for himself when he does, thinks it's hilarious when Jeff throws him up in the air, is attached to his blanket and will pull it out of his crib to carry around with him

Is not too fond of diaper changes, getting dressed, having to be still for any amount of time, and getting in his car seat {but is OK once buckled in}

He is fearless, crazy, and nothing ever stops him...which creates a few bumps and bruises along the way.

Evan...

Weight: 22 lbs {25th percentile}

Height: 30 inches {50th percentile}

Loves to figure things out and how they work...along with puzzles being a favorite are stacking cups, likes to stack his blocks and then clap for himself after he has made a tower, pretends to talk on my phone, will give you "5" when asked, loves any kind of ball just like his brother {which causes a few tantrums now and then}, loves his Baylor bear and wants it everywhere with him...not as attached to his blanket as his brother, likes to brush his hair and mine whenever he has a comb or brush, LOVES music and bounces to it all of the time...in the car, restaurants, playing with his toys, etc.

Is not crazy about getting his diaper changed {he hates it so much that he cries when he sees Ethan getting his changed...I guess he thinks he is next, which 9 times out of 10 is the case}, doesn't like getting dressed, being buckled in his car seat, and will CRY, CRY, CRY if Ethan takes away something he is playing with

He is cautious, usually having to take everything in before being comfortable...the shy, more serious one of the two.

Love these two more than I ever thought possible...it has been the best year getting to be their mom.  Can't wait to see what year two brings our way!

PARTY PICS

A few pictures from the boys' birthday party we had on November 6th.  I was a horrible picture taker...it's so hard to host and take pictures {dad when are you moving here?}.  I went with a cowboy/rodeo theme...decorating was super easy since we had all of Jeff's stuff from when he rode horses as a kid.

The front porch

The cakes and yummy chocolate chip cheesecake dip {BEST STUFF EVER!}

Close-ups of the boys' smash cakes below...

With friends Campbell and Cole

Giving Grandpa some sugar...one of my favorite pictures!

Fun with cake...

A little apprehensive at first

Not sure what to think

A little help from daddy to get things going

And the fun begins...

They both LOVED the cake and could have eaten way more than we actually let them have.

And it wouldn't be a birthday party without a little BU football.  The game happened to start at exactly the same time as the party...so hard to plan during football season.

We had super cute boot and hat cookies for all of the party-goers to take home.

The boys' party was so much fun...I loved getting to celebrate with so many special friends.  I still can't get over that a year has gone by since they were born.  Now...on to brainstorming for birthday party #2 {at least not for a few months right?!?}

EVAN'S FIRST HAIRCUT

OK, first a word of advice to anyone with little ones...don't let your child get a hold of the power cord to your laptop and put it in his/her mouth.  Let's just say this mama is not so smart and didn't follow her own advice.  I have not had a computer since my last blog post...died right after I posted and I had no cord to charge the battery back up.  We finally bought a new one on Wednesday night {$85 dollars later...not exactly a cheap mistake.  Does a power cord really need to be that expensive?}  I am now trying to play catch up on the blog...lots of post coming this week, including fun birthday party pics!  Along with this post is another one below about Halloween...happy reading!

Now...On to Evan's first haircut...

His hair had started getting really long and even though I loved the little wave he had to his hair I could not deal with it looking so messy.  Plus several people had started to ask me if he was a boy or girl...seriously ridiculous!!  I had to refrain from saying "he is wearing the exact same thing as his BROTHER next to him what do you think?" or "don't you think if he was a girl I would have him dressed in much cuter clothes with matching shoes/tights/bow etc."  When we went to California in October someone on the airplane even actually called him a girl!  I looked around and thought he was talking about another child, but no he was referring to Evan.

After Halloween weekend we all went to see Joe, the guy who cuts my hair.  I needed Jeff to be there to hold Evan while I held Ethan and took lots of pictures.  Jeff goes to a barber shop here in town, which the boys will go to when they get older, but I felt a little more comfortable going to someone I knew for his first haircut.  I was pretty sure Evan was not going to love the whole idea of getting his hair cut.  He hates anyone doing anything to his face...wiping his nose, cleaning his teeth, and his hair proved to be no different...

Joe showing Evan the water bottle and squirting the water on his hand.

Squirting the hair...not too sure about it all.

Watching Joe trying to figure it all out.

And then deciding he was not happy AT ALL about getting his hair cut!

Trying to get away.

The screaming stopped for a minute when he realized there was a mirror and he could see himself.

And by minute I really mean 5 seconds before the screaming started all over again.

"Maybe if I get closer to daddy, this crazy guy with the scissors will leave me alone!"

Poor Pitiful Baby...who looks so grown up now!  Lollipops make everything better!