Outta my way, world!!!

Silly Robert

Silly Robert walking around with the toy car.

Nolan helping daddy with Xmas lights

Just chillin'

Alexa just chillin' on the front porch, looking cute as always.

The best part of Fall

My Grinch

Alexa's got teeth!!

Alexa's got 2 bottom teeth popping through!! Just (almost exactly) 13 months old ;)

Captain Underpants!

A tee-shirt, gold belt, and underwear. Quite a look, Captain Underpants!

Don't bother me, I'm working!

Alexa's horns

Alexa's horns :) That's some serious bedhead!

Alexa's taking steps on her own!!

On Saturday, Alexa just started taking steps on her own (without any prompting from us)!!

She has been able to take several steps (usually around 7) if we would stand a short distance from her and call her over to us (she required a bit of encouragement). She had the skills, but wasn't so sure of herself, I guess.

But Saturday morning, as we were making breakfast in the kitchen, she just started wailing across the kitchen! Then all weekend, she continued to walk around the house short distances (like halfway across the room) without prompting.

What's funny is Alexa took her first steps about a month earlier than Nolan - but Nolan started fully walking about a week or two after taking his first steps. I think Alexa's been "practicing" for this around 6 weeks!

Either way, we're ready to run with you, Alexa, when *you* feel ready! We're proud of you!!

Hungry girl

We must be starving this girl - she's licking the bowl!!

Father/son bonding time

Father/son bonding time...playing "Plants versus Zombies". Hmmm, not sure what I think about that, especially as Nolan shouts, "Oh, you popped his head!"

Nolan's first report card

We received Nolan's first report card. We have a few things to work on....

My baby's first bruise :(

My baby got her first bruise today :(. Alexa grabbed the fireplace screen to try pull herself up and ended pulling it on top of herself.
She cried for a bit, but actually it was Nolan that was screaming in trauma from the event. Apparently it really "scared" him.

"You're my best friend, mommy!"

After getting back from grocery shopping, I hear Nolan from down the hallway, "Is that you mommy?"

I came into the room, gave Nolan a hug and then asked if he was ready to go to bed and read some books.
Nolan said, "Yes, I am. You're my best friend, mommy."

Oh my god, just smack the smile off my face right now. I'm eating this up, because I don't know how long Nolan will still think that way. Please tell me he'll also be a sweet teenager and adult...please!

Love that little boy so much.

Nolan's signature

Nolan signed his own name on Aunt Amanda's birthday card...

Alexa doing great with her fork

Alexa has gotten really good at using the fork. She's been using it for around a month now, and is really good at picking up even small pieces of banana!

Nolan has been branded

Potty training

We keep trying...

We are now going to take Dr Fazilat's recommendation of telling Nolan he only has X number of diapers left, in hopes that he'll understand that there's a finite amount of time before diapers will no longer be used!

My prince & princess

Alexa's new bear

Alexa has always loved Nolan's "Doo Doo bear" and would often take Doo Doo when Nolan set him down for a moment. As Nolan is VERY attached to his bear, he didn't always want to let Alexa hold Doo Doo.

So Francis decided to get Alexa her own bear, and picked out a "sister" to Doo Doo Bear, which looked very similar but in an ivory color.

She immediately pulled that bear to her and snuggled her face into the chest of the bear. She LOVED it!
What was even cuter: when Nolan gave Alexa his bear to hold so that he could check out her new bear, Alexa pushed his bear away and held *her* bear closely. Love.

Alexa driving with a cell phone

Alexa driving while talking on a cell phone. A glimpse in the future? Uh oh!

Nolan all tatted up

Hopefully this is not a glimpse into the future ;)