A First Installment.

There is no way I can do a post that brings me totally up to

date on pics, but I at least need to get up to last week. So here

goes nothing.

Seth will be 8 months old in 2 days! Craziness.
He is a sweet and fun little man who is into EVERYTHING,
as he has been fully crawling for about a month.

He holds his own bottle a lot... a very helpful skill.

We know he will be tough since he plays with Ellie all the time...
she likes to rough house.

And do perfect stiff falls flat on her face in G-ma's room.

We made some playdough, which was good fun.

Workin the muscles.

Ellie practicing her baby skills. She is ultra helpful.
She does all the housework with me all day long. 

We enjoyed some spring weather... though it soon turned cold again.

Mmmmmm.... oranges.

Ellie is still our princess girl... note the shirt.

Happy to be in the high-chair... such a food lover.

We recently got the ball toys out again... and they have been
very well used this month. Ellie has enjoyed teaching Seth how
to use them.

Adam had spring break, and our one splurge was a night of ice cream
from Brusters... it was super yummy.

The little wild man.

The weirdo girl.

Grandma brought home leftover balloons from a church activity,
and the kiddos were very pleased.

Looking cute. Can't believe what a big girl she is.

Then Eph, Heather, Max, and Ezra came to visit!

Seth and Ellie loved the extra attention and fun.

The kids even got rides on Pa's new mower.

And of course, a cookout. Just glad I wasn't
stuck in the hospital for this one.

The men in my life.

Yay for more food on a stick!

I like Seth's rosie cheeks from the warm fire.

Next for the party: marshmallow guns.

Ellie isn't great at it, but gets it every now and then, and is
always very pleased with herself.

The movin man.

Movie time.

Then a birthday party for Ezra and Max... but of course, Ellie
got candles in her cupcake too.

Seth had his first pizza crust, and was in HEAVEN.

Half the time we hold him, this is how it is.... he just climbs up
you chest and tries to get away.

The newest treasure. Ellie has a "weeeee" at home! She has

been so excited to slide and swing and even climb the rock wall,

which she is surprisingly good at. She is never going to want to move

away from Pa and G-ma's house.

In other news, I got published in a magazine! You can read the original
story at Adam's site: http://www.myprplans.com/2011/03/running-and-pregnancy.html

Or you can see their edited version in the magazine here:

http://www.rockymtnrunning.com/Eissue/Mar11.shtml (on pg 38 & 40). 

Wish I could put up the rest from that trip at least, but I can't download the

 rest of them at the moment, so... more to come!

The last month

Seth turned 6 months at the beginning of February! Crazy! Everything
was great at his checkup. He was a tall 28.5 inches long, and a solid 20 lbs!
He's a happy, ACTIVE mama's boy. He is nearly impossible to hold most of
the time, as he loves to wrestle around, and is too strong to contain. He
gets around really well, and is very close to crawling fully, belly off the
floor and all. We are totally in for it.

Ellie is growing more and more Ellie. She is so crazy and energetic.
Very stubborn and rough, but she also loves to hug and be sweet and
will help with almost any task you need. She is speaking better and better
and is finally having the patience to start learning some letters and things.
We love our fiery red-head. 

We found her a "princess house" on clearance at Target. Oh the bliss.

She wanted to buddy to play with and enlisted Seth. If you enlarge
this collage, it's a pretty funny sequence of attempted (but failed) escape. 

Luckily Seth's tough enough to take Ellie's roughness, and he actually
loves the attention too. They are best buds. 

Loved this one. Trying to close the door and lock away her captive. 

Everything is better on a stick to Ellie. Hotdogs, bananas,
marshmallows, you name it. 

She wanted to try her jewelry with her dress one
Sunday morning. Such a funny girl. 

Then after church, it was Super Bowl snack time that week. 

I like a good chubby-baby picture every now and then.
Seth has some good ones. 

Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies... super chocolatey, super
moist, super chewy. They were a winner. 

 Grandma and Grandpa performed beautifully in the ward talent show.
Of course, Ellie couldn't not be a part of it. Shortly after it started though,
I had to whisk her off the stage as she was yelling and hitting set pieces. 

The cute little man.

The cute big man... with his First Prize certificate from the ward's
Chili Cook-Off. He made a Dr. Pepper chili we named
"Chili con Awesome". Go Adam!

That amazing man also brought home some sweet new running
duds for me after work one Saturday night. Thanks, husband!
I love you!... that jacket is like heaven... I want to wear it every day.

Luchadores.

For Cathy: Here are our Valentine Cake Pops. They were yummy,
and pretty easy to make. 

Ellie thinks all smoothies or shakes or chocolate milks are best
out of Grandpa's muscle-builder protein shake cups.

Seth LOVES the dogs. And luckily, Tucker does very well with him. 

They are a cute pair.