I have a tongue, would you like to see it? I love to stick it out!

Evan is 3 years, 8 months and a half give or take....

Well I just had to get Evan's pictures taken too while I took Claire. So even though he's not at any real milestone, it's nice to have some professional pics of my little man. He's getting to be so grown up. Note the bandaids on each leg in the bottom pic. He doesn't have any injuries, just likes bandaids these days and refused to take them off. I figured it wasn't worth the fight and now I'll always remember the "bandaid stage".

Claire is 6 months!

Last Thursday, August 26, Claire turned 6 months old. I sound like a broken record at this point, but how in the world have 6 months flown by?? I cannot believe that my baby is 6 months old. Here are some stats on Claire at 6 months:

Height: 27 1/4 inches (95%, which is off the charts)
Weight: 21 pounds (95%, which is off the charts)
Sleeping Patterns: takes 2 1.5 hour naps and 2 45 minute naps a day; sleeps from 7pm-6am. Woo, that 6am has been painful, but really only because she spoiled us from the beginning being a perfect sleeper. I just need to go to bed a little earlier to be ready to start my day at 6am
Eating: She eats about 28-30 ounces of formula a day and eats baby food twice a day. She has tried rice cereal, oatmeal, avocado, pears, apples, sweet potatoes, carrots, chicken, mango, blueberries, turkey and banana. So far, so good. She likes them all and no allergies. I keep telling myself I am waiting for her to try everything and not be allergic, then I will make my own baby food like I did with Evan. But, man I had so much more time then. Much much much much more time. But, the homemade stuff is so much better tasting. We'll see, I am trying to psych myself up for it!! The good news is, she doesn't appear to be a picky eater and gets super excited to eat. Not surprising to see she is 21 pounds!
Diapers: Size 3
Clothes: Dresses and some separates 6-12 month, one pieces (bubbles, onsies, etc): 12-18 month
Favorite Books: Baby Boo, Mirror Me Baby Einstein
Favorite Song: Itsy Bitsy Spider
Favorite Games/Activities: Peek-a-boo, This is the way the ___ Rides (lady, racer, gentlemen)
Favorite Person: Evan
New Tricks: Can sit up really well unsupported, now can play with so many more toys; still can only roll over to her stomach from her back, can't roll the other way-21 lbs is a lot to roll!
Watch Out For: She is a grabber and will hold on tight to anything, whether it be chunks of my hair, the side of the infant bathtub, her toys or her spoon while being fed
New Discoveries: Her tongue and her feet-she just discovered she can stick out her tongue and does it constantly much to Evan's delight. He loves to copy her and stick his out as well. She now puts her feet in her mouth as well, one of my favorite of Evan's baby tricks.
Teeth: None yet, but you have taken drool to a whole new level. I now think that you will get one of your bottom middle teeth first, it seems swollen down there and that eye tooth has made no headway in weeks.
Demeanor: Still the happiest, calmest baby on the block.
Milestones: Not long after she turned 5 months (and weighed 20lbs), we decided to pull her out of her infant carrier and put her in Evan's britax, faced backwards. We got her a snazzy new car seat cover so it looks less like a hand me down, and Evan got a nice new car seat that will turn into a booster when he needs it. I miss the carrier so much because Claire won't transfer well at all, but she likes being in the car so much more and I know that she is safe and not too big for the carrier. Plus, that thing was a nightmare to carry, it weighed so much.
Mom's favorite part of 6 months old: I love that Evan and Claire fully interact now. If she is crying in the car, Evan will sing the Itsy Bitsy Spider to her and make her laugh. He will play with her and loves her attention. If he is in the room, she does not take her attention off of him, she just loves him and loves his excitement for life! He is pretty entertaining with all the dressing up he does to. To know exactly what she is thinking, that would be priceless!!

Of course I took Claire to get her 6 month pictures taken and then had to get a few of the two of them together. They turned out wonderfully and are further proof that my children are identical to each other.

Evan's First Day of School

First day of school 2010- 3 years, 8 months

Yesterday, Monday, August 23 was Evan's first day of school this year. He is in the 3 year old, 3 day class this year with Mrs. Tompkins and Mrs. Brasse.  He wasn't super excited to go to school with new teachers, since he loved Mrs. Jones and Mrs. O'Leary last year. He was a little sad when we dropped him off yesterday, but there were no tears! YEAH!! And when we picked him up he told us that his new teachers are even more fun than his old ones. Obviously it didn't take him too long to adjust to the new year! There are 16 kids in his class and I think just 5 boys. Last year it was about 50/50 and only at the end of the year were there 14 kids in the class, for most of the year there were just 10 kids. The other change is that this is a 3 year old class, meaning, you have to be 3 by August 31. There are many kids in his class who just turned 3 and Evan is getting close to 4 (or 10, some days I forget). He is one of the oldest in his class, but that's how it will be from here on out with a December birthday.  Last year he was in a 2 1/2 year old class so it was birthdays from September 1 to February 28, putting Evan somewhere in the middle.

Evan's friends Bowen and Stevie are in his class this year, but his other friends from last year are in the other 2 classes. Although we are both sad that his other friends aren't in his class, I am thrilled with his teachers and know that this will be a good opportunity for Evan to make some new friends as well. I'm also pretty excited he is in school 3 days a week now. Whatever will I do with myself??? Oh yeah, work and take care of Claire :)!

Evan insisted on taking a picture with his sister on his 1st day, too sweet!

Rainy Day Fun

Helping Claire apply her lipstick, although he thought it was a baby bottle, since I never wear lipstick!

Seriously Mom, I love him, but do you really trust him here?

Too cute for words!

It's been pretty rainy here the last few days, but that's okay. It's given us all time to just hang out at the house. Now that Claire is getting bigger, she and Evan are interacting a lot more. They both love each other so much, it is so fun to watch them "play" together. I know it will only get better as she gets older, until she starts stealing his toys that is :)!!

Pool Day

Right before he did a back flip

Maxwell's turn

Grandma Sherry & Audrey

Maxwell and Charlie

Who needs a raft?

As the summer came to a close, we tried to get in as many activities as we could. Last Thursday, we went with Charlie, Maxwell & Audrey to Sherry's new house and hung out at her pool all day. It was so nice and relaxing as Claire napped most of the day. I got to spend lots of time swimming and relaxing with Evan. I haven't gotten much of that time this year since Evan and daddy have been hitting the pool together mainly this summer while Claire and I hang at home. It was a really nice day and surely made me want to have a pool in my backyard, even more than I already did!!

More Pics From Gatorland

Evan was at Gatorland!

Bowen was there too!

Ellie doesn't want to miss out on the action!

Don't forget Wilson, he was there too!!

Look, no hands

My vantage point of the crazy snake & gator holding

Don't Try This at Home

Today I took Evan to Gatorland with some of our friends. We had a good time checking out all of the gators, snakes and turtles from a distance. Evan also enjoyed the big splash pad park and train ride. But a day out with Evan would not be complete with a little danger. Evan really is truly my kid in so many ways-outgoing, talkative, dramatic, etc. But he does not for one second get his daring, courageous spirit from me. His day was not going to be complete at Gatorland without holding a gator and a snake at the same time. I offered to sit with him, but he wanted to do it all by himself. I was secretly very relieved that I did not have to sit near those reptiles, but at the same time pretty terrified that my 3 year old was going to hold them!!! But Evan was happy as can be, holding the gator while the snake is wrapped around his neck. When he was finished he was sure to tell everyone who would listen how brave he is, see that's my kid after all!!! But seriously...what is he going to want to do when he is 4? Go skydiving?

Tubing by himself!

I can't believe I forgot to post a picture of Evan actually tubing by himself while we were in Virginia!

Trying to sit up

I look like I could tip over, but I got myself right back up on my own

Check out that drool, I think I may be getting my first tooth! 

And mom thinks its going to be an eye tooth, yikes!

Wow, this is cool. This is way better than the view from the swing!

Claire is getting better and better at sitting each day. I really want her sitting by the time she is 6 months, because there is so much more that she can do and play with when can sit. And, I know I'll be able to get some cute 6 month pictures of her! Today, I propped her up with her bobby and she played with the ball popper. I'm sure she enjoyed the new view!

Claire & Audrey

Last Friday we got to spend the whole day with Audrey! We had so much fun together, she is getting so big. Most especially, she is talking up a storm!! She definitely puts 2 and 3 words together at a time, it makes it so easy to communicate with her. She was definitely loving on Claire and Claire was loving her time with Audrey. So soon they will be able to really play with one another. But for now, I'm glad they aren't growing up too fast.

Claire & Davis' Baptisms

Bryan, Davis, Claire and me

Laura, Davis, Bryan, Joe, Claire, Me

Claire being baptized

Davis being baptized

Receiving the oils of chrism

Parents, Godparents, Msgr. John Urell, Davis & Claire

Claire with her parents and godparents, Aunt Kathy and Uncle Kevin

Future Altar Server? Evan was so happy to have a role, and did such a great job!

Grandma & Baba with Evan & Claire

Joe, Me and Claire

Claire with her parents and grandparents

Anne, Claire and me

Look Mom, I can hold Claire all by myself not sitting down! Yikes...

Uncle John, Joe & Claire

Joe, Dave & Kevin

Kathy, Audrey, Peggy, Brooke and Kate

Evan, Avery, Katelynn & Kayla

On Saturday, July 31, we celebrated the baptisms of both Claire Delaney and Davis Bryan. They were baptized at St. Ann Catholic Church in Arlington, Virginia at 1:00pm. It was such a special occasion, not only that we got to baptize our daughter, but we did it with her cousin as well. My Uncle John, who is a priest, flew out from Southern California to baptize both of the babies. It was a wonderful, blessed day that we were able to spend with so many of our family members and friends. After the baptism, we had a reception back at Bryan & Laura's home in Arlington. Thankfully it was a beautiful day and the hot weather had broken, so we were able to enjoy most of the afternoon outside.