in the park

The stella snuggle while aaron looks at planes


Hello camera!!


Right before a big meltdown times 2

A day at the zoo

She sees the flamingo's...


She greeted the birds with several "oooohhh" and "whooooooaaa" sounds. She was pretty impressed.


Hello pig!


Let us race farm animal!


You wanna butt heads? Bring it Mr. Goat!!!

Yes, Aaron was there, but he did spend a good bit of the trip fast asleep. Truth be told, Stella was thrilled to just run about like a zoo animal. All the morning excitement led to 4 hour naps from both kids. We LOVE the zoo. And Gma and Gpa who met us there.

papasan

I dusted off the baby papasan and brought it out of the attic. Aaron spent a lot of time in this thing when he was wee. Stella was less interested in this than in the swing...until now. As soon as I set it on the ground, stella climbed in. She turned over, put her hands behind her head as if this was what has been missing in her life. She wouldn't let me take a picture of her in it, so I took her out and put Aaron in.

Hey ladies. Welcome to my papasan...


I'll just flip this switch - turn on the music and vibration...


Dude, we're twins! We can totally both sit in this thing. Aw man, I turned on the vibration!

Is that you Bono?

squatmaster

Stella would rather squat then sit or stand. I guess all babies do this?



I'm always surprised when people, strangers mostly, say the babies look a lot alike, until I see a picture of them side by side. They certainly do look like brother and sister. We were at dinner Friday night and a server came up and pinched Stella's cheeks saying, "I just couldn't resist. What a cutie! He's going to be such a ladykiller when he grows up". She was in all black so maybe she was just radiating a boy vibe.

Aaron antics

Our little man has been on fire lately. Most days he rolls around from one side of the room to the other but on this day, he kept rolling under the loveseat. Both Stella and I kept coming over to see what he was doing.

Ok, so he's under there...


I think he's trying to tell us something with his feet


Stella brought me over to investigate

Then I got a few shots of him in the highchair with his new haircut.

I don't think he was expecting to get his picture taken

Then we spent some time in the park where Aaron got in some reading of Pat the Bunny and got to be a total boy as he was distracted by every truck that went by and every plane that flew overhead.


Pattin' the bunny


There's a plane


Did you see that plane mama?


I love planes!!!

Superhero

By day, a mild mannered toddler...so mild she's rocking the purple crocs. Note how high her pants are pulled up.


But by night!!!


See these striped pants make me more aerodynamic so I can fly faster.


Flying makes me so thirsty


Why do I tackle crime fighting? All this responsibility on my little shoulders...Oh yeah, for the boots. I just love the boots.

yes!

If you have a 1 year old...or a 5 month old for that matter, Aaron's pose here is not impressive. But our AB has had a hard time with some of his developmental milestones. This is a HUGE deal for him (being on his belly and holding up his head for a good length of time). I found him in the living room watching Yo Gabba Gabba like this yesterday and it just warmed my heart. He's now a prolific roller/scooter and can get across a room almost as fast as Stella.

riding

Stella loves this zebra.


The mount...in just her diaper


She opted for clothing. Check out the new do!


I think i surprised her.

ain't that the truth

reading is FUNdamental

Stella loves books so much that she climbs into this basket every day and gets stuck.


She's gotten to the point where she'll choose a book, walk over to you with it and then chuck it at your face. That means she wants you to read it to her. Her favorites are any touch and feel books, Pat the Bunny, But Not the Hippopotamus and The Going to Bed Book. Anything with Teletubbies on it will do in a pinch. Oh and that book, Oh Dear by Rod Campbell where Buster's grandma sends him out to get eggs for his breakfast - that is easily her favorite and she's destroyed Grandma B's copy of it by pulling off all the flaps that are only supposed to be lifted. Oh dear indeed.

Stella also likes to drop things either into something or over it. If we can't find the tv remote or our cellphones they are either in the book basket or the recycling bin. She throws her stuffed animals over the gate at the foot of the stairs. If she's this interesting at a year, I guess we better brace ourselves.

shave and a haircut

Two bits? More like $15 each. And for $30 we got to hear both kids scream bloody murder while they got their first haircuts. Seriously, you would've thought the hairstylists were snipping off the ends of their ears - especially Stella. It was touch and go there for a moment but I thought we'd have to take her home with half a haircut.


Coloring with Aunt Natalie before the big event.


Aaron saying goodbye to the old him


Apprehensive...


Unhappy...


Aaron seconds that emotion


Finally mullet free!

I don't have a picture of Aaron yet without his trademark Wolverine side hairs but I promise to get one soon.

waiting for dad

David went to pick up a friend and the kids decided to wait in front of the door until he returned.

stella antics

Now that Ms. Stella can walk, she's into all kinds of things. We've installed our cabinet locks to keep her out of the household chemicals. We have to close the bathroom doors so she won't play (or drown) in the toilet. We even have to lock our screen door so she won't try and leave the house when we aren't looking. What in the world are we going to do when Aaron starts walking too?