Happy ThankMas.

I LOVE CHRISTMAS. Who doesn't? But can't we celebrate Thanksgiving first?

SiX MoNTH CHeCK-uP

Cici is just a few days shy of being six months old. We went to the doctor today for her six month check-up and flu shot and it was horrible. She was so happy all morning long and even happy at the doctors office until the nurse started talking to her. She cried the ENTIRE appointment. Yup, all thirty minutes. I felt terrible for her, b/c she was so worked up that she was even sobbing and trying to catch her breath. She didn't take her morning nap so I am pretty sure that is the cause of her horrific meltdown. I think they were happy to see us leave the doctor's office, needless to say.
These are her stats at 6 months~
Height~ 25 3/4" (50%)
Weight~ 14 lbs 13 oz (30%)

I have been going through the great debate about the H1N1 shot and have decided not to make the kiddos get it. I know, everyone has different opinions and I have just decided that (hopefully) this year it is not necessary. Neither kid is in school and we are home A LOT. They aren't around enough kids to be at a huge risk for it. Hopefully this decision doesn't bite me in the butt later.
The kids did get the seasonal flu shot today and Cic screamed (through all four shots) but Kai was surprisingly AWESOME! He just sat there like, "what's the big deal, Mom?" I bribed him with a Happy Meal if he acted like a big boy. He wasn't phased at all and so happy to get a band aid.
Here is happy Kai today, so happy to be eating his chicken nuggets. I wish chicken nuggets made me this happy.

Then he decided it was time to go "Nigh Night" and assumed the position. Kai is an avid thumb sucker. ..Right thumb in and left hand plays with the hair.

(If your wondering why Kai ALWAYS has tattoo's on his hands and his ENTIRE body for that matter, it's b/c they are his "potty prizes". Yes, he gets a tatoo if he goes poo poo in the potty. Potty training hasn't been as bad as I thought it was going to be. He does really well actually. Since he doesn't really communicate with me (in English) yet, I just have to watch him for the signs or listen to his language of telling me he needs to go. He wants to go in the potty which is a HUGE success. We are still in pull ups for naps and sleeping. That is my fault though...I am too strict and have taught Kai that he doesn't decide when nap time is over, I do. So, he doesn't come out of his room til I get him. I also put him in pull ups when we leave the house b/c I am too afraid of an accident happening. Luckily, he never really has accidents.

It was hilarious at the doctor's office today when they went to give him his flu shot, I pulled his pants down and his legs have tattoo's ALL OVER THEM. The nurse just smiled at me. I totally busted up laughing and explained to her the reason behind Kai's "ink" job. Kai then wanted to point out each individual tattoo and talk to her all about them.
I would take responsibility for this madness, but I am going to graciously have to give my mother credit for the tattoos. She is ALWAYS sending little gifts for my kids...every holiday (or non holiday for that matter). My kids are totally spoiled by their Grandma Lundeen. We love you so much and are counting down the days til we see you again! 3 weeks til Texas!!!

"Cause You've Gotta Have Friends..."

We had the Buckmelters over last night for dinner and games. They have two boys, Luke and Brock, that are around Kai's age and Kai loved every minute of it. It isn't that often that Kai gets to play with boys his own age. After dinner we put a movie on for them and attempted to play games in the kitchen. We heard the boys squealing with laughter and this is what we found. Wrestling! I guess "boys will be boys..."

I love this picture so much. It made me so happy to see Kai playing and having fun with kids.

Can't Do It For One and Not the Other

We took soooo many pictures of Kai when he was a baby. Actually we still take lots of pictures of Kai. My Mom would always tell me, "You know you're going to have to take just as many pictures of your second one."
Well, I guess that has really been hitting me recently. We have so many pictures of Kai around the house and only two of Cic. I decided I was just going to try and match the pictures I took of Kai so that there would be an even amount. That way when they are older no one can say, "You have more pictures of him/her than you do of me."
Ben made me laugh last night when I was telling him this. He said, "I would just tell them, we didn't like you back then."

Anyway, I love this picture we had taken of Kai at 5 months and decided that I needed to get one of Cic. So we took her in last night. (Right before bedtime, so she wasn't the happiest camper for the shoot. We had to go in the evening though b/c I needed Ben there...well, I needed his hand there for the shot.) I thought we got a similar shot for her 5 month photo though. It was a great debate though. I wanted to put her in a pair of jeans just like Kai was, but Ben told me she needed to be covered up more b/c she is a girl. (In my opinion, she's a baby and it doesn't matter.)
So, I found a denim jumper in her closet and it worked. I love pictures in denim.
This was Kai at 5 months...


Here is Cic at 5 months...


They also took this picture while we were there and it totally shows the Cic I see all day long. Thumb sucking.


I wanted to try and get a shot with both kids together, but Cic was done for the night. I am not the mother who thinks that every shot of my kids is cute, but for some reason the photographer printed this postcard (thinking I would buy more). What a horrible picture. She is so sad, trying to fight back the tears. Kai looks great. He is such a poser. He was so excited to get in front of the camera last night. He was all smiles the whole time. Too bad we don't need more pictures of Kai b/c I would have bought some of his individuals.

Hormonal, Sentimental...Call It What You Will.

Today I went through Cici's room boxing up clothes that she has grown out of. This should have be a fairly quick project, but I found myself unfolding each article of clothing, holding it up, and remembering when she wore it and what she looked like in it. Needless to say, it took me a few hours.
Ben has been subtly (NOT SO SUBTLE) saying, "Maybe we're done having kids."

K. We have been married for over four years now and he still thinks that this is the kind of thing you can say to me?! I have the personality where when I am told "No" I dig my heels in and will fight tooth and nail to do the opposite. "No" just makes me want something even more.
I know that Ben hasn't really said, "No" but I haven't made up my mind yet, and I feel like he has. When he says we are done I immediately think, "We're not done." I just can't imagine Cic being our last baby. I was folding up Cici's clothes wondering if I would ever pull out these clothes again...HORMONES, gotta love 'em.

On a happier note~
Cici loves this horse from Aunt Jan (AKA "Janny Pants"). I got these cute shots of Cic playing with it today and thought I would post them.
This is my favorite shot...

I know that her eyes aren't really in focus in this shot, but I do love how blue they are.
Cic is currently in the "everything goes into my mouth" stage. I can't wait till this stage is over. Everything she touches ends up sopping wet with saliva.
Kai has a yellow horse just like this one and he LOVES it.
Thanks Janny Pants. We LOVE you!!!

Halloween Weekend

Our Snow Storm

I totally forgot to post these pictures I took of Ben digging us out last week. Kai wanted to help Ben so I got him bundled up and off he went.

"Once There Was a Snowman, Tall. Tall. Tall."
So happy to be outside. We were practically snowed in for two days. When the sun came out on Halloween it was SO refreshing.

Kai and Benny had a ball throwing snow at each other.

LOVE THIS SHOT!!!

Throwing snow at Mommy...

Whenever I do stuff like this with Ben, I am always amazed at how strong he is. (On the other hand, he is probably amazed at how weak I really am.) We rolled the mid-section and the head of the snowman and had to lift them into place. (Snow sure is heavy!) Ben pretty much had to lift it by himself b/c I wasn't very much help. (I did try though).

Kai helping Daddy pack the snow.

Our finished product...
(I know that snowman doesn't have a face, but we didn't have any objects on hand that we thought would do justice to our "work of art" so we just had a faceless snowman.)

Pumpkin Carving
Kai thought it was so cool that he got to wear a glove just like Daddy.
Love this face.


While Kai and Daddy carved pumpkins together, Cici ate her sweet potatoes. She is quite the eater now. Pretty much anything I stick on a spoon she will swallow. She even had a little nibble of a chocolate chip cookie the other day and gummed it till she was able to swallow it. She loves food!

Trick or Treating
"Come on everybody, just one more picture before we go trick or treating. SMILE!"

All our "kiddos". I know the dogs hate getting dressed up, but it is so funny to see them in their costumes.



I love this picture of Cici. "Dear in the Headlights" look. It totally reminds me of Kai when he was a baby...exact same look he used to give me.

WAAAYYYY too much candy for one kid to eat.

Our neighbors across the street gave Kai these caramel eyeballs and he is obsessed with them.


Our next-door neighbors gave Kai this HUGE Hershey's bar. Ben got this shot of Kai holding it. This looks like an advertisement for Hershey's doesn't it?

Thanks Deedee, George and Omar!

This is the pumpkin we carved this year. (I know, we weren't very creative). It was fun though and didn't take very long at all to do.

Me and my little lion. Ben and I thought he looked just like a lion until someone asked if he was a character from the movie, Where the Wild Things Are. Now, we think he looks just like that character from the movie.
It is so funny to me the things that Kai gets excited about. He loved this bat ring that he got while trick or treating. He wears it all the time, and constantly shows it to us.
So happy to be out of that costume and into comfy pajamas! Kai was such a happy boy when we got back. He loved helping us pass out candy to other "trick-or-treaters" who came to our door.

Lazy Sunday

We went to a baby blessing today for some of my favorite people in the WHOLE WORLD, the Buckmelters and the Smiths. I just love them to death. Whenever we hang out with them, I just never want to leave. After the blessing we took the kids home so they could crash their schedule is so off due to Daylight Savings Time).
Luckily when they woke up everything in the world was right again.

Yup, both of my kids are hard core thumb suckers...
Not sure how to break this habit really.

Cici gives free smiles out all day long to ANYONE that will look her way. She loves attention.


She is getting pretty good at sitting up on her own, I don't like her to do it on the ground though b/c she takes some pretty hard hits when she falls backwards.

Kai is totally into dressing himself lately...
Can you see what's wrong with this picture?
Cici and Daddy