Sneak Peak

I know... Halloween is still a few days away....but I can't resist! I have to post some photos of Sophia in her Halloween costume. Sophia had her Halloween party at church this weekend...so she got to dress up a bit early. I love her costume and of course think she was the best dressed at the party....do you think I'm biased...hmmmm... I love that she chose to be a clown this year...b/c I, myself, was a clown for many Halloweens. I, however, wanted to be a clown only because I knew it was a costume that would allow me the opportunity to wear LIPSTICK. I can still remember my mother telling me how to round my lips as she put her red lipstick on me. I can still smell how the light green clinique tube smelled! I was a lipstick fanatic.....just ask my mother about the time I drew all over my body with her tube of lipstick! She got some great pictures of that. Anyhow...my Sophia wants absolutely nothing to do with lipstick...even in her clown costume. She insisted on wearing only her colorless (but smelly) lipgloss! Too funny!





Joseph didn't go to the Halloween party, but he made his own fun this weekend. This little guy wants to walk! He finds anything and everything in the house and tries to push it around! Occasionally, though he loses his balance (he can't stand up on his own quite yet even though he thinks he can!) We had two episodes of bleeding gums this weekend...EEEEK! His little teeth are so sharp from just cutting through the gums....that every time he falls he hits his mouth in just the right spot and those little guys cut through his gums! It always scares me to death to see his mouth when it is bleeding and I can't always see where it is coming from! When he recovers, though, he is right back up again trying to do the same thing that got him into trouble in the first place. I think this little Joe might have a few more cuts and bruises as he grows up than his sister did!


And finally the weekend ended with a fun celebration at Yiayia's house for her birthday! Thanks for the yummy dinner...Yiayia! Sophia was thrilled to give her the birthday card she made for her...glitter and all!

Fall is here...

and so are the sniffles and runny noses around our house! It has been a rainy and chilly week here, so we had lots of time to play inside and do some crafts. Joseph had his nine month doctor appointment on Monday (10/20/08). He got his first of two flu shots and I think his last Hep. B vaccine....and we also snuck in a flu shot for Miss Sophia. We decided it was best to not tell her in advance....she would just worry, worry about it. So, though it wasn't a pleasant surprise for her... I think she handled it fairly well!

Here are Joseph's nine month stats!
He is now:
18 pounds 0.5 ounces; 27 1/2 inches in length; and his head circumference is 17.36 inches
(10 % for weight) (20 % for height) (14% for head circumference)

He is such a happy little guy...even at the doctor's office! He LOVES to play with the paper on the table! Thank goodness daddy could be there for at least part of this visit b/c I could barely keep him on the table.... this little guy is a MOVER! Here are some pics of the day:




Ironically, both of the kids caught colds a few days after the flu shot...hmmm... and poor Joseph is still having a time with his four top teeth! We had many sleepless nights this week. And the rain made for perfect stay at home, chicken noodle soup days! I snapped some pictures of our "sick day". ( I wish I could look that cute when I don't feel good!!!) We did lots of painting and playing...AND Sophia had a ball trying on her new jayhawk costume! Can you guess who bought it for her???????? Thanks Pappou!

J is for Jumper!

Sophia still insists on getting herself dressed in the mornings. As soon as her alarm clock goes off, I hear her feet jump out of bed and she runs downstairs to have us help her take her jammies off. Then back upstairs she goes to get dressed ALL BY HERSELF (sometimes she comes down wearing two undershirts under her clothes...oops!) One morning last week, a proud Sophia came running into my bathroom wearing a new dress she had laid out the night before. She stood in front of my mirror and started jumping up and down, up and down...Forgetting that I had once referred to this dress as a "jumper", I asked her why she was jumping up and down. Of course her reply was...." I have to jump today because I am wearing my "jumper." I guess it was fitting that Sophia's class also studied the letter J these past few weeks. She insisted on wearing her jumper on her "j" show and tell day! I guess we will get good wear out of this dress... we have already worn it twice in one week!

I have to give Thea credit for these darling pictures...she took most of them when she visited that day. And no.... I don't normally allow Sophia to pick Joseph up like that...but it did make for a darling picture!

"The Patch"

Pizza Party

Sophia requested a pizza party today! Typically Sophia is allowed two Franklin shows each day, so getting to watch an entire movie....is a real treat for her. She chose Cinderella (yay! my favorite Disney movie) and barely could eat her pizza because she was staring so intently at the tv. It's hilarious to watch her as she watches things on tv. I love to see her expressions! Anyhow... it was a fun night for her. No, Joseph did not eat pizza. That was his Daddy playing a trick on us when I was taking pictures. He put the pizza on Joseph's high chair when he was eating his after dinner cookie! Good one, daddy!

9 months old and time is a flyin'

I know it sounds so cliche, but I really don't know where the time has gone. I can not believe our little guy is 9 months! It seems like it was just the other day when we were bundling him up in his enormous coat to leave the hospital that cold night in Iowa. As we tell Sophia...our hearts got bigger that day because now we had two babies to love....and they haven't stopped growing since. Joseph's silly smiles, his easy going personality, the way he loves everyone he meets....all these things we are so grateful for.
At nine months, he is crawling up a storm, trying desperately to stand up on his own and adoring his BIG sister. He wants to follow her wherever she goes...and she LOVES that she has an admirer. He still loves his puppy, and has a great time trying to pull his hair (Willie never complains). Speaking of hair....he loves to pull out my hair and he will stare at that one tiny strand between his tiny fingers for quite some time. I am growing my hair back out just for him! :) He does say "mama" though not sure he says it for me all of the time... I think he says it when he wants more of anything (i.e., milk, crackers, up, etc!) He does attempt to sign "more" and even shouts out "mo" when we are not responding fast enough. He can also clap his hands when I say " Yay, Joseph!" Of course he loves to laugh at his daddy....Daddy knows just where to tickle....and every morning when I am changing him and daddy walks in, he immediately tries to "talk" to him to get his attention. I think it is so sweet how he adores him and reaches out to him when he sees him!
We love you Joseph....don't grow up too fast!
PS I almost forgot....His present for his 9 month birthday.... 4 new teeth starting cutting through finally on the top gums...it was a long night...poor Joseph!

Sophia's Masterpiece!!

Miss Sophia requested that I post this marvelous drawing of hers on "my blog!" Can you believe she even knows to say "post on the blog!" She is one little sponge....soaking up everything she hears! Can you tell that her drawing is the Baby Einstein man???