Big Trips & Big Boys!

Well, it has been a big week as always around here!

Sheniah has been on the first (of many) Student Council trips thanks to the help of family and friends. This trip was to Reidsville and she had a great time, but she is really excited about the trip to Orlando and she has begun the daily countdown (only 16 days to go!)! She is so funny! We will be working hard the next few months to get more sponsors for the Phoenix trip and the 8th grade trip to Washington, D.C. (both in March) as well as the ski trip with her Youth Group (in February). We had curriculum night at the middle school last night and all the teachers were going on and on about what a great kid she is (I know this...but it is always SO nice to hear it!). Today she brought home her first progress report and she has all A's and one B. She is such a great kid! Unfortunately with all this greatness she is so busy and hardly ever here, so it is nearly impossible to get a picture of her...so I stole one off her aunt's Facebook page! It is a beautiful picture of all 3 girls...we can't wait to have them out here (hopefully next summer!) So here she is, my biggest little one, with her Aunt's Lizzie and Carmen...

A couple of cute pictures of the boys from the last couple of days...Harrison is so big!

And he is soooo naughty!!!

Showing off his muscles!

Silly boy!

On September 26th, Michael joined the ranks of the big boys! He has been completely disinterested in the potty chair, but I still ask him every few hours if he wants to go potty. Sometimes he will say "Okay" and we will make a big show of running to the potty and putting him on it, only to have him jump up in a few moments and say "All done". Other times he will say "No Tanks (too cute)" and I will ask again a couple of hours later. So on the 26th Yaya came to visit. After she was here for a while I asked Michael "Do you want to show Yaya how you can go potty?" He got very excited and said "Okay" and so we all ran to the potty, we dropped his pants and quickly stripped off the diaper, sat him down and suddenly it happened...he POTTY'D!!! It was so exciting!

He has since lost interest again and I have told my wonderful MIL that if he doesn't show more interest soon she will have to move in so he can show her all day long!

Today Harrison learned a fun new trick which required rearranging of some furniture...

Yup, he made it all the way to the bed...very dangerous! So, Michael's "Thomas the Train" couch had to be relocated from the foot of our bed! I REALLY, REALLY hope he doesn't start climbing out of his crib!



Finally, another video, trying to walk to Yaya but at this point he had been walking for a long time and was wearing out!

Love to all!

Big Day!

Today was an exciting day, but first...

A couple of days ago Michael had a serious diaper malfunction. His pants often fall off because he is so scrawny, and I will hear him in the other room saying "Fa fa fall off" (aka: My pants fell off). So on this day I was in the midst of changing him from pajamas to clothes and got distracted and I knew he was running around the house in a diaper and shirt. The next thing I know I hear "Fa fa fall off" and I'm thinking "What pants???" I walk around the corner to this sight...

Too hilarious!!!

And now onto today...a video is needed for this...

Yup...it's true! Although he has taken a half step here and there as he's been falling (and you know, I never know if those count or not as THE first step) - today Harrison officially figured it out! So exciting! He was taking 4 and 5 steps over and over, by the time we got the camera I think he was pooping out...but the first set in the video are pretty great!

Doctor Visit's

Just a few cute shots before the newest stats for the kids...

Michael enjoying some oven gloves...his arms looked partially amputated in them, but the picture is blurry so it is hard to tell. It was pretty funny, though!

The boys in their Panther's gear for the first official game of the season (we got killed, but we are loyal fans!)

Ohhh...so cute!


Michael pushing around his new favorite toy - a big dump truck in the backyard!

It's so big we put Harrison in it for a ride!

And Michael even got a ride from daddy!

Harrison enjoying some macaroni and cheese!

Harrison looking like a little old man in his underwear with his socks pulled way up!

Harrison is a VIP - chatting away, perhaps making stock trades or being on call for the hospital on his blue-tooth!

So, Michael has very little interest in potty training. I have just gotten him to sit on it, and the other day he did poot - but other than that there has been no "production" on the potty. Harrison, however, finds it quite enjoyable!

The kiddos in the bath at Yaya's! We were over this night to visit Grandma Burpeau, Bert, Aunt Aimee and Terry - however I didn't get my camera out of the car until after Grandma and Bert had left for the night. Aunt Aimee has pictures of them all together so I hope she will send them on to me.

So this month all 3 kids have gone to the dr.

Sheniah had her 13 year check up last week. Her height and weight were good and they did not measure her head! She is very tall, nearing 5'8"! She is also very healthy and having a great year so far. The boys (especially Michael) are so happy to have her home, and I think she is happy to be here with them, too (at least most of the time!!!)

Michael had his 2 year check up this afternoon. He is doing great and the doctor was very impressed with his vocabulary and all the developmental milestones that he is hitting. He seems to be right on track, if not a bit advanced (of course, we know he is brilliant!) I am most impressed because in just the last couple of days he started saying "I love you" - sounding more like "Ah wuh you", and of course the first time I heard it it was "Momma, ah wuh you" - ahhh...melt the heart! We got to see our usual doctor, so I have percentile's for him. Here are his 2 year stats:

Height: 35.5" (75th percentile - yippee! He's growing!)

Weight: 24# 12oz (25th percentile)

Head: 51.5cm (95th percentile)

So, he's a long, lean little string bean with a big head!

Finally, Harrison had his 9 month check up this morning. He is very healthy and seems to be right on track developmentally. Unfortunately we did not get to see our regular doctor today who always tells me what percentage the boys are in. So here are the stats for Harrison:

Height: 29" ("right about average" according to dr.)

Weight: 20# ("right about average")

Head: 48cm ("above average, as it has been")

And as always, a few videos for your viewing pleasure...

Here is Harrison getting a ride in the dump truck!

Here is Michael pushing the truck and running as fast as his little legs will go!

Here is a cute one of Harrison (believe it or not) NOT eating! He was at the end of his lunch and obviously full, but I had to keep forcing it to get the shot of him clamping his lips together! Hilarious!

Here is a good one of Michael watching airplane's on the computer. You can see him get so excited that he starts trembling a little! He loved it and has begged everyday to come watch them again!

And finally, one that will make anyone's day a little brighter - Harrison giggling! Too cute!!

That is all for now. Hope everyone is doing well and I will update again soon!

Michael's 2nd Birthday!

I can't believe Michael is 2 years old! It has gone by so fast and seems like just yesterday that we just found out I was pregnant with him! Now here he is, a little walking, talking, temper-tantrum-throwing 2 year old!

Before we get to his birthday, though, here are a couple of pictures from before his party. The boys hanging out, watching tv (well, Michael is watching tv, Harrison is looking for something to get in to and looking naughty as ever!)

Doesn't this look say, "What? I'm not doing anything wrong??" Meanwhile, Michael is oblivious to the mischief right beside him!
On September 2 we went for a walk down the road to see the firetrucks at the station. This happens every night and is part of the walking routine. However, this night one of the firefighters asked us if we wanted to bring the boys in to get up close and personal to the firetrucks! Michael was so excited and very nervous! The closer we got to the big trucks the more nervous he got! He actually touched one of the trucks (well, I pushed his hand into the side of the truck!) and then I put him in the driver's side seat. He was so nervous and shaking and he just kept saying (in a very wimpy voice) "It's okay, firetruck, it's okay, it's okay, firetruck" over and over! It was pitiful. In an effort to distract him I asked him "What's a firetruck say?" and in the most wimpy, whiny, on-the-verge-of-a-meltdown voice he could muster he said "Whew whewww". I then got him out of the truck!


So his first up close meeting was not as wonderful as I thought it would be, but the firefighter's were great and gave both boys a hat...Michael wore his the rest of the night and most of the next day! Here he is, the future firefighter (well, if he can just walk to the scene's, since riding in the truck is apparently out of the question!)

Harrison giving the singing duck love! Actually, he's likely biting it...knowing him!

Harrison with his fire hat on...he didn't like it much.

Michael wearing the fire hat!

On Saturday the 5th we celebrated Michael's 2nd birthday. Yaya, Papou, Lafata, Cathy, Riley, Aunt Alison, Uncle Brandon, Wesley and Maria all came, too! It was a lot of fun...Michael got a potty chair (he is not quite sure what to do with it since it is not nearly as comfortable as his orange lounger he watches tv in!) and firetrucks and lot's of great clothes!

Here he is opening the activity table he got from Yaya...we put it together the next day so there are pictures of it out of the box!

Michael really loved the card he got from Grandma! It was a musical card and when we opened it he just started laughing and grinning and dancing around...it was too cute!

Riley enjoyed all the action and hung out in the swing!

Opening presents with Nonnie!

Later we were outside and the mosquito's were terrible so I put repellent lotion on the boys to keep the mosquito's away. One of the favorite targets of the mosquito's are their heads, for some reason, so naturally I have to cover their heads with lotion. Everyone got a kick out of Michael's hair...unfortunately the picture is blurry, but I'm sure you can appreciate the "finger in the light socket" look he was sporting!

Yaya made Michael the cutest cake! He is so in love with firetrucks, ambulances, police cars, tractors and all that Yaya created a scene on his cake that featured all his favorite vehicles. There was apparently some construction going on, perhaps an accident and there was even a helicopter there! Too funny!

So here are lot's of pictures to appreciate the cake!

Michael admiring the cake with Yaya! They spent about 20 minutes looking at it and talking about it after she showed it to him!

More cake shots!

The constuction zone...looks like a couple of jobs mom and I have worked on!

The whole thing...too cute!

Michael grinning instead of blowing out the cake!

Wesley wanted the cake to be his, too!

More construction!

The cake tasted even better than it looked! No one could get enough!

Even Harrison got to enjoy the cake! As did his face, hands, lap, clothes, floor, etc!

It was a great birthday party!

The next morning David put Michael's new activity table together from Yaya. It is so cute, Michael really loves it. Here it is all set up!

Even Nonnie thought it was pretty cool! Harrison enjoyed eating everything he could get his hands on!

What a grin!

That night we went over to Jackie's to celebrate her birthday. Here is her beautiful cake (that was just as delicious as Michael's!)

Blowing out the candle!

Donning the birthday hat picked out especially for Yaya by Maria!

The boys watching tv and holding hands! How cute are they?!?!

Lot's of hugs for the cousin's!

Harrison thinks he is big enough to ride a bike!

The boys...they play together better and better every day! They are so cute!

Michael in his new shirt from Uncle Jarrod and Brandon for his birthday! It is so cute...a monkey with a firehat on! Harrison, having a snack!

Still snacking!

And still snacking!

And of course, more videos!

The first is Harrison and I playing patty cake. The singing is terrible (haha) but I love how he sings a long with me! Anyone notice that his outfit is the same outfit worn by Michael last year for his 1st birthday party?!?! Harrison is my big boy!

This is a video that just makes you appreciate and want to document the common things your children say and the uncommon ways they may pronounce them. I will preface the video by telling you that David and I do not swear (in general - but especially not around the children)! Yet, somehow, when Michael sees anything on 2 wheels (be it a motorcycle as he is seeing in this video or a bicycle) a word comes out that ends sounding a lot like "cycle" but begins sounding like a very naughty word!

Finally, no swear words in this video! Just a little boy who has 7 teeth now (and he's not afraid to use them!!) enjoying an apple that Michael got tired of! The baby loves food, let me tell ya!

That is it for now. Today, Harrison is 9 months old (crazy!) but the boys don't go to the dr until the 22nd, so I will update their current height and weight at that time. Hope everyone is well and we love you all!