Just Like Dad

Nolan has picked up a few habits from his dad, namely lounging and munching. His favorite spot is the lovesac in front of the TV. He usually puts his hands behind his head (like dad) and locks his fingers together. It looks like he's going to do situps, but he never makes the move. If there's food, even better. Its cute, to some extent.

Fortunately, couch potato isn't the only thing he's got going for himself. He has inherited another of his father's traits. And that is to injure himself repeatedly. He is 2 years old. Besides all the black eyes, bruises and cuts he keeps popping up with, he's had a broken arm, a broken face, and now, stitches. I've never had stitches, outside of an operating room. I've never broken a bone. On the other hand, I believe Josh has broken both arms, wrists, a collar bone, had the tip of his finger torn off, and he has a huge scar on his shoulder, not sure what from. He's also broken his nose, I think with a peanut butter jar.

This most recent damage came from stacking plastic storage containers on top of eachother, (empty storage containers, he dumped all the clothes out of them first, after I slaved over their organization for hours) and climbing them. He fell, hit his head on a jagged edge, cried and came to me. I freaked out. It wasn't bleeding, but there was a hole in his head that I could see right through. I swear I saw his brain. Josh says it was just a layer of fat, but I don't know. In any case, it was gross, so I yelled for Josh to come get him. Josh laid him down, changed his diaper and took him to the docs. I'm glad I didn't have to watch him get the stitches. I really pray that nothing involving blood, or gaping holes happens when I'm home alone with the kids.

All stitched up. Sorry about the soiled bandage part. He wouldn't let me take it all the way off. Its Spiderman.

March? Really?

I seriously can't believe its even March. Let alone that its almost over. Didn't I just post?? In December? It can't have been 3 and half months already. I'm not that bad.

And so much has happened in that too short amount of time. Nolan turned 2, Clara turned 6, I turned *cough-cough-cough27cough-cough*, Oliver started sitting, got his first teeth, finally rolls over, eats normal food, Josh um...got a haircut? Anway, the point is, I'm a big slacker for not documenting the milestones in my family more diligently.

This is another attempt to ease my guilt and acknowledge, in a more permanent form than my memory, the things that I want remembered.

This is Oliver back in December when he was still a limp noodle. This outfit still fits him because he's still puny. He's just more physically capable.

This is Nolan when he still had beautiful blonde locks. Now they're kind of dingy brown. He looks a little high here, but I assure you he's not.

This cake was not for Clara. She has this thing where she insists on getting her picture taken with every cake that I remember to take a picture of. Kind of cute, but mostly just stressful. I don't want her to ruin the cake. She could cough on it, accidentally bump it, trip and smash her face into it...that kind of thing.

And whatever big sissy does, Nolan has to do too. That's even worse. He wouldn't accidentally bump it. He'd intentionally dig out a big chunk and shove it down his throat.

This is Nolan's quick birthday cake. He insisted on Diego after seeing the other Diego cake. I wanted to try out the topsy turvy style, so we compromised. I did the topsy turvy cake and he got a Diego candle thrown on top. :) Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of Nolan on his birthday. Josh just took video. I haven't figured out how to add those yet.

The aftermath.

Christmas Eve was a couple days later and Nolan was Joseph. Unfortunately, he had just received a toy gun as a gift. Wouldn't put the thing down. So instead of a Joseph vibe, he kind of sent out the pasty white terrorist vibe.

That candy filled cane looks menacing too.

Clara was an angel. Without a gun.

The whole holy group awaiting certain destruction from Joseph the Terrible.

Seriously. Look at that face. Does he look like he's joking?

We came home and put the kids to bed. This was the pile of crap under the tree that would soon be an even bigger pile of garbage and toys the next morning.

This is the kids opening their presents. There aren't a lot of pictures, because Josh likes the camcorder thing, but ain't they cute?

Moving on from Christmas...a couple of months ago, this was the morning tradition for Nolan and Ollie, after we sent Clara off to school. Nolan would squish himself into Oliver's blanket and they'd watch morning cartoons together.

Next comes Clara's sixth birthday. She had a cupcake themed party, they played musical chairs, smashed a pinata, and decorated cupcakes. Fun was had by all, reflected in the giant mess afterwards.

This was the top of her cupcake tower. Fancy.

Pin the cherry on the cupcake. I painted it. That's right.

An example of the delicate treatment my children get when in the hands of a loving uncle.

President's Day! I love it.

This is the first picture I have of Oliver sitting by himself. He still flops over occassionally, but he's so strong!

Nolan being innovative with the jumpy thing.

See? Look how dingy brownish blonde his hair is now. Oh, and the nose picking thing. That's new too.

How handsome.

This is their new ritual. Oliver won't lay down now that he knows how to sit up, so they just sit together on the love sac and watch morning cartoons.

And that is all, my friends. All I had the time or patience for anyway. Until next time...