Milestone Morning

Saturday morning was a big day around here.  Evelyn (mah BAAAAY-be) turned 6 months old, and Max (NOT a baby but a boy) started wearing underpants full time.  It was just about too exciting for this mom to handle!  

 (This picture cracks me up - he was VERY over being told how grown up he is to have on underpants.  And being asked if he needed to go to the potty).

 Such a little girl now!

 Am I the only one who thinks she looks JUST like Francine in the last picture?

First food

We realized that if Evelyn were going to start foods today, we had to actually BUY baby food.  So off we went to the Commissary, where E made herself at home in the shopping cart.  When we got home, she was... willing?... to give oatmeal a go in her normal, completely laid-back way.  Such a good girl!

That's amore...

Ian was out of town for the night, so Max and I decided to be 'cooker man fire men' and make homemade pizzas.  Evelyn supervised us from the high chair.  The results were pretty AND delicious!

They knew what they were doing.

Ian was out of town yesterday and today, so the kids and I decided we should do an adventure just the three of us.  Max picked the Children's Museum.  We weren't even through the check-in line before Max said I want to go to the fire trucks, over THERE!  He pointed right through the wall to where the fire truck is.  Kid radar is magic!

 Max wore his fire boots to the museum, which was convenient for playing fire man.  Except that every time Max left 'my gear' in a pile, I had to fight off other parents and kids who thought the boots were part of the museum's stuff.  I tell you, you could make a fortune peddling those boots right outside the museum!

 Evelyn really enjoyed the baby area.  She lounged on the bean bag pillows and played with lots of toys.  Max had fun pushing trucks all over that room, and climbing in the tunnels.

 Between 'calls' in the fire truck, the fire man would climb to the top bunk and read stories.  He's such a well-rounded bombero!

Underpants King

Max was an ace underpants-wearer while we were out and about today - zero accidents in 5 hours, and 2 trips to the potty.  It's not quite as smooth sailing at home, but oh well.  As this picture shows, we're having fun with it!

Interview

It's also a big day around here.  Max went off to Miss Reinalda wearing underpants.  It was an epic battle over who would get to star on his bottom this morning, but after much deliberation the Jake underpants won out over Cookie Monster.  We used the potty three times this morning before we left the house, here's hoping he at least makes it until lunchtime....

VIP

Ian and his buddy Secretary Panetta, just casually meeting in the Pentagon.

Lobos and pirates, oh my!

We went to see The Story of the Three Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood, as told by the rapping wolf, this weekend.  Max was a little scared at times, but in general liked it.  After the show, he did not hesitate to walk up to the wolf and his puppeteer (or the pirate, as Max so PC-ly referred to him) for a photo.  He was very excited to bring his 'picture papers', aka programs, home.  He went through each picture multiple times in the car.

It's a bird, it's a plane...

It's Evelyn, who appears to be flying in this photo!

Party Girl

Evelyn cracks me up in the tub.  The way she sort of leans back on one arm just screams 'hey, it's a party, come hang out' to me.

Evelyn in the Spotlight

Happy times

A boy and his tractor

We headed to Sears to buy a treadmill for Mom yesterday.  Max LOVED the 'tractors,' and spent almost 30 minutes climbing all over them.  At one point, he said 'I have to move this seat so I can see how it works,' and went right to work figuring it out. 

Speaking of being clever, last night we did an experiment, and left a cup of water on the back porch to see what happens when it is FREEZING cold outside.  Lo and behold, this morning, we had a puck of solid ice in the cup.  Amazing!

Funnies

• Miss Reinalda gave Max and Evelyn little bears for Valentine's Day.  When I picked Max up, and still this morning, he refers to his bear as 'my sweet little bear.'  For the record, it is a bear, not a teddy bear, because bears are white and teddy bears are brown.
• Not sure where this one came from:  Yesterday, Max told me "confidence means that you come out of your shell."  
• Evelyn has started getting very into touching the books while we read.  She even turns some of the pages!  
• Speaking of sharing books, we're also starting to share toys.  Max is OK with Evelyn playing with baby toys, but is significantly less excited when she starts touching his fire and garbage trucks.
• This morning:  "Daddy told me I'm a big boy, but I told him I'm a little man because I like to poo poo in my diaper."
• Doris sent us a valentine with pictures of their family on it.  This morning, we took the card with us so Max could "show Meleia the card has her on it.  That is funny."
• He LOVES 'tasty treats' and 'yummy surprises.'
• Evelyn has become impossible to keep socks on.  She loves to pull them off and chew on them!

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's a very happy Valentine's Day around here today.  Max and Evelyn took 'tasty treats,' as Max calls them, for Maxie, Meleia, Miss Reinalda and Miss Doris this morning.

Evelyn was a sweet heart in her red love dress.

And big brother was quite dapper in his heart-tractor shirt.

Getting a picture of the two together is always a painful-but-funny experience!

Our love celebration started over the weekend - today, the grandparents all get valentines from Max and Evelyn, too!

Pretty in Pink

Somebody was in a very good mood this morning.

 We had a long conversation while Evelyn sat up and looked around our room.  She was very interested to know how brother could sleep through all her squeaks!