Birthday Girl

Before I write my post, let me stress the importance of saving your post as you write it. I just finished writing a really long post about Klara's 2nd birthday and was seconds away from publishing it when my computer went crazy and I lost everything!!!! Oh how sad! So, my friends, this post will be saved several times while I am typing it. Hmph. ( I just saved it.)

So.....my precious girl turned 2 last week! I can't believe how fast time flies. I looked at her baby pictures on her birthday and just cried because it seems like so long ago that she was a tiny newborn. Anyways....I really wanted to have a monkey theme for Klara's party because she loves her Curious George doll and the cartoon. They are her favorites. However, Curious George stuff is all yellow and red. I could not, will not, never will have a yellow and red party for my girly girl (unless she asks for it, and even then I will beg her not to). I was not able to find cute and girly monkey stuff, so I made my own invitations out of monkey and jungle scrapbooking paper that was all glittery and girly. I also found a cute monkey cupcake design online. This year we wanted to invite more of Klara's little friends, so we were fortunate enough to be able to have her party at our church (thanks FBC!). March is so unpredictable in weather, so we are never brave enough to plan an outdoor party. The party turned out wonderful! Klara and all the kids had a great time!

looking through the window of her new dollhouse from Mommy and Daddy (you can see the little sink and part of the toilet...too cute!)

playing with the dollhouse
playing in her new playhouse from Grammi and Popeye in Guatemala chatting on the playhouse phone....for hours!putting on pretend eyeshadow from Daddy
monkey cupcakes.....yes, some of them HAD to be pink
eating cupcakes

eating with Ava, Lyndi, and Alaina
Birthday banner (thanks Alison for inspiration!)
opening presents

Noah and Alaina
Sadie
Ava Campbell
Lyndi
My dad and Zach
Happy Birthday to Chad also!

Watch Me Grow with Teddy, Weeks 11-15

week 11

week 12

week 13

week 14

week 15

My Buddy, My Buddy....

My Buddy, My Buddy, wherever I go he goes......My Buddy and me! I know you are singing with me at this point! Remember those catchy commercials from way back when? Anyways....Zach has become my little buddy. I am completely in love with my little boy! He is absolutely precious and has the happiest little personality. I will be folding laundry or making up the bed, and I look over at him and he is just staring at me and watching every move I make. The first thing he does in the morning is smile! It is so precious (and nice for the ears) to wake up to a smiling baby and not a crying baby. He is making progress with his sleep! He has been sleeping through the night about every other night. The other nights he wakes up once around 3:00am. I can definately handle that!

Klara is still getting used to being a big sister. Sometimes she cries if Zach is not with us, but other times she tries to push him away if she is wanting me to play with her. She has her sweet moments but also her sassy moments. I guess she takes after me. She is also growing up so quickly! I can't believe that she will be two this month! She talks my ear off all day long and is starting to talk in sentences that are 4 words long. She gets very excited when we tell her we are going to church. She calls it "Jesus House." She is quite right. On our way to church we pass several other churches, and she calls all of them "Jesus House." We never told her they were churches, so I guess she figured it out on her own. She now knows all of her letters and can count to 10 (though she usually leaves out the number six). She LOVES shoes, necklaces, and all things girly. I predict some fun shopping trips in my future!

Here are a few updated photos! These are mostly for Grammi and Gramps in Guatemala, but I hope others enjoy them also!




I am so cute!

first time in high chair


first time trying rice cereal...yucky!

first time in my bouncy play seat...I am not ashamed of the pink blanket.

first time painting Klara's nails

dress-up time!

Klara is tricky. She scoots the slide over to the wall and climbs up so she can reach the lights. She turns them on and off....each time she yells, "Ta-da!"

playing in the snow

our scary snowman

Klara was quite annoyed, but I got a decent picture!

Watch Me Grow with Teddy (Weeks 6-10)

My boy is 10 weeks old! Here are his teddy pictures for weeks 6-10!

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8 (Klara jumped in too.)

Week 9

Week 10 (My receding hairline is starting to grow back in!)

The Many Faces of Zach

My precious boy is growing so fast! He has started smiling so much lately! He just tries his hardest to talk to me, and it comes out in the cutest little sounds. He makes the cutest little faces. His newest face (which I have not captured on camera yet) is the saddest pout in the world. It breaks my heart to see it! Here are some the ever-changing faces of Zach!

I have the prettiest smile!

Mommy is praying that I develop dimples like my handsome daddy!



Look at my massive hands!

Whoa! I am so excited!

Firsts

Here are some of Klara's firsts....

First Haircut.....thank goodness for suckers

First trip to the aquarium....she was terrified!

Not too excited....

Just plain terrified and tired...at least Alex is smiling!

She liked this fish tank! It had little "Nemo" fish in it.

She really did NOT like the shark!

If you are wondering where Zach was, he was sleeping in his stroller like a good little newborn!

!

Christmas 2009

This post is a little late, but I have been a little busy with 2 babies! We had a great Christmas this year! Last year we started some traditions, and we were able to carry most of them on this year. We went to Christmas Eve service at church, ate Chicken 'n' Dumplins on Christmas Eve along with peach cobbler (odd tradition, but it is one of my favorite meals), wore new pjs......The only Christmas Eve tradition that we broke was burning sparklers outside. It was very rainy so we did not think it was worth the trouble. Christmas day we woke up early and watched Klara open all her gifts. We only got her 4 things because we knew she would get plenty from the grandparents. Little Zach just chilled in Alex's lap and watched Klara's excitement. Later that day we went to my parents' house and spent time with them and my sister's family. That pretty much sums it up!

We were not able to get a good family picture this year. Klara was having a "terrible 2" moment, and Zach was a little fussy. Klara's face is rotten! She did not want her picture taken at all!

Ashley and Klara flying Wade's helicopter......I broke Alex's!

Klara's favorite present....cheap necklaces!

Zach just chillin'

Attempt #2 at a family picture....This one is a little bit better! Klara is still not happy and tried to hide behind her "EI." (That is what she calls monkeys for some reason.)