Camo Christmas

Today we went back to our roots and visited Santa in a Bass Pro Shop outside Houston. Luke shot, built, and pretended to ride all morning. Even Santa Claus fit in--when Luke announced that he wanted tools for Christmas, Santa wanted some clarification on whether he meant mechanical tools or carpenter tools. (Luke said mechanical)

Poor Baby D, in true second child fashion, was dragged along in his ill state (double ear infection!), forced to sit on some weird guy's lap,  and then relegated to the baby carrier. 

To round out the morning, in true Idahoan fashion, Luke peed in the bushes in the parking lot before leaving. 

Sugar Plum Fairies

Last night, for the third (and possibly last) year in a row, Suzanne and I made it to the fantastic Houston Ballet's Nutcracker. I don't think we have pictures from every year, which is a shame, because they provide a fun picture of where are lives are every December. Every year seems to get progressively harder (Suzanne was in labor last night, literally, and Baby D cried the entire time I was gone) and every year we inevitably end up running late, sliding in just as the lights dim and the ushers start to get anxious, but still the tradition lives on!

Look at those two: would you ever guess there were almost five children between the two of them? 

Holiday Cheer

So remember all of my holiday activities last year?

Turns out I was creating a monster. Luke started his enthusiasm early this year when I brought home a gingerbread house kit and unfortunately put it on the counter for little prying eyes to see. After asking to do it every day for over a week, his patience finally paid off and we got to decorate his "gingerbread cookie house" (as he calls it).

Baby D helping...

The house now sits in a place of honor in the middle of the table, where Luke can touch it and sneak sprinkles while he's eating. Just give Luke a call! He'll tell you all about it.

Over and over and over.

7 Months

And now he's standing! Don't worry, he's only been doing it for a few weeks. :)

Baby D now has four teeth, with at least one more trying to break through, and has the most adorable little smile with his giant chicklets and little gap between his teeth. He's got dimples and giant, bright blue eyes and crazy blond hair and is just so squishable! Strangers cannot get enough of him--I have had two separate men (that's right, men) in the past month say that my children must have been purchased from a catalogue.

See? Catalogue.

And what's really fun is that he looks so little but is so mobile! We had a little get-together with other moms and babies from our ward and Derek was crawling all over them. Literally. Almost in a taunting way. Stealing their toys and making a break for it.
Derek is also just so very happy, usually. He loves to shriek and laugh while he's crawling or getting his diaper changed or when he's playing and has the best little giggle that comes out all the time.



And it's a good thing, too, because Baby D is not at all easygoing. He has already made his dislikes clear and they are intense. He refuses to eat anything from a spoon--he will feed himself for a while but usually loses interest after a few minutes (and absolutely will not stay in his chair after Luke has finished and has gotten down)--and often resorts to a full-face scrunch to avoid having something put in his mouth. (He can also resort to some effective spitting if he feels it's warranted) He also has the worst case of FOMO I have ever seen in a baby and gets very offended when he gets left behind. But above all, his hatred for his car seat is unparalleled.



It's a good thing he has such a nice, un-opinionated, easygoing, calm, malleable older brother as a role-model, right?

Feeling Thankful

It may have been a week ago, but Thanksgiving this year was fantastic. The menu was superb, the company was wonderful, the weather was beautiful (no, it wasn't crisp and fall-like, but it was sunny and warm!), Luke was super excited to see all of the turkeys that were going to appear on Thanksgiving day, and Baby D got his first taste of Thanksgiving turkey. (to see Luke's, go here)

As they say in Texas:

Give thanks, ya'll.

The Finer Things

To celebrate baby number three (but more importantly, girl number one), Suzanne and friends came over to indulge in fantasies of being a character in a Jane Austen novel. What better way to welcome a little princess into the world?

Pinkies up, ladies.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Ghostbusters!

Our costumes attracted a different demographic from last year. This year Ken's favorite group of people, teenage boys, seemed really interested in asking questions and inspecting Ken's costume (up close).

Also, while Luke couldn't have been more in heaven (a backpack with a hose and a gun attached?), Derek absolutely hated his costume, though he fell asleep in its snuggly warmth both at the ward trunk or treat and around our neighborhood.

Both boys still had enough energy when we got home to light up our jack-o-lantern to entice trick-or-treaters (we got about four) before everyone passed out into lovely sugar comas.

I Ain't Scared of No Ghost

When there's something strange
(da da da da da da)

in the neighborhood,
(da da da da da da)

Who you gonna call?

6 Months

So about a week after my last Derek update, he grew tired of *just* sitting and began moving with a fierce determination only rivaled by his older brother. Nothing is too far away now, much to Luke's chagrin; the words most often yelled out by poor Luke the Pooke are "Baby! No!"

*here's proof!*

If that weren't enough, he now has two adorable bottom teeth and two giant top ones about to break through. He has also been seen going from a crawling position to a sitting position, can crawl up our little steps without face planting, and has tried to pull himself to a standing position several times (so far unsuccessful, but it's only a matter of time).



Derek is an extremely happy and social little guy, with (according to several people) a very "charming," easy smile. He thinks Luke is the funniest person in the entire world and can barely contain his excitement when Luke comes to find him in the morning. He loves to give rather painful, face pinching kisses and big tight hugs around the neck. He loves to shriek and laugh and talk and hates more than anything to be left out or left behind.

He still isn't sleeping through the night, and probably never will, because he likes to do the cutest, closed-eyes talking when he's really drowsy that makes it really hard to put him down.  How could you say no to this face?

Stroking my Ego

Time for the annual costume flashback!

Ken decided to participate unenthusiastically. 

As punishment, this beauty gets to be immortalized on the world wide web.

Here Comes Halloween!

My daily holiday activities are muuuuch more realistic this year than last. Multiple sewing projects in one week? Yeah right.

Taking five minutes to wrap everybody up like mummies? 

We can handle that. 

Derek's Dashing 'Do

Remember Luke's awesome long wispies? And how they just kept growing, and growing, and growing, until Ken finally consented to a haircut? 

Turn out it's hereditary. But while Luke's grew in like a fantastically old-man-inspired comb-over, Derek has chosen to fashion his after the ever-iconic emo teenager.

*initiate headbang*

Five Month Monster

Thankfully about three weeks ago Baby D decided that he was sick of squawking to be picked up off the floor and decided to start sitting! Since then he has been a much happier little camper and has learned to entertain himself for short stretches of time. 

But not for too long. He still needs to be at the center of everything, especially if Luke is involved. Luke's toys are always better, his activities are always more interesting, and the Babe's attention span is always longer when he has his best brother to play with him. 

More than anything else, his dearest desire is that he be allowed to play with and drink from Luke's water bottle! Anytime he sees it he is fixated and gets very irritated if he finds the lid is closed and the straw is hidden. 

See a theme with these pictures??

Derek still hates the car, still hates to sleep, still hates to be left out, and in general is just showing lots of really strong preferences and opinions already (hooray for me). We've started Baby Led Weaning a little early, since he's already sitting up so well, and so far he has gnawed on some carrots, celery, apple, Asian pear, and green beans. More than anything, he enjoys being able to sit up to the table and be a part of the mealtime fun! 

#kidselfie

Found these gems on my phone.

Profile pictures in the making!

Mad Skills

So remember that kid who went viral on YouTube thanks to his spectacular lightsaber skills? He had nothing on Luke.

The absolutely positively very first day of school ever.

The very first picture and outfit and backpack and sign.

The very first teacher

The very first art

The very first uneaten snack. :)

4 Months

A bit belated, but did you see what we had going on last month? Cut me some slack here.

Baby D is just so adorable. Who could resist that face and those eyes? And if you should happen to glance away for a moment he is there with piercing shrieks and squawks to draw your attention back immediately. 

Baby D does not like to be put down ever; luckily he will happily sit in his baby carrier all day (about the only time he is not squawking), will lay his head down and fall asleep, and then will remain asleep while being swaddled and laid down in his bed. 

Thanks to all of the traveling he is still not sleeping through the night (although about a week into a new place he starts going six or seven hours, usually right before we leave again), and has also developed an intense dislike for his car seat, making car rides everyone's least favorite activity. 

Baby D has also started rolling! Not very consistently and mostly front to back, but occasionally he will surprise us with long rolling marathons and will roll back and forth to reach his favorite toys.

Derek also makes excellent use of his hands to pull everything to his mouth. He also recently discovered his feet and was very angry when he couldn't get them to come off.

He has the sweetest, most charming smile and dimples and still makes the best surprised faces with his big expressive eyes. We wouldn't trade him for anyone!