Real Life

We have been adjusting to life with two kids now that all our helping hands have departed.  The month of December has been an exciting one... but one that I wouldn't trade for the world.  Though mostly at home, we've dealt with growth spurts, illness, 2-year molars, and new sleeping arrangements for everyone.  Needless to say there's been no shortage of action here!

Here's a look at some of the fun events that have taken place here at home.

We of course had to document Ansel's first bath... it was more successful than Amita's!  We'll chalk that up to being more experienced parents!

All dry and snuggly after the bath.

Amita coloring a picture.  She is budding young artist and loves coloring, glueing, cutting, and painting.

Ansel with one of his first smiles.  He even has dimples - how could anyone resist this face?!?!?!

This was taken with my phone... but it marked a very eventful day for us.  Both kids were napping at the same time (a rare occurrence!).  When Ansel woke up, it was because his entire body was all wet... he is getting so big that he busted through the velcro on his diaper like the hulk!!  Let's just say that an open diaper doesn't contain the liquid the way we would hope... good thing there was only liquid to contain!  This was also the same afternoon that Amita decided her bed was no longer a good place for naps and she started sleeping on the floor!

Ansel showing off his manly mustache!

Amita in some cute pigtails.  She wasn't in the mood to smile.

Ansel resting after a rare trip out.  This used to be the only way to get Amita to sleep during the day... but Ansel is more interested in napping (hooray for Mama!).

Here's Ansel showing off his smile and his own special quilt that Grandma Morehouse made.

Amita modeling a pig shower cap, gloves, and a sweater for Ansel from some dear friends!  Right now, she has decided that everything that's hers is hers and everything that is Ansel's is hers!

Ansel wearing a hat that once belonged to my brother.  He is too oversized to wear the matching onesie (Ansel, I mean... although I don't think my bro would fit it now either...).

Another of my phone shots.  Amita was very excited to have her picture taken and she smiled very big for me.

Then she saw that the camera was storing her picture and she was very surprised and excited.  Super glad I captured this look on her face too!

Amita has been very interested in helping with the baby.  Here she is patting his back to help him burp.

Amita helping the bouncy chair to rock.  This is less helpful when he falls asleep in it and then she comes and shakes it!

Mama with all her buddies at home.  Though exhausting, it's been a fun month!

In the Jungle

Today we left Ansel home with our nanny and took Amita to the zoo.  We had an awesome time watching the animals and watching Amita watch the animals.  She really enjoyed the birds, the monkeys and the big cats.  The animals seemed to like the cold, snowy weather and they were all very active while we were there.  The monkeys were especially active... the spider monkeys were running and playing and a Rafiki monkey pounded on the glass and bared his teeth at us!!  After a few hours, Amita was exhausted and fell asleep on the car ride home (which never happens!).

Apparently, whether in the jungle or not, the lion sleeps tonight.

Amita really liked the cows in the dairy barn.

The penguins were a lot of fun for the three of us to watch.

But Amita really loved the open bird area where the birds were walking and flying around with us.  She got really close to a number of birds.

We spent a lot of time watching the birds fly and listening to them "talk" to each other.  Amita greeted each bird with a "Hi!"

Comparing Daddy's wingspan to birds.

Amita has some room to grow!

Riding the tractor in the dairy barn.  Amita loved to steer (and I think she enjoyed a little break from walking!).

Christmas Cheer

We had a wonderful Christmas this year.  Amita was old enough to understand what was going on and she was VERY good at "helping" everyone unwrap gifts!  It was especially joyous with our new little boy here - he is healthy and happy and that's better than any gift we could receive.

Here's Ansel hanging out on Christmas morning.

Amita in her Christmas dress.  I guess the tennis shoes are what happens when Daddy does the dressing!

All the gifts from Santa ("HoHo!" according to Amita) under the tree.

Unwrapping her new easel.  She was thrilled with the wrapping paper and ribbons as well as the gift!

Trying on her new cape and other gifts from Grandpa and Grandma Morehouse.

Showing off her gifts from Papa and Nana Bubb.

All of us on Christmas night at Aaron's parents house.

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like...

Christmas is upon us and we are slowly getting ready for the holidays!  We have been having a lot of fun with Amita as she is starting to understand a bit more about Christmas... and the look on her face as she experiences new holiday things is priceless!!  She has been very excited about snow and snowmen; the tree that has "magically" appeared in our loft; helping mama decorate the tree when Ansel is sleeping; and making handprint ornaments.

Here are the kids with Santa.  For the second year in a row, no one cried, so we consider it a major success!

Ansel modeling his snowman outfit - a sweater vest and corduroy pants that could not be cuter!

Our stockings are hung by the chimney with care (including the one that I recently finished for Ansel!)...

We got to visit with Santa and cousin Piper the same weekend.  The kids did really great all together.  Piper was less sure of the man in the red suit when she was all by herself, but she managed a smile eventually!

Aaron, Ansel, and one of Santa's helpers.

Flabbergast-ed

While cousin Piper was in town, we made it a point to take the girls to Flabbergast, an indoor inflatable playground near our house.  The plan was to exercise them as much as possible so Piper could sleep for the long car ride back to Minneapolis.  Needless to say, the place was a huge success!  The girls had a fabulous time and it was all the adults could do to keep up with them and keep tabs on them!!

Here's Amita at the bottom of a slide.  She was a bit tentative at first, but watching cousin Piper try out everything helped her get her courage up.

Here's Piper showing Amita how it's done.  This was the smallest of the slides that Piper tackled solo that day!

Amita also really enjoyed a rocking horse, slide and scooter that were closer to the ground.  All three of those things seemed to wear her out just as much as the inflatables!

Ansel slept the whole time!  I think it was the combination of fans/white noise in Flabbergast as well as being warm and toasty in his car seat.  Either way, I may have to go again when it's just me and the kids!

Baptism

Not surprisingly, it's been busy around here lately!  The first weekend in December, we were able to celebrate Ansel's baptism with our family.  It was such a joy to have everyone there for the big day and it was really special to have Ansel baptized in our church, just as we did for Amita and Piper almost 2 years ago.

Here's Ansel wearing his "shabby jeans" to the baptism.  Who knew they made them in such tiny sizes?!?!?!

Ansel fast asleep in his car seat missing all the excitement!

Amita making a funny face.  She doesn't have to worry about getting upstaged!

Playing a family favorite board game (Pollyanna) after the baptism.

Amita and Piper really loved the dice shakers for the game.

Papa Steve with both kids.

Grandpa Morehouse snoozing with Ansel.

Grandma Morehouse and Amita playing a tune.

Piper "smiling" for me as she models her Daddy's shoes.

Amita the wild child!  She was so excited to have everyone at our house to play with!!