new reason to love an attached garage....

beckett is sleeping out in the garage right now.  he has been there for 3 hours :)  he has enjoyed 5 naps just like this in the last 10 days.  it is perfection.  he won't lay down for a nap at home anymore...which is fine because it just means he goes to bed earlier.  BUT, if he does happen to fall asleep in the car on the way home from somewhere, let's just say i don't wake him up! 

i pull into the garage, roll the windows down, and close the garage.  oh...and turn the car off :) i leave the door to the house open so i can hear him call for me when he wakes up.  when i go get him he has no idea he has even taken a nap...i tell him i was just unloading the car and then coming back to get him. 

i only have a couple more months of cool weather...and will then have to say good-bye to garage naps :(

hostess with the mostess

whether she likes it or not, emery hosts a party in her crib just about every morning :)

gymnastics

ellis and beckett started gynmnastics a few weeks ago.  omg...it is HILARIOUS.  not ellis of course, but beckett.  i was lucky enough to sign them up for the same class.  it is really for 3-4 yr olds (and he is still 2 for a few more months) but he is potty trained and can follow directions (ha).  the gym is in a new location but it is the same place i took gymnastics when i was a kid :)  after the first class, they brought in a "handler" for beckett for week 2.  i have more pics i need to download...so funny.  he laughs through the entire class...except for when he remembers there is a snack machine and begs the teachers for money to buy cheetos...

more on gymnastics later :)

just another friday night

enjoying cocktails...and testing the weight limit of the plasma car :)

baby steps (no...she is nowhere near walking!)

she has got the bottle in a highchair mastered...
and she can officially wear little clips in her hair....

still no idea if it will be blonde or brown...straight or curly :)

fancy pants

hugh hefner's got nothing on beckett!!!

rainbow cupcakes

 lookie lookie at what we made!!  rainbow cupcakes!!!  that there on top is the "cloud"...so cute right?!?!  my mom cut the recipe (if you can even call it that) out of the paper for me and brought it over...along with all of the ingredients!!  yes...she is that thoughtful :)

as you can see, i misjudged the layers a little and the top overflowed...but you get the idea.  next time, i can assure you they will be perfect.  ellis LOVED making them.  who wouldn't???

just take a white cake mix...divide the batter equally among 6 bowls...make each a different color of the rainbow...pour purple, blue, green, yellow, orange and red layer by layer in the cupcake paper (spread with spoon)...bake according to the directions on the box...and finally, go bonkers with the redi-whip!!!

red- 18 drops
orange- 12 yellow, 4 red
yellow- 12 drops
green- 12 drops
blue- 12 drops
purple- 9 red, 6 blue

have fun!!!

from a land far away...and SO cute!

brandon's friend jeff (who is too sweet for words) went to work in india for 5 weeks.  upon his return, he showed up at our house with items he lugged back from halfway around the world for my children (and me!!!)  how ADORABLE is this kurta (how is that for a vocabulary lesson?) he brought back for ellis?!?!?  not only is it pink/purple, but it is the perfect size.  he doesn't even have kids yet and he nailed it!!  she is wearing it for show & tell for sure :)  it is so pretty up close...handpainted gold...love it...

and i didn't take a picture but he brought beckett back a real cricket bat and ball.  HEAVY!  beckett already thinks jeff hung the moon so this was very exciting for him.  he looooves jeff.  we all do :)  he and my friend margaret are expecting their first baby in march...we are so excited!!  he is going to be such a great dad!!  i told them i would save the kurta for their baby girl (jeff thinks it's a boy and margaret thinks girl...ellis also thinks it's a girl)...

thanks again jeff :)

baby...it's cold outside

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.........

the babe

i found out hours after these pictures that emery had a double ear infection.  no bueno for a photo shoot.  you can see the smiles are missing :(  i told the photographer how dumb i was for bringing in a sick baby... and she retook them for free.  lovely.

i also screwed up by waiting too long...she was mobile by these pics.  i thought she would never crawl so i was a little blindsided :)

a sad emery is still a pretty emery!

look @ her poor red nose :( anyone know how to photoshop a raw nose???

so not into it.  what the hell is on my head?!?

yum.

this is where the retakes start...she is happy...but guess what?!?  still had an ear infection!...obviously i am lacking in the whole knowing when your baby has an ear infection department?!?!

there you have it.  as you can see, the photog LOVES props, headbands, etc.  and they actually came in handy (baby buggy, suitcase, and crate) to keep her in one place....

all i wanted was one good pic of each kid and i think i got it....yay!!

best buds

i forgot about one sibling shot she took :)  and beckett...SO proud of himself for mastering "hook 'em"...and the double "hook 'em"

the boy

love him.