And still more dancing, we just can't stop!

Then we threw down some hip-hop to the sugar-plum fairy music!  Bet those ballerinas weren't expecting this!  You didn't know we could do this, did you? 

More dancing elves

After we did our jig at the honky-tonk, we cruised over to Daddy's office and threw a party!

Dancing elves

We've been practicing our dance moves...  Texas style!

Toothy smiles

M - I recently took the following picture of Reid when we were going out for a bit. 

I thought it was very cute, so I emailed it to my sister.  

(I mean seriously, look at that hat!!)

She responded that she thought she had a picture of Elyse in the carseat with her two bottom teeth, so I went looking through my pictures and here is what I found!

Zowie!  When I see the pictures like this, the similarities shock me! 

Cutie pie babies, that is for sure!

8 months old!

R-  I am 8 months old!  I am a big boy.  However, like everyone, sometimes I don't have a very good day.  Actually, last night I didn't have a very good night.  I woke up again and again, just miserable.  I think it is because I am getting more teeth.  Regardless, I am a tired boy today!

The sign is hard to read, but it does say "I am 8 months old today".  It is hard to leave paper alone, though.  It makes such a great noise when you wrinkle it up.

....and it is nice to chew on...

Nom, nom, nom...

But this is how I spent most of the day.  Not happy.  

Thankfully, I had a good night sleep and was back to my cheerful self the next day!  Phew!

MAYBE food is okay??

 R - Remember how I said that I didn't really like food?  Well, maybe my opinion is changing.  SLOWLY, but maybe some food is okay after all.  I was waiting for a big meal like Thanksgiving to really decide to enjoy food.  I mean, there was an amazing spread on the table - I had to try something, right?  So when Momma and Daddy made the sweet potatoes, they made some extra for me without any of the extra spices and sugar and stuff.  Momma mashed some up and gave it to me and I thought it was WONDERFUL!  So, I guess I like sweet potatoes.  The next day, Momma gave me some more and again, they were a winner!  

Maybe part of the key is that they aren't actually pureed.  They are just mashed up so I can feed them to myself!  I am independent like that.  Who needs a spoon?

Mmmm.  These are tasty.  Plus they are fun to squish all over your hands, face, etc! 

Here is why I need a spoon - because they are fun to chew on!!  Everything goes in my mouth, so why not the wrong end of the spoon?  I don't get very much of the sweet potatoes into my belly, but they sure are fun to try to eat!

Maybe I'll find another food that I like.

But then again, maybe not...

I was a Flower Girl!!

E-  I was in a wedding!  Daddy's cousin, Katie, got married in New York and she asked me to be her flower girl!  It is a very big, important job.  The entire experience was wonderful.  First, Momma and I went shopping for the dress.  Katie knew what she wanted me to wear, so we just had to go try it on and buy it.  Have you ever been to a bridal store?  It is nothing but rows and rows of princess dresses and MIRRORS.  Amazing!  Katie picked out a beautiful dress AND a tiara for me to wear.  How is that for PRINCESS??

Then, in November, we flew to New York for the wedding.  First I went to the rehearsal, which was boring (sorry, but it is true) and took way too long.  I am 5, remember?  But the next day was the wedding and boy oh boy was it fun!  The night before the wedding momma tied my  hair up in rags so it would be curly the next day.  We drove to the church with my hair still all tied up so it would be nice and curly for the wedding.

At the church, momma fixed my hair AND put a little bit of make-up on me!  It was very special.  I got to wear powder, mascara, AND lip gloss. 

Here I am!  You might notice that I am wearing a long sleeved fur jacket thing in this photo but a short sleeved one in others.  Katie wanted me to wear some sort of fur thing on top and Momma wasn't sure what to get so she bought 2 so we could decide what looked better.  While this one (the long sleeved one) was warmer for cold cold New York, the short sleeved one was actually a little fancier with a shiny sparkly button in the front, so I wore that one instead.  We were inside anyway, so I didn't get cold!

My job was to walk up the aisle just before the bride, and sprinkle white flower petals on the floor.  I took this job very seriously.  If only you could have seen me!  I did one petal at a time and dropped it VERY gracefully down to the ground, like a ballerina.  This was my moment to shine, remember?

Here is a little clip of walking down the aisle!

After the ceremony, we went somewhere else for the reception.  We had to wait a while when we got there, so I made myself comfortable...

In case you were wondering, Reid was there too!  Didn't he look dapper?

 

 Here I am with the bride.  We look like two princesses, don't we?

I know it was a special day for Katie, but it was super special to me, too!  Being a flower girl is wonderful!  I even caught the toss bouquet at the reception!  

Ahhh.  It was wonderful...  

7 Months Old!

 R-  I am 7 months old!  Yes indeed, I am a busy boy!  Momma has been trying to convince me to eat solid foods for a while now, but I am not so certain it is a good idea.  I think nursing is perfect, why should I do something else?  Momma, Daddy and Elyse assure me that food is great and I will love it someday.  We'll see.  What I DO like though, is drinking water out of a sippy cup!  Yep, I am such a big boy, I can drink water from a cup!  It is fun! 

 Here's my sign.  Better get a look at it now, because it won't last long!

Maybe I should wear it as a hat?

Better yet, I'll eat it!  Food is no good, but paper??  I love it!  

Maybe I am part billy goat?

No?  Not a good idea?  Hmmm...

Well, okay.  Do you see my water cup and my apple chewie?  

Momma puts it in the freezer and then I love to chew on it!  It's great!

I am getting to be such a big boy!

Our Beautiful Kids

 M-  I know, usually Elyse and Reid write this blog for you.  But this time I asked if I could write it instead and they graciously agreed!  It finally became sort of fall-like here, as in we could wear long sleeves for some of the day and the humidity was low, a blessed miracle.  So I dressed Reid in some blue jeans and a shirt that says "little brother".  When Elyse came downstairs after her nap, she was wearing her shirt that says "most amazing sister" and some super-cute new blue jeans.  Ah-ha!  This is a camera moment!  I mean, seriously, I have some beautiful children. 

 

Our Elyse is such a ham!

Charlie can't help himself from giving Reid kisses.  

Well, let's be honest, neither can I!

This is Reid, talking and talking...

Our happy kids!

Just outside the camera frame is Charlie, coming in for more kisses.  

Reid LOVES Charlie - this is his face when he sees him coming!

Besides being beautiful, they are also wonderful, those kids of mine.  We are so lucky!

I am 6 months old!

R-  Hey!  Guess what? 

I am 6 months old today!  

 Yep, that's right!

 It's a big day!

 Don't you think?

I think I am growing teeth!

See that green apple ring?  Momma puts it in the freezer and I LOVE it.

 Oooh!  Momma got out the sign!

Woah!  I had to have that thing! 

 Hey, look who's here!

Big Sister Elyse!  She is the BEST!  

She likes to give me zerberts!

Me and my sis.

Oh, and my apple teether, too...

See you later!

An update about me:

I love my toes - playing with them, chewing on them, they are fantastic!

And, I have lots to say and I like to say it very loudly so you can't miss it all!  I say "Ahhhhh" a lot, and it sometimes sounds like singing, as that one syllable can go on and on!  I also say "mamamama" and "bababa" a lot.

Oh, and I like to blow bubbles/raspberries with my mouth.

When I go to sleep, I grab my blanket and put it over my head.  When Momma comes in, she has to find me!

Tomorrow I will go to the doctor to see how big I am, and to get some vaccines.  Phooey.  That is no good.  Well, in the long run it is good I suppose, but in the short run.... I don't like getting shots!  Wish me luck!

Rub-a-dub-dub...

Reid is in the tub!

I LOVE bath time!  I kick and kick and just smile away the entire time.  

Momma gets totally drenched most of the time! 

She quickly took these photos with her phone, so they aren't so great... our apologies.  But it isn't a good idea for her to run and get a camera when I am in the tub!

 Are you looking at me?

 

Yahoo for bath time!

Bath time is one of my favorite times of the day!

We will try to use an actual camera and get some better pictures soon. 

5 months old!

R- I am 5 months old!  You may be wondering what I have been up to.  Well, my life is fairly busy, between napping, eating, playing with my sister, and growing!  I am a super happy boy.  Even when I am tired, I will share a big smile with you!  

And I love to talk.  I talk, and talk, and talk, and Momma, Daddy and Elyse laugh.  I have a lot to say.  In fact, sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and just talk to myself for a bit before I go back to sleep.  Momma tells me that is not a good plan, I should just sleep at night and do my talking during the day, so I am working on that.  But I have lots of thoughts in my head that I like to share!  

I also like putting everything in my mouth.  People keep saying that I am teething but I am not.  I am just learning about my world by putting everything in my mouth!  Momma loves my toothless smile (it is pretty cute, I assure you) so let's not rush the teeth!  

 Just look at that toothless smile!

 Tummy time!   

I can't completely roll over by myself yet, but I can sometimes get over to my belly and then I am stuck!

 Look!  No hands!

I am Superbaby!

 Ooooh, what is that?

Something for me to put in my mouth, of course!

What?  I am not supposed to chew paper?

A Kindergartener!

E-  I started big kid school!  I am now in Kindergarten at Garden Oaks Elementary.  It is super convenient, as we live 4 houses down from the campus!  It is a Montessori school, which means we do things a little differently and there are 3 grades in each classroom.  So my class has pre-K 3, pre-K 4 and Kindergarten in the same room.  My teacher is Ms. Gallegos and I love her.  I told her I think she looks like a princess!

 Ready to go!

 I'm off!  This picture is misleading, because Momma, Daddy and Reid walk me to school!  

I don't walk by myself!

 Here we go!

There are lots of murals painted on the walls of my school.  It's pretty cool!

Kisses and hugs for Momma before class.  I was so excited to go to school, Momma and Daddy had to remind me to give them hugs and kisses.  I was ready to just run right into the classroom!

There I am in my class!  Do you see me?  Daddy took this picture through the window!