Mommy and daddy pics

We rarely seem to get good pictures (or any pictures, really) of Aaron and me with the kids, so I was tickled to randomly get a couple good ones recently!  Aaron was watching "funnies" one night with all three kids, so I snapped this one (that's why Gemma isn't looking at the camera...heaven forbid she tear herself away for half a second ;-D).  The one of me and the kids was taken on the Feast of St. Monica.  Gemma and Kolbe were playing in the backyard and asked the neighbor if he'd pick some flowers from his yard for them to give me...so sweet.  I sure love my family!!

Father's Day

A few recent pics of the people I love most...

Drinking "shakey-nooks"...their morning tradition.

Reading "Bears on Wheels"...this was Aaron's book as a child.

For gifts this Father's day, I wanted to find something the kids could make for their daddy and grandpas.  I stumbled upon this idea on Catholic Icing, and modified it for Father's Day.  Gemma and I worked on this together a couple days while Kolbe napped, so he actually didn't help, but his smiling face certainly looks sweet in the little frames.

Happy birthday, daddy!

My dear hubby celebrated his 33rd towards the end of last month.  I'm glad we got at least a few good pictures.  Most of them Gemma was smacking Kolbe in the face to keep him from preemptively blowing out the candles by himself.  OH children.

Daddy and Gemma at bedtime

Here they are reading a story the other night at bedtime.  I walked by the room and just thought this was too sweet, so I had to grab the camera. 

Daddy and Kolbe

I thought both of these pictures were very sweet.  Aaron and Kolbe have been spending more time together lately as Kolbe gets older and is less needy for me all the time.  They even went to the grocery store together last weekend, which was something Aaron loved to do with Gemma when she was this age.  As interesting as it is watching the sibling relationship develop (and believe me, it has been quite interesting lately), it is really neat observing/being a part of that developing parent/child relationship as well.

Gemma goes to the dentist

Gemma had her first trip to the dentist yesterday. It was actually daddy's appointment, but Gemma tagged along to see what it was all about. She did not want the dentist/hygienist to look in her mouth and we didn't force the issue. She's only two. I have an appointment here in several weeks and I think she will tag along with me as well, and we may see about scheduling her for her own appointment six months out. In the teeth department she is still working on her two-year molars. Three are mostly through, the other isn't quite peeking through yet. Oh teeth! Here is a picture of her and daddy getting ready to leave. It is hard to tell but she is wearing her prized owl shirt. She is very into owls of late, so we were excited to find this shirt with a big pink owl on the front at Target. We also got a pair of owl pants (on clearance, YAY) and I had gotten her an owl dress about a month back (before the owl infatuation even began). It is so cute seeing her develop her own likes and dislikes and such. My baby girl sure is growing up.

Gone fishing

My hubby has loved fishing since he was a small boy. It was something I did not grow up doing, but have learned to enjoy. Gemma recently got her very own (pink) fishing rod and reel, and daddy has been showing her the ropes (lines?). She even caught a blue gill ('blue fish' as she calls it) all by herself (essentially), but that picture is stuck in the digital warp known as my husband's phone. So here are some others. The fish weren't biting this day, but they had some fun none-the-less.

It's a Gemma sandwich

Daddy's hat

I snapped this pic of Kolbe wearing daddy's hat last night, and it reminded me that I had a similar one of Gemma at the same age (almost).

Kolbe, 5 1/2 months
Gemma, 5 months

Gemma and daddy

Some of you may have seen this on my facebook, but I just had to put it on here too. Aaron got home from work the other night and Gemma was eating dinner. He came over to give her a hug and kiss and tell her hello. She looked at him, smiled sweetly and said, "Daddy, you smell like a toot." Yep, that's our girl!

And while we're on the subject of Gemma and her daddy, here is a picture of Aaron sporting a hairstyle eerily similar to Gemma's.
Disturbing. I know. When we were cleaning out my grandma's house several years back we ran across some wigs, and my sister (who's a cosmetologist) decided to take them. She pulls them out occasionally for cheap thrills when the family is together. Never know upon whose head they'll end up next. They looked pretty amusing on the babies, but I didn't get any of those pics. I'm sure you can imagine.

That's enough goofiness for today. Have a great weekend, everyone!

What's Gemma been up to lately, "quick-takes" edition

So I decided to combine several of my potential posts into a "Seven Quick-Takes" post on Gemma, since she probably hasn't had as much blog-time as she deserves lately.

#1. A month later, I can say she's really been doing well overall with the whole "transition to two" thing. She has become a bit clingier and wants to be held more often, and sometimes melts-down a bit more often. But seriously, what two-year-old doesn't go through that?! And she hasn't ever shown a bit of aggression or anger towards Kolbe...nothing but love!! Time-outs seem to be effective, and I'm always touched when she comes in and says, "I'm sorry mommy," unprompted. Poor girl is so much like me. Everything has to be just so, done in a certain order, etc. Oftentimes I get frustrated with this (why I don't know because I am the SAME. WAY.) but then I rush her and she gets mad and I get mad and, well, it ain't pretty folks. GAH!!!! She's teaching me a whole new level of patience, and hopefully she is learning some valuable lessons along the way too. We are both works in progress, for sure. Enough introspection. Moving forward...

#2. "Set table over there" which is her way of saying she wants to sit up on the cabinet and help or participate in whatever daddy is doing. In this instance they are baking a pumpkin pie together. YUMMY!!!
#3. The "slumber party". As you may remember, Gemma got a doll crib for her second birthday. It lives at the foot of her bed and is where her baby, "baby" sleeps. Putting baby to bed has become part of our nightly routine (see #1 for a reminder about the importance of this activity). Well, the other night, whatever possessed her I'm still not sure but I think every stuffed animal plus "purple baby" (her other doll) ended up in there. I guess it was slumber party night. And then she had to make sure they all had their "corners" (see second pic). I think I've mentioned her obsession with the corners of her blanket before. Anyways, see for yourself...
#4. Twenty-five months. Yep, she turned 25 months on the eleventh, so here's the obligatory pic. I'm still not sure where her neck is.
#5. Babywearing. I often "wear" Kolbe, either in his front-carrier or the sling. Not only is it very convenient, especially with a toddler running around, but it is very beneficial for baby, also. If you're unfamiliar with babywearing, click the link above, or take a gander at this article. Anyways, I guess Gemma has taken the cue, because I caught her yesterday trying to get her doll in my sling (which was obviously way too big for her). So we made a little make-shift sling with a flannel blanket. She LOVED it!!!
#6. Nursery Rhymes. Our neighbor gave Gemma a Nursery Rhymes book when Kolbe was born, and she really has fallen in love with the sweet little rhymes and songs. She has started singing a lot more now, and can carry a tune pretty decently at times. It's cute. Super cute. Here we are reading before bedtime. I think this is actually Seuss, though (another recent favorite), not Nursery Rhymes.
#7. Daddy. Even though she may be a bit clingier with mom lately, there's nothing like snuggling with daddy...whether you are a tiny baby or a sweet toddler. Ahhhhhhh, life is good.

Father daughter time (AKA parent incrimination part deux)

After posting multiple pictures of my, errr, underclothes in the previous post, I figured it was Aaron's turn for some "quality blog-time". No, you don't have to look at pictures of his underpants, you can rest assured. These pictures, however, I do believe are equally as incriminating and fun!! Another of Gemma's latest favorite activities?? Doing daddy's hair!!
My hubby is such a good sport and good daddy. (And my picture taking skills, as apparent in the last photo, obviously could use some work, but you get the idea). Gemma and daddy have many fun times, and I delight at the special relationship they share. He is so very patient with her...it is touching and humbling all at once.

Well, that's all for now my friends. We are getting ready to celebrate sweet Gemma's second birthday today, so check back for fun birthday updates. Thanks, as always, for keeping up with us.