Thanksgiving

Bryce celebrated his half birthday on November 22 with fresh baked cookies from his big sister. She was also nice enough to blow the candle out and eat the cookie for him! He is doing great, definitely a big boy for his age, and he's getting his two bottom teeth. But, even while teething, he's still a happy little guy!

We had a great Thanksgiving at Aunt Ardy's this year! The kids all had a lot of fun playing together. Emerson even found a princess dress to wear for the day! Em had a blast dancing in the snow, and Bryce got to see his first snowfall. Bryce also tried sweet potatoes which he definitely enjoyed more than his baby food.

We've also been able to enjoy two Thanksgiving parades and lots of basketball games. Jeff's team is still undefeated and starting to have thoughts about making the state tournament!

Bryce - 5 months!

At 5 months, Bryce is still an extremely happy baby.

He thinks his big sister is the silliest, and we love to listen to them giggle together. Bryce is enjoying rolling around on the floor as well as playing in his bouncers and with other toys. Every day is a new discovery and new joy!

Soccer, Week 3

Emerson seems to really be enjoying soccer. She loves getting out and running around with the other kids even if it isn't always towards the ball. This past week went great with her listening to her coach and following directions. We'll see about next week...

Eckert's

Lindsay and I took Ben and Emmy to Eckert's today. It was a little chilly, but we missed the rain. The kids had a fabulous time riding rides, feeding animals and picking apples.

4 months!

At four months, Bryce measured 27 1/4 inches and 18 lbs, 10 oz - off the growth charts for both! The doctor said he is healthy and doing great. And as you can see, he is a constant source of joy for us!

A Visit to the Zoo

I took today off and we spent a relaxing day at the zoo. We met a couple of different friends and were in no rush to be anywhere. Emmy literally took the opportunity to stop and smell the flowers!

Best Friends!

Amy and I have been best friends since as long as I can remember. Now, it is so fun to raise our kids together. The older girls are playing great together now, so we're thinking that maybe in another three years, we will actually be able to have a semi-uninterrupted conversation again!

Bryce's 1st Cardinal game

Thanks to Uncle Dan, Bryce was able to attend his first Cardinal game. Both kids had a great time despite the fact that Bryce looks like he thinks I am going to drop him! Eating some ice cream, getting to see Daddy on the big screen, and some time in the play area made it pretty much a perfect night!

Little UK Fans

The kids enjoyed watching football with their daddy last Saturday. Go Cats!

Tiny Soccer

Emerson had her first soccer practice tonight. After her initial adjustment, it went great. She worked on passing, scoring, and trapping the ball. She seems to have dribbling down, but needs a little work on shooting. Oh, and also the no hands rule. Sometimes it is easier to just carry the ball!

Sleepover Fun!

Emerson and Ben had a great time at the sleepover at their grandparents'. Em found an

old pair of Marsha's reading glasses and had to try them on. I think Marsha would have loved her bright outfit to go with them!

Randomness from the last few weeks.

We've had a lot going on this summer. These are just a few pictures from the last couple of weekends. Emerson loved the "festival" (Kirchenfest), but that may have been due to the abundance of sweets from her grandparents. Only a grandma would win a cake and hand a two year old a fork! Em is also very into sleepovers now and makes Dadoo get on the floor with her sleeping bag when she spends the night. She is very excited about spending the night there with Ben and Bryce this weekend!

Over Labor Day weekend, we enjoyed getting together for some Illini football. Even though we didn't win, it was still a fun day!

I can't believe how quickly Bryce is growing. In the picture with the hat, I feel like he is ready for his first t-ball game!