Six Months Old!

Our little man is six months old! At his doctor's appointment on Monday, he weighed 22 pounds and measured 28.5 inches long. To compare, Phoebe was 14 pounds, 9 ounces, 24 and 3/4 inches, and Joanna was 16 pounds, 13 ounces, 26 and 3/4 inches at six months. Joanna wasn't 22 pounds until she was 18 months old. He's a big baby! He's wearing mostly 18 month clothes and is in size 6 diapers (Joanna is still in size 5). He's eating cereal three times a day (and has tried avocado and applesauce), is rolling from one end of the floor to the other, is starting to say "bababa" and is sitting up pretty well on his own. He is very ticklish, and grins wide or laughs when he sees any of us. He loves playing peek-a-boo with his sisters.

Playing on the floor...

His first tie...

 During music time...

 His baby dedication at our church...

Click here for Phoebe at six months, and here for Joanna.

Engaged!

I received a very exciting phone call on Christmas morning...my cousin Jenna called to tell me she was engaged! Jenna and Josh will be getting married on August 25th, 2012. We are all very excited. Enjoy some pictures of Jenna and Josh from over the years. You can see from the pictures how special they are to us.

Jenna's high school graduation...

When Phoebe was born...

When Joanna was born...

When Will was born...

Christmas 2008...

Thanksmas/Christgiving 2009...

 Christmas 2010 (making snow out of styrofoam peanuts for Phoebe)...

Thanksgiving 2011...

Christmas 2011...

Joanna and Dad's birthday party...

 Where's that ring...

Two Years Old!

Joanna turned two on January 15th! She shares her birthday with my paternal grandmother, Cleola Teuscher, and her birthday is one day after my Dad's. Her favorite stuffed animal is Fleecia, the little lamb, so we decided to have a Fleecia birthday party, complete with a Fleecia cake and cotton ball garland (thanks to Pinterest and my Dad). Lots of family were able to join us. The birthday girl did not seem to enjoy being the center of attention, as you can see in the pictures. Thankfully her first (and hopefully last) black eye was mostly gone for the party.

We are so thankful for our little cuddle bug, also known as our "Doodle Bug" (what her Nonnie calls her). Her vocabulary is growing, she is becoming more and more aware of what is right and what is wrong (what is wise and what is foolish), and she loves her siblings. She has a great little sense of humor, loves to be silly, enjoys helping me with pretty much anything around the house, and is a parrot of her big sister Phoebe. She also loves to stand over an open book and tell grand stories, two year old style. Enjoy the party pictures:

My wonderful Dad, stringing around 100 cotton balls on pink yarn for me...

 Ready for the party...

 Deeda and Joanna...

 How to fit 14 adults and three kids in our house...

 The birthday girl...

 Little brother Will getting some lovin'...

 My friend Regina made the cake...

To see Phoebe at two years old, click here. Here is Joanna at one year old. 

Christmas

Our Christmas was filled with many great memories this year. Traditions are forming with our children, and we pray that the true meaning of Christmas is taking root in their little hearts. When we ask Phoebe why we give and get presents at Christmas, she has started to say "Because Baby Jesus was born". Both Phoebe and Joanna love babies, as I'm sure most little girls do, and they get so excited when they see a picture of Baby Jesus.

It was a bit of a marathon Christmas this year, as we celebrated with my side on December 10th, with Greg's family on Christmas, with my parents on New Year's Eve and as a little family of five on January 2nd. It allowed for lots of discussions about Christmas, lots of time to listen to and memorize "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" (Phoebe's favorite Christmas carol), and lots of good times with family.

Ready to decorate...

 Visiting the trains at the downtown library (for the 3rd year in a row!)...

 Joanna at my Grandma's before present opening...

 Daddy and Phoebe...

 Typing on Grandma's typewriter...

 Doctor Phoebe...

 Chef Joanna...

 Decorating cut outs...

 Christmas morning, ready for church...

 At Greg's Grandparents'

 At Aunt Sherrill and Uncle Paul's...

 The girls playing with the babydoll high chair that Greg's Dad made them...

 In front of our Christmas tree...

 Our family tradition: waffles for Christmas...

And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11