L: talking, talking, talking, talking, talking to daddy.
D: reading, responding to Libby, reading, responding to Libby..... Libby, you know, I am trying to read here and it's kind of making it tricky for me when you're talking.
L: Well, it's kind of making it tricky for me when you're reading!

D: about to end a good night's sleep
L: wakes up, gets out of bed, enters mama and daddy's room, walks to daddy's side of the bed, wakes daddy softly with: Daddy, did you happen to see a little billfold, with money and Aunt Em's picture in it?

M: Libby, look at this kitchen. Look at all these dishes we have to do! Who do you think should do most of the dishes? Should mama do the most work tonight, or should daddy?
L: It depends on who is wearing the cutest shirt.
M: Okay, who is wearing the cutest shirt.
L: I don't know.
D: Well, you get to decide. Who is wearing the cutest shirt?
L: I think Daddy is wearing the cutest shorts.
D: cheering Yes!!!
L: So, I think daddy gets to do the dishes tonight.
M: cheering Yes!!!

L: coming out of her room after a short rest...Mama, were you kinda hoping I would wake up?

Small Talk

M: ....I'm even going to shampoo the carpet in here (the van).
L: Well that's unusual!!!

M: putting left-overs into a container in the fridge
L: Who is that for?
M: Well, it's for daddy to take to work for lunch tomorrow.
D: YES!
L: Well that's good. That means I don't have to eat it again.

L: Mama, did you know that Xander can say da-da?
M: Yes, he can.
L: Yeah, I'm impressed!

L: Will you call Brittany and see what we're going to do today?

L: Did you know that mama wrote on daddy's wall?

L: Yucky!
X: hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
L: Yucky!
X: hahahahahahahahahhahahahha
L: Yucky!
X: hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
3 days later
L: Yucky!
X: hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

D: I love mama.
M: and I love daddy.
D: and I love Libby.
L: and I love mama.
M: and I love Xander.
D: and I love Xander.
M: and I love Libby.
L: and I love Xander.
L: and I love Barnabas. I love his fluffy hair. But you know, I really don't like it when he licks my toes.

L: Let's read the book that Uncle Daniel gave me.
M: Which book?
L: It's the green one... pulling out The Giving Tree... This one!
M: Okay, let's read it.
L: looking at the picture of Shel Silverstein on the back cover. And there is Uncle Daniel!

Bath Time

or it soon will be... after i finish taking pictures of you...

Dreams Do Come True

Tonight Xander slept a bit and then we (Aunt Sarah, Libby and I) heard him talking to himself as we ate our dinner. Well, I had intended to change his sheet but hadn't gotten a chance before putting him to bed so I requested Sarah's help and since he was awake anyway I decided we'd go swap his sheet out and that would be that. I wish I had taken a picture of him when we arrived. He was just chillin. He was on his back, laying across the crib, just lounging with one leg propped up on the rails. He beamed when we arrived, and we couldn't resist a little lovin' on him after the work was done. Libby actually got the party started, "mama, would you mind if I sit and rock him to sleep?" Well, it was too sweet a request to ignore, so we decided that we would both rock him a bit and Aunt Sarah was kind enough to snap pictures. At Libby's next request, we sung him a lullaby and then returned him to his bed for more shut-eye. That kid didn't know what hit him but you can bet he'll be chatting tomorrow night, just hoping for a similar result. :)

Reunion

You probably didn't know, because we haven't been discussing it, but Libby and Bear have been separated since last Tuesday. As in, what, 9 days ago? Yes, it's true, Bear didn't make it home from playtime at the J's house but she was hiding (as dear Libby has taught her to do so splendidly) in the couch cushions, perhaps never to be found. Lo! Behold! Bear was discovered and returned to Libby and the reunion was oh-so-sweet. I think she had doubts that she would be found but she still asked every night at bedtime, "would you look for bear while i'm sleeping?" When she got her lovable friend in her arms and hugged she said to me, "now i can sleep again." And now mama can stop searching Ebay for a new old bear... Word of Wisdom for all moms of young children: if you find your child becoming attached to a stuffed animal, a lovie blankie, a doll, etc. BUY A BACKUP (and hide it well).

She's excited, and Maren's already learning to look at the camera during photo time.

oh how sweet.

We Play

While playing at our friends' home, Mason (or Little Mason as Libby calls him, to distinguish him from Uncle Mason) hosts Libby and Hudson as the three of them hide behind Mason's front door while frightening the parents (where are the kids!?!?!?). When Mason's daddy closes the door to reveal the kids, it's sheer glee. And to think, this picture was taken about the 6th time the game was played... :)

Libby and Aunt Sarah LOVE to play Wii's Mario Party 8. Here, you can see that Libby loves it so much that she quickly flashes me her (fake) smile so that I will hurry up and take the picture and get on with dinner prep so she and Sarah can get back to their game.

Libby loves to finger paint, thank you Hudson.

Masterpiece 1.

6 Months Young

Here are some more pictures from Xander's big day as a 6-month-old. The biggest milestone of the day was eating solids for the first time. Xander was introduced to the foreign tastes and textures of rice. At lunch, he wanted little to do with it. But by the evening he was warming up to it, and the next day he was an old pro. He now eats solids twice a day and has added avocado to his repertoire.

"Granddad, if you thought I looked ready for trouble in my last photo, you haven't seen anything yet. "

Personally, I love this picture. His expression just says so much!

Mama's Sweetheart.

blegh. rice.

making a playground of his bed.

At 6 months to the day, Xander continues to make his way across a room by laying out and wiggling and up and down crawling, particularly when he's going for a toy, or Barnabas.

tell me this torturous eating will be over soon...

He loves to sit and play.

He can sit by himself for a few moments, but prefers a little assistance.

6 months with us

Today we are praising the Lord for 6 months with Xander.
He has been such a joy for our family!

Yard Work

Not everyone did equal amounts of work....

Incidentally, the sled saw more action on this warm spring day than it did all winter. And, it wasn't for a lack of snow, but a lack of parental desire to pull the sled. Kinda sad, I admit. But, baby "Alexandsock" (see below) did enjoy the ride.

Love & Spring (are in the air)

Xander Kisses and Xander Love...

Oh how I love it when he kisses back!

White Before Memorial Day

Sunday was a beautiful spring day and the kiddos just had to be decked in white church wear to celebrate spring. When we got home from church and lunch with Nick, Brittany, Hudson and Maren, we took a few pictures quickly before putting Xander down for his nap then heading out in yard-work attire. Here are the shots of our two beautiful kids.

Xander says, "what?"

cute grins

just as he starts warming up she starts getting bored...

Guy Smiley

Friday morning Libby and I took pictures of Xander. In some of these he's smiling at me and she's taking the shot, and sometimes he beamed at her and I took the shot. And, I threw in the last one where he was getting serious, seriously curious about something Libby was doing. We just love his smiles. He has such a huge grin. But no teeth! He's been drooling and chewing and leading me to hope a tooth is to blame (especially for all the drool) for months, but still no signs! :)

I Love You Party!

Last week Libby wanted to have a party. Well, she wanted to have several. We had a birthday party for her baby, "Fiestville" (formerly named: Claire, Fiesta, Siesta, Celesteville, Fiestville, Alexandsock). At this point, I truly have no idea what her name is. Anyway, we partied to celebrate her but Libby was still in the mood for more partying. So, we had an "I Love You Dinner Party." I love you pictures were drawn and colored and hidden under everyone's place mat, and we dipped strawberries in chocolate for dessert. Libby was quite satisfied with this kind of party, Fiestville's didn't include real dessert. :)

Oh, and yes, she has a different hair-do here. It's all braided up in various places to create curls for the next day, which turned out super cute by the way, but I didn't get any pictures of that.

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Daddy took this photo last Sunday afternoon. Xander occasionally has a bottle at church on Sunday morning but this particular day it made it home with him untouched. So, before putting him down for a nap, I fed him, or started to. He feeds himself, as you can see, but I loved his legs too. He had them just flopped this way and that as he gulped down his lunch, just lounging before his nap.

Mr. and Mrs. Noah

We had to giggle when we noticed this. It's an old photo, taken Thanksgiving 2006 (by Jaime) and Libby has held on to it as she LOVES photos of her family on display, particularly in her room and on the fridge. This one made the journey from her room to the fridge, as did some magnets from a Noah's Ark game she has. Also, it's supported by her Lizard souvenir magnet from daddy's play-day in Arizona, and just under and to the right, an alligator from the same game. In particular, I love how "daddy" is still taller than "mama". Ah Libby.