January 2013 - Unoriginal Title, oh well.

There is ice coating the deck and the roads today so we are holed up inside. You can walk around the house and there is destruction in EVERY single room. At least Mara destructor is entertained. And entertaining. She is RARELY quiet. She talks, chants, babbles, sings, and comments to herself CONSTANTLY. And her sense of style is completely unique. As I'm huddled in the computer chair in multiple layers, she has on a long sleeve motorcycle shirt, pearl necklace, and a pull-up whose bottom is so worn out it's coming apart... just from today's use. 

 While I was putting away my older digital camera, she wanted to give it a shot. Hah.

 Arson was a willing subject.

 Gotta get this just right.

 My future assistant.

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Little man Isaac is 8 months old.

 

 He's got a great smile, awesome giggles when I tickle him, and he now sits and bounces up and down and up and down.

 

 How's this for two happy kids???

 

 He loves touching faces, is in a serious Mom phase, and is doing great with stage 1 baby foods mixed with rice cereal or oatmeal cereal and some breast milk. He's finally opening his mouth for the food and swallowing. His first favorite food was carrots, but now he's doing well with sweet potatoes, pears, apples, and peaches.

 He can push up to great heights, but still reverts to his "superman" pose (see below). He kicks and flails and is a sight to see.

 Whatever, Mom. I know I'm good looking.

 We've noticed his hair is growing in longer on top, like a mohawk.

 Occasionally, Mara will let me take her picture. She's hard to run down, she's always so busy and definitely has an opinion on whether or not I get to take pictures of her. She sat herself here, so I snapped a few shots, not knowing how many I was going to get.

 I can't get her to stop her "cheese" face...

 But I was able to move Isaac forward out of her shadow.

 We have good hair days (pig tails, or "pink tails" or "piggy tails") and bad hair days (every other day). She loves playing her little MobyGo computer with all the games she got for birthday/Christmas. She even gave a PlayStation game a shot, but we couldn't find a good beginner one so she gave up. This last week she has taken a great liking to Mickey and Minnie Mouse and watches them on Hulu.

 Mara kisses and loves on Isaac all the time. He grins like a goofball. She talks to him "Hey little guy, hey there, hey there little man!" (Mimicking us, I guess!)

 

 I LOVE these faces she makes at him.

 

 My little loves.

 

 Isaac will shimmy and shake his body and his head (check out these weird eyeballs).

 He is in size 2 diapers but I just bought size 3. He's wearing 9 month clothing, still just has 2 bottom teeth, and still wakes up around 3 times a night. I wish I could get that to quit b/c frankly, it's exhausting after 8 months. He LOVES baths and splashes and spins around in there. If anything can cheer him up, it's Mara, baths, and bubbles. He even reached out and popped a bubble today.

 

 Aren't baby grins the best?

 We've just been keeping up with our routines throughout January - work/daycare, playtime at home, dinner, books/bedtime, start over.

 Work has been very busy for us, so we tend to do nothing on the weekends, which is great. The weekend of these pictures, I was in a t-shirt. That's NC weather for ya...

 

 Isaac loves to give raspberries. He rolls everywhere and sticks everything in his mouth. We have to watch out now since some of Mara's toys are on the smaller side. He really loves chewing one of her backpack straps.

 Raspberries!

 Check out the awesome daily hairstyle.

 Keeping a stick away from the dogs. Her height is just toooooo tempting for the pups. Easy access.

 She still love to drive her race car, although the amount of light in the day restricts us to weekend driving. She will drive until the battery runs down.

 

 When Mara drives her race car, the whole family gets exercise. Daddy will ride his mountain bike to follow her, I will walk or jog after her, and Arson runs along, too. Hahaha.

 

 

 Don't worry, Isaac. One day you'll be big enough.

 

 These were taken 5 days past his 8 month mark... but oh well. Here ya go.

 

 Yes, he plays with Mara's old baby things.

 Lots of toys... trying to keep him entertained!!!

 Yummy block.

 

 

 See the mohawk??

 He's my big boy.

 

 

 

 

  Hope this satisfies you for now and excuses the length between posts. Happy weekend!