Army Crawl!

I recorded this a week and a half ago, he's much better at it now. :)

Papa's birthday extravaganza!

My dad just turned 51. He will probably deny it, but he milks his birthday for all it's worth. ("but it's my birthday month...") It makes life fun though because he always wants to do fun stuff. Friday we headed to the LA County Fair for food drive Friday. It was SO fun but I forgot the camera. Hailey loved it though. Matthew has decided he likes any place where there is random strangers to smile at, so he liked it too.
Saturday we headed out to LA for some more birthday fun. We started out at the Griffith Park Observatory. I haven't been since it reopened, and Alex had never been, so it was pretty cool. Hailey thought the planetarium show was a little scary but she enjoyed it too. While we were watching, "The Once and Future Griffith Park Observatory," in the Leonard Nimoy Advent Horizon Theater, we noticed that my cousin's husband was in the movie, AWEsome! We're related to someone who is in a movie with Leonard Nimoy. I don't think I could feel much cooler.
We also went and took a tour of the Hollyhock house. I know I've mentioned my obsession with Frank Lloyd Wright before, so it was seriously amazing. I can now cross visiting a FLW house off my bucket list. (although I would not mind visiting another)
I'll quit babbling and give you what you really want, here's some pictures.

My dad looks drunk, if I didn't know any better... ;)

Stemanda came too.

We got to see a demonstration of a Tesla coil. It would have been a good picture if there wasn't that stupid protective barrier between us and the electricity.

I love this kid.

It's a bad picture I know, but in all of the other ones the Hollywood sign was blurry.

Hailey refused to take pictures because she was eating. She's a very stubborn kid.

Hanging out with our buddy Einstein.


It's actually not the prettiest FLW home but it was gorgeous inside, I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside though.

One of Matthew's new talents. :)

6 months and 2 1/2!

Yep, it's been 6 months since the tiny guy was born AND since Hailey turned two. I'm pretty sure it's been the fastest 6 months of my life. I've been working on pictures, but my children refuse to cooperate. I'll try again and hopefully have some pictures up soon.

Hailey is so smart, it amazes me. She read her first words two weeks ago. Yep, I said READ. A few months ago hooked on phonics was having a really great sale, so I bought the toddler kit and the k-2nd kit. When they came I pulled out the toddler kit, read the parent instructions, and to my surprise she was way past the toddler level. So I pulled out the Kindergarten one and we started it 4 weeks ago. She won't be reading War and Peace any time soon, but she is on her way. She is starting to get some simple math concepts down. She talks really well, sometimes I forget she is two. Her art skills are actually pretty advanced too. I'm a pretty proud mommy.

The potty training thing has been a nightmare. She was potty trained. About a month ago she woke up one morning and told daddy, " I don't want to be a big girl any more, I want to wear diapers and be a baby." It's been a rough month. We're not really sure what to do to get her motivated again.

She likes swimming, cooking, coloring, eating, cooking, singing, going on adventures, reading, watching musicals, traveling, nursery, dancing, jumping on the bed, and hanging out with Matthew.

She doesn't like naps, bed time, using the potty, or being dirty.

Matthew is always SO happy. He laughs and smiles all the time. He just started the army crawl yesterday and is already getting around like an old school pro. He can sit up as of last Saturday. He has four teeth. I wish my kids didn't get teeth so soon. He's a total mommy's boy and would spend every moment in my arms if he could. (big change from my little daddy's girl)

He likes to read, cuddle, be tickled, go places, eat his feet, stick his tongue out, smile, play with Hailey, listen to music, put things in his mouth, and be held by mommy.

He doesn't like to sleep (at all, good thing he's still a happy kid), let anyone besides mommy hold him, eat baby food, or sit still.

Labor Day!

Labor day weekend is always so much fun. We spend the whole weekend playing games, watching movies, and eating delicious food. It's probably our most relaxing weekend of the year. And this year was no exception. Also, I'm pretty sure that the fact that my 50 year old parents still participate in "sleepovers" makes them the most awesome parents ever. Matthew hit 5 months on Sunday and Hailey will be 2 1/2 on Thursday but those things will get another post.
See that Yahtzee game on the chair? It was Hailey's constant companion this weekend.

The kids loved swimming.
My babies are cute.
Matthew's new favorite thing to do is stick his tongue out. He loves the laughs it gets.
He's also discovered the camera, so I now have lots of pictures of him reaching for it.
Hailey trying to sneak some snacks.
Amanda still thinks she's too cool to match Ino and I. Little does she realizes the awesomeness she is missing out on.
I love my Ino, and my Davin, even if he is trying to ruin our picture.
I love how happy he looks.

Everyone is actually looking at the camera, I don't know that I can say anything else nice about this picture. :p
My kids hanging out with Auntie Ino.
This picture makes me smile.