Wading in the Hooch

on December 11!

Is that something you can do in Chicago? In December? Let's hope so, because that's where we'll be next December 11th!














Please note that the Chattahoochee at that point was not deep AT ALL and that we had quality supervision the whole time. This little guy wouldn't let anything happen to big brother!














We are so, so proud of Matt and all of his hard work. He must have a lot of smarts and one incredible wife to be able to achieve so much. Congratulations darling!

Someone really knows how to smile

Last week Nicholas cried and sweat his way back from Tuscaloosa. Home never looked so good. When we got back I stripped him down and let him roll around a bit. He was in raptures. (And yes, that is a big self-inflicted scratch on his nose.)




























He also finally showed off his pearly whites.














I was going through pictures and realized that he's pretty much an all-star "smiler". He always gets the joke. What a satisfyingly sweet smile.

I just love a good outfit

Don't you?
































































Hutch 1 and Hutch 2 are some fine lookin' babies.

Look at what I'm getting for Christmas!

Shhhh! Don't tell!


















It's Nicholas's first Christmas and it's Jacob's first Christmas that he cares about it! Hip, hip hooray!

Yum!

If I ever...

...have a girl...















...and she is...















...bald...















...i will be...















...so...















...mad.















Wouldn't you be? (Especially since 'Colas is not my only boy with a full head of hair.)

Hmph.

Watching Christmas

Growing up our family had Christmas traditions just like anyone else...but one of my favorites was our yearly watching of Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas.



It's, well, wonderful. It tells the story of Emmet and his mother, "Ma", as they try to buy each other nice Christmas gifts. It's very "Gift of the Maggi" -- Muppet style! (Sounds great, huh?) It's also a little bit country, which is oddly appealing. Anyway, I love it and Jacob does too! It's now his movie of choice. He simply calls it "Christmas" and I couldn't be happier.

If you'd like to experience some of the joys of Emmet Otter please go here. This is actually one of the lullabies I sing to the boys. Added bonus, this weird little montage of scenes from the movie has the "John Denver & the Muppets" (a great Christmas album) version of the song. Like I say, just the right amount of country.

Our little Jerry Seinfeld

Yesterday Jacob had us laughing, laughing and laughing. At the risk of sounding too Reader's Digest-ey, here are two examples:

1. I asked Jacob if he would sing "I am a Child of God" to Nicholas when I was putting Nicholas to sleep. Jacob smiled a big smile, walked right over and started singing as he gently stroked Nicholas on the head. Little did we realize that our singing "I am a Child of God" and stroking his head every night really meant that much to him! It was so sweet and gentle and also pretty hilarious.

2. During dinner Jacob gibber jabbed about something but then it was obvious that whatever he said was a directive that we could not understand. Matt said, "Son, I just don't get it". Jacob gave him a steely stare and said, "Get it". And he wasn't repeating what Matt had just said.

He's just funny. And not funny lookin'.

Could this book be cursed?

Aunt Bev gave Jacob this book when Nicholas was born. It quickly became his FAVORITE book ever. In it he has learned that tractors pull both balers and plows. He has also learned the difference between a stock car, grand prix car and rally car. And pretty much any big truck on the road is a monster truck to him. So, the book is wonderful and his favorite. And yet...

Jacob's first copy was peed on. (We'll spare you the details of how that happened.)

We bought a new book because we couldn't keep reading a sullied book and because Jacob loved it and because we spoil him rotten.

Jacob's second copy was thrown up on. (Again, less is more.)

What gives?

Please help us know what to do about this by voting in our new poll.

I try and I try and I try!

I have so far been fairly unsuccessful at snapping a picture of my TWO children. My attempts usually end up following this pattern:

1. Ta da! However, Nicholas isn't smiling and Jacob is being strangled by Nicholas's hair!




















2. Jacob starts thinking..."Hmmm, who is this cute thing tenuously placed in my arms? Do I really want to be holding him?"




















3. Then Jacob grins and thinks, "Nah. I don't! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"




















4. The end.































5. Repeat.

Same swing, different boys

For those of you who think that Nicholas and Jacob look alike, behold!






























(This picture of Jacob doesn't really do his unbelievable cuteness justice...I realize that I take a lot more pictures of Nicholas than I did of Jacob. It's the digital age and I'm fully on board!)

Maddie makes me smile

Want to smile too? Enjoy.

B-O-Why?!?!?

He's a boy. He's really, really a boy. A boy's boy. A boy!

A boy who eats with his mouth open.




















A boy who throws crayons...and pretty much anything he can get his hands on.















A boy who wants things now, now, now!




















A boy who likes to sweep?




















A boy who likes to play with a cheesy second-hand "computer" named Alpha-bert.




















A boy who doesn't want to waste time posing for pictures.















A boy who likes to kick balls, tires and even mom!















A boy who KNOWS how to giggle.




















A boy who is occasionally thoughtful and still.
















What can I say, he really is a boy.

Hardy Har Har

Blue Eyed Boy

Matt's mother has blue eyes. My mother has blue eyes. Could it be? These pictures hardly show it, but his eyes are still beautifully blue.










































































Aside from being bee-yew-tiful, Nicholas has a mild, sweet temperament and consistently makes my day. What a satisfying smile.