Merry Christmas!

So these pictures are kind of in reverse order but so hard to flip them all around. you'll get the idea. I haven't posted picts in so long so i thought i better get the christmas ones up asap to make up for it. unfortunately, my new years resolution does not include keeping the blog up to date weekly. i'm shooting for at least quarterly since I've gone back to work. We'll see.

We all had a wonderful Christmas! It was so magical to see how excited the kids were. Everyone was kinda sick with a cold so hopefully didn't give it to everyone. Sorry if we did.

Reindeer antlers!

Drooly face.

The cousins.

My matching boys.

Buzz and Woody legos with a crane!

Woo hoo! It's Henry the tank engine!

They both liked those snug bugs and Zach chewed on them all day long.

Nathaniel loved helping everyone open their gifts.

Zach really liked all the ribbons and bows and anything he could chew on. Not only is he teething but has a cold and stuffy/runny nose. He was in good spirits despite all that.

Just before starting to open up all those presents. Nathaniel can recognize his name and Zachary's so found all of his and after he realized that there are so many gifts to open, didn't want to stop till all of them were open. We did get a nice intermission to eat breakfast. Mainly stretched out the opening of gifts to most of the day.

Nathaniel's first look at what Santa brought! Wow!

Meredith and I made a fine assortment of cookies for Christmas. Yummy...now I really need to hit the gym!

Playing in the walker.

Pumpkins etc.

Zach is 5 mos old now and is starting to sit up pretty good.

Nathaniel trick or treating on Halloween as Woody.

Batman was helping me hand out candy at home.

Little Nemo pumpkin

Award winning (at Pete's work) pumpkin turtle.

Nathaniel: "I'm Winking!"

Talking

Zach talking away. Much more expressive than Nathaniel who just had his growl.

More of Nathaniel playing baseball. Standing on his pitcher's mound.

Nathaniel singing the "ABCD" song.

Spelling. Nathaniel now can recognize all his letters.

A couple Zach videos

A couple days ago, Zach was up till almost 11pm just talking and laughing. It was hilarious to just sit and listen. Here is a video from that night. Too cute. And the little guy who still won't take a bottle or pacifier or sippy cup was successful at drinking from a straw out of my water mug last night. I couldn't believe how much water he was drinking and successfully swallowing. He even made noises blowing back into the straw and humming. It was really funny.

Below are 2 videos of him eating rice cereal this evening. He was pretty hungry as you can see and had 2 helpings of it.

Happy Halloween!

A little Halloween preview of our boys. Sheriff Woody and Batman (or Zach-man as we like to call him) are ready for Halloween. A big thanks to Grandma (Pete's mom) for making Nathaniel his Woody costume! He'll say "Howdy Partner", "Reach for the Sky" and "Trick or Treat" but we'll see how he does when he is actually trick or treating. Our neighborhood had a halloween parade and party for the kids today so we got them all dressed up. It was a windy and rainy day but just drizzling for the parade luckily. The party was at a neighbors house instead of at the Village Green like usual but still fun and much much warmer.

Walking in the parade.




These pictures are from the pumpkin patch which we went to last weekend with our friends. We even did the corn maze and went for a hay ride.

Nathaniel and Cole pulled the wagon of pumpkins until the wheel fell off. then they needed a little assistance.

The Hay ride

which boy is which?

Nathaniel or Zachary??

Zach is about 2 months younger than Nathaniel here but probably the same weight.

Zach is the bottom tiger and Nathaniel is the top.

Eating 1sts and other random photos/video

Zach is almost 5 months old. He has started eating rice cereal and getting the hang of it. video below. he's had a bad cold for the last week and a half which has been so sad to see him so stuffy and coughing and sneezing. he has been a trooper and still sleeping pretty well at night with a full nights sleep here and there.

Having a Halloween treat for lunch...a spider of PB & J and pretzel legs. Grandma sent a great link with some ideas for fun Halloween foods.

Zachary's hair is curly when wet like Nathaniel's was but unlike Nathaniel's, it will stay however you put it when dry. Very light and fluffy esp after a bath.

Getting ready for Halloween...pulled out the shirts.

October...yikes where did Sept go??

We started Zach on some rice cereal. I think something may be getting in his tummy but not sure:) We were holding off on the 12 month jammies since i thought they'd be big on him...certainly not the case as you can sort of see here. (the arms are rolled up for cereal time though) Time to bring out the next box of clothes which nathaniel was wearing at 9-10 mos old.

Nathaniel and Zach with Meagan and Owen all playing trains.

This is Owen (1 1/2years) who came for a quick visit. Nathaniel sure had fun with him. Hopefully Owen had a good time despite toys being ripped from his hands most of the time he was here (Nathaniel is a little protective of his toys). Owen sure was a good sport about it.

Watching Cougar football last saturday.

Zach and Nathaniel having some good morning time.

We love all the videos and pictures of my niece Anna that Chris and Laura post and this was an adorable video of Anna and their dog Rocky that we've watched many times. Nathaniel will sit and watch over and over and over and this is a video of Nathaniel watching a video of Anna. So, keep posting those picts and videos you guys:). the last 2 were just so precious and it's a great alternative to watching TV.

Nathaniel is learning the mechanics of baseball.

It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt. Pete was protecting Zach in the exersaucer this whole time and we thought we were done but after the videos were done and all a wild pitch bounced up and got Zach by surprise so baseball in the house ended with a few tears but no injuries.

4 month checkup

Zachary turned 4 months old yesterday and had his checkup today. He is as huge as i thought! He is 19lbs 3oz and 28 inches long. Both off the charts and much bigger than Nathaniel who I thought was big. At 4 months Nathaniel was 16lbs 10oz and 26 inches.

Zachary is as happy as ever, such a smiler and easy going. He is in 9 mos clothes and bigger. He loves watching Nathaniel and now has started grabbing his hair (much to Nathaniel's dismay) when he gives hugs. He is cooing much more too. I'll work to get some pictures and video's posted soon. Nathaniel has been protesting his naps so we've brought back out the baby gate so he can't come downstairs. Last week he had a nap in the hallway and today he is sleeping in Zach's room. I don't care where just as long as he gets some sleep:). So, it's working out ok and getting better. Now, Zach has started waking up more at night...had been 1 maybe 2 times at most but this last week, it is starting to be 3-4 times so hopefully we can fill him up more with some rice cereal so he'll go back to sleeping longer. we'll be starting that this week. we are enjoying this week of good weather as any day we won't have any left. It's been a great summer.

Above is Nathaniel at about 4 months old and below is Zachary at 4 months.

Zachary's Baptism

Zachary Evers was baptized on Sept 18 by Father Gimpl. He was awake the whole time and didn't mind water being poured on his head at all. Happy guy. It was an overcast day so didn't get to be outside but had a good time nonetheless. These pictures are all out of order of the day's events but you get the gist. Mr. Turbo Guy (aka Steve)

Zach getting very comfortable sitting with Uncle Matt (his godfather).

Baby Gage was only 1 week old!

The two boys (Zach and Gage) fell asleep on the way home from the church and slept most of the party. Zach is 15 weeks and Gage is 1 week old.

Lauren was playing King Kong with the train track.

Katie, Andy and Gage

Zach with his godmother, Kate.

The four older toddlers: Olivia, Nathaniel, Cole and Lauren behaving at church.

Getting baptized.