2016 Halloween, Christmas is almost here, oh my!

Mr. Colin is more smiley than ever.  Colin you love being chased as well as chasing your sister and squealing around the house.  You also do a lot of, clucking and chirping as we like to call it; this is just a constant, "cluck cluck, uk, cluck, squeal!!!"  It's adorable and Madelyn can mimic it pretty well.   Colin you're a whopping 21 pounds (sarcastic), and it must be because you're such a busy boy because you eat anything and everything!

Madelyn, you are such a beautiful, kind, caring, FUNNY, little girl.  We were so excited to have a baby, so happy when you were born knowing we were going to have a sweet little girl, but had no idea we were going to have in house entertainment daily.  You make us LAUGH!  You still insist on wearing dresses almost daily, it takes a lot of convincing to get you into a pair of pants, that need to be stretchy pants.  You are so particular about your dresses now too that not any dress will do, it needs to twirl.  Your nightly prayers have grown so much you include so many people, we tell you when people are sick and may need your prayers and you add them on and they just stay there.  You are so kind and thoughtful it still amazes me how much you want to console others when they're sad. P.S you also can be super stubborn (but are pretty quick to apologize), and crazy emotional when you're tired, crying because you think I brushed your hair for 5 minutes when I said it would take, just a second.

Soaking up some vitamin Z on a warm fall day!

October took us to the Fox house where we got to "baby/teen sit," your cousins!  We had a BLAST with these girls as always.  We are so happy you have these girls to look up to, they sure do love you and you guys always have a blast with them!  We got to explore Frederik Meijer Gardens, have fancy dinner out, ladies movie night, I even got in a run with Kaitlyn!

 

Halloween 2016 - Madelyn we asked you what you wanted to be, you picked Ariel and this picture shows perfectly how excited you were to have this beautiful dress and long red wig just like Ariel!  We asked you what Colin should be, you picked Flounder....but....that was a hard costume to find so you ended up with Sebastian as a side kick :)


Trick or treat fun at a park in Clarkston has become a fun family tradition!  Madelyn another new hobby of yours that just started is photography, you took that cute picture of me and Colin; I gave you an old camera of mine and you walk around taking pictures of our decorations, us, your hands, feet, anything really!  It's pretty fun to scroll through your camera and see the shots you have taken!
 







The kids had lots of opportunities to wear the costumes with trick or treat events, costumes at school which even included a special visit from Grandma and Hergott, Kenny's birthday party (we all dressed as a family, Ariel, Sebastian, Ursula and Prince Eric), and last but not least the big day of Halloween!!!






Mommy worked hard for months to train for a half marathon she did in November.  What a nice surprise to have the whole family there at the end with signs and all to cheer me on!  After months of support when I'd leave to run or run in the basement while the kids played all that hard work helped me to finish my race!  Thanks to Eric and these great kiddos


Happy birthday Grandpa Dan!  We hosted dinner at our house and these 2 kiddos got all snazzy in their fancy clothes for Grandpa Dan and had a blast with their cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents; it was such a special treat that Aunt Jane and Uncle Dale got to come too!! Colin shares a passion for the drums with his Uncle Dale and got some tips from a pro.







We went all out decorating from Christmas, from the tree inside, to our new little tree outside, Daddy hung lights all around the house and bushes; the house looks so festive and beautiful!



Madelyn's first play; we got to go see, The Snow Queen with Grandma and Madelyn loved it, "it's like a movie and there are people right there!"  I had a blast with my little mini me and mom on our special ladies afternoon together.




Family trip to see the lights downtown Rochester with the Kotenkos and Fodors was a fun time that ended with big cupcakes and hot chocolates for all!

                   

Happy Birthday Mr. Colin!

Lake Orion Big Rig Gig with my little's, we had a blast checking out all the big trucks and buses!

8/6/16 Colins first hair cut!!! We have kids who sport FULL HEADS OF HAIR that's for sure.  And this little mullet needed a trim with his big first birthday party coming up!

Madelyn is officially a fairy ballet dancer!!! She loved wearing her leotard and wings and dancing around during class.  You did great Madelyn, you weren't timid at all...not that we thought you would be, walked right back into the classroom with your teacher and danced your little heart out while mommy and daddy watched through a window.  Of course you turned around plenty to wave to us, "HI MOMMY HI DADDY!!"  In the middle of a dance move

Colins first birthday party!!!!  One guess on what the theme was...

Yes, Star Wars!!! We had everything from Vader Taters, to Light Saber pretzels, Trooper Scoopers, 7 Lei Dip, Obi-Wan-Kabobies...you name it, we had it for Mr. Colin.  Daddy pulled out his whole collection and we cleared the shelves to get in the spirit of Star Wars for your special day.  We had a great turn out from our family; you are loved Colin and it showed at your party.  Everyone had a great time hanging out on a hot day and enjoying you and each other.  

Colin, I love you, and I am the first to admit we struggled, smiled, cried, laughed, cried some more, didn't sleep, cried more, didn't sleep some more, and so on, and so on through your first year.   You are an incredible little boy and you put Mommy and Daddy to the parenting test this past year; from the week you were born, challenging our faith, patience, strength and much more you proved you are our strong little fighter.  

Then you came home and the real deal Colin began...from sleeping on your floor, to your chair, to dangling off the side of MY bed because you were in my spot and I didn't want to disturb you, our night times were challenging to say the least.  The days brought us a few smiles here and there, you would smile at Madelyn and that brought us so much happiness.

We aren't sure what happened but, after seeing the doctor a million times, specialists, tests, etc; around 1 year old you grew out of whatever was cramping your style and turned into a fun loving, sweet, adventurous little guy.  

Colin, you love playing with light sabers, chasing and getting chased by Madelyn, and climbing on anything and everything. You also are OBSESSED with brooms and vacuums, we have actually had to hide these things from you!!  You will walk to the hall closet and just point and cry because you know the broom is in there!!!!  Another thing you love is brushing your teeth. I close the bathroom door and you walk to it and just cry at it until I let you in; then you step up onto the stool, get your brush and hold it at the faucet whining until I turn the water on and let you brush...our little future dentist, or oral surgeon perhaps? I'll end this 1 year old sum up with your fixation on shoes.  You love shoes of all kind, mostly mine, but you'll go for whatever is around; you will walk over to a pair of shoes, sit down, and put your foot up to it trying to put it on until you get frustrated and just decide to get up and carry the shoe around.   

One very ROUGH year will never compare the the happiness you have brought us.  You continue to grow into an adventurous, fun boy, always wanting to, "be a big boy," and do things with the big kids at school, your sister, or anything beyond your means, and we continue to enjoy watching you grow into your own, through trial and error you love figuring things out for yourself.  We love you Colin; your ability to adapt to your surroundings is amazing, I will never again listen to someone who describes any behavior as, "second child."  You love and definitely admire your sister, that is obvious in the way you chase her and want everything she has...but, when taken the time to explain and show you things, you usually understand if it's her turn or, it's not your toy; you two interacting so well together has been amazing for Daddy and I, we love watching you watch and listen to your sister when you try to take her toy and she tells you, "No Coly, I'm playing with it, let me show you how to play with it."

Cake?  Colin was not really phased by his cake, he is an amazing eater.  Just have him over and try to make a sandwich or snack and he will show you what a great eater he really is.  He WILL take your food.  Works out well for us since Madelyn hates everything and wont eat.  Operation "clean sweep," comes in, AKA, Colin and just eats whatever is left on her plate.  His crazy eating habits are funny since he is only 30% in size for his age...what he lacks in size he makes up for in strength I promise.  Leave a chair out, he will climb it, a step ladder, he will scale it, a couch....he will take it; he will take it all the way to the top!!

I am so proud of our kiddos. Taking pictures is not fun and Mr. Colin did NOT want to be put down so we captured these just as I set him down and then quickly ran away before he got up and ran after me.  Colin ran after me and Madelyn would then go into the set and say, "You can take my picture, Colin doesn't want to do it, but I'll smile."  Thanks to a great photographer and a song about crockadiles eating monkeys we got some great pictues