Life is good

Spirit week at school to celebrate Dr. Seuss!  Colin, you had, top hat  Tuesday.  Madelyn, you had Tacky Tuesday!  So we have a total stud and a wacky dressed stylish chick.  Maybe next spirit week school can make it easier on mama and make all the classrooms have the same theme, they're lucky Madelyn didn't show up in a hat and Colin dressed crazy, I actually packed each day extra clothes in case I messed this up! 

Wow.  Handsome, stud, super cool dude.  What else can I say, you are totally cute Colin, however it is annoying to always hear, "HE ALWAYS LOOKS SO HAPPY!"  I guess we all need to wear cameras around the house, or not, don't worry I'll always remember and have no problem telling you about the sleepless nights and stress you caused when you weren't giving us this amazing grin :)

Twinsies!  Couldn't pass up the opportunity to dress you both in some snazzy navy polo shirts.   

You love getting ready with Mama, you use my make up brushes and try to do what I do, you put on, lipstick, every time I do, which is only Chapstick but, you love it.  You are BEAUTIFUL, that said, don't ever forget that your beauty goes so much beyond how you look.  Your intelligence, care for others, sense of humor, and so much more make you the beautiful person that you are and watching all of these things grow is so exciting. 

I remember hanging eggs in trees outside when I was a kid, so this was something I had a blast doing with you.  Colin was sleeping, we put the ribbons in the eggs and went outside to decorate our tree!  You were so excited you had the bag of eggs in hand and were at the door and didn't even have your shoes on yet!  Of course, the day we did this happened to be one of the windiest days of the year, we watched out the window as the eggs blew around the tree and due to mamas superb crafting skills we only lost one egg in the crazy Michigan storm that happened right after the hanging of the eggs!  (The egg was found and later returned to the tree).

3/17/16 Happy St. Patricks Day from these lucky charms!  With you both dressed in your finest green you went off to school to celebrate St. Pattys day!

Happy 7 months buggy!

Madelyn has been saying for over a month now, "my birthdays coming up."  This is the first year she has gone to some friend birthday parties and it has really made the, "birthday," idea set it.  Madelyn has gone to a bounce house party, and a party downtown at the DNR center where she explored all the outdoorsy MI fun indoors with all her friends!  Colin is 7 months and our sweet girl will be 3 in 18 days!!!!!!

Easter is coming!  Colin's first Easter!!!!  The line was long and the people waiting in line near us were...challenging to stand by...but, we waited, we saw, and we took a great picture!  The ride there we told Madelyn, the bunny is bigger than a bunny outside, he's a big bunny.   This may or may not have been a mistake.   Didn't want you scared Madelyn when you saw the big bunny, but, the whole way there and a few times in line you kept saying, "IT'S A BIG BUNNY, I DON'T LIKE THE BIG BUNNY."  As we got closer and you saw him with the other kids you were waving and excited to see him, and let him know you decorated the house so he would find us and bring us treats!  Colin started crying 2 minutes before we got to the bunny because, it was nap time and definitely time to eat, like the champ he is in public he took a great photo!

Can't get much cuter than this, life is good. 

We have a 6 month old and a little lady who is almost 3!

*Little bug, you are 6 months old!!!  You have this WIDE OPEN MOUTH smile that is adorable to see and makes mommy and daddy very happy!

*You love making the noise, AH, AH, AH, AH, sometimes while banging a toy around very hard and fast, daycare calls you little chewy, little Chewbacca because of the noises you make :)

*You had a rough month and got pretty sick, but with lots of snuggles and love from mommy, daddy and Madelyn we had you feeling better.  One day while I was in the kitchen I heard you start to cry, when I went in to check you, Madelyn already had you in her arms rocking you saying, "It's ok Colin, I got you."

*You sit up on your butt, leaning forward and bounce and rock, you really wanna GO GO GO, usually you do this when your sister is running around, you want to chase her!

*You've tried some food, not a huge fan, but we are working on it, you seem to just want to push it around and then out with your tongue.

*Your spiky hair is the talk of everywhere we go, you're easy to fall in love with and that soft spiky hair always catches attention!

*When you nurse you like to try to suck both thumbs at the same time...this is interesting...and I end up putting you in some sort of wrestling hold tucking one arm between my arms and holding the other while I tuck one of your legs between my other arms, luckily this is always in the privacy of our home or people would think we are crazy. 

Story time in Madelyn's room before bed is a part of our nightly routine

Madelyn gets to help feed Colin and as always, gets very concerned about his well being so here she is checking on him to make sure he's doing ok after having some oatmeal; must be some sort of new age medicine to check a patient from the top of the head. 

Happy 6 months Mr. Colin, thanks for all the sweet smiles, now can you please let me sleep? 

Mr. Colin, you and your finicky ways have dropped you from 90% to 30% in your weight...but, don't let that fool anyone, you are SO STRONG.  You are GRABBY.  You grab faces, hair, you lunge forward with your mouth open and just gnaw on chins, cheeks, whatever you can grab with your mouth.  And you love to stand, when put down sometimes we have to physically bend your legs at the waist to force you to sit down because you insist on the straight leg standing position.  Dr. Madelyn even got to help at your 6 month check up, starting her young!

Madelyn, you speak very well, however you still pronounce your V's, more like a B, which is just really cute right now....Super Madelyn runs around yelling, "I'll Sabe you!"  And we get hear, "I lub you," very frequently.  I say it over and over again, but I can't even believe how much a 2, almost 3 year old can help around the house, with Colin, cleaning, cooking, you want to help with it all!  When I clean the bathrooms you get some paper towel and wipe down the sink or help with the shower walls, you swifter vacuum the kitchen floor, dust your room, clean your window; when Colin cries you still stop what your doing to take him a toy, you'll shake a rattle till he stops, or try to give him his pacifier, it's amazing.  You also like to help me bake, this can get messy, but it's fun, and you like the light in the oven turned on so you can watch our yummy treats bake!

Building a snowman!  Even Colin got in on the fun!  In Michigan baby pools are multipurpose and can be used year round as shown here, keeps babies dry and happy while enjoying a fresh snowfall!

Colins 5 months and first family trip!

1/18/16 Happy 5 months Colin!  You continue to get happier every day, we love and enjoy your big open mouth smile.  You like to grab onto us, as if you're hugging us back which is adorable, you also love face grabbing as we call it and have quite a grip.  You're still fascinated by your big sister and watch her every move, you are pretty chatty while your playing and your sweet baby babbles are like music to our ears. 

Madelyn you aren't even 3 yet and you can say your full name, the street you live on, you can even SPELL YOUR LAST NAME!   You can recite about 5 different nursery rhymes from memory, not to mention all the songs you know the lyrics to and can sing all by yourself or along with the radio to.  You speak in sentences, and it shocks us sometimes how clear it is what your trying to say, even your grammar is typically on point, you amaze us. 

January 22, 2016, first family trip!  We went to Grand Rapids for the weekend to visit with the Fox family.  Everyone had a blast, and Mama got to have a great birthday dinner and celebration for the big 3 - 1! Your Aunt Kathleen and Uncle Jim LOVE you kiddos so much and Kaitlyn, Courtney and Megan are perfect role models for you, they loved playing with you and teaching you new things, we had a blast!!

Aunt Kathleen was coaching her godson on sitting up...

And BAM, practice makes perfect and Aunt Kathleen must have had the right touch because you did it Colin!

Madelyn LOVES to dance, and seeing her cousin Megan dance made her want to show off her own skills and learn a few new moves :)

We are so lucky to have such loving family who welcome us for visits and always show us a great time

Winter of 2016 has definitely been a mild one, we get outside a lot for walks, this cutie likes the fresh air.

When I talk to other moms who have kids around the same age as my 2 cuties, one thing we always discuss is the joy of watching our kids interact.  I can't even begin to describe how it makes me feel to see the two of you together.  Madelyn your patience is well beyond what a 2 year old needs to have, as well as your compassion and understanding, it's amazing to see how you strive to help me with Colin, not just because you like to help me but because you care about him so much.  And Colin even as a baby you seem to be able to recognize that your sister is there to help you, even something as simple as when you drop a toy, she quickly retrieves it and will hold it out for you until you can grasp it again, and you smile at her because you are so used to her presence in that helpful way.  

First time bowling!  You did great Madelyn, we only had to have someone retrieve your slow rolling ball twice, but you bowled a 77

"Oh wow look at all the lights...the people...what's that?"  So much to see and watch made our first bowling trip a huge success for the whole family!  Madelyn got a lot of compliments on her princess ball from her Uncle Jimbo :)


Proud Daddy

2/8/16 First visit to the dentist!  You were the perfect patient, you let the Doctor count all of your teeth, use his fancy spinning toothbrush and polish them up nicely!  No cavities and you were told you're doing a great job brushing and keeping them clean!

Christmas 2015 with our beautiful kids!

Christmas Eve 2014, Madelyn is prepping the yard by sprinkling reindeer feed all around the yard!  She made sure to sprinkle just a little bit ALL over!

Still prepping - cookies made specially by Madelyn, and milk, out and ready for the big guy, reindeer pjs on, looks like we are all set!  Madelyn, you had a little trouble going to bed...you got up a few times claiming, "Santa woke me up, is he here?"

Thanks Grandma Ellis for being on top of the stockings!  They're hung on the fireplace with care :)  Always a great memory of my Grandma Bergmooser when we pull mine out which is an original made by her; my mom took on the tradition and has made them for the rest of our family. 

SANTA CAME!!!! Colin you were pumped, luckily Madelyn was able to help you open your gifts, and we promise she did a great job, if your name was on the gift we told her, she opened it for you right at your side and gave it to you :)  best big sister!  You loved the puppets Santa brought for you!

Colin you stayed attentive when Madelyn got to her gifts! 

To Madelyn and Colin from Santa, YOU GOT A KITCHEN!!!!  Not just any kitchen, a beautiful wooden kitchen with counter space, an oven, refrigerator, washing machine, microwave and a chefs outfit!

Busy Christmas day full of fun, excitement and family love!  

All hopped up on Christmas spirit these kiddos had a blast playing 

Colin had a wonderful first Christmas and we are so lucky this year to have 2 beautiful kids to celebrate with.

Just a couple of dudes hanging out in sleepers...being adorable

Grandma showing off Colin's strong legs :)

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Ellis for the cool art easel!  It's the perfect addition to the kids activity area in the basement!  Madelyn colors, paints, and does chalk drawings while Mommy works out, and when a song she likes comes on she drops what she's doing to do a little dance and run around :)

Madelyn and Colin, you are beautiful, we love you both so much.  The joy you bring to us every day is something that I can't even describe; watching you each on your own in your own element, watching you together interacting, it's the best thing and you continue to amaze us every day. 

Mr. Colin with your sweet smile, loving eyes and spikey hair...you melt our heart.  You usually sit in your bouncy while we eat dinner, and just a simple look in your direction brings a sweet smile to your face, we look away, then look back, and there it is again!  You're amazing, you're handsome, and  we love you so much. 

Colin you had your 4 month appointment, Dr. Madelyn made sure she came along to make sure your doctor was doing his job, she gave you a check up and then the Doctor came in and let her use all of his tools too! 15lbs 11oz, you're 45% which makes you as perfect on paper as you are in our hearts.