Top Ten lists from the past week

Helen:

10. playing with the drapes
9. bathtime
8. playing with her toes after a nice long nap
7. sitting up
6. watching George's antics
5. getting a ride from George in her walker
4. toys that make a squeaky noise
3. chewing on spoons (does not include spoons with food on them)
2. bouncing
1. daddy kissing her ears

George:

10. going on a walk
9. going on a walk to the park
8. "pie" (riding "up high" on a parent's shoulders)
7. wearing his new apron
6. making "leaf soup" in his pumpkin
5. giving Helen rides in her walker
4. schemes to get more Easter candy out of his parents
3. giggling at the thunder- "more thunder!"
2. bandaids
1. HUMMUS! MORE HUMMUS!

guess what time it is!

he's doing super well!! we are really proud of him!

chicago getaway

Last weekend we met up with family in Chicago. We had dinner at the Rainforest Cafe which was a big hit for George since there were so many monkeys there:

We also went to Legoland much to the delight of Tim and my brother in law Ben. George was less excited than you might think because he got a terrible cold and fell asleep in the middle of the big lego playroom. Maybe next time, kiddo.

Loving the matchy father-son outfits there. Unplanned.

I want it, I want it, I hate it

We started Helen on solids Easter Sunday. She has wanted food for so long but when she actually got to try it, it wasn't exactly a big hit. The sweet potatoes she just left on her tongue, unsure even what to do about that strange stuff in her mouth. I've also tried her with pears but she has figured out how to spit it out. I am not sure she has actually swallowed any food yet but we will persist!

Easter!

The kiddos from our bible study.

George had pancakes with the Easter bunny! The tiny bunny in his hands has now joined the bedtime menagerie.

My fabulous babysitter brought hardboiled eggs last week and dyed them with the kids... she's a brave soul. George of course wanted to dye them all yellow.

milestones

This has been a banner week!

First of all George woke up one morning a little grumpy. Then he actually asked for "more sleep," and laid his head down and fell back asleep for a little while! Considering his history it is nothing short of a miracle.

George and his monkeys (he always has to sleep exactly like this with mama monkey under one arm and baby monkey in his other hand):

I figured out Helen's 45 minute nap problem, with a fan running in her room for white noise she has no problems taking good naps. But then she starting having all sorts of problems sleeping at night and for a while I thought there was some kind of whack-a-mole theory of sleep where I fix one thing only to have another issue pop up. It all became clear on Tuesday when her first tooth showed up... and then for an encore she rolled over for the first time today! I was pretty relieved about that one, we had been trying to get her to roll over for weeks. I had been expecting a scolding from the doctor at her checkup next week since I hold her a lot (was going to write "too much" but there's no such thing!) and I'm kind of a tummy time slacker.

Baby loves her some drapes: