November | 2014 | AJ & Laura's

This last weekend we were lucky enough to have AJ home for the holiday and so we took a bunch of pictures with the anticipation of sharing them all with you. First day was Thanksgiving and we started it off with breakfast and right into cooking in our pajamas to get ready for the big meal. We of course watched the Macy’s parade, a family tradition, while cooking and playing that day. We had our friends over for dinner that night. Brooke has taken to the habit of crying uncontrollably and inconsolably at least 3-4 + times a day and usually for the most ridiculous reasons (for example: because AJ gave her a cup of milk (this crying session lasted 45 minutes) in this case it was because AJ gave her a plate of food on thanksgiving. So to keep us from going insane we decided to start taking pictures of the outbreaks (when we can) to put a little humor in it after we saw other parents doing the same thing when their kids cried for similar reasons like it was their birthday and people sang to them or because they got taken to Disney World. Two year olds are tough and everyone tells us that three is harder so we are holding on to our seats….but back to the weekend. Friday is DECORATING DAY! So we worked on decorating the house by putting up our Christmas tree and indoor decorations and AJ did a wonderful job putting the lights up outside including a candy cane inspired wrapped crepe myrtle. Friday night Brooke’s favorite sitter came and we got to go out to dinner and see Wicked for the first time – it was a great show. Saturday we walked through our neighborhood to the new Einsteins to have lunch and on our way back we found a unique garbage truck cleaning up bagged leaves. Sunday was warm enough for AJ to take Brooke on a short bike ride and all of us to take a hike through the Chesapeake Arboretum.

I added a couple extra pictures in the gallery from this week to make my life easier from not having to do an extra post but Monday while AJ was at work I souped up Brooke’s car. She had been using an old diaper box as a car for weeks. So I decided I could improve it by adding a turning wheel on nut/bolt/screw and increasing and reinforcing the sides. Also put some drive ignitions in it for her keys. Brooke has had a lot of fun in it so far. Tuesday night I was giving Alex and bath and talked Brooke into getting in too when he was almost done (she’s been fighting us on getting into the bath and saying ‘no Brooke stay dry!’ and on Tuesday she’d gone two days without and NEEDED one). AJ grabbed some pictures of them both in the tub. Then he got Alex dry and I got Brooke dry and while I cleaned up the tub I came back to AJ doing double airplane duty!

http://youtu.be/xtkxEo5tlG8

http://youtu.be/qBjLewZ15ZY

http://youtu.be/Aiwt01OPXE0

Last week Alex turned 3 months while we were enjoying our 4 day visit with Oma and Opa. Today while Brooke was at school I tried to find some decent light on this rainy November day to take some pictures of Alex. At 3 months Alex is picking up toys, bringing toys/hands/clothes to his mouth and gumming on them, he has improved head control, he talks up a storm, he’s adopted his sisters aversion (at the same age) to smiling at the camera unless you trick him, and he sucks his left thumb. He likes it when I sing to him and playing a new game called ‘Captain Alex!’ A game AJ started and I named. I lie on the floor and lift him over my head so we are face to face and make airplane noises as he flies around. He likes this game so much that I think I heard his first laugh today.