14ish months & 2 January

Apologies for lack of updates.  It's been busy! And really, the kiddos stop changing so quickly once they hit a year so we probably won't get every month anymore but update when I feel like enough has changed to update.

Katelyn
-Lots of 2 year old attitude coming out.  She has such a sweet heart most of the time and is absolutely a nurturer, but just gets in this mood every once in a while that is contentious.  And you can see it coming.  She gets a different look on her face right before.
-Nurturer: She loves to instruct Luke on things I just taught her.  For example, I had just had a little chat with her about jumping on the bed so crazily and how the bed is for sleeping and that she could get hurt.  A minute later, she's bending down, getting Luke to look at her (I always make her look at me when I'm talking with her), and she's saying "beeeed is for nighnigh and no owies.  okaaay?"  She's a little teacher at heart ;)
-Nightmares went away- We had her and Luke sharing a room in Michigan and it worked out pretty well (except for the 3am giggles the first night!) and we plan to have them share a room once all this sickness is gone.
-RIDICULOUS memory, this girl!  She literally reminds me of things that I tell her to remind me about days before!  One example, daddy tells her we're having lasagna for dinner.  Her response was "at friend's house?"  It took us a while to make the connection but she was talking about the last time we had lasagna (2 weeks prior) at my friend's house (Kelly) when we visited Detroit!  This happens all the time and it boggles my mind!  She often remembers things that I don't!

Luke
-"Uh-oh" - he's using this ALL the time.  Drops things JUST to use the phrase.
-"kitty" is "kkkkkkk" sounding like a cat hissing.
-had a lot of sickness lately.  Fevers, colds, miserable at night.  For a few nights, had to interchange tylenol and ibuprofen every 3 hours.  Tylenol seemed to do nothing.  He was still sweating and feverish.  Ibuprofen seemed to work better.
-VERY special moment- it was one of the roughest nights of his fevers and I went in, gave him medicine, then snuggled him in the rocker for a few minutes and he immediately started talking and giggling while still laying his head on my chest.  He started tapping my chest and saying "mama" then giggling and doing it again.  It was the first time I'd ever heard him associate the word mama to me!  And I can't express just how relieving and happy it made me feel to know that the medicine and my comfort made him happy the midst of misery. 

Family Fun
During December, we visited the Patton side of the family in Detroit.  Plane rides were a bit rough just because it seemed like the airlines were working against us... (Whoever had Kate next to them had to have Luke too, not allowing our stroller past check-in, Luke does not enjoy having to sit for a while when it looks like we can just let him down in the aisle...) but we made it!  Luke was also starting to be sick on the way back so that made him a little less happy.  Kate did great- she always does!
Lots of fun visiting family!  Special times reading with grammy, snuggling with pop-pop, crazy fun with the cousins (she really connected with Emily and Rachel- poor Ellie was sick). We enjoyed catching up with my parents and brothers/sisters in laws. 


Christmas Eve
Tyler gave the message on Christmas Eve.  He really did a fantastic job connecting with believers and unbelievers alike.  He does a great job every time he speaks and it just reminds me how much God has called him to be a preacher, not just a pastor.  I'm so proud to be his wife and get to be a part of his ministry!

After service, we headed home to do Christmas Eve supper at our house with Dorthy, Krystle, and Kym.  Then we opened presents.  We so enjoy presents time and really savoring every minute as each person opens presents- it's a good 4-5 hours of pure fun!  Of course kids went down shortly after supper but in later years they'll be able to stay up for all the good stuff!

Christmas Morning-

We woke up with the kiddos to eat burned swedish tea ring (sad day!) and had a special little family time complete with Christmas songs, Christmas story, presents, and even a scavenger hunt for the kids to find their last present (a little tykes slide).  Kate really got into it, running/jumping from one place to the next.  Jumping when she found the next clue.  Good memories.

12 & 24 Months

1 & 2 years!

 So here we are!  Kate is 2 and Luke is less than a week from 1!  We decided to celebrate Kate's birthday with balloons and decorations and a special present (big wheel type thing I found on craigslist) on our own on her special day, but are going to celebrate with friends and family (grammy and pop-pop are coming out for it!) in a couple of weeks with a combined party.  I can't believe they're 1 & 2 already! 

Kate

-Potty training part 2:  We did potty training again- another 3 days of pure heaven (eye roll) of being locked up in a small area cleaning messes.  What helped keep my sanity is laying blankets down on the carpet (much easier to just throw in the laundry rather than be afraid stuff is soaking into the carpet pad!), have meals already made and ready to throw in the oven, have all cleaning supplies easy on hand, and plenty of m&ms to reward myself everytime I have to clean a mess!  After the 3 days, Kate will sometimes tell us when she needs to go, but I'm staying committed this time.  She seemed more ready- can certainly hold it longer now too.  So we're in underwear.  I tried to go naps/nights without underwear but she'd wake up needing to go meaning I'd basically have to get her right when she woke up to take her to the potty and if you know our little girl, she needs a few minutes of "wake-up lazy time" in bed before actually getting up or she'll be cranky, whiny, and just miserable.  So to keep us all sane, we're doing pull-ups over her underwear for sleep times for now.  Someday we'll switch over but we've got plenty of time.

-Words up the wazoo!  This girl is talking all the time and is repeating words after hearing them once.  (We were walking in the parking lot and I told her to watch out for that.... (couldn't think of the word crack) chasm!-  Next day, she was pointing to every crack saying "chasm!"  oh boy... oops!)

-Naps are usually from around 1:00-2:30ish.  Although if we're in the car she could fall asleep from anytime after 11!

-LOVES play-dough, coloring, ALL about music and dancing, playing with little people (we have the barn and some animals), building towers with bowls and tuperware, and playing with her kitchen set.  I've been looking everywhere for a paint with water book but can't find it anywhere!  I'm thinking Kate (and mommy! because of the lack of mess) would love it!

Luke

-Sturdy on his feet!  Certainly not confident yet enough to let go, but he's walking holding 1 hand, cruising, even today was using the swing outside to stand up and was enjoying making it lean forward and back as he changed his center of gravity.  He only fell once doing that so he's on his way!

-Love his sister's stuffed animals (we often have to remind Katelyn that the turtle is actually technically Luke's, not hers!)

-Suddenly terrified of baths?  Put the water on, and he'll lean over the tub on his tippy toes to touch the water, squeels of excitement all the while.  You actually need to watch him carefully because he will reach hard enough that his feet will leave the ground and if you aren't ready, he'd go toppling into the tub.  Undress him, still happy trying to touch water.  Put him IN the tub?  Ear piercing terrified screams and crying?  What?  What happened?!  It's gotten to where I need to sit on the edge of the tub with my legs on either side of him and get something to distract him (plastic cup tends to work well), and in a few minutes, crying will subside and he'll be happy again where he's splashing and have a joyous time again.  But yet this process happens every time now?  He certainly didn't have any traumatic experiences that I know of?  Doesn't make sense to me!

-LOVES to be chased, rubbing his head/body on blankets/pillows/stuffed animals, interactive books, snuggles, when you're sitting/laying on the floor, he will climb all over you.  Often plops his butt in my lap and kicks his feet happy and content to just being with someone he loves.  He also loves to lean against me when I'm squatting helping Kate which makes for a very difficult time for me to get up with him leaning on me!  I'm calling it already that his love language is touch.  Wondering if Kate's is acts of service.  We'll see as the years progress!

11 & 23 months

Sorry for lack of pictures.  Maybe update another time.

11 & 23 Months

Mimic: Katelyn's two favorite phrases these days are "Whatcha doin' honey?" and "hi baby".  Evidently I use too many pet names for Tyler around her
Accidentally swearing: The words fork and fort don't sound like fork or fort... Both sound like she's dropping the f-bomb!
opposites: "Opeeeeen- cozed.  Opeeeeeeen- cozed"
Play-dough: LOVES to play with playdough.  We made some homemade stuff (super cheap and easy!!) and she plays with it for hours on end.
Books: Still loves her books.  Reading to us, to Lucas, to grammy on the phone, whoever will listen


Luke

First word?: I don't count a first word until it's used in context (not just mamamama or dadadada as they aren't him actually using a word in my opinion).  His first word was "Uh-oh" when things fall off his tray.  I think he learned it from his sister.
Bear Crawling: He often gets up on his feet and hands instead of his knees.
Pants = good day: It's a good day when I can get pants on this kid... Trying to change his diaper and/or clothes is quite the process.  No matter what I give him as a distraction, the kid kicks and rolls and refuses to lay semi-still.  So.. it's a good day when he's wearing pants ;)
Stairs: He's mastered going down stairs now too.  So hilarious as he gets himself "close" (not anywhere near!) and turns his butt around toward the step, then backs himself down.  He does it to ramps too which is completely unnecessary
Pointing: He loves to point
I'm gonna getcha: is by far his favorite game

10 Months & 22.5 months?

2 Months from 1 & 2 ;) 
(it's getting hard to keep track of Kate's months!)

Katelyn:

Words Explosion: Missy miss's vocabulary has exploded this month!  Full sentences, "I want some" is one we hear often, a focus on mommy's, daddy's, and babies (every animal is either a mommy, daddy, or baby and she will not quit asking until we tell her which one is which)
Great Memory: If she asks to read a book but we're on our way out the door, I'll tell her we can read a book together later- definitely right before bed.  I'll forget that I said that, but she won't!  She is set on reminding me "book, mama? nigh nigh?"  I'm impressed!  This girl certainly holds me accountable to my word! (not that I mind when it comes to books!)
"Terrific" Twos: Okay, that's not the name of it, and Kate has certainly found her voice and opinion on... well... everything.  Fits galore, starting to get mad when her brother starts to play with things she's playing with (now that he's crawling, cruising, and climbing anywhere).  She's started to hit.  She has a time-out everytime she hits and someday it'll click ;) But along with these new tantrums, her true sweet self still shows through when she brings her brother his bottle often, even if he doesn't want it, gives Luke toys to play with, often telling me if she thinks it's nap time for Luke (pretty sure she likes having mama all to herself during those times).
Teacher: Maybe I see it because I am a teacher at heart, but this girl seems to follow the same lead.  Tonight as I was vacuuming, daddy was explaining the vacuum to Luke (and her) again and Katelyn then picked up her bunny and started telling her bunny about the vacuum comforting her, and holding her up to "see? see?" the vacuum.  She is constantly teaching her stuffed animals and dolls about the world around them.
Mimic: Everytime I get the kiddos from a nap or in the morning, I always have a special little sing-song way to sing their name as I enter.  Katelyn's is "Katelyn, Katelyn Grace" and Luke's is "Lucas, Lukity Lucas" and Katelyn has picked up on it so much that she now will run ahead of me to go get Luke, and she sings "dee doo, do do de, dee doo" (Dee-doo is how she says Lucas).  Then Luke starts jumping in his bed excited to see her and giggles ensue.  Seriously one of my favorite times of day :)

Luke:

Crawling on all 4's: He's up off his thighs finally!  Up on his knees and is quite fast!
Walking with help: Loves to walk holding both hands.  Even though he's gaining good balance and we try to let go of one hand, as soon as that happens, he gives in and drops down to his knees.  We definitely need to work on confidence (and balance!)
Bananas: Starts breathing really fast in excitement over seeing a banana
Strawberry blonde?: In the sun, I actually see a hint of red highlights in his hair.  I love it!  I think it's SO cute!
Sense of humor: is starting to emerge!  Loves to mimic and laugh.  Our kids' giggle moods are as contagious as yawns in this house.  They just laugh and laugh together.  It's a beautiful sound- often over absolutely nothing!
Turns in circles while sitting with just his feet: Luke sits on his bum, plays with a toy with his hands, and then uses his feet to turn in circles.  It's hilarious!
First haircut: I cut his hair during a garage sale since it was over his ears (actually past his ears).  Goal wasn't to make it look good, just to make it look like it didn't need cut yet ;)
MESSY!: Holy COW this kid is messy!  Food ends up in his hair, between his fingers, on the floor, all over the tray, all over the bib, under the bib, down his shirt, around his body, UNDER his body (how does THAT happen?) EVERYWHERE!  See the picture.  No, he wasn't sweaty nor had he just been given a bath, that's food!

9 & 21.5 Months

9 & 21.5 Months

 

21.5 Months

Words/Phrases: "Thank you mama" (probably my absolute favorite), counting to 3 but often counting "waaanah, teeeeooooo, One!", colors (pink, blue, purple, sometimes red, yellow, green), elk, fly (fwy), butterfly, BUFFALO (see video at the bottom- seriously the cutest thing ever, that girl!), help, see, fun, slide, shoe on
Favorite color: Two years ago, after all my explanations to friends to go for neutral colors when buying clothes for our baby girl since I'm not a pink person... this girl is the girliest girl I've ever seen.  Not only does she LOVE pink, but she points it out EVERYWHERE!  Down to the smallest things on someone's shirt, she has to point out that it's pink!  I guess I had that one coming...
Bugs: Kate has developed a fear of flies?  Not bees, not spiders, not ants (see below), but just flies.  We had a few flies in the car with us on the way to Rapid City... that was fun... Although I think we helped her face her fears a little by naming the flies (one was George McFly...) and she seems to deal a little better with them now.
Ants: So the other day we were playing outside and I saw some ants.  Thinking this will be a fun learning opportunity to learn about other living animals outside, I pointed out an ant to Katelyn.  She runs over, points to it, stands up and steps on it.  Thinking she didn't see where she was walking, I pointed out another- to which she ran over (literally ran over) and immediately stepped on it.  Found another and stepped on another.  I tried explaining to her that outside are the ants' homes and it's okay to leave them alone when they're outside but she just kept finding ants and trampling them!  I don't know where she got that from!  I've always used kleenex and my fingers if I find ants in the house but I guess she just figured they've got to die?
Little mama: Miss Katelyn copies me all the time.  To the point where if I'm trying to vacuum, she has run to get her little popper toy and is less than a step behind me "vacuuming" too.  She holds her ninja turtle toy and hums him to sleep (like I do with Luke).  She often teaches Luke things I teach her.  I often see her sticking her face out in his, eyebrows up, and saying "hm? see?"  Just yesterday, I gave her a puzzled look as I asked her "What are you doing?" and she gave the same look back to me and it was absolutely hilarious!  Tyler immediately said "That was you! That was all you!"
Potty Training: Ah, the joys of having a 100% trained child!... someday I'll know that joy ;)  We gave up for a while.  She knows what to do and when to do it, but she doesn't have much interest right now other than going poop on the toilet so we're in pull-ups and I'm backing off and just talking about whether her pull up is wet or dry and figure either she'll pick it up, or I'll push it later if it takes too long ;)  We went to a wedding out in the middle of the black hills with no bathrooms around so I figured "meh, let's just do pull-ups for a while"

9 Months Luke

Eczema: Is probably the best word to describe this month... It got infinitely worse on his shoulders, back, and then got a diaper rash that despite ridiculous amounts of diaper rash cream every change and changing often, still got worse and worse.  We took him in for allergy testing (blood draw) but he's too chubby to find a good vein and after 5 different labs trying, we had no luck.  So we're waiting for a dermatology appointment and switched him to soy formula and I stopped nursing (which didn't help)
First tooth: JUST cut through the day before he turned 9 months!  And the diaper rash immediately cleared up with NO diaper cream.  Go figure...  That old wives tale has been 100% true.  And the fever thing too.  He had a mild one before that tooth cut.
Pulls up to stand: Two days before he turned 9 months this happened in the bathtub (really?  That's where he finds the most traction?) but continues to do it often in different areas. He also now can get from crawling to sitting and back to crawling again.  But spends most of his time on his tummy
Jumping: He loves to jump while standing if someone is holding him.  He also just in the past few days suddenly gained a lot of stability in his legs when we hold him to walk and such.
Step: He has mastered the step from the kitchen to the family room up and down.
Rolling with blankets: One of his favorite things is to grab a blanket and roll across the room with the blanket in tow.  He laughs when it covers his face and plays peek-a-boo by himself sometimes ;)
Food: grated carrots, cheerios whole now, green beans from a can, chicken spaghetti, lasagna... (but I tried avoiding dairy for a bit to see if that was the issue)
 Sleep: Usually sleeps from 7:30ish-5:00 straight through and wakes to eat, then back to sleep until 7ish.  Naps at 9:00ish often for 1.5 hrs, then again at 1:00 for another 1.5 hrs. Then again at 5 for 40 minutes.  That 5:00 one is often in the car or stroller and cut short but he survives.

8 & 20 months

8 & 20 Months

Luke

Feeds Himself: Luke has figured out how to feed himself a bottle.  When in a highchair, he arches his back to tip it up enough to get the last bits.  This just baffles me as we had to teach and teach how to do this with Katelyn and Luke just suddenly started doing it?  Either way it sure makes meal times MUCH easier!
Army Crawling: He is on the move!  He army crawls across the floor to toys he wants (or curtains... those kitchen curtains just enthralls him!  Makes mama a little nervous ;))  He is certainly rocking on all 4s so I wonder if we'll get up and crawling soon or if he'll just be happy with army crawling?
Sleeping: Oh Praise God we are officially finally almost always sleeping through the night!  I think some of it was his excema was itchy, most of it was he wasn't getting enough to eat.  Speaking of which...
Little Mr. piggy!: Holy COW can this child eat!  It boggles my mind how much he can eat!  We're talking more than a grown adult would eat for supper!  Seriously!  His pureed casserole the other night was the size of a bowl of soup, had a bottle and cheerios on top of it!  Goodness boy!
Weaning: I'm only nursing int he mornings and in the late afternoon.  I've found that supply is way down in the evenings so I've given up on that and quite honestly, lunchtime just goes much smoother if I just give him a bottle so we're technically weaning but I think we'll keep up this schedule for a while as I don't mind the free-ness of nursing ;)

Katelyn

Puzzles: Suddenly we are all about puzzles.  She loves working with the alphabet mat letters
Words: "High""Watermelon""peepee" and I'm sure there's more but can't think of them.
Brother-sitting: We LOVE to sit on our brother.  See video.  I was in the breezeway doing laundry and suddenly heard uncontrollable laughter coming from the hallway.  I went to investigate and found her sitting on his bum again (he was on his tummy) and they were both cracking up but I'll never forget the moment they both looked up at me with guilty faces... ha!  Oh boy... These two are going to get into some serious trouble in the future, aren't they?
Jumping: It's hilarious to watch her try to jump!  She doesn't get very far despite a lot of effort!