Family Photos by Mallory Minor

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(sorry they are sideways)

Fantasy of Trees

On Thanksgiving weekend, we went downtown to see the Fantasy of Trees, an event benefitting Children's Hospital. There were trees and scenes set up all over the Convention Center, pictures with Santa, a gingerbread village, and lots of crafts for kids.
Sometimes Jalen wanted to keep the decorations! The line to visit Santa was waaaaay too long for Little Sister's taste, so Jalen yelled out a hello to him from the back of the line.


This was a huge table FULL of blocks. I think Jalen could have stayed at this station for a long time!

There was even a free carousel!

This is the ampitheater outside the Convention Center. That's Devan and Jalen heading down the stairs to go see the water.

The Sunsphere

Pics

This is what Jalen insisted on wearing one afternoon.

Counting Sissy's buttons

Awwww!

Tessa's Two Month Check-up

Tessa went to the doctor yesterday for her two month check-up. She weighs 11 lbs and is 22 1/2 in long. She is in the 75% for both height and weight. She had to get three shots, which she was of course completely offended by.

She is sleeping really well at night, waking up around 2 or 3am, then at 6 or 7am. She has come to terms with getting her diaper changed, and we have even taken a couple baths now where she didn't protest the entire event. She is a pretty good girl, and loves to watch her brother run around and be crazy.

Stressed but Blessed

Have you all heard the one about the guy who worked 17 days straight? Until 7:30...8:30...10:00 at night?! That guy is Devan. And I'm not comparing my job to his, but just let me say that I've been at home with an infant and a nearly two year old who had strep throat and just began potty training. Holy CRAP! We needed HELP, so Papa Mike came to stay with us for a couple of Devan's longest work days. I can't even express how much that helped de-stress me. Jalen has loved playing with Papa, and if you know Papa you know he didn't come alone. He came with toys and books and treats. One morning they went shopping together and came back with a new tricycle. Jalen hasn't mastered the pedaling yet, but he loves to ride it anyway. (Ok, sidenote: Papa left an hour ago and Jalen is in the kitchen calling for him) Papa left with a messed up back this morning. I wonder if going to the inflatable jumping toys place yesterday and going down the slide with Jalen had anything to do with loosening his back up?
Jalen started out doing really well with the potty. He likes to wear his "unnies". But for a couple days now, he has remembered that he is almost 2, and has started telling me "No" he doesn't want to sit on the potty. Not "No", but "NnnnnnOOOOO!!" Good times. Weave potty times intermittenly throughout the day with feedings for Tessa and you can see what I do ALL day.

J has really been into his "movies" lately. One day we had a movie date and made popcorn and all stayed in our jammies and curled up on the couch and watched our Charlie Brown holiday movies. I wanted to see if Jalen had the attention span to watch one, and ever since we have watched the same three Charlie Brown's and one Mickey Mouse dvd repeatedly back-to-back every day. Can you say new movies for Christmas??? The upside is I can pop one in and pretty much do whatever else I have to do and be pretty confident that I know where he is and what he's doing.

Jalen looks so cute in his undies!

Thank you, thank you, thank you Dad for staying a few days with us so I didn't end up in the looney bin!

Halloween Fun

We had a fun Halloween weekend here. Jalen prepared for the holiday by watching Mickey Mouse's Halloween episode about 75 times. He was sure that when it was time for us to go trick-or-treating that we were headed to Trick or Treat Tower to see Pete and Donald Duck.

Jalen's costume was a Cardinals baseball player. He is very into his hat right now, which was perfect timing. When he puts his hat on he says, "Cool Dude!" (Which is really funny if you actually hear him say it.) He carried his baseball bat and pumpkin all night, but refused to touch his glove. Not sure what that was about.

Jalen had lots of fun trick-or-treating and running up the "big hill"s (everyone's driveways) with Mommy while Daddy and Sissy watched from the stroller.

Jalen, sit still and take your picture by your sister - Take 1

Take 2

Take 3

Counting all his candy

In My Crib

Here's a short video of Little Sister hanging out in her crib. I realized some of you family members have never met her, and for those who have, she's probably changed a lot. This will have to do until we get a chance for her to meet everyone this weekend!

Jalen-isms, continued.

Somehow Jalen still surprises me with how much he says and understands. I know it's completely not the same for me to type some of his funny sayings - since the funny part is usually in how he says it - but I'll try anyway.

• how Bout??? - as in, how about we read this book?
• don't cry, sissy; (it's) ok sissy; what's wrong sissy; sissy cry.....etc
• Mama comin! or Blankie comin! or Sissy comin! or what/whoever that happens to be joining him
• Go Go that way! - in the shopping cart or stroller
• Jalen dooowit - gaining his independence
• byYOU - as in, I'm going to sit by you or you by me
• Daddy home, Yay! - self-explanatory
• Bye Jalen, work, later - bye Jalen, (where are you going?) work, (see you) later
• then Jalen home, Yay!
• eeeeedup! - (get up) Usually trying to lift Mace up and out of his way
• Meeska...Mouse...SAY IT!!! - (Mickey Mouse) Meeska Mouska Mickey Mouse, say it with me

As always, I'm sure there are lots more. And perhaps the best one is in this video. He and Daddy are reading a Veggie Tales book with Larry the Cucumber. Larry dresses up as "Prairie Larry", "Dairy Larry", "Merry Larry", "Hairy Larry", and so on. Jalen obviously needs some speech therapy on this one!

Tess Pics

Hi Everybody!

Pumpkin Patch

This weekend we went back to the Oakes Farm pumpkin patch. We took Jalen last year - here's a flashback. I'm sure he got more enjoyment out of it this year, and the weather was much warmer.

The Kiddie Slides

Jalen getting dirty

Lots to choose from
I think I like this one What do you think, Dad?

Back to the wagon

Tessa was there, too

Jalen and his buddy Grace