Ice Ice Baby

After a warm December and January, we had an icy (literally) February. The 'white death,' as it is often referred to on radio talk shows, was unleashed on the area on a Tuesday afternoon. I had stayed home, so I was happy to miss the potentially ugly commute. The power went out around 5:00 (ending my workday at home). We fed Jacob and Claire by candlelight and transferred our meatloaf onto the grill (we ran out of gas a few minutes later)
We ended up staying the night at my parents' home that night. The power was restored overnight, but the adventure wasn't done for us. The next night, we were hearing funny noises coming from the house, so I went outside to see if I could see what it was. I ended up smelling gas, so after a call to the gas company, we called our neighbors (at 12:30) and hung out there until 2:00 with Jacob and Claire sleeping on the floor. All this during the middle of my busy season when I am working close to 60 hours. The ice was sure beautiful to look at!
 

New tricks

So, Jacob has a cool new trick, he can pull himself up. Once he figured it out he was so excited and by the next day he pulled himself up on anything that was a couple of inches off the ground (including trying to pull himself up on Claire's head). He is so proud of himself every time he gets up he celebrates. I took all of the following pictures in one day and I missed a few things (like car seats) before he fell. He also is constantly being followed by his best buddy. If you look she is always right at his feet. Maybe she is taking lessons.
 

 

Personalities at birth

Notice in this picture two things about Jacob and Claire's personality that started young. Claire always has her hands up. She hates to have her hands held (unless you are playing a game). Normally, her arms are out, even if she is just hanging out. Notice also Jacob's tongue is out. Since birth, he and his tongue have put on quite a show! He went through a tongue-sucking phase, and whenever he is eating, his tongue is in constant motion. It's pretty funny!Also, Dani had out the outfits Claire and Jacob went home in from the hospital the other day. They were so tiny, and yet the were way too big for little Claire and Jacob.
It's amazing how they change! 

To Busy for Pictures

On Sunday we were trying to get pictures of Jacob and Claire in their matching outfits (thanks Amber) but they were just too busy, we couldn't snap fast enough with them sitting because Jacob needed to be crawling. We resorted to taking pictures of them crawling since everywhere one goes, so goes the other (which usually means Claire follows Jacob since he is faster).

She loves to smile for the camera (she still had some dinner on her face).

Look at those beautiful blue eyes!
 

New Tricks

Jacob can now stand himself up. Sometimes, he uses Claire to stand himself up. On Sunday, Dani and I were in the kitchen and Jacob and Claire were in the playroom. Jacob started complaining, so we went to see what they were doing and Jacob had both hands on Claire's head and was trying, unsuccessfully, to stand up. He was frustrated because her head was too small to get himself up! Claire was just laying there, not complaining. I think she'll either be a really tough girl or knows that, come 10 years old when she develops faster, she can get revenge!

Here they are, quite happy in Claire's crib. Check out the hair!


Jacob absolutely loves graham crackers. He keeps his hands right next to his mouth like a chipmunk and finishes a square really fast! He keeps 2 hands on that cracker so no one can take it away, I think.Claire loves her crackers, too, but we often find half of it on her lap before she finishes it.
 

Pigtails and Pullups

Claire recently had her first set of pigtails. We thought she looked really cute, but they were also a little wild since the hair on top of her hair is long and then her entire head is also covered with shorter hairs. They only lasted long enough to take a couple of pictures.


Jacob is learning to pull himself up. He can get to his knees really well now and in the past couple days has gotten to his feet a few times. In these pictures he was practicing in Claire's crib; he is always so happy to get up! Now every morning when I go to get him out of bed he is on his knees waiting.

 

Little buddies

It's getting really fun to watch Claire and Jacob play together. Claire played peek-a-boo with Jacob while he was in the swing, she would reach up and look at Jacob in the swing, they'd both laugh, then Claire would go to her belly. Then, she'd reach up and look at Jacob again and they'd laugh. Thanks to our video camera, Dani caught this on tape so I could see it!

The other day, Dani was taking a little nap on the couch (the kids have been getting up earlier these days) while Claire and Jacob were playing in the 'Sycamore Room' (their playroom). She woke up to the sounds of pattering on the linoleum and little baby laughs. She walked into the front entry hall to see Claire crawling (or awkwardly moving forward, which is more accurate to what she actually does) and Jacob crawling behind her. Claire would then turn around and both kids would erupt in laughter, Jacob falling to his belly. Then he'd get back up and start crawling, and Claire would get going to get away. Then she'd turn around again and both would laugh. It was their first game of chase!

I think this picture of Jacob might be the cutest we have. Figures that this is the only recent picture that Claire isn't smiling in!

Jacob was done taking pictures and decided to take off.

But mom wasn't done yet. Sit back down Jacob!
 

More crib-time smiles

Dani and I watched the last hour of video we took on our video camera (which, by the way, covered just 1 1/2 months) and we realized how many videos we have of them in their cribs. They really love playing together and are interacting now more than ever, it's a lot of fun to see.



 

Baby Blue eyes!

Look at those big blue eyes!
Claire is becoming quite the smiley baby when the camera is out - say Cheese!
One of their favorite times of the day is when they wake up from naps and get to play in the crib together - it's also one of Dani's favorite times of day!

 

Christmas!

Picture time with so many kids is fun!



 

Amber brought home some fun presents from south of the Equator. Here, Jacob and I are sporting the Colo Colo jersey and Matt and Clayton are wearing the Chilean national team jerserys. Let's play some futbol!

Dani and Jacob intently watch the Christmas Eve Program.

As Claire becomes her own Christmas Eve program playing on the floor.

Aunt Amber and her neices! Lydia looks so much like Camie that it looks like Camie went through a time machine to get into this picture!