Devon: February

We took the kids to the Jem Show that comes to Tucson twice a year. It's lots of beads, rocks and fossils at various locations all over the city. The fossils were FASCINATING. To be able to look at something that was millions of years old ... mind blowing. Anyway, Devon loved seeing all the dinosaur bones and hanging out with his daddy. I included two pictures of this same image because you miss the cuteness going on in the front.

Why NOT wear a mask and be Batman whilst looking at fossils?

Shoulder rides and "holly pops" round out the full Jem Show experience.

If you've seen Monsters Inc. the cartoon, you are familiar with Mike Wikowski, the one-eyed green monster. When Devon sat in this little spot at the playground he said,"Look, mom! I'm Mike from Monsters Name Fink!" (I don't know how he got Monsters Name Fink from Monsters Inc, but that's what he calls it.)

"Hey, mom! Maybe when I grow bigger we could get me one of those motorcycles."

One day we saw a pretty steady stream of interesting, manly mustaches while we were out running errands. The next morning when I was putting on my make up, Devon found a brown eye liner pencil and decided that he needed to "grow" a mustache, too. I let him do the bulk of it and filled it in to make it even.

Make a mustache face!

And another.

I think he grew a mustache every day for a week. Eventually he decided that I needed one as well.

Funny faces.



Devon is such a good helper. He loves to pour his own milk, help Audrey, hand me things I drop, put clothes in the washing machine and the list goes on and on. He loves to cook, go to the park, play with his cousins and grandparents, explore in the yard and is an all around good kid.

People stop me all the time to tell me how cute he is and how well mannered he is. If we're in a store and he gets close to bumping into someone he says,"Oh! Sorry! Excuse me."

Seriously, how handsome is this man of mine?

Snow ball fight with daddy. I think some snow made it down his jacket on this one. We took the kids up to Mt. Lemon to play in the snow and we had a great time. We stayed up there a bit too long and Devon started to melt down (pardon the pun) on the drive back, but it was such a fun way to spend an afternoon making snow balls, snow angels and sledding.

I love that this sweet, little boy just wants to play and do dress up. He doesn't care if it's a cowboy hat or a tutu, he just wants to have fun. I don't encourage him to put on a gold, sequined dress and twirl, but if he wants to do that on his own ... go for it!

We went to Grandma and Grandpa's house, as we do every week, and Devon got to wear a special chef's hat and apron to help make cookies. This kid loves to cook. He loves to hand with Grandpa in the garden and loves his Grandma tons and tons. He asks to call her and is getting better and better on the phone.

My little chef.

Audrey: 19 months (February)

Audrey loves to go to the park and climb, swing and go down the slides. She really thinks she is bigger and more capable than she is so I have to stay close. At least one time, every time we go to the park, I save her life. I catch her right before her head hits the concrete or before she face plants off the top of the slide. Ugh. It's exhausting constantly averting disaster, but welcome to motherhood :)

Swinging and squealing go hand in hand.

I guess it's time to go up a pant size, sweet cheeks! At her last appointment, she was 90% for weight and 80% for height and head size. I think I have been putting her in 2T stuff that's a bit too big for her, but will last a few extra months of wear.

A special treat at Xoom (sounds like "zoom") Juice. After story time we head over to the smoothie place and split one three ways. So good.

Audrey will readily help herself to snacks out of the pantry if I leave the door open. On this particular day, she appeared with a huge marshmallow in each hand.

We were lucky to get some snow on the mountain this year and took the kids to sled. And when I say "sled", I mean slide down a "hill" on a Rubbermade lid. I put them in the warmest clothes they had and they had a blast. We took breaks in the car to warm up, but they were so sad when we finally had to head back home because it was getting dark. So glad we can visit the snow and not have to live in it.

"Tucson gloves" aka wool socks.

Devon and Audrey play so well together and even though sharing is a challenge, as it always seems to be, they are cute little friends.

Seriously, how cute is this outfit? I take the kids to the pet store about every other week and we visit all the animals. Audrey goes insane ... INSANE over the fish. She pounds on the tanks and whispers (while somehow simultaneously yelling),"Ish! Ish! Ish! Wow! Wow!"

Audrey is such a sweet little girl and it is mesmerizing to watch her grow and learn. She is so smart and such a happy little dolly.