Cookie Monster

Max sang Twinkle, Twinkle while he made his Star of David cookies, but said, "more!" as he ate them.  He made them for Jake's Hanukkah party, where Urban, Jake's dog, did mommy a solid and kept eating part of Max's cookies. When we got in the car to go home Max said, "We forgot the cookies."  We brought plenty home, Max.  In your belly.

Max and Richie (Jake's daddy) provided entertainment at the party 

Kira enjoyed the holiday tunes 

Still not trained, but he sure likes the potty training video.

If this picture could talk...

Max: Mom I have to talk to Kira to see if she wants to play.

Mommy: ok

Max: (mumbling gibberish into Kira's ear)

Kira: (staring at Max, fearing impending attack)

Max: Oh mom, Kira can't play.  She has to grow up.

Mommy: (thinking to herself- when did YOU grow up, Max?)

Friday night [Christmas] lights

Max, Ceci, Timmy, Gracie, and Kira explored the neighborhood lights tonight.  Some trespassing may have occurred as well.  What do people expect when they put larger-than-life glowing Santas and reindeer in their yards?  In the spirit of the holidays (and possibly for fear of being on Santa's naughty list), all of the children were very well behaved and spread lots of cheer in the pitch-black cold night. 

Hot date in the hot rod 

First double bath milestone met only due to major vomit emergency.  Kira hardly ever spits up, but when she does, she makes it count. "Get it off her!"  Max said when Kira came in the bathroom covered in grossness.  "She's floating away," he noted when Kira and her bathing vessal crashed his bath.  The whole double bath experience went much smoother than anticipated with excellent big brother behavior and absolutely no splashing.  

New favorite hang out

Max was so happy to see Kira this morning.  Mommy was so happy to not see Max until 6:30am.

Squeaky clean smile

Happily clean

Afternoon bath

Watching Elmo's potty video early this morning

DIY diaper...Inspired by the potty video

Kira could teach her brother a thing or two about sleeping

Max likes to play like "the boys" (on daddy's team) and coach like daddy.  Tonight he took his imitation a step further and wore (requested during dinner) a tie, because as he said, "I have to go to work!"

Short story

Max's obsession with shorts has rapidly become as intense as his sleep refusal.  Combine the two together and you have Max dressed in basketball clothes, ready to shoot hoops, in the middle of the night.  Should mommy try to hide the shorts and you have a loud, livid Max.  Technical fouls are undoubtedly in his future.  

To prevent the disappearance of his apparel necessity, Max has taken to toting around, the one pair of shorts he found, everywhere he goes.  Tonight they went to the barber shop.  In the earliest hour of this morning, while dribbling downstairs, Max screamed, "oh no it fell down".  Naturally we thought his hoop fell.  Nope.  Max was upset that his hair fell on his face.  Hence his emergency haircut after school today.  

Maybe someone in the barber shop will want to play a pick up game of basketball.

Kira will not be needing a haircut anytime soon, but she had no problem posing in front of the barber's Christmas tree with her freshly groomed brother.  

Prettiest Brooks 

Six week smirk

Kira is 6 weeks old today and relaxing on mommy's blanket from her freshman dorm room.  

"I want that one", Max said.  Although he is in no position to be requesting presents this evening. 

The only way Max would leave the house in pants this morning was to bring his shorts to school.  Apparently he wore them under his pants all day.  He tore off the seasonally appropriate clothes that had been weighing him down all day as soon as he walked through the door.  Surprisingly, he did not even want to go to daddy's game tonight; he wanted to come home and play on his court.  And more importantly, wear short sleeves and shorts, so he can "see the hair on my arms".  Until recently he thought his arms, and daddy's arms, were "dirty".

Max woke up at 3:13am and wanted to play basketball.  He dressed himself and refused to sleep until his body gave out at 7:00am for a power nap.  Powerful it was, because Max was full of energy all day and even asked mommy if they could do the exercise video after school.  

Short sleeve jackpot

Max regained custody of his short sleeve shirts and than could not decide what to wear.  Never mind that it is in the 30s today.  He commanded mommy, "Don't take my short sleeves away again!".  Mommy decided to give into the short sleeve battle in exchange for a few extra minutes of sleep in the wee hours of the morning, when if left to his own devices, Max will dress himself and play basketball.

"I'm so tired," Max whined as he squeezed himself into Kira's bassinet.  Luckily she was not in it at the time of his takeover. 

Morning dance party

Kira is not quite sure about this huge bow on her head, but mommy sure loves the head the bow is on.

Max and mommy had an after dinner workout session.  Max did the whole video, preferring the role of "trainer " and trying to show mommy how to position her feet just like the man was showing the woman in the video.

Peek-a-boo!

Tummy time for two

Max was a big encouragement for Kira and applauded her efforts to strengthen her upper body.  She can use all the muscles she can get with Max around.

The shirt says it all

This one loves to be tickled and giggle.  Also, day three of this outfit was cut short (under much, much, duress).  It will undoubted reappear tomorrow. 

So busy on Saturday

Tot Shabbat, bagels with Ben, Kira's first ride on the train, Sadie's 3rd birthday party, and to round out the day, daddy's basketball game.  

What a good big brother!

What a nutty big brother!

Choo-choo ride for two (plus mommy)

Santa was waving at Max, but he kept asking, "Where is Mrs. Clause?".  Max said that he does not like the white stuff on Santa's face, because it might get his shirt dirty.  Kira took a good nap in her half of their new [super good deal off Craig's List] double stroller.

Real men eat pink bagels

Oh dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of...pretzels, marshmallows, and a Hershey kiss

Happy Birthday, Sadie!

Max has loved Sadie for THREE years!

They both love chocolate icing a lot, too!

Sadie was so good at feeding Kira.  She did not even try the bottle herself, unlike her BFF.

Halftime show 

"I have to coach!", Max insisted

Pawley sighting!

Merry in the morning

Max and Kira are in the holiday spirit, but with both of them waking up all night long, how is Santa ever going to sneak any gifts in their house?

Staying hydrated at daddy's game.  Max's water bottle got left in the car; luckily someone is related to the coach, so he can tap into the team's water cooler.

Overtime = an extra slice of pizza.   And an insanely late bedtime.  Of course, Max was not the least bit sleepy when we got home at 8:45pm.  In fact, he was eager to show off some new moves he picked up at the game, on his home court.

Max likes to watch daddy coach as much as he likes to watch the players play.

Is Kira watching?  Nope.  She slept the entire (one hour!) car ride to the game until we got home.  Max was the opposite.  Not only was he awake the whole time, but he talked the whole car ride there and back.  He also kept asking mommy to, "go faster!" When he was told we would be at the game in "six minutes", he thought mommy said a bad word.  After being assured that "six" is just a number, he said, "oh, there it is!," and pointed to a random street sign marked "600".  There it is, indeed.