Three kid band

Max, Ben, and Hannah: The "big" kid

Max LOVES Ben, and that is great considering he is such an upstanding boy and an excellent influence on the General.  Max is also quite possessive/jealous when Ben's attention goes elsewhere- like to his sister, Hannah.  "I don't love her!" Max rudely claimed.  But we all know what it means when boys say that about girls.

Fraternity brothers and their daughters 

Another snowed in day of Kira dressing up in Max's clothes.  

Sunday snow art: "I love it! It's so beautiful!"

So glad Kira could join us this morning at 7:00am.  We have missed you for the past two hours!

Go big or go home

Max finally took the plunge and went número dos in the potty.  Always one for the dramatic, Max then needed an actual plunger.  Lovely.  

Playing with the camera timer 

Kira could watch Max eat all day!

Timmy came over to play with Max and Ceci came to help with Kira, so the girls made hair bows.

Ceci is a mommy in the making. 

Black [eye] Friday

Is it possible that this happy girl spits up more than her big brother?  It is indeed, and she thinks it is just hilarious.  The ruffles on her second saturated outfit of the day mask the evidence well.

Checking out his shiner

Max got a black eye.  The door he ran into while running in circles for no apparent reason looks worse.  These old teething aids made perfect ice packs for the injury even though Max claimed, "I used to choke on these".  

Stuffed besties for everyone 

From the mouths of baby smiles

Kira's big, beautiful smile says it all.  Max's big, giggling mouth has a lot to say these days, too.  On the way home from school mommy treated him to one of his favorite pastimes- going through the car wash.  The salt covered car needed a bath and since the insane cold has kept us housebound, a field trip was in order.  At some point during the trip, mommy said "Darn it!", one of her go-to child-friendly phrases.  But Max gave her the dagger eyes.  "Why you say that, mommy!"  Mommy explained that "darn it" is not a bad word, but he did not buy it.  As soon as he saw daddy, he reported, "Mommy said a bad word!"  Apparently Max is as receptive to tone as he is to language.  And he enjoys a good tattle, too.

Just can't stop comparing these two bambinos 

Max cannot keep his lips off Kira's head.  Sometimes it is because he loves her and sometimes it is a stall tactic, as shown above.  And she knows it.

After school treat de jour: the car wash

Snow bunnies

All bundled up for the snow

Kira loved watching the two good balls play in the snow

Kira tried an unswaddled nap, but quickly deserted that plan for a wrapped-up-super-tight three hour nap

Working on the roll over 

Snow day!

Max had his first snow day of the year, courtesy of the Federal Government being closed.  He exchanged the basketball sneakers from Uncle Jordan for a bigger size and was very eager to show them to Kira.  At least the soles were still new and somewhat clean before he tagged her chair with them.

Mommy: Do you want to read Kira a story?

Max: I can't read.

Mommy: You can tell her about the pictures.

Max: Okay, I want to read her the worst one.  Where is the WORST ONE??

Mommy: What?

Max:  The book you said was the worst one.

Mommy: (remembering she did refer to a book as 'the worst' because it was about 200 pages, and even worse, 200 million words long). Here you go.

Max: (reading to Kira) The worst.....blah blah...the worst...blah blah...

Max and Sadie had a great time playing air hockey at Chuck e Cheese.  Max got a little too excited every time he scored a goal...

Kira and Tessa had a blast, too!

...and when he was done playing in the snow he went inside to warm up in his birthday suit.

Max really had fun playing in the snow.  He even helped shovel and clear the cars.

"It's SOO heavy!!!"

Three year check up

Jumperoo for two 

It seems like just yesterday that Max and Timmy actually belonged in these baby chairs!  They like them now more than ever.  Max insisted that Timmy come with him every time he used the potty; Timmy was a great friend and obliged him. 

Kira loved watching Max and Timmy eat lunch. 

Kira was entranced by watching Max and Timmy tear apart the basement.  

Max went to his three year old check up today.  He had his first eye test and got his blood pressure taken for the first time.  As usual, his favorite part of the appointment was the reflex test; he is obsessed with the reflex hammer and begged to take it home.  After semi-seriously considering Max's criminal request, mommy promised to buy him his very own reflex hammer if he poops in the potty. So far he is doing great staying dry but has not done his really dirty business in the potty yet.  

Jumperoo

Kira started to use the jumper and is loving it!  She was a little unsure at first, but daddy and Max chanted, "Kira, Kira, Kira" and that did the trick.  Her feet do not even reach the floor and she cannot jump, but the independently upright position is new and exciting.  She has spent a lot of time the past two days just hanging out in the jumper, viewing the world from a whole new perspective.  Since her most recent world has been watching her big brother sit on the potty, she must appreciate the change of scenery.

Best Valentine's Day present from Aunt Arielle!  Personalized mouse ears for the sweetest mice.  Max and Kira really, really love them.  They just don't know it yet.

A view from the sidelines of Max and his greatest pal on Earth.  Lately Max has been asking if Pawley is a boy or girl.  He asked if Pawley's tail was his penis.  For a few days Max asked if Pawley could be a girl and we told him Pawley can be whatever he wants.  Today he was a boy.