We love toys!

Ervin is happy to be re-united with his ExerSaucer (and Mommy/Daddy are too). Big sister Lizzy is happy to show Ervin how each of the toys on his ExerSaucer work.

Lizzy was VERY excited to get out her tricycle the other day. With her new
Sesame Street helmet and knee/elbow pads, she was ready to roll. Daddy is helping her learn how to drive straight and turn.


Here is a photo of Lizzy wearing her apron while she cooks on her oven. You can kind of see it behind her. She loves to cook eggs and cookies for Daddy.

Home again, home again, jiggety jig

Well, we're all finally back home to Junction City, and we're happy to be altogether again. Zak got burned on his business trip to Arizona, while the rest of us spent frosty days in Utah. We had lots of fun visiting family and friends. Thanks again to Grandpa, Grandma, David and Robert for their hospitality and kindness during our stay.

Lizzy is having a great time re-acquainting herself with all of her toys. It's like Christmas all over again. Zak is very happy to have all of us back with him, and we're happy to have him again.

This morning we had a great walk to "The Food Store" (Safeway). It's a nice, short walk along paths enriched with many things to see and talk about. Lizzy talked mostly non-stop both ways as we saw lots of dirt, water, trees, clouds, sun, and even some ducks. We have lots of things to tell Daddy about when he gets home from work.

I'm so darn BIG now. . .

I've gotten quite big in the last little while. I can now ride in the stroller like a big boy, not in my car seat like a little baby. I even have a nice baseball cap to wear on our walks when it's nice outside.



I went to the doctor today for a check up and was pronounced in great health by my pediatrician. I'm tipping the scales at a whopping 18 and a half pounds and have passed the two foot mark at 26 whole inches. But the biggest news of all is that I've been cleared to begin eating big boy food just like mommy and daddy. I'm starting off with rice cereal 'the breakfast, lunch and dinner of Ervavors' but red meat isn't that far off.



I'm getting better at sleeping through the night, so hopefully this will help me get that extra kick I need. I loved getting to wear my 'official spit crew' Nascar bib and sit up in the lazy baby high chair (daddy had to tip it all the way back so I wouldn't fall out and it looks like I'm in a recliner), I even smiled for the camera. Never having had anything but milk and that dose of Baby Tylenol, the cereal was a definite shock to my rather inexperienced palate. It's been about a half hour now and I haven't spit any of it up, so I guess it'll be okay for now.

Thanks for keeping tabs on me, and I'll let you know if anything else happens that's worth mentioning.

-Baby Ervin

What's Been Happening

It's been a while since our last post. With Lizzy gone we haven't been taking as many pictures. She's the fuel behind most of what we do and is constantly reminding us. Here's a brief rundown of what we've been up to.

We celebrated Lizzy's 3rd birthday the day before she left for Utah. We let her pick out the cake she wanted at Safeway and ate it on pretty plates she picked and had candles and everything.




Ervin has been growing like a little weed. He loves his Cookie Monster, especially when mommy and daddy help him to sing "C is for Cookie."



Ervin got this great new sweater and pants to wear to church for Christmas. He wore it a couple weeks ago and loved having the hat on (as long as it stayed out of his eyes).

We have graduated from the baby bath and into a bath ring in the big tub. The first time we put him in he didn't quite know what to think, but now that he's used it a couple times he doesn't mind.



We've also gotten the Johnny Jump Up and started using it. Ervin loves it (the picture doesn't do him justice)!! He's figured out how to jump and spin around in it.



We're trying to get our house put together so we can show pictures of it, but that'll have to wait for another day.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

This year we were able to make arrangements with Santa to have Christmas a couple days early. Santa was in Seattle picking up a new shipment of Xbox 360 and games and such, and was able to drop by last night and leave presents and fill stockings for our family. Here's a photo summation of our good times and acquisitions.


We began the festivities by opening
some new Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve.





Christmas morning we got up and saw some great new toys that had been left by Santa.


Lizzy was the more excited of the children as she received a shiny new red tricycle. She ran over to it and started trying to ride it. Ervin got a nice Belly Boppy with some toys attached to it. He seems to like playing on his tummy, so it seems like something he'll like. The stockings had candy and movies from Santa as well as some little toys. Lizzy got a Lightning McQueen car that goes when you shake it (she's played with it more than any other toy so far), and a new Little Einsteins adventure movie. Ervin got a baby Cookie Monster who is wearing a diaper and holding a rubber 'teething cookie' and a 'Bob the Builder' movie. Mommy got the new Harry Potter movie and Star Dust. Daddy got Bourne Ultimatum, Simpsons Movie, and a Blue Man Group DVD.



Both the kids also got toys from mommy and daddy as well as grandmas, grandpas, aunt and uncles. Ervin gave his big sister a big can full of Lincoln Logs. Lizzy also got a kitchen set, rain coat, tricycle helmet, some games, books, and lots of clothes. Ervin received a new rattle from his sister and a baby monitor from mommy and daddy. Pretty much everyone else gave him some really great new clothes. The kids were even lucky enough to receive an autographed first edition of Mr. Beeson's new book.



Baby Ervin gave mommy a new pair of slippers to wear in the new house, and mommy gets to pick out a new set of kitchen knives from all of us.



Daddy got a shop-vac and a Maguires auto detailing set (incentive to finally clean the car), some bike parts, and a really great multi meter.

Uncle David gave the family a brand new receiver for our surround sound. We've already taken it to our new house and will hook it up as soon as we get moved in.

We went to our new house today for a little while. We took Lizzy's trike so she could ride it there. We also took a few other thing over in preparation for the big move that'll be happening Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. We love our new place and are getting very excited to move. As soon as we're in and somewhat settled we'll take some pictures and post them.

Merry Christmas everyone, and thanks for all the support and love you've given us over the last while. We love you all and hope that you have a great Christmas season.