end of summer

just a few pics of our end of summer days.  brooks started his 2 day a week parents day out last week and also enjoyed doing some painting at home.  he is really into airplanes right now and we painted some foam ones together.  kate just hangs out happily while her big brother is so active!

7 months

a little late, but we celebrated 7 months with our sweet kate last week.  we were flying home from canada on the 16th and just got around to taking her pictures this weekend.

highlights from the month:

• - started eating more baby foods including sweet potatoes, squash, pears, apples, bananas, peas and prunes.  the prunes are not only a necessity but also her favorite!  still won't eat the rice cereal or the oatmeal but at least is giving the other foods a try.
• - a fun trip to canada to visit great grandma ellen and other family and friends.  already kate's third plane trip with four more planned this year!  unbelievable!
• - more babbling and making lots of cute sounds
• - officially taking 2 solid naps on the days we aren't on the go and still sleeping well at night about 8-7. 
• - loves anything brooks is playing with, especially all of the "little people" and puts everything in her mouth.  i keep thinking a tooth is coming in, but so far nothing.
• - learned how to "trick" mommy and daddy into letting her get out of bed occassionally and last week we laughed that she just wanted to watch "Friday Night Lights" with us!

 

brooks is turning into more of a big boy everyday.  i love talking with him now that his words are so much clearer and his sentences and stories are so fun. he narrates everything we do and repeats everything i say.  he loves reading books, always wants "two books" before bed, and will "read" stories back to me turning the pages on his own.  he finally got his cast off last week and has been so steady on his feet.  these days brooks is really into his "little people" noah's ark, firetrucks, baseball, golfing in the yard, asking to play with the 7 year old boy who lives next door, tigers, motorcycles and all "things that go."  today he spotted two motorcyclists who were actually wearing their helmets (not as common as you would think) and he said, "wearing helmets.  I'm so glad."  This guy is totally into helmet safety and not "going boom."

It's been a great summer that has really flown by.  The kids are still really sweet together and both very happy. 

6 months

month 6 really flew by with all of our travels and vacations - this one snuck up on me big time!  happy 1/2 birthday to our sweet little kate!  you are the sweetest of all sweetnesses and you get more loveable everyday! 

highlights of 6 months...

17lbs 3oz and a head in the 90%

you started sitting up unsupported on july 4th

you stopped eating rice cereal - hopefully we can find out at your dr. appointment tomorrow what's up with that!

you laugh when we play peek-a-boo and tickle your tummy

you watch everything your brother does and think he's pretty cool

you put everything in your mouth!  i think a tooth must be coming soon

you eye our food like a hawk and reach for our forks when we are eating

your afternoon nap is getting longer and longer - thank you!  you and brooks often give mommy 2 hours of peace and quiet!

as kate turns 6 months, our B-man is turning 2 and a half this week too!  wow!

he has really grown up in the last month it seems.  two weeks of vacation with grandparents really brought out the big boy in him, and Brooks is talking more and more.  even though i am the only one who seems to understand most of what he says, he really is a chatterbox.  he has also started to play pretend more - his favorite pretend game is to take a nap and wake up and make breakfast.  he also likes to play pretend golf.  while we haven't mastered the potty yet, there does seem to be an increased interest in it.  last week brooks told me, "mom, want to go to target and buy underwear.  want blue ones, not red ones."  we did go and buy underwear but he has lost interest since!

these two munchkins are sure bringing a lot of joy to our life.  somedays are pretty crazy and a two and half year old offers plenty of frustrating and humbling moments, but overall, i wouldn't trade these days for anything.  last saturday we watched as they sat together in a tent in our backyard "talking" to each other and couldn't help but get excited for all the future moments together.

summertime

just a glimpse at the last week or so with nice warm days here in denver.

kate is living in the bumbo these days and seems to really like it

brooks going on a "golf trip" turning his little car into a golf cart in the backyard

b-man excited for a run through the sprinkler

kate happy to watch the sprinkler fun from the porch

brooks and xander having a fun morning at the zoo - checking out the polar bears

kate relaxing after a long summer day

action shot in the sprinkler

bounce bounce

like father like son

brooks has taken a new interest in playing tennis with daddy and this weekend we got him his first racket.  after seeing it a week ago, brooks talked all week about his "little tennis racket" and kept asking if we could "bring home?"  we told him if he was a "nice boy" all week we would go and get it on saturday.  he held too it and "bring home" we did! 

a star is born!

4 months

this is getting so unreal - i really can't believe kate is four months old already.  sounds so cliche, doesn't it?  as richard says, kate is the sweetest of all sweetnesses these days.

at her 4 month doctor appointment today, kate measured in at 15.5 lbs (84%), 25 inches long (81%) and her head is 87%.  we thought she would be even bigger based on all her rolls!

as you can see in this one, kate has started laughing now and continues to be a very happy baby.  she likes to put everything in her mouth - her hands, rings and toys.  at night she gets our of her swaddling blanket, and by morning we find her turned in her crib and sucking on her fingers.  she has also started rolling over from her tummy to her back during tummy time and can get about half way from her back to her tummy.  we are now eating 5 times a day and taking 3-4 naps.  kate is following in her brother's footsteps and sleeping well overnight (about 8pm to 7am).  so thankful for that!

brooks is still doing great in his big brother role.  we are taking a parenting class (Love & Logic) and practicing all of our new techniques on him.  he is very sweet to kate and always says he wants to be a "nice boy."  this week we have a reward for being a nice boy - on saturday, brooks is going with daddy to buy a "little tennis racket" to play "bounce bounce" more with dada.  brooks is so excited and is talking about it everyday. 

3 months

this weekend our little kate turned 3 months (or one quarter as richard liked to say).  she is the most adorable and lovable little thing.  we had quite an eventful lead up to 3 months and we have lots to remember about our little peanut.

• at 3 months, kate weighs 14 pounds (90%)
• she eats about 5 times a day starting at 7am and finishing off around 9pm with a "dream feed"
• she sleeps about 9 -10 hours at night and takes 3 naps (some are lengthy and some short depending on the day). 
• kate spent her first morning in the church nursery last week and did great
• she loves her swing and the light up star on her playmat. 
• she does not love tummy time and needs a little work there! 
• kate has given out a few giggles in addition to her many smiles - she is such a happy baby.
• last week, kate took her first trip to the ER after taking a fall down some of the basement stairs.  such a freak accident and we are so thankful that she is totally ok - healthy and happy.  after a CT scan at the hospital we found out that kate has two small fractures in her skull.  luckily, the doctors told us that kate is a "healing machine" and the fractures will heal within two weeks with no long term consequences.  unbelievable!  we definitely thought that our first trip to the ER would be with our two year old rambunctious boy, but our little baby brought us there first.  

 

as you can see in this picture, brooks is such a loving big brother.  when kate got home from the hospital on wednesday, brooks said "kate, big boom head" and just wanted to give her a kiss.  it was about the sweetest thing we have ever seen.  brooks is really thriving these days - as a big brother and just as a two year old.  his vocabulary is increasing by the minute and we love to hear all the new things he has to say.  some of his favorite phrases are "mommy play more choo-choo" and "eat now."  at least he is also getting better with his "please" and "thank yous."

kate looking at all her awesome rolls and wondering, "when did i get so big?!?"

lately

just a few pics from the last couple of weeks.  we are continuing to have a taste of spring here and there and loving being able to play outside.  my birthday last saturday was a record high (84)!  kate is getting bigger everyday (11 weeks now) and becoming a little person for sure - smiling and staying awake so much more.  she has taken over brooks's nickname of "cheeks" and is for sure off the chart in that measurement!

cheeks

birthday sand table - a big hit

opening day - go rockies

spring training

in addition to loving basketball and tennis, brooks's new favorite sport seems to be baseball.  and we think he has quite a talent so far - and he seems to be a lefty at the plate!

spring in denver? really?

it's true - i feel like we are really getting a taste of spring in denver this year.  60 degrees for many days in a row - playing outside - wearing shorts - and a trip to the zoo!

we loved seeing the giraffes - they were inside and even bigger than i ever imagined

little picnic lunch

always a favorite - the elephants!

even kate liked her trip to the zoo and slept nearly the whole time. 

ps.  she is getting so chubby - i love it!

somebody's a gamer

so even though i really tried to bowl well at xander's 3rd birthday party last weekend, i couldn't take home the win for the fuquays.  you may think richard beat me, but you'd be wrong.  brooks bowled the high score for our family on sunday all by himself.  (he did have the aid of the bumpers and a ramp to roll the ball with, but nonetheless, he broke 100 in his first game and beat mom and dad as you will see below.  needless to say, everyone at the party got a good laugh out of this one!

one pin?  seriously - all i needed was one more pin and i choked!  if only brooks understood what was going on and could celebrate his victory!

cuteness

just had to throw up a few new pictures of the cuteness that is our house right now.  i can't believe we have two little redheads! 

I could not be more thankful for these two. 

Happy New Year

We rang in the first day of 2011 with a fun morning playing in our first snow of the season.  It was too cold on friday (high of 9) to play but saturday was much better (20)!  Since Brooks couldn't stand or walk last winter he never really got a chance to play in the snow.  He seemed to like it and really likes wearing all the cold weather gear!

 

Brooks also LOVES riding his new tricycle from Mimi & Grandad - even in the snow!