kate walks (by richard)

It is a banner day on Forest St. The honey badger is walking. Yesterday she couldn't (well, she took a coupla steps, but you know what I am saying) and today she can. She can take over 10 steps, and often starts laughing hilariously at her amazing-ness.

Since we can't seem to post a video - here are some other recent pics...

Bode Miller watch out

Brooks Fuquay is ready to shred! 

We spent the weekend in Winter Park and took Brooks to the ski hill for the first time.  After seeing his buddy Xander with his skis, Brooks thought he would like to give it a try.  He loved the skis, the boots and the helmet and had such a good attitude.  We spent about an hour or so at the "magic carpet" and bunny hill hanging out and moving around of the skis. 

While his legs would go pretty "jelly" when he and daddy were coming downhill, he rode the magic carpet without help and was shuffling around on his skis pretty well.  It was adorable to say the least!

practicing his falling!

riding the magic carpet for the first time

terrible picture but about to come down the hill

Kate came along for the morning adventure and stayed warm in a wagon while Brooks was "skiing."  She was such a cute snow bunny.

Can't wait for more chances to take this little guy back to the mountains! He's hooked!

igloos and mountains

nothing major to report but thought we would post a few pics just for fun.  we did build an igloo after our 16 inches of snow two weeks ago!  mom got a little crazed and couldn't stop until it was done! 

not the most flattering pic but just to show how big this thing got!  i could stand up inside!

we also had a super fun weekend in keystone with the lewises and christy parker in from chicago.  the kids were a total handful but also hilarious.  i got to ski with xander on saturday which was awesome! 

richard the super dad - managed three kids on saturday so the rest of us could ski! 

Brooks is 3

We had so much fun celebrating the kids birthdays two weekends ago.  We had a few of their friends and a few of ours over for an afternoon party, a bike parade, dinner and cake.  The weather  held out as much as we could hope for - at least no snow!  The kids decorated their bikes with balloons and streamers and took off down the sidewalk to the end of the block.  We got one group picture and headed back home to eat fruit snacks and get warm!

The strider bikes were very popular and the kids were flying down the sidewalk.  Brooks has really taken to his bike since christmas and loves to ride and lift his feet up. 

Cupcakes!  Hard to see but there are little bike riders on some of these.  so cute!

On Brooks's real birthday we took Xander out with us for dinner at Red Robin.  This is the boys favorite place and they loved eating burgers and fries together.  The waitress even made Brooks a special "allergy free" birthday dessert and brought the boys smoothies! 

Our sweet neighbors also gave Brooks this cool construction bathrobe - he could not be cuter in it!  Other birthday gifts included Uno Moo- a new family favorite game, floor puzzles, airplanes, stickers, baseballs and the picnic table below.   The table has moved into our kitchen and the kids love playing and eating there - even kate who has taken up coloring!

a few other things we want to remember about Brooks as he turns 3:

• when we ask him a question, he answers "Yes I Do."  so formal
• he is learning more and more of his letters and can spell his name
• he knows lots of shapes and all his colors
• he likes to play "Red Rover" and we think learned it at school.  we play in the kitchen and the criteria usually involves what color shirts we are all wearing!
• he takes about 6 stuffed animals to bed with him - of course his "puppy," curious george, another monkey, his "brooks" bear, a bear that plays music (usually on) and a turtle that lights up stars on the ceiling - and two blankets and two pillows - all in a toddler bed - very crowded!
• he loves reading two books before bed every night.  we have learned that books are his "currency" and when they are taken away for bad behavior we usually see a change. 
• he loves camping and hiking in our basement with daddy - making pretend campfires, bringing his backpack and using tennis rackets to sing "campfire songs."
• Brooks is still a little tentative in some situations (jumping, meeting new people) but also seems a little extroverted at times (if someone is asking questions about things he feels confident in - animal sounds, airplanes, construction equipment.  Overall his personality is a bit on the shy side right now.
• at his 3 year check-up he weighed 35 pounds and was 39" tall
 

our one year old

Happy 1st birthday to our sweet little kate!  This year has gone by so fast I can't even tell you.  To say that kate is one almost sounds like I am making it up.  We did a little cupcake for her last night not knowing what time daddy would get home tonight.  Kate is a little under the weather (a trend for 1st birthdays at our house) but rallied for some pink icing.  She was dainty with the cupcake for a while and then dove in pretty well.  Brooks liked singing happy birthday to his sister and is already looking forward to his birthday next week.

At 1 year...
you only want to feed yourself - no more spoons for you - you push away all the baby food and want to use the fork yourself to get the avacado, bananas, pasta, EVERYTHING!

you are cruising around on the furniture and almost pushing your walking toy.  you let go of a chair today for just a second.  the head bump stage is totally here and you have bruises on your forehead and cheek to show for this weekends falls.

you have had a rough month of sleeping but hopefully we are coming out of it now.  we think you had your first night terrors on many occassions (sad!) and might be following in daddy's footsteps of being a crazy sleeper (sleeptalking/walking).   somedays you will take two naps but if the morning one is good, the afternoon isn't and the opposite too.  you are a funny girl!

you love your sippy cups and decided at christmas that you were done with the bottle.  miss independent for sure.   we call you the "saucy nugget" and your "spirited" personality might give us a run for our money.

you love your stand up music table, your frog lovie, the little people farm, touch and feel books, "flap books," remote controls, brooks's trains and legos, trying to climb on stools, and pulling up on toilets.

you don't love having your diaper changed (at all!), when we take anything away from you, bumping your forehead on the ground, being taken in and out of the carseat to run errands, sitting still for a book, and when daddy puts you down.

you are totally into your daddy.
and we are all totally into you. 

we will get some stats next week at the doctor... stay tuned!

Brooks and I had a good time this weekend at the National Western Stock Show and rodeo. We didn't get any photos from the stockyards, but getting up close and personal with some very big, very primped up steers was awesome. Then we went to the rodeo which had "crazy horses" and "fast fast horses." The highlight was probably when one of the broncs went to the ground, rolled on his side, and then jumped up and resumed bucking, and the cowboy stayed on the entire time. These dudes are tough.

Less tough are Kate and I - germs continue their winning season at the Fuquay house this winter.

happy new year

we spent a fun weekend in austin, texas over new year's.  the trip was for jay & vanessa's awesome wedding but we also enjoyed sunny days touring austin, a visit to the capital, good mexican food and lots of college football.

brooks touring the capital - he really enjoyed the cannons outside - maybe we have a historian on our hands!

watching the games with daddy.  the deacs didn't pull out a win but we had fun watching game after game.  brooks kept asking when tebow was going to play - still not quite clear on that!

finally a wedding with no kids!  we loved these shades that the couple gave everyone - they made us better dancers for sure!