boxed up

Yes, we've been MIA ... again. Sorry.

How come two kids (and two jobs) are so much work fun?!

In any case, that doesn't mean that we are not collecting good memories (and photographic evidence of it) along the way.

Promised (for our own keepsake!): we'll tell all those boxed up stories little by little (...when we're not too busy, too lazy, or having too much fun ;-)

As you can see, Charlotte & Noah don't mind being packed away for a bit - most of the time.

 

wallpaper

No real story here, just the current view on my phone.

1 year old noah

LOVES to...

rub his belly, pat his head, and stick his tongue out when asked where they are

clap his hands

DANCE (= wiggle with his arms and twist twist twist ;-)

climb, climb, climb

wave hello and good bye

cuddle, always!

smile, smile, smile

giggle

(try to...) eat with a fork and spoon

Penny

CHARLOTTE

jump on bed with big sister

be mischievous like her [but still has us somehow fooled that he is much much sweeter and more mellow...]

 

pull Mama's and Charlotte's hair...  [case in point!]

slide

eat

eat MANCHEGO cheese

explore

bathe (again) & splash

...says: Mama, Dada, wau (for dog), ba(ll), brumbrum (for passing cars/
when playing with cars), da! (for pointing out pretty much everything), and YES! (especially when asked if he was a good boy ;-)

 ... took his first free-handed steps at 13 months on September 19 -- one month earlier than big sister, but is still most interested in crawling (after all, you have to be quick to keep up with busy bee ;-)

happy birthday, SUPERDAD

That's what one of the neighbors calls you... and we agree!

Charlotte was very excited about Daddy's birthday.

After all, she guessed that he is turning "4 years old, or 7... maybe 10!" To celebrate, she collected leaves to make Daddy a birthday gift - with balloons! (It also involved glue and cutting... definitely making it awesome!)

So that Daddy got really excited himself, Charlotte announced all the surprises beforehand: Of course, there would be cake. Of course, it would be chocolate. And of course, he would share some with her and Noah - right?!

Daddy definitely did get what he had wished for: lots of kisses & cuddles (of course).

His best birthday gift though? 

Charlotte's new bed! And the prospect of his dear girl maybe sleeping in her OWN awesome bed, all by HERSELF... To make that wish come true, Daddy even put in a night shift building it. Luckily, he had some good little helpers for finishing it in the morning.

You're the BEST, Daddy! Happy birthday, and SWEET DREAMS ... (maybe ;-)

ahhh, vacation... family!

Going on summer vacation with kids is not necessarily relaxing, and to Germany is not necessarily summery... BUT: all about family, fussball,
ice cream and cake! ;-)

 

family affair

It's our wedding anniversary today - a good day to post some
family pictures we took this summer, since the two of us have
become a family of five in the last five years!

We would have "2 kids and 1 dog by our 5th wedding anniversary"... that was the prediction/challenge one of our wedding guests put forth on September 26, 2009.

We reached that milestone one year ahead of schedule. 

So today, we were asked what our family would look like by the
7th anniversary: 3 kids and 1 dog, or 2 kids and 2 dogs?!

Well, right now we feel we have enough of a zoo... happily complete ;-) But check back in 2016, you never know.

In any case, HAPPY ALL OF US!