Katherine Becomes a Teenager!!!

I am at least a couple weeks behind on my blogging, but I will attempt to keep events in chronological order. Katherine had her 13th birthday on Dec 22nd. We had a very quiet low-key celebration as she's just "too old" for big birthday productions anymore... Kora insisted on making her breakfast in bed and then opening the presents first thing in the morning. She did indulge us by actually blowing out a couple candles on her cake. She spent the evening at home hanging out with her good friend, Morgan. Incredibly hard to believe we are already here, in the teenage years, with Katherine. Happy Birthday, my dear!

Kora's New Look...

Well, the note came home from the school nurse--Kora has failed her vision test.  Naturally, I was skeptical as this is Kora we are talking about and she has been a little envious of Katherine's glasses in the past.  However, I made the appointment and we went in to see our Eye Doctor.  Incredibly enough, Kora was not misleading anyone and she does, in fact, need glasses.  This could explain her misspelled 'challenge words' that she copied off the board and swore that was how her teacher had spelled them.  She picked out a pair of glasses that were closest to her favorite color--aqua.  She was so excited to go to school to day after we picked up the glasses.  I have to admit that I believe she is pretty stinking cute in them.  What do you think?

Giving Thanks for a Fun Weekend...

Our Thanksgiving this year was pretty fun. My sisters came to visit. Katherine and Kora love to see Aunts Marlo and Melanie and Kallen warmed up to them as well. Just before dinner, Marlo took Katherine and Kora on a mission of desperation as I had run out of milk and needed some for the mashed potatoes. They all went to the store in their pajamas. Also just before dinner, we caught a photo of Kallen looking about like I felt after the long day of cooking and cleaning up. The day after Thanksgiving we all took our annual trip to the tree farm to find our tree--we went with the Scotch Pine this year. I love the photo of Eric and the girls that I got while we were riding on the wagon going out to the trees. All in all, a fun weekend. Thanks to Marlo and Mel for making the trip out. Next time you visit, we promise to have a better grip on the clutter to ease Katherine's anxieties over an unkempt home.

A Day in the Mouth of Kallen!

Kallen is absolutely an oral baby! Kora was as well. Katherine never put anything unusual in her mouth and still doesn't(I think she eats like five different foods, if we are lucky)! In just one day, I snapped photos every time I found Kallen with something new in her mouth. The choking hazards I am dealing with on a daily basis are daunting. If I find another tootsie roll wrapper in the roof of her mouth, I just might lose it...

Kallen's Epipen...Do I hear a Mother of the Year nomination?

A Polly Pocket dress--nice and chewy soft on the gums.

A sock. For some reason, she is especially fond of chewing on her socks. I can't keep her toes warm as she constantly yanks off the socks so that she can chew on them.

And finally, a noisy toy of Kora's. 

Our Indian Summer

The weather for this last week has been unseasonable warm.  Everyday ends up being in the 70's!  Eric has mowed the lawn, the girls have been outside playing, and I took the chance to get some fun fall photos of Kallen with Katherine's help.

The Exersaucer--Toddler Style

Kallen has absolutely loved her exersaucer!  She is just too active and busy to be confined to it anymore.  So, I tried using it as it is meant to be used for a toddler by removing the seat and opening it up so that she can play inside.  I had my doubts as Kora never really used it this way.  Kallen still absolutely loves her exersaucer.  She will crawl into it and stand there in it, playing for fairly large chunks of time.  It's quite fun to watch.

Halloween Just Past...

It's still weird to be Trick-or-Treating in the daylight but I get to take photos outside! The girls had a great time collecting as much sugar as possible. Today we take down the Halloween decorations and get ready for Thanksgiving--things should be crazy until midway through January...

Katherine--The Bride of Frankenstein

Kora--A Creepy, Yet Kinda Cute Bat

Kallen--Our Little Tootsie Roll