My little guy turned 4...
He had a Halloween-themed party, so all the kids wore their costumes...

With all the goods from the pinata...

The highlight of the party was that Nona and Papi came over in their costumes too!! Special birthday hugs and kisses...Austin is such a blessing to our family. His sweet and hilarious personality keep us adoring and laughing with him. He already shows so many strengths which I know will benefit him and others throughout his life. Love you Little Man!

She's such a doll...

I can't believe she's already 1. This year has really flown by, being filled with lots of great times. Katie seems to be learning several new things everyday. She now says about 20 words, signs a few things, and very clearly lets us know everything she wants. Until recently, I said a baby is a baby, boy or girl; but now there are big differences. She rocks her baby, carries a purse, and is much more talkative than the boys ever were. I love her sweet and fun personality. Here are some birthday pics:

Her gift from Mike and me:
Her most recent silly face:

If you come to our house at any given time of day, this is what you will find Katie doing. She begs to go outside and stands at the door saying "doggie, Trouble (the dog next door), cow, moo, whee (for the swing)" while smacking the door until we take her out. Then she rewards us with pure joy and excitement, which is why she almost always gets what she wants.

Ethan is enjoying 1st Grade. His teacher reads several books to them each day with the class's pet tarantula on her shirt the entire time! For a 6-yr-old boy, it doesn't get better than that.

Teeth

Ethan seems to be losing a tooth a week lately. Since this picture was taken a few days ago, he has lost his other top front tooth. He got paid two days in a row by the tooth fairy and we told him that for Halloween we're going to make and Ethan Jack-O-Lantern, missing the same teeth he's missing.

Full House

Many of you may know that we've had some friends staying with us for the past couple of months while their house is being built. You know you've got great friends when you can live under one roof (9 people in one house) and be even closer by the end of it all. Our kids seem more like siblings now.

I love this time of year in Texas. We do as much as we can outside and it seems that everything is a bit more peaceful. Here's Katie (7 months) in all her chubby glory in our yard. I think she has 5 rolls down her arms! I love that the weather is finally warm enough for her to wear clothes that show all her squishy rolls. She has such a happy, sweet and playful personality.

Here's another pic of her with Mike- she's becoming such a Daddy's girl and it's so adorable. I should also note that there are moments when the girl doesn't have a huge bow in her hair and this picture is the proof. She figured out how to pull the headband off and eat and tear up her bows. But luckily she now has just enough hair for the bows to clip onto, so "The Bows are Back!"

About a month ago, we went to Beaver's Bend, OK, and spent the weekend with some cousins in their beautiful cabin. It was so relaxing and gorgeous up there. We all loved it!

Michael and Kristie

The Whole Group

Erin and Joseph

Mary and Aaron

Erin was the MVP, so she won a hula outfit from the Dollar store (which she proudly wore all evening). Then we played some other games inside, and finished up with an ice cream sculpting contest. Maribel and Eric were the winners of that.

Each couple spent about $2.50 and we all had a great time (and now we all have a little more black mail material on each other). I am so grateful for friends who aren't afraid to get a little crazy and who are always loving and supportive.

As is always the case, as soon as Michael left town this afternoon I had another misadventure with another Texas rodent (Everything down here is a rodent. Even bugs that are small everywhere else are "bigger in Texas." At least they warned me.) Literally 15 minutes after Mike left, I was putting Katie on the floor with some toys when I saw something moving about 6 inches from her. It was a SCORPION!!! The first scorpion I've ever seen in my entire life and it couldn't have come any time before my husband left, but decided to crawl RIGHT NEXT TO MY BABY right AFTER MY HUSBAND LEFT FOR THE WEEKEND!! If it's moments like these that show our true character, then I'm totally screwed because I called Mike and made him stay on the phone with me while I shrieked and stomped on the thing about 20 times. Then it took me another 5 minutes to calm down after it was "Dead and Gone... Dead and Gone." The whole time, Ethan (in bare feet) was saying, "Mom, just let me handle this. I'll kill it." And he would have. He and Austin have been teasing me about it for the last couple hours, and all I can say is "You know I saved your lives tonight." Wish I'd had the camera to demonstrate my bravery.

Fast forward an hour or so and we're all at Braum's getting ice cream. Austin and I got our usual, but Ethan ordered a banana split. They gave it to us in it's own grocery bag! I kid you not, it was that big!! No wonder there was no picture of it on the menu. It was the most adorable thing to see him, with that huge ice cream smile, eating from a banana split that was bigger than his head! He ate about 5 bites and was finished. Aaahh, good times. I have a feeling this weekend's adventures are just beginning.