Reading to Bear

Bear [muffled]: "Wait... I can't see the pictures!"

Shaggy and lovable

Cora's First Year

And here is Cora's first year video that was just completed. It still requires some editing but here it is anyway. Enjoy.

Mim's First Year

This is now quite outdated, given that Mim is two. But we haven't shared these with everybody yet.

Christmas still shots

"I can't believe it's Christmas, I think I'm finally gettin' somethin'..."

One of Mim's new favorite phrases: "Cool!"

Cora: Hmmm... that one looks bigger. Maybe we could trade?

Cora: "Uh, Mim... I think I was supposed to get to open that one."

We've got the sled... now where's the snow???

Christmas Morning

Made in USA

This thing....

...was made in the US. I wasn't aware we could do that.

Linvilles' visit

Our good friends and old neighbors, the Linvilles, came down to visit us for a few days. It was great to see them! Here are the girls with Twila, Micah, Arletha, Benjamin, Jim and Nathan.

On Tuesday, we went to the Science Center.

And on Wednesday, we went to City Museum and had a lot of fun! They stayed and went to the Christmas Eve service at The Journey with us before heading home last night. (If you want to see the pictures below in more detail, just click on the collage.)

Sick and tired

The title refers to Mim, not Mommy. The double ear infection this past week meant extra cuddling, especially if Miriam was going to take a nap. Thursday, she took her entire nap in the sling on Mommy's back! Worked out pretty well for all parties.

New kitchen table

Thank you Grandma & Grandpa Hess!

Mim Scratch Fever

Cora has been Mimed. The girls usually roughhouse with each other with no more than a few laughs resulting. Not last night, however.....

Christmas Pictures

It's been an interesting couple weeks around here. Both girls had pink-eye, then colds, then/now ear infections, then Joel had an upper respiratory infection, and now Stephi may have one as well. We had planned for Holly to come down to StL and spend the better part of last weekend taking pictures, one of which we planned to use for a Christmas picture. Because we were operating an infirmary we thought it best for her to not make the trip and we took some of our own pictures. This is the result, but unfortunatley we are not talented enough to edit in non-pink eye eyes for Miriam. Now maybe we'll try for a New Years Card.

Cora's 1st Birthday

Some random pictures of the happy little Birthday Girl

Birthday cake

Cora Mae turned 1 on Thursday and we celebrated with a little cake. It was her first processed sugar, except for a time or two at Grandma and Grandpa Steele's house.

Snug as a bug

Cora (or "Whoawa" as Mim calls her) played so hard at playgroup yesterday that she fell asleep on the short, brisk walk home. She looked so cuddly and peaceful that I couldn't resist taking a picture of her.

Sunday afternoon nap

She's definitely Daddy's girl... they even sleep the same.

Hess Family Thanksgiving

A little cuddle time with Daddy/Grandpa

New trick

Learning

Cora has learned how to use the phone. And she is learning how gravity works (at the end of the video, you can't see this but she very deliberately throws the phone down the stairs).

Veterans Day

Since Aunt Ali didn't have school on Veterans Day, she and Grandma Hess came down to visit and play. They brought some fun birthday gifts, too!

Fun friends

A few weeks ago, Grandma Steele came down with our friends Linda, Maddie and Emma. We spent some time at the new playground while they were here and according to the last picture, maybe we stayed a bit too long...

Grant's Farm

A couple weekends ago, we took the girls to Grant's Farm. It was the last day of the season and potentially the last dey ever as InBev may close it after the AB deal is finalized. Regardless it was a beautiful day and Miriam really enjoyed all of the animals.

Backyard Bliss

One of the many expressions we have caught on digits












Now that is a sweet face.

"Check out my three point stance"

Optical Illusion

Am I standing flat footed or on my toes?