Future Scholar?

Mallory insisted that she needed to "look something up" in my textbook. She proceeded to flip through the pages and find the M's for Mallory. If she's smart when she gets older I can say it started at a young age. If not,she can never say she's always hated reading textbooks.

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Burnt Pancake

And because I was too busy posting about Mallory I just burned my pancake...mmmm yum!

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No More Monkey's Jumping on the Bed!

Mallory was putting her raspberries on her fingers singing the monkey song. As soon as one fell off the bed in the song she'd eat one. :)

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The Muffin Man

So I just realized I can make blog posts from my phone, so this is a test, and the above picture has no relevance to the story I am about to tell.

Last night Eric ordered a pizza and when the delivery man came, Mallory was talking away while Eric signed the receipt. When he left Mallory said, "I dont want the Muffin Man to leave. I didnt give him a hug." Too cute.

While I'm on the topic of cute stories, the other night Jared and I were on one side of the bed, there was an empty spot for Eric, and then Mallory was in her bed (attached to ours). After lying down for a few minutes she lifted her head and said, "I'm too far away, we need one more friend in the bed closer to me."

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Happy 4 Year Anniversary! (yesterday)

I had every intention of writing this yesterday, but unfortunately I came down with a stomach bug - keeping me up every hour.  I was just thankful Jared did petty well with all the commotion I was making.  Not exactly how I pictured spending our anniversary, but such is life.

I can't believe it's only been four years! With everything we've been through (most things being on the top 5 most stressful events) it seems like it's been so much longer.  Although year five doesn't seem to bring any relief, I foresee year six to start to settle for us.  Here is a little list of what our marriage has survived in the past four years:

• 5 Moves
• Buying our First House
• Renting our First House
• Selling our First House
• Having 2 Kids
• 2.5 years of law school  for Eric (only one more semester! woo hoo!)
• 2 years of graduate school for Amanda (a year and a half to go :(...)
• Eric breaking his foot
• Hosting our first Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Years Parties
• Trips to Colorado, Ohio, Nebraska, North Carolina, Minnesota, Maryland, and Virginia
• 4 different jobs for Amanda, and
• 3 different jobs for Eric

I'm sure there is so much more, but those are the biggest events.  Seeing as most marriages struggle during stressful events, I am so thankful we have done so well through the chaos over the past four years.  I couldn't have picked a better person to spend the rest of my life with.  I couldn't ask for a more loving father for Mallory and Jared and seeing their excitement for their Dad is one of the best moments of being a family.  He will make sure we are always provided for (even if it will be the end of him!), and he always has little surprises just when you need them. 

5 years ago today, Eric proposed to me.  I found this video, which unfortunately is only the end, but I thought I'd post it for those who did not get to enjoy it 5 years ago.

Here's to many more years!

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Rock and Roll

I made an attempt to get Mallory doing her dance moves at dance class, but you have to capture the video through the window so this is the best I could get (don't mind the kids screaming in the background).  You'll get the point though.  Although she isn't the best by any means, she has so much fun and it's one of the highlights of her her week.  Keep in mind she is the youngest by a year and about half the class is in their second year of dance.

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Nobody Makes Jared Laugh Like Mallory Does

Jared is just mesmerized by Mallory.  His favorite thing to do is watch her jump on the bed.  Here is a little video:

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Quick Update

I have fallen behind on the blog in the last month or so, so I don't feel like I have adequately captured the recent events in my normal descriptive and sometimes witty commentary.  I feel like it's everything I have to just get the pictures uploaded.  I hope to get back into my normal blogging, but it's not looking promising as we near Mallory's birthday party, Eric's graduation, Laura's wedding, Jared's first birthday, and the BAR Exam.  Oh, and did I mention I am taking two classes this semester?  I have no idea how we are going to survive the chaos that lies ahead in the next six months.  On top of everything, we have no idea where we are going to live because it depends on where Eric gets a job, so job searching and moving have a high potential of making the list of things to do if Eric finds a job out of state!  So as I mentioned, I will do my best to keep up on the blogging, but forgive me if it's not in as much detail as it once was. 

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Mallory's new Bird Feeder

Grandma Valerie got Mallory a bird feeder for Christmas so Grandma helped her set it up.

First she put the seed in

Natalie helped too.

When they first put it outside, the birds didn't come right away and Mallory was disappointed.

So they kept watching....

And their first little bird came!

Since then, Mallory looks out the window every morning to look for the birds.  There a always tons of birds now! Thanks Grandma!

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6 months and 34 months!

I can't believe it's already been a half a year and how fast they grow.  Jared is so cute, even when he's sick.  He gives the best smiles and loves when Eric scratches his toes on his 5 o'clock shadow.  Jared is doing really well at sitting up on his own. He still doesn't really like tummy time still so I think it will be a while before he crawls.  Unfortunately he was sick with the flu and back to back colds so when I took him in for his checkup I was surprised he had not lost weight since his last appointment. 

Jared's latest development milestone is one of the high points of parenting - affection.  Jared has learned to give hugs and kisses. I thought for a while that he was just trying to eat my face, but it is definitely intentional.  I will ask him for kisses or love and he will gently grab my face with his hands and lean in for a big open sloppy kiss. He couldn't be any cuter!

Jared's 6 month stats:

Weight: 19lbs 12oz (75th percentile)
Length: 28.5in (95th percentile)
Head Circumference: 18.75in (99th percentile)

The nurse actually wrote "above the 100th percentile" for his head circumference.  I just laughed, how can you be above the 100th percentile??? I guess that means you don't exist.

Here are a few cute pictures of the little bugaloo (we used to call him rumpkim until I looked it up to see what it meant - let's just say urban dictionary ruined that nickname really quick for me).

We actually haven't started him on solid foods yet, but the celery felt good on his gums.

Mallory is still a little pill.  Even though she's shy, she is quite entertaining.  Her most recent realization is that if she wants dessert faster she can just feed her food to Roscoe.  She still loves signing, especially all the echoes in songs.  Sometimes her pronunciation of the words don't come out right.  For example, "Deck the balls with bows of bally." It's too funny!

She also loves shopping - I think we may be in trouble as she is almost 3 going on 13!  I can't believe how much she is growing up and becoming such a little adult.  Her latest is taking showers by herself.  She actually does a good job for being 2.  Speaking of showers, when I was in the shower the other day, she was going through the drawer in the bathroom and found the band aids.  I told her to put them back.  She did, and as soon as I caught her getting another one she said, "you just worry about yourself, I have a boo-boo."  So yes, the attitude has begun, all inclusive of the run out of the room and slide onto the floor and fake cry tantrums.  Pretty much anything you say whether it's please don't do that or maybe in just a little bit, the tantrum begins. 

She is also quite the negotiator.  There is always a reason and thought out story why she can't go upstairs and get something or why she can't get her teeth brushed or pajamas on. 

The other day we found her eating her orange in a corner by herself.  We asked her what she was doing and she said she was eating there so she didn't have to share her orange with Natalie :)  She loves her food! So much so that she almost broke a tooth trying to eat the gingerbread ornament she made at school.  I also cannot express enough how much Mallory loves cucumbers.  She would eat two a day if I'd let her, and by two I mean not two pieces but two whole cucumbers.

Mallory is also getting very excited about her "happy birthday." I have been asking her about it so I can figure out which friends to invite and what kind of a party she wanted.  She decided on a Little Mermaid party.  She is a little confused that it's not today, and talks about it every day.  Note to self - don't bring up a birthday party to a two year old 8 weeks before her party....

BUT....WAIT FOR IT....MALLORY HAS STOPPED NURSING! She is "a big girl" as she puts it.

Here she is being a goof! These are all her bows she got shopping.

This was Mallory all bundled up to go feed apples to the horses with great grandma.

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Happy New Year!

So I officially failed at camera duty this weekend.  All I got was a picture of the food...

And just for the record, I made it up until midnight - not because I wanted to, but because Jared decided he wanted to be awake.  So, I rang in the new year with Eric, Mallory, a happy smiling Jared, Ryan, Sandra, Dan, Lisa, Natalie, and Will.

And I guess if I have to make a New Year's Resolution it would be to have less food waste.  I am determined to eat all the leftovers and be creative to get the perishables consumed before they go bad!

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Christmas Round 3

Since we were in Colorado for Christmas, we decided to do Christmas with Eric's side of the family in Ohio combined with New Years. 

Here is Natalie opening her present Mallory picked out at school.

Natalie just chillin' with the glasses and paci she found in the playroom.

Jared's "No Girls allowed except Mommy" and "little brother" shirts.

Mallory opening her gifts.  I think we are in trouble with how excited she gets about new clothes.

I would have loved to capture more pictures from the weekend but I maxed out on both of memory cards so was restricted in my picture taking.  With all the Christmas's Mallory had and the trickling in of presents in the mail, for a while she was expecting to wake up and open presents every morning.  Now she is counting down the days until her "happy birthday" as she calls it.

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