11 months, hanging out and matching boys

I can't believe my baby is only a month away from being 1! He is really a character.  He has started being obsessed with crawling up stairs.  He shakes his head no and yes.  My favorite is when he's doing something he's not supposed to be doing and he just looks at me and shakes his head no and then just keeps on doing it! He is a super speedy crawler, and when you take him away from something he wants to be doing he really throws his head back in protest.  He is great at standing and transferring from standing back to crawling.  He is also doing some cruising along furniture, and really loves to push around his walker or a cart, or anything he can get to move.  He is a good eater.  He will try just about anything you put in front of him these days, although he doesn't love things that are cold.  He really is a great smuggler and gives the best loves.  He also really enjoys his babies (lovie blankets) in his bed.  We went through a bad patch of sleeping this past month.  I think it was a combination of working on getting molars and some separation anxiety, but it seems like we're getting back on track now.  He just really thinks Bennett and Miles are the best, and they can both really get him giggling! 

 Pa and the boys

There's just nothing cuter than matching pajamas!

Of course Miles was saying something silly and had Bryant giggling like crazy!

Fall Fun

I was just playing with the camera outside the other day.  Bennett came home from school asking if she could rake some leaves outside.  I guess they had a lesson on keeping the Earth beautiful in Religion class.  Well of course her efforts turned into an all out leaf throwing, giggling, and jumping in piles fun fest.  I love how a few of these photos capture the pure joy of being a kid and playing in a pile of leaves!

 Bennett and Miles working hard to make a big leaf pile!

 Yes, a leaf is stuck to his head!

Bennett's soccer game

Bennett's soccer team got a big victory last weekend! Pa
was nice enough to come and play with the boys so I could snap a few photos.  Bennett has really started to like soccer and has gotten much more aggressive this year.  She plays really hard, and it's fun to watch her!

This one is not as good of Bennett but it catches the coach in action! :)

Halloween

I'm behind!
Halloween seemed like the holiday that kept on giving.  First we went trick or treating when all of the downtown Kirkwood businesses pass out treats.  That was followed up by trunk or treat at St. Peter, parades at both Bennett and Miles's schools, and then actual Halloween around our neighborhood.  Whew!  We had a lot of fun getting to wear our costumes many times.  It was the first time we had a family theme.  We were a family of super heroes! Everyone really got into it and it was a lot of fun to have something everyone was happy to participate in!

 Miles's class paraded out and sang some songs for the parents before "trick or treating" in the other classrooms.

 My sweet boys

 Somehow the rain stopped just long enough for Bennett's school to keep their Halloween parade outside.  All of the lower grades march around the block in their costumes while the upper grades cheer them on and give them high 5s.  It's very fun to watch!

 Bryant had a lot of fun getting into the bag of candy! (he really liked all the crunchy sounds the wrappers made!)

 My baby Hulk and me!

Family of super heroes ready to Trick or treat!

Movember

Dear friends and family,

With Shave-oween behind us, Movember is officially upon us.  The colors of Fall are in full swing, and it's time for facial foliage to follow suit.   It's cancer-fighting moustache time!  I want to direct your mouse clicks in the direction of another well-groomed blog dedicated to a personal project called the Midwest Moustache Alliance.  www.midwestmoustachealliance.blogspot.com

And the goals is to turn this....

 

into this.

As you may recall, my friend Brian and I are spearheading the effort and dedicating our upper lips to to Movember in order to raise funds and most importantly, raise awareness, for the health issues facing men.  Last year was a big success, and we are optimistic that 2013 can be great as well.  The team's site can be found here:  http://moteam.co/midwest-moustache-alliance

In health,

Brandon