Sohpie's Birthday Party

We had such a fun time at Cousin Sophie's birthday party.  I had to share some pictures, even though it's been weeks.  We had fun eating dinner, wearing Elmo hats, getting our first fake tatoo (and never will there be a real tatoo), and eating cake. 

Chase shows off his Elmo tatoo

 

Owen got an Oscar the Grouch tatoo

Owen loved this ball and when he found out he could sit on it, he thought he was really cool.

Sophie and Chase wear their Elmo hats

Cousins!

3 Cousins in a row

Who do you think wants cake?

I love this picture of Chase and Owen still staring at the cake while it is being cut.

Sophie takes a deep breath and  . . . . blows out her candles.

Chase got a little messy eating his cake.  Doesn't he look like a big boy in this picture?

I never thought I would see my baby hold a baby.  Chase holds cousin Gavin.

Laughing Big

Chase and Owen have always been big smilers and big laughers.  These pictures show some of those laughs we were having one night last week as we played, once again, with the balls and the car.   

Owen laughs as he throws a ball to Jeff

 

Chase laughing

 

Chase laughs big at Daddy

Musicians

Jeff got his guitar out the other night and we had family music lessons.  Chase and Owen played the strings while Daddy played and sang. It was adorable.  We danced as Daddy played and had a great time. We're hoping the boys get a bit our love of music.  Jeff plays the guitar and sings.  I tried out for American Idol and made it, so we know I sing well-ha ha.  I played piano and flute and did sing, but not well.

It looks like we are going to hug or fight over the guitar.

 

Owen helps Daddy pluck the strings.

Chase tunes up the guitar for Daddy.

Chase REALLY wants to play the guitar.

Owen wants in on the action.

Owen tries to play but Daddy blocks him.

I LOVE this picture of Chase's reflection in the guitar.  He was playing along with Daddy.

Owen shows a bit of a smile with how much fun it is to play the strings while Daddy plays.

Two little future musicians.

It's an Elmo Potty Chair!

Congrats to Ann and Jenn, both of these great friends have their own little ones who they use potty chairs with.  They knew right away the picture I posted before this one was a potty chair.  Grandma Anderson had no clue and Grandma Berger said, "We don't have these in Florida!"  ha ha, I'm glad to hear they don't have one at their house-I would be worried!

This is our new Elmo Potty Chair. The boys fill it up with toy balls and like to high five Elmo.  Elmo says words of encouragement when you give him a high five.  It looks very classy in our downstairs bathroom.  Come on over and see!

What is it?

Can you guess what this is?

Fun with Balls

At our house, Owen and Chase love to play with balls.  Big balls, little ones, footballs, soccer balls, baseballs, you get the point.  Here are some pictures of recent fun times with balls.

Chase in the car with all his balls

Owen pushing Chase, Jeff holding the balls in the car.

Chase loves to be in the car with lots of balls.

Owen looks up at me from the ball pit

Owen kept throwing himself backward in the ball pit.  This was the day of his shots, which is why you can see a bandaid on his legs in the following photos.

This is one of Owen's funny faces!

Little cute boy staring up at Mommy with bandaids on his cute, skinny legs.

Blue Elmo

The other day I overheard Jeff talking to Owen and Chase.  He was talking about Red Elmo and "Blue Elmo". I had to chuckle to myself and peaked my head around the corner to ask Jeff what he was talking about!  Did he not watch Sesame Street when he was a kid?!  "Blue Elmo" is Cookie Monster! (Who I just learned may have been renamed Vegetable Monster?  Is that right?) 

I guess Cookie Monster does look a bit like Elmo.  :)

Grandma and Grandpa Berger Visit

G and G Berger came to visit last weekend.  They came over on Friday and Saturday and we took the boys out in the snow.  I love these pictures of Grandpa B helping Chase into Jeff's boots.  Chase just had to have the boots on. 

 We spent Sunday at Pat and Lindsay's watching the Vikings and more importantly celebrating Sophie's 2nd birthday.  It was lots of fun playing with cousins.  Grandma  B reads to Owen and Sophie

Jeff, Owen and Grandpa watching the Vikings.  Go Vikings!

Grandma and Chase playing.

G and G with the grandkids eating their cake.  Why are one of my kids always missing their pants?

Grandma and Gavin

Grandma and Sophie and Gavin

Grandma reading again

18 months

 

Chase

 

Owen

I've been meaning to write this post for weeks-3 exactly.  Chase and Owen are now 18 months old.  My babies are a year and a half! Amazing. They are transforming into little boys right before my eyes and it's precious. 

They had their 18 month appointment on Friday.  Ever since they were born Chase has always weighed a little more than Owen, but just by a few ounces.  This time, he weighed 1 lb. more!  That's a little when you are a little guy.  You can totally tell when you pick them up and compare their weight.  Chase is SOLID.  What is quite funny is that they are exactly the same length and their head sizes are exactly the same.  What's also funny is that their percentile ranks came out different-I think the nurse messed up on that one.  One kid can't be in the 45% percentile and the other in the 52nd.  They are exactly the same age-hello.  Both boys checked out great in the development department, minus the fact they are not talking that much.  I have seen growth this week alone, so I'm encouraged.  Of course we discussed sleep and got no new ideas . . . ahhh.  Oh well.

Chase and Owen each got 4 shots.  I cried at their first shots when they were 3 months old and I teared up this time too. It's hard to watch.  Owen cried so hard he burst some capillaires in his face and has little red dots all over.  Good news is, they don't have to have more shots until they are 5!  :)

Let's see, what's new . . . they love to say "Patty Cake".  Chase said "guk" for duck, but for book, says ball a lot and is imitating other new sounds. Owen is a little hesitant to make new sounds, he just likes to watch your mouth.  He is very good at saying "ahhh" after drinking his water.  He is a squeaker. He has a high pitched squeak that he uses when talking. It's pretty funny.

Big Shoes to Fill

Chase and Owen have always loved shoes.  Ever since they first started wearing them, they've loved putting them on, finding them, and now wearing our shoes.   Chase especially likes shoes and big boots.  He walked all the way from our mud room to the kitchen in Jeff's shoes.  It was pretty cute and he thought he was hot stuff. 

Chase in Jeff's shoes

Owen trying on Daddy's new shoes

Chase walking to the kitchen.