Our growing baby!

Ainsley is getting so big! She turned 4 months old on January 11 and weighed 13lbs. 14oz. at her 4 month check-up. She's discovered her hands and feet and is constantly trying to chew on them or trying to figure out how to get a toy to her mouth. She wants to sit up so badly that laying on her back just irritates her. And she's starting to eat baby cereal and baby food.

Here she is in her bumbo chair:


And here's some shots of the first night of cereal. She fooled me that night because she didn't cry at all. Every night after that, I was not as lucky. ;) The cereal by itself did not go over so well. Once I added pears to it, it started going a little better. We'll try some veggies this week and see what happens.



We just cannot believe that she's so big already! Before we know it, she'll be crawling around our house. Oh Lord, just typing that sets me into a panic! Let's hope time slows down a little.

p.s. Keep reading to see Anneliese's b-day party pics.

Birthday at Chuck E. Cheese

As promised, here are b-day pics from Anneliese's party at Chuck E. Cheese. A very sincere thanks to all of the grown-ups who came and survived the party! To all of you who have never been to or had a Chuck E. Cheese b-day party - DON'T! It was total rushed chaos and everywhere you tried to sit, stand or walk, there was a kid! But the important thing was that Anneliese enjoyed her party and had a great time playing with her friends and cousins!

The cake:



The birthday gang:




Anneliese with her b-day crown and Chuck E. himself:



Lila could not resist trying on the crown. I think we've got another princess on our hands!


And here's all the kiddos getting in on all the playing action. Their favorite thing to do was the free climbing thing. Maybe this is why we came home with so many tokens.









I don't know if you can tell but this is Mandy braving the inside of the climbing maze with Lila and Kenzie. What a super Mom!


You can tell that they all had so much fun! Anneliese had a great 4th birthday - thanks to everyone who helped her celebrate!

Happy Birthday, Anneliese!

Our sweet angel is 4 years old today! We cannot believe it. Four years ago today our lives changed for the better. Every day we are amazed at what kind of girl she is becoming. She is too smart for her own good, very inquisitive, a great big sister, funny, extremely chatty and sometimes a challenge (probably because of her other qualities). When she's around, there aren't many dull moments! We love her with all of our hearts and are so happy that she's part of our lives. She brightens our day every day. Happy Birthday, Anneliese!


p.s. Check back soon for birthday celebration pics.

The month of December always goes by so quickly and this year was no exception. I went back to work on December 1st so I can safely say that it was the craziest month of my life so far. Adjusting to life with 2 working parents, a 3 (almost 4) year old and a 3 month old doesn't leave much time for peace and quiet or organizing and cleaning. However, we love our loud, messy life and are so thankful for it every day!

Christmas was so much fun! Needless to say, Anneliese and Ainsley got loaded down with gifts. We had a great time spending the holidays with family and only wish the time didn't go by so fast so that we had more time to visit with everyone. Here are some pics of all the fun:


















As you can tell, Ainsley didn't get into much of the action. She actually slept through most of the unwrapping. I'm sure next year she'll be ready to cause a ruckus with her sister and cousins! Thanks to everyone for another wonderful holiday season!

(p.s. I'm not being partial to the Henke family on purpose. My camera battery died before we had our Noska family Christmas so I got absolutely no pictures from that day. :( )

2009 was extra special for us and I'm sure 2010 has many great things to come. We wish all of you a new year full of blessings!

Love,
Brandon, Jennifer, Anneliese & Ainsley