10 Months Old!

Is it possible that my little angel is 10 months old already?!  We've now been in our house for 1 year and I'm starting to plan my baby's 1st birthday party, where did the year go?!

Malin has become so much fun.  She gets more silly and animated every day, keeping the laughter flowing in our house.  She is sweet and pretty independent.  She's learned to pull herself up on furniture or really anything, and now has to be standing at all times.  She's started to take fingers to "walk" and we fear she could get this walking thing down in the next month or 2.  She's always on the go, we have to watch her like a hawk to make sure she isn't getting into something she's not supposed to or crash landing on anything too hard.  Malin loves her big sister, though has learned to strong-arm her if Avery gets too much in her face.  She found her lungs and screams to high heavens just for the fun of it.  She loves to chase Avery around the house, their favorite path around the kitchen, and Malin thinks it's hilarious when big sis laps her.  She still only has 1 real word, "Mama" and it mostly comes out when she's eating.  Malin LOVES food (just like her Mama) and eats pretty much anything we put in front of her.  (Complete opposite from Avery).  She just may catch Avery in weight pretty soon! :)  She has 6 teeth to chew all that food with.  She is a great sleeper, usually sleeps 13 hours at night, and cuddles up with us with her security blankie and thumb in her mouth right before she goes down.

I love doing these photoshoots with Malin, and the whole fam gets involved, Daddy & Avery making Malin laugh while we try to make sure she doesn't fall off the chair.  (Poor kid has already taken several spills off of furniture). 

Here's my ridiculously cute baby:

Mom, I wish you'd let me eat these stickers.



Soooo big!



Silly Mae







Avery's First Cut

After 3 1/2 years we decided it was finally time for our little Rapunzel to cut her hair.  It was a big stip for us - I think harder for Mommy and Daddy than for Avery!  We took her to Dooz in Bellevue Square to make this first cut memorable.

 Avery was such a good girl, just smiled the whole time.

 And she got a very cool braid with glitter.

Way to go big girl, you did great!  How did my little baby get so grown up already?

These are the gorgeous curls we left behind. :(  They may turn up again later in her life.

Avery continues to keep us laughing and shocks us every day with things she says and does.  She retains everything, sometimes without us knowing until she's playing later.  She loves books and we often find her "reading" to herself or to her little sister, making up crazy stories along the way, and many "he said, she said."  She has a great imagination and likes to call everyone either Francine or Freddy, not sure where those names came from.  She's very into her clothes and has to make sure they match and usually prefers dresses - just like a Princess.  She cracks me up daily.  Recently I was getting her dressed and asked her why she doesn't like to wear socks (she hates them and we find them all over the house), she says "I'm an old fashioned lady."  Then when she's all dressed, looks at her clothes and says "I look like an Asian guy."  Where does she come up with these things?! 

Avery, you keep our life full of laughter and sometimese frustration, but I wouldn't trade one of them, my sweet little Stinker!  We love you "so mutsh!"

Rapunzel, Let Down your Hair!

This year for Halloween there was no better costume for Avery than Rapunzel since she is our little Princess with crazy long golden hair.  And little Malin got to be her side-kick, Pascal.  (Or his long-lost sister). :)  I put many hours into this year's costumes, making and perfecting Avery's braid and transforming Malin's triceratops costume into a cameleon since there is no Pascal costume to purchase.  I think they turned out pretty cute.

Saturday, the Snoqualmie Ridge City Center & YMCA had a big trick-or-treat event for the kids, so we got some practice in before the big day. (Unfortunately Avery got sick when we got home and we had to miss a friend's Halloween party) :(

On Halloween, Andy brought the kids into Starbucks to parade them around.

Then we ran home for our first trick-or-treat in our neighborhood.  We had a blast touring around our loop, meeting up with neighbors, and passing out candy when we got home.  Avery scored and sweet little Malin just went along for the ride.  (The Snoqualmie Fire Department went door to door handing out light up necklaces for all the kids).

The kids were exhausted by the end of the night.  They slept well. :)

Happy Halloween!

Sweet Sisters

I often find Avery "reading" to Malin and thought this made the perfect next photo opp. (Because these poor kids just don't have any pictures...) :) We did a little photoshoot at Nanie & Opie's house last weekend and I love the results.  Malin loves her big sister and also loves being read to, she goes nuts pounding on the book. And I love the stories that Avery tells as she "reads."

Round 2 at the Snoqualmie Ridge Center Park the next day:

9 Months - Chasing After Big Sis!

Andy and I just want to freeze Malin at this stage, she is so adorable!  She's been perfecting her crawling skills for the last couple of weeks and is now chasing big sis and her toys all around the house.  We're so proud of her, but so sad that she's big enough to be mobile.  Avery is not so excited about little sis being moble and on the attack of her toys.  I love watching these 2 girls together.  As Malin gets older, their dynamic starts to change.  Avery is such a loving, caring, good big sister, but she also likes to tackle and invade Malin's personal space.  Malin has learned to defend herself with her newly acquired 4 teeth and by squeeling and pushing back.  It's very funny!

Malin continues to be our little angel.  She eats well (meaning just about any and everything she comes in contact with), she sleeps well (minus the occasional late night cry out for Mommy cuddles), she loves to play on her own, she gives the best cuddles and has the sweetest smile.  She still has some stranger danger issues, still only allowing Mommy, Daddy, and Nana in her inner circle.  She does like playing with other kids & babies though.  She has developed a wicked scream and when it's in full force all 3 of us are covering our ears.  She loves to clap, loves to lay on her back and kick the walls and as I mentioned above, goes nuts when we read her books.  Avery and Malin are learning to share with eachother but I think this is a skill that is going to take years to perfect. :) 

I still hold that Malin started saying "Mamama" but she has a few go-to rambles that aren't really clear.  The last few weeks of her crawling practice have been so much fun.  She started with the rocking back and forth, then one or two scoots with a sit and a roll, then more and more crawls.  Now she can chase us through the whole house, smiling all the way!  We feel so blessed with this adorable little miracle.  I can't believe she's now been here as long as she was in the womb.  Time is going way too fast.

Malin's 9 month photo shoot:

God Bless our Babies!

Last weekend we had a fun, crazy weekend, packed with friends, family and lots of laughter!  The girls and I started the weekend on Thursday, driving to Richland after lunch.  My friend Maria, who lives in Delaware, was visiting her family in Idaho with her little one, so we both drove half way and ended up in Richland for 2 nights.  Katelyn was born 1 day before Malin, and we were so excited to finally get these 2 cuties together.  They had a GREAT time playing together.

We kept telling Avery that she could go swimming at the pool in the hotel and she could not wait to get in!

Katelyn & Malin just happened to have matching outfits so we did a little photoshoot.

Saturday morning we woke up bright and early for the 3+ hour drive home to make it back for Avery's first indoor soccer practice.  She's all about the kicking, not so much into the fighting for the ball thing yet.

After soccer we went straight to Remlinger Farms for Snoqualmie Ridge's annual pumpkin picnic.  It was a lot of fun!  Avery had a blast on all the rides!

My brave little girl, begged to go on the roller coaster.  After it was over, she was very quiet, but then couldn't wait to go on the next one!

Sunday we headed down to Olympia for Malin's baptism.  We are very fortunate to have had all the Hunt/Ruhl/Groth families there to celebrate with us and shower our newly baptized angel in gifts.  Thank you to Grandma, Papa, Aunt Jess, Uncle Mike, Braden & Nolan for being part of Malin's special day.  Extra thank you to Sarah and Charlie for all your help pulling this together and hosting us all at your house afterwards. 

Avery loves playing with her cousins.  Katie and Emily treat her like a little princess - and Avery loves every second of it!  Avery and Braden are great buddies, they are actually alot alike.  (Somehow only the kids make it in pictures these days, hardly ever the adults).

Malin getting baptized.

We are so honored that our very good friends, Diana & Anthony Kearns, agreed to be Malin's Godparents.  Not only are they raising their daughter Madeline in a loving, Catholic home, they love our kids too.  I feel so blessed knowing God and the Kearns' are watching over my sweet little Malin.

Phew, by Sunday night all 4 Hunts were in their beds by 8:00, a record in our house!  We were exhausted! 

I feel so blessed to have my sweet little family and all the wonderful friends and family that fill our lives with laughter.