Edwin @ 12 Months

Yesterday, on March 31st, this little guy turned ONE!

We started the day off up at the temple with a fantastic view of the sunrise.

Paradise Donuts were shared by all.

The best part about living in Idaho are the clouds. It makes for amazing colors in the sky every morning!

Sunrise selfie!!

Jon went straight to work and I had the kids for the day. We enjoyed story time at the library (where Kate was very adamant that she and Edwin both get bear hand stamps), then went to President and Sister Clark's last devotional at BYU-Idaho (where both kids fell asleep on me), then we shared some Jamba Juice with our good friend Lara, and made Edwin's birthday cake!

 Jon picked this s'mores cake from my Pinterest, and it turned out AMAZING! Toasted marshmallow frosting between layers of moist dark chocolate cake, and a dark hot chocolate Belgian frosting on top. (We don't care for malt, so we did the dark hot chocolate instead of Ovaltine like the recipe calls for).

We went to a fun ward activity with taco salads for dinner:

and then came home for birthday time!

 I'm not really sure if Kate knew what was going on, but she was happy playing with her Little Mermaid carriage :)

 Edwin was mesmerized by the candle while we sang Happy Birthday to him:

The instant that a slice of cake was set in front of him he wasted no time diving in face first:

 yep.

 He basically spent most of the time sucking on it.

We loved how the layers all complimented each other so well. Seriously. Everyone should make this cake.

 We all had a great time, but I just loved this look of giving up on Kate's face! haha

Yes, Edwin's first cake experience was definitely a success!

We're super in love with him.

 He demolished the rest of his cake with hands full of chocolatey bites.

After some intense clean up and a warm soaky bath, we regrouped for presents!

Edwin was spoiled with cards, a beautiful wood-burned box made by Jon, and his very own rag quilt that I made to coordinate with Kate's.

He even got his very first dollar!

Details of his personalized keepsake box:

There are 5 stars on the front and back because our family crest has 10 stars.

   

I'm so glad that he'll have something unique to keep for years to come!

Super fun birthday box from the O'Keefe family:

Kate had a lot of fun helping open Edwin's gifts:

Edwin got new clothes, some awesome movies, and organic pb&j (natural fruit spread) for his favorite lunch sandwich :)

And here he is all snuggled and ready for bed in his new blanket!

Some fun facts about Edwin at 12 months:

He has 6 teeth (four on top, two on bottom)

Edwin will eat almost anything but especially loves pb&j sandwiches.

He is walking while holding onto things and loves to scoot chairs around the house.

He sleeps all night and still takes 2 naps a day.

If he could be held and snuggled all day he would be perfectly happy.

He is obsessed with light switches and pictures on the wall.

He points at things he wants and says "dis, dis, dis" (this) to everything.

He and Kate are best friends and love to play together.

Edwin enjoys clapping toys together, chewing on everything, and giggling at Margo.

at his 1 year check up he is 28.25 inches long and weighs 17lbs

Happy Birthday, Mr. Wynn!

We are so glad to have you in our eternal family :)

Fancy Finger Painting

Kate is an art junkie.

If there is anything vibrant, liquidy, of gooey texture, or particularly messy, she seeks after these things.

As such we like to give her lots of opportunities to express her creative side. Even if it ends up looking like a puddly swamp mess.

 

 I wish I had her inhibition and could enjoy being this sticky and colorful!

 

 As Jackson Pollock once said: "Painting is self discovery. Every good artist paints what he is."

Kate is colorful, bright, bold, spontaneous, fearless, fun-loving, and not afraid of what others think of her. She loves to feel and explore the world. She knows it's ok to make messes, because we can always sing the clean-up song later.

I think her life motto is: "It's always a good time for finger paints." I could really learn a lot from her :)

Edwin @ 10 months

Edwin Alexander

Also goes by:

Mr. Wynn, sir, cutes, sweets, babes, handsome, and loves.

Currently has:

6 teeth

Likes to:

be held ALL the time,
have his teeth brushed (it always makes him giggle!),

stand and look at books,

 

press buttons on the record player,
throw tantrums,

(yes, sometimes he'll even just sit in the middle of the room and cry).

He likes to taste anything I'm eating,

and take baths.

We always thought Kate liked baths, but it turns out she just tolerates them. Edwin on the other hand CAN'T GET ENOUGH. He even loves playing with the drain while I'm in the shower. He just watches all the water go down, and he kicks and splashes beneath my feet. He gets soaked, I get a shower, and he has a blast playing in a safe place where I can see him. Also, he gets clean by association, so we both win!

Hates:
 having to wait for anything.
when Kate takes his toys away.
 getting teeth.

Well, when he turned 10 months old he was still HATING food. It was seriously like this every day:

so sad, yet so cute.

but just in this last week he has done a complete turn around! Something must have clicked and now he can't get enough. It has been such a huge blessing. Where it used to take him at least 3 days to finish just one jar of baby food, he is now going through 1-2 jars in one sitting! Serious miracle. He also loves drinking from a sippy cup.

Edwin has started to crawl on his hands and knees this past week (although he still gets around faster when he army crawls) and he's standing up on EVERYTHING, sometimes holding on with just one hand. So adventurous!

 
Just today he was holding onto a chair and as it started sliding across the kitchen floor he just walked with it. Suddenly he is all grown up!

I'm thankful for his chubby little fingers and his sweet baby softness that still keeps him snuggly.

Edwin is just such a joy to have around.

He makes our family complete, and we wouldn't have him any other way!

Kate @ 2.5 years

Katherine Anora

turned 2.5 years old on February 3rd!

Answers to:

Kate, Katherine, cutie, my girl

Likes to:

practice her name. I love hearing her playing in the other room saying "Kate Al-son. Kate Al-son."

wear her princess crown every day

make up songs about princesses
give kisses

talk on the "phone" to Nona, Papa, and Ermee (her cousin, AnnMarie)

make major messes

get undressed and then dress herself  with shirts on her legs or Edwin's onesies around her waist. (She will fit right in with her generation's strange teenage fashion trends, I'm sure.)
and most of all she likes to listen to music, dance and make anything artistic!

pic from FHE making Valentines. Glue sticks are her new favorite thing.

Hates to:

take naps

When I caught her during naptime she said "oh... Kate opened the box."

 eat lettuce and similar crunchy veggies

go to sleep at night before 11pm

Funny things she's said lately:
(When Edwin turned to look at her while I got her dressed)
"Edwin, stop it see the Kate!"

(When Edwin splashed water that hit her in the face during bathtime)
"Edwin splash the Kate eyes!"

MOST OF ALL
Kate is gorgeous and growing up into such a happy, helpful, and sweet little girl. Can't believe she'll be 3 in August!