The conversation of a 2 year old.

"Mommy, Jack pulls my hair, but he doesn't know better. He pulls your hair too, but he doesn't pull Daddy's hair. Daddy doesn't have any hair, except on his legs."

I laughed, and laughed. Ah, the things a two year old says.

A quick update & Christmas tradition ideas...

An update for anyone wondering, Isabella's potty training is going really well! She has a much more positive attitude about being a "big girl" and taking the time to sit on the potty. She has had very few accidents, but as everyone knows potty training seems to be one step forward ten steps back, but so far so good.

Jack has graduated to sweet potatoes, and seems to enjoy them. His milk intake in slowly going down a bit. We'll just have to see what my dad tries to feed him while they're here for Christmas. :)

We enjoyed having Steve home a couple of days last week. The kids, well Isabella, definitely took advantage of the extra attention. It was wonderful to see her and Jack on their Daddy's lap reading.

We've decorated the house for Christmas, including lights on the outside (a first for Steve). It is so fun now that Isabella is understanding Christmas and it's meaning. She LOVES playing with her Fisher Price Little People Nativity set, and we read from her Little Children's Nativity Bible at night before bed. She is very excited about giving Baby Jesus His birthday gift on Christmas Day, though she is not telling me what the present is. I am thinking about stealing the idea from my brother and baking a small birthday cake for Baby Jesus, giving Isabella one more reminder about what Christmas is all about.

We are always looking for new ideas. What are some of the traditions your family has to remember the true meaning of Christmas?



"Yay, sweet potatoes!"



Isabella and Jack enjoying some Daddy time.



The Christmas tree.



Our mantle and Isabella's nativity.

WOW...how many new things can we do in a day?

So, after our weekend in Houston we decided that December 1st was the perfect day to start Isabella's potty training (well, this isn't the first go, but definitely the last!) and Jack on solids. Steve and I were sick of changing Isabella's diapers, and she is definitely old enough. Jack was eating us out of house and home with formula, so it was time for him to eat something more substantial. Steve was nice enough to take a couple days off of work to help me with these endeavors.

Monday's potty training started off a little shaky. But by lunch time we had a couple of little victories. She has her moments where she would rather just play than worry about sitting on the potty, but we remind her of her rewards if she does her business. We only had one occurrence of her crying and begging us to put her back in a diaper, but Daddy was able to talk her into sitting on the potty. Way to go Bella!! We promised her that if she did well for the first few days on the potty we would put together her big girl toddler bed, so on Tuesday night Daddy put it together and Isabella loves her "new" room!

Jack is getting use to his rice cereal, although I'm sure he's wondering where the steak and eggs are! I think he was a little disappointed in the taste, but I've assured him that better baby food is coming! Hopefully this will save us a bit on formula as he's been eating at least 4- 8 ounce bottles a day.


Watching the Mickey Mouse Christmas movie while sitting and waiting...



Where's the beef?



Isabella's big girl bed. I need to fine something to put over her bed, but not really bothered since we're moving in three months...



Now to get rid of the pacifier...

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving in WARM Houston. Steve's sister Cheryl and her husband Michael had everyone at their house for some yummy turkey, ham and the rest of the fixins. Isabella had a blast playing with all her cousins. We were able to meet Amaya, the newest cousin who was born two weeks after Jack (although by the size difference it looks like Jack was born about 2 months earlier).

Isabella was so funny around all the family. She loved saying Uncle Bird's name (Bird is a nickname), had way too many people willing to hold her and run around with her, and too many Aunts who thought Isabella could do no wrong. :)

We have so much to be thankful for this year! God has blessed us with two wonderful, healthy children, amazing family, and though at times stressful...job security.

Thank you Aunt Cheryl, Uncle Michael, Nicholas, Christian and Matthew for a great weekend!


Isabella with cousin Matthew



Isabella with Aunt Carissa and cousin Peter



Jack with Uncle Bird



Uncle Michael holding Amaya and Jack



Isabella and Peter playing in the yard. Isabella loved running after PJ.



Isabella just being silly.



Jack wearing his Manchester United jersey from Uncle Jon.

Jack's 3 Month Pictures

These are Jack's 3 month pictures (well, more like 4 months).

BBJ

Jack's new nickname in the house is BBJ (Big Boy Jack). We took him to his 4 month appointment this morning, and he is definitely growing. I think we have a future University of Texas linebacker. He weighed in at 17lbs, 15 ozs! Isabella, who is tiny, only weighs 5 pounds more!

Weight isn't the only difference between our kids. Isabella and Jack are night and day! Jack loves his swing, playgym, etc. Isabella never liked anything that wasn't a lap. Up to the day Jack was born all she wanted all day long was to sit on Mommy's lap and read books. Isabella didn't get her first tooth until she was 13 months old, and Jack could easily have his first tooth by Christmas (5 months old)! Isabella is our more "dramatic" child (our favorite saying for her is "be British," and Jack is definitely more laid back. God has blessed us with the best!

Praying for Steve

As many of you know we will soon be leaving Texas as Steve goes on a 365 and the kids and I head up to Indiana. The upcoming year is going to be full of many challenges, especially for Steve. I had the blog button on the left "365 Days of Prayer for Steve" created so that those with blogs could "grab" the button to link up with our blog. In the days ahead I will be creating a Prayer/Praise list under the button. Though Steve's year away doesn't start for a couple more months there is a lot of preparation that we could use prayer for.

As always we deeply appreciate all our family & friends support!

A New Name with a New Look!

Yes, this is the Baker Family Blog! One of Steve's wonderful birthday gifts was this awesome blog "makeover." Thanks Danielle for the amazing look.

This next year will be full of many changes for us. As we leave our home here in Texas and head off in different directions for a year we hope the blog will keep all our friends and family up to date and in touch!

A quick trip "home."

Steve has known for a while that these last two weeks would be really busy for him as his Unit was having a big inspection. So, I thought what better time to take Isabella and Jack up to Indiana to see their Poppy, Nana, Great Nana, cousins, etc. I wasn't sure how well the airplane trip would go with just me and the two kids, but they were PERFECT. Jack slept the whole way and Isabella played with her little Disney characters, read books and colored. I was so proud of them!

I was looking forward to some cooler temperatures, but after living in the South for several years I think my blood as thinned out a bit. It was COLD! There were snow showers the last couple of days, but not enough to make snowmen. Unfortunately both kids came down with colds so they weren't able to play in it.

Isabella had a blast playing with her cousins Lydia and Lauren. We were able to celebrate Lauren's 1st birthday, as well as my birthday which comes in a couple of days (be sure to check back in the next couple of weeks to see the awesome gift Steve got me for my birthday!).

Now to unpack all the bags...



Isabella and Nana making banana muffins! Yummy!



Poppy reading to Isabella and Lydia...I think they were on their 10th book!



Isabella and Poppy putting out food for the ducks on their pond.



Jack has really started to become attached to his little puppy blanket.



Nana and Baby Jack!



Isabella being patriotic on Veterans Day.



Happy 1st Birthday Lauren.



The four cousins.



Isabella and Cousin Lydia.



Isabella and Jack with Uncle Jon and Aunt Diane.



Uncle Jon and Baby Jack.

2044

She'll be eligible to run in 2044...

The message Steve left me this morning...

The Baker Golf Course, a.k.a. the back yard

It was an absolutely gorgeous evening so it was the perfect chance for Daddy and Isabella to practice their golf swing in the backyard. Isabella loves playing golf with her Daddy, but it usually ends up with Isabella running away from Daddy and yelling "chase me Daddy, chase me!" It was so wonderful to see Steve playing with Isabella, and Jack even got in on some of the action! I am definitely going to miss these times over the next year. I treasure each day!

The trees changing along with the season.



Bella practicing her chip shot.

Daddy's turn.

Deciding who gets the next shot.



Bella running away with the balls.



Inevitably it always turns into a game of chase.

Jack getting in on the action.



Bella on her Daddy's shoulders.



My beautiful daughter.

My precious son.

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

This year for Halloween Isabella and Jack were Minnie and Mickey Mouse. Isabella loved being dressed up in her "beautiful" dress, as she called it, and Jack didn't mind being wrestled into a crazy Mickey costume. Unfortunately it was quite warm out, and since Jack is a perpetual heater anyway, we took his costume off after pictures.

After walking to a few houses Isabella and Daddy sat out on our front walk and handed out candy. Isabella loved seeing all the people come by the house!