Ellis 2 years

Ellis turned 2 years old today, here are a few pictures from yesterday playing in the snow, and today celebrating! We have enjoyed a nice day together the 4 of us... Eventually he will want parties and friends and craziness, but for now we'll be happy with a little less and enjoy the time we have together before he gets too big for us!

Ellis is the smartest kid I know! (what, moms can say that!) I get to brag about him at least once a year- so today is the day! He loves to say his ABC's, he sings them to himself to sleep, he yells them out when he's mad, he says them over and over. He also loves to count and count everything! Lights on the ceiling... legos... hands, fingers, eyes... trees. He's a little crazy now, definitely in the middle of the 'terrible twos'- he's a screamer, we'll walk by somebody in a grocery store and he greets them with a scream and a scowl... We're working on that. He repeats everything we say and it's so cute to hear his little voice saying so many words.

And he's so gorgeous =) 

*post edit* I spent 20 minutes making him a birthday hat because a few weeks before he got one at another kid's party and wouldn't part with it for a week- even slept with it. Immediately when he got this one he pulled off all the meticulously placed and glued pom poms I put all over it.

*post edit* he is actually saying "WOOOOAAAHHH!" in this one, not screaming, surprisingly- it's his new favorite word. next to scream.

Huddy Buddy

This little guy is just so sweet and happy (not so sweet in the night, but we have gotten used to it)!
I took these pictures a few days ago, I can't believe he's over 5 months old already, soon enough he's gonna be crawling after his brother and getting into everything. He is so smily and we love his big eyes and big cute ears!

Sorry these are kind of weird, I used a 50 mm lens all the way down to 1.8 and so a lot of them are only focused on one eye! Hate when I make that mistake!

 Mom, this isn't fun anymore!!!

Comfort me, hands!!

Our Oma

On Christmas day the Franke fam had a fun day up in Fredericksburg (I'm so desperate to live there) with my Oma (grandma in German, but she's actually my great grandmother) for lunch and time together. It was so good to see her, I hadn't in so long and I really wanted her to have a chance to meet Hudson and see how big Ellis was! She turned 102 in October and is just an amazing woman! 

I'm glad I got some pictures, I'll love these forever! 

Hud and his great-great Oma!

Ellis and his Oma

Februany any!

Wow, long blog break, I know! Something miraculous is happening right now though! Hudson already woke up, was fed, lounged on the floor while I showered, and is back down for his first nap- and Ellis hasn't woken yet!! It's amazing! Ellis usually wakes up by 8 so maybe it's a growth spurt or something- he has been talking nonstop lately....

Things here have been crazy and cold and sleepless! Yes, Hudson still isn't sleeping at night, still wakes up a handful of times (a big handful, sometimes an overflowing handful) but we are starting to adapt or something. Who knows!

Last week we had highs around 6... 9... One morning the boys and I left around 10 a.m. and it was -5. It's just ridiculous! We'll be crying about the Texas summer in a few months, but I hate this winter with a passion!

But now it's February, blessed February and not January, so we are back with a vengeance! 

Ellis is hilarious and infuriating these days! He disobeyes like it's his calling in life but then says cute thins and laughs all the time. He is OBSESSED with his ABC's. And Counting. Thanks to some flashcard type apps on our phones, he knows the alphabet and how to count to 10 and also lots of colors. He says ABC's at the weirdest times... When he's in his crib putting himself to bed he'll sing them. He'll growl them as he builds towers. He love to count things (only up to about 4, then he gets bored) and also his favorite song is Taylor Swifts "We Are Never Getting Back Together". It's so funny. He asks for the song as soon as we get in the car and loves to sing along, and when we turn off the car and get out he screams "Never Ever Ever!!!"

Hudson is a little cute thing, with big ears and a big smile. He makes up for his horrible nighttime behavior easily during the day by being happy always. He's wearing 6-9 month clothing, things Ellis wore when he was almost a year old. He is so sweet and precious, I kiss him all day long! And then I cry and curse him all night. Haha.

Damon is working hard at his rotations- he's currently working with an orthopedic surgeon. He's liking it and we are definitely learning a lot about doctors as he goes! 

I've been working on a few projects here at home, right now I'm building Ellis an A-frame tent for his room to read in or hide in or 'camp' in... I've seen them all over the internet but they are so expensive and so ridiculously simple to make, so hopefully I'll finish it today and I'll put up a little DIY Tutorial if any of my friends are interested! It's super cute and could be done so many ways! I can't wait till he sees it!

That's about it for us lately, I'll be better at blogging this month! We'll have lots to share from V-day to Ellis' birthday to - oh yeah did I mention I gave up meat and dairy AND soda? Well that too. Here are a few pics to hold you over!

Building building building...

Hud and I share a chiropractor now...

Helping me outline our tent painting!

Multi-tasking! Hand holding!

Building tall tall towers!

Screwy crafting (It all turned out ok, see my Valentine garland above??)