We are still here....

We are still here....just so behind in blogging!  I can hardly believe that summer is coming to an end...next week I head back to work.  I will miss my kiddos like CRAZY...but we have enjoyed every second this summer...

Marshall loves playing cars...and really is just a HAPPY guy!

 Brayden has now been wanting PRIVACY when he is using the potty....

 and well Marshall is NOT a fan of that!

 While Aaron was on his Annual Baseball trip, my mom, sister and grandpa came to visit...we had a GREAT time!  Here are some pics from their trip...

 It's always nice to have laundry helpers...now if they could just do more of that help part...

 Marshall loves being in the kids dish drawer

 A trip to the Children's Museum with our friend Becky...we had a great time

 MERRY Christmas in July....we celebrated in our old neighborhood...Roscoe Village

 Parents get-away...Grandma and Grandpa Jefford watched the kiddos for us, and Aaron and I headed to Galena for an Anniversary getaway...we had a great time

 

Anyone need a ride?  We somehow always end up with a BUS in our kitchen

 Cheerio

 The kid LOVES to eat

 Hey Mom....I can stand all on my own!!!!  Thats right folks, he can stand on his own and walk behind a push toy....is just a matter of time until he is on the move independently

 Garden Goodies....moments before he grabs and bites into the tomato

 Craft time

 Back in the city to visit a family from my mom's group---we have managed to keep in touch even though they have moved to PA....they have Ruth (who is the same age as Brayden) and then Clif (who is the same age as Marshall)

 He snuck a feel....little stinker

 We took a trip to the Lincoln Part zoo...highlights of the day--the tractors and monkeys

 Our friend Kelly met us there...and it was Elle's first trip to the zoo

 Brayden rode the train all by himself--but loved it

Fun Adventures...

Marshall...at 8 months (well next week he will be 9 months...but who's counting) He is 21.4 pounds and 29 inches...both in the 80%....which is crazy to me to think that 20% of 8 month olds are larger than him...because he is a big guy!

He is a super-speedy crawler, pulling up on everything and then lets one hand off...yesterday at the library he stood for about 2 seconds on his own...

He is still SUPER happy, as you can tell from this picture.  He likes all foods...we have yet to find one that he does not like...he would MUCH rather feed himself than have baby food or a bottle.

He said his first word...mama!  I was so excited!

Brayden at 2 1/2 is 36.4 pounds (93%) and 38 inches (82%)

He is so busy and talkative...to think that at one time I was worried about his lack of words...now sometimes I try to convince him to play the quiet game.  He is very inquisitive...he likes to figure out how things work, he loves his brother (although sometimes he shows it in a ROUGH way), he LOVES being outside, in the garage and playing with tools and diggers---he could not be any more of a boy. Lately, he has been melting my heart...he will say Mommy you are pretty....aaaawwwww...he already knows how to work it!  He cracks us up with his stories....and sometimes his pretend friends like Der...he is 2, green, and has a mow hawk...he apparently attended dinner the other night.  Here he is painting a garage (box) for his cars.

Cooling off in this HEAT....

Cooking

Cheese...

We went with 2 other families to the DuPage Children's museum....we had a great time 

Yes..he figured out how to put himself in a bubble all on his own...

A vacum thing...he is obsessed with vacums...

Playing with his buddy Griffin...

A trip to the zoo with Keira and Kiley

They LOVED the dolphins

Nothing like getting around on a wagon

Splash pad

The zoo is exhausting!

Mini-vacation at Starved Rock...we hiked

The choo-choo that took us around the property

Slide...obviously they are in motion...this was Brayden's favorite slide...he must have go down it at least 50 times...

Drinks anyone?

Marshall's first ride

Brayden riding a motorcycle arcade game

Yep..more vacuuming...

All 3 kiddos in the tub...rub a dub, dub...

Happy Fourth!!!!!

We celebrated the fourth over the last weekend/week...here are some pictures from the parade...it was fun but it sure was HOT!!!!!

Little Marshall...

peek-a-boo

A boy can never have too many trucks...

I will have to put up the pictures (from my phone) from the night of the fireworks...Brayden of course needed to get a birthday cake for America....and he sang Happy Birthday and enjoyed every LAST drop of blue icing :)  We also went to a carnival and he was quite fearless on all the kiddie rides.  Hopefully pics to come soon!