A Knight with Might

Despite a very fluctuating winter here (one days it's 60 degrees out and the next it's 6 degrees and snowing), we are getting out to enjoy ourselves. Mama has gone back to work, but now it is only 3 days a week which allows her to start dancing again and get out with Elias on field trips. Ms. Janet took the class to gymnastics class as they are exploring the letter G.

We also took Emmett to the Children's museum (although he slept the whole time).

Elias was excited to see the real Bumblebee!

Hot Wheels Action

The Green Lantern making a green lair...

The Dark Knight went to a Princess party and became very enamored by a pretty Princess (the daughter of Mama's sorority sister)....

First you whisk her off her feet on the dance floor...

Then you look into her eyes...

Then you pledge your love to her...

Super Bowl Baby

Today marks two Super Events...the Super Bowl and our littlest monkey's 3rd month. We are now at the end official end of the 4th trimester.

Emmett is really a happy baby. Well, more of a ham. He loves to smile and his favorite time of the day is bathtime. In fact, when we undress and the water is running, no matter how tired he is from his day he coos and laughs in delight. This month he also started school (daycare). Ms. Lori, Annette, and Sam are his teachers. He has them wrapped around his chubby little fingers. He is in a class of mostly girls and boy, do they love him! Our little charmer.

A Very Special Birthday

Yesterday, someone had a very special birthday. 

We are Blessed here with our little monkeys having not one, but TWO great-grandparents. Grammy had her 90th birthday and we spent the weekend celebrating it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRAMMY!

First words??

Could it be? Our cooing little monkey and his big brother love to "talk" and smile at each other. At dinner tonight, we swore the little monkey said "E-Yai-Yai" directed at his brother and followed by a squeal. First word you suppose? Deep bonds of brotherhood forming? Perhaps...

Who Who Who is Already Two Months?

This Guy!

Welcome fellow readers and happy New Year! 

We spend our New Year's Eve baking Avengers cookies and watching Phish.

Elias shredding some tunes

Here in the barrel brotherly love all around...

Our little Monkeys

Emmett is now 2 months old. He is growing so fast and is such a chunky monkey!

Emmett's Current Stats:

Weight: 14 lbs, 12 oz! (94th percentile) That's double since birth!!!

Height: 24 inches! (90th percentile) He has grown 4 inches!!!

Clothing: 3-6 months!

This monkey loves the bath! 

Emmett is not the only one growing... His brother is now 42 inches tall (98th percentile) and 34 pounds (42nd percentile). Elias is TALL and SKINNY, but we always knew that.

We also celebrated Mama's birthday at family breakfast and then checking out some trains at

 the local museum. 

It's Been a Super Year!

Now we have come to the end of 2012 and reflect on a super year- the Super Bowl, exciting trips to California and Canada, and the addition of our newest monkey. We are truly Blessed here in the barrel.

Christmas Celebrations

Merry Christmas from the barrel everyone! Our days have been filled with fun, family, and even some SNOW!

Elias had a nice holiday party at school in which he sang a few songs and made cookies for his family. He even made an ornament for our tree.

At the Flora Family Christmas, Emmett got to spend some time with Grammy and Gramps.

Four Generations, Three Richards,
Two Little Monkeys, and One Hard to Get Photo

Our Mexican Friends celebrating an American Christmas

Mama prepared a traditional German meal for Christmas Eve again this year with some sauerbraten.

Even Emmett joined us at the table

Christmas morning was filled with joy and wonder through the eyes of a 3 1/2 year old. Santa even brought him the Optimus Prime Transformer.

Emmett smurking for the camera

Mama got her Christmas wish of Elias finally potty training. All it took was him deciding that he wanted to do it himself! Who would have guessed?

We got a white Christmas here in Indiana. Much fun was had after the blizzard the day after Christmas.

Snow ball fight after the first dusting

Angels

After the blizzard there was much more snow...

So we played with our other friend Monkey

And made a Frosty!

Merry Christmas everyone 

from your favorite monkey family in the barrel!