The Stockings May Not Be Hung, But......

...the organ pipes are! I spent my day off, with the boys at school, putting the pipes up on the wall. Yes, I know that they are not centered - I wanted to put something up to the right of them, but what I planned on putting up there doesn't look right. So, I will wait until I find the right thing.

We're Alive!

Hi Everybody! It's Jacob and Caleb! Sorry our mommy has been such a slacker about sending you our pictures. We don't make life easy for her. We love her though - she's the only mom we've got! We are in our new house. Mom needs to put pictures of it here on the blog too! Maybe she'll do that in another eight months. Ha! We have been busy going to our new school. We really like it. Jacob's favorite things are the big ball pit and washing his hands, and Caleb especially likes playing with the kitchen set and any toy his can push around while he practices his walking. Mom and Dad are okay too. Dad has been working hard on the lawn - it looks much better than it did when we moved in here. And Mommy has been getting things organized around the house when she's not chasing us around. Well, that's all for now. Have a good week!

Boy in the Hood

Ten days ago, Jacob began wearing Brett's Illini hat all over the place. This is not the funniest he looks in it, but you get the idea!

Can You Feel the Love?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Since Trinity had a snow day, I was able to spend Caleb's first Valentine's Day with him all day!

After work, but before dinner, Daddy ran out and got this special treat for Mommy.


Little did Daddy know, but Mommy was able to get out in the snow and took the boys to get Daddy a special treat! Ha! When Brett walked through the door with his, Jacob said, "Cookie." Brett hadn't even tilted it to show Jacob. I told Brett later, "Of course Jacob recognized it. I spent five minutes at the store saying, "Which cookie do you think Daddy will like, Jacob? This cookie or that cookie?" before deciding which one to get. (They were both good, but it took us two weeks to eat them.)

First Cereal

On February 10th, Caleb had his first cereal. Unlike his brother, Caleb did not take to the spoon as easily.

In fact, he really wasn't crazy about it at all!

I just want my bottle! This way is too hard!

Torture!

I had been cleaning the kitchen, or something like that, when I heard Jacob crying. No, big deal. It wasn't the cry of pain, so I didn't hurry in. Apparently, he was playing and purposely slid off the armrest of the couch toward the end table - and got stuck. He's actually sitting on a shelf, in no pain whatsoever, but when I didn't get him out and got the camera instead, he really let loose!

Like Father, Like Son

These pictures were taken on Super Bowl Sunday, just as the game was starting. I couldn't believe my eyes when I walked in the room and saw the two of them. That's Caleb's blanket that Brett is using. I thought it was so funny!

Working Man

Jacob has a real fondness for helping, and he really loves to clean. Brett's not sure if he's crazy about it, but I keep saying, "If the child wants to clean, I want to support him in that." I got him a broom for his birthday because he was always grabbing this one, and the child cleans underneath the stove and refrigerator! But his absolute favorite thing is the va-coom. Every night now, he asks Brett, "Va-coom, Daddy?" Usually Brett says no, but the other night he said yes. You should have seen Jacob running around, screaming "Va-coom, Ginger. Va-coom, Be-bee," and comes over and gives Caleb a little hug, he's so happy! I've never seen such joy over housework!

Jacob's 2nd Birthday

Good morning, Jacob! It's your 2nd birthday!

It's fun when Wendy cuts your hair!


The police car was a much better vehicle this time.

Jacob got to watch his KidSongs video during the haircut.

Lunch was next door to Little Locks - Mmmm! Quesadilla!

After making a friend out of the girl at the register, Jacob got a piece of Oreo Cheesecake!

Here's our two-year-old - what a big boy!

Since Ernsters are a big soccer family, we should have guessed what they would give Jacob. Don't you just love the shin guards?

Caleb wasn't too impressed with the opening of presents, but Jacob had fun covering him up with tissue paper.

This birthday was all about Elmo - cake, balloon, clothes, and books.

Caleb's Candids

Caleb has really been enjoying the swing. The other night he was talking and singing and smiling away.

This is Caleb's special blanket from the Pinnows. It is absolutely adorable!

Caleb would really like to be able to sit up on his own. Here he is working on it a couple of days ago while his brother was napping and Mom was at the desk.

I think he's trying to wave at you all! :)

New Digs

A week and a half ago, Jacob moved into his big boy bed. He has done very well, right from the start. This is a picture of nap time, when he insists on having a book with him. He'd also like a book at night, but I tell him that you can't read in the dark. He's skeptical. (By the way, the book he's reading is The Good Samaritan/The Prodigal Son.)

We rearranged the room so that we would only have to use one guard rail. Down came all the breakable things off the adjacent walls that were in reach. Away went all the things on the dresser - except the book you see there is a 365 Bible stories book for children that Aunt Elizabeth actually got for Caleb's baptism. We read a story out of it every night, and Jacob has quietly listened to me read about the desolate world before creation, the vast universe God created, Adam and Eve's downcast eyes, their wearisome work, sullen Cain, the torrential downpour and the ark's being buffeted by the wind, and the open air altar Noah made afterwards.

I'm sorry, for whom was this book written again? :)

Caleb has been in the crib for a week. He has done extremely well, and I've only had to go in there to put the pacifier back in his mouth - two nights ago I didn't have to go in there at all! What a relief this is, since I start back to school in another week's time! Hopefully we will all still be able to get quality sleep!

Who Says You Can't Have It All?

Playing basketball with a soccer ball while wearing a football jersey -

now that's the definition of a sports fan!

The Relatives Come to Visit

Drinking Buddies


Caleb, who would rather sit on your lap and face the world now,

enjoyed being with Aunt Rebecca.

Rebecca and I fed our bracelet making addiction. We spent a lot of time shopping, but less time making then we planned, thanks to children wanting attention. I actually finished this after VanTols went home, but I'm very pleased with how it turned out!

Getting a Lickin'

This is how Caleb's new year began. Ginger once licked Jacob's head for about 20 minutes. It never bothered him, but Caleb was a different story after a little while. We have to watch Ginger a bit more closely now. She'll walk past Caleb on the floor or in his bouncer, and she'll have a deranged look in her eye, and you just know what she's thinking - "I want to lick that head some more."

Christmas in Auburn and Danville

Caleb's first Christmas - He's simply taking it all in.

(Don't you just love the feet?)

Daddy thought that Jacob just had to have his own Urlacher jersey!

Merry Christmas!

Our littlest sweetheart - We love it when he smiles!

Jacob and Timber spending some quality time together

Christmas morning in Danville - Look what Santa brought!

Grandma Miller helps Jacob. (She's not the only one.)

After all that traveling and visiting, Jacob comes down with a fever/cold. While watching his video shortly after arriving home from the doctor, he just zonked out right on the floor.

(It turns out he had a left ear infection and right eye pink eye!)