Merry Christmas

Sledding

We finally made it down to Rochester to meet the newest Eckhoff. Landon was born almost a month ago and one thing after another kept keeping us from meeting him. Darren and Jeremy took Brynn and Peyton sledding down their huge hill (with a 3 foot snow drift dead center--thius made it quite comical to watch the boys try to walk back up the hill pulling two sledders) while Melissa and I kept Landon and Cara cozy in the warm house. I don't know what I was thinking, but I didn't even take one picture of Landon--grrr!

Holidazzle

We made it to the Holidazzle Parade on Saturday night. We had tickets for the hot seats since we had Cara Bean with us. We decided it is much more fun to participate on the curb. The large crowds inside the tent, cloudy plastic windows, and gross hot chocolate were really not our thing. Next year we will be out on the curb with the rest of the Minnesotans!

Two exhausted girls from our day of family fun.

Notice Brynn's light up wand she fell asleep with!

Poor Cara

Darren picked the girls up from Lynn's on Friday after work and Cara was a wreck. She had the worst cold I have ever witnessed on a baby. I felt terrible that we even sent her. All she wanted to do when she got home (after sleeping for 3 hours) was lay on someone's chest. Her dad was just the guy to do it! Amazingly, she woke up on Saturday morning and was much, much better. For being such and awful cold it sure came and went! Apparently a warm mist humifier with Vicks, Vicks on the chest, and a Vicks plug in did the trick! Our whole house smells like Vicks, but at least our girl isn't miserable any more.

Oh Christmas Tree

This Saturday we have tickets to sit in the hot seats at the Holidazzle Parade. The plan was to go get a Christmas tree Saturday morning, decorate it before naps, go out for an early dinner and end the night with the parade. Of course we could not have anticipated it being below zero on Saturday since it has been quite the mild winter. Plans had to change. We ran out quickly on Monday after work and picked out a tree. It still needs to be decorated, but at least we were able to pick it out when it was almost 30 degrees instead of below zero!

Five Mullenbach Grandkids

Nolan (15 months), Aubrey (2 months), Brynn (2 1/2), Cara (5 months), and Henry (6 weeks)

Some Favorites

Just a few of my favorites from the past couple weeks

Although she looks so much like Darren, her love for chips already proves she is my daughter!
Darren really isn't drunk...this is just how he takes pictures :)
She'll be ready to toilet paper houses in no time.

Sweet as pumpkin pie!

ADORABLE

This would never have happened...

...when Brynn was a baby. Poor Cara, things sure change when you're the second child! Both girls had a bath right before lunch. I got Cara out of the tub first and dressed her then put her in the jumper until I had Brynn out. I decided to get Brynn lunch quick before getting Cara out of the jumper. It was all too quiet upstairs so I ran up to check on her. Poor thing must have been really tired. I pulled her out and transferred her to the crib without her even stirring and she slept for more than two and a half hours. I think I'll put her down for her nap in her jumper every Sunday!

Family Date Night

Friday night we went on a family date night. We asked Brynn where she wanted to go for dinner and she chose Applebees (pretty much the only restaurant she knows) and then we went bowling at Farmington Lanes. Brynn out-bowled me with a score of 81...I bowled a 79 (she got to use the bumpers and a ramp so it really wasn't fair)...and Darren bowled an 89. We decided we should be on a league and possibly participate in the bowl olympics next weekend. If only we didn't have two kids!! Sweet little Cara happily sat in her Bumbo and watched all the action for most of the night. Great fun was had by all!

Brynn insisted on picking up her ball and carrying it over to her ramp every time. She was quite the trooper. BTW--she chose a green ball because it matched her daddy's truck and her coat!

Feeding our Babies

Lately Brynn has been loving to help me with nearly everything related to Cara. She attempted to help me feed Cara her cereal and nearly gagged her so I decided the next time she could feed her own baby while I fed Cara. BOY DID SHE THINK SHE WAS ONE COOL CHICK!

Just an FYI that rice cereal is nearly impossible to get out of all the little crevices in Brynn's "Heavy" baby.

Sleeping Bag

Grandma Connie gave Brynnie a sleeping bag that wasn't being used at their house. It sure is being used here! Brynn insists on taking her nap on the weekends in the sleeping bag. I'm not sure why it would be fun to sleep on the floor when you have a perfectly good bed less than a foot away, but it sure makes Brynn happy!

4 Month Stats, 5 Months Old!

I have been meaning to get Cara's 4 month stats on the blog for over a month now... sometimes sleep is just more important.

Weight: 12 pounds 13 ounces (26th percentile)

Height: 25 inches (75th percentile)

Head Circumference: 15 1/4 cm (5th percentile)

We started cereal last week with our little Chunky Monkey. It didn't surprise us at all that she LOVED it. She even cries a little when the bowl is empty. Tonight she convinced me to make her another couple of teaspoons. I don't know what it is about this girl, but I have a hard time telling that sweet little face no!

Halloween

It has been WAY too long since we last posted...so I'll start with our fun-filled Halloween. The fun began on Friday night when we (finally) carved our pumpkins. Brynn was a great helper cleaning out and carving (yikes, this part made Mom very nervous), and Cara was her happy little self through the whole process. Saturday we spent the majority of the day getting ready to have Uncle Dylan, Aunt Angie, and cousin Nolan over for dinner and trick-or-treating--Uncle Tommy, Auntie Key, and cousin Henry even stopped by for a quick visit.

Loving Life!
Fascinated with Dad's pumpkin scoop. "This one works sooo much better than mine, Dad. You can use mine if you want to Dad. I'll share with you."
Carving...the part that made me jump out of my skin a couple times. Luckily Brynn only wanted to carve for a few minutes then she went and played with the pumpkin scoop some more.

Brynn chose both her and Cara's patterns this year. I carved Cara's moon and stars and Darren carved Brynn's (complicated as he calls it) puppy.

Baby Henry (2 weeks), Brynn (2 1/2), Cara (4 1/2 months), and Nolan (14 months).

Brynn and Nolan had bugs for dinner made from turkey hot dogs, breadstick dough, shoe string potatoes, and ketchup & mustard. They were a big hit amongst Brynn and Nolan...and Uncle Dylan!

Chocolate Gremlins

Pumpkin shaped taco dip...man, I'm creative!

Cara was such a trooper trick-or-treating. She must have been plenty warm in her puppy costume as she didn't make a peep the entire time we were out.

Nolan thoroughly enjoying his sucker while he waits for Brynn to hop back in the wagon.

Cute puppy butt!

Tuckered out after a long day of partying!

Farmington Cheerleaders

Too cute! A friend from work borrowed me her daughter's (who is now in high school) Farmington Cheerleader costume that her mom made to use for Brynn. I had asked if her mom would be willing to make Cara one as well. You ask and you shall receive! Both Brynn and Cara's are big enough that they will reappear next year around this time too. I can't wait. How cute is it going to be when Cara is walking around next to her big sister!

Brynn was running a fever and in no shape to try on a costume, none the less smile for a camera, but she pulled through with a little bribe of bringing her Lovie down stairs and watching a little T.V. Cara, on the other hand, couldn't have been more excited to try on her costume. She was so excited she drooled all over her F!

Happy Halloween