Char Char - 6 months old!

What? No, I refuse to believe my baby girl is half a year? Well believe it and weep, people. This lady is moving on up in the world. Growing cuter everyday, as if that's possible. She is super giggly now and loves it when Clark walks by and goes "Boo!". She finally mastered rolling from tummy to back which means we have started her on sleeping without her hands being swaddled for naps. She is not a fan! She has grown tall enough to jump in her jumperoo without the aid of the pillow and she can get serious air. On new years she tried her first taste of people food - sweet potatoes - and completely lost her mind trying to gobble them up. She only wakes up once every night and really we don't think she's hungry, she just wants to chat with someone. Her favorite thing in the world is a tie between splashing in the bathtub and trying to get her feet into her mouth. Oh miss Char, you are everything!

And if one of my babies has to be 6 months old, I guess the other one does too. Whew. Twins. How ever will I manage? 

Christmas Time pt 2

Christmas morning arrived at 7AM when we heard Clark being snuck into the Grandparent room for time on the ipad:) He was so excited to see the kitchen when he came out but didn't really get the pillow...ah well. We woke up to Christmas snow which was really fluffy and pretty to watch from the comfort of our warm house. Dana played Santa and handed out gifts to everyone - which were promptly stolen by Clark because he wanted to open everything. 

Clark got a bunch of awesome books from Uncle Jeff and Aunt Jessica, including on on the human body that Dana is very excited to show him. He got early reading books from G&G Kitchen and a really soft blanket from Grandma Sue.

The book theme continued as Charlotte got 3 softie books and a beautiful red Brazilian dress from G&G Kitchen and a soft blanket from Grandma Sue. She was still pretty congested from the croup so she was just happy to be held and kissed. 

It was so awesome having G&G Kitchen with us. They loved watching the kids open presents and then Grandma Tina made her world famous pattern pancakes. Clark wanted the cow, Mom went with the chicken and Dad picked a storm trooper.

Then it was up to the Washburns again for Christmas ham and gingerbread houses. And for Clark and Anderson to spend a full half hour watching at the window watching the snowplows.

Tuesday morning G&G left for Utah:( We were sad to see them go but they forgot their Sunday clothes in our hall closet so it's really like we still have them here. And then began the looooong countdown to Daddy heading back to school. Two full weeks seems like a long time just sitting at home. We made the best of it Tuesday by sledding down the streets of Moxee. After some coaxing Clark got in the sled and loved it. Miss Char just snuggled in her bear and watched.

The next day we had the sister missionaries over and decided to make sugar cookies for dessert. Clark's is the very psychodelic tie-dye and Dad did the one that looks like the Cosby sweater. Mine are all the rest. I'm particularly proud of my Charlie Brown attempt. 

An ice storm moved in that night so we have been stuck inside for a few days and only going slightly crazy. Dana is working a few nights at the hospital and seeing some crazy fall injuries but otherwise the days are a lot of basketball, dance parties, food making and beastmaster. And yes, our toddler has learned to launch himself off the trampoline onto the couch and then make a fist of triumph. Thanks Beastmaster.

It’s Christmas Time in the Yakima pt 1

This year the Gailans celebrated Christmas in our home town of Yakima. It was nice to kick back, relax and just hang with family as we remembered the true reason for the season: the Savior. 

On the 14th we had an early Gailan Christmas with Matt, Kristen, Stella, Gianna and G&G Gailan. Great food and wild kids. Plus Uncle Matt won with the favorite toy (so far) - a remote controlled car. Clark literally went bananas and we all got stomach cramps from laughing so hard. 

The following week, G&G Kitchen showed up! Yaaaaay! We love having them. They watched the Washburns kids on Wednesday so Kristina and Fred could take some alone time and we went up to help make delicious cheese gems and just generally be silly. Grandma Tina let Clark and Anderson help put in the graham cracker crust. 

Then things got interesting. Friday morning at midnight Dana woke up to a very weird, seal-like cough coming from Charlotte. He pulled out his stethescope, did some nursing and yup diagnosed her with croup. Awesome. Not. Poor thing was so tired she spent the whole morning just laying on my shoulder and even slept there for a while which is so not our kids. Every few minutes she'd do this pathetic little seal cough and just cry and cry. Needless to say the rest of the Christmas vacation for Charlotte was sleeping upright in her carseat and just being held...which she hated of course:) No, I think it was maybe the best 5 days of her life, minus the seal cough. 

Even so the Washburns and G&G risked the sickness and came down just to hang out at our house before going to see the latest Star Wars. All the non sickies braved the cold to visit the Moxee playground and Clark decided to pose for my new favorite photo ever. Seriously, how hilarious is my kid on his squirrel?

 On Saturday we went up again to join the whole clan at a pavilion high in the mountains. It was 13 degrees when we arrived but it was 116 degrees right around the giant fire the boys built so we were just fine:) The babies napped.

The really big kids went snow shoeing and the medium kids ate snacks and played in the snow and lounged lazily by the fire. 

All Mr. Clark wanted to do was pull the sled around and occasionally drag Dana around as well (which was pretty cute to watch.). He finally came to the fire when he hands got cold but otherwise he was in snow heaven!

 Sunday we went to church and then had fondu at our house. Clark and Anderson lost their fondu sticks in the first 2 minutes because of a serious sword fight but otherwise no serious casualties. Then it was time for cousin presents. The best gift - Clark got a hotwheels racing set from Aunt Kristina. See that grin. He was beyond excited and made us set it up immediately.

The Washburns went home to wait for Santa and it was time to open Christmas Jammies!! So Charlotte got these cute terrycloth jammies with foxes and Clark got dinosaur PJS that might or might not be about 3 sizes too big for him. Whoops. Time to grow boy. 

We did family scriptures and sent the kiddos to bed and then santa arrived and left a kitchen for Charlotte and a Lightning McQueen pillow for Clark. 

He also left two cute little missionary stockings for Grandma Tina and Grandpa Pat. The adults watched a little British Bake Off and then all settled in for a long winter's night.