Two Toddlers in the House!

I can't believe I forgot to publish this blog post on Joelle's birthday!  Well, here we go, a few days late! 

My little Joelle is now 1 years old!  She has grown from her tiny 5 pounds 15 ounces and 19 inches at her birth, to 19.75 pounds and 32 inches long!  Everyone tells me she is still petite for her age.  I personally think she has grown so much in the past month!  She literally grew 3 inches in a month.  I guess that's what happens when you start eating table food! 

In the past year, Joelle has changed so much!  She has learned to crawl, learned to walk around holding onto furniture, and is learning to communicate through sign language!  Joelle is a pretty quiet little girl, but still likes to voice her opinion every now and then!  We recently started sign language with her, because she just doesn't seem interested in vocalizing words besides babbling.  She is picking it up very fast!  Just earlier this week she learned to say "Please" in sign language!  I am one proud mamma here! 

Joelle is our little snuggle muffin.  She is most content sitting in someone's lap, preferably mom or dad, and just cuddling!  It is so different from our Jonas, who can never sit still!  Joelle is also our little reader!  If she wanders away from Jonas, usually I can find her in the bedroom reading at least 10 books at a time!  Joelle also has always loved music!  Much like Jonas, she has a natural ear for the beat, and a few months ago, we discovered that she knows how to snap her fingers!  Her favorite thing around 4 months old was when daddy would beat-box.  She would bob her head side to side with the beat! 

Joelle, we are so proud of the sweet little girl you are becoming.  I pray that you will learn to know and Love God as your Heavenly Father and that you will love others with the Love of Christ. 

Here are some pictures of Joelle over the past year. 


Newborn



1 Month



2 Months



3 Months



4 Months



5 Months



6 Months



7 Months



8 Months



9 Months



10 Months



11 Months



1 Year

And a few more pictures from Joelle's 1 year photo shoot!  I love taking pictures of my kids!!

Best Friends

Watching my two beautiful kids grow up together is probably the most wonderful, satisfying, enjoyable thing that I have ever experienced!  Jonas is nearing 2 1/2 in the next few months, and it is hard to believe that Joelle will be 1 in just 10 days! 

I knew that raising two babies at the same time would be tough, and believe me, I had lots of people make sure that I knew just how hard it would be to have two kids only 17 months apart in age, but what I didn't expect is how wonderful it would be to have my kids grow up together! 

Jonas has quickly changed into a wonderful big brother; always willing to get Joelle's paci for her or tickle her till she giggles.  And even though he sometimes doesn't enjoy sharing his toys will little hands, I know that deep down inside, he wouldn't change anything about his sister. 

As Joelle nears her first birthday, she is also changing much too quickly.  She knows her brother and loves to get right up in his face and giggle!  And the way that she looks at him melts my heart every time! 

Jonas and Joelle, as we begin the new year tomorrow, I pray that you will become even closer and love each other more and more each day.  Jonas, continue to be a wonderful big brother and Joelle, keep smiling and loving your big brother!  I love you both so much!