2 Years, 1 Month (December) :: First Day of School and Happy Holidays!

In December, Sophia and Ethan started a toddler program two days a week. They love getting out of the house and playing with their friends at school.

We also had three Christmas celebrations. The first one was at Gram's house with Elaine and Sarah and Ben in Connecticut. The second celebration was with Grandma Chris and Grandpa Bernie and Anna, Ben, Jessica, Mike, and Gail. The third celebration was at Ah-Jah's (Aunt Jo-Ann's) house with Cindy, Deena and David. By the time we finished our Christmas tour, Ethan and Sophia were expert present unwrappers. Ethan was also glad to offer up his expert package opening skills to anyone who would let him. :)

Bedtime bottles with Sophia and Ethan...

Now that they're in toddler beds, every so often we find that Sophia and Ethan have decided that sleeping in the same bed is better than sleeping alone...

Ethan and Sophia on their first day of school. This picture of Ethan smiling is especially for all you Georges out there... :)

School? Yay!

Ready to go...

Christmas at Gram's house - Steve brought in the tree...

Sophia, Ethan, and Ben helped Steve put the tree up...

Ethan, Sophia, Ben and Steve...

Sophia loved Sarah... and Sarah's American Girl doll also...

Ethan Pepper...

Ben and Ethan worked on the castle...

Sophia and Sarah...

Sophia and Sarah playing with the dollhouse...

Playing with Sarah delighted Sophia...

Sophia...

Hanging ornaments - Sophia and Steve...

Pretty tree...

Ethan decides where to hang his ornament...

Ethan...

Ethan and Steve hanging ornaments...

Sophia, Ethan, and Sarah on Ethan's wonderful Thomas toy chest. Ethan was so excited to receive it that we all had to stop opening presents and let him just squeal for a bit. The trains and tracks that were inside the toy chest are among Ethan's most favorite toys these days...

Crazy Cousins - Ben, Sophia, Ethan, and Sarah...

Sophia takes a turn on the train...

Ethan and his train...

Sophia and Ethan...

Sophia in the snow...

Ethan and his blue mittens - which he was hardly ever without this winter...

The holiday party at school. Led by the fun and fearless Miss Sandra, the kids sang a few songs for the crowd of parents. Sophia is the second from the right. Ethan decided he'd like to sit with Steve and me in the audience to watch.

Eating cookies after the show. Sophia is in the middle on the left, and Ethan is on the right in the blue vest...

Sophia, Steve, and Ben playing a game at Grandma Chris and Grandpa Bernie's house...

They all wanted to see what was in that box... Grandma Chris laughing with Sophia, Anna, Ethan, and Ben...

Ethan, Sophia, and Jessica on their "Rody" bouncy horses from Grandma Chris and Grandpa Bernie...

Sophia and Jessica...

Christmas at Ah-Jah's - Aunt Jo-Ann, Sophia, Ethan, Cindy, Deena, and David...

Our holiday card this year...

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Ethan Pepper...

Sophia with pigtails...

2 Years Old (November) :: Birthday, Visits, and Thanksgiving

Unbelievable that the kids are already turning two!

Grandma Chris and Grandpa Bernie came to celebrate Ethan and Sophia's birthday. Sophia and Grandma Chris drew lots of pictures with crayons...
Getting ready for the party - hats, horns, and blowers! :)
Grandpa Bernie and Sophia...
Grandma Chris and Steve...
Sophia, Ethan, Grandpa Bernie, and Grandma Chris get into the fun...
Sophia and Ethan with their cake...
Yum!
Sophia wasn't feeling well and didn't eat much cake... Ethan helped her out...
I helped Ethan and Sophia open their presents...
Sophia loved the unicorn castle from Papu and Yaya...
Ethan started to get the idea of opening presents...
Sophia playing with her unicorn castle...

About an hour after we opened presents, Sophia spiked a fever of 103.5 degrees. We gave her motrin and then brought her in to the pediatrician and he diagnosed her with double ear infections. A trip to the pharmacy and a dose of pennicillan later, Sophia was in better spirits...

Sophia joins Grandma Chris and Ethan to read a book...
Two babies in a basket...
The weekend after their birthday, Steve's brother David came to visit the kids... Sophia loves her Uncle David!
Steve and David getting ready to go out on the town in NYC...
Sophia and Ethan...
The weekend after David visited was Thanksgiving. My mom, my sister Elaine and her kids came to visit. In the back - Steve, Gram, Sarah. In the front - Ethan, Sophia, and Ben.
Ethan and Ben playing with cars...
Ethan, Ben, and Sophia...
Happy Thanksgiving!!! Me, Ethan, Steve, Sophia, Gram, Sarah, Elaine, and Ben...

Our 2-year-old check-up went well. Both Ethan and Sophia are completely healthy and right on track developmentally. Our new pediatrician here in New Jersey was surprised that they were two months premature - there's no way to tell by looking at them now! Some updated stats:

Sophia
Height - 36.75 inches tall (98th percentile)
Weight - 32 pounds (95th percentile)
Head - 54 centimeters

Ethan
Height - 36 inches tall (88th percentile)
Weight - 27.75 pounds (45th percentile)
Head - 49.1 centimeters