---CLICK PICTURES TO ENLARGE---
GAGE
Turned 15 months in July and really seemed like a toddler and not a baby anymore. He started walking at about 11 months, but at 15 he actually runs everywhere, and runs so fast we have to jog to keep up. He also climbs anything and loves to wiggle up into the big people chairs and sit proudly with his hands on the armrests. 
He copies anything he sees or hears, including Emmy's tantrum shreaks and laughing after hitting daddy in the face:) He loves going outside first thing in the morning and will let me know by pointing to the door and saying "aow-bise?" with a the cutest little hopefull look and puppydog eyes you'll ever see. If you dare say no there will be an instant "lie flat on the floor and twitch and scream" tantrum:) which can only be topped if you yourself go out the door and leave him inside! He loves anything ball, with which to throw; and everything stick, with which to hit. He puts everything in his mouth...
Loves eating and drinking...
and of course loves to holler (wonder where he learned that?)
This in contrast to his big sister who had no interest in putting things in her mouth, throwing, hitting, or climbing at his age but only in wearing princess outfits with plastic purple high heels and watching her dress twirl as she spun herelf dizzy. I will say that he does have a fascination for her purple high-heels...but I'm hoping its just the color?
EMMY
At 3 and a half proudly started preschool in July and spends half-day Tuesdays and Thursdays at the same preschool her momma attended when she was 3 or 4. Daddy gets to hook up the bike trailer and drop her off on Tuesdays on the way to work. Momma takes care of the rest. She is always excited to go and to show off her projects, but she is oddly quiet about what actually occurs while she's there. She's always been one for taking things in and not much for talking about it. She used to sit and study her toys as a toddler but would get mad if you'd try to tell her about it or get her to talk about how something worked. She just likes to be left alone to figure the world out on her own schedule. She loves to "read" books and is just starting to recognize words. But she will spend hours sitting with a pile of books just to look through and tell herself the stories.
Emmy is first and foremost a princess.
She still likes to play dress up more than anything in the world, her favorites being princess dresses and shoes. She's broken two pairs of plastic princess shoes so far, just from constant use and not abuse. She treasures her dress up clothes and walks like a dainty princess anytime she has them on. Something tells me they didn't design the shoes to be worn three hours a day:)
Emmy adores her brother (except when he thinks hitting is the best way to play) and will always choose to be with him even when she is mad at her parents.
BLAKE
Found herself pregnant again this year with our third and last baby (at least thats what she says now). By this time in her pregnancy with Emmy we had two photo albums of "the belly" from 1000 angles. With Gage we at least noticed she was pregnant a few times by now. This time Blake sometimes forgets she has grown so quickly until she tries to squeeze through a narrow space and her tummy bumps into something:) She loves being a stay-at-home mom (most of the time!) and works tirelessly to keep our energetic wubbas entertained and happy. They spend a lot of time at the library, all the local parks and pools, and of course Target:) Blakes favorite hobby is trying to get me to pay more attention to her than my laptop:) No, she actually is a masterscrapbooker and meticulously documents all the firsts (first step, word, haircut, etc.) for each of the kids in their baby books. She also stays up to date on our photo albums, both family ones and the kids personal photo albums. She puts professional organizers to shame with labelled boxes in the kids closets for everything from pencils to stuffed animals and rotates large tupperware boxes of toys so the kids never get bored with their toys. So far I've mostly kept her away from the garage, but everytime she goes in there and sees my version of organizing she gives me a fresh warning that she's going to sneak in there and redo it for me:)ME?
I love being a daddy!!!! Its the one thing that brings me unspeakable joy in this world. Still working at the same place for nearly 6 years (http://www.geotransinc.com/). I'm an environmental engineer with an environmental consulting company, though I can't remember the last real engineering work I had to do. Its mostly consulting work for commercial companies with environmental issues to resolve, and there are always plenty. We are very busy and have been trying to fill several positions for almost 2 years. So I work too much and try to spend as much time with the kids as possible. To do this I come to work late, leave early, and end up working late on my laptop after the kids go to bed. My version of exercise is riding my bike 4 miles each way commuting to work at least twice a week. I pretend its to save gas, but its mostly for some fresh air and a little peace and quiet before work. Irvine has great bike trails away from the streets so the commute is green and not concrete grey. I drag the family on a hike most Saturdays and the kids ride in backpacks or the jogging stroller. They love the jogger because they can sit together and read books or snack. The kids really do love each other and fight surprisingly little, even when stuck next to each other in a jogging stroller.
I know every parent thinks this, but they really are the cutest kids in the world!!! Its not hard to see why with those parents --- see below:) Sorry Blakey, its too good not to share:)
More pictures and events to come.
Contact us at:
denver1976@gmail.com
blakeymomma@gmail.com
949-786-7447 (home)
http://www.myspace.com/denver_martin
