Talia
She has been giving us many more smiles now. We usually need to engage her, get right up to her face and smile at her. She also loves to look at herself in the mirror.
She loves to splash around in the bathtub. It makes me laugh how much she wiggles and splashes.
She loves to look around at things. She is interested in everything around her. She has started to hold things in her arm, or kind of like a mitten with her hand. Isabelle loves to get her to hold her dolls, but she usually just tries to eat them and gets frustrated when she can't.
We put her in the swing for the first time this weekend. I couldn't believe how much she filled up that swing! We always had to put a blanket around the other kids so they wouldn't fall over. We couldn't put a blanket in with Talia.
I thought this was cute how she slept with her arms to the side. Usually they are right up by her face. I can't believe how she sleeps through the night! I have never had a baby sleep like this! Even at a year old. Robert was getting up more than her when he was two! I never imagined how easy she would be. She truly is an angel.
Austin
Austin is trying to be so much older. He is always asserting how big he is and that he is not a baby. We put him in this all-sports class and he usually didn't want to participate because he felt like the other kids in his class were "babies". Although, they are all the same age as him.
He is constantly just trying to be as big as Robert and Isabelle. 
He loves to talk to me and will just talk up a storm. I am so amazed at how well he speaks and how well put together his sentences are. He told me about how he went to a "fancy restaurant" and there were lots of animals there like elephants and monkeys. (This was when we went to the Rainforest Cafe in Seattle).
He loves to annoy Robert and Isabelle. He does things that just push their buttons and it makes him squeal with delight to see them get riled up when he runs out of the room with one of their things. I know I ought to be upset with him when he does something like that, but I have to admit that it makes me laugh.
He is the most lovable kid I have ever seen. He just wants to give everyone hugs and kisses and snuggles over and over and over. One of the other kids biggest complaints about Austin is, "He keeps kissing me!!!" I love it and say, "Austin, you can give all your loves and kisses to me!", and then he does. I keep telling Rob he is out little lover and girls better watch out when he gets older. I think he will be a little ladies man.Isabelle
Isabelle is one of the sweetest girls I know. She is always so willing to share and give of what she has. Even today at church, we were eating crackers and I said she could have the last one, and she broke it apart and gave some of it to me.
She loves to be silly and make funny faces and do funny dances. I love her sweet personality.
For her, everything must be pretty/beautiful. She loves dressing up and still would much rather wear a dress than pants. She wants her hair to be pretty and loves to wear this pearl necklace of hers. Even when she writes her name she likes to embellish her letters and turn them into little flowers etc.
She has started to sound out and write words and I am so proud of her for this. I think she is doing such a great job with her letters and drawing pictures. Today she drew a picture of she and I giving each other a hug. I can't find it!! But it was SO sweet. Lately her in her drawings of girls she has given them long eyelashes, big lips, and lots of frills on their dresses.
She loves for everything she colors to be full of color like a rainbow. She has been reading with me for 15-20 minutes a day and I think she is doing so well. We read about Pam and Stan going to the Prom this week, as well as Fox in Sox, but I think that one is a little too challenging for her at this point.
She loves to be around other people, especially have play dates with other little girls. She is definitely my little social butterfly. I am so grateful she has a little girl right across the street from us and other little girls to play with in the ward or she would just be devastated.
She is so good with Talia. She begs me to hold her and sit by her in the car everyday. She is always trying to share her toys with her. Also, if you can't tell, there are band aids on her arms. She had her immunizations for Kindergarten this week. She was so brave about going to get shots. She told me," I am going to get shots today aren't I?" But, when she got them, huge tears just shot out of her eyes. Poor girl! But, today in church she said that she is grateful that she got the shots so she doesn't get bad diseases like chicken pox. What a sweetie.
Robert
Robert has improved in his reading skills so much this year. For the last couple of years, reading with him has felt like torture for both of us. I can't believe how well he is doing now. He started on things like Junie B. Jones and the Magic Tree House this summer, but he kept telling me he didn't like those books. Now he is reading "Little House in the Big Woods" and both of us are loving it! This book is over 200 pgs. I think I read my first 100 pg book when I was in 3rd grade, and it was a big deal to me.
Reading has begun to be my favorite part of the day with Robert. It has even begun to be a bonding experience when we laugh at the same parts together or learn about new things together.
Robert really hasn't enjoyed things that are really physical either, he is improving. He actually said he had a lot of fun at gymnastics this week. We had him in an all sport class this last month and he did really well in it. He was so enthusiastic and was actually one of the best kids in the class. :)
Robert can be so tender. When Isabelle got her shots I was feeding Talia, so Robert went over and held Isabelle's hand and tried to make her feel better. He loves Talia so much and always wants to give her loves and kisses. I woke him up the other day by putting Talia on him and he loved it!
We started a job chart not long ago and he has been the best at it! He has been so good about making his bed, cleaning the living room and his bathroom. I feel like I can really depend on him, that if I ask him to do something he will follow through.
He is obsessed with Lego Star Wars right now. I have had him write journal entries on Sundays and for the last 3 or 4 weeks all his entries have been about Star Wars. This is something that, even though it was hard for him at first, he has kept at it over and over until he is really good. I am so proud of him for that.
