Robbie
Sir Robert has been busy over the last couple weeks. On the 17th he turned 7 months old. I think I failed to post a 6 month update (or comparison for that matter) so I'll have to make up for that in the coming week. I can tell you that he had his 6 month appointment when he was 6 1/2 months old on October 30th. He weighed in at 16 pounds, 7 ounces which allows him to remain squarely in the 25th percentile. He is (mostly) sleeping through the night, (usually) taking 2 or 3 naps and is eating 3 solid meals a day. Currently his favorite foods seem to be yogurt, sweet potato and pears. He also eats rice cereal, baby oatmeal, green beans (but not so happy about it), banana and avocado. He seems to like eating as evidenced by the next photo:
Other things that Robbie can now do-roll from his back to his stomach (though not very often)...
...hold and drink out of a sippy cup...
...and (mostly) sit up unassisted (but with many pillows around for when he invariably falls on his side or face).
For Thanksgiving this week we went to Grandma and Grandpa L's house in Oregon. While we were there, Daddy's sister, Aunt Hezzie, and Uncle Greggie where driving down from Washington, so they came and stayed with us for a couple days. We all got to meet Cousin Tommy for the first time. Tommy is almost 3 months old. I never thought of Robbie as big until we had the two right next to each other.
Robbie seemed to enjoy Grandma's house. His favorite thing turned out to be the dog. Good thing King Leo is such a good sport...
Lastly, Mr. Robbie is the only one of my children to not get an ear infection over the last couple weeks. He does have the cough that has lasted the longest, though.
Padyn
As you know, Padyn had her 6th birthday a couple weeks ago. Since Grandma and Auntie hadn't celebrated with her yet, we had ANOTHER little celebration the day before Thanksgiving at Grandma's house. I've lost track of how many candles Padyn has blown out now. But this candle was the best. We couldn't find birthday candles, so Padyn blew out a tea candle. But hey...at least it was purple.
Other events for Padyn over the last couple weeks-she had her color belt promotion. Here is her instructor tying on her new orange belt. Hi-Ya! 
Padyn ran her first race last Saturday. She ran the 1/2 mile kid run in the annual Turkey Trot. I, too, ran the 1/2 mile kid run in the Turkey Trot. Do you think I was going to let her run through the streets by herself? I have to say, I was impressed. She's a lot like her Mommy...not very fast, but she ran all the way to the end. (I really thought she was going to poop out on me and want to walk). I might have been dragging her a little at the end...
Like her brother, Padyn had a great time at Grandma's for Thanksgiving. It's hard to say what her favorite thing was, though. My guess is it was a four way tie between watching TV, making cupcakes with Grandma, throwing the ball/kong for the dogs and decorating her Rice Krispie "house." 
Oh, wait. I forgot about eating all the junk food. Make that a 5-way tie.
Lastly, Padyn was diagnosed with her second ear infection ever the day after her birthday...the day Kate was finishing the antibiotics for her ear infection.
Katelyn
Kate still manages to be the one who wears me out on a daily basis. It could be the incessant talking or the constant motion...I'm not sure which. All I know is a breath a sigh of relief when she is tucked into bed at night. Here's what she's been up to lately...
She loves loves loves her brother. Both girls do, but Kate is really adamant about it. She wants to show him every possible second. Usually her love takes on the form of shouting in his face or squeezing him way too tightly. He certainly knows he's loved.
Her next favorite thing after her brother (and strawberry yogurt) is watching TV. I think Friday mornings are Kate's favorite time. It's the only morning of the week where she is home and Padyn is not. She has free reign of the TV. I think in these pictures she is re-watching her favorite episodes of Kipper. But, have you seen Kipper? Even I love it.
She has gotten much more skilled in the fine-motor categories lately. I'm sure it's preschool since I do nothing with her. I've noticed she is better at cutting, coloring and gluing. She also seems more interested in reading/spelling. She's always asking me what letters and words say.At Grandma's, I would have to say her top favs were watching TV and eating sweets. Here she is with her Rice Krispie house...
Kate used to be plagued by ear infections, but the one she was diagnosed with on Veteran's Day was the first in over a year. Fortunately for us, she likes the medicine. What a strange child.
Well, I'm sure there is more to say, but since it is past 11pm and we were on the road for 7 hours today, I'm heading to bed. I promise to get some comparison photos up this week.
Happy Friday and Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you have as much to be thankful for as I do.
The next morning (yes...we didn't carve until Halloween morning), we set up shop in the front yard while the baby took an excessively long nap. Each girl picked a pattern out of one of those carving kits and Mommy got to work. I have to say, Padyn did an impressive job scraping out her pumpkin. Kate took a few stabs at it and then left the rest to me. She was more concerned with washing the other pumpkins.
And here we are with our creations...
...and here without the flash.
We didn't get many trick or treaters. Possibly they all came earlier when we were on the other side of town with our friends. So, if you come over sometime during the next few months, expect to be offered candy. We have lots of candy.
Happy Friday!
Now if we could only get Purplicious to smile... 
He's six and a half months now.
