When you have kids you are bound to have surprises.  It seems that all the time they do something that you didn't expect.  This morning when I awoke I knew that both children were awake.  However, I did not expect to find both children in the crib.  Considering she knows that she is to stay in her room and play quietly (and has been doing so over break) I was a tad surprised.  Guessing that she couldn't figure out how to get out though as she knew when she saw me that she was busted.

Or how about yesterday when my sweet little boy discovered that he could open his curtains and play with the blinds when he woke up from nap without leaving his crib.  Kind of a feat since his curtains are really blackout liners that velcro closed.  Sigh.  Not sure how to keep him from doing that short of putting his crib in the middle of the room.  So hoping the joy of his new found "toy" won't last long.

Some things are pretty predictable though.  Like our little man telling me he wants to "play Mickey Mouse Club-house" or "play Queen cars" when I say naptime.  Oh, and those "Queen" cars need GPS tracking devices or at least a remote that causes them to beep as we are always on the hunt for his Queen cars. 

It is also predictable if there is music on that our daughter will be singing and dancing.  That is a given.  It also seems to be a given lately that both, yes both darlings will ask you to turn up the radio in the car.  We used to allow it for a special song, but I guess in their mind they are all favorites. 

Christmas fell into the fairly predictable category for these two.  Our daughter received many gifts that were "just what she always wanted!"  And based on how she's played with them, I'd say there was something to that.  But it was still entertaining as she said that with some toys she had never seen before.  Very fun to watch.

He on the other hand was a little overwhelmed and was finished on Christmas morning before he ran out of presents.  And he wanted everything opened right away.  It really is cruel that they put kids toys in packaging that could survive just about any kind of mass destruction intact.  Makes it hard for an almost 2 yr old to understand that you are trying, but no you can't open it quicker.  So he was known to play with a truck in the packaging until it could be freed. 

Wow - I can't believe how close he is to turning 2.  He's picked out a Mickey theme for his "party."  Or as he'd say "Mickey Mouse Club-house."  So it looks like I'll be making a Mickey Mouse cake for him.  Shouldn't be too hard as it is similar to last year's monkey face.  I like simple!

But back to Christmas.  Here are some of the last photos I have to share (since I don't share those with family member's on her except in rare occassions).  There will be a few more in the photo gallery.

Doesn't this just scream - who me?  He thinks it is lots of fun to get the lens cap to my camera.

We got her some accessories for Christmas and as she opened them she was putting them on.  So you'll notice that in some of the pictures she is sporting this hair do.  She did it herself as you can see.

Here he is with some of his new treasures.

And here she is with some of hers...

Introducing the one, the only Rockstar Jamnar!

And back to herself...

Here they are in a rare photo of both of them together and still - mesmerized by the video of themselves that Daddy made as a gift.

And I'll leave you with these two pictures.  Let's just say that the stroller was not designed for him, but that didn't stop these two (though we did shortly after these before he broke it).