Such a hard life...

The Saddest faces ever....

Sad

Saddest

First Christmas in pictures

Spending Christmas with the double pounders was exciting as Santa was good to everyone. I just realized that we didn't take as many pictures as I originally thought we would; i guess we were too busy playing with the new toys and drinking mimosas. Anywho's, we've decided to spare you the boring details and post a few of our favorite snapshots from today...

Yay! New books to slober on!

Christmas Day or Oktoberfest?

(No caption needed)

Colton's new favorite outfit from grandad B... red john-john suit with tractors!

Christmas Eve

We spent Christmas Eve at Jud and Ing's with the family that stayed in town. Cousins Zach, Luke and Hannah were very sweet to play with Colton, Sulley, and Lucy throughout the night. We had fun visiting and watching Christmas Vacation and pretty much stuffing our faces...you know, practicing for tomorrow's feast!

We forgot our camera but Jen was kind enough to snap a few pics from the night.




So it's Christmas Eve and 55 degrees outside. weird, because it was about 19 degrees earlier in the week and well it feels more like late fall than winter. You'd think we were in SC. Because it's was so mild outside and still early, we felt the need to go "bobbing" around Shirlington. our christmas eve stroll was fun except we didnt see too many homes adorned with Christmas light displays. the most exciting sight was the insanely tacky inflatable snow globe that's so heniously displayed down the street.

But...even if it's not cold and snowy and there isn't an endless display of holiday lights, it still feels like Christmas when you're at home sitting on your couch with your fam, watching old Christmas movies and occasionally glancing over at your beautifully lit tree...thinking about how all your holiday wishes from the past year have come true.

Merry Christmas Ya'll!!

Happy 29th Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Dad! You always are there for us, night and day (literally) and you always are finding the positive in the negative and your unconditional love is apparent in all you do. You're always out to have a good time and are constantly playing with us and teaching us fun things. You're the most thoughtful and loving dad we could have ever hoped for. Happy Birthday!

Love, Colton & Sulley

puttin' the block on

Colton loooves to push our buttons and 'put the block on' when we're trying to get him to eat. This picture pretty much sums up what he does -- sucks on his wubbanub with his jaws on lock down and then he'll put his hand over his face...pretty typical of ole colt-dog.

Ribbons and Bows, are better than my toes

Yes, you heard it, ribbons and bows are better than toes. Colton and Sulley opened a pre-Christmas gift last night once we got home. They spent almost 15 minutes just playing with the yellow and gold ribbon on the package. It was hilarious watching them jump up and down, throwing their arms in the air, and pulling the ribbon every way they could. It's amazing what simple little things provide the youngins with such pleasure. I can't wait to see them rip apart more presents on Christmas morning.

Thanks to Gigi and Grandad for Santa's Milk and Cookies plate and mug. Santa will definitely enjoy eating his cookies now that he has something cute to eat them off of.

An Early Christmas at The Scanlons

We got a head start on Christmas this year by celebrating on Saturday with the Allen and Scanlon crew. The fun started just as soon as we walked in the door.

Sulley immediately spotted grandad Allen's hat and thought it was the perfect accessory for her Christmas dress. She decided to have a small fashion show and was kind enough to stop long enough to pose for a few shots...

The traditional way to wear the hat...

Winter 2008 look

The fun continued once the beer started flowing and the bottles were being passed... Aunt Jen took it upon herself to show colton how to drink from the big boy bottle.

Colton preferred this bottle much more than his own bottle....

The fun continued as we all opened gifts and watched the kids play with their new toys. Colton and Sulley mostly enjoyed spending the evening with their fam and playing with their new cousin, Linus.

Visiting Santa

We took Colton and Sulley to Tysons to see "the" Santa and it was pretty much anti-climatic. We waited in line for about 30 minutes and chatted with other moms and nannies but it probably would have passed quicker if we were drinking spiked coffee and eating hot krispy kreme donoughts. maybe next year! Santa held both Colton and Sulley for a whopping 1.5 minutes while the photographer snapped a couple of pictures. Sulley was more interested in the fur on Santa's outfit than telling him what she wants for Christmas and Colton just starred at him, giving Santa the occasional smirk. All in all it went well, no tears were shed and we succeeded in purchasing an overpriced USB thingy with 3 pictures loaded on it. Whatever though, it was fun and their first visit with Santa.... truly a memorable occasion that's priceless!!

Happy 1st Birthday, Max!

Colton and Sulley took baby birthdays to a whole new level on saturday when they hopped on their first party train! (see Max's blog).

The Party Train

Once the train stopped, the party kept going, except this time on Max's ATV. Max, being the good host that he was, showed the DP's how he can ride off into the sunset...in his condo. Colton and Sulley are now hoping that Santa drops off new ATVs for them to play with in the new year!

Christmas 2008

Ahhhh yes, it's finally time to spread the holiday cheer! We've started out the holidays with a bang and are making merry as we travel (leaving a trail of spit up behind) from one holiday party to the next!

Colton and Sulley have had their Christmas outfits for almost two now and we're getting a little anxious to start wearing them. Their coordinating smocked john john and dress made their debut last night as we celebrated the other Mimosa Mommies and the hubbies!

Holiday 2008

DP's and LB

I'm gonna getcha

Circus Monkey

I'm begining to wonder if my son belongs in the circus. You'd think he was born into the Ringling Bros family by the ways he sticks his feet in his mouth. He's not alone...little miss sulley has also been caught in the act. If i'm not careful, they'll prob choke on their own toe jam. yum!

If only Colton liked his bottle as much as he likes his toes... maybe then he'd chunk up some. Greg and I are seriously thinking about coating his paci and all toys with pure butter just to add calories to the mix!

A Hot Mess

Wassup now?!

True Allen Kids

This past weekend was a monumental weekend for the kiddos. Not only was it Colton and Sulley's first Thanksgiving, it was also their first time staying alone with their grandparents for the weekend, but more importantly, it was their first time trying CHEESE DIP and MASHED POTATOES AND GRAVY!! Yes, they passed the test, the dps are true Allen kids...

mmmmm cheese dip!

cheese dip + football - baby formula = happy Colton

Mashed 'taters and gravy

Real man food!

Thanksgiving at SML

We spent Thanksgiving at Smith Mtn Lake with babakay and grandad! Colton and Sulley had a wonderful time hanging out and taking advantage of their time at the lake. They had the most fun just chillin' with grandad in his chair and playing ball with baba.

Playing ball with Baba

Chillin with grandad in his chair by the fire...

grandad and sulley dancing....
(and SHOUT! wasn't even playing)

The happy family!

Congrats!!

Ryan, Linus, Betsy

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yes, we have a lot to be thankful for...

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

WELCOME!!

Betsy and Ryan welcomed their little angel Linus last night at 9:46pm! Linus weighed 8lbs, 8oz and measured 21 inches in length!! Linus and parents are doing well!! Hooray for the Drennans!

Colton's Favorite Things:
-wubbanub
-fingers
-sleep
-mom and dad
-fingers
-fingers

Yes, the kid can't take his fingers out of his mouth. He even sucks his paci with his thumb stuck in hole in the paci. I am probably a bad mom for hardly ever wiping off his hands. I probably should be more proactive about hand washing. Im beginning to think that the only time we wash his hands are when he gets a bath ;)

Still Waiting

Sulley's reaction to finding out that cousin Linus still hasn't arrived yet...

Where Art Thou?

Dear Linus,

It's me Colton. One of your new cousins.

Please hurry up! You're already late. We guess that you're just not ready for your grand entrance.

You don't know us yet, but we are your 6.5 month old (almost 7 month old) twin cousins. Yes, we're a little impatient and have been eagerly awaiting your arrival. I'm excited to have another wingman in the family! Sulley and I got a little to excited to meet Mom and Dad so we entered the world a little early.

It'll be fun to have more cousins to play with throughout the year! It's awesome that you'll live so close! Lucy, our other cousin, lives just up the street from us! Also, we already have a big group of friends for you to meet!

Be safe and see you soon!

Love your cousins-

Colton and Sulley Allen

My Wife is AWESOME!!!

I just got home from the awful Redskins game and saw the amazing picture on our blog of my wife and my beautiful kids and I couldn't resist making a comment. I am the luckiest man on earth and I can't thank you enough, Laura, for everything you do for me and the kids...You are the best wife and mother that a husband and kids can hope for. Thanks for everything you do on a daily basis.

quiet time!

It's finally quiet! Today was the first day that I wished i had some ear plugs. Both Sulley and Colton have been making noise all day. In the past month, both colton and sulley have become more and more vocal and are expanding their range of sounds. today has been part 'talking' and part whining. mostly whining. It's kinda cute for a while and then it gets annoying, especially when one of them starts and then just as soon as you think you have one kid situated, the other starts complaining.

Some how in the middle of all of this, i roasted a chicken, made soup, did piles of laundry, and vacuumed. Oh and i was one of the 10,000 women in DC who purchased a dirt cheap toddler car seat from target. YAY!! So i guess my day hasn't been that unproductive.

for my sake and for greg's sake, let's hope i sleep good tonight!

Charleston, South Kakalaki

Our trip to SC ended with a bang as we spent the last few days in Charleston! After the wedding, Greg, Colton, and Sulley and I spent two extra days hanging out downtown. The weather was perfect all weekend long -- 70 degrees and sunny, hardly any clouds in the sky! Our hotel was perfect - right next to the market, on Meeting St, two blocks from East Bay and two blocks from King. Champagne was served at 3pm everyday, with wine and cheese starting at 5pm and cookies and milk from 8-10pm. Not too mention, the lobby was stocked with jars of m&ms and jelly bellys and also lemonade, peach iced tea, and coffee--- at dusk, the beds were turned down and pralines magically appeared on the pillows.

We had a little extra time to visit with Bryan and Mandi and went to see their new house and new puppy, Marley! We spent the rest of the time shopping on King Street and strolling down East Bay Street and down the Battery...oh and indulging in our favorite Southern cuisine at some of our favorite Chaaaas'ton spots! The only thing we didnt do, was take the kids to the beach! We ran out of time while at the Isle of P but we're already looking forward to our beach trips next year and promise to take lots of pics in the sand!

Daily stretches

Colton recently discovered one of his best features -- his calves aka the famous "Allen calves". Colton works every day at maintaining his nice legs and calves by religiously stretching them both morning and night. He can only hope that his calves are one day stronger than his dad's!

A girl after my own heart...

Sulley recently discovered magazines and loves to look them! (more like ripping the pages and tries to eat them.) Sulley's favorite magazine is the Lilly Pulitzer catalog! Here she is--sitting on top of Gigi and Grandad's table, picking out new outfits for holiday wish list!

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's COLTON!