We had some pictures taken this month now that Kendall is 1! We think they came out great. Kendall is starting to take a few steps here and there but not quite walking yet. We're sure she'll be up and running in a few more weeks.
The Happy Little Family!
Two angels on what Brendan called "his Thor rock"
THE BIRTHDAY GIRL!
We all took a trip to Austin to visit Meredith's friend Lacey and her family. Lacey has a little girl, Auri, who is the same age as Brendan. After a busy day of playing they both racked out on the floor together.
Brendan is taking a gymnastics class, and Kendall gets to play while Brendan is "Gymnastics School". She has a great time and as you can is pulling up to standing. Her hair has also gotten long enough to put into pig tails!
We took Brendan to the Fort Worth Zoo, which is a great Zoo. He was very excited to see all the "ammals". He had a great time and enjoyed making all his animal sounds to the different enclosures. He is also doing very well with Potty Training! Next month we'll have pictures from Kendall's big 1st Birthday Celebration. We can't believe our little Saint Patty's Day baby is already turning 1!
Here is Brendan getting ready for "re-school" in all his superhero gear to include his Daddy illustrated lunch bag. Eddie draws a different superhero on his lunch bag every week. Brendan knows almost every "guy" in the Marvel and DC comics I think.
Kendall and Meredith posing after finally getting Kendall's hair pulled in to a bow. Kendall does not like to get her hair did!
We saw this shirt and had to get if for Kendall. Scan finally show us that big smile now that she has her two front teeth!
Got this shot of Brendan on a rare warm day in Dallas in JANUARY a couple of days later we are trapped in the house because everything is frozen over and it's 15 degrees outside. Got to love that Texas weather
Kendall post bath-time in her Princess Towel. If we could only get her to love the changing table as much as she loves the bath.
Happy New Year! We hope the kids get along this well all the time. We had a great Holiday Season and the kids really enjoyed their Christmas. Brendan was absolutely into Christmas this year. From the decorations on the our street, to the "Santa Claus Tree", and all of the "Songs," with his favorite being "Frosty". We had the kids take pictures with Santa as you can see.
Brendan was more than happy to take a picture with Santa, which was great because he usually freaks out when he sees people dressed up like when he saw Dora and Snoopy.
November brought Kendall's first Thanksgiving and our first fried turkey. Because the turkey only took 30 minutes we had Thanksgiving Dinner early. That allowed us to get the "Santa Claus Tree" up and decorated. Brendan helped me put the top on the tree. This year Brendan is a big fan of all things Christmas. "Sanna Claus", "Frossie the No-Man" and "Ru Doff" are his most favorite things right now. He is learning and singing many Christmas Carols.
Kendall is now standing up with assistance of anything in the house. Won't be long now before she is walking!
Brendan loves his "Santa Claus Tree". He can turn the lights on the tree all by himself. This photo in front of the tree took forever to get done, but we're glad we have it.
October has brought the cooler weather and some new photos on the Commender's Blog. Brendan and Kendall are getting along so well lately and we caught Brendan & Kendall "Going Nigh-Nigh".
This year "Brendan America" went trick-or-treating as Captain America. He was a little nervous going up to the first house but as soon as he realized he was getting candy, he said "More houses, more houses, more houses, etc..."
Kendall looked very cute in her Halloween costume and was a real trooper going with us to all the houses.
Here are the pictures from Kendall's 6 month photo shoot. We got some great shots of them individually and together.
Cooler temperatures are not the only thing moving in the Commender Household. Kendall is officially crawling!!! We thought life was busy before but with both kids moving, we have realized keeping up with them is a new level of busy. She also had her 1st tooth pop through, and her 2nd bottom front tooth should pop up any second now. Although her teething is uncomfortable she is still a very happy baby, and great sleeper! 
Brendan has been staying busy with lots of activities. In the last month we have gone to the Dallas Aquarium, Curious George Live (picture below), and a petting zoo/pumpkin patch. Yesterday at the "Punkin Patch" he rode a pony. When we first approached " the horshey" he held on to Eddie for dear life, but within 10 seconds of being on the pony he was holding on to the saddle with one hand yelling "Yee-Haw"(not kidding).
It won't be long now! Kendall will crawl any day now, and she is ready to go! Enough watching big brother run around the house like a maniac! She is so happy and sweet all the time, but this month the teeth have been really coming in and she has been pretty angry about it!
Little Wonder Woman! Eddie couldn't resist this onesie. So cute!
Brendan is into many new activities over the last few months, with coloring and reading being the top two without a doubt! He could color all day long and fully expects for you to sit and color with him. He also loves reading and usually spends 30 minutes to an hour each night "reading" to himself in his room. His favorite books are "Ah-mulls" - a book about Noah's Ark; "Choo Choo" - The Little Engine that Could; "Fruits, Apples, Nanas" - a book about fruit; and "Melmo" - his potty book about Elmo. He likes to read about the potty but not actually use it! 
In other news, I tested for and passed my International "A" Judo Referee test in Miami just last weekend. It is a goal I have been working towards for 16 years. Someday, maybe I will referee at the Olympics which actually sounds a lot cooler than it actually is! 
This summer has been brutally hot, so we have spent a lot of time indoors. Thankfully, Brendan doesn't mind so much! Brendan just completed his swimming class with Eddie which was lots of fun. We also took him to the Circus last week which was a total blast! Can't wait to go again next year with both kids. Brendan is so much fun and is talking more and more every day. He is a little bundle of energy!
Eddie and I really can't believe how lucky we are to have not one, but TWO, kids now who are just so amazingly sweet and full of smiles. Kendall's little personality has really started to shine in the last month. She loves attention (uh oh!), and is always smiling and cooing. She is precious. 
It seems like Brendan gets bigger and more talkative everyday. He is just a little chatterbox and his new favorite activity is jumping. He tries to jump all over the house, including on the beds, which he thinks is hilarious (me? not so much). He also has fallen in love with apples this month, but only when you let him eat a whole one like a big boy. The cool thing is that eating one apple takes him about 30 minutes, so that is some good downtime for me! Ha!
My brother Seth, his wife Lindsey, and their two boys - Carter (4) and Gabriel (2) - came to visit this month, and the kids had a blast playing together. Poor Kendall will have to be a tough one to keep up with her brother and 2 boy cousins! Carter loved Kendall and spent most of his time next to her, which she clearly enjoyed!
Gabriel and Brendan are only 1 month apart in age, so they enjoyed playing together and annoying Carter! It was great to have the whole family together, though it further solidified my belief that if I ever had more than 2 kids, I would have a nervous breakdown. LOL
Little Kendall is such a sweet baby girl! She loves to smile and coo and makes the cutest little noises! And she is getting really great at holding her head up.
Beautiful blue eyes and black hair! I've started putting barrettes in and have a feeling ponytail holders are coming soon!
Our little Brendan isn't so little anymore! He is 30 lbs. and full of energy. He literally runs around all day until he collapses! He is also talking up a storm this month as well. He loves to be outside in the background in what Eddie and I affectionately refer to as the "White Trash Waterpark" due to the playground slide/baby pool rig I created. He also just completed his first "school year" at Mother's Day Out, and got a wonderful report from his teachers who said they wished they had a "class full of Brendans." Maybe they say that to every parent, but we'll take it. So proud of our happy little guy!
If you could see a picture of me as a baby, you would think I was Kendall's twin sister! What a cutie pie!
Brendan and Eddie - best buddies!
My dear friend Lacey Melguizo came to visit this month and she took these beautiful pictures of little Kendall. Mark my words...in 5 years, Lacey will be one of the most popular photographers in Austin, so watch out!
Precious!
Brendan loves his little sister! He is always kissing her and will go and get her pacifier, blanket, diaper, etc if she is crying. He is such a sweet little boy. He is talking up a storm this month, and I feel like he gets bigger and older every day. I can't believe he's almost 2 years old! Where has the time gone? 
This picture is my favorite! Between the two of us, we will be keeping hair salons in business for years to come!
Our "little" girl has finally arrived! Kendall Adrea Commender was born on March 17, 2010. I put "little" in quotation marks because she was 9 lbs. 12 oz and 21 in. long! And, yes, I ended up having a VBAC. Thank God for epidurals! Not surprisingly, and as I predicted, she was born with a full head of hair with extra hair on her back and shoulders as well! All joking aside, she is a beautiful little girl and we are very blessed to have a healthy and happy daughter to complete our family.
I have to admit that I love all of her clothes! She has a wardrobe bigger than mine thanks to the extra supply of clothes I received from Lacey, Lane, and Lisa. Thanks, ladies! She is quite the little sleepyhead right now but I'm sure that will change soon. When she is not sleeping, her favorite activity is to remind me how hard and painful breastfeeding is, but I'm trying to trudge forwad with it!
Brendan has been such a good big brother and is just so sweet with Kendall. He gives her kisses constantly during the day and is always wanting to touch and stroke her. It is so adorable to watch. He calls her "Key" or "Bay-BEE" which he pronounces like he was saying it in French. He still thinks I have a "Bay-BEE" in my stomach though! Grandma and Grandpa have been visiting since Kendall was born and have been a huge help taking care of Brendan while I tend to Kendall. Plus, Eddie took a week and a half off of work as well. So, when everyone asks me how it is with 2 kids, I have said, "Easy, so far!" b/c I have so much help. Ask me in a couple of weeks!
Brendan is such a good helper! I thought he would be trying to steal Kendall's pacifiers but he always gently tries to get her to take them. And he gets upset when she cries, so maybe he will always be her protector! When you show him pictures of her or her clothes, he says, "Awww!" in the cutest little voice. I can't believe I have 2 babies but they are both so precious.
