Robert and Amy Plus TWO!

Catching up 2011

2012-01-30T20:21:00.001-06:00

I've been going through all of our photos from the past year and have found a lot of things I never blogged, particularly in the last quarter of the year. I dated everything close to when it occurred so it will be in the right place when I make our blog book, but here are links to all the posts I added for people who are interested:

Kate's Birthday
Project Life: Weeks 40 - 41
Project Life: Weeks 42 - 43
Project Life: Week 45
Project Life: Week 46
Project Life: Weeks 47 - 48
Project Life: Week 49
Project Life: Week 50
Added a video to Christmas 2011: The Bike

Cheers!

2012-01-21T20:05:00.002-06:00

Something Claire picked up from school recently was clinking cups/glasses/etc. together and saying "Cheers!" She does it pretty frequently, but I didn't realized how closely Will was paying attention until a couple of days ago. He was sick earlier in the week and had to stay home from school on Tuesday, and while we were playing, he picked up two cups, banged them together, and said something that closely resembled "Cheers!" It cracked me up, so he did it over and over again. Now the two of them send each other into giggles by "Cheers"-ing drinks, snacks, sandwiches, and whatever else they happen to be holding.

Will's Words

2012-01-20T22:13:00.000-06:00

At 14 months, Will is so much more verbal than Claire was at this age. I wanted to start recording the words he is saying regularly now:

Ball
Throw
Apple
Banana (sounds like "Nay-nay")
No
Mama
Da ("Daddy")
Claire (sounds like "Caire")
Uh-oh
Up
More
Bottle
This
Hi
Bye-bye
Mine
Sock
Dora, map, & backpack (from "Dora the Explorer")
Blue (as in "Blue's Clues)

Dora, Dora, Dora

2012-01-20T21:48:00.002-06:00

For Christmas, Claire got a Dora the Explorer game for her Leapster, and she was suddenly all about Dora. It caused her television viewing breakdown to shift from primarily Blue's Clues to Dora (those two shows make up probably 80% of her television viewing, with the small remainder being occasional Praise Baby or Muppet DVDs).

This has had a funny effect on Will. While Claire had zero interest in tv (probably because we didn't really put on anything that would interest her until she was close to 2), Will is really curious about it. Whenever he wants the tv to be turned on, he'll crawl/cruise/walk over, point at it, and say "Dora, Dora, Dora!" (Although if he wants to watch something in one of the cars, which we don't allow very often, he will point at it and say "Blue!") It's also taught him the words "map" and "backpack", singing the theme song is one surefire way to calm him down, and he loves to carry around a Dora book.

The new found love of Dora has been really helpful this week - it's been really nice to have something to get Will to focus on during breathing treatments (he came down with RSV and was having to get treatments a few times a day). He used to be a crying mess during the treatments, but now we just start the show, and he willingly sits in my lap without fighting the mask - except during the "Swiper, no swiping!" part of the song when he needs to vigorously wave his arm around like his big sister.

I definitely think there are worse shows for the kids to be attached to - I like that Claire really follows the story and plays along with the logic games during the show, besides helping Will learn some new words. And, there are usually two new episodes almost every day, so there's almost always a fresh episode on the DVR to keep me from going crazy. I guess Dora can stick around for now.

New Year, New Career

2012-01-14T21:53:00.000-06:00

In September, Robert and I had some uninterrupted time together during a quick trip to Dallas for a friend's wedding, and we were able to really talk for the first time in a long time. One of the things that came out of that conversation was the struggle I'd been having in my mind - should I keep working or stay home with the kids? We both took a couple of months to think through things, set expectations, etc., and right before Thanksgiving, I gave notice at my job that I would be leaving. My boss and co-workers were very supportive and understanding, and I stayed for a few weeks to help with some big projects that were underway. My last day was in mid-December, and my new career as a stay at home mom began with the new year.

So far, it has been terrific. The kids still go to school two days a week (they really enjoy it, and we feel like the curriculum and social interaction are good for them), so I have plenty of time to run non-kid friendly errands, clean the house, etc. We've been filling our days easily with play dates, library story times, errands, and lots of play. I'm surprised how quickly the days go by, and we are adjusting well to our new schedules. I know we are bound to run into a few struggles and days that don't go as smoothly, but I have no doubt that it was the right decision and am loving the extra time to focus on our family.

New Year's Eve

2012-01-01T21:40:00.000-06:00

How times have changed! Several years ago, I would've spent New Year's Eve day resting and primping for a night out. The last day of 2011 was low-key, filled with family time, and I was sleeping as the clock hit 12 - and I wouldn't have had it any other way!

The weather was perfect, so we drove to Austin with plans to ride the Zilker Park train. Lots of other people had the same idea, and rides were selling out quickly. We didn't have time to ride before lunch, but Claire was quickly consoled by the park's great playground.

After lunch at Hula Hut, we tried the train again (still sold out!) and started back to SA. After stops at a couple of furniture stores, we were back home to just hang out and continue our lazy day. It was the perfect way to end the year!

Christmas 2011: The Bike

2011-12-30T22:30:00.000-06:00

A few months ago Claire started really zooming around on her tricycle, and we told her if she kept it up, we'd get her a "big girl" bike. We took her to a bike shop a couple of weeks before Christmas to look around and get her fitted. Fortunately Trek makes a 12 inch bike that fit her perfectly, and we all preferred the blue bike to the pink.

After stockings, Robert wheeled the bike out. Claire was so excited, and that afternoon we took her outside for a ride. She did such a great job!

A video of her inaugural ride:

Christmas 2011: Part Two

2011-12-30T22:06:00.000-06:00

On Tuesday we drove to Vernon to celebrate with my side of the family. Aunt Nancy, Uncle Kerbow, and Jonathan came for the day on Wednesday, and we opened presents and enjoyed another Christmas dinner.

Fueling up for presents with a snack

Claire passing out the presents

Dad looking at the photo book we made for him with pictures from his and Will's birthday celebration

Will and his new airplane

Claire & Nana looking at a photo book for pictures of our family

Afterwards we took Claire to the high school to show off her bike riding skills. There is a sidewalk that goes all around the top of the football stadium, and she really motored around the entire thing. The rest of us had trouble keeping up.

Will enjoyed watching his big sister!

Thursday we headed back home, and we had the easiest trip ever. Seriously - it could not have gone any smoother. For six hours, we had minimal tears, only pulled over a couple of times for Claire to use her travel potty and another time to go through the Whataburger drive through, got naps from both kids, and I actually read the entire January book for Book Club on my new Kindle. It was truly a Christmas miracle. :)

Christmas 2011: Part One

2011-12-27T21:49:00.000-06:00

We spent Christmas in Arlington as per our usual tradition. We drove up on Friday and spent Saturday doing some last minute shopping and hanging out with our family. Will loved playing "Ride-y Horse-y" with Ma.

The light up antlers were passed around a few times and got lots of giggles.

Christmas day was filled with family, food, and fun presents.

After breakfast we started with stockings. Will was anxious to check his out.

The maracas have been a big hit with both C & W.

Aunt Carol and Baby Grace checking out Grace's pile.

This one has also been popular.

The Hello Kitty Bingo set provided lots of entertainment.

Uncle Lee and me with our special stockings. :)

Claire with her big gift - a big girl bike (that deserves it's own post!).

New markers!

Sweet Baby Grace

Bob & Ma taking it all in

Will is ready to learn how to grill!

On Monday we went to Fort Worth to visit Great-Grandmommy and Great-Granddaddy and then got ready for the next leg of our trip.

Holiday Recital 2011

2011-12-26T14:48:00.000-06:00

Claire and Will's school held their holiday recital on the 16th. Will's class performed to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", wearing Santa hats and shaking little bells. Will wasn't too sure what to think about the crowd, but at least he didn't melt down! (Sorry about the photo quality - I had to zoom in, and then I cropped out the other children.)

Claire's class performed to "Jingle Bell Rock", and she was super excited, although this photo might make it seem otherwise:

She did a great job with the choreography - one of the best, in our opinion. :) A couple of weeks before the show, we were trying to figure out which song they would be performing to, and Robert just started listing off random Christmas song. When he said "Jingle Bell Rock", she said "That's it! That's it!" She practiced a lot at home. :)

We have a video of her re-enacting her performance during Christmas at Ma & Bob's house. Our favorite part is towards the end, when she gets down on her knees, holds out her arms, wiggles her hands, and exclaims "Merry Christmas Everyone!!!" It's near the 2 minute mark.

School pictures and a gift

2011-12-21T15:07:00.000-06:00

The fall school picture day happened in October. Usually the pictures aren't that great, plus we had done professional sessions in August and had another one coming up in November, but they were going to use a different photographer, so I put in a little extra effort to dress the kids in outfits that coordinated.

I'm so glad I did, because we ended up with the best photo of the two of them together - better than any from any of the other professional sessions we've done. We ordered several copies to give as gifts, and now that most of them have been handed out, I thought I'd share. This definitely isn't the best representation, but it gives an idea. This was for Robert's office - I got the frame for him as one of his Christmas gifts. Now I just need to get the larger version framed for our house!

Christmas Traditions

2011-12-21T15:00:00.000-06:00

This is the first year that Claire has been really excited about Christmas and seemed to begin to grasp what it was all about. We decided not to put up a big tree this year (Will isn't walking but is pulling up on everything), and the idea of trying to keep Will away from a tree and presents just seemed a little exhausting. I did want to have some fun activities with Claire that would get her excited and help teach her what Christmas is about, so we did a Jesse Tree and a nativity advent calendar. The Jesse Tree was so fun - I'd never heard about one until this year. Each day you color an ornament and read a scripture about the lineage of Christ. I read about it here and printed out the ornaments and scripture references. Every night after Will went to bed, we would read the story while Claire colored the ornament and then hung it on a small tree.

Then we would pull a figure from the appropriate day on the Advent calendar and put it on the nativity scene.

I really enjoyed doing these things with her and further developing our family's Christmas decorations. I look forward to Will being old enough to participate next year!

Christmas Party

2011-12-20T14:52:00.000-06:00

Claire's class had their Christmas party yesterday. They had a good time playing games like "Pass the Candy Cane" and doing a book exchange. I think Claire's favorite part was lunch - pizza and cupcakes (although I think she only ate the frosting). The first picture makes me laugh - it really illustrates how small she is in comparison to her classmates.

Project Life: Week 50

2011-12-19T20:19:00.000-06:00

December 12 - 18

Friday, December 16
School holiday recital

Sunday, December 18

Nana and Granddaddy came to SA for the weekend to visit and to see the kids' holiday recital. On Sunday after church, Claire and Will had a great time getting wagon rides from Granddaddy.

Project Life: Week 49

2011-12-12T15:01:00.000-06:00

December 5 - 11

Tuesday, December 6

One of Claire's favorite things to do is draw and practice her letters on her white boards. Today I asked her what she was drawing, and she said "a cow". I came over to look, and for the first time, I could actually recognize what she drew. So proud!

Claire giving Will wagon rides in the playroom. It usually ends with someone upset, but it's always fun for awhile. :)

Saturday, December 10

We met up with Grandmommy last night for dinner, and the kids got their first Christmas presents. Claire got a Leapster Explorer, which she loves, and Will got a little play kitchen. We took it out of the box this morning, and both kids had a great time playing with it.

My silly, happy boy (and his spoon)

2011-12-07T11:08:00.000-06:00

Today the kids are in school and it is my day to catch up on photos and the blog.

[December 2] Just a few of my happy boy. The kid still loves spoons (really, any utensil, but spoons seem to be the safest!) and always wants one (or two, or three) in his hand at all times.

[December 4] The little scamp can't walk, but he has become a champion climber. After I caught this, we hid Claire's step stool.

Project Life: Weeks 47 - 48

2011-12-05T14:54:00.000-06:00

Saturday, November 26

One of Will's favorite activities is playing in the kitchen drawers. He is so proud when he pulls stuff out.

Tuesday, November 29

Will is getting really good at following directions - here I was telling him to show me his spoon.

Finally got a chance to use my anniversary present - a Le Creuset dutch oven. LOVE!

2011 Christmas Lists

2011-12-02T22:43:00.001-06:00

We've had several people ask us about Christmas lists for the family, so here are some suggestions. We are so blessed to have so many people think of us during the holidays! If there is something specific you would like to get for one of the kids, just let me know and I can cross it off of the list.

Claire:
~~Leapster Explorer~~
~~Leapster Explorer case~~
~~Do-A-Dot markers and books~~
~~Crayola Dry Erase Activity Center (the one with letters and numbers)~~
~~Crayola Dry Erase Markers~~
Washable markers
~~Goodbyn Bynto lunchbox~~
Gift cards to Gap/Old Navy, Target, or The Children's Place for clothes

Will:
~~Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Kitchen~~
~~Little People Airplane~~
~~Melissa & Doug Toolbox Fill and Spill~~
Edushape Sensory Balls
Zoli Sumo Snack Stacker
Sili Squeeze (for smoothies and travel)
~~Nalgene Tritan Grip & Gulp water bottle~~
Clothes and pajamas - size 24 months or gift cards to Gap/Old Navy, Carters, or The Children's Place
Gift cards to Stride Rite, Nordstrom, or Target for shoes

For both kids/whole family:
Books! A few suggestions - http://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/3PCSEMPBNO0UZ/ref=cm_wl_rlist_go_o
Memberships to the ~~McKenna Children's Museum~~, ~~San Antonio Zoo~~, or San Antonio Botanical Gardens
Lego Duplo block sets
Lego Duplo building plates

Robert & Amy: e-mail us!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-30T21:53:00.000-06:00

"The Year Things Didn't Go As Planned, but Worked Out Anyway"

The family decided to have Thanksgiving at our house again this year - since my parents' house is on the market, and we weren't sure what would be going on there, it seemed easier for us to host.

The original plan:
1. Mom and Dad would come on Tuesday, and I would send the kids to school on Wednesday and help them cook.
2. Rest of the family (Curtis/Kristin/Chris and Sheila/Robert) would come Wednesday afternoon/evening.
3. Finish the meal Thursday morning.
4. Spend the rest of the day eating and watching football.
5. Aggies would win (well, that part might have only been in my plan...).

On Monday, Mom got sick. It looked like she would be still be contagious by Wednesday, and with Will being so prone to respiratory issues, she didn't wanted to risk getting him sick and had to stay home. So, enter

Plan #2:
1. Dad would come on Wednesday and do the dressing. I would still send the kids to school on Wednesday and spend the day working on sides/desserts/cleaning/etc.
2-5. No change

At around lunch time on Tuesday, the school called saying that Will had thrown up twice and needed to be picked up. Sick again. :( This also meant he would have to stay home on Wednesday. Amount of food to be prepared was pared down, so

What actually happened:
1. On Wednesday, Will and I naively drove to Honeybaked Ham thinking I'd pick up a ham for Thursday. Got there about 20 minutes after the store opened, and the line was at least 50 people deep out the door. Didn't even get out of the car and just headed to HEB for a ham and the rest of the groceries. Picked Claire up and fortunately both kids napped well, so I made a pecan pie, got the sweet potatoes baked and the sweet potato casserole assembled , made cornbread for the dressing, and baked a chocolate pudding cake.
2. Dad and rest of the family came.
3. Dad and Claire finished the dressing, and everything else went much more smoothly that I imagined. We actually sat down to eat within about 10 minutes of when I planned. The new recipes (sweet potato casserole (I reduced the sugar by half) and sauteed green beans) were hits. SUCCESS!
4. Spent the rest of the day eating and watching football.
5. Aggies blew it. Big time. But, that was not a big surprise considering how the rest of the season had gone, and I could at least be happy for my husband that his team won.

We scaled things down, no one was stressed, and we all enjoyed our time together. On Friday, those of us who were left visited some missions (Will and I joined them after a visit to the doctor), took naps (yay!), and relaxed. Overall, while we missed Mom and were so sad she couldn't be there, everything else turned out wonderfully.

Claire and Will on Wednesday prepping for the game

Claire and Dad making the dressing

Playing Claire's new fishing game - her treat for being such a good listener over the weekend. :)

Will - One on 11.11.11

2011-11-26T15:05:00.000-06:00

"Whooosh!"

That was the sound of the past year flying by. :) How is it possible that my baby is 1 - and really, less of a baby and more of a toddler? Although it has flown by, it's kind of hard to remember life without Will. He has brought so much fun, laughter, and joy to our little family. The price of lost sleep has been worth it!

A few things about Will at age 1:

At his one year appointment, he weighed 24 lbs, 12 ounces (75th percentile) and measured 31.5 inches tall (90th percentile). Quite a difference from his petite sister (see Claire's one year stats here).
Will LOVES his big sister, and she adores him, too - except when one of them has something the other one wants. Taking something away from Will is about the only thing that really sets him off (other than generally being hungry, tired, etc.), and Claire is a pro at getting that type of reaction. Most of the time they play well together and love each others company.

He likes to eat and will try anything. What he doesn't like gets immediately spit out and thrown on the floor.
When Will is done eating, he wants his plate/high chair tray completely cleaned off. If you don't get to it before he does, he will take care of it for you by throwing food and waving his hands over the tray until everything is gone. We're working on that. :)
He loves to hold a spoon or fork even when he's not eating. He's quite independent and already wants to feed himself. He's getting good at it really quickly.
Will is still taking formula in bottles. Last week was supposed to be "bottle boot camp" when we switched from formula to milk, reduced number of ounces, and switched all (at least day time) bottles to sippy cups. That plan was interrupted by a nasty double ear infection, so we will try again soon.
He is not walking yet, but cruises around and will occasionally stand on his own for a few seconds. I'm in no rush!
Will is transitioning to the next class at school and is quickly adapting to the new teachers and new routine. They take naps on mats rather than cribs - such a big boy!
Like his sister at this age, he has lots of teeth - 6 on bottom, 4 completely in on top, and his upper one year molars are about halfway through. The canines are already starting to work their way up, too.
We are getting there on sleep - he sleeps through the night (7 pm to 5 or 6 am) most nights, and he will usually take a bottle and go back to sleep for another hour or so. It's been a long road, but we're finally making some good progress!
Will is saying several words that we can understand - "throw", "ball", "uh oh", and "up" are the most often heard, and we'll occasionally get a "da" for Robert and a "maaaa-ma" for me, but I'm not adding it to the "official" list yet. He can follow simple instructions - "Come to Mama", "Drop your spoon in the sink", etc. so we know he is understanding a lot.
Going by his words, it shouldn't be surprising to know that some of his favorite toys are balls or other things he can throw. He also really likes the play kitchen, spoons, and digging around in drawers and cabinets.

He laughs easily, smiles easily, loves to cuddle, and is a happy little guy who is very loved!

Project Life: Week 46

2011-11-21T14:47:00.000-06:00

November 14 - 20

Tuesday, November 15

Will figured out how to open the entertainment center cabinets - uh, oh!

Friday, November 18

Claire helped me sort the laundry - about time she started earning her keep.

Saturday, November 19

Today we got Robert a new vehicle. Buying a new car always takes a long time, and we did our best to keep the kiddos entertained.

More Claire and Pierce

2011-11-18T15:24:00.001-06:00

Courtney recently sent me a few pictures she had of Claire and Pierce from our visit last month, and I had to share. We loved them - great captures of their sweet friendship.

Project Life: Week 45

2011-11-14T14:39:00.000-06:00

November 7 - 13

Monday, November 7

This morning Claire was staying busy (and awfully quiet) in our closet while we were getting ready for work, and when I checked on her, I found this lovely arrangement of my shoes. Have I mentioned before that I think she may have a career as a professional organizer? :)

Later that day I got a call that Will was sick...again...so we rushed to the doctor's office. Nothing major - fortunately he was well by his birthday.

Friday, November 11

My sweet birthday boy!

Saturday, November 12
Today we celebrated Will's birthday - photos are here.

Will's First Birthday Party

2011-11-13T15:42:00.000-06:00

We celebrated Will's birthday with a small family party. It was actually a double celebration as he shares his 11.11 birthday with his Granddaddy (my dad) who also celebrated a milestone birthday this year - number 80!
Attendees were Granddaddy and Nana, Aunt Sheila ("Aunt La La") and Uncle Robert, and David and Penelope. We had hamburgers and two birthday cakes - one for each birthday. :)

Getting ready with Daddy

The birthday boys!

Opening presents with a little help from Mommy and Claire

A little overwhelmed - all better after some cuddles with Mommy

More presents!

Dad counting the candles on his cake. I put one for each decade - didn't want to melt the cake! :) He got a coconut cake - one of his all-time favorites.

Will needed a little help blowing out his candle

Not interested in the hat

Claire enjoying her piece

Didn't take long for him to dig in!

Looks like a successful first birthday to me!

"I'm a big girl, but..."

2011-11-05T22:36:00.001-05:00

Claire has recently learned how to buckle the chest buckle on her car seat by herself. I hadn't necessarily encouraged it because I was a little afraid that learning how to buckle it would quickly be followed by learning how to unbuckle it (which I'm not ready for!), but fortunately that hasn't happened. Every time she gets in the car, she says, "I'm a big girl - I don't need your help" as she crawls in the seat.

One day I picked the kids up from school, and Claire got in her seat and buckled the chest plate while I got Will settled. When I came around to her side, I got the usual "I'm a big girl - I don't need your help!" I said, "Well, if you're a big girl, why don't you do this part?" as I finished buckling her in. She sat there a second, and then said, "I'm a big girl, but not that big." It was all I could do not to bust up laughing.

Sweet girl, I'm glad you're not that big. Stay little for a while longer, please!

Halloween 2011: Part Three

2011-11-03T22:08:00.000-05:00

Halloween Night - Claire was so excited about trick or treating that I had a hard time getting her to stand still for a photo. Will was much more chill about the whole thing.

Note the almost ever present headband

After a few photos, we headed over to the neighborhood pizza party and visited with a few neighbors before hitting a few houses for trick or treating. Claire was a little apprehensive at first, but she quickly got over her shyness (easier to do when candy is involved)! She loved figuring out who was home and running to ring the doorbell while Will was happy guarding the wagon.

As it started getting dark, we took the puppy home to get ready for bed while Daddy and the cupcake passed out candy to the older kids. We had a good number of kids come by and ran out of candy right around Claire's bedtime. Before bath, she got to go through her loot and pick a couple of treats to savor before bath. I may or may not have also found a couple of treats in there after her bedtime...

Halloween 2011: Part Two

2011-11-02T21:59:00.000-05:00

The actual day of Halloween started off with a parade at the kids' school. Claire dressed up as a cupcake, while Will was a puppy (or as I thought, Cutest Puppy Ever).

I think this was our last year to pick Claire's costume for her. A month or so before, I asked Claire what she wanted to be, and I offered up a few suggestions - cupcake, ice cream cone, strawberry, etc. (easy to find costumes!). She sat there a minute, and then said "I want to be juice." "Juice?" "Yes, a juice box!" So creative! While I would've loved to fulfill that request, we just didn't have time to make a costume. Besides, at this age, I was afraid she would change her mind the day before. Fortunately she was really excited about her cupcake costume - and of course, she looked adorable. She really stood out in the sea of princesses at the parade. :)

Halloween 2011: Part One

2011-11-02T20:30:00.000-05:00

Halloween seems to get more fun each year as Claire gets older - her excitement spreads to the rest of us. So many pictures this year that I'm going to spread them out in 3 posts!

The celebration started on Sunday at our church's fall festival. Claire really had a blast playing some of the games this year and even wanted to get her face painted - something she never would've considered last year!

Will got in on the action, doing his best throwing some beanbags at the beanbag toss. He is so into balls and throwing things - truly all boy!

Claire really wanted to go in the bounce house and just giggled and laughed the whole time we were in there. Will got to participate, too (with a little help from Mommy)!

Project Life: Weeks 42 - 43

2011-10-31T14:32:00.000-05:00

October 17 - 30

Tuesday, October 18

Will is getting good drinking from his sippy cup!

Friday, October 21

My placement for JLSA this year was Ole Market.place, and tonight was the Girls' Night Out event. The giant flashing pink rings that were handed out were fun - this may be the most "blinged out" I've ever been.

Tuesday, October 25

Trying on clothes to figure out what to wear for some upcoming photo sessions.

Thursday, October 27

Will's turn to model some new clothes for me!

Friday, October 28

Robert and I got to celebrate our 5th anniversary. Grandmommy came down for the night to watch the kids while we went to dinner (Baked Alaska for dessert) and had a night away at the Westin La Cantera. It was so great to have some uninterrupted time together and sleep in!

Pumpkin Patch 2011

2011-10-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday the kids and I visited a pumpkin patch. I thought this year would be the one where we made a day of it and visited one of the big patches outside of town, but things were a little hectic in October. I'm sure Will and Claire enjoyed this one just as much. We went on a weekday, and there weren't many other kids there, so Claire was able to run around checking out all the pumpkins while Will and I kicked back and watched.

Enjoying some of the books sitting out for story time later that day

Love that little tummy!

Will at 11 Months

2011-10-24T15:14:00.000-05:00

Better late than never... :)

Project Life: Weeks 40 - 41

2011-10-17T14:25:00.000-05:00

Photos from October 3 - 16

Monday, October 3

Tonight we tried out one of the new smoothie recipes we tasted at the Vitamix demonstration at the Fair - a green smoothie with grapes, banana, lime, orange, and spinach. It was delicious - you don't even taste the spinach, so it's a great way to get in some extra veggies.

Saturday, October 8

Will looked so cute stretching on his tip toes to play with the kitchen. I was so glad I already had the camera out and had taken a few pictures since a few moments later Claire came over and did this:

I feel like it's such a great expression of their relationship - I've gotten a little choked up a couple of times when I look at this photo. We are so blessed!

Tuesday, October 11

Mom, Dad, and Aunt Nancy were here this past weekend, and we put Dad to work building a couple of stepstools for Claire's bathroom (one for the sink and one for the toilet). Today the paint was done drying so we moved them into her bathroom. She was so excited to test them out - no more stretching to reach the toothpaste!

Will is 11 months old today!

Friday, October 14

The kids enjoying a rare quiet moment watching "Blue's Clues".

Saturday, October 15

We saw a cat in our yard this morning, and I sent Claire to take care of it. She stands on the edge of the patio and yells "Go away old cat! Go away! Go away!" Really scary. :)

State Fair of Texas 2011

2011-10-06T22:20:00.000-05:00

A visit to the State Fair is a family tradition that we could not miss. For the first time, we were there on opening day, but the crowds were not bad at all. We made it through the line and headed towards Big Tex and the Fletcher's Corny Dog stand. We started to get in line and realized that Claire was asleep, so she missed out on a corny dog this round. Will was a fan, though.

We hit all of our usual spots, including the car show.

Will got his first lion picture...

...and Claire got her fourth (previous years' photos can be seen here)!

ROAR!

Claire then thought she should roar for every photo:

Will mesmerized by the VitaMix demo:

We learned a new recipe for green smoothies that we've made several times - I'll post it soon on a recipe review post.

Claire did some good work in the Little Farmers' Spot.

Claire fell asleep in the stroller (again) and wasn't excited about getting picked up for a photo, but we had to get a picture with Big Tex before we left. It's close to impossible to get a photo of all 4 of us looking at the camera and smiling, so I'll take it. :)

We finally let her sleep when we got to the car - they were both out before we left the parking lot.

Big Bubbles!

2011-10-05T22:10:00.000-05:00

Ma always comes up with some fun activities for Claire. During our last trip, Ma set up a big bubble station and she and Claire had a great time making some huge bubbles.

The supervisors

After bubbles, Claire had to show off her somersaulting ability.

Happy, silly girl!

Day at the Zoo

2011-10-04T08:42:00.000-05:00

We were in the Dallas area last week to spend time with family and friends and do some exploring with the kids. One of our big activities was a trip to the Fort Worth Zoo - such a great zoo!

The giant tortoises

Riding the tortoise statue

Posing with the boa constrictor

Claire was really interested in the boa, but got a little freaked out by a pit viper that raised its head right as she got in close for a good look. "Mama, I don't YIKE [like] that one!"

Lots of turtles - "I YIKE those!!!"

"I don't yike dat one."

Getting ready to jump

A little help from Daddy

The cheering section

Elephants! (My favorite)

Smart rhino

We left as it started getting hot and met Great-Grandmommy and Great-Granddaddy for lunch before spending some time with them at their place. It was a fun start to our mini-vacation!

Project Life: Week 39

2011-10-03T21:17:00.000-05:00

Photos from September 26 - October 2

Monday, September 26

Going after the tv components - maybe we need to do more baby proofing for Kid #2!

Wednesday, September 28
On Tuesday we drove up to the DFW area to visit friends/family and take in a few activities. We spent Wednesday in Fort Worth - morning at the zoo, lunch with Great-Grandmommy and Great-Granddaddy, and a quick trip to a fabric store for me. Last time we went, Claire was scared of the statues, but this time she was eager to take her photo riding the tortoise. She still wasn't sure about the Komodo dragon.

Thursday, September 29
Claire had a blast making giant bubbles with Ma while Bob and Will supervised.

Friday, September 30
Opening day of the State Fair!

Saturday, October 1

We stayed with Courtney, Jared, and Pierce Thursday night through Sunday morning. Today the adults went to the A&M/Arkansas game at Cowboys Stadium. It was a tough loss, and we didn't stick around to take a photo together after the game as originally planned. We did get some cute pictures of Claire and Pierce having fun eating dinner with all of Pierce's figurines. They always have such a great time together!

Project Life: Week 38

2011-09-26T21:01:00.000-05:00

Photos from September 19 - 25

Wednesday, September 21

The snow cone truck was in the school parking lot again today. It had been a few weeks since I let Claire get one, so I relented this week. Just like her Daddy, she loves snow cones. Will even got a tiny taste.

Tonight on our walk to the mailbox, Claire wanted to ride her tricycle. Her legs are finally long enough to reach the pedals. Since we weren't taking the stroller, Will got to try out the little car. He LOVED it!

Thursday, September 22

Today is my 36th birthday. Robert and I had a special lunch at Roaring Fork and celebrated that night with cupcakes - yum!

Sunday, September 25

For my birthday, Robert's mom got us tickets to a walking food tour in Austin today and provided free babysitting. :) While the kids had fun with Grandmommy, Aunt Carol, and Baby Grace, Robert and I enjoyed good food at several restaurants - and a local brew. :)

Food Trials {Vol. 2}

2011-09-21T22:08:00.000-05:00

I made a few new things this week:

Recipe: Zucchini, Black Bean, and Rice Skillet

Source: Ready Set Eat via Pinterest

Tweeks: I had crushed tomatoes on hand, so I used those instead of diced tomatoes. They didn't have garlic in them, so I added some garlic and sauteed it with the zucchini and bell pepper. I thought it needed a little spice, so I added some cumin. Instead of rice, I added cooked quinoa (left out the water in the recipe).

What I'd Do Differently Next Time: Nothing. Robert, Claire, and I liked it. Will was already in bed when we ate, so I'll see what he things of the leftovers. I think it would be easy to sub out different vegetables or grains/rice.

Verdict: Keeper

Recipe: Mushroom and Sausage Ragu with Polenta

Source: Cooking Light

Tweeks: I used baby Bella mushrooms instead of cremini since I could buy those pre-sliced. I used an andouille sausage instead of the turkey Italian sausage.

What I'd Do Differently Next Time: I didn't realize the sausage I bought was pre-cooked until I started to put it in the pan, so it didn't brown up and crumble like I would've liked. I'll stick with Italian sausage next time. Everything else was perfect. I could see this becoming part of our regular rotation.

Verdict: Keeper

Recipe: Baked Oatmeal

Source: I'm not sure - I copied from a website. The recipe is below.

Tweeks: None

What I'd Do Differently Next Time: Add more Craisins or dried apples.

Verdict: Undecided. I like it, but I think I could probably find a version I liked even better. Our Best Bites has one I want to try. It was super easy - less than 10 minutes to prepare, and I liked the cakey texture.

3 cups Quaker Oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
1/3 cup Craisins
2 eggs
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 cup skim milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients. Spray 8x8 glass pan with olive oil spray. Pour oatmeal mixture in and smooth out. Bake, uncovered, 35 minutes. This is a cake-likeoatmeal that tastes like a cookie but with a softer texture closer to bread pudding.

This can be made the night before, covered and kept in refrigerator overnight. Bake in the morning while getting ready for your day and it will be ready before you are! Keeps well, firms up when cool and can be cut into squares and stored in large Ziplock bag in refrigerator.

What the DVR is Watching - Fall '11

2011-09-19T21:29:00.001-05:00

The Entertainment Weekly Fall TV Review issue is out and Lindsay has her list up of what she will be recording this season, so it means that the new TV season is upon us! I'm Lindsay's lead and posting a list of what the DVR is set up to record - what I actually end up viewing remains to be seen.

Sunday
The Amazing Race (CBS) - 9/25 -- pad for football delay
Pan Am (ABC) - 9/25

Monday
How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 9/19
House (FOX) - 10/3
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (Bravo) - already started. Embarrassed to admit this one. ;)

Tuesday
Parenthood (NBC) - 9/13
Ringer (CW) - 9/13
New Girl (FOX) - 9/20
Glee (FOX) - 9/20 (will probably drop this soon)

Wednesday
Survivor: South Pacific (CBS) - 9/14
Modern Family (ABC) - 9/21
Top Chef Just Desserts (Bravo) - already started

Thursday
Project Runway (Lifetime) - already started
Parks & Recreation (NBC) - 9/22
The Office (NBC) - 9/22
Grey's Anatomy (ABC) - 9/22

Friday - Saturday
Catch up on DVR'd shows

Project Life: Week 37

2011-09-19T20:51:00.000-05:00

Photos from September 12 - 18

Monday, September 12

Watching Blue's Clues while feeding her baby - such a great multi-tasker. By the way, her baby's name is "Will". :)

Watch out - Will is on the move!

Friday, September 16

Our plans for a playdate with Isabella and Lucia didn't work out, but we were able to join Kate and Paige for a morning at the zoo. We planned to play in the Tiny Tots Riverbank - unfortunately, it was closed, but the girls had a great time splashing in puddles and exploring. They kept Will thoroughly entertained!

Saturday, September 17

Anxiously awaiting another bite of gelato at Paciugo.

Sunday, September 18

Claire is learning how to buckle her car seat. "I don't NEED your help!"

Buddy Bucks

2011-09-17T22:18:00.000-05:00

Claire loves to go to the grocery store. Every day she asks if we can go to the store. A big part of the fun is the people watching, but her favorite part is getting Buddy Bucks. Our grocery store gives these little certificates to kids for the Buddy Buck machine. The machine dispenses stickers of different point values, and you can save up your points and redeem them for little prizes. Claire isn't interested in the redemption - it's just the process of putting them in the machine, slamming the button as hard and as fast as you can, and getting your stickers. And don't dare try to put the bucks in the machine for her - "I'm a Big Girl! I can DO IT! I don't NEED your HELP." Don't ask how many times I hear that each day. :)

I'm sure my parents are laughing right now...the apple has not fallen far from the tree.

Will at 10 Months

2011-09-13T21:52:00.000-05:00

On September 11th, Will turned 10 months old!

Big milestones for Will this month included crawling, learning to pull up on everything in sight, and getting his first taste of ice cream. :)

Project Life: Weeks 35 - 36

2011-09-11T21:42:00.000-05:00

August 29 - September 11

Monday, August 29

Will has been trying lots of new table foods lately. Tonight he had his first black bean and cheese quesadilla (a staple in our house). He was a fan!

Tuesday, September 6

First pumpkin spice latte of the season!

Thursday, September 8

Chick-fil-A ran a deal where you could sign up for a free breakfast entree. I enjoyed my Chicken Minis this morning - yum!

Friday, September 9

Claire had her stim test at the endocrinologist's office this morning to check her growth hormone levels. Robert and I were dreading it since it involved a few blood samples over a 2 hour period, but it ended up being so much easier and less stressful than we expected. Claire was able to watch one of her movies and fell asleep halfway through the test - and slept for 2 hours afterwards. They said the medicine might make her sleepy! We got the results a few days later, and everything was completely normal. Answered prayers!

Sunday, September 11

Claire let Jill paint her face at Paige's birthday party today. It was the first time for face paint - she loved showing it off.

The Great Halloween Debate

2011-09-10T15:13:00.003-05:00

For Claire's first three Halloweens, she was too young to really have an opinion about a costume. I just picked something cute (and as I learned after Year 1, something that could work for either 60 or 80 degree weather, and after Year 2, that did not require a head piece or hat). This year she does want some input - which is both funny and a little frustrating since at age 3, she seems to change her mind about every 37 seconds.

This morning we started talking about Halloween, and I gave her a few ideas - fairy, ice cream cone, cupcake, etc. Afterwards, our conversation went a little like this:

C: "I want to be juice."
Me: "Juice? Really?"
C: "Yes, juice."
Me: "Okaaaay..."
C: "No, I want to be chocolate milk."
Me: "Chocolate milk? Hmmm...maybe we could actually find a costume for that. And Will could be a cookie! Yeah! That would be really cute!"
C: "Yeah, chocolate milk!"

A minute later...

C: "I want to wear my pink dress for Halloween."
Me: "The one you're wearing right now?"
C: "Yes."
Me: "Well, we usually dress up for Halloween. In a costume. You can pretend to be someone or something else."
C: "I wear my pink dress. I be Claire."

Cute, but a little frustrating. :) I think we may pursue the chocolate milk idea, though.

Labor Day Weekend

2011-09-07T21:45:00.000-05:00

Robert and I had plans to attend a wedding for some Dallas friends over Labor Day weekend. Rather than having Mom and Dad come to SA, we made the trek to Vernon to spend some time at their house and let the kids have some fun with them while we made a quick trip to Dallas for the weekend. Robert got in lots of driving during the trip - we drove to Vernon on Thursday, he made a day trip to Fort Worth on Friday for a meeting, we drove to Dallas on Saturday morning, came back on Sunday, then came home on Monday. Whew!

We started out the weekend right with some waffles. Claire loves to help in the kitchen.

Next on the agenda was some fun in the pool. It took me awhile to convince Claire to wear her hat, but then she started really hamming it up.

She hasn't spent a lot of time in the water and was a little hesitant to get in, but the hesitation wore off pretty quickly.

Will loves the water and didn't need any time to feel comfortable.

Claire's favorite part of the day was playing with the hose - and with Granddaddy.

Robert and I had so much fun watching our friends Allyson and Chris get married and catching up with lots of old friends - and really live it up by going out to post-wedding cocktails with Marc & Maria and Chad & Heather. ;) I can't remember the last time I was up that late that didn't involve a non-sleeping child. It was heavenly to sleep in the next morning at the hotel knowing that the kids were having fun in good hands.

Project Life: Weeks 33 - 34

2011-08-28T21:47:00.000-05:00

August 15 - 28

Saturday, August 20

Claire had a great time at The Little Gym for Savannah's birthday.

Claire tried to feed Nana at dinner - Nana was not interested in sharing her pita pizza. :)

Sunday, August 21

Trying to avoid the paparazzi (or the "Mom-arazzi") at Pappsito's.

Wednesday, August 24

A snow cone truck has been coming to the kids' school on Wednesday afternoons. Since we usually eat dinner shortly after getting home, I typically walk them past it as quickly as possible, but today I said "Yes!" to snow cones. Claire really enjoyed it - maybe it can be a bi-weekly thing.

Thursday, August 25

We tried a new recipe tonight - baked risotto. Will and I loved it - it went in my "Keeper" binder.

Friday, August 26

Dinner at Lupe's tonight, and Will got his first taste of ice cream. He liked the taste, but wasn't so sure about the cold. Such a funny face!

Food Trials {Vol. 1}

2011-08-25T21:10:00.007-05:00

Jill has inspired me.

I am a compulsive recipe clipper. I love to tear out recipes from magazines, print them out from blogs, and most recently, pin them on Pinterest. Recently, the piles and files started getting to me, and I decided to not only get organized, but follow Jill's example and actually start cooking my way through them to figure out which to keep and which to trash.

I had a binder that I had started years ago for filing, but I finally got serious and started getting really organized. Right now, I have 3 binders - one for recipes we've tried and made, and two for recipes in limbo (to try).

I'm going to start blogging about my "Food Trials" and include not only new recipes and foods I made that we liked, but also the ones we didn't. I seem to have a short memory and will occasionally stumble upon a recipe I made before and forgot we didn't like it. Robert always remembers. :) Hopefully this record will help me remember the bad, too.

And so begins the first edition...

Recipe: Apple Plum Bars

Source: All Things G&D (Blog)

Tweeks: Recipe called for 3 lbs of apples, but I used 3 cups. In the post she mentioned that one time she tried to chop the apples in her food processor, but it turned into more of puree. However, this gave them more of an "apple-y flavor". So, I added a small container of applesauce.

What I'd Do Differently Next Time: Leave out the applesauce. It made them a little too moist - still flavorful, but made it hard for Will to pick up pieces (and hard to eat without a fork).

Verdict: KEEPER

Recipe: Faux Banana Ice Cream (Two sliced frozen bananas pulverized in the food processor with a scoop of PB and a little cocoa)

Source: I used this one, but there are lots of versions floating around the internet.

Tweeks: None.

What I'd Do Differently Next Time: Leave out the cocoa - didn't need it. I think I'd try it with just the bananas or bananas and peanut butter.

Verdict: Keeper - great for when you want something sweet but don't want to really indulge.

Recipe: Quinoa Burger

Source: Eating Well...Living Thin via Pinterest

Tweeks: None.

What I'd Do Differently Next Time: Try to get the quinoa a little drier - my burgers were a little moist and not as pretty as the picture, but they still tasted great.

Verdict: Definite keeper - healthy, tasty, and we all enjoyed them. We've been eating more meatless dishes, and the quinoa adds a lot of protein (and is yummy!). I need to make these again soon.

Recipe: Southwest Stuffed Peppers

Source: Kalyn's Kitchen via Pinterest

Tweeks: I didn't have ancho chili powder, so I substituted chipotle chili powder. It was almost too spicy (which is a rare thing for me to say).

What I'd Do Differently Next Time: If I made it again, I would reduce the amount of chili powder.

Verdict: Trash - It was okay, but I knew I could find something we liked better.

Recipe: Taco Stuffed Peppers (Part of my ongoing search for the perfect stuffed pepper recipe!)

Source: Lauren's Kitchen via Pinterest

Tweeks: I didn't boil the peppers before stuffing and baking them. I like the peppers to still have a little crunch. Also, I only made four peppers since I knew we wouldn't eat six, and Robert ate the leftover stuffing the next day with chips.

What I'd Do Differently Next Time: Nothing

Verdict: Keeper - Easy, healthy, inexpensive meal

Recipe: Korean Beef Rice Bowl

Source: Steamy Kitchen via a message board I frequent

Tweeks: Per suggestion of people who had made it previously, I tripled the marinade. I also added baby corn and mushrooms since I had them on hand.

What I'd Do Differently Next Time: Instead of tripling the marinade, I'll probably double it. I think I'll also add a little cornstarch to the sauce to make it thicker. Also, I bought a package of meat from HEB that was already cut for stir fry, and I think I'll use sirloin or flank steak next time and cut it myself.

Verdict: Keeper. Robert isn't a huge fan of Asian food, but he thought it was okay. I really liked it, so I'll probably make it again - maybe when he's traveling for work. :)

Recipe: Baked Chicken Risotto (see below)

Source: Adapted from Southern Living's Oven Chicken Risotto and Baked Chicken Risotto recipes

Tweeks: Awhile back I'd saved the Oven Chicken Risotto, then Jill wrote on her blog that she made it and liked it, so I had it on my meal plan for this week. But, this month's issue of SL had a slightly different version, so I sort of combined the two and came up with my own:

Ingredients:

2 T. butter

1 small onion, diced

2-3 garlic cloves, pressed

1 c. Arborio rice (short-grain)

1/4 c. dry white wine

4 c. organic chicken broth

2 c. chopped cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken)

2 medium zucchini, coarsely chopped

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

8 oz. package of fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes

Grape tomatoes, quartered

Shredded fresh basil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter in a dutch oven over medium heat; add onion and garlic and saute 5 minutes. Add rice, and cook 2 minutes or until golden. Add wine, and cook 2 minutes or until wine is absorbed. Add chicken broth, bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to oven. Bake 20 minutes.

2. Remove rice from oven, and stir in chicken, zucchini, and pepper. Cover and bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven, stir in cheese. Serve immediately, topped with tomatoes and fresh basil.

What I'd Do Differently: It was great as is, but would also be a good base for some other additions or substitutions. I might substitute Parmesan for mozzarella sometime, and maybe add some mushrooms. Also, I might try leaving out the wine. It's such a small amount that I'm sure the alcohol cooks out, but I don't know that it's needed, so I'd probably feel better about giving it to the kids without. One of the original recipes calls for artichoke hearts, and while I love them, R isn't a big fan, so I left them out. You can also stir in the tomatoes rather than adding them on top, but I knew Robert would prefer without, and I think it's better for leftovers when you can just add fresh tomatoes again.

Verdict: Definite keeper - easy, tasty, and kid-friendly.

Stay tuned for future editions of my Food Trials!

"Cwawl Will! Cwawl"

2011-08-22T22:12:00.000-05:00

Will has seemed to be close to crawling for a couple of weeks - he would get on all fours and rock back and forth, but then just sit back on his bottom. Mom and Dad were in town for the weekend, and Mom and I were playing with the kids in Claire's room. Will was doing his rocking thing, so Mom and I were putting toys out of his reach to try to entice him to crawl. Claire joined in - she ran and got his some of his favorite toys, lined them up across her floor, then sat behind the line motioning with her hands and urging him on - "Cwawl, Will! Cwawl!!!"

He was more interested in his bib initially.

It seemed like he might get going...

...but got distracted by the stuffed rabbit.

At one point, I thought he was just mocking her.

The effort tuckered him out.

The practice must have helped, because he started crawling the next day.

Will at Nine Months

2011-08-20T16:23:00.000-05:00

On August 11th, Will turned 9 months old!

He had a well baby check this week, and stats were:

Weight: 22 lbs., 13 oz. (80th percentile)
Height: 29.5 inches (85th percentile)
Head: 18.5 inches (85th percentile)

For comparision, here is Claire's 9 month info. At her appointment, she was 15.5 lbs and 26 inches - so different! Our big boy dropped a little in the percentiles, but is still proportional and growing like he should. The doctor reviewed a development assessment that I filled out (the Ages and Stages Questionaire) and said that he is perfect (which we already knew!). We're starting to move out of the 12 month clothes into size 18 month, depending on the brand, but this move seems to be happening more slowly than the previous ones. It's so nice to not have to continue buying him a completely new wardrobe every two months!

He started crawling this week - he finally figured out how to get those legs positioned so he could take off! He'd figured out awhile ago how to get from laying to sitting to all fours and back again without any trouble, but he would just rock back and forth or scoot himself around. Once he did it a couple of times, he started taking off. We all still get excited when he gets going, especially Claire. In the most excited voice, she'll exclaim "He's crawling! Will crawling! Good job, Will!" I know I'm biased, but it really is the cutest thing, ever.

Will is a great eater. His fine motor skills have really developed, and he loves feeding himself. Besides the usual puffs and Cheerios, he eats waffles, pancakes, some apple plum bars I baked this weekend, mixed vegetables, bananas coated in wheat germ (makes it easier to pick up). Basically, he'll eat anything soft that I cut or tear into soft pieces. He's also still eating some purees, and we started yogurt this week. I have no worries about him eating properly. :)

We're still working on consistently sleeping through the night. He started going from 7-7:30 to 5 or later a couple of weeks before he turned 9 months old, but then he got off again the night after his check-up, waking once during the night. We had one night since when he slept through, so I haven't given up hope that this is just a minor regression!

The sleep issue is easier to handle since he is the easiest baby in all other respects. Robert and I were talking the other night about how rarely he cries. Will is so happy, and he loves his family. We gives us the biggest smiles and giggles, but Claire definitely gets the most laughs. They already have so much fun playing together, and it's fun to watch their relationship develop.

Will, you are truly a blessing to our family. We love you so much!

Waffle Saturday

2011-08-15T08:30:00.000-05:00

Claire found some waffle mix in the pantry earlier in the week, and every day afterwards she asked me if we could make waffles. Our weekday mornings were too hectic, but we were finally able to pull out the waffle maker on Saturday. Claire was a great helper - pouring ingredients in the bowl, stirring, and making sure I heard the waffle maker beep - "Mama! That ready!"

Even Will got to participate - he helped with the eating portion of the morning. He wasn't sure what to think at first, but ended up eating a whole section. Claire ate almost an entire waffle by herself...I don't know where she puts it! We froze the extras, and they shared a waffle each morning for the next few days.

We may have to make this a regular tradition.

Project Life: Weeks 31 - 32

2011-08-14T20:53:00.003-05:00

August 1 - 14

Wednesday, August 3

A petting zoo came to school today, and one of Will's teachers sent me this photo. Claire was not interested in touching any animals, but Will had fun.

Claire wanted to help make dinner, so I put her to work peeling garlic. Those little fingers did a great job!

Friday, August 5

Our maestro! Will was going to town on the piano. I didn't know little baby hands could make such loud notes.

The kid still LOVES bathtime!

Monday, August 8

My future professional organizer, busy arranging baking and waffle mixes, couscous, and popsicle holders.

Tuesday, August 9

We tried out an organic, local online grocer for the first time. I ordered a "Local Box", which is a selection of in season fruits and veggies from local farms. I liked what we got, but I don't think it will become a regular order yet. I had a hard time figuring out how to use everything up, so for now, I think it's more cost effective for us to stick to a list, especially since we have such a good selection at our neighborhood grocery store.

Thursday, August 11

I caught two cute siblings cuddling while I was getting their dinner ready! Will actually didn't seem to mind (for once).

Friday, August 12

Claire had a check-up today, so we made it a Mommy and Claire day. I planned to take her to the pool, but she didn't want to swim - she wanted to "go to the store!" A girl after my own heart! We went to Old Navy and Target, then had lunch at Chick-Fil-A (one of her favorites). She was worn out.

Saturday, August 13

Waffle Saturday!

Another first - haircuts!

2011-08-13T20:16:00.000-05:00

Claire was in dire need of a haircut. She has such beautiful, thick, wavy hair, but the tangles get out of control when it gets too long. Since we would already be at the kiddie salon, we decided it was a good opportunity for Will to get his first haircut. He had some long random strands, and I wanted it to be cleaned up a little before their upcoming photo session.

Claire tolerated the process very well but had zero interest in taking any photos.

A new clippie brightened her mood.

Then it was Will's turn. He looked like such a big boy.

"What is happening to me?!?!"

He wasn't sure about having a strange lady come at him with sharp objects, but he did such a great job - no tears!

Project Life: Weeks 29 - 30

2011-07-31T15:08:00.000-05:00

July 18 - 31

I'm not sure what happened the week of the 18th, but I didn't take any photos, although I did get one from school. That Monday they had a little carnival with free snow cones and barrel car rides.

Little did I know, but it was the "calm before the storm." On Saturday, Will was a little fussier than usual and seemed to be coming down with pink eye (again!). Robert and I had plans to go out to dinner with some other couples and had scheduled a babysitter. I called her to let her know what was going on, and she said she was still okay with coming over to watch the kids, so we got Claire and Will ready for bed that evening and headed out. When we got home around 10, she was in Will's room trying to help him go to sleep - very abnormal. I gave him some medicine and got him to sleep, but it was not a good night for any of us - he woke up several times. Plus, I felt like I was coming down with something. That night began our week of doctor visits:

Sunday - I went to the doctor, and although I tested negative for strep, I was prescribed a decongestant and antibiotic.
Monday - Will still didn't seem well, so I took him to the doctor. Diagnosed with respiratory infection that was "RSV like". Given a nebulizer, and I stayed home with him that day.
Tuesday - Will back to the doctor to check his breathing. Given an antibiotic and told he would probably need to stay home for the rest of the week. Robert thinks he is coming down with the same thing, goes to the doctor, and comes home with a Z-pack, steroid, and decongestant. I call Mom for backup! She comes that afternoon.
Wednesday - I go back to the doctor because I'm not feeling any better, and this time I got a steroid. Start feeling better that night.
Thursday - Will doesn't seem any better and his breathing is as raspy as ever, so I take him back to the doctor. This time he gets a steroid, and we're given instructions to count his respiratory rate. It never gets any worse, and we all start to feel better. I took a photo of the family pharmacy-3 antibiotics, 3 steroids, 3 decongestants, pink eye drops, and medicine for the nebulizer.

Friday - Mom is still here, so Robert and I go to an early showing of Harry Potter 7 Part 2 - LOVED IT!

Saturday - Mom leaves to go home. We survived the week! We got to Lupe's, and Claire celebrates with a rainbow pop. We were so thankful that someone she managed to avoid getting sick. Score 1 for the daycare-enabled immune system!

Fun by the river

2011-07-22T15:39:00.004-05:00

Last week a few of the families from our Life Group spent the morning at Guad.alupe River State Park. One of the families had camped there the night before and went down to the river early to stake out a spot for our group. We hadn't been before and weren't sure what to expect, but it was a big hit with the kids. Both of them spent most of the time sitting on the edge and splashing away in the water with their friends. The park is only about 40 minutes from our house, so I am looking forward to making more trips there in the future.

Project Life: Weeks 27 - 28

2011-07-18T21:31:00.002-05:00

July 4 - 17

Monday, July 4th

Claire celebrated the 4th by having me paint her toenails pink. I guess that's close to red!

Tuesday, July 5

Poor Will was sick with a sinus infection today, but Claire did a good job cheering him up.

Saturday, July 9

Such a happy boy!

Tuesday, July 11

Will is 8 months old!

Claire always likes to jump in on the chair pictures.

Monday, July 12

I just thought the sickies were over...I have pink eye. Thanks, dear Claire!

Sunday, July 17

"Walking practice is the best!!!"

A weekend with Nana and Granddaddy

2011-07-15T15:12:00.003-05:00

My parents were able to come for a visit last weekend. We timed it so that Robert and I wouldn't have to get a babysitter Thursday night (we had a meeting at church), and it turned out to be perfect timing since we needed some help that afternoon juggling sick kids and work schedules.

We made it through Thursday and Friday, so we were ready for some fun by Saturday morning. We'd heard about an exotic drive through zoo in Johnson City, so we loaded up that morning and made the drive to check it out. We had pretty low expectations since we had no idea what to expect, but we ended up having a fun time. Claire really loved it - I wasn't sure how she would react being so close to the animals, but I think she felt protected in the trailer with us. They had so many types of animals, and we enjoyed feeding them. My favorites were the llamas and the ostriches (we just stuck the bucket out and let them feed themselves - no way were those guys eating out of our hands!).

Excited and ready to go!

Checking out the scenery

Watching Granddaddy feed the bison

Will was getting into it. Check out the tongue on that thing!

Part of the menagerie following us

The camel

Claire trying to get up the nerve to feed the deer in the petting area. Didn't happen. :)

We had lunch at a cute place in Johnson City, the Silver K Cafe, and then headed back home. Most of us took naps, and then we took Claire outside for some water fun. She found her swimsuit from last year in a bag of old clothes and insisted on wearing it - and I think it fits her better than the ones I got for her this year. If only you could buy separate pieces for toddlers!

I just love those little leg rolls!

The week of sickies

2011-07-15T14:58:00.003-05:00

On the Tuesday after the 4th, Will woke up kind of grumpy and not acting like himself. I took his temperature, and it was about 103 - time to go to the doctor. We got in that morning and found out he had a sinus infection - poor guy!

Wednesday morning he seemed to be feeling better, and the fever was gone, so we took them to school and I went to work to make up for being out on Tuesday. Mid-morning my cell phone rang, and my heart sank when I saw it was the school. Claire's eyes were really red, and they were going to have to send her home. I called the pediatrician and got her an appointment for as soon as we could be there. Diagnosis: conjunctivitis. No school until it cleared up. In anticipation of this, I'd run by the house to get some toys and other things to entertain her before picking her up, so I took her to work with me. I was actually able to get a few hours of work in while she ate her lunch and played. Shortly before we were going to leave, the school called again - Will's fever was back and he would have to stay home the next day. Ugh.

On Thursday Claire's eyes weren't totally clear, so we kept them both at home. Will was feeling better (the fever broke for good early that morning), so we had fun playing together that morning. Robert came home around lunch so that I could get to work for a meeting that afternoon, and Mom and Dad (who were already planning to come for the weekend) changed their plans so that they were able to arrive earlier than usual so that Robert could go back to work for a few more hours.

By Friday, everyone was well, but we kept Will at home with Mom and Dad and sent Claire to school while I went to the office to catch up. It was a crazy week!

And as a postscript to the story...I got pink eye this past Monday that has lasted most of the week.

Thanks, Sweetie! As Robert's aunt Marilyn said, "Well, all mothers spend enormous time teaching their children to share!" :)

Snake teeth!

2011-07-15T09:06:00.003-05:00

Like his sister, Will's mouth is quickly filling with teeth. Her two bottom teeth came in, and shortly afterwards, all 4 top front teeth started working their way out. We were a little surprised, though, when the teeth on either side of his front two came out first. It gave us a running joke about Will having fangs, being part vampire, etc. We were able to get a photo before the two front ones popped out. They've come in, now, but at least we have documentation of "SNAKE TEETH"!!!

A visit from Ma and Bob

2011-07-05T14:42:00.000-05:00

Ma and Bob spent most of July 4th weekend with us, and we packed in a lot of fun activities. The circus was in town, so we thought it was a good chance to take Claire. We expect to only be there for about an hour, but she really enjoyed it, and we stayed for the entire performance. She loved the animals, and we were all pretty impressed with the motorcycle "Cage of Death". It was really crazy.

Enjoying her overpriced cotton candy :)

With Ma after the performance

We wrapped up the evening by making a batch of sugar cookies. Claire loves to bake with Ma. They brought her some M&Ms in her favorite color, and she enjoyed using them to decorate her cookies.

On Sunday we had a low-key day - church, popsicles, and play set.

So tasty!

Ma and Bob left Monday morning, and we had a quiet 4th. The county is on a burn ban, so there were no fireworks shows to see. We enjoyed having some time together to just relax and get ready for the week ahead. Turned out to be a wise decision - the week got a little nuts after Monday!

Project Life: Week 26

2011-07-05T09:42:00.000-05:00

June 27 - July 3:

Wednesday

Just a sweet shot of my boy having fun during playtime.

Thursday

They just love each other so much! Feeling thankful today.

Saturday

Bob and Ma are here, and they got to join us for Claire's first trip to the circus. We all enjoyed it and were surprised that Claire lasted for the entire performance!

Claire and Ma made cookies after the circus. Ma brought Claire some special blue M&Ms. Yum!

Sunday

Claire had been asking to make popsicles, and we promised we would while Ma & Bob were here. So excited!

It was hard for her to wait, but she enjoyed the finished product.

Claire loves showing off her playset.

Project Life: Weeks 24 & 25

2011-06-27T21:17:00.000-05:00

June 13 - 26:

Tuesday, June 14th

Claire always has a hard time not jumping in if she's around when I'm taking a chair picture of Will, but it almost always results in at least one cute photo!

Wednesday, June 15th

Someone is teething - check out that drool!

Saturday, June 18th
A&M Girls Weekend!

Wednesday, June 22nd

Claire took a big spill on the playground, so I went to school to check on her. I arrived just in time for the visit from the Reptile Man. Claire thought it was pretty funny when Mommy held a snake!

Sibling fun!

Thursday, June 23rd

I had a great companion helping me out with registration at Backyard Bible Club.

Friday, June 24th

Will's first time sitting up in the cart - what a big boy!

Saturday, June 25th

Today we went to a birthday party for our neighbor friends Ellie and Clare, and another neighbor took this photo of Robert and Will watching the kids taking swings at the pinata.

A&M Girls' Weekend 2011

2011-06-24T16:14:00.004-05:00

I have a group of friends from college that I truly cherish and adore. Although we live in different cities and are busy with our lives as wives and mothers, almost all of us were able to get together last weekend in Allen/McKinney. I love, love, love these girls (should I start saying "women" instead?). It's so nice to have friends that no matter how much time has passed, you can immediately pick up as if you just saw each other a few days before. I planned to take a lot of photos, but ended up with one. :) We mostly spent time talking about our families, how we spend our days, future plans, etc. Girls, we MUST do this again next year - I don't want to wait another 3 years until our next reunion!

From left: Melissa, Anne, Lindsay, Courtney, Jill, me
Not pictured: Angi, Megan (we missed you!)

Once again, getting caught up

2011-06-24T15:46:00.001-05:00

We are coming off of the busiest weeks we will probably have for a few months, combined with a teething baby who is still figuring out how to sleep through the night, which means the blog is way, way behind. I'm getting caught up, though! I've put the updates in chronological order, so here are links to backdated posts in case you missed them.

Will at 6 Months

Grist Mill with Grace

A belated birthday present

Project Life: Week 20

Dancing Queen

Project Life: Week 21

We have a playset!

Pierce comes back

Project Life: Week 22

Beach trip

Fiesta Texas

Project Life: Week 23

Will at 7 Months

Happy Fathers' Day!

First Puffs

Happy Fathers' Day!

2011-06-19T20:11:00.000-05:00

Last week the kids and I took a few pictures for Daddy, and this is what we came up with:

It took a few tries (like 60, maybe?) to get a good set, but it was totally worth it. I printed each photo and put them in a frame with 3 5x7 openings for Robert's office. He was definitely surprised and really liked his present. I think we may have started a new tradition.

First Puffs

2011-06-16T16:21:00.000-05:00

Someone is teething (as evidenced by the copious amounts of drool on his shirt)!

Since he's getting some teeth, I though Will might like to try some puffs.

Those little buggers are tough to pick up!

He wasn't sure if he liked them, but they kept him busy for a little while so I could get Claire started on her dinner. We'll keep trying - I know they will eventually be a favorite snack (if his sister doesn't eat them all first).

Will at Seven Months

2011-06-13T16:00:00.000-05:00

Will turned 7 months old on June 11th!

As I've said before, and I know I will say again, this boy has completely captured my heart. He brings so much joy to our family, and I think he's pretty happy with the family that he's got. :) Claire is his favorite person - there is still no one that can make him laugh as hard (or as frequently!) as she does.

He is still a happy and easygoing little guy, especially if you keep him fed. :) He is still drinking about 5 bottles of formula a day and eats solid foods twice a day - usually a jar of Earth's Best breakfast food in the morning and a serving of organic fruits and/or vegetables with cereal in the evening. He likes to eat, and I'm looking forward to moving on to finger foods in the next month or so.

Will is sitting by himself very well, and now knows how to catch himself when he starts to fall over. No real signs of crawling yet, which suits Mommy just fine!

He has four teeth - two middle ones on the bottom, and two on the top. No, not the two front teeth - the two on either side. We call them his "snake teeth." I'm trying to get a good picture of them before the front teeth come in, which looks like it will happen any day now.

Will still isn't my best sleeper, but with the exception of a few nights, we usually just get up once and then he will sleep until 7 or later. Teething hasn't helped, but his sleep always gets better once those teeth pop through.

We love our sweet Will!!!

Project Life: Week 23

2011-06-13T15:41:00.000-05:00

June 6 - 12

Monday

There is a bunny that lives somewhere in either our or our neighbor's backyard, and we have been spotting him regularly. Tonight he got close enough to the house that I was able to get a photo through the window before he ran away. Claire doesn't like it when he takes off and really doesn't understand why Mommy or Daddy can't get him to come back. :)

Sunday

Mom and Dad came to San Antonio yesterday after our family reunion in Santa Anna. Mom took Will while Claire and I both got naps, and after I woke up, I caught the two of them snoozing in Will's room.

Fiesta Texas

2011-06-12T15:49:00.000-05:00

Robert's company again had a family day at Fiesta Texas. Unlike last year, Claire was not excited about wearing a shirt that matched Daddy, Mommy and Will. She had to wear a blue shirt, or at least a shirt that had the color blue on it somewhere.

We rode a few rides - the teacups, the cars, and the carousel.

Not surprisingly, Claire was most excited about riding the train.

It was a fun day - and a good way to again make a visit to Fiesta Texas.

Beach Trip

2011-06-12T15:22:00.001-05:00

Courtney's family has a beach house in Port Aransas, and we were able to join them and some other friends of theirs for a very quick trip to the beach. We left Wednesday afternoon and got there in time to feed the turtles that live in the pond behind the house.

We got Will ready for bed, and Pierce wanted to hold him before he went to sleep. See, I'm not kidding when I call Will "my giant baby"! :)

Claire was not as successful in holding him, but did give sweet Will one of her typically energetic hugs.

The next morning we got up and headed to the beach. Will spent most of the time snuggling with someone under the umbrellas and got in a good nap. Claire had an absolute blast! We weren't sure how she would do since she wasn't too interested in the sand or the water initially, but once she saw the other kids out there having fun, it didn't take her long to join in. She even tried the boogie board - we were so proud of her!

Lunch and naps followed, and too quickly it was time for us to load up and head back home. We had big days planned again for Friday and Saturday and wanted to make sure we all got a good night's sleep. Although short, it was a very fun (and successful!) trip, and we're looking forward to getting some more beach time in again before too long.

Project Life: Week 22

2011-06-06T15:33:00.000-05:00

May 30 - June 5

Tuesday

Robert had to work late, so I took the kids out for dinner as a treat. Claire was super excited. As soon as we walked in the door, she ran to the counter and proclaimed "I want a HAMBURGER!" So unlike her, and the workers of course thought she was too cute.

Thursday

We tried out the mesh feeders for the first time with some watermelon, and Will wasn't too sure about this new method of food delivery. Back in the drawer for a try in a couple more weeks!

Friday

That night Grandmommy came in for a quick visit and let Claire share some of her yummy water.

Saturday

Claire's buddy Pierce came to visit us for the weekend. So, so excited!

After watching him, Claire figured out that she can also climb the little rock wall.

Pierce comes back

2011-06-06T14:59:00.001-05:00

Our good friends Courtney, Jared and Pierce spent the weekend with us on their way to a week at Port Aransas (where we joined them for a couple of days). Just like on their last visit, Claire and Pierce had a wonderful time together. They arrived on Saturday and we all just relaxed and let the kids play in the backyard. There was a lot of sliding...

and running...

and swinging...

and climbing...

and falling...

and giggling!

Will did lots of observing.

On Sunday, we all went to Sea World to see the animals and catch a show.

Their visit flew by, but it wasn't so difficult to say goodbye this time since we knew we'd see them again in a few days at the beach!

Finally - we have a playset!

2011-06-05T14:46:00.000-05:00

We spent months looking for a playset for Claire. There are so many to choose from, and we eventually settled on one from Tree Frogs. It was delivered on Friday, and I took the kids to school so that Claire wouldn't lose her mind waiting for it to be installed. The workers only took a few hours to put it together (some of the best money we've spent rather than doing it ourselves!), and we were so anxious to see Claire's reaction.

We pulled the shades up from the windows so that she would have a good view, and it took a few minutes for her to notice it. A smile slowly spread over her face as she walked to the window, pointed, and said "My playset!" The long promised gift had finally arrived!

She thought it was pretty funny that Mommy could fit on the platform, too.

Peekaboo with Daddy

Grandmommy came in town for dinner and got a photo of 3 of the 4 of us...

...since Will managed to sleep through the excitement.

Claire LOVES her new playset, and I know she and Will will get so much enjoyment out of it in the years to come.

Will and Penelope

2011-06-03T22:08:00.003-05:00

Will started getting goopy eyes on Monday morning, and it didn't take long for us to suspect the culprit - pink eye. It rapidly got worse, so I took Will to the hospital's pediatric clinic where they confirmed my mommy diagnosis.

Since it is pretty contagious, Will had to stay home from school until he'd been on medication for at least 24 hours. I really needed to be at work Tuesday morning for a meeting, so I was thrilled when Penelope said she could babysit Will for the morning. They had a great time together, and Penelope wrote a blog post about their time together here - enjoy!

Thanks again, Penny!

Catching up. Again.

2011-06-01T22:00:00.002-05:00

Once again I'm so behind. I added some new posts, and they are backdated for this year's blog book. Here are links to the new ones:

Egg Hunt

Visit from the fire truck - this one has a super cute picture!

First pedicure

Chair pics - 21 Weeks (5 Months)

Chair pics - 22 Weeks

Chair pics - 23 Weeks

Chair pics - 25 Weeks

Coming soon:
Will at 6 months
More Project Life photos
Grist Mill with Baby Grace

Project Life: Week 21

2011-05-30T12:38:00.000-05:00

May 23 - 29

Wednesday

Claire thought Elmo needed a bath. She's probably right.

Tonight Claire and I enjoyed our first carton of strawberries this season!

Friday

Bubbles before bed - a Claire favorite!

Saturday

Claire, Will and I went to the farmers' market at Pearl this morning and brought home a few things, including some yummy cherry tomatoes. I definitely enjoyed my salad tonight.

Sunday

Baby Will is 28 weeks old!

Dancing Queen

2011-05-28T12:31:00.000-05:00

On the 27th, we were invited to observe Claire's dance class. It's always fun to see her in action and get a better idea of what she's learning in class since her explanations are not always the most thorough. I especially enjoyed seeing them do the butterfly dance, which she had partially performed for us at home. I got a video, but since it shows a couple of other girls from her class, I don't think I should post it. I'll try to get it on YouTube and send out a link soon to family. Here are a few photos of our girl in action!

Project Life: Week 20

2011-05-23T12:18:00.000-05:00

Photos from May 16 - 22:

Monday

Playing in Will's room - Claire thinks it's hilarious when Will rolls around.

Tuesday

My pretty girl having fun on the school playground.

I was trying to find a good place to set Will while cleaning up Claire's dinner and getting him ready for bath - the empty tub seemed to work well. :)

Wednesday

We were so happy to have dinner with family and see sweet Baby Grace!

Will having fun with Daddy

Thursday

We've been trying to come up with a couple of small chores for Claire, and one is cleaning the water off the floor after Will's bath. She will say "I need a paper towel!" and quickly get to work. Such a good helper!

Saturday

Claire was thrilled with her birthday present from Grandmommy and Martin - wood play food and her very own grocery cart, complete with a seat for Elmo.

A belated birthday present

2011-05-22T11:48:00.001-05:00

Grandmommy and Martin were back in the US for a little while, and they were able to come for a short visit. They brought along a few birthday presents for Claire - play food and a grocery cart. She was so excited and could hardly wait for the cart to be put together. Elmo got lots of rides in her grocery cart. It is the perfect size for her, and she loves to take it with her shopping around the house.

The Grist Mill with Grace

2011-05-19T11:00:00.000-05:00

Last night we were able to meet Grandmommy, Martin, Aunt Carol, Uncle Jeremy and Grace at the Grist Mill for dinner. It had been too long since we'd been able to see Grace, and we had so much fun catching up with everyone!

Will at 6 Months

2011-05-19T10:50:00.001-05:00

Will is six months old!

He had his 6 month well visit yesterday, and his stats were:

Weight: 20 lbs, 2 oz
Length: 27 7/8 inches

Our big boy is around the 85th-90th percentile for both weight and length, but is still perfectly proportioned and right on track for body mass. For comparison, "Big Sister" was 14 lbs., 1 oz and 25 3/8 inches at her 6 month appointment. :)

He got 5 vaccinations in 2 shots and one oral dose, and he handled it all like a champ!

Will is sitting well on his own, but still needs someone close by to keep him from falling over backwards. We're still working on sleep, but he's usually only waking up once, or making it to around 5 before he's up. The haze is starting to lift!

Project Life: Week 19

2011-05-17T22:54:00.002-05:00

Photos from the week of May 9 - 15:

Monday

Playing at the table before breakfast - Claire loves for Will to sit beside her.

Wednesday

After Will's last physical therapy appointment for his neck/head, we met up with our friends from church for another playdate, this time at an indoor play area. Claire really enjoyed playing air hockey with Cooper.

Thursday

I stop at Starbucks 2-3 times a week for a latte - this is a typical view of my desk.

Friday

Another chair picture outtake - poor Cookie Monster!

Will's first experience with a Baby Mum-Mum cracker. He wasn't sure what to do at first but figured it out pretty quickly!

Saturday

Zoo and a train ride, finally! We were supposed to go on Wednesday, but the weather didn't cooperate. Claire had been looking forward to it all week. At least this way Daddy got to join us. Will slept through most of the ride but woke up at the end. He just gets too snug in the Ergo!

Sunday

Mother's Day! Grandmommy was able to join us for brunch.

Catching up on Project Life

2011-05-17T22:23:00.000-05:00

I've posted my Project Life pictures from the past few weeks. I back-dated them so they'll be in the correct place for this year's blog book, but here are links if you are interested:

Week 14

Week 15

Weeks 16 & 17

Week 18

Project Life: Week 18

2011-05-09T21:58:00.001-05:00

Photos from the week of May 2 - May 8:

Wednesday

Playdate with some of the kids and mommies in our life group. Claire played in the sand for a few minutes and spent the rest of the time on the playset. "Mama, I wan playset! I wan BLUE playset!" We've been promising one (although she may have to settle for a yellow or green slide) but haven't made a decision yet - she is so excited!

Thursday

Another bath photo. He's always so happy and smiley after his bath that I can't resist getting a picture!

Friday

Keeping Mommy company while I unloaded the dishwasher - such a good helper.

Saturday

Claire's first visit to Kiddie Park for Isabella's birthday party. She had so much fun - we'll be back soon.

Sunday

Another self portrait with Will after taking his chair picture.

Grandmommy was able to come for a short visit - this was the best picture we could get It's so hard to get a picture with both kids looking at the camera these days!

Finally got a picture of those two little teeth with a little help from Grandmommy!

Chair pics - 25 Weeks

2011-05-08T22:01:00.001-05:00

Such a sweet little face!

Party central

2011-05-07T21:02:00.003-05:00

Over the past month, Claire & Will have been able to attend 4 birthday parties in addition to Claire's party - parties for Harrison, Harper, Megan & Isabella. Here are a few photos from a couple of the parties:

Conquering her fear of the bounce house

Checking out the outdoor equipment

Wagon rides are always a hit with the toddler crowd!

A lot of cake and ice cream has been consumed over the last month

Will entertaining the crowd - such a social little guy!

Isabella's party gave Claire her first trip to Kidd.ie Park. She had a blast, and we will definitely be going back soon (maybe when Pierce is here for a visit?).

Teeth!

2011-05-06T21:45:00.003-05:00

Robert's eagle eyes spotted Will's first two teeth tonight! I swear I just checked a couple of days ago during his bath and didn't see anything, so they must have popped through either yesterday or today. He's been acting pretty normally, so I'm hoping that he will end up being a good teether like his sister. Our baby is growing so fast! (Sniff, sniff!) I'm on a mission to get a picture of these two tiny teeth...

Project Life: Weeks 16 & 17

2011-05-02T21:50:00.001-05:00

April 18 - May 1:

April 21

Claire tried on my black work shoes and successfully walked a couple of laps around the kitchen. And so it begins... :)

April 23

We made a trip to Austin today for lunch and to visit Ikea. Will slept in his car seat while we waited for a table at Magnolia Cafe, and Claire thought he needed to be covered up. Such a good big sister! Also, check out the socks pulled up to her knees - so adorable!

April 24

Claire got her first pedicure today. She picked the color herself.

April 26

Making bubbles while snacking on apples - Claire's idea of a great evening!

April 27

Self portrait of post bath baby kisses

April 30

First pool visit of the season while in Frisco for this year's MS150.

Will ruling the room from his post - in Southlake for night 2 of the MS150.

A pedicure for Claire

2011-04-27T21:31:00.000-05:00

A few days ago I got a pedicure, and Claire was very fascinated by my painted toes. She kept saying that she wanted her toes painted, so I took her to Walgreens to pick out some polish. She chose a bright blue, of course.

I was amazed at how still she sat while I applied the polish, and she really enjoyed showing off her polish - for about an hour. Then she wanted it off. Almost immediately, she wanted them painted again, but we decided we'd do it again another time.

Striking a pose

Checking out her pretty toes

Chair pics - 23 Weeks

2011-04-24T21:58:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter!

A visit from the fire truck

2011-04-22T21:24:00.000-05:00

Claire loves to look at fire trucks. We live near a fire station, and every time we drive past she cranes her head to see if the garage doors are open so she can see the trucks. Sometimes they're out in the drive, which is really exciting!

Today before the egg hunt, Claire got a special treat - the fire truck came to school! They are doing a unit on Community Workers, so the firemen came to talk about their jobs and show the kids the truck. Claire got to look inside, and her teachers got this cute picture. Pure joy!

Egg Hunt

2011-04-22T20:55:00.000-05:00

Today Claire's class had an Easter egg hunt, and I was able to be there to watch the frenzy. Claire's hunting skills have improved every year, and she quickly figured out that she needed to run to get the eggs further from the building while most of her classmates ran after the same eggs.

Off she goes - skinny thing has a hard time keeping those pants up! :)

Pony tail flying

Spotted another one!

Got it!

"One, twooo, theee..."

Afterwards we had time for her to play a little on the big kids playground and show me her tricks.

We both had a great time - she's getting so big!

Updates coming soon...

2011-04-19T09:20:00.002-05:00

I know, I know...I am way behind on the blog! We are all fine and healthy and have been either busy or trying to catch up on sleep since Claire's birthday. Plus, I still have about 150 photos to go through from all of her birthday celebrations. The plan is to catch up this week - so more photos and stories are coming soon!

Project Life: Week 15

2011-04-18T21:25:00.000-05:00

Photos from the week of April 11 - 17:

Tuesday

Today the school called and said Will had a fever. Robert took him to the pediatrician (he checked out okay - no ear infections or RSV) and then dropped him off at my office on his way back to work. He slept for awhile and then sat calmly in my lap while I finished up for the day. Sweet boy!

Claire's birthday present from Nana and Granddaddy arrived on Monday, and Robert spent most of the evening putting it together. We hid it in the office and then showed it to her tonight. She was so excited!

Thursday

Claire made a "choo choo train" out of her apple slices before she ate them. "Woo woo!"

Will was very entertained!

Friday
Today was the Fiesta parade at school. Claire had so much fun wearing her crown and pulling her float.

Saturday

Claire finally conquered her fear of the bounce house while at Harper's birthday party and couldn't stop giggling. Such fun!

Sunday

Chair pictures are starting to get a little more difficult - it's too tempting for Will to grab at things and try to get them in his mouth.

Will's First Bites

2011-04-18T20:00:00.000-05:00

Our pediatrician gave us the go ahead to start Will on solid foods at his 4 month check -up. We decided to wait a few more weeks and eventually gave Will his first taste of anything other than milk/formula on April 10th, one day before his 5 month birthday.

We had Nana wield the spoon. He seemed ready to begin!

Not so sure about it at first...

What was that?!?!

Ready to try again

All smiles!

Not surprisingly, he quickly figured out what to do. Since then, he has had carrots, peas, apples and squash. I bought some of the jars of Stage 1 Earth's Best baby food, and from the beginning I had to mix them with cereal since he needed something with more texture. We're moving on to Stage 2 and homemade foods now. Looks like we will be fortunate to have another good eater!

Chair Pics - 22 Weeks

2011-04-17T21:55:00.000-05:00

Fiesta!

2011-04-15T20:51:00.000-05:00

Today Claire's school held a parade to celebrate Fiesta. For you non-San Antonians, Fiesta is an annual celebration that pretty much takes over the city for 11 days. Claire did such a good job pulling her "float" during the parade, and she even was excited to wear her crown! She is usually not a fan of having anything on her head, but she loved her Fiesta crown and still wears it around the house fairly regularly.

Getting ready

Pulling the float

Shaking her noisemaker

After the parade, her class had a little party with tacos, queso, and other treats. She impressed the other parents with how much she was able to eat - she is small but can put it away. That's my girl!

Project Life: Week 14

2011-04-11T21:14:00.001-05:00

Photos from the week of April 4-10:

Monday

Claire can hardly stand for me to take a picture of Will by himself - she always wants to jump in! He wasn't too excited about his chair picture today (20 weeks - it was late in the day, but I couldn't wait another day to do it), but Claire had plenty of energy.

Wednesday

Claire really enjoyed her singing birthday card from Aunt LaLa and Uncle Robert!

Thursday

Claire kept "hiding" behind the kitchen island and jumping out towards Will - he just laughed and laughed every time he saw her and would wait anxiously for her next appearance. I love how they already play together!

Friday

Claire's birthday! Nana, Will and I spent the day with her. She got new blue shoes (Crocs) from Nordstrom and ate most of Nana's gelato from Paciugo. She had a great start to her birthday weekend.

Saturday
Claire's party at the New Braunfels Children's Museum - everyone had a fabulous time!

Sunday

Someone didn't want to sit still to take a picture with Nana, so we improvised.

Will tried solid food for the first time! He did a great job eating his cereal and seemed to really enjoy it. On to purees!

More pictures from Claire's birthday week

2011-04-11T13:28:00.000-05:00

Some additional random photos:

Will loves to munch on fingers!

Will and Nana

Someone did not want to sit still for a picture...

Claire loves her Elefun game from Isabella!

More presents! Lacing cards from Ma and Bob...

...and a play kitchen from Nana and Granddaddy!

I think her favorite part of the kitchen may be the play cordless phone. She uses it daily to make her calls.

Claire's 3rd Birthday - Part Two

2011-04-11T13:22:00.000-05:00

We waited until we were home to open Claire's presents - she could hardly wait!

One of her favorite gifts was a Connect Four game. While she's a little young to really get the strategy of it, she loves filling the grid with the checkers, dumping them out, and starting over again.

The checkers are loud on the table!

Claire had a wonderful birthday, and we are blessed to have so many generous friends!

To see all of the photos from Claire's birthday and party, check them out here on my Flickr account.

Claire's 3rd Birthday - Part One

2011-04-11T13:09:00.000-05:00

We did a lot to celebrate our girl's 3rd birthday! The day started with Mommy and Daddy taking Claire to breakfast at Order Up for breakfast tacos and cinnamon rolls while Will stayed home with Nana.

While Daddy was at work, the rest of us went to the mall to buy Claire some new BLUE shoes (her special request)! Her old Crocs were way too small, so it was time for a new pair. She didn't want to take them off after trying them on and wore them out of the store.

After grabbing a quick lunch, we had a special treat of gelato. I planned for Claire to share mine, but she ended up eating most of Nana's.

That night she got to open her present from Aunt Nancy before we celebrated our friend Harrison's birthday and got ready for her party the next day.

Saturday morning we drove to the Mc Kenna Children's Museum in New Braunfels for Claire's party. They had a special message for Claire waiting in the party room!

Since Claire is obsessed with all things blue, we had a "Blue's Clues" party theme. She was very excited about her cake.

As in, rolling around on the floor excited.

We attempted a few family photos before most of the guests arrived.

Claire had so much fun playing in the museum with her friends!

Then it was time for snacks and cake! She blew out all the candles in one shot.

We had a little more playtime before we had to leave. Will stayed entertained with his favorite ball.