Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Kindergarten, here we come!!

Well, we've arrived! It's hard to believe that we are at this point.  I guess I'm ready.  Kate, on the other hand, has been ready for 2 years!  She was thrilled this morning and couldn't really understand why I was asking if she was nervous.  She saw tears in my eyes when Parks was leaving the house with her and she hugged me and told me not to cry and then told me that if I forget what she looks like while she's gone I can just check the picture of her in her room ("the one in the ballet picture frame").  She came home all smiles with a ton of stories about snack time and rest time and recess.  
This train called life is barreling forward....



Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Happy First Birthday, Hadley!

On August 1st we celebrated Hadley's first birthday.  Lily Kate, my parents, and my nephews flew in from Houston.  We had a mini birthday party on the porch.  
We love you Hadley, you are precious to us.  We found out I was pregnant with you on Thanksgiving day and you have given us reason to given thanks ever since.  You are friendly and silly.  You are content and comfortable in a noisy crowd.  You haven't met a person you didn't like.  So far, you aren't very particular.  You love your sisters.  Daddy is your favorite person and your favorite word.  You like me too :) I think it makes you feel safe to sit on my lap and suck your thumb and watch from a distance when the sisters get too loud and silly.  You really like your lovey and you eat just about anything available.  I can see now why the baby in a family gets celebrated so much, we just all love having you around.

Family Visit

We had a fun filled week with the family here.  I think we all needed a few days to recover from the frenzy of activity.  We went swimming at a friend's pool.

 We went to the beach a few times.  This was probably where everyone had the most fun.  Lily Kate, Charlotte, and Jack would have swam out with the ships had we let them.  They kept creeping farther and farther into the waves and Dad had to keep bringing them back in.  They had a really good time.  



 Hadley started standing on her own while everyone was here.  Here she is getting some praise for her accomplishment. The day after everyone left she took her first steps.  Now (half a week later) she is taking about 3 at a time and then plopping back down.  It won't be long until she's off.


 Couple attempts at a group shot.  Parks and I made a treasure hunt for the kids one night and here they are on our front steps with the "treasure" that they discovered.  

We also went to the Carolina Beach fair one night.  
 Here is Hadley watching the big kids ride the rides.
 Kate 
 Scott & Charlotte loving life!
 Jack on the giant trampoline bungee

Face Painting


 More Rides
 Above, Charlotte had the time of her life riding these rides.  And below, Charlotte & Kate enjoying each other (have to capture the moments b/c there are some days when they don't!)
 Somehow I only got one picture, but we also went to the Children's Museum.  Below, the pirates under the deck of the ship.  The kids went to Monkey Joes, the movies, out to eat at least 5 times, and to the park.   My parents know how to entertain!  We miss you guys!!!

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Texas Pt 2

I spent the weekend with my college roommates at Crissy's ranch in Bandera, TX (Cowboy capitol of the world).  It was SO much fun to be with old friends.  We spent half the time catching up and half the time retelling old stories.  We laughed, drank champagne, watched Olympics, and slept in.  Nothing was lacking except Dominique - who is in the hospital right now having her 2nd baby.  We missed you, Dom!  
Becca, DJ, Rebecca, Jane, Amber, Kim, Crissy, & me
Jane, Becca, & Kim
Reb, Crissy, & Amber
Amber modeling the Blue House shirt that Kim made us all.
Kim's art
Becca and I left Sunday and went to the lake.  I feel a deep exhale of relation just looking at the pictures.  It was beautiful.  Oh, how I love Texas....(and my roomies)

Texas

Lily Kate and I flew to Austin a couple weeks ago.  We met up with my mom and my brother and his two boys. 
 here is Kate trying to pet the fake horse
 trying on a pink cowboy hat at Callahans General Store
 Jack and LK eating chips and queso at Chuy's 
 Scott and Jack goofing off on the patio at Chuys
 Kyle and the boys
Kate and me
I promise that Mom was with us, she has gotten pretty good at dodging the camera!

Pool time

Wow, I promise we're still alive!  I noticed it was been a month since I last posted.  Summertime has knocked us out of our routine a bit. Kate and I went to TX (pics to come) and my parents and nephews were here for a 10 day visit.  Here are some summertime shots.  We have gone swimming in our friends', the Taylors' pool, and the girls have loved it.
 Hadley taking a Cheerio break
 Charlotte
 Me & Hadley
Lily Kate giving Hadley a swimming lesson