A Night Full of Laughter

We started our Friday Family Game Nights. The first night was a HUGE success. We were able to successfully introduce a couple new, but classic, games to the girls this week: Bingo, Go Fish and Guess Who.

When you are in Florida you have to play bingo...especially using dabbers (for you BINGO novices, that is the dot markers that are like a giant marker that you use on disposable board). And don't you know we have a cage to mix up our number balls too.

 Go Fish was a bigger success then we thought possible, the girls were able to hold their cards and easily understood the concept and even developed basic strategy.

 The always competitive Karl taking advantage of the photo op ;)

 The girls just loved the way Karl told them to "GO FISH"

 One of my all time favorites as a kid was Guess Who.

Elli Dew sat in her bouncy chair the entire time and just enjoyed the family laughter while using two hands to suck her thumb. 

Now I said it was a night full of laughter...that is because after the games were cleaned up and the girls were in the shower, Elli laughed for the first time! It must have been her observing all the laughing we were doing while playing the games.

So I was giving her her nightly antibiotics, which is a two person job. Someone has to hold her at a certain angel so she doesn't choke, someone has to slowly squirt it in her mouth and then someone has to wipe the medicine she spits out. Well, I asked Karl to be on wiping duty. For some reason tonight she was actually swallowing all the meds. Karl said to her "You didn't need me to be on wiping duty" in a fun daddy to baby voice and she laughed at him! Karl has never been home for the first laugh so not only was he here but he 'caused' it! YAH! I think she is going to be a daddy's girl!

What a great night we had as a family of wholesome fun 

Rain Dance

My girls, as many of you know, do not really like to play outside. At least when they are at home.

You may also know that we were skirted by Hurricane Issac last week. Well, on the expected landfall day we had mainly sunny skies...with school cancelled for three days. The girls didn't go outside to play in the sun at all. But mid afternoon the rain starts and then they ask to play outside!

Always posing for the camera!

 The scatter to come in when the sideways rain started

 Now Reese's turn... talking to Brady through their bedroom window.

So now they can say they have played in a hurricane...not even sure i can say that!

360 Pensacola

My birthday was a couple weeks ago. We wanted to do something that everyone could enjoy. Since Elli Dew doesn't do well in heat for extended period, we had a tough time coming up with ideas. The girls wanted to go to a pool, I love the idea, but not feasible with a baby. Lots of ideas were mulled over, but nothing good came to mind....then it hit me!

Pensacola Beach has just built a BIG ferris wheel. It is called 360 Pensacola. The gondolas are enclosed and air conditioned...perfect! It was on my Pensacola bucket list (well, really the only thing on the list...not too sad about leaving this city). 

This is our view as we drove over the toll bridge to get to Pensacola Beach. You can see the ferris wheel in the  distance. It was overcast so it is hard to see.

 The view from the parking lot

 The oldest and youngest rider in our gondola.

 The iconic beach ball water tower in the background.

 The view from the top

 Reese loving it and taking in the views. It was windy that day and the swaying didn't bother the girls at all!

 Brady posing for the camera

 Me and my girly girls

It was lots of fun and we decided we will go again in the fall, when it gets dark earlier and see the sunset during a ride!

As a side note, I didn't let the 'issues' get me down about how to celebrate. Remember this post last year? At that point we were 10 months into trying to get pregnant, so of course I was wishing for that deep down. But I didn't let it stop me from realizing how awesome my life was then. I did think to myself, on this birthday I really do have everything I have EVER dreamed of...I really am lucky to have had and continue to have the best life I could ask for. 

School's in!

So we are a week into school being back in session...

Let's see...

Reese didn't act up on the first day of school like last year, she waited until the second day!

And, Brady waited until the fourth day of school to wake up with a green snotted sneezy nose!

Also, the girls have started this pact of not telling me about school. I get "I am not going to tell you about my day, but I had fun!" I still ask everyday, because even if I don't get an answer I want them to know I care enough to ask. Of course, random tidbits come out in conversation throughout the day.

Here is Brady's first day of kindergarten picture.

For comparison...

First day of school 2011

First day of school 2010

Apparently without trying she has striked the same pose every year! Look at the green window sill compared to the top of her head each year! And she has wanted her hair done the same way each time too!

Reese's first day 2012

Reese's first day 2011

Oh man do I love love love these cutie pies. Here's to a happy and successful school year, which will include the huge transition of a move to VA.

Can't teach an old dog new tricks: Orthnerisms

So, as many of you may know I have issues with syllables. As in I add syllables to words. I am the product of the 'whole language' revolution that flopped in the education field.

For example, in AP Senior English, we were dissecting a poem that was iambic pentameter (did I spell that right?). Anyways, the teacher says "This poem doesn't follow that part in one line, where is it?"; I proudly raise my hand and say "It is the line with child, since child has two syllables" Giggles ensued! Chi-uld right?

Well, that wasn't the end of my syllable misery. At the beginning of my Junior year of college, I went to an improv comedy show with a large group of friends. They had an audience participation skit. They asked for one syllable names. Karl shouts out his name. I said to him, "They asked for only one syllable names!" I honestly thought his name is two syllables, Kar-ul right?. Note: we weren't dating yet, and he still pursued me.

So my syllable inabilities came back to haunt me! I have an iPhone, and most people know about Siri. You can speak to type. So in my text to a friend, I spoke "Karl told me....". What did Siri type?!?!?! "Karel told me...."

Thanks Siri, for allowing me to laugh at the expense of myself!

Brady's Point of View

I like looking at the pictures Brady takes with her camera. It gives me a chance to realize what Brady thinks is interesting. I feel like I can kinda see inside her head... I wanted to share some of my favorites that make me smile or think like her.

Owl Blanket: Month Three

Today is Elliot's three month anniversary! And boy (or girl) has it been a month a milestones... but first lets see how she looks next to the owl.

She is my sweet sweet little girl! Sweet like a flower but growing like a weed.

She weighs 13 pounds and 3 ounces which is back to 75th %ile. She measures right at 24.5" which keeps her over the 90th %ile! I knew my tall genes would show up somewhere.

Now for this past month's milestones:
-two days ago Elli Dew rolled over from her back to her belly for the first time

-Elli is now sleeping through the night. She has slept at least 8 hours every night for the last week (am I jinxing myself) and the last two nights has gone to bed with the other two girls at 7:30 and not woken up until 5:30...yep, TEN HOURS!!!!
-Elli loves talking to people. If anyone looks her right in the eyes and talks to her she will converse with them.

-Also, since last month when I talked of how much she loves tummy time, she now cares very little for it.
-Lastly, an unique milestone for a third child. This is the first time Karl has been around one of his children at this age. It is fun to watch him discover the highs and lows of infancy...like how as soon as you figure them out, they change!

Disney Photo Book...finally

Click here to view this photo book larger

Visit Shutterfly.com to create your own personalized photobook.

I am not ready for this...

I just put together all the school supplies, house shoes and change of clothes to bring for the first day of school tomorrow. I put the bags down by the front door and walked away holding back tears, thinking "I am not ready for this!"

I am not ready for those teachers (as great as they are) to have Brady for 30+ hours a week and Reese for 17+ hours a week. I am not ready for the infinite changes I am going to see in them this year (even though I know I will be proud). I am not ready to wake up at 6am five days a week (and whatever other time in the middle of the night). I am not ready to pack lunches everyday (I want to sit with them instead). I am not ready for the 10 hours of driving a week. I am just not ready; I want to hang onto summer a little while longer, but it has slipped through my fingers.

Now, while I am not ready, I know they are....go get 'em girls, show them how it is done!

 

First Day Of Kindergarten by Author Unknown

 

She started school this morning,

And she seemed so very small.

As I walked there beside her

In the Kindergarten hall.

 

And as she took her place beside

the others in the class,

I realized how all too soon

Those first few years can pass.

 

Remembering, I saw her as

She first learned how to walk.

The words that we alone made out

When she began to talk.

 

This little girl so much absorbed

In learning how to write.

It seems as though she must have grown

To girlhood overnight.

 

My eyes were blurred by hastily

I brushed the tears away

Lest by some word or sign of mine

I mar her first big day

 

Oh how I longed to stay with her

And keep her by the hand

To lead her through the places

That she couldn't understand.

 

And something closely kin to fear

Was mingled with my pride.

I knew she would no longer be

A baby by my side.

 

But she must have her chances to live,

To work her problems out,

The privilege to grow and learn

What life is all about.

 

And I must share my little girl

With friends and work and play;

She's not a baby anymore --

She's in Kindergarten today.