Busch Gardens

Saturday we went to Busch Gardens. We are happy to report that it was not as busy as we expected it to be this Labor Day weekend. Usually I go to the parks with other mothers and our kids, but this day it was just the four of us. It was nice to have someone else pushing the heavy stroller up the hills. Emma rode every ride available to four year olds, and Libby looked and laughed and slept. We also spent about $20 on water to drink. Next time we'll pack our own!

Still Lovin' Shamu

It has been three months since our visit to Disney World and Sea World, and Emma still talks about it quite often and watches the video we bought of the Shamu whale show. She has even taught Libby to say "whale" and move her arms up and down to 'call' Shamu.

Things Emma Says That We Don't Correct

yogrit (yogurt)
pssgehtti (spaghetti)
buhdult (adult)

I'll keep thinking and add more later.

The Modeling Agencies Will Call Any Minute

I finally got that picture of Libby that I've been trying for. Emma spent the day with Susan and Chas (after her first sleepover!) so I dressed Libby up and took her outside. I have decided that children are the most difficult subject to photograph, and I really don't even know what I'm doing.



People often ask me if I think the red hair will stick around. Yes, it's here for life(and don't you dye it, college-age-Libby). Her eyelashes and eyebrows are even red. It's permanent, people. Her skin is the amazing pinky-pink color, quite different than Emma's and a lot like my mother's. I fear they will both be covered in freckles, so these days they get covered in sunscreen. Love it!

Libby says:
whale, melmo(elmo), cheeeese! (for the camera), nak (snack), thank you, mine

Things she has called milk:
Lysol cleaning spray
Olympic pool on TV
Water in the water table on the deck
Any sippy cup
Bathwater
Mommy's Cranenergy drink (or as Emma says, mommy's allergy drink)

Libby does this:
shakes her head no if you ask her a question (any question), takes her shoes off and puts them away, throws things in the trash, throws fits at teeth-brushing time, fights with Emma (snatches, hits, pulls hair, screeches loudly), hangs on mommy's legs when she tries to cook, points at a beer in the fridge and says dah-dah, points at the pantry and says 'nak', says milk and tries to open the fridge, refers to all liquids as milk, goes to her seat at the table and pushes her chair out and holds her bib ready, blows kisses and gives real kisses and hugs, amazes mommy every day

Official Crabber

It's official, Emma is a crabber! Poppop took us out on his skiff in the Urbanna Creek on Sunday afternoon. Emma was very excited to go, until we got down on the dock . . . but after some convincing she finally got into the boat and thankfully put on the lifejacket. She watched Poppop pull up the first pot, and was surprised when she got sprinkled with water as he shook the crabs out. We both got muddy as we fetched one of the bouys. She learned the female crabs have red 'nail polish' on their claws. She held the baby crab, after Poppop broke his claw. She scoped out an even smaller baby crab in the bottom of the boat that I had a hard time finding, even after she pointed to it! She helped drive the boat into the cove, then told Poppop he needed to wash off his muddy boat. After he did that, she helped him carry the basket of crabs up the big hill. The last step was to move the crabs from the basket into the cooking pot using the tongs. It was then I remembered that my little pocket camera takes video. I got three short videos of her trying to move the crabs, and some great commentary from Poppop. Click here to see all the crabbing pictures and videos. After the crabs cooked and Libby woke up from her nap, we enjoyed them for dinner. Emma ate and ate and had fun banging the claws open. Libby ate and ate, and tried to chew up the legs along with the meat. When Chucky pulled the camera out and pointed it at her, she said "cheeeeeee"! A good day if ever there was one. I'm not sure who had the most fun (me)!

Seven Years

Happy Anniversary to us!
8.25.2001

Botanical Gardens

This photo was just too hilarious not to post! Here we are on the way to pick up Chas, headed to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond. Ashtyn and Emma are in the back, and Ellie and Libbie are in the front. Ellie turns one this week-happy birthday!


They had a water play area that the kids loved. It didn't last too long, I think the water was cold! Then the played in the sandbox, climbed a tree and checked out the craft area. They weren't too interested in the flowers, although they did like the baby bananas we found.


Click here to see all of our pictures from this day!

16 Months

Libby turned 16 months on thursday. I was working at my mom's house, so I took her outside for a photo shoot. I didn't get what I was hoping for, but I did get a few surprises that were worth the effort. It's hard to photograph an always moving, always talking blur of a baby.


Libby checks out a baby frog caught by PopPop.

The baby frog checks out Phoebe! Check out how big her eyes got!


I love how this one shows the folds in her chubby legs and the ringlets in her hair.

An Alternate Universe

I've stepped into another world. It's called Facebook. I can't believe the people that I've lost touch with that are now my "friends". I go about my day, working, taking care of my kids, talking to my normal friends and family . . . and then at night I go on facebook and communicate in my other world. Spooky.

What a dear

She has cheeks that shake when she walks, and they've been kissed so much I can't believe they've survived!

This week she has discovered books. She hunts for them, throws them on the couch, and tries to throw her leg up on the couch, grunting and pointing and showing me the book. I sit and "read" the book, then she hunts for another and another. I am so tired of the books we have here - we need an emergency trip to the library. (well that's something I thought I'd never say) Sometimes Emma jumps up next to her and tries to help me read. Libby feels threatened and hits Emma, snatches the book, and squeals like a stuck pig. This never ends well . . . I'm not sure what to do. Send Emma away? Take the books from Libby? Ugh. Anyway, she is learning the names and sounds of animals and she even saw a real deer in our backyard. She squealed and said "deeuh"! Chucky is delighted.

She said what?

I cut her bangs myself - so glad it is not obvious.

Me: Emma, you're bleeding!

Emma: Oh, I need a tissue!

Me: Then go to the bathroom and get one.

Emma: Oh. Ok.

Me: Don't pick at it, it will heal faster if you leave it alone.

Emma: leans down and whispers in my ear, "God heals us."

I don't know where she heard that or why she whispered it, but it was like something from a sci-fi movie.



Emma: Mommy, when I am I going to get a baby in my belly?

Me: When you're married.

Emma: Well, when will that be? Who is going to be my husband?

Me: It will be a while - you have lots of time to go find someone in this world that you think you would like to live with. *wanted to faint*

Garden

Our garden has finally produced something! One miniature green pepper, six yellow pear tomatoes, and one sunflower.

Rock your baby

Libby is almost sixteen months, and continues to surprise us and make us laugh every day. She adds new words to her vocabulary every day, like boat, go go, beep beep, nigh-nigh, rock-rock, car, mine, and poop! She seems to understand most of what we say. She'll follow directions, like go throw that in the trash, get your shoes, go upstairs for jammies, find your cup, go to your seat. You can pretty much get her to go anywhere with the promise of "eat!" When she wakes up she just wants to play in her crib, so to get her out, I tell her it's time to eat! She comes to the edge with her arms up. When we sing 'Wheels on the Bus' she tries to do the "round and round" motions with her hands, and she loves to dance and clap to any music she hears. Tonight I rocked her to sleep and she babbled and babbled, and in between all the babbling she would take a deep breath, swallow and keep babbling. It was like she was telling me about her day. She would even say no no sometimes, then at some points she would giggle, and look at me like I was supposed to giggle, too. And I did! And if I tried to rest my head on the back of the chair, she would reach up with her chubby hand and turn my chin back towards her face. She's so big she doesn't really fit in my lap anymore, but we rock with her legs dangling over the chair and our faces close. The music plays, she's heavy and usually sweaty around her hairline, and I thank God for my chubby healthy pink red-headed baby. When we first sit down, I am thinking of all the things I need to do in the house, but after a few minutes of rocking I am thinking of nothing but my baby girl. The rocking is as much for me as it is for her. I was given this piece of advice from a mother of three when I was pregnant with my first child: life is too short not to rock your babies. And so I rock . . . and am rewarded every night. And it is the number one piece of advice I hope to pass on to my girls.

Beep Beep!

Libby's cousin Mason got a blue car like this for his birthday. Libby rode in it for most of his party, so her great-grandfather got one for her, too - in pink! She rides in style, saying go, go! and beep beep!

Libby slides

Here goes Libby on her first solo slide . . . and Emma on her thousandth!

Ball Practice

Chucky and Emma prepared for the upcoming t-ball season in the backyard yesterday. Emma finally hit the ball, and it fell down on her head! Turn down the volume to avoid hearing our annoying laughs.

Carnival

We hit the local carnival twice this week. The kids loved it, the adults and their wallets are glad it's over! Here's Emma and Maggie on the ferris wheel. Maggie conquered the rock climbing wall while Emma rode the kiddie rides and Libby waved to all the little children her size. Libby rode the carousel and the cloud ride with mommy. They picked up ducks and ate funnel cake. We drove home yawning and covered in powdered sugar. . . a great Saturday night out!

Hives

Thursday, 5pm - Kate is broken out into itchy splotchy hives, takes Benadryl

All weekend - Kate feels yucky on and off and sometimes has hives on her hands and feet

Monday morning - Kate goes to the doctor and breaks out into hives on her hands, arms, knees and ankles while she is there - bonus! She gets some blood taken and is told to take Zyrtec everyday for the next week while they await the test results. Now I have a headache. Somebody just give me some (fill-in-the-blank-with-magical-fix-it-all-pills) already.

Crushed

Jonathan, Chucky's cousin, was involved in a construction accident last week and just came home from the hospital on Sunday. He broke one toe, and crushed his big toe. He has three pins it in (one of them you can see sticking right out of his toe!!), some serious pain medication, and grim reports that it may need to be amputated this week. He is a coach, a player, a busy get-up-and-goer, scheduled to be married in June, and he is crushed. Being in the hospital for four nights was hellish and to make it all just right, his fiance went to a bridal show today and won lessons for ball room dancing. He hopes he will dance at his wedding. I know he will.

New Job

Last week Chucky started a new job. He's still surveying, but for a different company in Gloucester. It was a stressful week, as he adapted to new software, longer hours, new people and a new place. We hope this will be a positive step toward his career goals. He's gone from the house earlier in the morning, so I get the girls dressed and fed and out the door alone. He gets home later, so I'm cooking without him here to occupy Libby. She's pulling on my legs begging for food at five o'clock. Monday comes again tomorrow, one week down, ? to go.

Garden

Our garden has not produced anything edible (so far). Here are some pictures of hope.

Shelby

I post a lot about my girls, so today I decided to post about my orginal baby girl, Shelby. She is nine years old, can't hear very much, scratches a lot and has stinky breath. She's great with the girls, and our cat. She sleeps a lot, and still follows me around the house like she's a puppy.