Kitchen

The kitchen is being redecorated. We are getting the wood stained cabinets painted white, a new floor, new countertops and curtains. Finally. We have lived in the house for three and a half years and the kitchen has always been my least favorite room. Almost to the point of using the word 'hate'. The cabinets are already white and even though nothing else has been done yet, I am already happier when I walk into the room. It should all be finished within two weeks, then I'll post some before and after pictures.

Shelby

I was playing with my macro lens and got what I think is a great picture of my original baby girl, Shelby.

Playin'

5 is cool.

This is totally Emma. Walking down the middle of the road without a care, two different shoes on, loving having her picture taken, and so proud that she gets to walk Shelby.

Kiss Shelby!

She did this the first time without anyone asking her to, and I just happened to see it. So much for trying to recreate the moment.

2

Libby turned two today! We had a great day, starting out at the Y, then to River Birch Animal Farm (ammmlllss!), then home to play in the backyard (lots of pictures), naptime, and some of her favorites for dinner plus homemade birthday cake! She talks in sentances, knows most body parts (shoulder and elbow are the new ones), and really knows she's cute and uses it to her advantage. If something is missing, she calls for it. "Here, toy! Come see me!" I have no idea where she got that from, but it is so cute and innocent. She also demands things "right now". We have been working on saying "get my milk please" instead of "get my milk right now!" Libby has violent fits every now and then, which convince us more and more she is going to be a football player. For about thirty seconds she'll wreak havoc on whatever is nearby . . . pull Emma's hair for no reason, throw books, kick a doll, swat at the dog. She's crazy I tell ya! People have talked so much about her red hair, she realizes it's something different than most people. I gave her a baby cabbage patch doll for her birthday that has red curly hair . . .and I asked her, "who else has red hair?" and she said, "ME!" Here she is kissing her new doll:



Even though the girls fight, Libby's best friend is Emma. When she wakes up, she says "where emma?" If we go somewhere without Emma in the car, "where emma?" If Emma has a banana, Libby says, "i want nana, like Emma!" Everything's gotta be "like Emma." They play great in the bathtub, pouring water on each other and whispering and plotting to get me wet, or make me laugh with their crazy hairdos and silly dances.

The time from age one to age two is my favorite, but I'm not sad it's over. There is so much to look forward to, and I have really enjoyed my girls being babies. I've soaked it all in and hopefully taken enough pictures and videos to help keep my memories alive. I know I'll forget . . . I forgot in the three years between the two . . . but I'll always be thankful . . . and ready for grandchildren!

Shelby Eat My Corn!

Chocolate . . . and food stuck in eyebrow!

More Easter activity:

Easter 2009

To see more Easter pictures, click here .

Happy Easter! Church at Zoar Baptist, lunch at Ghee and Pop-Pops!

Birthday Party

We had a joint birthday party for the girls at the firehouse. We had 52 people! I just wanted to get it all overwith, the family, the friends, the cake, the presents - and it worked out great! We had beautiful weather and happy kids! We have lots more pictures - click here to see them all!

Cutest Ballerina in the World

Emma did her dance routine to Mary Poppins' Spoonful of Sugar. The teacher was dressed like Mary Poppins and there were fifteen (yes, 15!) little 3-5 year olds twirling and grinning all over the stage. I can't wait to see it again when we get the DVD! I sat in the audience waiting for her class to come on stage, and I was as nervous as if I were going on stage. I put her hair up in a bun, and slathered makeup on her face (two firsts for her). She had glitter sprinkled all over her face, hair and arms. She looked really weird, but she enjoyed it, and I did too. Being in the dressing room with all the mothers and daughters was a natural thing to me, I felt like this was where I was meant to be . . . I don't know what I would do with a boy!

Libby stayed home and Uncle Joe and Lindsay came to babysit. In a couple of years, she'll be dancing, too. If she wants to, of course! She might rather play football if she keeps up her tough-girl act!

Emma's not in this one, but look at how cute they are!

Gymnastics

Emma takes gymnastics lessons every wednesday at preschool. The lessons are finished for this year, and the kids put on a show to show us what they have learned. Here's Emma doing a bridge, and she got herself in that position all by herself!

She also did rolls and cartwheels and they even finished up the routine with a small pyramid.

Kendall, Logan, Sarah, Evee, Emma

I am so proud of Emma. This spring she had to learn a gymnastics routine and a dance routine, and do them within a week of each other, and she was great, and cute, and great! No stagefright . . . yet.