Catching up (AGAIN!)...

So here it is, almost a month between posts, AGAIN! But then again, I'm not really sure anyone reads this blog...

So lets start with the second half of October. We went to the state Fair. Both girls were a little under the weather but it was a fun time.

Here's Emily hanging out in the stroller while Ivy rode a ride.

Ivy's friend Grayce was there showing her goats so we hung out with them for a while.

Riding rides!!!

Ivy had her VIP (Very Important Preschooler) Day at school. My mom kept Emily so I could go and spend the entire morning in Ivy's class.

Here is Ivy standing in line waiting for music to start.

That same day, I took both girls to the doctor - both had yucky coughs and runny noses. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't anything go on with their ears. The doctor did say that Ivy had some fluid in her ears but it looked fine. So a long wait and two copays later we headed home! By the way, we ended up back at the pediatrician the following week with Ivy's ear hurting and her having a double ear infection...

We've been playing at the park on the warm days...

Ivy's preschool had their Halloween Parade. Ivy dressed up as Tinkerbell.

Ivy was invited to a birthday party that took place at a fire station. How cool is that??

Then it got to be November. More park days...

And just today, the children's group from church got together at a little farm and played for a while. It was so much fun!!

So that's all for now. I hope it won't be another month between posts.... We'll see. :)

Swimming Lessons

Ivy started taking swim lessons again - she had her third lesson today.

She is the youngest in her class. It's a group of 4 kids, the other children have been 4

for some time. So she's quite a bit less experienced than they are but the instructor feels like

she is in the right class. Ivy is having a hard time learning to put her face in the water. She'll jump off the side of the pool all day long, her whole head going under water. But to kick and do her arms and put her face in, she just can't do it... Hopefully she'll be doing it soon.

Waiting for her lesson to start...

She looks so sweet in this picture...

Goofing off while waiting for her lesson to start...

The beginning of the lesson...

Working on kicking..."Straight legs!"

Practicing arms...

Arms and legs... See, no face in the water. :)

Emily's FIRST BIRTHDAY!!!

Emily celebrated her FIRST BIRTHDAY!! It's been over a week now and I still can't believe she's one. No one warned me how fast time flies with the second child...

Some things about Emily:

She is a sweet and happy baby!

She isn't walking yet.

She has LOTS to say. Some words that she says and can be understood by most people are:

Hi, ball, cow, moo, quack, Mama, Dada, No, okay, good

She tries to say Ivy but it comes out "I-ya". So cute.

She went to her 1-year well baby check and she is in the 95th % for height and weight.

Here's Emily on the morning of her birthday

Her presents!! (Thank you everyone!)

Ivy and Grayce dressed up for the festivities.

Emily wasn't too sure about the cake to begin with...

But she figured it out pretty quickly!

PRESENT OPENING TIME!!

Kaitlyn and Emily playing together

Winston, Emily and Kaitlyn looking out the front door

Playing with some of her birthday toys

Most of September...

Two posts right here back to back - proof that we are still alive! We've just been busy finishing up summer and getting back into the routine of going to school and all the other regularly scheduled activities.

Right before Ivy started back to school, we made one last day trip to the NC Zoo with friends.

Here's Emily and her friend Kaitlyn (she is about 2.5 weeks younger than Emily).

Ivy climbing the spider web at the zoo play ground...

Ivy and Grayce going down the leaf slide...

Ivy and Grayce on the Praying Mantis sculpture...

Posing with the Bison statue...

Ivy started back to preschool. This year she goes three days a week, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. She has some great friends in her class and she has wonderful teachers.

Here she is on her first day...

"Mom, are you done taking picture?"

We've been taking Ivy to ride her bike more often lately. Hopefully the more she practices, the better she'll get. I think she's ready for a bigger bike; still with training wheels but she looks a little big on this tiny bike.

We stopped to take a few pictures...

Emily chewing her finger - she's recently gotten 4 new teeth and there are still two more coming in! She's handling it very well but sometimes she just needs something to chew on. Fingers are the most convenient.

Ivy watching a little tv before bed - looks comfy, huh?

Emily watching Ivy out on the back porch...

Emily playing with Malcom. She LOVES our cats!

Hopefully another post tomorrow - about Emily's FIRST BIRTHDAY!!!

(I can't believe she's a year old already!!)