Avocado

Friday was the big night! Even though the signs were pointing to Anna-Kate being ready for food a little earlier, I was stubbornly waiting for her to be 6 months and for me to have time to make her food myself. Friday night Anna-Kate sat down to her supper of rice cereal and avocado. What follows is Will's picture story and his commentary on the pictures he took.
Here comes the avocado! What will she think?

Uumm, I am not sure of this. What did momma just put in my mouth?

Okay, this isn't too bad!

Mom! I did it!

Weeee!

Remember that was Will's commentary on Anna-Kate's experience. The truth that the pictures didn't say was that the smile was probably due more to Will's talking to AK than the food in her mouth. After the first few bites she made this super cute face that seemed to say "I may or may not swallow this." She didn't seem to love avocado, but she ate every bite. (After a few bites of straight avocado, I mixed the rest into her cereal. The cute face disappeared and she ate it more happily after that.) Tonight we move on to sweet potatoes!

Friday Night Supper

Welcome to Friday night supper at the Simmons's House! First on the menu, rice cereal and pureed avocado. Yum!
To be followed by steak and twice baked potatoes. Yum yum!

Friday night Anna-Kate had her first baby food, avocado. Pictures of that big event to come soon. I wanted a date night with Will, so I decided to create one at home. I rented a movie for us and made this dinner (with dessert too). I even put on a date-night outfit after AK went to bed. You know you are parents when.....we had a great dinner. Then we ate our dessert as the movie started. Then, 40 minutes into the movie, I was asleep on Will's shoulder. Aaah, how romantic!

Photo Opp

Mary-Knowles and Anna-Kate looked as though we planned their outfits on Thurs. The colors matched so well that I had to take a few pictures. It was good timing because this week marks 3 months that I have been watching Mary-Knowles. The girls have grown a lot! and I have loved getting to watch it! Soon I will have to do a then and now post of the two of them.
With their coordinating outfits, I set out to have a photo shoot with the girls. Here are the two best shots that I got:


This was our intermission. We took a break between the pictures in the living room and the pictures in the nursery.

Just as with any show, the outtakes tend to be the funniest! The first one speaks for itself.

Have you ever tried to get a [almost] six and an eight month old to look at the camera and smile at the same time?!

I was going to try to get the girls to both lie on their bellies and then look at me. I have an advantage with Anna-Kate - she doesn't crawl yet. The foot on the right belongs to Mary-Knowles. She stayed in position about 2.5 seconds. ;)

When I took this picture of Anna-Kate, I realized the photo shoot was over. You notice I did have to take the picture before putting the camera away.

Then and Now

2 days old, the day we brought her home from the hospital

5 1/2 months old

It is hard to believe that is the same baby. I can't believe my sweet little floppy newborn will be six months old just a week from today. She is such a blessing to us!

Sitting Up!

She looks like such a big girl!

I took these two pictures about a week ago. Within moments of the click of the camera, she would fall over. I used the rings to give her something to focus on, hoping she wouldn't topple over quite so quickly. I decided we needed a toy at her house that would encourage the same thing. So, Will and I went to Target...

"Will, I like this toy for her; my mom-friends have really liked it."

"If you think she needs it, we can get it." pause to look at it "Anna-Kate, if you we are going to buy this for you, then you should carry it." Will puts the toy in AK's lap in the stroller. Her arms immediately reach out for it, and her eyes get really big. When it is in her lap, she studies the box so hard that she looks like she is reading the back. When she gets excited about the toy, Will's stance changes from dad-spending-money to protective-dad. "becca, she likes it. If she wants it, of course we are going to get it." Then he starts walking toward the check out lines with purpose. Watch out bank account, Anna-Kate wants to take daddy with her shopping!

"Mary-Knowles, I can show you how this works."

Getting our Exercise

I have wondered what I look like when the girls and I go for a walk. Lately I have decided to do this instead of the double stroller to help the girls stay awake. The first time I did this, Mary-Knowles waved to the passing cars! She's already working on the princess wave! Anna-Kate enjoys watching MK with the outdoor scenery. The girls do stay awake this way, but I have also learned that this is not the way to stroll them if there is a big hill to conquer during the walk. Thanks to my friend Jessica, who we had gone to visit, for taking this picture!

BFFs

This is my best friend Mary-Knowles!
We went on our vacation and MK spent a few days at her grandma's. So, the day we came back together, I took some pictures. Can you tell the girls were happy to see each other? Holding hands was totally their idea, with no help from the photographer.

Fast forward a few years...doesn't this look like two 4 years olds watching Disney princesses?

Do you think they are comparing notes about their trips to VA mountains and to grandma's house?

These pictures are from this week. MK is a crawler now, which creates a new fun dynamic to our play time. AK was fine with MK crawling over her until MK hit her on the head with the toy. Of course, I grab the camera instead of MK. :)

They really do make my days so happy!

I think they make each other happy too!

Our Sweet Baby Cow

I could not get enough of her in this cow costume! Thank you to Aunt Amanda and Uncle Walter. They picked this out for her last year before we knew if we were having a boy or a girl.

Learning from the Cousins

Last night we took Anna-Kate to the fall festival at church. This was her year to learn what to expect; next year she will partake in the fun. Who better to teach her what to do than her two cousins!

Okay Anna-Kate, Camden and I will show you what to do! Come on, let's go! (Seeing the tail wag while he crawled was too cute!
Alright boys, I am watching. Show me how it is done!

I want a pony!

Yippee!