Cruisin' the Strip

Anderson came over to play last week. It was so pretty that Anderson, Mary-Knowles, and Anna-Kate insisted they needed to go outisde.
Anderson is one of Mary-Knowles's favorite friends. Anna-Kate laughs every time she sees a picture with Anderson in it. They always have fun together.

Mary-Knowles is blowing kisses to the adoring fans!

PS. I would love to say that Anna-Kate's hair is blowing in the wind, but she just has a serious case of bedhead!

Sippy Cup Showdown

Cousins

I love this! Anna-Kate loves being around her cousins Camden and Anderson. I looked over at them in the living room while I was cleaning up the kitchen; Anna-Kate was laughing while watching Anderson play nearby.

Happy Birthday Mary-Knowles!

Happy birthday Mary-Knowles! It has truly been my pleasure to spend my days with you! I have loved watching you grow. It makes me smile to watch your friendship with Anna-Kate develop. Watching you learn new words and how to do new things has been so wonderful. Your smile is beautiful and contagious. I love you Mary-Knowles!

10 Months

At 10 months...
Mobility: still not very interested. She can scoot backward when on her tummy. Once or twice she has gotten into the crawling position with tummy off the ground, and then collapsed. She would much rather be standing. Standing is her absolute favorite past time these days. She can't pull herself up yet, but she tries to help. She loves staring out the window at Bailey, playing at MK's leap frog music table, and standing on or at the couch.

Teeth: Her fifth tooth (left of top front teeth) broke through yesterday. I like that I have a reason for her crankiness this week.

Language: Yesterday she also said Mama! Once. Her currents words are: yeah (over and over again), dada, do[g], and (recently added) mama.

Milestone: Yesterday we were at the mall. A car drove by with loud music. She started bouncing and clapping her hands! It was the first time for clapping.

Food: anything you will give her! She thinks she is such a big girl getting to eat whatever you are eating.

Favorite activities: standing, looking at books, anything that has dogs near or on or around it

Recently she has started this "game" where she tilts her head to the side and grins at you. If you do it back, she will go back and forth with you for a long time, laughing the whole time. Maybe she just knows she is cute!

New Fun

"Mom, where am I? Are you sure about this?"
Sometimes after the girls' naps, I put AK in MK's crib for a few minutes. The first time it was because I needed to do something. They seemed to enjoy it so much that I now do it occasionally.

The picture below is the most common picture I have of Mary-Knowles; she is just too fast for the camera!

Can you tell this was St. Patrick's Day?

I l.o.v.e pictures like these last two!! Don't you wonder just how much they really do communicate?! Maybe their conversation went something like this:

MK: "So, what do you think of my crib?"

AK: "It's alright. I see your mom likes polka dots too. Is she obsessed like my mom?"

MK: "I don't know about polka dots, but these bars....Do you have them too?"

AK: "Yeah, my bars are brown though. Do you think we can get out of here?"

MK: "If you can get your mom to leave the room, I've got a plan..."

AK: "I like hanging out at your house Mary-Knowles."

MK: "I am glad you are here Anna-Kate."

Phase 2

Last weekend Will and I completed Phase 2 of our home project. We painted the dining room. Here are the before and after shots:

Walking in the door

The open view of our dining room/kitchen

We love how the color makes a clear room distinction.

The wall that most clearly shows how the rooms and colors flow into each other.

Coming full circle; the entry way is to the left of the windows.

We are happy with how it has turned out. We are most happy with the night-time view. The colors appear at least two shades darker at night than they do during the day. Night-time view is what is pictured here.

Phase 3: we think phase 3 will be decorating (curtains, wall art behind couch, ...). Then phase 4 will be putting glass shelves in the nook in the dining room seen in the last images.

Getting Older

These pictures of Anna-Kate standing make her look older, like the nearing one year old she is. I do like the fun age she has gotten to, laughs easily and really enjoys interacting with us.

She is so proud that she can stand up, getting better at supporting herself after I help her to get to the standing position.

Watching out the upstairs window.

"Yeeaahh....DO[G]!"

"Dad, I want to tell you about one of my favorite parts of the day, Mary-Knowles's dog Bailey!" "Isn't she pretty Dad? Look how helpful she is too. She helps keep me clean by licking my forehead."

"Sometimes she gives me kisses on my nose and it makes me laugh."

"She even has this cool necklace that she lets me look at. Mommy doesn't let me play with hers, but Bailey does. So, a dog is someone I could play with too."

"What do you think Dad? Can we have a dog?"

From Glamour to Glory

My sister-in-law asked us to tell about our typical day. I also love hearing what is the reality of our bloggers' worlds. I read in a book about parenting a chapter called "From Glamour to Glory" and I thought at times that feels like such a good description of my life. For 5 years, I taught. When I walked through the halls, I would hear "hey Mrs. Simmons!" at least 3 times. I liked to laugh and say that it was my own version of fame. Before 9:30, I had helped a few students before school, and then spent 1.5 hours teaching approx 25 students Algebra. Now before 9:30.....


5:45 - Will and I wake up and shower

6:10 - I make coffee, fix 3 lunches for the day and if I am running early, I might make muffins or coffee cake for breakfast. (I should insert here that Will does make our bed every morning and picks up my slack on anything that I ask him to.)

6:30 - back upstairs to get ready for the day

6:50 - get Anna-Kate up and head downstairs

7:00 - I feed Anna-kate. Then while I change Anna-Kate, Will fixes our breakfast and pours our coffee.

7:45 - the three of us head to work for the day (separate vehicles)


8:05ish - arrive at MK's house. I get my and AK's stuff settled, hug MK, and sit on the floor for at least 5 minutes to play with the girls

8:30 - 9:30 - Anna-Kate eats breakfast while MK has a snack. I change both girls diapers. I change MK into her outfit for the day. I nurse AK. I clean up after breakfast. I try to play with the girls for a few minutes befor etheir first nap of the day.

My "before 9:30" schedule is quite different from what it was this time last year. I have not taught anyone how to graph a line. I have not answered 7 questions concerning last night's trig homework. I have not walked through the halls hearing my name called out. But, I have changed at least 3 diapers. This morning a raspberry was blown at me the exact moment after a bite of yogurt was put in my daughter's mouth. Not exactly glamorous, but, as the previous mentioned book (Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas) says, I am to be reminded that the Glory of Chirst is revealed in so many moments of my days with these children in my care. I did not say that eloquently, so you need to read that book for the better words!

And, glamorous or not, have I mentioned lately I love my new role with AK and MK!?!

Come a Long Way

Wow! Look at the difference 6.5 months can make! I took this picture during the first couple weeks I watched Mary-Knowles. I had left the room and came back to find the girls looking at the door waiting on me.

Yesterday the girls decided to play in MK's room while I fixed lunch. This is the scene that I found this week.

I don't know which scene is more precious!

Lunch Time

These two pictures are recent favorites of mine. Lunch time is definitely more interesting (and more challenging) now that Anna-Kate and Mary-Knowles want to feed themselves. I love the grin on MK's face, and the classic look on AK's face!

Playdates

Playdates are fun chaos. Playdates are a way to give the babies some social interaction. Playdates allow mommies to compare notes. Playdates keep the babies entertained, and this mommy sane!
Mary-Knowles loves when my newphew Anderson comes over! She loves that he can walk and play with her. They are still learning to share though. ;)

Grace Elizabeth came over to play with us last week too. Anna-Kate and Mary-Knowles enjoyed watching what these cool big kids can do.

When the playdates are over, Mary-Knowles and Anna-Kate seem to look at each other to say, "that was fun, but it's nice being just me and you." If you could hear this picture, you would hear MK and AK taking turns blowing raspberries at each other. So cute!

Celebrating 3 Years!

Three years ago today, I married my man! Growing up I wanted a man who was [old-school-style] chivalrous. I wanted a man who put God first and his family second. I wanted a man who was intelligent and who I could play well with. I wanted a handsome man who was taller than me. I wanted a man that I could laugh with and cry with.

Will is that man and more! I thank God all the time that He gave us to each other!

2007

3) Dates are crucial! Time just the two of us... I need and love it! 2008

2) Being able to dream with someone who shares my hopes and values has been wonderful!

2009

1) Will is the man of my dreams, my knight in shining honor, the love of my life. I consider it my priviledge to be the one to honor him, encourage him, play with him, mother his children, dream with him, be doted on by him, ... love him!

2010