Catch Up in Reverse

    Because I am too lazy to rearrange all of the photos in chronological order, I'll just go backwards.We moved to Athens! Our first weekend here there was a Low Country Boil at a farm of some church members. They had bounce houses... 

                   A pond for fishing and canoeing...

     And a lot of room for playing football. Miss E wanted to join the big boys.

   Since we have no friends :), we have spent some time at the library. The have a really big Children's Area and this fun dollhouse and large dolls.

         For Memorial Day, I took the kids to a little festival that had bounce houses, games, and face-painting. 

       Backing up to Charleston, Grady had a fun last day of school where they performed a few songs, served the parents ice cream, and received these diplomas for graduating 3K.

      Grady and Tyler enjoying a picnic outside. Nothing was so cute as when the were both sitting there alone, heads bowed, hands clasped, praying "God Our Father" in unison.

     Final beach trip until July! Emory's first trip this year. Too cold!

 That's better.

 Daddy's home! 

 Easter!

15 Months

    Emory is 15 months today! She has 12 teeth now and finally back to sleeping through the night again. She has a few words- and really spoke a lot the past 2 days, saying Nana, Pop (Bop), bye-bye, and egg (she has a plastic Easter egg). She has also said, "bubbles." She had a good check-up and weighs 20 lbs (17th %ile), is 29.5 inches (33%ile) and her head is 50th %ile. She is a little thing, but I am not complaining. She sure eats a lot to be so small!

    Today was Tyler's birthday party day, and the kids have just returned from his party. They are wearing their party favor sunglasses.

14 Months

    During the past month, Emory has been busy growing some new teeth! She has 8 teeth and working on her 4 premolars right now. She is walking and climbing on everything. She allegedly can say her version of quack quack (ack ack- according to grandparents) and said bye-bye to the dental hygenist today. She said a few more animal sounds to me, but hasn't repeated them. She is still pretty small. I realized the other day she was wearing 3-6 months pants! (They looked more like capris, but still fit around the waist.) The good news is she will be able to wear some really cute 12 months summer clothes that I thought she was the wrong season for, as long as it stays warm like it was today. 

13 Mos

                       Emory turned 13 months this week. She should have her 8th tooth by tomorrow. She is walking all over the place, not to mention climbing up on Grady's stool to steal food off of the counter and climbing up on the kids' table. She says "uh-oh", and "uh" for up, I think. She has decided she doesn't like to be just laid in the bed and sung to, but resists until I hold her upright and she lays her head on my shoulder while I sing. It is very sweet.

1.0 and 3.5

             Emory turned one year old last week! She is working on getting her sixth tooth right now and has taken 21 steps, but prefers to crawl still. At her one-year check-up, she weighed 18# 12 oz (25%ile), was 29 inches long (33%ile) and her head is in the 55th %ile.

 

     Grady turned 3.5 this month! He started playing on a basketball team.

       He really enjoyed the practices, but at the first game he was really scared when the loud buzzer buzzed. We had to go home in the middle of the game!

       For the next week, I simulated buzzer noises intermittantly around the house using my voice and an iPad app to get him used to the noise. At the next game, he was afraid to go, but I told him we would ask if they could not use the buzzer. (They offered to last time, but it was too late.) They agreed not to use the buzzer, but I think Grady was anxious the whole time. He came off the court a few times, but ended up finishing out the game. After the game, the coach took them into the "locker room" for a pep talk and to give them their "stars" for their individual achievement. Kids got the defense star and the offense star, but Grady got a white star for "Christ-likeness". He is following in his dad's footsteps who received the trophy "Best Christian Witness" on his high school basketball team. Like father, like son!

 

 

Christmas Part 2

     After Christmas we spent some time at the cabin. Grady brought his lion costumes and the boys had fun "scaring" everyone.

          We all went to the Stumphouse Tunnel.  Grady was not in this pic because he hightailed of it outta there! (There were some scary noises. I think it was his cousins making ghost sounds.)

         Here are the kids getting ready for their treasure hunt.

                   That night we cooked out hotdogs...

    and s'mores.

          Emory had a cough, but came out for a bit in her super-warm Georgia fleece.

       Later, everyone piled into the truck for a "hayride" around the lake.

            The rest of the time, everyone was glued to their electronic devices...

Christmas Part 1

             Grady had a little Christmas program at school. Ms. Tiffany told the story of Christ's birth and had everyone on the edge of their seats.  Then the kids sang a few songs.

       
        The Whites visited and we had Christmas with them.  Here are the kids looking through their loot.

         Ellen gave Grady this cute lion costume she made for Alex and Andrew many years ago.

         Christmas morning was just us four.

        Grady and dad trying out his new rocket launcher. (He likes to wear that lion costume.)

         This was dad and Grady's invention- new truck with 4 rockets and Dora "seat-belted" in the truck bed with duct tape.

         Sunday morning in their Christmas finery.