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.

11 Months and S'mores

             This little one is 11 months old! This is her, "I'm tired and cold" look.   

        We went to the Festival of Lights on her 11 mo. birthday and enjoyed the lights, train ride and s'mores

          Emory still has only the 4 teeth, has taken 3 steps, and can do "all done" and "more" signs, although I am not sure she is meaning what she says. (She is never all done eating these days. She will eat and eat.)  She may even be saying "all done", but I am not entirely sure.
         

10 Months!

      This sweet girl turned 10 months on Sunday! She finally got that 4th tooth this week. She has started walking with her push toy and clapping. She is babbling a bit more, saying dada, mama, baba, etc.

Videos

 Emory Clapping


 Funny Puppet Show

A Two-fer

     Alex had the pleasure of having his birthday on the day many celebrated Veteran's Day, so we got to go to the Yorktown for free.

        Emory clearly enjoying herself.

        Grady really loved exploring the ship, climbing in the plane, on the "shooting thing" and being a patient in the dentist's chair.

  

The Fair

       Before we get to the fair photos, I wanted to get the boys together in their Pooh and Tigger costumes!

 

      We met the cousins at the fair, and the first thing they wanted to do was to ride a few rides.

  

           Too loud!     

 

 

                                

      Emory enjoyed watching the boys. By the way, I have had a real problem with people telling me how cute HE is. I realize she is wearing bold stripes (and orange cords), but if a baby is wearing anything pink, err on the side of GIRL! She was wearing purple butterflies the other day and was called a "he" by 2 people. Is she just really masculine-looking? This is why I am stocking up on bows.  After the rides we went to find Abby's First Place artwork entitled, Baby Sea Turtle in Tide. (Well, she THINKS that was her drawing.)

     We then proceeded to the agriculture exhibition,where Grady was able to get on one of these...

      And look at some of these...

      When I was telling Grady we were going to go to the fair, he said, "I want to see some talking animals like the ones in Madagascar 3."  I told him that there would not be any talking animals like the one from Madagascar 3. He said, "Then I want to see some goats."  Glad he is easy to please!

The kids loved petting and feeding this donkey!