We went to Grandma and Grandaddy's house this past weekend (once we dug our way out of our driveway) for our first of many Christmas celebrations. Only living an hour away... there was still PLENTY of snow for me to frolic in. Check out my winter ensemble: We got 14 inches in Blacksburg, but I can't remember how much was in Rural Retreat. Here you can see it's up to my knees, but don't let that fool you... I wasn't nearly heavy enough to touch the actual ground through the snow.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Sledding in a Winter Wonderland
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Happy 6 month birthday Emma!
For your gift, Mommy and Daddy bought you a snowstorm. :) Rachel here. Of course we will be following you with the actual "6 month" post, but we had to share with you our recent weather endeavor. :) Here is the view from our front door yesterday around 2pm. It's hard to see, but it is in fact snowing. This is the view a little more than an hour later.
Posted by Rachel at 9:31 AM 0 comments
Labels: Emma Grace, Playing, Rachel here, Reese
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
My Girl
Rachel here. So I thought it was time for a little Reesie update. This girl is off the hook. Sometimes I want to shake her, and most of the time I was to kiss her. She's a handful and a half, but I can tell she's learning so much, so I try to be easy on her. ;)
Her language has shot through the roof. I think it's safe to say we understand about 95% of what she tries to say. She's speaking in complete sentences for the most part, and can use some pronouns. Her voice is probably one of my favorite things about her. She speaks in a singsong manner, and she always ends her sentences on a high note... it cracks us up. Reese has also gotten into the habit of asking what certain things are or who people are... even people we don't know. She's VERY curious in general.
She is one high energy kid. Always running... always on the go... even when she's a little under the weather. The only time she's SEMI-mellow is at night if it's just her and I, and it's almost her bedtime. We've gotten into the habit of watching one of her shows before bed on the couch together. She'll lay down with me on me arm... I love it. Then there is the dreaded bedtime. I almost wish we didn't have to put her to bed. She's back to screaming and kicking and crying herself to sleep. We've given her a little nightlight in the shape of a little bubbletype man that she can sleep with and turn on and off by herself... that worked for a while. Most nights though she just throws a tantrum when it's time for bed. It stinks, but neither of us know what to do, and we're hoping she just grows out of it.
Reese knows how to count to 13, but skips over 12, and then continues on repeating 13 over and over again. :) She knows most of her colors (the basic ones... except for orange), she can also recite the basic shapes, and she can say certain pockets of her alphabet. She loves to try to sing the ABC song, which is just so cute. She's really good at singing "Twinkle Twinkle" too... definitely doesn't know all the real words, but she tries awfully hard. :)
Potty training is just a production and a half. At one point we had her peeing on the potty once a day, and then we went to Tidewater and totally fell off the wagon. She had no desire to even look at her potty while we were there. She totally digs the candy and stickers but would actually prefer a bagel for her reward. We're heading to RR for Christmas with B's parents this weekend, and upon our return Monday Reese will be wearing underpants, and we're prepared to clean up tons of messes. The girl can go all night and naps without going in her diaper, she tells us she's going while she's doing it, and she comes up to us and asks to be changed. If that's not the picture of a kid who should be potty trained I don't know what is. :)
My girl ADORES her Emmaroo. She calls her "baby sister," which melts my heart. She's really gotten into helping me feed Emma as well. She sits in my lap and helps me to guide the spoon into Emma's mouth, and then she says "Good Girl Emma" when Em cleans her spoon.
This girl truly makes us smile... and scream at the same time. :)
Posted by Rachel at 8:38 PM 0 comments
Labels: Rachel here, Reese
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Emma's first...
... time visiting Santa was mushy. Rachel here. Just look at our little Roo cheesing it up for Santa. She's totally on his "nice list" this year. :)
Posted by Rachel at 8:38 PM 0 comments
Labels: Christmas, Emma Grace, Holiday, Rachel here
Big Red Suit
We went to visit Santa today, and guess who DIDN'T CRY?! MEEEEEEEEEEE! Mommy and Daddy told me exactly what was going to happen... OVER and OVER again until I seemed to totally comprehend. Then when we arrived, I was all over it like I had been doing it for years. Last year they tell me I screamed like a banshee... such drama queens.
After visiting with Claus... as I like to call him... we headed to Dick's, so Daddy could look for a new golf club... a Nike one Elin would be proud of. ;) While we were looking, I tripped... holding my candy cane... it got STUCK IN MY HAIR... Mommy IMMEDIATELY tried pulling in out before it dried and we'd have to cut it out of my long luscious hair. Once I was candy cane free, Mommy threw herself on the floor of Dick's and just about died laughing. Instead of being normal nice parents who would try desperately to get all of the gunk out a child's hair, my parents continued to shop and took me all the way home only to take my picture before washing my hair. Why do I feel like this will be making it into a slideshow on my wedding day?
Posted by Rachel at 8:28 PM 0 comments
Labels: Christmas, Emma Grace, Holiday, Reese
Nana
Emma Grace here... we got to visit our Nana and Pop too! We did LOTS of shopping and playing... good times people... good times. :)
Posted by Rachel at 8:26 PM 0 comments
Labels: Emma Grace, Family
Gpa turns... almost 50... muahahahahaha :)
After Adam's birthday party Mommy had to take Daddy to the airport in Norfolk, so he could head down to Orlando for a couple of days for work. Once Daddy was off on his adventure, we drove to Suffolk to stay with Grandpa and Pearl. While visiting, Grandpa had a birthday! We had this super yummy cake that he let me help eat... and I got to help him blow out the candles. It took me a while to realize that I had to wait for Pearl to finish lighting them before I was supposed to blow them out. :)
Posted by Rachel at 8:20 PM 0 comments
Adam turns 1!
Last Saturday we ventured on out to King George to help celebrate Adam turning 1 with the Desantis clan. It's always a treat when we get to spend time with close friends, and Mommy says they don't get much closer than her Jen. :)
Posted by Rachel at 8:10 PM 0 comments
Labels: Emma Grace, Friends, Reese, Vacation
Hammer Pants
What does one do when it is cold here in The Burg? Why shove Little People animals and fake money down your pants of course!
Posted by Rachel at 8:02 PM 0 comments
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Nerd Alert
Rachel here. Okay, so I've read blogs about couponing and saving money, and frankly... if you have the time and the energy to "extreme coupon"... you go on ahead. I hear that the deals you can maneuver at CVS and Walgreens are pretty great, but I'm not capable of that yet. My nerdy friend Amy D (and I mean that with the highest amount of love and respect because frankly... she's phenomenal!) got sucked into those deals... the girl does like 7 transactions... she saves a BUTTLOAD, but I'm scared of people looking at me. :) I did, however, take her advice and took a gander at this southernsavers.com website. Basically this woman compiles all the hot sales at various stores, what coupons are out there (she even links up printable coupons online), and tells you what days to shop where... blah di blah di blah. So basically tonight I bundled up and ventured out to Kroger and Food Lion with my coupons. This is what I got: All of these items are from Kroger (minus those diapers). We don't usually buy name brand stuff... we're normally "Great Value" kind of kids... unless it's organic, which we try to mostly buy. Okay so basically all of these items were originally $80.91. The Progresso soups alone are pretty pricey. With my manufacturer's coupons, my Kroger bonus coupons, and my Kroger Plus savings, I saved $41.58... I only spent $39.33 JOKERS! Seriously... I could vomit... in a good way.
Posted by Rachel at 8:24 PM 3 comments
Labels: DEALS, Food, Organic, Rachel here
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Comparison
Rachel here. Bryan refers to this flashback of Reese as her "baby ruth" hair... ahhh Goonies.
Not identical... but SOOOOO related.
Reese~Left
Emma Grace~Right
Posted by Rachel at 11:20 PM 0 comments
Labels: Comparison, Emma Grace, Rachel here, Reese
Big time
Mommy knows as soon as I have mastered this skill, life around here will change. I will be able to sit and play nice with my sister while she has the wonderful opportunity of sitting down for a second... or using the bathroom without holding me... it's going to open up a whole world of opportunities!
Posted by Rachel at 9:47 AM 1 comments
Labels: Emma Grace, Milestone
Thank you Auntie Lu
Dear Auntie Lu,
I'm so glad Aly had a good time with my playmat, but I'm so super excited to have it back. Now that I can sit in my Bumbo without throwing a conniption, it's fun to use along with my mat.
Mommy even attached a teether to it for my "hasn't arrived yet" tooth.
Little does she know the side of the Bumbo works just as well. :) Love,
Emma Grace
Posted by Rachel at 9:37 AM 0 comments
Labels: Emma Grace, Playing
24/7
So I'm becoming a handful. When I say handful I mean that I need Mommy's undivided attention AT ALL WAKING MOMENTS OF THE DAY. If Mommy is not sitting with/playing with me, I'm getting myself into some kind of trouble. Yesterday proves Mommy's theory quite well. I had an AWESOME day for the most part. If we had a down moment I became unruly. Mommy quickly pulled this craft out of her hiney... I know this because frankly it wasn't all that entertaining. It looks super cute though on the fridge. But I digress. I was super well behaved during the craft, when Mommy was playing with my animals with me, we read TONS of books laying down together on the couch, and she practiced all of my flashcards with me. As soon as Emma woke up to eat or wanted some attention, all holy shenanigans broke loose. I just love to show Mommy all of my new tricks that she's helping me learn... as far as I'm concerned her e-mail checking can wait.
Posted by Rachel at 9:02 AM 1 comments
Labels: Arts and Crafts, Reese