Emma Catherine prayed for me

You would think that the title of this post would indicate some story gushing cuteness about my oldest angel right? Think again! My big girl got in big trouble tonight.

We have had a little problem with sassiness lately and a case of too many "but I don't want toos" or tears if you mentioned "no tv today".

Yes, from my sweet little rule follower! What happened? Is this a phase? Or just the beginning?


We have had a lot of craziness and traveling lately, so the girls are completely off their schedules, but I'm not much for excuses.


So tonight we had a serious talk with EC. We followed that up with story time, singing, and prayers. Of course she went first and said, "Dear God.... and please help mommy to be a good, nice mommy. Amen." Bo and I couldn't help but exchanged smirks. I think that maybe we got through to her, but we will see what tomorrow holds. I know for sure it will not hold tv or any electronic devices =) 

The truth about beach pictures.

Don't you just love those cute beach pictures that all your friends take every summer? The ones where everyone coordinates and looks great with their new tans. Fabulous right? Not too difficult, right? Ha! Well, I don't tan and taking pictures with multiple children is just plain hard. We got a few good pictures this year, thanks to our friend and impromptu photographer. She did the best she could with what she was given ;) 


It was very windy, so hair was everywhere. It was the last night, so this was our only chance to get a few shots. In comes a clip from the photographer to help control the hair. 

But wait! One kid takes her clip out, while the other one screams for you to pick her up. 

Screaming child then smiles because she got what she wanted, but the three year old is exhausted and just stands there.

Then the three year old smiles, but we are in the midst of fixing hair again because she took her clip out Again.

We do our best to get a picture while both girls hold their hairbows in their hands.

Lost the three year old, but found the dad! 

Tried to loose the sassy...

but that didn't last long and daddy found her face very funny!

Found the three year old, but still have a very uncooperative little girl.

Let's try something else. Now facing the wind, hair problem is solved. Unfortunately there aren't any faces and who really wants to see their backside?

The little girl likes the water and agrees to take out the sassy.

Finally a cute shot. Let's try to get both girls!

Epic fail flashes before your eye as the little one takes a nose dive to the dirt.

What? I tried to hold her hand mom.

No daddy, I want mommy!

I'm just going to sit here and hold mommy until it's safe.

And stick my sand covered hand in her mouth.

And give her an open mouth kiss.

So much for beach pictures!

Maybe we will try again next time!

AB 18 Months!

Our sweet little girl is 18 months! 

It is hard to believe I was pregnant with her when EC turned 18 months. Both sweet little girls, but very different!
AB still loves jabbering on her phone. She will go to town talking to someone on the other end, but I still am not able to understand half what she is saying!

She has started saying sister, that's sister's, sister's shoes. Yes she is still obsessed with shoes! She brings everyone their shoes, whether they are going somewhere or not is not relevant. Everyone must wear shoes!

She has gone potty twice now. Both times she woke up with a dry diaper, so I sat her on the potty and both times she went potty! I still don't think she is ready for full time training, but if she keeps taking off her diapers I may not have a choice. Twice now she has walked right out of poopy diapers and the second time was a disaster! My favorite potty story was when she came into the bathroom. She insisted on taking off her diaper. I could tell she just went potty because it was still warm. She sat down for a second, then stood back up, and got one piece of tissue paper. She sat back down to "wipe" her bottom.  She stood back up to throw the paper in the big potty and said, "all done". She totally missed a step, but it was pretty darn cute =) 

She loves to use her new words like car and fish. She kept pointing to cars and saying "car" when we were getting our van serviced at Volkswagon. On vacation last week, she saw fish pictures every where. So of course pointing and saying "fish" was only appropriate! We also went shopping and she said, "a ball" with great excitement and then a word that resembled glasses when she saw sunglasses.

She loves to throw things in the trash. When we are cleaning, that is one job she is always enthusiastic about. I'm just glad she doesn't confuse the potty with the trash any more =) That was a fun time!

She still loves baby dolls too! She has started taking them every where we go. Baby Maggie (EC's Cabbage Patch doll) joined us at Sam's today. And she does NOT like to share her babies. Hands off people!

Other words she likes to use are "up peas" (please), cup, ice and boo boo. If she says boo boo, she fully expects to receive a bandaid on the place of her choosing. She also started saying "bye" more regularly this week. She has been waving for a while and said "bye" a time of two, but now it is fairly regular. She walked out of Pop and Gran's house on Sunday practically yelling "bye!" Oh, and she actually walked up to Pop and Gran to give them hugs and kisses goodbye. Typically I hug them with her in my arms. AB has not really liked guys in general for a while, except for her daddy. She will warm up to Poppa, Pipo, Austin, and Uncle Craig if she is around them for a bit, but typically she can do without guys. So choosing to walk up and hug Pop by herself was a Huge deal!

She also says "woof woof" or "quack quack" when you ask her what sound a dog or a duck makes. She loves to point out her body parts, head, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, knees, toes, and cheeks. She also loves to wear "panties" like her big sis. She can put pants and panties on by herself. And she has even put her shoes on the correct way a few times!

She still loves to read and will ask anyone and everyone to read to her - even a five year old!

She loves her Riley!

Last week was AB's first beach trip ever and she had a great time! She loved being out in the waves, but also liked the shore line.

She tolerated the sand ;)

She is still attached to her sassy, even though she will go without it for most of the day. She will take it out for pictures, if you ask her to and if she is in the right mood.

Having a kiddie pool to play in under the tent was a life saver! Even the big kids loved it!


Most of all, we all loved being at the beach with friends! We met the Gordon's last year at our couples bible study. They are such great people, we are blessed to call them friends!



AB loved being one of the big girls during our trip!





It is funny how EC asks if our friends are family members too. I wonder if AB thinks the same thing =)

AB even got to see her first movie, Brave, while we were on vacation. All thanks to tropical storm Debbie.

This was only EC's second movie in the theater, so she was loving it too! It was a little exhausting clapping and saying, "Yay!" during the fun parts, so AB closed her eyes for just a few minutes at the end.

Annabelle loves to clap and say "yay!"

She also loves kisses from daddy!

And she will always be my sweet baby, no matter how old she gets!

AB 15 months

AB recently had her 15 month check up! She is finally catching up with her head size =) Most of you know she has always measured 80-99th percentile in head size, but only 50-75 percentile in height/weight. This visit she was in 80th percentile for height/weight/head size! Amazing how everything changes with time =)

I love how AB's little cheeks jiggle when she runs. Yes, her lips pucker and her little cheeks actually jiggle =)

 She is a shape sorting machine!

There is nothing that a swing and being outside cannot fix.

If that doesn't work for some strange reason, try self feeding and sword fighting.

She loves to investigate animals. If we end up having a family pet one day, it will be because she talks her daddy into it and he doesn't ask mommy first =)

She has 9 teeth and is quite the little crafter/glue bottle hoarder.

She can eat a whole pickle by her little self.

She is a baby yoga instructor/gymnast in training (here she was trying to do a flip like sister, but that is a pretty good down dog for an inclined surface =)

She rounds out our little family of four quite nicely.

And yet, stands out in the crowd =)

She loves to wear mommy's shoes, daddy's shoes, sister's shoes, or her shoes for that matter; matching or not!

And running around in your bath towel like it is a super hero cape is pretty amazing!

She still loves baby dolls and necklaces. She understands more words than she speaks =) She likes to say mamma, dadda, Emma, all done, want that, and want this. We have heard her say bye, sister's chair, my sas, and up. She has learned a lot of body parts, can shake her head to let you know she is saying no, and can waive bye. I know it is only a matter of time before words just start streaming off her lips and forming sentences.

She tries to dress herself. This started months ago. When she would see any piece of clothing on the floor, she would pick it up, put it on her head, and then on her shoulders. I originally thought she was just trying to play peek a boo. Then I realized she was acting out the motions of putting on a shirt. Now she loves pulling anything up her legs, like putting on pants. I have found her walking around in one of EC's shirts like it is a pair of pants!

When she is tired, she likes to push her sister's buttons. She will carefully watch her sister play. All of a sudden, she will walk up and take something that EC has obviously just set down for a second. Then she holds on for dear life and screams like she has been violated when EC tries to get her toy back. It is kind of hilarious. I wish I could sit back and just watch, but these are teaching times!

There are so many things I do not want to forget about the girls, but I already feel the memories fading away. I do my best to catch as much as I can with my camera, hoping that pictures will bring back memories of my sweet baby girls that will warm my heart during those tough teenage years ;)  I pray about this every night. Please Lord help me to be the parent I know I can be, but most of all, please mold us into the parents you need us to be and allow these sweet girls to be receptive to your teaching.