September...

September in pictures...

We started the month the best way possible - with my best friend and her family in town!  Times with Briana and her family are few and far between, so we try and soak up every second with them that we get!

Watson and Ella get along so well - it is the sweetest thing to watch them together!

Steel City Pops - a must with out of town visitors

 

For Watson's birthday we got him a balance bike.  Sweet boy tried hard to make that one work, but he just did not get the concept of a bike without petals, so Daddy surprised W with a "real bike" :)

First day of MDO!  Watson in the 2's and Emma in the 1's

 I love that these two enjoy playing together!

I promise she loves this just as much as he does :)

Hampton Hampton Hampton...sweet buddy fell when running down the driveway and broke his tibia.  Only this boy could do that - and only this boy could rock a boot the way he did.  NOTHING slows him down!!!

Watson started soccer this month.  He does pretty well for about 30 minutes, then he is DONE...

Handsome boy!

I am so thankful for our sweet relationship.  I pray that we will always be so close!

Craft time.  These babes couldn't help but love crafts with me as their mom :)

16 Months...

Sweet Emma wants SO badly to keep up with Watson and other big kids.  Surely she is going to walk soon...right?!  :)  I think she will be MOST excited when she can!  She is walking behind her toys now - she is so close to taking off on her own!

 

She is quite the little dare-devil in the pool!  She wants to jump off the side of the pool or be in the deep end (deep for her...where she can't touch) the entire time.  It makes me a nervous wreck, honestly, trying to hold a squirmy baby girl in the pool!  I love that she loves the water, but I just wish she loved her floaties too!  We will be getting this girl in some swim lessons next year, for sure :)

We are trying to drop the morning nap completely.  She had a hard time at first, but is doing much better.  She still naps twice a day probably three days a week, but we are getting closer to dropping it for good.

Baby girl LOVES to eat...nothing makes her happier than a snack :)  She absolutely refuses to eat meat, eggs, and green veggies.  Unfortunately.... I offer them to her all the time in hopes that she will eventually eat them.  I'm not giving up yet!



She will have the most intentional conversations with you.  It is precious!  She will turn my head towards her and talk right to me.  I wish so badly I could understand what she is saying!  She is going to be a talker...I can already tell!

Her favorite word (and thing) right now is "Puppy."  The girl can spot one from a mile away! 

Sweetest moment is picking her up from the nursery these days.  She gets SO excited when she sees me or Graham at the door.  It is adorable.

Emma is in a huge Mommy stage right now.  She is literally at my feet all day fussing unless I am holding her.  I think it is so sweet that she loves her Mommy so much :)  There are times that it is hard if I am just completely honest, though, because it's just not possible for me to be holding her all day!

She has been extra fussy here lately as she has all four incisor teeth coming in right now...OUCH!



Her personality seems to be pretty go with the flow - not as much as Watson, but still does great just tagging along and doing whatever we are doing as a family.  As long as she is fed and rested, she is good to go :)

August...

August was a busy, but great month! 

Dabado's 91st birthday

Fun night with the other Valleydale pastor wives and kids

Trip to the McWayne Center - my kids LOVE this place!

Spend the night party with cousins!

 

Our current favorite toy.  These blocks have been a lifesaver lately!  A sweet friend gave them to me as her kids are too old for them now, and Watson and Emma have played with them every single day!

Hanging out with the youth and Dad at church!

We had lots of birthday parties this month!

This boy LOVES his Daddy so much!

Mel and I took Mom out to lunch for her birthday - love time with these two.

August in Alabama = HOT!  We have not been able to be outside for too long unless it involves water. This little pool has been great!

Watson discovered the hair dryer...and what it would do to his hair!

The Vallejo's came in town one night.  I am SO thankful for this family and the impact that have had in my life over the past 13 years!

Fun at Railroad Park

Valleydale's church plant, Iron City Church, has officially launched.  We meet at 5:30 at B&A Warehouse on Sunday nights.  Come join us!!

15 Months...

Yet again I am catching up on several months at one time.  Having a 3 year old and 1 year old sure keeps me busy!!  We are having so much fun, though - I am so thankful for this time in my life and for the blessing of staying home with my babies.

Emma's personality is coming out so much these days...and my gracious does she have a big personality!!  This sweet girl knows what she wants, when she wants it, and how she wants it!

She is cruising around our coffee table and LOVES walking around holding our hands.  In fact, she insists on doing this all day long!

Sleeping great...yay!  Takes 2 naps most days...occasionally only takes 1 if we are out and about in the morning.  Night time sleep is going great - she cries out sometimes, but rarely actually wakes up.

Saying more words...Mama, Dada, puppy, poopy (oops..), Bye Bye, Night Night, Hi, Thank You, More

Emma loves toys - she is perfectly content playing in our play room.  She will go from toy, to toy, to toy and love every second of it!

I forgot how hard this age range is.  She wants so badly to communicate what she wants/needs, but instead gets so frustrated and cries.  And goodness gracious...this girl has some lungs.

On the other hand, our baby girl knows how to laugh with the best of them!  There is nothing sweeter than hearing her belly laugh...sometimes until she even snorts!  She does the silent laugh too...which is funny because people have always teased me about doing the same :)

She has graduated to her big girl car seat and she LOVES it!

I still can't get her to drink anything but water.  She will take a few sips of chocolate milk or juice, but she definitely prefers water.

She loves giving kisses (big, open-mouthed kisses!) and high fives