Baby Shower!

Today I helped hostess a baby shower for our friends Lydia and Chad and their soon-to-arrive baby girl, Catherine.

Our friend Kim's beautiful home was the perfect setting.

Several ladies brought delicious desserts to share.

My culinary contribution is on the red tray - Snickerdoodle Truffles and Coconut-Citrus Cookies.

Lydia and Catherine. :)

Lydia with her mother-in-law, Joyce.

 And you can't have a baby shower without a baby! I was happy to contribute that part.

I went to put her on the floor and she stuck her legs down to stand up! Time in a bottle, people.

Mama's Girl

Poor Daisy. She's gone through four of these people. She's old and tired, bless her heart.

I have to admit it. Lauryn has said her first word, "Mama". From a logical standpoint I know that she's not developmentally ready to be talking, but this girl knows what she wants and she is not afraid to vocalize it. It's not a coincidence when she crawls up to me and says, "Mama" until I pick her up. Or when she's being fed by Daddy in her highchair and she cranes her neck around him to see me, chanting, "Mama" until I come over to feed her myself. She is absolutely her mama's girl.

Selah-Bella

Our little four-year-old's imagination has really kicked into high gear here lately. I thought I'd share with you a few of her latest exploits. She likes to pretend we're total strangers, for one thing.

"I would like to talk to you, ma'am. My girl has a fever. And my girl was choking. So, you want to go with me in Eli's car?" Her obsession with Eli's electric blue Mustang knows no bounds!

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Selah laid her Dora the Explorer towel out on the floor and pretended it was a swimming pool. At one point Lauryn crawled over and started pulling at the edge of the towel. Selah, in true sibling fashion, tried to stop her from messing with it. I said, "It's okay, Selah, Lauryn just wants to go swimming, too."

Selah responded indignantly: "No, Lauryn will drown like this!" She held her hands over her head and sank down, saying, "Glub glub glub!"

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She walked in the house from playing outside, cradling something imaginary in her arms. When she noticed me watching her, she shrugged and casually remarked, "My girl died." Then she placed "her" on the bay window and wandered off.

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Selah likes to play grocery shopping in our living room.

Selah: "Um, I would like to talk to you, ma'am. I would like to buy this for my girl."

Me: "That will be twenty dollars."

Selah, with a funny, sneaky face: "Here you go!" And she whips my debit card out from behind her back.

 

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The other thing she is doing lately is telling me all about her imaginary family. She has a mom and dad, a girl (sometimes two) and a grandpa (who is sometimes Grandpa Rick). She tells me all about them, pointing to random things outside the windows of the van and explaining, "That's my mom and dad's house." "That's my grandpa's red truck." And on one startling occasion, she pointed to a man walking down the street and said, "Hey, that's my dad!"

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She has turned various things (blanket, box, bowl, this float) into a boat and rows her way across the kitchen using spoons as oars.

Every morning she asks for the last sip of my coffee.

Another "just like Mommy" shot ...

And here's a nice bonus shot of Lauryn playing in a box on our bed.

"Send me to Grammie!"

Lunch Date

Several years ago we discovered The Yesterday Cafe in downtown Greensboro. We have met my parents there several times for lunch, since it's a nice meeting point if they're heading to Atlanta. Saturday Mom and Berk were on their way to see Crosby, Stills, and Nash and they invited us to meet up with them.

First, I have to share with you how Lauryn does this crazy adorable thing that is unique to her - none of the other three ever did this. When she's in her high chair she has this happy dance:

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She also does this little dance when she hears music! So sweet.

After lunch, we walked down to the Ripe Thing Market for some produce and ice cream. (They cancel each other out, right?)

Fairy Houses

After grocery shopping yesterday, the kids were so excited about the beautiful day that they decided to stay outside and build fairy houses.

Kaity took the camera outside to capture their creations. This is Joe's house:

Peeking in through the door.

Kaity's house:

The window at the back of Kaity's house.

Selah's house, with help from Kaity:

This is where Selah's "mouses" live. She made this one herself:

Just a swingin'!

Movie Night!

So the hype around the new Disney movie, Frozen, has been crazy! We didn't see it in the theatre, but we've heard enough about it that when I saw it on sale for half the price new movies usually are, we decided to buy it. Then I figured, "Hey, why not celebrate with a special movie night?"

I made snowman cheeseburger calzones - the filling is ground beef, onion, garlic, shredded carrots and shredded cabbage, cheddar cheese, and a little ketchup and mustard. After I baked them, I decorated them with a cucumber peel scarf, raisin eyes, and of course a carrot nose!

Dessert was deconstructed snowmen. Marshmallows, pretzel sticks, mini chocolate chips, and candy corn.

... and ice cream floats.

Lauryn ~ 8 Months

Technically Lauryn was eight months old yesterday, but I didn't get around to taking any pictures of her until this evening. She doesn't look any different than she did yesterday, I assure you. :)

This dress was gifted to Kaitlyn as a baby, so all three girls have worn it.

Fingers and toes!

Mini-Vacation, Part 3

After our picnic lunch at the Walnut Street bridge and Coolidge Park, we headed over to the Creative Discovery Museum. All four kids loved this place! Lots of pictures today, and that finishes up our little trip.

Joe and Selah

Lauryn and I spent some quality time with my Games magazine.

They even had a play area for the babies! Lauryn was completely fascinated with the baby in the mirror.

She is ALMOST crawling. So close.

Mommy's boot was delicious!

 

The garden and kitchen section were Selah's favorite.

Not the best picture of her, but she loved this car, naturally.

Like mama, like daughter. Gotta wander while she's on the phone.

Building a roller coaster!

Budding paleontologist.

Silly dinosaurs

Learning all about how a pulley system works.

Of course they loved the giant chessboard - but we had to go pick Jeff up from work, so they didn't have time to play a full game.