Fun with Animals

We went to a local car show last month that had a petting zoo for the kids and a moonbounce. The girls had fun at both. It was the day before Father's Day and it was hot! We were all pretty tired when we left. I bet the sheep was too.

Sophie loved the moonbounce!

So we're not good photographers... but we had a nice vacation.

The girls got to experience the beach for the first time last week. We stayed at a resort in Murrells Inlet near Myrtle Beach, SC. We had so much fun we forgot the camera most of the time but managed to get a few oddly positioned shots to prove we were there.

Mary, Dad and Sophie on the beach

Mary

Sophie

That's me!

4th of July Boat Parade

Another self-portrait, this time by Peter - that's Mary on top

What is Sophie doing with her face??? She started doing something similar with my hair right after this.

Playing Dress Up

Sophie and Mary love to dress up and be silly!

Blanket Fight

This video was made the last time we were visiting Grandma and Papa in Georgia. They were actually up here just last weekend, and hopefully I'll have more pictures soon. Right now I have these of the girls and their Grandma, taken so they can study them and learn to say "Grandma." They are being a little stubborn about that. They've got "Papa" though.

Grandma and Mary

Grandma and Sophie

The girls are growing and doing new things and saying new words all the time now. They can make a lot of animal sounds - dog, cow, sheep, duck (Mary), cat (Sophie). They know a lot of their books now and can "read" along and know what's coming next. They are at the stage (especially Sophie) where they like you to read books over and over. They are very friendly and will hug and kiss people but at the same time are getting better with staying nearby and learning boundaries. So we are having lots of fun. The girls are usually very busy except when they are sleeping.

One thing they like to do is try on clothes and shoes, especially shoes. They can both walk around wearing my shoes now... I've seen them attempt to walk in Peter's shoes but I'm not sure if even I can do that. Mary can put on her own shoes now, except for fastening a buckle. We haven't taken that many pictures lately, but thought I'd end by sharing this one of Mary wearing Dad's shorts he left in the living room that day. I think she thought it was funny too.

Dauset Trails

Wow! It's been over a month since the last post. These pictures are from earlier this month when visiting Georgia. Dauset Trails is a nature center just outside Jackson, GA and a few miles from my parents house. We took the girls to see some animals. They have all kinds there, bears, bobcats, several kinds of birds including an eagle, but I think they liked the farm animals best. We have been teaching them their sounds, after all.

Papa, Mary, Sophie, Daddy

Papa and Mary

Sophie studying the pigs

The Goat Whisperer (Mary)

Sophie having fun!

And we're back...

Mary and Sophie

So, it's been over a month since the last post and we've been doing fine, just not blogging. The girls are approaching 18 months (on April 7th) and although they don't seem much bigger, they are getting to be big girls. They are talking a lot more, most of it seems to be their own language though. Mary really likes to say "shoes," and she likes to take off her shoes in the car, at Kroger, etc. She also likes to put our shoes on. She tries to put on her own shoes but is not yet that coordinated. They both like books, and Sophie has her favorite books that she likes to bring us to read to her. Today Sophie started to say "hat." She had on her Georgia hat when we got out of the car this afternoon and said "hat." I said it back to her so she would know that was the right word. Then she went in her room by herself for a few minutes and practiced.

The girls have pretty much dropped their morning nap, but they still have a little quiet time mid-morning. They have been a little fussier than usual the past week or so and we think this may be why. Not too fussy but just a little different. The other day they were both being a little fussy with me so I just left them alone for a while to play by themselves. I could hear them giggling in their room and tried to take a candid video. It didn't work that well, but I figured I'd share it anyway so you can see how they've grown!

Snow Day! (but still had to work...)

Mom, Sophie and Mary

For all you folks reading this in Georgia that think we live up "north," now, well it's really not that different from Georgia. We get a little more snow maybe, but not much. I'd say on any given day it's about 10 deg cooler up here. Except for right now - I heard it's really cold in Georgia today. But the school closings are about the same (when it snows in C'ville, that is).

So... when I woke up yesterday and saw the blanket of white on the ground I thought, no work! Or at least a delayed start time. But, unfortunately it was business as usual. (OK, my start time might have been delayed a little bit. Good thing I don't have a time clock at work.) I got Peter to take a picture of us in the yard on the way out. First time the girls have been in the snow. They could tell it was different but weren't really that excited. Most of the snow is gone by now, but our front yard is still covered.

It's been a while since the last post, so here are more pictures of the girls. They will be 16 mos old on February 7th.

And here's the girls at home with dad, featuring Mary...