Kid play

We really didn't have any big plans for today.  The relocation company was finally going to come get our empty boxes, and I had considered taking the girls to story time.  That was if Amelia could act good.  Yesterday was quite a day with her.  It's those sort of days that I wish Drew didn't travel.  She just doesn't react the same to me as she does to him.  But, our friend Catherine called and invited us to join them at a place in Germantown called Kid Play.  It is like a super McDonalds except with healthy snacks and the main attraction is the play area.  We had a lot of fun, but it was crazy town in there.  It was a rainy kind of day, so I guess everyone decided to come there today.  There were kids everywhere.  Anna Claire seemed still a tad bit young, but she thought she was a big girl.  We had a lot of fun playing with our friends and getting out of the house!

Elaina and Amelia on the seesaw alligator. 

Anna Claire mostly liked the area where you could climb on things.  I took her in one of the bouncy houses once, but she was still too small to go in there by herself.

Our perfect Saturday

This is the first Saturday we have in Memphis without plans.  We decided that since the weather has been so perfect, that it would be nice to take the girls to the zoo.  We had not been to the string ray bay yet, and wanted to make it before the exhibit closes.  Some friends of ours decided to join us.  It was perfect.  The temperature was great, the sky was overcast, and it was surprisingly not crowded! 

Inside the bird exhibit trying to lure herself a parakeet

She finally caught one.  They were so pretty!

Waiting for the sea lion show to start.

Watching the show.

I think she was a little unsure of what to do with the bird.

 We ended our zoo trip at sting ray bay.  Anna Claire just loved touching the water, Amelia was terrified of the sting ray, and Drew and I fed them.  It was strange, felt like a catfish trying to get your hand.  I didn't know what to expect their mouths to look like. 

After the zoo, we headed to Memphis pizza café.  It was yummy!  We were really close to nap time though, so it was pretty much just in and out.  Once we made it home, we all crashed.  I think the busy week had caught up with all of us.  We woke up and grilled out.  While we were waiting for dinner, we heard the ice cream man, and ran to the front to catch him.  We grabbed an after dinner treat.  The ice cream man didn't come to Greenville.  It was so exciting for me to see the ice cream man in our neighborhood.   So far, we love our house and our neighborhood!

Lake weekend

So, last weekend we spent in McMinnville, TN with a group of our friends and all of their kids at our friends fabulous home on the Caney Fork River.  Why I didn't take pictures of the home or the view, I have no idea, but it is beautiful!  The guys were all fraternity brothers, and luckily all the wives really like each other and we all have kids around the same age.  We had a wonderful time!  Everyone got along really well, the children all had a blast playing together.  It was very relaxing!  I was nervous about all the small children and the river, but everything went really smoothly.  Amelia had a blast swimming, jumping off the dock, riding the boat and tubing.  Anna Claire was not too fond of the lake the first day, but the second day, we let her float in her ladybug, and she was much happier!  All the bigger kids got a chance to ride the tub.  Amelia did so good!  I was so proud of her.  She loved it!  She actually did it twice!  I thought she was crying while out there, but she was telling Drew to make them go faster.  I think my girls are going to be lake girls! 

First night, Amelia enjoying her first taste of popcorn and a movie with friends Carson and Jack.

My loves, enjoying the water

This is suppose to be a video of Amelia tubing.  Not sure if it uploaded correctly.

Anna Claire at the wheel of the boat, watch out!

Amelia getting ready for her ride!

our pink princess

This past week has been crazy busy.  We traveled to McMinnville, TN to spend a few days with some friends floating on a lake.  I will do a separate post about that maybe tomorrow.  I need to upload some photos and videos before I will tackle that trip.  But, this week I have finally started painting the girls rooms.  I really can't stand boring beige, plus the walls were filthy and needed it.  Anna Claire's room is the same green it was in Greenville.  I loved her room and the color!  But, Amelia wanted a pink room.  Not my favorite, but it isn't my room.  I finished Anna Claire's room yesterday, so I started Amelia's today.  I tried to get her to nap in the guest room, but that just wasn't happening.  So, when she made her way back into her room after I had done a good amount, she started saying wow, I like it mommy I like it, wow.  She was so amazed of her pink room.  Just seeing her reaction was worth me getting over myself and painting her room pink.  I did the rolling (still needs another coat) tonight when they went to bed, so I plan on trying to video her reaction in the morning.  I feel like it is Christmas I am so excited. 

This week wasn't as exciting as it should have been.  We have been getting crazy storms.  We planned to go to the sprinkler park one day, but we got rained out.  We had our first appointment with the girls new pediatrician on Monday.  He was nice, reminded me a lot of Mr. Rogers.  But, Anna Claire measured 30 inches.  I made the girl measure her again cause I thought there is no way.  She is barely reaching 28 inches on her wall marker.  But, it was 30 inches both times.  I think her little booty is so big it keeps her from being straight against the wall at home.  Wednesday we went to the park with my sister and nephew.  We took Anna Claire down the big slide, and she loved it!  Today, we went for a walk/jog around Arlington and saw a fox.  Crossed the road right in front of us.  I wasn't sure if I needed to be nervous, but it just completely ignored us.  Today was absolutely beautiful, so we spent a lot of time outside.  After naps, I was rinsing my paint brush, and the water made a little puddle outside, the girls probably had the most fun jumping in the puddle.  We took them back to the park tonight after dinner, then went and got frozen yogurt.  It was a really fun day! 

The girls took a little ride with daddy when he finished cutting the grass.  They look a mess because they were soaking wet from jumping in the water.

reaching new milestones

Just last Friday, I was talking to my friend about how Anna Claire doesn't clap.  I really can't remember when Amelia started clapping, but I feel like she was doing it by now.  This morning we were sitting on the couch and I was really working with her trying to get her to clap.  She just wouldn't do it.  So, I just said oh well, she will do it when she is ready.  Well, we had to make a Target run today.  (I am loving being back close to Target!)  I played the new cd I had bought for the girls, and as I looked in my rear view mirror, Anna Claire was just having a blast clapping to the music.  It was probably the best part of my day.  I almost think I was more excited to see her clapping than I was to see her walking.  It was absolutely the cutest thing ever!  Obviously I couldn't catch it on video, but maybe we will get that soon!

Fun with friends

Yesterday, the girls and I met our friends at the zoo.  It is so nice having a membership and being able to go whenever.  The weather could not have been any more perfect!  We had a lot of fun with all our friends and seeing the animals.   Amelia wanted to see all of the big animals.  She said the polar bear was small so she didn't want to see him.  Well, we just happened to get to the polar bear exhibit at feeding time, she now knows for sure that the polar is not small.  It was fantastic.  I am really glad though that we walked around and saw the wolves.  I don't know why but since we moved here Amelia has been talking about a wolf in our yard.  It is now in her room.  But, I have now finally convinced her that the wolf is not in her room but at the zoo.  We live close to a railroad track, and the train runs at night.  I think she may be hearing the train and in her mind it is a wolf.  So, now I point out the train each time it passes so she will know the difference.  Hopefully no more talk of a wolf in her room. 

The girls had a great time.  I only got pictures at cat country.  I'll do better next time!

 

That night, my parents took us to dinner at this really cute restaurant in Arlington called Vinegar Jims.  It has been at the Arlington square forever.  It was so yummy!  One of the things I will miss about Greenville is the food, but Vinegar Jims comes pretty close.  They don't have the tamales but they do have some fantastic Cajun food!  After dinner everyone came back to our house.  We had a lot of fun playing outside.  My nephew is going to play football this fall, so he had a lot of fun throwing the lawn dart around.  I think he thought of it as practice.

One last thing I almost forgot, when I was loading Amelia in to the car on our way to the zoo, she said to me, mommy, I am so glad you stay home.  Broke my heart!  But, I really don't think she meant that she is glad I am not working.  I think she is struggling with all of the traveling Drew is having to do.  Luckily it will be slowing down really soon!

10 months

Anna Claire turned 10 months a week ago.  It is hard to believe that it is time to start planning her birthday party!  She has really become such a sweet and funny little girl.  She is full out walking now.  No more crawling for her.  She does fall a lot but she just gets right back up.  She is curious about everything.  The plastic outlet covers were a waste of money.  She just pulls them right out.  I almost think then may be more of a hazard because they catch her attention.  She loves to walk around with her magic wand.  She all of the sudden will go to more people.  She use to cry whenever someone tried to hold that was not mommy or daddy, but she is finally getting over that.  She still screams at church though.  She really hates sitting in those tables with the built in chairs.  She really doesn't like being confined.  As I am writing this, I am thinking of all the pictures I need to be taking.  I will add some in in the future.  She is eating mostly table food.  She is only difficult if we wait too long to feed her.  If she is in the middle of a full out meltdown, she will not eat, so cooking can not take too long!  Thank goodness for cheerios and mum mums.  She loves to push her ride on toy around the yard.  She uses it as her walker, and can get around really fast with it.  So, if we are outside she is heading straight for it.  She loves to laugh at herself, so she will constantly do things that makes her laugh, and us too.  Bathing is very difficult with her.  She doesn't like to sit still, she likes to stand in the tub.  I made the mistake of trying to bath the girls both at the same time.  Will never do that again!  She gravitates to the stairs.  The gates have to be at all times.  I am starting to let her practice climbing them though.  Going down will probably be a while.  She can't seem to understand that she can't go head first!   I am so proud of my sweet girl and look forward to seeing more and more of her little personality coming forward. 

Move in week

So, we have finally moved in to our new home.  It was a crazy week of trying to get in extra time with old friends, being packed and moving out.  The packers started on Wednesday June 26 and that was the first day of no cable.  We did not have internet service again until July 5.  So, we survived a whole week of nothing but a cell phone and it really wasn't that bad.  Probably because there was so much to do that there just wasn't time.  But, we closed on the house June 28 and the movers came June 30.  We slept on mattresses on the floor until our stuff arrived.  It really wasn't that bad.  The girls loved the freedom of the big open rooms.  I told them to enjoy while they could.  Friday night, my family came over to check out the house.  My nephew was very excited to learn that he has a friend living down the street from us, and before we knew it, he had made his way on down to their house to play.  That Saturday, we joined Costco, so exciting, bought stuff for the house, and then headed to the local state park to visit with Drew's family.  His mother had rented a cabin there for a few days and her brother who now lives in China had come to visit, so we were able to spend some time with them.  

Sunday, the fun began.  Everything was unloaded by 4 and I got busy.  I sent Drew to the playroom with the girls and got as much done as possible.  That evening we took a walk around our neighborhood.  We met some of our neighbors and visited with an old friend of mine from high school who lives 2 houses down.  How fun is that!  Her son is the friend of Brady.  We love our neighborhood.  It is, in my opinion, the best neighborhood in Arlington.  It is really close to the Arlington square which is getting more cute shops.  And the neighborhood beside us has really cute craftsman style homes.  I love driving around through, or walking, and checking them all out.  It is just a really cute area of Arlington.  I have to admit that I was a little nervous about Arlington, but I really think we will love it.

Drew's mother and aunt watched the girls on Monday so I could get more done, and my sister came that afternoon.  I am very grateful for them.  I don't know how this house would have been put together so quickly had they not come to help.  After Monday, I had enough unpacked that we could finally start to have a little fun.

My friend Misty and her daughter Keylee came to visit us on Tuesday.  We had a lot of fun hanging out with friends.  That afternoon after nap time, I took the girls to our local park.  It is 0.5 miles from our house.  fantastic!  They had a blast!  Anna Claire loved the swing!  We didn't stay too long, but daddy went with us on Wednesday, and we stayed longer and Amelia got to go down the big tube slide.  I was too nervous to let her do it when it was just me. 

July 4, we took the girls to Shelby Farms.  I love Shelby Farms.  It is one of my favorite places in Memphis.  At the end of our walk, which it has been a long time since I have walked hills, and it was tough, but there is now this really cute park that we stopped at and let the girls have a little fun and enjoy the farms.  I have no pictures, but we will go back some day.  They have a lot of different areas.  Not all appropriate for my little ones, but Amelia loved the slide area and they both loved the sand pit.  They were a mess afterwards, but they had a blast, and that was all that mattered.  The girls loved watching the fireworks that night.  Anna Claire didn't seem frightened by the noise at all. 

 

Friday, my friend Beth and her 2 little girls came to visit.  It was fun watching the girls interact.  We had a good time visiting with all of our friends that week.  It was a nice break from the craziness of the house.

 

Since we have lived here Amelia has finally learned to ride her tricycle.  There are 3 little girls who are always out riding their bikes and I think they motivated her to learn.  I am so proud of her though.  The girls came over the other night to play with us.  They were so sweet.  Maybe Amelia will be out there with them soon on her little tricycle (they are a bit older) and I'll get some pictures. 

She is so proud of herself!

I am trying to keep the girls busy.  Since I don't have a job yet, I am taking full advantage of my time with the girls.  We get out and do something daily.  Plus I go crazy if we sit in the house.  The girls do love the playroom though, and so do I!  But, so far, we are having a blast here.  It's hard to imagine being here the next 20 years, but I am really looking forward to it.  We run around and play every night, and there is nothing better than hearing my little girls giggle with each other.  

 

Story Time

The past week was pretty busy with moving in.  I plan to catch up on that at some point.  But, today, after checking out a few daycares in Arlington, I took the girls to Barnes and Noble for story time.  It was so cute and a fun way to enjoy some indoor time.  Amelia loves books.  Anna Claire is not a fan just yet, but we will work on that.  After story time and a little coloring, all the other parents had scattered, and were enjoying more books with the children, but I could tell that mine were on the brink of going to crazy town.  So, before that happened, I decided it was best to get out of there as fast as possible.  Well, Amelia was in love with all of the books.  She was running around touching them all, it was like watching a fashionista in whatever store fashionista like to go to, Barney's maybe.  But, at one point, she ran down an aisle running her hand across all of the books, and ended it with a twirl.  It was the funniest thing ever.  I knew if I didn't get her out of there right then, I was never getting her out of there.