The First Day of School

Well, the girls had their first day of school today and it was a big success! Andy takes the girls to school so he sent me an update on how their morning went. I was so nervous about how it was going to go, but I was busy all morning and didn't have much time to think about it.

Both girls went straight into class, introduced themselves to their teachers and there were no tears. Yay! When I picked the girls up, they were both happy and excited to tell me about the fun they'd had at school. I can't even tell you how relieved I am that they enjoyed their day.

This picture cracks me up (for many reasons)! Sophia's sign says:

• She's 2 years old
• She loves Rosie, blue & pink, and pickles
• When I grow up I want to eat food.  Ha!

Emma:

• 4 years old
• Loves football, green & blue, and spaghetti
• When I grow up I want to be a firefighter

 Here are both of my big girls on their first day. I'm dying over how big Sophia's backpack is. What a cutie!!!

Funny note: Andy didn't realize that Sophia wasn't wearing shoes until they were getting into the car. Mornings can be hectic. ;)

Girls, 

Mommy and Daddy are so happy that you love your teachers and new friends. We hope that you always love school as much as you do now. We are so proud of both of you and we love you very much!

Growing Up

I thought it was time to change out the girls' photos on the sidebar of the blog and I was amazed at how different they look!

These pictures were taken just a little over a year apart. Emma's face has lost so much of it's baby look and Sophia looks like a completely different kid!

Where did my little babies go???

Mommy and Me

With two busy girls, it's hard to find one-on-one time with my kiddos.  We are together all the time, but there's something about being the "only" kid that makes kids feel special.  My mother in law asked if she could take one girl at a time for the day and it was a great way for me to have some Mommy and Me time with the girls.

Sophia was first up and her day started with a necessary haircut. She was as good as gold during her cut and got a sucker, which made her whole day. We had to run to the store really quick after her haircut and she got to show off her new haircut.

I asked her what she wanted to do and she asked to play with the water table and have a picnic, so that's just what we did. She loved having the water table all to herself, without having to share the toys that are in high demand. We had a picnic lunch outside and she was as happy as a clam.

Emma's day was not as relaxing. There was no staying home for that girl! She asked if we could see a movie, but nothing appropriate was playing for her age. Instead, we went to a local bounce house for their free play time. She normally doesn't do too well with the big ones, but she tried every single one of them. I was so proud of how brave she was. So brave, in fact, that she banned me from playing with her, claiming that she was a big girl and could do it on her own. She failed to realize that Mama was having fun too. ;)

After playing, we had lunch at her restaurant of choice, which was, of course, Chick-fil-A.  She told everyone that she was having a special day. She was thrilled to get lemonade and ice cream with her meal. What a treat!

After lunch, we headed to the library to get her first library card. I hope this is the start of a lifetime love for reading.

The library was having a special zoo program and there were a few animals for the kids to see and touch. They got to see a turtle, rabbit, and tarantula. Emma was excited to touch the rabbit and was fascinated with the tarantula (yikes!). The tarantula was not for touching though, thank goodness.

I have loved being able to spend some alone time with my girls and have loved each special day with them. 

Mimi, thank you for the chance to make memories with these sweet girls!

Summer Lovin'

Our summer has been busy and fun! The girls and I have been taking advantage of my time off and the summer weather.  Emma has been going to school for two days a week, just to get her out of the house for a bit but she has this week off due to VBS. Here's what we've been up to.

With Emma at school, I've been able to have some one on one time with this little cutie.  She apparently needs it because she's been very clingy these past few weeks.

We took a trip to the farmer's market with some friends and had a picnic.

Sophia started Kindermusik and Emma was able to go with her to her first class to show her the ropes.

Mostly, we've been taking advantage of the warm weather and playing in the sun!

 In between the summer activities, I've been soaking up my time off from school. I already have a few training scheduled this month and before I know it, my summer will be over. I don't want to miss a moment with these cuties!

Bubbles

Emma got an awesome bubble kit for her birthday and that is the only thing the girls want to do. Sophia woke up from her nap yesterday and the first words she said to me were "I play bubbles now!"

I'm pretty sure that more bubble solution ends up on the ground than into actual bubbles, but that's all part of the fun.

My Girls

These two.

I don't care how rough my day was or how bad things might seem. These two always make my day brighter and my life happier. When I see their little faces alight with big smiles I remember how blessed I really am. I am so lucky to be a mom. Their mom.

Our Weekend

I can't remember the last time a weekend turned out the way we planned. This winter has been so rough on our family's immune system. I can't believe that I actually want winter to be over, simply because I'm sick of the sickness.

Emma has had a cold this past week and we knew that Sophia would most likely follow soon after. She woke up very early on Saturday morning with a runny nose and she seemed miserable from a tough night's sleep.  She was so clingy and whiny so we spent the day cuddled up in our pajamas.

My sister-in-law was in town, and she had planned on watching the girls so Andy and I could have a belated Valentine's Day dinner, but Sophia was so whiny that we decided to stay home. Aunt Nicole was still able to come by and visit with the girls and they were so happy to have company.

Both girls got a good night's rest last night and Emma was ready to go this morning. Andy took her to Sunday School and I stayed at home with Sophia to let her get some more rest. The plague that has infected our home must have spread to other homes because she was the only child in the three year old class. She had two teachers all to herself and she enjoyed every second of it. She sure loves being the center of attention sometimes, can't you tell? ;)

I'm really hoping that we can have a full weekend were everyone is healthy SOON! I'm ready to enjoy some fun activities with my girls!

A Beautiful Afternoon

The weather around here has been gorgeous. Warm, sunny, a slight breeze...it definitely doesn't seem like November 11th! We took the girls to the park to burn off some energy and to enjoy the great weather.

 

Emma is all business when we play and refuses to sit still or look at the camera for pictures. This is the only way I could get a shot of the two girls together!

Children's Museum

Today I took the girls to the Children's Museum of Oak Ridge, which is one of our favorite places to go. I asked my mom to come along with us, and the girls loved having Nana with us on our "field trip."

The museum has lots of different rooms, each with a different theme. It is so much fun to watch the girls explore and realize that they're supposed to touch stuff!

I love going to the same places each year to see how much the kids have grown!

"Driving" the train!

What a different experience this was from last year when I took a young toddler and a sleeping baby. Fast forward to today and my girls were all over the place, having a ball. It's hard to believe how big they are!