Our Little Explorer

Lily Kate had a special day yesterday.  She spent the night with her grandparents and yesterday JaJa took her shoe shopping!  She got to pick out a new pair of sneakers.  JaJa and the salesclerk tried to push the sparkly pink ones, but Lily Kate insisted on the all white pair.  They couldn't figure out why she wouldn't even entertain the idea of some with some other colors on them.

When she got home I commented on her new shoes.  She told me they were just like Dora's and ran to get her Dora puzzle to show me.

Baby Babble

Aubrey has always been a "vocal child." Today she said some new syllables that sound like Dada and JaJa!

Is There a Doctor in the House?

Stephen got some sort of respiratory crud/flu and has been home sick for 2 days! We've been trying to keep our distance while nursing him back to health.  He was camped out on the couch today and Lily Kate helped Daddy.  She stood for 20 minutes holding the elephant's snout on our humidifier.

Nurse Lily Kate

We're all hoping he feels better soon!

Love is in the Air...or Food

I know it isn't February yet, but I had a heart shaped hole in my Cheerios this morning.  It was too perfect I had to take a picture. 

  It also reminded me that the week before Aubrey was born Stephen had a pickle that had a heart in the middle.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
                                                                 1 John 3:16

Change of Plans

I LOVE our Sunday School class.  There are about 20 couples all around our age and every opportunity we have to hang out they just feel like family.  This week I got to hang out with them twice!  

Monday night, Betsy had us over to her house for a Girls Night on Renewing Our Walk With God.  We had a lot of fun and I was challenged about my daily time I spend with God.  It was exactly what I needed to hear at exactly the right time!

Saturday Night was our Bi-monthly Dinner Group.  Several different groups get together (3-4 couples in each group) and eat dinner together (you can do potluck or meet at a restaurant).  Each month the groups change so you get to know lots of different people.  This month it was our turn to coordinate our group and while we originally planned to eat at Dandelion Market in Uptown we audibled at the last minute and ate at Brixx and then attended the Bobcats game.  They lost, but we had a great time of fellowship!

Stephen, Wes, Jon, Angela, Katie, and me at the Bobcats game

Can I Have a Cuddle?

Cuddle Buddies- Reese was cuddling too!

Not just for babies

Let's Give Them Something to Talk About

Due to the snow, we spent entirely too much time inside this week.  But we did get creative.  Here is a game Lily Kate made up to play with Aubrey.  I call it "I got something." They played for about 5 minutes.  I'm so thankful that they love each other.

LK: I got something, I got something, I think it's Buddy the Elf.

I got something, I got something, I think it's a rattle.

I got something, I got something, I think it's a car seat.

A Word From Our Sponsors

*We don't really have sponsors...I just liked the title :)

I don't often endorse things, but today I'm endorsing:

This Christmas season I was at a loss for what to get Aubrey for Christmas.  Being her first Christmas, I wanted to get her something special- yet she has so many hand me downs from LK I didn't want to just get her toys to get her toys.  I wandered into BuyBuy Baby one day and boy am I thankful that I did.  Here's why:

As I wandered aimlessly through the toy section, a clerk approached me and asked if I needed assistance.  I told her my predicament and 15 minutes later I walked out with not just one, but three great gifts for Aubrey's First Christmas.

1.) Sophie the Giraffe.  Made in France this squeaky teether was an instant favorite!

Aubrey loves making her Sophie squeak between her gums.

2.) My Pal Violet - Stephen hooked this cute stuffed animal up to Vtech's website and now Violet sings songs about Aubrey and her favorite things! This is definitely a toy she will have to grow into, but definitely a lot of fun.

3.) Infantino Doll - Right now she is clipped onto the playmat, but this cute and rattling doll can easily go anywhere with us.

I found out that BuyBuyBaby will accept coupons from Bed Bath & Beyond (their sister store) if the coupons are current.  So after Christmas, I took my receipt back (with my handful of coupons) and they gave me discounts on all my previous purchases. You may use one coupon per item if it meets the coupon criteria.

Black & White

I'm sure they will have their moments, but tonight Lily Kate and Aubrey enjoyed being sisters.  Here are a few photos of them hanging out together.

Lily Kate got up from the blanket and Aubrey started to fuss.  Lily Kate told her "It's okay, Aubrey, I'll be right back."

Say it ain't SNOW!

It started snowing early Monday morning and it just didn't stop (until Monday afternoon) very unusual for our area.  Stephen was on call :( so Lily Kate and I bundled up to go play in it while Aubrey took a nap.

Getting her layers on

Our Snow Lily Kate- the snow did not pack well at all so I made a mound and put a scarf on it.  LK picked out the arms and helped put a face on it.  We didn't have any real carrots so used one from her play kitchen.

Catching snowflakes on her tongue.  The child loves to eat snow!

Tinkerbell

Every month for the first year of Lily Kate's life, I would take her picture next to a Tinkerbell doll that Jonathan and Rachel gave her.  I got the idea from a friend and think its a great way to measure their growth.  I have done the same thing with Aubrey and decided to take a picture today.

Aubrey- 6 weeks

Aubrey- 6 months (note LK's hand in the crib)

Lily Kate- 34 months

Lily Kate was assisting me with my picture taking and my child (who refuses to smile for the camera) asked me to take her picture!