Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Four Ear Infections & One Sprained Ankle

Yesterday was a busy day. I took the girls to the doctor's office and learned they both have double ear infections and possibly sinus infections. The nurse said they must have a high tolerance for pain because each of them have a bad infection in one ear each. They haven't acted as if they feel bad and have been playing and running around at the pool for 3 weeks. Yesterday was the first time I could see that Anabelle felt a little bad. Her eyes looked tired. Emma Rose still seems just fine. They are both on antibiotics, and they love the bubble gum flavor. Whoever invented child friendly, flavored medication is a genius!

Yesterday afternoon, John was flying kites with the girls, and some of the other kids in the neighborhood, and he jumped over the landscaping fabric fencing around the empty lots. He was wearing flip-flops. He fell, scraped up his foot, and sprained his ankle. Our neighbor, Dewayne, drove him to the urgent care facility last night. His foot was not broken and the tendons and ligaments were still in tact. Despite the swelling that started last night, his foot is feeling much better and he can put weight on it now.

While John and Dewayne were at the urgent care, Dawn and I were here with the girls, her two boys, and our neighbor's little girl, Grayson. They were so cute! Emma Rose took turns playing with the little girls and then the boys. Anabelle played with Grayson and then Grayson and Anabelle each played by themselves. At one point, I had to change Anabelle's poopy diaper. Grayson, who is 9 months Anabelle's senior, asked Anabelle, "Have poop?" She said yes, and then Grayson held Anabelle's hand while I cleaned and diapered her bottom. It was so cute! A little while later, they didn't want to share a tiny bowl of blueberries.

John bought the girls a couple of new fish floats for the pool. They played with them in the house after we got home from the doctor yesterday. I took a few pictures of them.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

New Goggles for the Pool

They love them and haven't even gotten in the water with them yet.


Growth in the Garden!

We have growth on the bell pepper plants - one yellow and one red. We also have two cucumbers. The watermelons are getting bigger and have flowers. They may take over the rest of the garden. The beans are growing but they look a little sad. At least one tomato plant has flowers and we're hoping for more. We might have a little bit of a bounty! It's so exciting!

Yellow Bell Pepper

Cucumber
Nine Watermelon Plants

The Pink Boat Float

Yesterday at the pool, I was putting sunscreen on Anabelle. I have to slather her up first, so she doesn't run into the pool unprotected. Ever more independent Emma Rose started putting sunscreen on herself. When I told her I would be finished with Anabelle and would put sunscreen on her, she smiled knowingly, turned her hands up to the sky, raised her shoulders, and said, "Mommy, I'm pletely fine all by myself!" This morning, she helped Anabelle into her high chair and tried her best to buckle the seat belt. She said, "Sit in your chair, Sweetie, so you can eat breakfast." She is really in the growing up fast lane these days.
When John went to get Anabelle out of bed this morning, the first words she said were "swimming pool." We all had a great time yesterday, and Anabelle played with Grayson, our neighbor's 2 year-old most of the day. Grayson, who Anabelle calls Gracie, and Anabelle are so cute playing together! All three of girls rode in a huge float that is more like a boat for them. Dawn would take them out and bring them back to the side when they wanted more crackers. They had a great time! They were also worn out last night when it was time for bed. (We did not offer them chocolate last night.)

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Friday Night at the Pool

After John and I loaded the girls full of chocolate last night, we decided it was best to let them work off the sugar. We headed down to the pool. They were so excited about going there after dinner. They had a great time. Anabelle crashed when we put her to bed, but Emma Rose fought sleep until after 10. We need to re-think the chocolate after dinner next time.

Our neighbors' babysitter's mother gave the girls a couple of floats this week: a dolphin and flower. (Our neighbors are extra thoughtful, and they even have extra thoughtful friends! We love them.) They love the dolphin! It's not very steady, but Emma Rose has put a lot of work into balancing on the dolphin. I took some pictures of the girls and the dolphin last night.
Check out the chocolate evidence just to the side of her lips.

Emma Rose on the dolphin float.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Breakfast and Bath Pictures

The first two pictures from breakfast last week. The next four pictures are from a bath. The picture of the girls on the bed is of Emma Rose reading Where is the Green Sheep to Anabelle.
















Friday, June 19, 2009

The Aquarium

Yesterday, we went to the Georgia Aquarium. I forgot my camera! I know that's shocking, and I was so disappointed. John made me feel better by saying that I could just enjoy being there with the girls and not worry about taking pictures. I always enjoy being at the aquarium with the girls and John, so that part wasn't difficult.

Anabelle enjoyed the Aquarium more than she ever has. She was thrilled to see the fish, and I was able to get her to say the names of some of them. Emma Rose was fascinated with everything as usual. After the Ocean Voyager exhibit (mine and John's favorite), she wanted to go touch the sting rays. She tells us that they are her favorite sea animal. She had a great time while Daddy held her over the shallow pool. I held Anabelle up but didn't think she'd be able to touch anything. One of the rays surprised us and went pretty far up the side of the pool. Anabelle had perfect timing and was able to touch him! She loved it.

We had a great time and can't wait to go back again!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Jokes and the Slide

Last night, John and our neighbor, Dewayne, put signs in another friend's yard. This morning at 6 am, all the signs had been removed. A warning was given to John and Dewayne: "I'm going to let you think about the pay back." (No signs were harmed during the making of this practical joke, and they were all replaced by 7 pm tonight.)



















I took some pictures of the girls on the slide today. They had so much fun! Emma Rose has learned to go down on her hands and knees, which makes her go really fast. Right before she splashes in the water, she flings her hands and feet out and lands wildly in the water. Anabelle did not go down face first, but her landing is getting better. She's able to land by herself, and Froggy helps her pop right out of the water.















Tuesday, June 16, 2009

The Slide

The slide at our pool has been out of commission for a little over week. Today (insert drum roll) the slide was repaired and is working again. Emma Rose fell in love with the slide last year and went down it many a time in her ducky float. She was the first one down the slide this morning in her ducky float. Ducky gives her the independence to go down the slide alone and gives me the freedom to read and keep a close eye on Anabelle. We all love Ducky!

Yesterday, we bought Anabelle a froggy float just like Ducky. She has been pretty interested in Ducky, and several arguments have occurred in the past couple of days between Emma Rose and Anabelle over Ducky. With all the freedom and confidence Emma Rose has in Ducky, I figured Froggy would be a great idea.

Froggy made his debut at the pool, and Anabelle loves it. John had her floating in the pool by herself in water where she could not touch the bottom. This was a major break through because up until today, she would get pretty uncomfortable if we carried her out in deep water. Anabelle also discovered how much fun the slide is today. After about half a dozen times of going down the slide with her daddy and our neighbor, Dewayne, she insisted on going down by herself. It was wonderful! She giggled all the way down each of the multiple times she went down. She started off sliding on her bottom, then she would go on her belly feet first, and now she's sliding on her belly face first. She's even gotten so comfortable that she'll let her head go under the water at the end of the slide. Froggy is a success!

There will be pictures soon!

Monday, June 15, 2009

The Girls at the Pool

I took my camera to the pool this morning and was able to get a few pictures of the girls. The morning was gorgeous: we had lots of sunshine, and the water was great. Daddy was there with us, so the girls got to play with him. The camera also made it home safe and dry!
Emma Rose likes to jump off at the same spot, swim to the ladder, climb up and jump again. Anabelle enjoys pouring water from one bucket to another. Today, she explored into the deeper water again. She walked out to me, had me put her out, and she climbed back in again.
Anabelle calls her swim suit her "babe-n-suity!"




Friday, June 12, 2009

Summer is Officially Here . . . and It's at the Pool

The girls and I have spent every morning this week at the pool. We've also spent several afternoons there, too. On Tuesday, we had lunch there, came home for naps (and so that Mommy could do a little work), and we had dinner there. It helps that we love our neighbors, and they're at the pool in the afternoons, too. When I signed up to be a stay-at-home mommy, this is what I had in mind!

The girls are having so much fun! Emma Rose remembers how to swim from learning last year, and Anabelle continues to get more and more comfortable. Emma Rose makes friends so easily with the other kids at the pool. It's amazing how friendly and kind she can be. Today, she made friends with a little girl named Avery. (Avery called Emma Rose "Roses.") She helped some of the other members of the family carry their stuff to their chairs. When they asked if she wanted a cookie, she replied that "it was too much sugar for her." She was so sweet that I told her she could have a cookie anyway!
Anabelle has even started jumping in the pool from the side. It's a little scary when she doesn't let anyone know! She's getting better about giving us warning. Anabelle is also walking out so that the water comes up to her arm pits. She's following in her sister's foot steps and befriends the other kids, too. She has even started to ask for one little girl in particular when we go to the pool. Her name is Grayson (Gracie). A few times after she wakes up, the first thing she says is "Gracie." It is wonderful to see my little girls having so much fun!

This is a picture of the girls after an afternoon at the pool. They are watching 101 Dalmatians.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Summer Time Equals Play Time

The girls love being outside! Emma Rose like to pull Anabelle in the little red wagon. She was running away from the camera yesterday, so I wasn't able to get any pictures of her other than her running in the opposite direction.


Monday, June 1, 2009

Zonked

Yesterday, the family headed to the pool. Lots of our neighbors and their kids were there, so Emma Rose and Anabelle had a great time playing, and we had a great time talking to the neighbors. I lost count of how many times John went down the slide! I went down twice.

It was a great day until the girls started to feel the effects of no nap. At first, the were just tired. Then they were whiney. This picture is during the tired phase. Daddy was tired, too. We all went to bed after dinner and the girls had a bath.

A Back-Up Pie

I found another Lambie Pie on eBay! It arrived last week. When I showed it to Anabelle, she had the original Pie in her hand. She did a double take. New Pie is considerable cleaner than Original Pie, even after Original Pie gets a bath in the washer. When I gave New Pie to Anabelle, she hugged and kissed new Pie. Now, new Pie is tucked safely away in my closet for emergency Pie issues.