Obviously this blog hasn't been one of those priorities. :( The girlies and work keep me super busy... so if you feel like I'm beginning to become a stranger due to lack of communication/blogging, keep in mind that I've been elusive to most of the loved ones in my life lately and I apologize! More importantly, I apologize for the lack of pictures of my beautiful, growing little girls! Aren't they PRETTY? :)
This picture was the result of a little photo shoot we had in the rain a few weeks ago with a really good photographer named Erica Rankin. I see great Christmas card potential here! :) And what about these little numbers?!
Now that we've got at least a couple pictures out of the way.... here are some highlights since the last post of BIG NEWS. I guess any news is BIG NEWS when posting as often as I do. (Sorry again.)
1. Ella Bella is growing like a weed... putting together ideas and sentences like noone's business! There is definitely a true 2-yr-old toddler that comes out every so often but she is just as sweet as ever in between those tantrums. Her smile can light up a room and her soft-spoken words are THE. CUTEST. The random "I love you's" and "I missed you's" she's been giving out lately are enough to melt my heart. Oh, and I should mention that she is 80% potty-trained. The other 20% happens when we're traveling and she's in her diaper. I'm planning on making the leap to zero diapers when we return from vacation in a few weeks.
2. Adelyn has been showing signs of maturity... acting as a diplomat to her sister at times and even between Mommy and Daddy when necessary. :) She has started to really embrace the role as the big sister and is making us so proud as we watch her grow out of the toddler tantrums. With maturity, Adelyn has also shown signs of being a teenager... complete with hands on her hips and comments like, "I don't like that boy because his face is ugly." (OUCH.) So we've had many, many talks about what a "true beauty" is and how important it is to act like a polite princess and not an evil step-sister. Besides, her 5th birthday is coming up and we've been promising her a trip to Disney... and only polite princesses are allowed in. (I have no idea where she gets her story-telling.)
3. Daddy/Andrew has been out of town a lot for training at Medtronic. He plans to never switch jobs again. I plan to never allow him to switch jobs again. Two weeks at a time makes it rough on me... especially since I now have to put in 40+ hours a week at work myself. Andrew does like his new role as a SENIOR Field Clinical Engineer and I'm very proud of his accomplishments at such a young age. He's finally found a position that keeps him busy and challenged.
4. Andrew decided that with all of the leisure time he would lose with his new job, there really wasn't a point in having his motorcycle anymore. So he traded it in for a third vehicle for me to drive to/from work while our nanny drives the girls in my car. His only request was that it be a summer driver/convertible so I opted for a VW bug. Isn't she cute? And she's perfect for a summer drive to get ice cream. The girls love her! :)
5. Amanda, our nanny/care-giver, has been a God sent! She really has picked up on where I left off and the girls take to her very well... in some ways, better than they did with Mommy. She plans trips to the library, park, etc. and started up a preschool curriculum last week. I couldn't have imagined going through the transition to "workin' momma" without her as part of the equation. She even does dishes and gives the girls baths. Did I already mention that I love her?! :)
6. Ad just finished up soccer season (she wasn't a huge fan but she is only 4.) E and A both are taking swim lessons in preparation of vacation in July (a trip we planned with my family to Destin that is still up in the air due to the oil spill). Both are taking their usual YMCA gym classes as well which Amanda takes them to during the week. I have A signed up for getting speech services this summer but besides that, our summer is open to all of the fun and sun it can bring!
That's all I came prepared to write about... we hope you're enjoying your summer and hopefully it won't be an entire summer before I blog again!
