What We've Been Up To

Since I haven't been as diligent about posting recently according to some people *cough*cough*GRANDPA*cough*cough* here's a quick post of what we've been up to lately.

Melanie and I have signed up for a toddler story time at the library. She really seems to be enjoying it. We get a new stack of books each week, which has helped the bedtime stories to not seem as monotonous for mom and dad. She loves the stories, and is starting to loosen up about the little "hand play" activities and songs they do during story time, so I think it's been time well spent, and a good opportunity for special "Melanie and Mom" time together.

Melanie also takes part in a tumbling class, or "tumb!" as she likes to call it.

It really is just a glorified play time in the gym with warm up and cool down stretching as a group, but she has a TON of fun and burns some extra energy while she's at it. And she's having to learn to wait her turn and share, two things that she doesn't have to do a lot of in everyday life since Claire's still so little.

We've been spending a lot of time outside as well. Melanie plays with her car/chalk/bubbles/watering can/random sticks she finds on the ground (you get the idea) and Claire hangs out on the picnic blanket with some toys while I water flowers or play with them. The weather has been so nice and mild, we're getting in as much outside time as we can!

Claire trying to get some bubbles.

Claire is becoming more and more mobile every day! She regularly puts herself in the above position or up on both knees and had tried to stand herself up without support several times. Only time will tell if she's walking by 9 months like Melanie was. If she is, I'm going to have one crazy Christmas ahead of me!
Claire also has her first tooth (it broke through last week) and I expect the second one to be in any day now. Poor kid, getting two at the same time!

And finally, the cake I made for Grandma Greenlee's birthday.
I've got several cake decorating occasions coming up, so I'm going to be getting a lot of practice!

No before/after pictures of the move yet. Be patient and they will come. Besides, I had to save something to get you guys to keep coming back, right? ;)

Race for the Cure

Yesterday the girls and I participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure with our friends, Mike and Pat Camacho. We did the 5k walk and it was a beautiful day for it. Here are a few pictures of the day.

Getting ready to leave at 7:30am on a Saturday.
Really, I don't enjoy seeing that hour of the day unless I'm still in my pj's
getting ready to eat breakfast, but it was for a good cause.

Sisterly love
(I'm pretty sure Melanie was trying to kiss Claire. At least that's what I choose to believe she was doing)

Claire "racing" for the cure

At the finish line

Mike was nice enough to carry Melanie when she got bored with riding in her stroller. By the look on her face she obviously didn't fully appreciate the gesture, but I sure did!

After we were done Melanie decided she and Pat needed to race around the parking lot

And a few cute pictures I snapped back at home before changing the girls clothes for the day.
I was trying to just get one of them sitting together, but Melanie had different plans.

State Fair

On Sunday the girls and I went to the fair with my mom and sister, Amber. I really don't think it could have gone any better than it did - thank you Lord! Melanie didn't protest to being in her stroller and Claire was her typical happy self. We were there for 6-7 hours, and while I got a sunburn on my face (as usual) and the girls got sun-kissed cheeks, a good time was had by all. Thanks for the great idea Amber! We look forward to going again!

Excited to go on my first trip to the State Fair!

When we told Melanie the bees were making honey her response was
"It's Pooh!"

Anxious to see all the animals

She especially liked the ducks

Claire was not as excited about the animals

Amber and Super Pig's long lost cousin.
Super Pig was a puppet Amber got at the fair when she was a kid and she would tie a doll blanket around it's neck and our dad would make him "fly" through the air exclaiming "Super Pig!" as he would come to tickle her. It was so well loved and used so much for tickling that in his latter years he got a hole worn in his snout. He looked just like this puppet, so we just couldn't pass up the photo opp.

A little cool down time at the fountain.

Giving Aunt Amber a bit of exercise,
as if all the walking we did wasn't exercise enough!

Our little Kansas Sunflower

No matter where you are, Grandma's always great for a nap!

Waiting for the pig races to start

Melanie was very amused

And what would a trip to the fair be without some fabulous fair cuisine?

Enjoying some free ice cream

Claire even got a taste.
It was really good.
(Turkey Hill Duetto in Vanilla Raspberry , in case you're wondering)

FUNNEL CAKE!

Trying to snag some of grandma's lemonade.
She got to chew on the straw instead.

A sweet sisterly moment, with dad's requested popcorn in the background.

We ended the day with a trip to the petting zoo. I offered to let her go on a pony ride, but she just wanted to watch, much like she just wanted to watch me feed the animals.

Can't wait until next year when we might actually get to try a few rides!
(assuming Melanie grows and meets the height requirement for any of them by then!)

Claire's 6-Month Pictures

Click here and enter my name to see Claire's 6-month pictures we had taken at JC Penney's this morning.

She's been teething in a big way recently, so that's why she has her tongue sticking out in a lot of them. That just seems to be what she does when teething. And she's making a really goofy face in the ones that she isn't wearing a shirt in - I had just put some Orajel on her gums, so I don't think she could feel her mouth at that time! But she was a real trooper despite all that.

Anyway, let me know what you think!