Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Summer Fun

Well time has really gotten away from me....these summer days are just a flyin' by. We've been pretty busy and it's hard to believe that July is already here. In May we went to the annual Git R Done camping trip and had a lot of fun ~ it was also more tiring than I realized it would be. Shelby & Mason were constantly exploring....I think Kellie & I walked a few miles that weekend following them around and ensuring they did not get hurt. It was pretty hot, so napping was a challenge but they slept ok at night. I think it might've been better to wait another year, but all in all it was fun. Shelby really loved Kim's boat, she'd say "Speedboat, FAST!". We came home and set up Shelby's kiddie pool in the backyard ~ boy does she love that! She likes to sit on the side and fall backwards into it. She loves to play with her fishing pole & wear her sunglasses that Uncle Russ got her. She's putting quite a bit of words together to make small sentences and has been counting to 2. We're working on 3 & 4 ~ sometimes she'll have 3 animals in her arms but she'll count to 4. :) Oh so fun to see how they learn. She does quite a bit of imaginary play, offering her stuffed animals drinks of her sippy cup, putting her baby dolls & animals to sleep (she'll line them up on the couch and cover them with blankets). We've also entered that "fun" (and I use that term lightly) first adolescence known as the terrible two's. I realize with each new phase there is as much fun as there are challenges. Shelby has been really clingy with me lately, something I didn't experience much when she was younger like most babies do, so that's been a challenge. It's gotten better the past week, so hopefully we're coming out of that. Some days are tougher than others because there's a few meltdowns for no apparent reason although I know to her there is a reason. I just try to remain calm & remind myself she's just growing up and eventually will learn how to control her emotions better. Yea, well some days that's easier than others ~ sometimes I need a time out. :)
I worked in vacation bible school this year and took Shelby with me ~ I was assigned to the nursery/preschool class and boy was she jealous of the other babies in the nursery if I was holding them. That surprised me since she has never been jealous of Abby, but guess it was because she didn't know these kids. We've been going to the park a lot, Shelby really loves going down the slide & doing the swings. There is one near the house that has shade, which is really nice. Today we went to a water park where there are fountains and that was a lot of fun. Other than all our playtime, I've been keeping busy working as the facilitator of our meals ministry at church It has been really good for me ~ a great way to use my project management skills in the Lord's ministry. I'm really enjoying it and back to doing spreadsheets & all that fun, organizational stuff that I love! Drew is keeping busy with work, especially busy this week checking up on surrounding towns & their explosives for the big holiday. At the end of July, Shelby & I are headed to Oklahoma for a few weeks when Papa has knee replacement surgery and then the kiddos' birthdays coming up too. A busy July & August ahead of us too. Hope everyone is doing well ~ I know I wrote way too much, we were so behind!

Why wear just one hat when two is clearly better!

Doin' some work, gotta move these animals!


Mason & Shelby hangin' w/Papa at camping trip ~ believe Papa was explaining about canoes & boats on the water. Clearly they are listening! :)

Daddy, how does this redneck golf game go anyway??

Shelby ready to drive the boat! Everyone look out!

Fillin' up my swimmin' pool!

She put this swim diaper on all by herself ~ she wanted to get in the pool that badly the next morning after we had set it up. Too funny.


Practicin' her fishing technique for next year

Don't I simply look mahvelous?!?! (Gotta be an old SNL fan to get this!)

Just loved this whole ensemble ~ cape, sunglasses & purse ~ too much!!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Feedin' Horseys!!

We have just returned from our trip to Oklahoma, what a week! We drove up Sat. to spend Mother's Day with the fam and then Shelby & I stayed a few extra days and Drew flew home Sun. Monday we visited Great-Aunts Shirley & Doryce, who hadn't seen Shelby in awhile. Aunt Shirley let Mason & Shelby have some cookie snacks, which they thoroughly enjoyed....and they had just eaten dinner before we went over. :) Always willing to eat a snack! I learned yesterday that my daughter apparently has no fear of large animals as she fed horses with her Great-Uncle Jim. I couldn't believe it!! She's braver than I am! We went to visit and he wanted to take Shelby & Mason out to see the horses. They were doing so well around them, he got out some biscuits to feed them. She mostly fed the young colt, April, but she did feed one of the bigger horses who came up to us. She was totally into it, letting them take it right out of her hand and then saying "More, more" to do it again. It was awesome!! She also sat up on a horse and just seemed to think that was pretty cool. Today we met up with our cousin Julia and her little girl, Jaylee, who was also born in August 2006 to play at the park. Shelby, Mason & Jaylee had SO much fun playing on the slides, going through the tunnel, etc. I think we Mom's were just as worn out as the kiddos! Anyways, below are some pics from Shelby feedin horses that I got from Mom's camera.....I had left mine at home. DOH!! Enjoy!
P.S. Oh yea, Shelby has now added "Sup Dawggggg" to her slang. Thanks Da-da for teaching her that. ;-)

Shelby meets April, was pretty comfortable w/Great-Uncle Jim too.

Shelby sitting on the horse side-saddle. I could NOT believe this.


Here horsey, have a biscuit (this was the bigger horse).

Want another one??


Enjoy the biscuit April!

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

'Sup Dude!!!

Yes, this is the latest phrase uttered out of Shelby's mouth, "Sup Dude!" and by far the funniest thing we've heard her say. We've also gotten a "Sup Dog" and a "Sup Turtle". A couple of weekends ago her Dad & Uncle Russ taught her to say "Dude" and "Man" while we were visiting in Tulsa. Most days we can figure out what Shelby is saying pretty well....some words are very clear, some you have to put together, but she's been putting a lot of two & three word sentences together and that helps to figure out what she is talking about. But then there is still the gibberish sometimes that I think "Huh??". All in due time....she still really enjoys us reading books to her and has started to associate a key word with her books and will tell us that word when she brings them to us, which we thought was neat. She likes the Backyardigans, specifically she says the name "Pabo" for Pablo. She also really loves to do bubbles and be outside. And then a round of hide & seek with Dad is always fun. In the past few weeks, she has also taken to lining up her stuffed animals or baby dolls and then covering them with a blanket and she'll say "Sleep". She seems to be putting them to bed. And for a couple of weeks, she was wearing her blanket as a cape. I would use a hair clip to hold it in place and she'd just walk around with her cape on. So funny to see what interests them at this age!
We had a great time in Tulsa a couple of weeks ago, visiting Meena & her baby Zara and of course eating some of Uncle Russ' famous BBQ! Shelby really liked the smoked bologna! We're headed to OK this next weekend for Mother's Day and then she & I will stay a few extra days to give the fam some Shelby time. In a couple of weeks, we're going to take her camping for the 1st time at our family's annual Git 'R Done camping trip. THAT shall be interesting...I'm ok with camping as long as there is a bathroom & shower (in which case Drew & Russ say that's not really camping), but we'll see how this goes with a toddler. Doubt we'll stay the whole weekend, we'll see how the first night goes. :) Here's some recent pics of Shelby & her antics. Enjoy!!

One of Shelby's latest antics, to get inside the entertainment center
and smoosh her face against it. How she figured this out, I have no idea.

I got my hard hat & am ready to work Dad!!

This is one of her "hiding spots" behind the piano. She thinks it is sooo funny to hide there!

Dad & Shelby hiding in the trees!!

Got my cape on, I'm ready to save the day!