they grow so fast

Claire had her 6 month check up today. Oh how time flies. I remember when Sophie was a baby, I couldn't wait to get to the "next" stage. With Claire, I've been reminding myself to slow down and enjoy each stage. But it seems to be going by so fast! She has 2 teeth, she's eating solids, pretty soon she'll be walking off to school. Maybe I have become sappier...but I just don't want her to grow up too fast. So I am going to relish this sweet baby time! I want all of the coos, oohs, and cuddles I can get because before I know it she will be motoring around - not wanting anything to do with being held. Is anyone else crying? Ok, it might just be me :)

This little lady is a peanut. She only weighs 15lbs - at 6 months Sophie was 17lbs! And she continues to be short, only 24.75". The one thing she has been is consistent. Such a sweetie!

My Sweets

There is always so much happening around here that I would like to capture in a blog, but I usually don't! :( So here is my feeble attempt to do that and play catch up at the same time. If nothing else, it will be written record of how beautiful, hilarious, and enjoyable these little ladies are -for when I need the reminder, or just simply can't remember.

Sophie is a plain riot. She has us laughing all of the time. Let me see if I can do any of it justice here.

The Zoo Train: She came up with the idea to play "zoo train" on the landing of our staircase. It started out as us just sitting on the landing, pretending to look out at animals.

"Look Mommy - look at the bear lions!" (huh?)
"Ooh, look at the lion, he has big tooshie" (this came from us being at the real zoo and seeing a gorilla and his very big tooshie, but I don't think she knows that lions don't really have them)
So it went from checking out animals (and their behinds) to eating elephants and zebras. She would get off the train to eat an elephant. And then she invited all of her stuffed animals from her bed to join her on the zoo train (seen here). Creative I guess.

How Bout Something Else:
Each night, before we begin to pray with Sophie, we ask her what she wants to thank God for. Usually she will say: I fank God fo....going to the potty. I fank God fo watching sesame street. (It's all very spiritual). I will typically ask her "ok, how about something else?" Now, she has started saying 1 thing she is thankful for, and then she'll say "how bout something else?" and look at us and laugh knowing that we get a kick out of her just saying "how bout something else." She thinks she is so funny when she does that.

The cutest things she has been doing lately:
When Bill comes home from work, Sophie greets him with "How was your day, Daddy?" Melts my heart. She has also been very kind and polite lately. Saying thank you & you're welcome & please. She's been loving on her sister and giving her kisses and hugs galore. Before bed she likes to give us "big kisses" by grabbing a hold of our faces and placing a smoochie right smack dab on the lip.

Little Claire has been growing lately. Growing teeth that is. 2 of them. Makes me sad. I'm not ready for her to have teeth. She's probably been the crankiest she's ever been (minus the whole witching hour of newborn stage) during this teething time. She's also not taking a bottle, at all. Ahh, oh well I guess the time will pass fast enough. She is still a sweet little thing. Pure sugar these two.

Name that song

Sophie loves to sing songs. Thankfully I can make out most of them because I already know them. However, she comes home from church on Sundays singing this particular song that I just cannot figure out.

And it sounds like "Jesus or bust" or "Jesus a bus" or what I think makes the most sense "Jesus is best"....but I don't know really what it is and it is driving me nuts! Any thoughts on what this song could be? For those from Grace, she is usually in the first service. If I can't figure it out before the week is over, I'll have to catch the workers in her room next Sunday and ask them what they are singing!

Our Bugs

We had a fun filled Halloween day! This morning began with a haircut for mommy, carving pumpkins (while listening to Christmas music -who can resist?), pizza for dinner, and of course passing out candy and trick or treating. Sophie was a ladybug again. The costume from last year still fit, so why not right? Claire was a bumble bee. They were our cute little bugs.

Sophie really enjoyed Halloween this year. We had prepped her for what to say when she went up to the doors, and what to say once she received her candy. Bill walked around with her while Claire and I stayed back and passed out the candy. Bill said she did well. She sometimes said thank you first, got her candy and then said trick or treat. But at least she said something! I was amazed at how many kids just came up to receive their candy without saying a word, like it was owed to them. What is our world coming to when kids can't even say thank you!?!?! One little girl actually told me (in a very rude tone) "I don't like peanut butter" after I gave her a reese's candy bar. Hmm, I told her that maybe her mommy or daddy would like it, and Happy Halloween. Stunned. Anyways, it was fun to see Sophie enjoy the day, and a lot of candy. Now lets just hope she sleeps well.

Our "pumpkin family"

5 Months Old

Little Claire Bear is 5 months old today! Her latest activities include rolling over, blowing raspberries, playing in the exersaucer, wearing cloth diapers, paci talk (seen below in the video), and continuing to sleep well. I finally understand when people use the phrase "sleeping like a baby." Now it makes sense! It didn't so much with Sophie, still doesn't! :) One thing Claire isn't doing well is eating baby cereal. Since she is down to 4 feedings most days, I thought she might need that extra fill me up food. However, I don't think she is quite there yet. The faces she makes when I try to feed her, you'd think I was giving her anchovies or something! The last time I tried to give her cereal, she gagged so hard she actually threw up a little. Yuck.

Her big sister has also gotten a kick out of the exersaucer. To think, all this time it was just sitting in the basement it could have been entertaining a 2 year old!

Fall is here

It never ceases to be amazing, the changing colors of the season. Here are a few pics from our backyard. I can't believe we get to look out and see the beauty of God's creation like this every day! Well, at least for a few weeks....





This last one is on the road to our neighborhood, not quite our backyard :)

2 year olds are funny!

Today was a great day to spend inside, but I needed to get out just for a little bit. I told Sophie that we could get some french fries on our way to drop something off at someone's house. On the way there we were talking about Texas. I told Sophie that daddy was in Texas. I asked her if she wanted to go to Texas. Her reply: "I'd rather get french fries."