Savannah

Probably since I was in highschool I have wanted to visit Savannah. So, since we live relatively close, I decided this year to combine our beach trip with a little visit to the city I've wanted to see for so long. We didn't spend much time there, we just explored the Historic Distric via Trolley (thanks Dad!). The highlight for the Little Mister though (which I think made it the highlight for everyone else) was lunch at the Pirate House. Not only were there pirate hats, pirate waiters, and a gift shop to buy pirate memorabilia, but it it supposedly the most haunted building in Savannah and the backdrop for some of the scenes from Treasure Island. And the shrimp po' boy was pretty good too!

I just loved the trees with their "beards" of moss that make them look like grandfather trees, the wrought iron, and the architecture. There is just something historic and even a little mysterious about the city. Maybe someday we can visit again sans kids and tour some of the the old mansions and maybe even go on one of the ghost walks.

In the meantime, I think I'll just have to settle for re-reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Brad has already started reading Treasure Island to the Little Mister. I hope he remembers to skip the scary parts.

Life's a Beach

We rented a cute little beach house at Tybee Island for a few days.  We were lucky to have Grandma and Grandad join us.  Two things my mom loves the most are babies and beaches.  I think she must have been in Heaven, I hope at least :)  There was kite flying, sand castle building, and swimming, of course. 

It was Baby Sister's first time at the beach.  I've heard rumors of babies who hate the sand - can't stand having it on their hand or feet.  Not this girl!  I think she would be perfectly fine being covered head to toe in the sand.  And she wasn't afraid of the water either.  She would just crawl right into the water until it got too deep and I had to scoop her up to save her from the waves. 

And the Mister, he just loves to dig and build sand castles.

I can't wait to go back!

 

 

 

Where to begin...

..at the beginning, I suppose.

In the last three weeks we have gone on a beach vacation, hosted houseguests, celebrated two (soon to be three) birthdays, and had one joint birthday party for the kids and their friends (meaning my friends who happen to have kids about their age).  More on all of these fun adventures to come.  In the meantime, be patient while I update our blog.  I am literally spent.  Just plain tired.  But I will get to it, I promise. 

Until then, this should hold you over.

11 months

 New this month:

She can stand on her own for several seconds.  She's not quite yet going from a sit to a stand on her own, but almost.  She will often use a leg or a pillow or something very low to the ground to give herself a boost up.

One more tooth, for a total of five!  I suspect another one or two are one their way but it's way too dangerous to try to feel around in her mouth - she bites.

She says Dadda and means it!  She says  "daddaddada" in a high pitched, excited voice and then throws her arms up for him to pick her up.  Alternately, when she says "mama" or anything of the sort it's in a whiney sad tone.  To summarize:  dadda when she's happy, mama when she's sad.

She can ride around on the Little Mister's car. She's not very fast, but she can scoot herself along but also loves to be pushed.   Hopefully a picture will follow soon. 

Not really new, but something I also wish I had a picture of is how she crouches on the ground (legs splayed out to the side like a frog, completely on her belly) to look under the TV or the couch for a lost toy.  She's done this for a few months but I never have my camera handy :(

On a less than positive note, she's also developing some separation/stranger anxiety.  So, my happy little girl that would smile no matter who was holding her, now has a huge preference for mama.  She cries if I walk out of the room and she can't find me.  The worst of it though is that I haven't been able to go to the gym because she gets so sad when I leave her in the nursery that they have to come get me. I have my fingers crossed that this is just a phase and will pass soon.

She is becoming very opinionated and even though she really only has one word that she uses consistently, she can usually communicate her wants very well by pointing, squeeling, squawking, etc.

She loves to hear people singing...at church, birthday parties, middle of the day fun, it doesn't matter.  She loves it.