Grandma

Here is Brooke enjoying time with Grandma!

Cousin Rachael

Cousin Rachael stayed with us for the night - Reilly LOVED having her here and they played non-stop. Here they are making necklaces.

Profile

Reilly curled up on the couch next to me the other night and I couldn't help but think about how beautiful she is - so I took some great profile pictures. She figured out what I was doing though, so I didn't get them as candid as I had hoped.

Two Mommies

With each step of motherhood, I am amazed even more than the step before. I have said this before, but there is SO much I was unprepared for. You don't realize during the 9 months of pregnancy, just how fast those infants will turn to toddlers and how quickly they will understand the world around them...and better yet, question and explore the world around them.

This amazement came to me, once again, this week. Reilly told Mike she wanted to replace him with a mommy. We were both hurt and insulted - she wanted to replace us. No, no, no...she explained. She didn't want to replace us, she just wants to have two mommies, like one of the children in her class does. She doesn't think it is fair that he gets two mommies - furthermore, she doesn't understand why she only has one mommy and daddy.

The conversation came up again after leaving school the other afternoon. I mentioned how lucky Reilly is that both Mike and I drop her off and pick her up every day. I said something about how most kids only have one parent at pick-up/drop-off, but because we work together we both come. She shifted that conversation and said, "yep, you both come...but Joshua has TWO mommies."

For now, it has passed as a quick conversation. But I suppose at some point I will have to explain more as to why he has two mommies. I feel like that conversation comes the same one about the birds and the bees - and I am just not ready for that. My how different her childhood is from mine. :-)

Brooke's Garden Shot

This is my new favorite picture of Brooke (thanks, Jesie!!) It was taken by her teacher at school - so beautiful!

Daddy Play Time

Here is Brooke enjoying some fun play time with Daddy!

First Shoes

As you know, Brooke is crawling. But she seems less interested in crawling for the sake of crawling, than she is to crawl somewhere and pull herself up. Reilly was happy to crawl and crawl for months, so this is different for me.

Because of that, we decided to go buy Brooke her first pair of shoes.

School Party - End of the Year

It is almost the end of camp and time for Reilly and her friends to move up into the older class. In preparation, her current class just had a fun party!

Funny Reilly

Last night, a few minutes after I put Reilly in bed...I was laying on my bed on the computer, drinking a glass of wine. Reilly walks in and says "Mommy! We don't drink wine at bed time." She then crawls into bed with me and says she wants to snuggle because her feet are cold and my tummy is warm. She tells me that my tummy will warm her feet, "but don't worry, I won't make you cold."

It is so hard to not laugh at things like this!

Funny Things Reilly Says

This morning Reilly told me I needed to go to the doctor. She laid me down on the couch and said I needed a shot. I pretended to cry when she got near me, and she gently stroked my face and said "Don't worry Mommy, I'm not the hurt doctor - I'm the nice doctor."

Reilly Sings

Reilly loves to sing - she will sing in the car, on the couch, playing around the house. Most of the time we'll try to join in and she'll stop us and say "No, just I'm singing."

Here is a quick video of her singing recently.

Look Who's Crawling

As if on queue, Brooke started crawling on Wednesday - the day after her 9 month birthday. This weekend she was all over the place. Here is a short video!

Reilly's New Play Time

Reilly is at this really fun new stage where she plays really well independently, and likes to make up scenarios with her animals and toys. lately she has been "driving" places with them. Here is her car! :-)

Dress Up

Reilly got bored playing dress up by herself, so she started dressing Brooke up - and she was a sport!

Good Morning Brooke

Is there anything better than seeing your child happy, smiling and cooing at you first thing in the morning?

Reilly's Nose is All Better

It has been a week since Reilly got her stitches out and she is doing great. The scar is red, but will heal up very well. She doesn't like to wear a bandaid - which she has to do when she is in the sun....so mostly always. But other than that - she is back to doing everything as normal. Here is a quick video:

Brooke's 9th Month

Brooke is 9 months old! At 8 months I made the prediction that Brooke would be crawling at 9 months. It isn't completely accurate, but she is close. She has taken a couple "crawls" - where she goes one or two "steps." Of course, I never have the camera during those times.

She loves trying to crawl though, and LOVES to stand! She has 7 teeth, loves to make funny noises and loves to play with Reilly.

At 9 months she is 23 pounds, 15 ounces and is 30 inches.

Here is her 9 month picture - along with a couple out-takes :-) Also, below is a video of attempts at crawling, noises and laughing that were all taken this past month.

Camp Photos

Reilly and Brooke are both having a blast at camp this year. Reilly LOVES swimming every day (OKAY, DID love swimming, but can't swim for a couple more days with the nose!) and the change of routine.

Brooke loves water play and showing off in her swimsuit twice a week ;-)

NO MORE STITCHES!!

Reilly had her stitches out yesterday. She was very excited to have them out, and happily went to the doctor and LOVED waiting in the chair. Everything took a turn, however, when the nurse came in, put her gloves on and grabbed the scissors. :-( Reilly hid her nose! The nurse left, and when she did, Reilly decided she was going to brave - so we called her back in. Yep, you guessed it - same routine.

It took an hour and a half, and a couple tries. Finally, the doctor had me and two nurses hold her down. I had her legs, one of them had her arms and the other had her head. He got them out within about 2 minutes. She cried the entire time, screamed actually at the top of her lungs.

She kept crying when he was done, out to the car and all the way to McDonalds ;-) She was screaming "WHY DID YOU LET THEM HURT ME AND CUT MY NOSE?!?" It was heartbreaking. But, its over - and her nose looks great. i haven't been able to get a good picture, but it is going to heal really well!

Here she is in the chair before the nurse first came in ;-)

4th of July in Denver

We just had a fabulous weekend in Denver - I really love that city!! We were there to celebrate Brock's Bar Mitzvah and had a great time! Mike got to see old friends and Reilly made new ones. Actually, she made more than friends -- she made an impression. During the party, Reilly and her friend Zoe were having a great time. Reilly being the inquisitive child that she is, apparently wondered what the red button on the wall was, and pushed it. Yep, thats right - the fire alarm.

The entire country club was evacuated for about 10 minutes and the party was escorted outside until all was cleared. It was embarrassing, but one of those moments you'll never forget. Here she is posing for the photographer after we were let back inside. This was the alarm in question ;-)


Here are Reilly and Daddy in their "cool" pose.


Me and Brooke


Reilly and Zoe posing!


Beautiful view from the reception


Reilly and Mike dancing


Brooke and Mike hanging out


Brooke and Melissa


Mike, Brock and Mike G


Brooke and Brock's Grandma


Mike, Drew and Mike G