First day of MDO (August 2008)

Catherine started Mother's Day Out this year. She is going one day a week (in order to give me some time to go to the grocery store with only 1 child!). Don't get a wrong impression here -- Catherine is not sad at all about going. She is mad in this picture b/c she wants to wear her backpack. I just wanted to get a picture of her backpack and lunchbox. (Her lunchbox goes in her backpack so that there is only one thing to carry).

Here she is happily wearing her backpack ready to go to school. She LOVES school. Her teacher told me that Catherine was her big helper. Always making sure that everyone had everything they needed: crayons, wipes, etc. Just like a mommy -- and if you know Catherine, that doesn't surprise you one bit! :) She asks almost everyday if she can go to school. :)

You know your child is ready to potty train when she can put on her own diaper!!! :) One evening while I was cooking supper, Catherine came in to the kitchen with her diaper bag and pulled out a diaper asking for a diaper change. We had just changed her diaper so I knew she didn't need one. Well, evidenlty that didn't suit Catherine. She proceeded to lay in the floor and put on a diaper over her clothes. :)

I guess she was worried about leaks! :) hee hee!! Aren't 2-year-olds fun!!!

She's growing up (August 2008)

We (well, Catherine & I) enjoyed watching gymnastics during the Olympics. Catherine was mesmerized the first time she saw the gymnasts perform.

She was so moved that she peformed some gymnastics moves of her own! :) Here she is doing her final pose at the end of her performance like the real gymnasts do.

Catherine loves reading. She has just started reading to her babies. :)

For some reason, Catherine has always loved being in boxes. Now that she is bigger, it is harder for her to find a box to fit in! :( I can't believe she is so big!

Sweet Baby Claire 2 Months old (August 2008)

August Living (August 2008)

Catherine's new favorite place to play: The Pantry! At the end of the day, I find all kinds of random toys in there. She likes to go in there (she can stand under the shelf) and close the door saying, "Bye Bye, Mommy! I love you!" There is no light in the pantry, so many times she stands or sits in there in the dark -- by her choice. She thinks it is funny, and well, it is! :)

I had a slumber party for my birthday -- my nieces, Sophie & Alex came over! I guess they were really there to play with Catherine, but I had fun all the same! We made mini pizzas for supper. The girls really enjoyed helping.

Aaron, Alex & Catherine made me a stawberry birthday cake! Too bad we didn't take any picture s of the finished cake. I guess we ate it too quick! :)

My sweet baby Catherine doesn't have a lot of hair, but boy, can it get messed up during a nap. These pictures don't do it justice. It was some crazy hair, though!!! :) (As you can see, she's saying, "No Pictures, please!")

Bubble Time! (August 1, 2008)

Catherine loves playing outside on the deck.

She's actually really good at blowing bubbles. She works really hard at it. :)

Claire - 2 months old (July 2008)

My how she has grown!

Holding her head up high!!!

Sleeping beauty

Happily stretching as she wakes up from a nap. :)

My "Mini-Me" (July 2008)

Catherine honors me so much by wanting to do everything I do. It's sweet, but scary! :)


Here she is using the coaster holder as her camera. She holds it up to her face and yells, "Cheese!"

Catherine wearing my tennis shoes and sprinting/falling through the kitchen.

Ready to go shopping! Her bears and babies are in the cart.

Cooking in the cabinet! :)
I was cleaning out some gift wrap supplies and Catherine found this piece of hollographic tissue paper. She immediately grabbed it and took off for the kitchen. The next thing I knew she was using it to cover her pans (this cabinet is her designated cabinet that has a few kitchen items in it she is allowed to play with). We assume she is pretending it is aluminum foil! :) On this particular occasion, she has covered her pan and is placing it in the "oven." After that, she closed the oven doors (the cabinet doors) and starting pushing on the door with her fingers (as though she was setting the timer)! Isn't that precious!!!

Smiling baby Claire! (July 22, 2008)

Our sweet 7 week old Claire smiles so much!

Isn't she just so sweet!!!

Welcome Isaiah James! (July 21, 2008)

We were excited to meet our newest nephew, Isaiah James, born to Adam, Melanie and big sister Grace! We drove up to Nashville Monday evening to see him. I was nursing Claire while we were there, so I never got a picture of Adam, Melanie or even Isaiah by himself. I'll have to get more pictures later. He is really sweet, though!!!

Little Fish (July 20, 2008)

On Sunday afternoon, we decided to go swimming in Uncle Matthew & Aunt Melanie's pool. They were gone for the weekend so we broke into their house (using their key, of course) and enjoyed their pool. Claire slept inside the whole time. Aaron blew up Catherine's turtle float. Catherine surprised us by loving the water immediately. I found Sophie's floaties on the deck and so we thought we would see how Catherine would do out of the float . . .

She LOVED it!!! Of course there were times when she was a little scared. She swallowed a little bit of water, but overall, she did great! She absolutely loved it!! It was a fun hour of swimming!

Roommate Reunion! (July 18, 2008)

My original college roommates and I got together to visit! It was so great to see them all again!
Left to Right: Meredith & Riley, Kristin, Johnna & Claire, Cristy & Catherine (who is trying to get Claire!)

Meredith just had her first baby girl (Riley) in April. She and her husband Anthony live in Nashville.
Kristin lives in North Carolina with her hubby. They just found out they are expecting their first child due in February.
Cristy and her husband Brian live in Nashville.

Just Like Mommy! (July 2008)

I caught (and now continue to catch) Catherine in Claire's room one day "changing" her baby doll's diaper. She takes great care in getting the baby clean.

Here, she is showing me that the baby is poopy! :) It amazed me how she did everything just like I do it.

Catherine learned to vacuum last week and this week she is enjoying dusting! Next week . . . the bathrooms! Ha ha ha!!!

We all scream for ICECREAM!!! (July 2008)

One evening as we were waiting for Aaron to come home from work (he was working late), I took Catherine outside after supper to eat an icecream cone. She enjoyed it -- though she let it melt so much that we had to throw out the last of the cone.

This is literally all she would get on her tongue each lick. No wonder it all melted away! :)

I think she likes it! :)