Life Lately...

I've had the best of intentions to play "catch-up" here and then start writing again, but those intentions kind of got pushed aside and then I blinked and it had been a year (or almost) since I posted anything! I have loved reading back over the happenings of the girls' first five months and hope one day they will, too. Hopefully I can stay on track this time...and hopefully I will go back and summarize all of the greatness between months 6 and 17! For now, I want to document the "now," because we are having so much fun!

The girls and I finished up school/MDO in mid-May. We are lucky enough to get to go to school together every morning, and they attend a pre-school (a cribs class last year) and I teach a half-day kindergarten. Then we get to spend the afternoons together. It's pretty much the perfect situation for us--it gets us up, dressed, and out of the house every morning, we all get to socialize, and then we still have so much time together. Although transitioning from working full time has not been completely seamless, I feel so lucky to have this opportunity. I am so thankful for George and the great provider and hard worker that he is for our family.

What a difference a school year makes!

The girls have changed so much in the last month. Just today I was looking at them playing and saw two little girls instead of two babies. Since they've turned one, I have said how they seem more like toddlers than babies but today I saw it for the first time. It's amazing and miraculous...and a little sad for this mama. Although we've had our challenging moments, I really have loved every stage of their sweet little lives. Our struggle to get pregnant really helped me to savor and appreciate every moment, even the tough ones. I have loved being Ashley and Annabelle's mom more than I will ever be able to tell them.

They started walking about a month ago, and seem to get faster and braver every day. Annabelle is running and Ashley is a lot more cautious, but isn't slowing down. They each have around ten words (give or take on either side of ten), and Ashley is definitely more verbal. I have been surprised at how much more verbal Annabelle has become since she started walking. They can both say each other's names, which I think is just the sweetest thing ever. It's so funny the words that they pick up. We taught them the sign "all done" for when they are done with their food. Now Ashley says "all done" whenever she doesn't want to do something. So if I am changing her diaper, she immediately says, "all done" or washing her hair, "all done." It makes me laugh! Annabelle is always so worried about her sister. If she gets up first from nap and Ashley is still asleep, she will reach for her and say, "Asha." One day, we were downstairs playing while Ashley was finishing her nap. Annabelle got so upset and started reaching towards the stairs. She was fussing and I couldn't really understand her, but as we climbed up the stairs she calmed down and I could tell that she was saying, "Asha." We went in their room and she just wanted her sister. It was so incredibly sweet! I'll go ahead and leave out the biting, hitting, pushing and screaming stories, and we will just pretend that things are always that sweet around here!

Sisters and best friends!

The girls are so into playing pretend. They love to act as if they are talking on the phone, carrying purses around, drinking and eating out of pretend cups and plates, brushing their hair, putting on lotion and even sneaking one of mommy's make-up brushes and pretending to put on make-up. The last thing puzzles me because they've maybe seen me put on make-up a dozen times. They are just so observant! They also love dancing and flipping. We may have two little budding ballerinas and gymnasts on our hands! They also love being outside, especially on our side patio. It's so fun to be one!

Reading books -- one of my favorite things!

I love dancing to the music on my old exersaucer. 

We've had a fun first month of summer. We've played outside, enjoyed our swings, gone swimming, gone to the zoo and the park, played lots with our best friend, EV, had lunch with Daddy, eaten ice-cream and popsicles, taken a road trip to West Columbia and showered Baby Reese, played with Cousin Blaire, spent the weekend in Granbury, had Aunt Dixie and Uncle Matt to visit (with Nonnie and Pawpaw), celebrated Father's Day with Daddy and both Pawpaw (so special), and played with our water table. We can't wait for even more summer fun!