Memorial weekend, check-ups, graduation fun

We have been out of town since last Friday..so here goes..
We headed to Houston sans-babies to attend a St. Thomas high school graduation for Daniel's cousin, who is attending Texas, and Daniel's dad was the commencement speaker. That is where Daniel attended high school and graduated in '98. Sam did a great job, we had fun eating & drinking at Ciro's and hanging out with Gene until the wee hours of the morning. Then we got to sleep in a little! sisters-in-law Erica, Lynn, Shelly & Brandibrothers-in-law Charlie, Carlo, Tony & Daniel
Sam is at the podium speaking.

Cooked out lots in CS and enjoyed seeing all of the family and some friends too!
We have been to the park, splash pad, bounce house and having play dates, lunch dates, and dinner dates too. Anytime we are outside Emma strips down and gets in the water..so that is always fun! She likes to say, "I am a INEY DIRL!" hiney girl! HAHA!My mom, Maw-maw, Emma & Georgia passed out..most say my mom and Emma resemble eachother

The girls also had a check up at the dr. today.
Emma just needed one shot that was overlooked and is now ready for MDO!! It was so funny to me because she was so excited to get her shot..she wanted a band-aid so bad that she didn't care about the poke! She did her excited dance, when she shimmies her shoulders and wiggles around giggling! Too cute! Then the nice nurse said she could have a sticker and a sucker and that just put her over the edge! I think she will be looking forward to her next round of shots now!
Georgia had her 9 month check up, though about 2 weeks too early so the stats are a little off..either way..she weighs 20 lbs. minus 1 ounce. She is 27 in. and in the 75% for both. I think it would be a little different if she were 2 weeks older..Georgia's fetish is shredding and eating paper..it will always make her happy! Anyways, she did great and was all smiles for the dr. and nurses. She is so healthy and her blood work is good..We thought she had eczema but now it appears she has keratosis..basically little bumps on her face, and he said she would probably not have acne when she is a teen now.?! So we look for medicine with urea in it?!
Anyways, she got her feelings hurt when she got the shots but got over it pretty fast! What a sweetheart!!!! Autumn and her son, Hoyt and Georgia (he may be 5 weeks older, but G is outweighing him by a bit)
cousin Brett & Georgia - people say they look a lot alikemy tan baby...she's white between her fat rolls!

On to a GNO with dinner and drinks at Cafe Capri tonight, then back home to SA where Daniel is busy building a deck for us!! YEA!!!!!!!

Splish splash..Landa Park, New Braunfels

The girls have been having a blast in their summer pool, and in the bathtub! Georgia is finally able to sit up well enough that I don't have to hold her the whole time and worry about her flopping over!
They love to splash, squeal & kick around with eachother!
at Landa Park in their awesome wading area..it is natural water from the river and is rock bottom..it is perfect for young kids because the parents don't have to get in!! Isn't it gorgeous!?!Landa Park, New Braunfels
picnic in New Braunfels
bathing beauty-this suit is a size 18 mo..what a sweet big sister to share! Georgia is now crawling forward, though she isn't following me around room to room; I can usually expect her to be in the same vicinity where I left her, which is nice!!
She can also go from a crawling position to sitting up by herself which has helped a lot in her mobility and frustrations!
She has said "Dada" and "Mama" though I only hear the later when she is yelling in her monitor to me or when she is in her highchair and the food isn't coming fast enough. She can use a spoon ok, and doesn't like for me to feed her!

This morning G was repetitively saying, "Dada, Dada.." and Emma very matter of factly says, "Dada's at work, Georgia!" like, duh! That is the same thing I tell Emma constantly when she asks for Dada..it was so funny and grown up!

dog-gone-it

Dixie and Gauge have been quite expensive lately.. Dixie racking up an over $500 weekend hospital bill in January. And Gauge now has some tick blood disease and double ear infections, along with their annual shots and tests..we paid $360 this week. Then we had to order their monthly heartworm/tick/flea medicines and that was $150. Gauge (black dad), Dixie (choc. mom), Maggie (choc. daughter) & Ally (yellow random) - the last two are my parents' dogs , NOT ours
WOW..so far these dogs are more expensive than my 2 girls!!
Not that I am complaining about that, honestly I would rather have to deal with sick dogs than babies!!
OH and this makes me laugh..the vet wants Dixie to have her 9 year old teeth cleaned..I understand the importance of this, but I haven't been to the dentist in longer than I care to admit, and Emma hasn't been ever..I am dreading that :{
So Dixie's teeth will have to wait, as they would have to put her to sleep..HAHAGauge, Maggie & Ally

Georgia has NEVER been sick!! I know, I know..I just knocked on wood..
She does has eczema on her face, but that doesn't seem to be much of an issue other than a little itchy and more than anything, cosmetic.

We were waiting for Daddy to get home with the dogs from the vet and we had a big dog bone Emma was holding for them. I was walking the girls in the stroller and not really watching until I asked Emma something and her mouth was full and spitting out crumbs..this is what I saw..GROSS.

I asked her, "Why are you eating the bone?", she answered, "It's dood!" she has a hard time with her 'G' sound and replaces it with a 'D'..Gauge is "Day" in Emma's world! I said "what does it taste like?"..."DOOD!"..crunch and Georgia wanted some too!and for those of you wondering, Dixie and Gauge never got their bone! BONE-APPETIT!

So Georgia slept through the night, officially..it has happened before, but this was more to my liking..she has done the 8-6 before, but not too often..last night she did 8:15-7:15..YEA!! then I went in her room, nursed her and she went back to sleep, for about 1 more hour!
I can handle that! What a little angel baby, with a great smile that lights up her face and, of course, the faces of those who come in contact with her!
Georgia is still crawling backwards, but likes to be on the floor and moving around.

So Emma is wearing me down..her little sweet voice is kindof piercing, especially in the morning. She is wanting to wear big girl panties SO BAD..she just strips down and takes that diaper off, and finds her a new pair, constantly.
I have given in while we are at home and have the potty out and let her wear them. She had gone 5 times so far..she still has had a few accidents and it doesn't seem to bother her, unfortunately. We have a sticker chart and I give her candy afterwards. We sing a song..I say, "You did it, you did it!" then she says,
"I did it, I did it!" and claps and bounces happily around, then we go flush it down the toilet and get to wash hands!
....I have a feeling this will take a while....
We made homemade pizza and pizza rolls, yummy!! We had a dinner date with some Aggie friends and their kids, it was nice to hang out with adults and have a few drinks and let the kids run around. We went to a park and played and have 2 playdates set up for next week!
I went running this morning for the 1st time in years...I am going to try and keep it up, so I will let you know!! We are grilling out this afternoon and watching the Preakness..I hope I win some money!!
pool time..we were in it all day long!!
watching Cinderella, I am sure it won't be the last time!
painted fingernails..such a girly girl

Georgia is 8 months old

One of my favorite "Mommy" things is when you have a beautiful, sleeping baby and you need to take them out of their carseat..sometimes they wake up, but sometimes they are just too tired and they lay their little heads with their chubby cheeks on your shoulder and their fingers grab hold of whatever they can find..LOVE IT!! Oh and don't forget the little sigh they let out! AHHH!
My little bitty is 8 months old and is so sweet. She is so cuddly and smiley and LOVES her big sister. My parents had Emma for 2 days and Georgia really missed her..I totally recommend a playmate for that only child. When Emma saw us for the first time she squealed and was trying to jump out of her carseat. Then she broke into tears because she couldn't get to us fast enough! It was so sweet and a perfect greeting! I missed my big girl! We are so blessed and thankful for our beautiful, healthy baby girl..I have many reminders daily of that and hope to never forget that!

Firsts

So this week we had some fun firsts..
-Georgia said "Dada"! YEA!! It was clear as a bell and so sweet..she is quite the talker and loves to interact and interject with a squeal or hearty laugh (with a jiggle of her little Michelin arms too), of course! If Emma will let her get a word in edge wise I think she will be talking more soon.
-She eats with a spoon..I place it strategically in front of her face and she grabs it and quickly crams it in her mouth! Food everywhere! So I am sure baby food will be soon forgotten and we will be moving on to big people food! She loves most anything, though..especially green things
-She crawls on her own now, though not real good still.
-Emma locked me out of the house..I actually remember saying "one day she will probably lock me out of the house" as I walked away and closed the door..came back 2 seconds later and great!!! "Emma, please let me in..Mommy needs to come inside..Open the lock, PLEASE!" She did thankfully..that could have been ugly.
-We had 2 playdates and a dinner date. Get along really well with the people and kids and most of them are Aggies!! One 2 yr old girl is named Georgia!! Fun.. she is potty trained so I hope she can help win Emma over in this department. It is so nice to be back in the real world with real friends and things to do!! Can I get an AMEN?!
-Emma actually asked "Mommy, I want to leave." for the first time as we were out at a BBQ restaurant and free country music concert..it was after 9, though!
-I changed Georgia's diaper in a flowerbed at said BBQ restaurant in front of a lot of people..I had her balanced on the diaper bag.. desperate times...
-Emma, no matter where she is, squats and grunts loudly with her face turning red and watery eyes and proclaims.."Mama, I go potty!" - as if I couldn't tell.. she did this at Kohls, and she had to suffer because I was not leaving til I was done shopping for a gift, we had JUST gotten there..and then she did it on our walk, like a dog, in our neighbors yard, she just squatted..mind you, she has a diaper and clothes on, so nothing is coming out..and does her biz-nas. I can only imagine what people were thinking as they drove by..
I think that is hilarious mainly because it embarrasses Daniel! HA!
-Gauge puked in a toy basket. Hey, it was better than the carpet! GROSS! Don't you want to come over and play?!?

Going to garage sales with mom tomorrow as Daniel is in MS and then to a baby shower..so soon! I know you are dying to see more of the same!
Oh, and HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!! I made my mom a mosaic cross..with a pic of the girls on it..she loved it...now, I want to make myself one!! FUN! Did I mention how horrible and not so much fun it was to make these pottery gifts..the girls are way too young..not that I didn't know that, but I underestimated the whole thing..it is time consuming..they have a ladies night, where you can bring wine..I want to go then, when I can relax and take my time and not worry about my daughter eating the orange paint and brush! Ah, Memories!!

Woe is potty training..

So Emmaline is wanting to potty train...let me rephrase that...she is wanting to wear big girl underwear, but not sit on the potty.
So she has been taking off her pants and diaper in the morning or during nap and then will either have an accident in the bed or not.
It is so frustrating and I really don't know how to approach this another way because obviously what I am doing is not working.

Any suggestions or comments??
Emma & Daddy painting grand-Mother's Day gifts

On a funny note, Emma is so sweet and loving..
We tell her, "I love you!"
and she replies,
"I love me."
a little pronoun confusion but we get the message! :)
Taggies all around for these girls

Georgia is 7.5 months and really trying to crawl. She can go backwards and around in a circle but cannot get exactly where she wants to go...so she is frustrated. She eats a lot of table food now, like noodles, bits of turkey, green beans, etc.. and we have been making our own baby food too.. She is not picky so far and is a good eater. I am hoping that she will be off baby food and done nursing before her 1st birthday, like Emma. She is also talking a lot and trying to sound out things like Ds, Bs & Gs. Poor thing has eczema around her eyes and it looks so painful. I don't want to put anything on it because of how close it is to her eyes... and still no TEETH!! AHHHH..that is so annoying!the stare down..she loves this babydoll