Breakfast at Mummy's office and Spring has sprung

What a busy couple of weeks we have had. It had been a few months since the girls had visited the office and they wanted to see Collette (a lady I work with) so they came in early one morning to have breakfast tacos with us before going to pre-school. Of course they were all excited and didn't actually eat much but oh well they had fun. In fact the following week we had picked up Collette on the way to work as she had dropped her car off for a service. When we stopped to let Collette out at the office on the way to pre-school poor little Caitlyn was all upset because she thought we'd all be getting out and having breakfast together again.

On Wednesday this week Amy was in a play at pre-school. It was called "the tall tall grass". Each of the kids were a different animal and Amy was a Firefly. She was so excited because she was the only one with props....a flashlight! At the end of the play she thanked everyone for coming to watch. It was so cute. I am still finishing decorating both Amy and Caitlyn's bedrooms and I'm nearly done. Last weekend the shelves I bought them were put up and in Caitlyn's room she has a clock and growth chart up too. Caitlyn also finally is out of her crib and into a toddler bed. Two weeks ago she was climbing out of it when I put her down for a nap so I converted it to the toddler bed. She has done really well too. Knowing her I was expecting that she would get out of it when I pit her to bed at night, but she hasn't. She goes to bed really well and stays there for the night!

This weekend we have had lots of time outside planting flowers in our garden beds. I bought the girls each their own watering can. Caitlyn ended up taking a nap but Amy was a big help in the garden. She had an important job of stacking all the empty plastic pots after I had planted and then she went around with her watering can watering all the flowers. Of course she would only let me pick pink, purple or white flowers. But I think it will look really pretty as they all bloom. Today nothing excited planned, just grocery shopping and laundry. But we may go to the park again this afternoon since it is so nice outside.

Snow in San Antonio and Amy turns 4!

It's hard to believe we have been back in the US for 3 weeks now. Sorry to those of you who read this blog, I have been REALLY slack and haven't updated this for months. So to bring you all up to date since October.......the girls and I moved to our new house in November, then Grandma Liz came to visit us for a month and spent Thanksgiving with us. Then the 4 of us flew back to Australia for 5 weeks to spend Christmas there and celebrate Grandma Liz's 60th birthday. I was so worried about flying that far with the 2 girls but I have to say they both behaved really well. They are little experts at getting through airport security!

So we left extreme heat in Australia and came back to San Antonio where the temperature has been all over the board. One day it was 80 and 2 days later it got down to 9 overnight and we woke up to snow. OK - so it's not like you can ski in it or anything but this is San Antonio and we don't get snow often. So of course as soon as the sun came up the girls and I headed out to play in the driveway and the sidewalk (of course as soon as the sun came up it started to melt too). It may be years before they ever see snow again so I had to make sure they got to see it.

Last weekend Amy turned 4! It was also Devyn's 1st birthday, so we headed over to Devyn's party and Ashley also had a little cake for Amy. It was a fun party and the kids got to play all afternoon. Amy did very well with gifts - Grandpa Jeffrey bought her a scooter & helmet. Of course since Amy got a ride on outdoor toy Caitlyn got one too (a pink radio-flyer trike)! We've also got some new DVD's and Grandma Liz is buying a Disney Princess T/DVD combo. This weekend while the girls are at Jerad's I am decorating Amy's room. I have bought her a new "big girl" bed and bedding from Pottery Barn. So by Monday she'll have a pink and brown room with ballerina/dance accents. I guess it's time to move on from the Winnie the Pooh nursery stuff.

Caitlyn's 2nd Birthday

We had a busy week last week as we celebrated Caitlyn's 2nd Birthday. She had a great time!! We went to Gymboree and all the kiddies loved playing on all the equipment, dancing and trying to catch bubbles. The birthday girl wore the cutest little outfit and loved being the center of attention. After all the playing was over we went into the party room for cupcakes, ice-cream and juice boxes :-) It was a really great place for the party as the activities accommodated a range of ages. All the boys and girls seemed to really have a good time.

Caitlyn received some lovely gifts (clothes, dolls, books and toys). Now Amy is asking when will it be her birthday.... Last week Caitlyn also had her 2 year well visit at the doctors and she now weighs 25lb 10oz and is 34 3/4" tall. She is a little bigger than Amy was at the same age but seems to be the same as Amy in that she is tall for her age (75th percentile) and fairly lean (only in the 35th percentile for weight).

Amy is a little sick this weekend with an ear infection, so it is antibiotics again for her at the moment. I am going to follow-up with her pediatrician next week as I think she will need a consult with an ENT and possibly tubes to stop these recurrent ear infections. But for now she is having some Mummy/Amy time, getting cuddles and watching some of her favorite movies.

Next week the girls and I are going out with Blake and his family to the pumpkin patch to enjoy all the Fall activities, paint pumpkins, build scarecrows etc. Then the following week is Halloween, so trick or treating for sure. Will post more pics then.

Cheeky little ones growing up so fast

Once again I seem to have taken forever to update this blog. Sorry to those of you who like to read it often. These days I am just so busy and wiped out by the end of the day I just never seem to get around to doing it. A couple of weeks ago the girls and I went and had some photos taken so I figured it would be nice to post some recent pics. Fortunately this time they both behaved really well and I was able to get some really cute pictures. I know I say it often but it continues to amaze me how quickly they are both growing up. Amy develops more little personality (a.k.a attitude) every day and Caitlyn doesn't seem to be afraid of anything and is always getting into something. Caitlyn still doesn't talk much really but is saying more words now. I guess she will be just like her sister in that Amy didn't talk until she was at least 2 1/2.

Caitlyn's 2nd birthday is next month and I have booked a small party at Gymboree. I'm sure the kids will love the play area and who doesn't love cake and ice-cream afterward? I bought her the cutest little outfit with the number 2 on the front for the birthday girl. Amy is still doing her ballet and tap at daycare and they have a concert coming up in the fall at the Boerne Dance Festival. While I'm sure all the little ones will probably have a hard enough time standing in line I'm sure it will be cute to see all the little ones perform for us.

We're all getting excited about our trip to Australia too at the end of the year. Let's just hope the excitement lasts for the length of the flights!!

Summer is here

It didn't take long for the hot weather to start in San Antonio. These photos were taken Memorial Day weekend when the girls were with their Dad. They love splashing in the water. Amy gets to swim twice a week at Daycare and she really looks forward to it. She asks every morning "Are we swimming at pre school today?". Caitlyn is a little more apprehensive of the water but once she is in there she has fun too. It will be fun during the summer though being able to take the girls to the pool!

On Monday they are both moving up to new classes with new teachers. Hopefully they will adjust OK. Caitlyn is usually OK and likes just having a new room with new toys. But Amy gets attached to her teachers and likes routine so changing teachers she can get a little upset.

Last Saturday the girls had fun at Olivia Garner's 1st birthday party. They got to decorate party hats with all kinds of stickers and glitter and of course Amy had to find the little fake gems and add some bling to hers! Then they got to enjoy birthday cake (made even better because it was ice-cream cake!) Yesterday we went and had lunch with Ashley, Chris, Blake & Devyn at Sea Island. Despite the 90 degree weather the kids wanted to play on the slide. The poor little things looked so hot and Amy's face was nearly as pink as Mummy's shirt. They had fun though.

We are now getting excited because Uncle Tim will be here to visit soon. Mummy may have to produce the Elmo guitar Tim bought Caitlyn for Christmas and make it go off at some opportune time (like when he is trying to sleep in) then he will realize there is no volume control nor off switch and the slightest little movement sets the bloody thing off.

Easter and Spring 2010

It's hard to believe Easter has now been and gone. This year is just going by too fast. Both of the girls are continuing to grow and develop their own little personalities. They both of course were excited about Easter and Caitlyn got the hang of hunting for Easter eggs really quickly. She loved snacking on the goodies that were inside the eggs. Amy has had a few ongoing problems with her asthma and is off to see an asthma/allergy specialist on May 10. At the moment they think it is more allergy related and the poor little girl is now taking 2 more medications. Hopefully after May 10 we'll get it more controlled.

They are both still having fun at daycare and each day they seem to come home with new stories or activities. In the last couple of weeks Caitlyn has been naughty and bit a few kids in her class when they try to get a toy off her. Of course the situation is not helped when big sissy sits there and tells how good she is and that she doesn't bite! (Thanks Amy for rubbing it in). Amy will sit there and recite all the rules to Caitlyn.................no biting, no pinching, no pushing etc and then on Friday on the drive to daycare we hear No throwing mulch! I'm like where did that come from :-) Amy loves her rules and of course Caitlyn just laughs at her.

With it starting to get warmer we'll be going for a swim each week. I bought the girls the cutest new little swimming outfits (matching of course), so I'll get some pictures when we're at the pool for the next post.

Spring is here!

The cold weather seems to be finally behind us and we are having some great sunny days (which is nice on the weekends!) It's hard to believe it will soon be Easter. March has been another fun month for us girls and we are certainly reaching some milestones. As many of you know potty training with Amy started over a year ago. Since that time I have tried getting her to use a potty, a step-stool with a Dora toilet ring and tried bribing her with M&M's, Tinkerbell underpants (whatever it would take). But she just refused to even sit on the potty (clothed or not). She would scream and stiffen up so I would let it go and try again in a couple of weeks time. I was starting to think she will be at school still in diapers. Well about 2 weeks ago we were at babies R Us buying diapers and Amy announces she wants a pink potty. I thought great so of course I buy the one she wants. We get home and for 3 days she wouldn't go anywhere near it and even told me I can take it back to the store. One night before bath I had Caitlyn undressed and sat her on the potty. Low and behold she tinkled in the potty - little sissy used the potty before Amy! The other night out of the blue while I was on the phone with Tim, Amy walks into my bedroom naked with the potty and she had pooped in the potty all by herself :-) Now for the last week while she is at home she tinkles and poops in the potty, no prompting necessary! She will undress herself and go and use the potty. Looks like friendly competition from Caitlyn did the trick. We are going out this weekend to buy her some more underpants. Although she did tell Grandpa Jeffrey the other night that he had to buy her Tinkerbell underpants.

Amy is so funny with little things she does - she certainly won't do anything until she is ready. Each day now it seems she comes home from preschool with the funniest little phrases and mannerisms. She is so brutally honest too. In the bath the other week I was washing her hair and told her how her hair is getting darker like Mummy's, she said "Yes, dark like you and silver". Gotta love it when your child points out you have grey hair. Caitlyn too - she isn't talking yet but has her own little personality. She is so loving too, she loves to give kisses now and wave goodbye. When I pick the girls up from preschool I get Caitlyn first and take her to Amy's class room. All of Amy's friends come up to me and want to play with Caitlyn so I put her down on the floor and all the little boys and girls hug each other and say goodbye every afternoon. It is so cute to watch!

The girls were with their Dad last weekend and he took some cute pictures of them sitting in a field of blue bonnets. It was cute seeing them hug each other. Another nice Spring weekend coming up this weekend too. So we will be off to the park today for sure.