A Special Day

This past Sunday was a very special day for our family...especially Lauren. She was baptized in the presence of her family, the congregation of our church, and God. Lauren, calm and content as usual, did not make a sound during the ceremony. She just took in the sights and sounds around her while being blessed with the holy baptismal waters. Kate, on the other hand, was very concerned when the pastor carried Lauren off to "introduce" her to the members of the church, asking "where are they taking Lauren?" Always the concerned big sister!

Recipe for a Shower

I am the type of person that requires a shower every day (unless I'm at Camp at South Lake)...not only to wake up, but also to warm up during the cold winter days. So, here is my recipe for guaranteeing a shower, while caring for two small children.

2 Bouncey seats

Queen size bed or larger

2 1/2 year-old that still fits in a bouncey seat

PBS shows that entertain from 7-11am (you never know when the shower will occur during that time block)

See picture for the rest of the explanation.

QT with Grandpa and Grandma

Lauren enjoyed her time with Grandpa and Grandma last week. The pictures speak for themselves!

Frolicking through the forest

During our recent visit to Roanoke, Kate enjoyed running through the trees on Dad and Pat's property. Apparently, she would start at the top and weave in and out, selecting the next tree in line as her entrance point each time. Who needs toys when you have nature at your fingertips!

How old is she?

Although she is only two and a half months old, we realize that Lauren could pass for a four month old based on her size. Yet, her personality is already starting to shine through. She is "talking" (cooing) up a storm...looks like I may have two "social butterflies" on my hands! As you can see, she is a very happy baby...complete with chubby cheeks and a double chin!

Finally...the Helmet!

We bought Kate her tricycle several months ago for her birthday. However, it was with the understanding that she could not ride it in the street without her helmet on. Needless-to-say, she refused to wear her helmet, and as a result, was confined to the yard. So, for months we have been circling the house on the bike in hopes the helmet would be worn in the near future. Sure enough, she wanted to take a spin around the block a week ago. Mark consulted me to see if this adventure would be possible. I said that was fine "as long as Kate wears her helmet." Mark broke the news to Kate, and much to our surprise, she agreed! Off they went on there first trip through the neighborhood on Kate's bike!

Batter Up!

In a previous post, you observed my artistic influence over Kate, trying to create an artist to follow in her mother's footsteps. However, her father is right behind me! Mark is preparing Kate for the sport of baseball, already enrolling her in batting practice and working on her stance. As many of you know, one of Kate's favorite pasttimes is running. I often refer to her as "Forest Gump"..."Run, Forest, Run!" The girl can run for hours and not get tired! So, during one of our outings to a nearby park, Mark showed Kate how to run the bases on an actual baseball field. On her first try, she proudly ran all the bases by herself! She's a natural!