Helpful Big Brother

From the recent photo archive :9/20/09

I'm mostly caught up and then in a minute I'm completely behind again. While looking through some pictures, I've found a small stash of ones I've missed. I don't think I'll ever have time to edit a photo again, so I'm going to quit saying that the photos are unedited. From here on out, the photos are 100% unedited and 100% unposted if there is an unflattering picture of me.

In the morning, Amelia prefers to sit with the crowd while we eat breakfast. During breakfast clean up, she can be a little impatient. This day I turned around to find Amelia's helpful brother had provided a multitude of choice toys to choose from including his very special yellow blanket.
Amelia loves the attention
What a helper! I was wondering where that toy was at...

The helpful big brother likes to pick up toys he doesn't want to share and put them juuuuuuust out of Amelia's reach on top of this box. She will work and work to get at these toys. Because you know if they are out of reach, they have to be fun to play with.
And...Ms Amelia has really started to pick up speed with the crawling. In a flash, she crawled right out of her pants! In truth, most pants that are long enough are huge in the waist on Amelia. The wiggle/crawl she is currently using means loosing her pants is a usual occurrence.

Whirlwind weekend

Sunday: 9/27/09

What a busy weekend we had! Blogger has made some changes which I'm still figuring out - hopefully soon. Friday we went swimming with the kids and spent some time as a family. Saturday, Mama got up early to go to a subdivision garage sale. On the top of my list: William really needs some "play" jeans he can wear out crawling, running and playing in. No luck and I actually came home empty handed, which rarely happens.

Mid morning Saturday we were scheduled to help out at the Green Homes Festival in the kids area. Unfortunately, as soon as we got everything set up and rolling, the sky opened up and we were rained out for our shift. Even more unfortunate was our activity was called sun painting - which really does work better with SUN. However, this was a REALLY interesting event and I'm sorry we weren't able to stick around to get a few estimates for adding solar panels to our roof (totally serious here, I've been wanting solar panels for several years now). They had all kinds of displays and vendors with a TON of information about making existing and new homes more green. So cool! We also walked away with some recycled plastic bottle bags which I am totally excited about (PS I am a nerd). Even more exciting was the green craft fair. The crafts for sale were all recycled products and there were some very, very cool ideas!

These are art sculptures made from trash pulled out of Missouri streams during Stream Team clean up events.

This is my girlfriend's booth of hand painted with sun paint items. She recycles used clothing from garage sales that are still in good condition, but stained. She hand paints them with sun paint and resells them. What a great idea!

Close up of a few of the sculptures

I noticed the drastic difference in the blues...here are William's (biased, of course) beautiful, blue eyes

And Amelia's beautiful blue eyes. They are a much deeper, darker blue. Almost a navy blue.

Sunday morning was a crazy busy morning of church commitments requiring much strategizing, planning and list making. But, it got done in time for us to meet up at the park for a birthday party for our very special friend, Charlotte. Charlotte just turned 3! We ate a picnic style lunch, played on the playground, sang Happy Birthday and enjoyed some delicious cake before we had to sneak out for a much needed nap!

Amelia swings - this girl loved the swings!

William loves this slide! He still prefers to go down backwards... This is also the only picture I have with William and the birthday girl. He is on the slide, she is standing and watching him (lower right side of frame, pink shirt, adorable pigtails).

The birthday girl!

Sunday evening I got motivated and made Amelia some bananas to try for the first time! Don't they look yummy next to her rice cereal?

I also made us dinner! Yay me! I made white chili for the first time...and it was good!

Amelia waiting for her nanners

The first bite...will she like it?

Kind of a funny face...unsure

She goes back for more...it must be good!

Licking her lips!

Taking another bite. Not surprisingly, I think bananas are probably her favorite so far.

After dinner, Amelia decided it was time to pull out a major milestone: She was able to push/pull/wiggle herself from her belly on the floor to sitting without any help! WOW Amelia!

So proud of herself! (PS Don't you love the outfit? Missing the pants and one sock....)

Enough sitting! Her favorite activity this week has been to push this ball until it is out of reach and then crawl after it. While squealing. Loudly. Sunday evening she took two crawling "steps" on her hands and knees. This little girl has a brother she has to keep up with. What will she think of next?

Squash

More from the recent archive: 9/22/09

Amelia tried squash for the first time on 9/22/09 - this is exciting for me because I've decided to dabble into the world of home made baby food. So, I was a little nervous she wouldn't like it and my feelings would be hurt. Because, I made it and all. After doing a lot of reading, I don't think I'll be making ALL the food. For example, I'm not sure I'm excited about anything that requires straining. We'll see, I guess. I'm also just realizing how much more cost effective it is to make the baby food than buy.

Big smile before the first bite... Will she like it?
Still smiling!
She likes it! Hurray!
Taking bites
Mmmmm....

Amelia likes to hold the spoon, so I have to always use two. One for her, one for me. She is already showing a little independent streak (Lord, help us) (although my mother will tell you I certainly have it coming)

Funny face #1

Funny face #2
Silly girl!

All done! Can't you tell? I ate [almost] all my food! Now, who is going to eat squash with me at Thanksgiving?

Warning: I didn't know John was recording, so you want to make sure your volume isn't way up. Permanent hearing damage may result.

All done & cleaning herself up!

For the record

Mama [to Amelia]: Hi peanut!
William: Silly mama. That not a peanut. That is a baby. Not peanut.
Mama [to William]: Are you a peanut?
William: Noooooooooo. I am a grandson.

wait a minute...

who taught the big kid the lower case letters? I know it isn't something I've worked with him on...so where did he pick it up?

Singing

Last Sunday our family was in church together. During the last hymn, I heard....something. When I turned, I realized William was singing along to the music. As he didn't know the song, he was just making it up as he went along, nice and loud. I tipped my head closer to hear him singing "Ohhhhhh baby sisterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...."

I looked up to find John coming to the same realization that I was. Our kid is super cute. There were more words, but they were lost in laughing. Luckily, there was a postlude directly following the song so when he continued to sing for a few moments after everyone else it wasn't a big deal. How I love that kid....

The Toy I Love to Hate

This toy right here. It is a ugly plastic aqurium you fasten to the side of the crib to soothe your baby to sleep. You press the button on the bottom (blue one in the center) and a light turns on, the fish swim in circles, the water bubbles and music plays. Amelia (and William also) really enjoys watching it while she falls asleep on the very few evenings she isn't almost asleep when I put her down. But, here is the problem. Amelia rolls around in her sleep like a madwoman. Every night/nap I use this, I end up regreting it when she rolls into it in her sleep and sets the [insert negative word of your choice] thing off. Usually I am already asleep and the music wakes me. I leap out of bed and dash to her room to get the [insert bad word] thing turned off before she wakes up. On the way, I may or may not trip over toys or other items in the dark. Because when it wakes her up, she is awake and ready to go. Not my idea of a good time at 2am. So, I love it when it entertains her and transports her to sleepy world, but I HATE the mad dash through the obstacle course at night.