end of summer

just a few pics of our end of summer days.  brooks started his 2 day a week parents day out last week and also enjoyed doing some painting at home.  he is really into airplanes right now and we painted some foam ones together.  kate just hangs out happily while her big brother is so active!

baptism weekend

we had a fun weekend celebrating kate's baptism with mimi, granddaddy, nana and papa.  kate wore this sweet dress that mimi made with her monogram (also mimi's monogram). 

kate's precious silver baby cup - a gift from the fuquays.

getting ready to go up on stage for the baptism.  both kids did great!

watching the next family - there were about 10 little ones getting baptized.

all tuckered out after the service.  we never got around to a full family picture.

brooks in his church clothes after playing at the sand table - not the best combination! 

we had a fun lunch celebration with family and friends sunday afternoon. 

7 months

a little late, but we celebrated 7 months with our sweet kate last week.  we were flying home from canada on the 16th and just got around to taking her pictures this weekend.

highlights from the month:

• - started eating more baby foods including sweet potatoes, squash, pears, apples, bananas, peas and prunes.  the prunes are not only a necessity but also her favorite!  still won't eat the rice cereal or the oatmeal but at least is giving the other foods a try.
• - a fun trip to canada to visit great grandma ellen and other family and friends.  already kate's third plane trip with four more planned this year!  unbelievable!
• - more babbling and making lots of cute sounds
• - officially taking 2 solid naps on the days we aren't on the go and still sleeping well at night about 8-7. 
• - loves anything brooks is playing with, especially all of the "little people" and puts everything in her mouth.  i keep thinking a tooth is coming in, but so far nothing.
• - learned how to "trick" mommy and daddy into letting her get out of bed occassionally and last week we laughed that she just wanted to watch "Friday Night Lights" with us!

 

brooks is turning into more of a big boy everyday.  i love talking with him now that his words are so much clearer and his sentences and stories are so fun. he narrates everything we do and repeats everything i say.  he loves reading books, always wants "two books" before bed, and will "read" stories back to me turning the pages on his own.  he finally got his cast off last week and has been so steady on his feet.  these days brooks is really into his "little people" noah's ark, firetrucks, baseball, golfing in the yard, asking to play with the 7 year old boy who lives next door, tigers, motorcycles and all "things that go."  today he spotted two motorcyclists who were actually wearing their helmets (not as common as you would think) and he said, "wearing helmets.  I'm so glad."  This guy is totally into helmet safety and not "going boom."

It's been a great summer that has really flown by.  The kids are still really sweet together and both very happy. 

6 months

month 6 really flew by with all of our travels and vacations - this one snuck up on me big time!  happy 1/2 birthday to our sweet little kate!  you are the sweetest of all sweetnesses and you get more loveable everyday! 

highlights of 6 months...

17lbs 3oz and a head in the 90%

you started sitting up unsupported on july 4th

you stopped eating rice cereal - hopefully we can find out at your dr. appointment tomorrow what's up with that!

you laugh when we play peek-a-boo and tickle your tummy

you watch everything your brother does and think he's pretty cool

you put everything in your mouth!  i think a tooth must be coming soon

you eye our food like a hawk and reach for our forks when we are eating

your afternoon nap is getting longer and longer - thank you!  you and brooks often give mommy 2 hours of peace and quiet!

as kate turns 6 months, our B-man is turning 2 and a half this week too!  wow!

he has really grown up in the last month it seems.  two weeks of vacation with grandparents really brought out the big boy in him, and Brooks is talking more and more.  even though i am the only one who seems to understand most of what he says, he really is a chatterbox.  he has also started to play pretend more - his favorite pretend game is to take a nap and wake up and make breakfast.  he also likes to play pretend golf.  while we haven't mastered the potty yet, there does seem to be an increased interest in it.  last week brooks told me, "mom, want to go to target and buy underwear.  want blue ones, not red ones."  we did go and buy underwear but he has lost interest since!

these two munchkins are sure bringing a lot of joy to our life.  somedays are pretty crazy and a two and half year old offers plenty of frustrating and humbling moments, but overall, i wouldn't trade these days for anything.  last saturday we watched as they sat together in a tent in our backyard "talking" to each other and couldn't help but get excited for all the future moments together.

all american & atlantan 4th

a few fun pics from our 4th of July celebration in Atlanta.  we watched the Lenox Square fireworks from a highrise condo, and it was awesome!  it rained outside but the show went on and was really cool. 

richard and i also ran the Peachtree Road Race on the morning of the 4th - an Atlanta tradition.  it's the largest 10k in the world with over 65,000 runners.  we knew it was going to be hilly, hot and humid, but we totally underestimated all three.  no amount of training in cool Colorado - even running at 9,000 feet altitude in Crested Butte - could have prepared us for that race!  i'm proud to say we finished but no times will be recorded here!  our next attempt will have to be back home.

first family beach trip

after our wonderful 4th of July weekend in atlanta with the family, we drove to Gulf Shores, AL with nana and papa for a few days at the beach.  richard and i had not been to the beach together since Costa Rica 3 years ago!  the florida white sand was a total treat and with lots of sunscreen and breaks from the heat in the condo, we all had a great time.

brooks liked playing in the sand and "building" sand castles with daddy and papa.  he said that he prefered the pool though and spent time everyday practicing his jumping and climbing the ladder.  brooks also slept in a queen bed (bunk beds) for the first time and really loved it.  he fell out once but didn't seem to mind!

kate proved to be a great traveller again - this picture is from the evening we got to the beach.  she is sound asleep under a make-shift tent, as happy as can be. 

brooks ready to go to the beach - he has become very eager and determined.

brooks's first round of mini-golf.  this was the coolest place to be in the middle of the day because the course had so many shade trees. brooks made a hole in one all by himself on one hole and another with some help.  now he pretends to play mini golf everywhere and shouts "hole in one!" after every pretend shot.

a little bit of heartbreak when the ball disappears after hole 18 - oops, i forgot that happened!  had to whisk him on to something else very quickly.

thanks nana and papa for a great beach trip!

little fishies in atlanta

we spent a fun weekend in atlanta escaping the heat going from one pool to the next!  little kate wore her swimsuit for the first time and seemed to like the float.

brooks has turned into quite a little fish jumping in over and over with no fear, going underwater without help and starting to kick his legs more.  we start swimming lessons again this saturday thankfully - hopefully we can instill some respect for the pool to go with his enthusiasm.

fun with moompa and boompa enjoying the pool and lots of special snacks.