Nine Months Old *April 13, 2012*

We have spent your 9-month old birthday by showing you around your future school (Auburn University) and playing outside of your future sorority house (alpha gam). We are here for your Auntie Rachel's wedding, and she is so excited to see you in her big day! I can't believe that you have officially been in this world as long as you were growing inside. I've begun planning your first birthday party, which is a You Are My Sunshine theme. We have had such a great time watching you grow, learn, and become increasingly more mobile and talkative each day! 

Your daddy enjoyed playing with you and making you laugh during your photo shoot this month! You are getting harder and harder to photograph. We had to be quick because you wanted to crawl away when we'd set you down!

Here's what you're up to:

*You weigh 15.4 pounds and are about 26.25 inches tall.

*You still have an army crawl and are really fast! You crawl all over the house, especially wherever we are or where your sister is.

*You have gotten a little clingy this past month, and don't like to be put down. You are better playing by yourself if your sister is somewhere in the room with you.

*You are starting to pull up on everything. We moved the crib mattress down because you love to pull up in your bed.

*Your favorite toys are empty water bottles, empty fruit snack wrappers, and a little plastic Minnie Mouse balloon.

*Still sleeping really well! Bedtime is between 7:30-8pm and you will wake up anytime between 7-8am. Naptimes are from 10:30-noon and from 2-4 or 5pm.

*You will play with the toys in your crib a while before you fall asleep, and you do a great job at getting yourself to sleep.

*Still NO teeth. I love your gummy grin, but I don't love the gallons of drool that come out of that cute mouth. I can feel one big bump on your bottom left gum, so hopefully that tooth will pop through soon!

*Where you used to be such a good solid food eater, you are now getting much more picky. You don't love things with peaches in them and you aren't that fond of green vegetables anymore...sigh! Some meals you eat two baby food jars and some you barely get through one.

*You are doing a little bit better with your bottles this month. You drink about 24 ounces a day (which is what's recommended). You just like to do the bare minimum when it comes to eating, I wish I could do that!

*Still wearing size 2 diapers. When we run out, we are moving you to size 3s.

*Still wearing mostly 6 month or 6-9 month clothing. I've been putting you into a few 12 month bubbles and dresses. The bubbles fit nicely, but the dresses are pretty big on you. The 9 month sleepers are still way too long for you, but you still can wear them.

*You and Lila really enjoy playing together, especially in each other's cribs. You have the best time when your sister plays with you, and she thinks that you are so funny!

*You are still really ticklish and have the most contagious laugh.

*You definitely say "mama" and "dada" to the right person, or to get someone to come get you. You also say something that sounds SO MUCH like "Lila". Your great grandmama heard it too!

*You learned how to wave hello this month. You were like Miss America waving at everyone at the airport the other day.

*You celebrated your first Easter this month (on April 8th) and also had your very first school picture made on April 5th.

Here are some pictures from your doctor's appointment: 

Park Playdate

The weather has been beautiful here this past week, so we decided to take advantage of it and meet our friends at the park. Karsyn and Lila always have so much fun playing together, and now Alli and Chandler are getting to the point where they notice each other and are starting to interact as well.  I think the girls could have swung all day, and they were squealing with delight with each push.  Lila is calling Karysn "Carter" (which is close enough :) ), and they followed each other around the entire park. We always have so much fun with them and can't wait for our next park playdate!

Chandler thinks Alli is crazy

Two out of four looking and smiling is good enough!

Alli's hiding under the park bench

The little girls playing together

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Easter Sunday

April 8, 2012

Alli's First Easter

On Easter morning, the girls got to see what the Easter bunny brought for them. They each had full baskets and had such a great time going through them and finding each and every present. Lila went through a pile of chocolate and fruit snacks before breakfast, which lead to her sugar crash (and screaming fit) on the way to church...but hey, it's only Easter once a year!  Alli enjoyed crunching her Baby Mum Mums in her hand (she doesn't like to eat them though) and playing with her new stuffed bunny.

Enjoying the Easter basket goodies before church

After the girls had a long while to play with their new presents, we got ready for the Easter service at League City United Methodist Church. The service was beautiful, and I always enjoy the music on Easter Sunday. After church, Josh got off of work and was able to join us for brunch at Cullen's in Clear Lake. We ate brunch at Cullens last year as well, and it was so good that we decided to go back this year! It did not dissappoint, and we were so stuffed. Even Lila enjoyed her meal of chicken fingers, fries (dipped in Mayo-gross!), and mac and cheese. I have to admit, I was a bit tempted by the hot dogs on the kids buffet, but I stuck to the smoked salmon, eggs benedict, chicken, arugula salad, and a fruit tart.

Posing after Easter church service

Brunch at Cullens

We had such a great Easter this year with our little family of four!

Easter Eve

Last night, the girls were so excited about the Easter Bunny coming to visit them and hopefully leaving them something sweet and fun. They each got tubbies (what we call baths in our house), put on their cute Easter jammies, and relaxed while we waited for bedtime. I was so excited to see their Easter baskets filled and waiting for them when they woke up!

inside of Alli's basket

inside of Lila's basket

Easter Party with Abigail and Emma

Lila and Alli's neighborhood friends, Abigail and Emma had an Easter Party at their grandparents house in a neighborhood down the street yesterday afternoon. Neither one of the girls had a nap before we went, and we had a busy morning hunting eggs, but they were surprisingly well-behaved at the party despite being exhausted. Everything was so perfect, the food was so delicious, the crafts were so cute, and the games were so much fun. Lila loved playing with Abigail, and it seemed like Alli and Emma enjoyed playing together too! They are only a couple weeks apart, but Emma has a whole head full of the most beautiful dark brown hair.  Even though Josh wasn't with us until today, it has been a great Easter weekend!

The girls playing together and working on some crafts

bunny toss game and the craft table

working on their crafts

Egg Hunt time!

Alli loving on Mickey at the party

Happy Easter 2012!

Christ the Lord has Risen Today! Hallelujah!

I hope that everyone has had a wonderful Easter! We have had a great day, which started off with a visit from the Easter bunny and a beautiful Easter church service at League City United Methodist Church. Josh was able to get off of work and join us for brunch at Cullen's after church, and we have been relaxing watching the Masters while the girls are napping.  I am so thankful for Jesus and His undying love for us for which we celebrate today! 

Watershed Church Easter Egg Hunt

This is the second year that we attended the Watershed Church's Easter egg hunt, and we have had so much fun both times. This year's egg hunt was so much different than last year because Lila was old enough for her competitive side to come out (although she didn't knock anyone down or anything!), and Lila was really into putting the eggs in her basket. There were LOTS of tears before the hunt started because she didn't quite get the concept of waiting, but once it began, she found herself a lot of eggs. Our friends Tamara and Elle were able to join us, and we had a great time watching the girls play on the playground after the egg hunt. We went out to an early lunch at Jason's Deli afterwards, which is always good! They are moving this Summer, and we will miss being able to spend time with them, so I'm glad that they were able to spend this Easter weekend with us!

Two year olds do NOT understand the concept of waiting :)