The Gentry's Journey

Friday, May 13, 2011

After Nap Craziness

Lila wakes up from her nap in such a silly mood on most days. Her hair also gets so crazy after sleeping on it. I love to take pictures of her after her nap in these silly moods.

Sassy face

crazy curls

silly girl

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

While we were visiting in Atlanta, my friend Kelly invited us to her playgroup, which they creatively call the Baby Brigade. Lila and Carter first met at Lila's first birthday party and really enjoyed playing together, so I was excited to see them play together again now that they are both a little older. Lila had such a great time meeting and playing with all of the babies, and I had such a great time meeting and chatting with all the mamas! I wish we lived closer, but it will be nice to visit with them again on our next trip to Atlanta! Thanks so much again for inviting us, Kelly!

Lila and Carter playing near the ball pit

Lila escaping with a ball

Lila and Carter playing on the play table

Me and Lila, with Lila blowing kisses to the camera

Lila is happily sharing her blueberries with her new friends

Lila and Carter taking a break to chat in the tunnel

Carter, me, Lila, and Kelly

Monday, May 9, 2011

Mother's Day 2011

Josh's boat was out until this morning, so he wasn't able to spend Mother's Day with us. My friend Tamara, her baby Elle, Lila, and me decided that since our husbad's were gone, we'd take ourselves out to lunch and let the babies play together afterwards. We share a mutual love of chips and salsa, so Mexican was the perfect lunch for our Mother's Day treat!

Elle is such a little cutie and she had a lot of fun watching Lila walk around her house and play with her toys. They even played together for a little while! We had such a great Mother's Day, and it's even better today since daddy is finally home!

Lila is tired of being in her highchair towards the end of the meal.

Sweet Elle

Playing together

Tamara and Elle

Lila and me

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Hooray for the Swimming Pool!

I've been waiting all year for our neighborhood pool to open! Our neighborhood pool in Florida never closed because the weather was great year-round for swimming. However, our neighborhood here in Texas hires lifeguards to watch over the pool; therefore, it can only be open when the lifeguards are available (in the summer). It's only open on the weekends until school gets out in June, but that's better than nothing!

Josh is off with his boat, so Lila and I headed to the pool around 11:30, after lunch, and stayed until about 1:30. It is anything but relaxing when you are chasing a 15 month old in and out of the pool as well as around the pool area, but I got some sun which is nice. There is a zero entry way to the pool which is perfect for Lila to use to walk in and out all by herself. It is, however, scary because she is in no way scared of the water, so she would just keep walking until her life jacket would catch her and she'd start floating. She flat wore herself out because she didn't even make it home before falling asleep. Once home, I put her in some dry clothes and she slept for 3.5 hours.

I took a little video of her walking into the zero entry side and doing what she loves to do...splash!

Being able to go to the pool will sure make the last few months before the baby a little more bearable!

Being silly in the backyard before heading to the pool

testing out the water...it was COLD!

braving her way in

Life jacket on and ready to go

taking a milk break

cute bathing suit heiny

snack break

following her as she walked around the pool area

getting very sleepy

fast asleep before we could even get back home

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her.

Proverbs 31:2

Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever. ~Author Unknown

I wish all of the mothers out there a very Happy Mother's Day. I also pray for those who long to be mothers that they will one day be able to fulfill that great desire, either through biological children or adoption. Thank you to my mom for being such a wonderful role model for me as a mother to Lila and, very soon, Alli!!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Cousins

On Wednesday of our trip, Josh's sister invited us over for a cookout to let the babies play together, as well as give Lila a chance to visit her Great Papa, Great Grandmother, Mamu, and Big Pop. She made delicious turkey burgers, of which recipe I will definitely be using! A cold front had come in the day before and it was a chilly 50 something degrees outside (which Lila and I haven't experienced since February!), but the babies didn't seem to mind and enjoyed playing on their new back deck.

Coleman and Lila are exactly seven weeks apart, and it is so funny to watch them play and interact now. We set them at the picnic table for some photo opportunities and they ended up looking like they were sitting there in trouble together. At one point, Lila got up and started babbling to Coleman about something serious. It seems like she is going to be bossy :( I have no idea where she gets that from! It was funny to watch, although her attitude can be quite embarrassing sometimes. He took her scolding so sweet though and just looked at her like she was crazy!

After dinner, they were cracking up together at these little Easter toys that their Great Grandmother had given them. The moving chicks and bunnies were very entertaining! Once it was getting closer to bedtime, we put the babies in the pjs and tried for another photo op on the couch. Lila kept wanting to crawl off, so we would have to plop her back in place. Coleman thought that was hilarious, so we continued the charade for a while before giving up. Maybe we'll get a still picture with them both looking at the camera and smiling when they are 20-something...I won't hold my breath though :)

I really wish that we lived closer so that we could get them together more often. But, as long as Josh is in the Coast Guard, the coast is where we have to be!