Bedtime Babies

Bedtime is one of the best times for being together, being silly, remembering and making memories. I love that Dad is involved with putting the girls to bed each night. They love it! I admit that sometimes I get "demanding," as I'm told, when he gets them all silly and worked up when my goal is to get them to go to sleep, but in reality I love his sense of humor and how the girls love it as well. The other night, we were talking about how the girls are growing up and we were remembering their baby days. Dad dug out his "dad sweatshirt." He got this sweatshirt back in college, and he had a picture taken in it while holding Bennett as a newborn. The girls decided we should do some reinactments of their newborn days. In the above picture, taken by Ainsley while I was doing real bedtime tasks, is dad pretending to have some back labor...I think. He's kind of smiling. That's how you know it's pretend back labor. Oh, and the fact that men can't have babies. I guess that tips you off as well.

Here is Dad, holding Bennett as if she's a baby. She's smiling in the picture. She did not smile much as a baby. She cried. A lot. It's nice to see she's a happy baby these days.

Ainsley wanted to take a picture, pretending that Bennett had just been born. Fine. Here it is. I am smiling in the picture. I was not smiling when Bennett had just been born. I was happy, but I was exhausted and terrified. I would say that Dad's expression is similar to the one he had when Bennett was born, but I don't recall him flashing the "hang loose" sign back in the day. We were not hanging loose. And as I type, I realize that Bennett is almost as long as I am! Oh dear!

Here is dad, holding his second born. He is smiling, and rightfully so. We had a little better of an idea of what we were getting into the second time around. Ainsley was a generally happy baby, so that helped.

Hmmm. Sideways picture. No idea why. Anyway, the expressions on these faces are very real. Ainsley and Dad are always cutting up. She finds him ultra amusing and they laugh together quite a lot! It is awesome. Thank you, Dad, for the bedtime silliness. You are blessing our kids (and me) with wonderful memories!

Back To School We Go!

The time has arrived! Back to school we go. Bennett and Ainsley had their "Meet the Teacher" night last night, and we are grateful that God has blessed them both with WONDERFUL teachers again this year! Here is Ainsley with Mrs. B.
And here is Bennett with her teacher, Mrs. S.

So at the open house, the teachers had scavenger hunts for the kids and gave them time to explore their new rooms. While other kids are scavenger hunting and exploring, where do we find Bennett? Sitting at her desk, reading a book she found in one of the AR tubs. Child! School has not yet begun! You do not need to be reading at the open house! She just could not pass up this book, and her teacher must have recognized this, because she offered to let Bennett take the book home with her for the weekend. Already Mrs. S. has won a place in Bennett's heart for allowing this book to be taken home without so much as checking it out or recording it in a book log. Thanks, Mrs. S.! Her year is already off to a good start!

If You Believe In Yourself, You Can Ride A Bike!

Some of you have probably scene the viral YouTube video of the preschooler who gives a motivational speech after learning to ride his bike. If you have not, check it out... www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaIvk1cSyG8


Bennett and Ainsley both experienced the same emotions as that little boy last night, when they finally mastered bicycle riding on TWO WHEELS!
The photos are in backwards order...sorry. Here is Ainsley on the actual bike trail. After working hard in the wide open parking lot, we ventured onto the narrow trail and both girls did great!

A training wheel-less Ainsley! She is so happy of herself!

Bennett already knew how to ride on two wheels, but her take off needed some work. We lowered her seat a bit and voila! She is now a pro in all aspects of two-wheel biking! You know what they say....If you believe in yourself, you can ride a bike! You will get the hang of it...I know you will! Good job, girlies!

Canoeing Adventure

Finally we did it. After waiting through a summer of lots of rain followed by lots of heat, beautiful weather has arrived, and so did Uncle B. and Aunt J. for the weekend. We finally got the canoe out on the river! This was the girls' first time in the canoe on water with a current. Ainsley was pumped. Bennett was terrified. The trip went perfectly though, and we cannot wait to get out there again SOON! Kudos to Chappy for working so hard on the logistics end of this excursion. It was such a great time!

Little Laughs

Children are so entertaining. The girls always have us chuckling, and here are a few photos that make me smile. The beloved "Big Blankie" still goes nearly everywhere with Ainsley. I looked into the back seat on the way to church and saw this. Big Blankie is not only a comfort item. It is also a light blocker when you want to see the screen of your Littlest Pet Shop gaming device just a little bit better.

I walked into Ainsley's room this morning and saw this fun scene on her bed. Yellow Baby a.k.a. Rose riding a unicorn. She's a bit hunched over. Maybe her comfort pillow roll is bad for her posture.

When I strolled into Bennett's room I found a little wooden posable figure, dressed in homemade clothes made of flannel scraps and pantyhose pieces. Nice. She also has a tiny baby wearing a crocheted dress in her little basket on her arm. What a sweet little mother and daughter. And the Holy Bible is at their feet. Wise woman.

Bennett has a little faceless sock doll with a rope bracelet sewn to her head for braids. She plays with this doll ALL the time, and today I found "Dolly" lounging in a hammock under a blanket made of a fabric scrap. So relaxing!