Fantasy Lights

Bri enjoying fantasy lights that Val won free tickets for.

Steve's phone

Snow

First snow of the season. Bri loved it!

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy™ S II 4G

6 months

Here's are beautiful 6 month old. As you can see, she's officially a sitter now.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy™ S II 4G

South Carolina Aquarium

The girls and I headed out to the aquarium yesterday to see what they had to show us. (1st pic of Bri trying to do a shark attack with her arms in front of the giant inflatible white shark.) First thing we see... a baby skunk! I was a bit confused since I had thought we'd entered an aquarium, not a zoo, but apparently this aquarium has land and sea animals to show off. And yes, they assured me the scent had been removed so I wouldn't need to buy tomatoe juice after our encounter. 

The next animals we come across... lemurs! Still not getting the aquarium part of this place. (2nd pic, Bri inside the insert they made in the lemur cage so kids can get a better look at the lemurs during feeding time. We were not there during the feeding time hence no lemurs in this pick.)

Next animal, bald eagle. Okayn at least this one fishes in the sea. We're getting closer to what I thought was the theme behind this place... sea animals. (3rd and 4th pic, bald eagle up close and Bri flappong her wings in an "actual size" bald eagle nest.)

And then we found them. Fish! (5th pic, large fish tank)

Last but not least, we saw an... albino alligator. Okay, again not quite what I was expecting at an aquarium but pretty cool non the less. (6th pic, white alligator)

And that was it. Okay, we did see other sea creatures but I didn't take pictures of everything. Bri even got to introduce her octopus (we named Olivia shout out cuz!) to a real live octopus. 

7th pic, Bri next to the frog on the bench set up for a picture perfect view of the famouse suspension bridge. 

Disclaimer, this post was done on ky phone so sorry if pictures are out of order or the spelling's atrocious. 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy™ S II 4G

Thank you

Many thanks are in order to the many people who made my traveling alone with 2 young children yesterday doable.

Thank you Adi for sleeping through the night for the 1st time ever, enabling me to get as much rest as possible before the long day ahead.

Thank you Dad T. for waking me up at 5:30 after I slept through my alarm I had accidently set on vibrate therefore not waking me up at my pre-determined time. Thank you for taking care of Bri while I got Adi and myself ready.

I’m not sure if I should thank the airline check-in lady who insisted on rebooking us onto the next flight (multiple times) since we arrived after the time allotted to check baggage and who further made me rush through the airport somewhat unnecessarily to catch our flight. If she had not made me feel so rushed, I may not have run/scurried/begged my way through and maybe would have missed the flight. This I’ll never known.

Back to the thank yous.

Thanks again for Dad T. who immediately asked for a pass to accompany me to the gate once we realized I could not check a baby carrier, toddler car seat and piece of luggage I had planned on NOT having with me in order to juggle 2 small children easier.

Thanks to the TSA agent who when I originally asked if there was anything he could do to expedite our path in security told us we were out of luck, but after seeing the 2 little ones and and all our luggage, directed us to the pre-check line which was much shorter and does not require the removal of shoes/jackets/belts/liquids/underwear/etc. to get through security.

Thanks to the few people in front of us who let us cut in front of them to get through security even quicker.

Thanks to Dad T. again for then carrying Bri and the toddler seat AND running through the terminal to what must be the farthest gate on the A side.

Thanks to Bri and Adi. Bri laughing the whole time thinking running was the best thing in the world and Adi almost falling asleep in her carrier due to all the rocking in my attempt to run with it.

We made it onto the plane in plenty of time and were in our seats 15 minutes before take-off was due. (This is why I’m a bit annoyed with the check-in lady but again, would we have made it if we hadn’t rushed…) I was able to check the luggage through to Charleston and gate check the 2 car seats (why I didn’t check those through to Charleston as well, I’ll never know, brain was not fully functioning at this point).

But it continues. Thanks to the 2 people behind me who saw me with the 2 little ones and offered to switch seats with us since the 3rd person in their row hadn’t shown thus allowing us to have a whole row to ourselves.

Kids on the plane.

No, Adi is not asleep in this picture, she just doesn’t like the flash.

Thanks to the ladies at Mom’s group (Tana, Linnea and Nora) for letting me borrow toddler videos to entertain Bri on such a long flight.

I wasn’t looking forward to lugging around my carry-on, Adi, 2 car seats and monitoring Brielle through the terminal before my connecting flight but then Steve and Dad T. took care of that while I was in the air. So we continue…

Thank you Steve for somehow booking me on the same flights as two of your co-workers. Thank you (and Dad T.) for getting a hold of them and asking them to help me with the car seats through the Dulles airport.

Thank you George and Larry for helping with said car seats through the Dulles airport.

Kids in the terminal.

Adi IS sleeping in the first picture and then the second is the 3 of us waiting for our flight; Bri watching a video in the background. Still smiling.

Did I already thank the girls for being so good on both flights? I was so proud of how well Bri did, even helping me hold Adi when I needed a third hand.

And finally, thanks to Steve again for getting a pass to come pick me and the girls up on the tarmac after our plane landed. Seeing Bri run to him so excited made everything complete.

This day could have easily gone the other way so above all, thank you to all who prayed over this trip because your prayers were answered!

Christmas jammies :)

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy™ S II 4G

The Farm

While down in V-town for Thanksgiving, Mom, Aunt Teresa and I took the girls to Underwood Farms. Fun was had by all. Here are just a few pics of the fun things we did.

Always love a good pony ride.

I know you can’t see her, but Bri is petting the goats. Okay, maybe not at the very moment I took the picture, but she did indeed pet these goats. And aren’t they just the cutest thing sleeping together? Mama goat and baby goat? No?…

Obviously Adi is beside herself with excitement at the farm!

The Brady Bunch, the Brady Bunch, that’s the way we became the Brady Bunch.

Nap time with uncle rob.

Bri helping out with Thanksgiving dinner prep!

Little traveler

You pull your own bags in this family.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy™ S II 4G

Blessed

Some moments are just perfect.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy™ S II 4G

Lemon

Just going through old videos and found this one and couldn't help but post it. Enjoy.

5 months

I can’t believe how big she looks in these pictures! This second kiddo is growing up way to fast! Adi’s best feature is her smile, which we get no shortage of. :) She’s thinking about sitting on her own and she’s practicing new “words” which includes saying Mama which I’m totally counting as her first word! Especially since it was when she was crying for me to get her out of the excersaucer so it must be real. Bri is getting much better with her and not as rough anymore. (Or is it that Adi’s stronger and can handle Bri’s love better now.) Either way I love watching Bri make Adi laugh by playing peek-a-boo or “talking” with her, etc., it warms my heart every time. I feel like Adi’s personality is starting to show itself mainly in the fact that she’s so laid back which makes have two kids that much easier to juggle. She’s sleeping well most nights which has been a blessing. And enough about the stats, let’s see those beautiful smiles.

 

“What, what, you wanna mess with me?”

And of course, I can’t take a picture now a days without my little ham wanting to be part of the fun, here’s Adi with her big sis.

Descending the ladder

Trevi, under Bri's watchful eye.

-Steve's phone

Brushin her teath

Weekly bath

This is how we wash our kids. How do you do it?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy™ S II 4G

Laughing

Not the best video quality but the content couldn't be better.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy™ S II 4G

Family costumes

Old macdonald
Duck
Hot dog eating contest winner
Hot dog trophy

2 years and 4 months

Wow, do not write a post on lack of sleep, but since that’s all I got these days, here goes. Pictures of Bri at 2 YEARS and Adi at 4 months.

Bri is a ball of energy that speaks in full sentences. She loves to read and is on a slight Tinker Bell and Dinosaur kick.

Adi is all smiles (even more so than Bri was if you can believe it!) and can roll over both from her back to front and vice versa.

Steve and I cannot tell you how blessed we feel to have such wonderful children.

Good day for a bike ride

Bri is working on her riding skills. She can lift both feet up for just a second when she standong still. Baby steps. :)

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy™ S II 4G

Why dad's are cool

It's thinking out of the box ideas like this that make dads so cool. Good idea Steve! Bri and Adi are lucky to have you as a father. 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy™ S II 4G

one handed wheelie

While riding 4 up (Bri and 3 dolls) on her horse.

-Steve

Poster Child

 
Bri made it onto AST's new logo/poster.

Scarecrow Festival

Had fun with the girls at the Scarecrow Festival today. Funny to think how last year when we went Bri couldn't walk yet and this year she was able to make it through the staw maze all by herself! She loved petting all the animals at the petting zoo but I believe her favorite thing of the day was... the camel!

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy™ S II 4G