A Fun Table!

Playing with their Sand/Water Table in the morning sunshine!

We recently purchased a sand/water table for the girls and the weather was so beautiful this weekend we put it together and brought it outside for some fun.  We used some special purple sand and the girls really loved it.  In another month we'll put some water in one side and we're guessing this will provide lots of entertainment!

This weekend was Stella's last gymnastics class of the semester.  Thank you to Aunt Mary Jane for offering to take Claire for the morning for family day.  Daddy was busy with basketball this weekend so it made it much easier for Mommy to take pictures and video!  After gymnastics we had lunch with Gigi and her mom and sister and Stella thought that was pretty neat!

This weekend we discovered Claire really loves sauteed shrimp!

Spring Time

We are so excited to finally be enjoying some warmer weather.  Dinner and bedtime have been later and later this week from playing outside.  We had the chance to visit a bigger playground than usual today as a whole family (in Massena) and both girls had so much fun!

Claire had her 18 month check up this past week and is doing great!  She is growing well and now weighs 23lbs. 11 oz. and is 32" long.  She loves to look at books and as Stella always points out
'Sissy is is trying to talk'.  Here's a short clip of Claire reading before bed.

Potty Progress!

Fun Hats!

The only news we have to share this week is that Stella is doing a great job with potty training.  While we wouldn't necessarily say she's completely finished, she hasn't worn a pull-up during the day all week and we feel like she's really getting the hang of it now!

Claire is learning new things every day.  She knows a few colors now and is starting to learn parts of the face.  This week she visits the pediatrician for her 18-month check up.

Spring Break 2013!

The last two week have flown by and taken spring break with them!  We had a really great vacation which included 6 days away from home for a visit with the Hooley's near Columbus, Ohio.  It's been a long time since we've had an extended vacation and it was wonderful having family time without distractions from work or other responsibilities.  (Mom didn't even bring her computer this trip!)

Claire was a bit under the weather for part of our vacation but it gave us the opportunity to take some naps with her and have lots of extra snuggle time.  Fortunately the rest of us didn't catch it, although Cailin may not have been so lucky since she didn't feel so great the day after we left.  Mom kept Claire home on Easter Sunday after church while the rest of the girls went to the community-wide Easter Egg Hunt.  They all had fun, sat with the Easter Bunny, and brought home plenty of treats to eat!

Since the trip to Ohio is a long one we tried to find some fun things to do to break up our travel.  On the way out we spent some time at a McDonald's Play Place and they absolutely loved it!  Claire was too little for most of the play areas but she still climbed on what she could!






The girls enjoyed the Play Place so much on Monday, when Melissa and Dan headed back to work and Dana off to school, we decided to take them to one of the malls nearby that also has a play area.  We brought Cailin too and it was great fun.  We are definitely learning that at this age it's the small (and often inexpensive) things that matter!

On the way back we spent the night in Erie, which is just about the half-way mark.  The girls absolutely loved the pool!  We bought them new life jackets and everybody was happy!  We feel so fortunate that we were able to spend time with family and be able to travel with our girls this past week!