Puddles!

We pulled into the driveway the other day to puddles of water flowing down the driveway from our neighbor's hose. There was no getting the kids in the house without getting completely soaked first... 

Samuel's Feminine Side

Wearing headbands... 

 Trying on shoes...

 Getting into mommy's make up...

We love spring

Another great thing about nicer weather, sidewalk chalk! Both kids love it and they play nicely together with it. Samuel's favorite things to draw are trash trucks, numbers, and roads for his cars. Emma draws lines. :) 

I can do anything you can do

As much as my girly girl loves tea parties and rocking her baby dolls...

 ...  she also loves brothers trucks, balls, and baseball gloves.

Easter Festivities - Picture overload

Friday - Dying Easter Eggs, Try on Easter outfits for photos, Good Friday church service 

Samuel loved dying eggs. He was fascinated with the change of color, loved painting on the eggs and putting stickers on. He doesn't care so much for eating the eggs though. 

Emma really got into it too, but the egg ended up on the floor and she had more fun dipping her whole hand in the dye.

 Check out that green hand...

 So proud...

 We had to follow up egg dying with playtime in the sink with a little baking soda and vinegar. Lots of fun and it got the dye off pretty well...

When leaving church Friday night, Samuel asked, "now do we look for the Easter eggs?" He was so confused by the multiple aspects of Easter.

Saturday - Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, Egg hunt, (Kids museum and chuck E cheese, but those are unrelated to Easter. :)).

Emma didn't care too much for the Easter bunny...

 Ready to go...

 Emma knew that she wanted that egg, but wanted to open it up right away instead of getting more eggs... 

Samuel was being picky about which ones he picked up and he kept taking eggs to Emma's basket (so sweet to want to help her!), so our candy stash is very manageable :) 

 Checking out their loot... 

 Sunday - Easter Baskets, Resurrection rolls, church (Sam and I, Emma was sick), pictures, kites, ham dinner with friends

You can't tell at all that she was up sick most of the previous night... She really wanted to eat that candy! 

Sam was thrilled with the "resurrection rolls" - We took a pillsbury biscuit, wrapped it around a marshmallow, rolled it in butter and cinnamon sugar and baked. When we sliced into it, the marshmallow left a hole to look like the empty tomb. Samuel really got excited about the fact that the tomb was empty because Jesus rose from the dead... or he really liked the sweet breakfast treat. It was so sweet to hear Samuel's understanding of the Easter story grow this year. He really began to grasp the basics Christ's death and resurrection. He also thought it was hilarious that Peter sliced off the guards ear and kept wanting to read the story about the bad guys... such a boy. :) 

 Eating a peep... a "turkey" as he called it.

 Kites were not so successful... :)

 We couldn't finish our pictures without stopping to play in the sand for a bit...

Happy Easter! 

Easter Outfits

I had a very specific vision for Samuel's Easter outfit this year. I figure he won't go along with my goofy ideas for much longer, so I better do it while I can. He thought his suspenders and bow tie were the funniest and I thought it turned out pretty cute. Sadly, Emma was sick on Easter Eve, so she didn't get to dress up for church. But, we still put on her dress for a few pictures. Not, that she really let me get any decent pictures of her. This girl does not stop moving for a second... and sure seems to be feeling fine now. 

 So blurry... :(

Major editing because she won't stay where the lighting is good... 

 "Samuel, give Emma a kiss"...

We may have to try a photo op again another day. I know the kids will love that! :)

Emma - 16 Months

Time for another update on my littlest. She has definitely kept us on our toes!
- Emma has had two, maybe three more ear infections since her last update. This makes 7 or 8 in the last 7 months... So, sad that I can't remember exactly how many. We go to the ENT next week to talk about tubes. :(
- She is trying so hard to communicate. She goes on and on in her own little language that no one understands. I love to hear her jabber.
- Emma has several words, but her stubborn personality makes it hard to know exactly how many. She has said several words a few times, but is too stubborn to stay them when asked. So, it's hard to know if it was just a coincidence or if she really knows the word. Also, a lot of her words sound the same. She definitely says... Dada (Sam/Brother), Baba (Papa), Deese (Please... while doing the sign language), Deese (Cheese... while holding camera), Dees (Cheers... while clanking glasses), Mama, Dee (Blankie... taken from "Gee" as Sam calls his), BaMaMa (Banana), Ba (ball), and Hi.
- She's not just walking now, she's running. She loves to be chased. I say, "I'm going to get you." And she crouches down and runs away giggling. It's a fun game.
- We are working on obedience a lot. I've always known that all kids are different, but wow! Samuel and Emma could not be more opposites in the way they respond to discipline and teaching. Emma really has been growing in this area a lot lately. She understands consequences, and sometimes decides to obey and other times decides the consequences are worth it. I will never forget the first time she laughed after I popped her little hand. I just love this strong little girl, she is a sweet mess! :)
- Emma is a charmer! People always comment about how happy she seams, even while in the doctors office for an ear infection. She definitely knows how to rise to the occasion and give her best to others. After she has been clinging to my leg, crying anytime I leave the room or put her down, and refusing to be content no matter how much I give in to her requests, we leave the house and she puts on a smiley, giggly show for anyone who will look her way. Thus, we often leave the house. :)
- She's got to be almost done teething. We are waiting on the last two fang teeth to finish their ascent, they are so close, and then she should be done... until the next set of molars come along.
- Emma has the greatest facial expressions, just a few that I've been able to catch on camera...

 Trying so hard to tell a story...

As much as this girl loves people, she's also fine going off by herself and a snack and being alone for a bit...