No carrots, thank you!

Abby is obviously doing very well at communicating.

Ithaca Family Fun Fest

You have to love small town festivals. We went to one in Ithaca (just down the road from my parents really) on Saturday and enjoyed it. There was a local marching band/orchestra playing, clowns doing balloons, bed races, the firehouse put out their hose for the kids to play in, vendors and food, pie eating and hot dog eating contests -- just fun stuff. Megan's favorite part, we had to literally carry her away -- ok I had to -- was the bubble machine set up outside one of the downtown stores. The clowns freaked her out but she did like the balloon dog they made her. It was fun.

Growing and Growing and Growing

That probably seems like an odd title for a day at the park but if you know Megan, you know that this is incredible progress for her! A woman in my parents branch with young children invited us last week to go to a park with her. So far, the parks have not been that great, but this one blew my socks off. We went back yesterday with Grandma and took pictures because I have been so impressed. It is wonderful for young kids but I think it would also be fun for older kids. They have this gigantic wooden playplace like a castle but there are no open walls, even up high, all the steps are wide and shallow, the slides are slow, and the entire place is enclosed by a fence so that there is one way in and one way out. Megan rode in a swing for the first time in her life without screaming. She also finally went down slides -- even the big ones! -- after a month's break due to a sliding incident at a friend's house. She's a very cautious child -- I do hope that stays into her teenage years though! I really really hope that we can find something like this close to where we'll be living in Texas.




Can you believe this girl????? Being here has been soooo good for Megan -- climbing stairs every day, running around outside and in the garden, adjusting to unfamiliar situations. It's made me really rethink how I need to be as a parent. I tend to be low energy myself and direct Megan towards quieter activities but I think I need to liven up and give her more exposure to new things and active fun things. She obviously is benefitting from it!

On the other hand, this is my brother Danny, his wife Denise, and their new adorable son Liam. From the reports I hear, they won't have any problems being active with him and he's barely 2 weeks old! I had to request some pictures of him with my quilt. That way even if he never uses it again, I've got some proof that he loved it for 5 minutes!!

I Wish I Had Camera Eyes

Does that sound funny? There are those split second moments that just don't last long enough to get the camera out. Today a large, beautiful butterfly landed on a flower that Megan was holding. She was so excited and then when it flew away of course she kept asking it to do it again. Darn butterfly simply didn't listen! Yesterday as I was making dinner I had Abby in her seat and Megan came into the kitchen and started "tickling" her knees. Abby laughs at the simplest things and her laughing made Megan laugh and it was just the sweetest thing to watch the two of them interacting like that. I know their relationship won't always be like that but it's nice to see it getting off on the right foot.

Abby is consistently rolling over back to front and then getting mad because she usually can't get back over. Actually, I think the frustration is that tummy time limits her access to her hands. She has been chewing on them nonstop! I keep looking for teeth, but nothing yet. Megan still sleeps with five balls at bed: big ball, purple ball, soccer ball, basketball, and football. Then she carries big ball around all day (it's not that big actually). She wants me to lay on the bed with her and sing every night which I actually really enjoy and she's pretty much given up naps. Sigh. I can usually get her to go in her room and play for about an hour so that I still get a break but even that appears to be headed out the window. Oh well, I knew napping couldn't last forever. I wish it would. I wish I could nap every day! Her speech is so good. She actually told Grandpa Gasser the other night that she loved him. She doesn't say I love you very often AT ALL even though I say it several times a day. I guess it just makes it that much sweeter when she deems you worthy of a reply! Mention Texas though and she goes off on how we're going to see Daddy again and have a campfire and cactuses. I'm not entirely sure where all of that has come from but they're all linked together in her mind.

I'm never going back

I love bacon. I wonder sometimes if there is anyone out there who doesn't love bacon -- ok vegetarians and vegans aside but they don't count in this instance because they eat no meat. Anyway, that's not the point.

Nearly a month ago I read this post on a blog that I have taken to following called "Or So She Says" and put this little tidbit about cooking bacon IN THE OVEN in the back of my mind.

Well my mom and I tried it and it is fabulous -- no spattering grease, no worrying about whether or not I am getting it too done (i.e. burnt, and I ALWAYS do) and no chewy fatty parts that curled up in the pan and didn't quite cook. I really dislike those chewy fatty parts. We were a little concerned that it would spatter a mess in the oven but my mom's oven started AND ENDED pristine. I would take a picture of the bacon, and the oven, but my mom took her camera to California to take pictures of new nephew/grandson Liam (which she's NOT doing and I'm dying to see pictures!!!!) so you'll have to take my word on this.

I am never cooking bacon on the stovetop or in the microwave again. Ever.

Pictures for Chopper

Dear Daddy,

These are the last pictures that Mommy will be posting of us for a while. Not only is Grandma taking the camera to California to take pictures of our new cousin Liam, yesterday, Grandma cut my hair and Mommy is just hoping it grows back in time for the wedding! But at least she can blame Grandma instead of herself right? I love to go outside in rain or shine and Abby is rolling over all the time. I can't wait to come to Texas and have a campfire and a Christmas tree and see you again. I love you!

Love, Megan

Fabulous News!!!

A bouncing baby boy! Not for us of course - not that quick anyway! My brother Danny and his wife Denise just had their first today and he is a cutie! But of course we knew he would be given that he does have Denise's genes in him! Just kidding -- I love my brother and he's a cute one too -- a really cute baby and little boy actually so Liam Daniel (love the name) has a lot going for him! I've only seen one picture by cell phone and of course they are never the best (or maybe that's just my bottom of the line cell phone), but hopefully we'll see more after they get home from the hospital and have time to download. No pressure though! 8 lbs. 5 oz. -- I don't think my body could handle that -- Denise is fabulous and apparently no complications and both are doing very well. I feel kind've weird putting all this on MY blog but they don't blog or facebook and I know there are people out there who know them that would love to know.

We've been here in Michigan now for a week and time is going a lot more quickly now that I have more adult company! The girls are adjusting well -- of course I'm sure that Abby doesn't care too much but Megan has really enjoyed it so far. Grandma bought her a pool -- a little blow-up affair and she loves that. To me it's not much more exciting than the bathtub but she loves that too so I suppose love of pool was a given. She's ok with Arthur the dog but doesn't get too close, a good thing actually because he's not the calmest pooch in the world. We've visited one cider mill -- of course there's not much going on there because it's not quite apple time but it was nice. No pictures -- Grandma isn't as camera ready as I am so I think I need to take over especially so Chopper can see the girls! The weather is gorgeous up here and we've especially enjoyed being outside in the yard. It makes me excited for our own yard in Texas!