What a Sweet Moment

I don't have any new pictures to share right now, but I will soon! I did want to share a very special moment that I had the awesome chance to experience with Abby yesterday. Michael, the girls and I went shopping for a little while just to get out of the house for a bit and spend some time together. We went into a clothing store where I like to buy clothes for myself. Rory was with her Daddy looking around, so Abby and I went into the dressing room so that I could try on some outfits that I found. In the dressing room, there was a three-way mirror across one full wall. Abby was twirling and playing while I tried on the clothes. Then, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She walked to the mirror and pointed at the pretty little girl in the reflection saying "sisser (sister), Momma, sisser." I got down beside her and said, "No, Abby. That's Abby. Aren't you a pretty little girl?" She looked a little confused and said "No, sisser Momma." Again, I explained that it was Abby in the mirror and not Rory. She studied her reflection and it was like a light came on in her mind. She looked at me and then back at the mirror and said "It's Abby, Momma!! Abby pitty (pretty)!!" All I could do was hug my precious angel and tell her that she was right. Abby is so pretty!! It was such a special moment for me to get a chance to share with her. I love sharing special one-on-one moments with each of the girls!! Today, every time that she has seen her reflection in the mirror, she has said "It's Abby!!" She's so excited to know that it's herself in the mirror that she can see!!

Zoo Time

Headed on a Zoo Adventure!!

The peacock was walking around checking everyone out

"Here Kitty Kitty" ~Rory


The girls in front of the bear enclosure

Rory wanted to hug the "kitty." We decided that leaving the skunk alone was a better idea!

Daddy and Rory having fun at the zoo

Mommy and Abby checking out the donkeys

Rory checking out the baby goat

Jonathan Merriss looking getting an up-close view of the animals

The Adventure Crew

John, Jennifer, Jonathan and Jacob Merriss

Jonathan and his Daddy, John, checking out the tortoise

Rory really wanted to jump into the enclosures with the animals

Abby was content where she was at

Jacob Merriss... Look at that grin

Abby was fascinated by the "punkies"

The girls absolutely love animals of any kind. So, we decided it was time to take them on a zoo adventure. We got up this morning and went to the City Zoo with our good friends, The Merriss Family. The girls loved it!! When we walked in the front gate, they immediately saw the monkey enclosure. Abby immediately started getting excited and yelled "puppies!!" After we all stopped giggling, I explained to her that they were called "monkeys." From then on, she called them "punkies." She such a smart little girl! The monkeys were by far her favorite animal in the whole zoo. Rory, on the other hand, was fascinated by the lions. She kept saying "here kitty kitty" and then growling at them when they turned to look at her. That little girl has no fear in her at all. She wanted desperately to love on the kitty. She scares me at times!! At one point, we found the goat enclosure. One of the little goats came right up to the fence to check us all out. When I sat Abby down by the fence, she flipped out... started screaming and practically climbed up my leg. She was not a fan of the goat being that close to her. Rory, however, was fascinated by the goat and wanted to pet it and love on it. She talked to the goat through the fence and her Daddy had to keep her from sticking her hand through the fence to pet it. Like I said... no fear. All in all, we had a really good time. We wrapped up the outing with a fun lunch at McDonalds. The kids and parents alike were all ready for some down-time and nap time. It's so nice to have friends close by with kiddos about the same age. It makes for fun outings!!

Pool Time Fun

Abby is so mad that Mommy and Daddy made her wear sunscreen
Rory took some time to get used to the water

Sisters playing in the pool

Throwing the ball to Mommy and Daddy

Daddy trying to convince Rory to stay in the pool

Abby playing with the ball

At the beginning of the summer, Michael and I bought a little wading pool for the girls. We have been so busy that we haven't had a chance to set it up for them until today. So, when they got up from their nap today, they had a surprise waiting for them outside! I think that they enjoyed playing in the pool. Abby was very angry at me for a while because she DID NOT want me to put sunscreen on her. Silly Abby!! She screamed at me for about 10 minutes about the silly sunscreen. We've hit a temperamental age... if you didn't guess. The girls had fun splashing and playing. Rory didn't want to stay in the pool. She wanted to explore the backyard and then jump back into the pool. It was funny to watch Michael trying to reason with her to stay in the pool or she would get grass in the pool. It got a little warm after a while, so we decided to come in and try another day. Michael and I have some new fun adventures planned for the girls. There will be more pictures to come!!

Playing with Mega Blocks!!
Rory's ready to chase the bubbles

Abby's scoping everything out

Abby chasing the bubbles

Rory running her legs off. She loves to be outside!!

Daddy and his patriotic angels!!

Daddy blowing bubbles for the girls to catch

Swinging in the swing together

"I'm not doin' nothin'" ~Abby

Rory popping her first fireworks (poppers)

Sitting in Gigi's front yard waiting for the fireworks

Daddy and Rory watching fireworks. Rory wasn't too sure about them at first, but she came around pretty quickly!!

Mommy and Abby intently watching fireworks with the same expression.

It's been a long day and we're getting sleepy

Isn't she just too adorable!?!?

Happy 4th of July from Abby

Happy 4th of July from Rory!!

We had a really nice July 4th this year. My parents were still on vacation in Colorado and Michael's grandparents were out of town, so we decided to have an "us only" holiday for once. We love spending time with all of our friends and family, but we had never spent a major holiday with just the girls before and we decided that it was time. For a special treat, Michael and I gave the girls a set of Mega Blocks. They loved them!! Michael showed them one time how they fit together and the girls were building in no time! They are so smart!! Now, they love to build towers and buildings and then knock them over. They will just giggle and laugh. It's so much fun to watch and listen to!! We played outside together, blew bubbles, watched cartoons, made (and ate) homemade ice cream, popped poppers and watched fireworks! We were a little cautious about popping any fireworks around the girls (SAFETY FIRST), but we did elect to get the little poppers that you throw on the ground and pop. The girls watched Mommy and Daddy do a few and then were ready to try themselves. They did really well with them!! They didn't put them in their mouth (which was my fear). They just threw them to the ground like they were supposed to do like big girls!! It amazes me how they can watch us do something and then know how to do it for themselves. Both girls really enjoyed the homemade ice cream that we had for dinner. The highlight of the evening, though, was the fireworks. My grandmother lives close to the park where they fire the fireworks, so her front yard is perfect to view them from. It's close enough to see, but far enough away to stay out of the traffic. At first, the girls didn't know what to make of the fireworks. They were too little last year and didn't remember them at all. But, after a little while, they really got into watching the fireworks!! When they would go off, Rory would say "Oh no Mommy, oh no!!" Abby would say "Oooooh Pitty (pretty)!!" My grandmother's neighbors got a kick of listening to the girls' excitement!! We had a very nice 4th of July this year. We missed seeing our family, but it was nice to spend it together with the girls!!

Colorado Vacation 2009

Mt. Capulin volcano

Rory's ready for an ADVENTURE!!

Abby calling Papa on her foot phone... Oh to be that flexible

Our mighty guide!!

Soooooo sleepy

It's been a long trip

A herd of elk

The fog rolling in over the mountain

Michael working on the deck

Abby and Daddy on the unfinished deck

(This picture scares Mommy!)

Rory is so proud that she got to go out on the deck with Daddy

(This picture also scares Mommy!)

Abby helping her Gigi in the kitchen

Rory discovered the fun of magnets!!

Silly Abby!!

The deck is almost done!!! Michael is working hard to help finish it!!

Rory is tired from directing traffic all day!!

Abby has worked hard all day long

Michael using the power saw for the first time!!! My Handyman!!!

Rory loooooooved being outside on the deck!

Abby is playing us some mountain music on the chair!

What a hansom man!!

Abby and Rory looking for Daddy below the deck

Rory loved sitting on the spiral staircase!!

Fisherman Braxton

Look at that fish!!!

Michael's first fish of the day

Rory's hair is finally long enough to put in pigtails!!

Rory in the hammock with Papa

When Grandchildren Attack!!

Abby sitting high up on the stairs

(Yet another scary picture for Mommy)

Braxton's castle

"Who goes there!?!?"

Gigi and Abby

It's too early for pictures, Mommy!

Stretching our legs on the way home

Abby's such a big girl and is exploring

" Can I help you?" ~Rory

Headed home!!

At the end of June, we left for vacation at our family's cabin in Colorado. We decided that it was time to get out of town for a while and thought that the girls would enjoy discovering all the new things that the Colorado cabin has to offer. We were right!! While the girls didn't really enjoy the long car trip (about 6 1/2-7 hours one way), they went wild over all of the new discoveries that they made!! We all saw wildlife (deer, elk, wild turkey, squirrels, birds... etc.). Anything new that the girls didn't know the name for was automatically "puppy." It was too funny!! While we were there, Michael and my dad decided to rebuild/repair the deck area. The deck is 16 ft. off the ground and they were working with very little between them and a long fall. It was scary, but they did wonderful! The girls stood at the door that leads out to the deck (behind a baby gate, of course) and directed them as to what they needed to be doing. The girls would say "oh! Daddy!" or "no, no Papa!" When Michael started using the power saw to cut the boards for the deck, both girls completely lost it and started screaming "no Daddy!!!" They were so worried that loud saw was getting their Daddy. If you haven't figured it out yet, they are very protective of Daddy!! Michael, my dad, Braxton, Shandra and I went fishing one day while we were there. Braxton was so excited to go fishing for the very first time! We were so amazed. He caught a fish less than five minutes after he put his line in the water!! It was a nice size fish, too!!! What a little fisherman he may turn out to be!! The girls were quite the little helpers the whole time that we were at the cabin. Abby loved to be in the kitchen directing traffic and rearranging for us!! When I was cooking in the kitchen, both girls would carry a plastic cup and spoon around stirring up their imaginary food. They would even give us a "bite." It amazes me how much they imitate us already! There are so many fun things that the girls got a chance to do while we were in Colorado. It was so much fun watching them experience everything for the first time!! We were also amazed at how well the girls have done since having tubes put in their ears!! Both girls are talking more and more (which we didn't think was possible for Rory). Abby isn't even the same child as she was before the surgery!! She is happier. She talks all the time. She laughs and carries on with her sister. It's amazing!!! We are thankful for a good vacation time where we could focus on the girls and everything that they are doing now instead of running from place to place like we seem to at home. We came home before everyone else beacuse Michael is going to take his state certification test so that he will be certified to teach both Latin and History. All in all, it was a great vacation and we look forward to going back again!