Camille's castle

I think Camille's favorite gift is the playhouse tent that we bought her. She loves "ringing the doorbell" and then going in and out of the door. Of course, she always wants someone to play with her. She somehow convinced her Nana and Papa to squeeze into the castle with her. It was all pretty funny!--Stephanie

3rd Birthday party

We had Camille's 3rd birthday party this weekend with Carol and Jamey. She was very excited to open presents and have cake. I made a cake with real cream cheese icing, which she really liked. Her only request regarding the cake was that it be green. She blew out the candle like she'd been practicing all year. I never have been any good at writing in icing, so this year I used little candy letters to decorate "Happy Birthday Camille." She insisted on eating every letter off other people's cake slices. She thinks she already turned 3, and I haven't really corrected her. On Tuesday I'll tell her that it's September 19th and actually her real birthday. She'll have a cupcake party at school that day with Dora plate and party hats. I'm going to decorate the white cupcakes with green sprinkles and 3 skittles each. Come to think of it, I should probably make every cupcake have the same color candies to avoid fights. I'm going to send a disposable camera for the teacher to take pictures. I thought about going for the party, but I figure she wouldn't act the same with me there (she'd want to sit on my lap, etc). I know Camille had a great day!--Stephanie

More birthday pictures

Camille has only recently started liking much in the way of sweets. She actually ate most of this big piece of birthday cake! Camille liked wearing her "Birthday Girl" crown but toward the end of her cake eating she decided that it was much more fun to wear like glasses. She is also fully able to eat with a fork, but fingers are much more fun!--Stephanie

More new room pictures

Camille's new room

Camille has graduated to her new big-girl room. She's been in it a couple of weeks and hasn't even looked back to the nursery. Actually, the first night she slept in the big bed I didn't have a rail up on the window side of the bed. During the night she managed to fall down between the bed and the window. At 2am I heard her crying out for me in the baby monitor, and I went upstairs to her room. Her nightlight is bright enough that I can see around the room but I couldn't see her. After a split second of panic I saw her leg sticking up beside the bed and I quickly fished her out from behind the bed. She was disoriented and upset. I asked her if she wanted to go back to her crib for the rest of the night. She said "No, I just want to sleep in my big bed." I grabbed pillows and stuffed them around the bed. She went back to sleep easily/ The next morning I put the rail on the other side of the bed. The bed rails are no statement of beauty, but we were thankful to a former co-worker of Matt's giving them to us. They are really nice because they fold down for easier bed-making.

Camille's room request was that her room be green. Her favorite color is green. My mom shopped around and found a really great quilt and green checked sheets. She was very nice to decorate the room. She has more of a flair for that sort of thing than I do. Though the photos sort of distort the colors, the room is all pink and green. The baskets will be great for organizing her toys. Camille uses a stool to climb up on her tall bed. She loves having her name on the wall and having a magnet board on the back of her closet to display her latest work of art. She sure is growing up!--Stephanie

Barbie Jeep

Camille's Nana and Papa bought her a Barbie Jeep before she stayed with them for a week back in July. She loved it, of course! She remembered playing with her cousins' jeep a few months earlier. The Barbie Jeep has been staying in Houston because we really didn't have a place to keep it here. Matt recently bought rubbermaid shed that's perfect for the jeep and her tricycles now (and for bicycles and other outdoor toys in the future). Here is a picture of Camille riding around our backyard. She's not adept at steering yet, but getting better. It's still a Daddy/Camille contact sport at this point. Camille also loves the shed, which she affectionately calls the "barn." Camille driving into the barn is scary, but luckily everything is made of plastic.

I started my maternity leave a little earlier than expected. My body hasn't been coping with this pregnancy as easily as the first. My doctor and I agreed that it would be best for me to stop working. It's given me more time to rest because Camille still goes to preschool. I've also had a chance to take care of many loose ends around here, resting whenever I need to. Though my belly looks small compared to many pregnant women, I'm already pretty uncomfortable in my 8th month. The baby had found some nerves to pound on, which stops me in my tracks. My body goes kind of involuntary, and I feel like I've been struck by lightning. I found bought a reclincer for my little study, and Matt ran the cable to my little TV. It's been really nice. I've seen Matt eyeing my chair, but he wouldn't dare steal from a pregnant woman. --Stephanie