Pictures of Lake Ouchita

These are some photos Matt took on our get-away hike while we were on vacation.

This is the cabin we stayed in. It was great, with a big, scenic deck across the back.

Camille rides a horse

Camille rode a horse for the first time while we were in Arkansas. His name is Droopy. Camille was very stiff and still but looked to be having a great time during her 15 minute ride around the ring. At the end of the ride she bragged that she didn't fall off the horse.



Here you can see her hair tickling her face, but she wouldn't move a hand until we told her it was okay.

Lily rode Mommy in the backpack.

Vacation to Arkansas

We took a vacation to Arkansas last week. Here is Lily eating in her travel high chair. Lily and Camille took turns in the high chair since Camille spent the first half of the week saying that she couldn't reach the table without it.

The cabin was nice and spacious. Camille learned to play Go-Fish with Mommy.

Lily's crawling

Lily's on the move now. When something motivates her, she can crawl quite quickly. This past week, and today especially, Lily has really had a break through. The fight is on because Lily always wants to go get what Camille is playing with, and Camille does not want to share because, true enough, "Lily will get them all slobbery."
For Daddy's birthday I bought 2 little cheesecake slices for us to share because we were going out of town on vacation the next day. Tragically, the cake slices fell onto the floor as I was opening the package. Camille thought it was a hoot to put candles in the cake slices on the floor and sing happy birthday.

Here's a photo from a few weeks ago when Camille went to Houston for "Go Diego Go" Live production. She had a blast! Here she's wearing her Baby Jaguar mask.

Camille's swimming lessons

Camille started swimming lessons every evening this week. She goes Mon-Thurs this week and next week. She's having a blast! These photos were from the first day when she wouldn't blow bubbles and didn't want to get her face wet. She's doing better now. Today she plugged her nose and went under water. The parents are kept away in a parent corral area. It was a cold walk back to Daddy after swimming. When Matt got her wrapped up he took a picture, but Camille didn't realize he was taking the picture yet. The last picture you can see when Camille was saying "cheese!!!!!!!" at the top of her lungs. What a goof!

Mmm Cheerios!

Lily has started to eat, and loves, Cheerios and baby puff snacks. She's also rocking on hands and knees and scooting backwards. She loves to dwang the doorstops, and Camille knows it's her job to watch Lily carefully to make sure to take away the door stop plastic tip if Lily gets it off (so she doesn't eat it). Lily really wants to crawl--she sees so many of Camille's toys that she wants to steal! It won't be long.

"Help I'm behind bars!" My mom's neighbor lent us this play yard for Lily. She thinks it's fun (when she's not whining for Mom to pick her up).

Finally sleeping Lily

Lily has been a good sleeping baby and easy to put to sleep for most of her life. Just recently she's become much more clingy during the day as well as at night. For quite a while I've been rocking her to sleep, and she would usually fall asleep easily and sleep all night. For the past few weeks I would have to go to her in the night 1-2 times to replace the pacifier and recently she's been wanting to be rocked back to sleep in the night. To top it off she was also waking up soon after being put down at bedtime. So, we've decided to have her start learning to put herself to sleep. Unfortunately for everybody that means crying. So, the first night after some intense crying this is how we found Lily asleep--head under the bumper pad with just enough room to breathe. Sweet little thing!

Lily's crib toy

Yes, we're all still here. I just haven't had time to post on the blog lately.

We lowered Lily's crib since she's experimenting with the idea about pulling up to stand. Now there's room for the crib toy. Lily loved it from first sight, but she'd really like to stand up so she could reach things better.

Lily attacks!

I think Kady lost another life tonight. Lily got her in such a strong hold that Kady just waited, without moving, until I came to her rescue. If you look at Lily's face you can almost see the growl she was making at the time. Lily is very interested in Kady and lunges to try to touch her. Poor Kady is so neglected that she'll put her life on the line just to get some attention:)

Houston pics

One more pic

I couldn't pass up putting this picture on the blog! Lily has 6 teeth now, but only 2 on the bottom.

More Galveston pictures

You can see Camille's sandcastle, complete with a moat. In the photo you can also see the storm coming in. We had to pack up when we started to see lightening. The reason there is so much debris on the beach is that it was storming before we got there, thus stirring up all the gunk in the water.

Lily couldn't say awake any longer.

Camille and Papa digging a hole in the sand.


Camille loved playing in the waves.

Galveston pictures

Lily had lots of fun on her first trip to the beach. True, Galveston is not the most beautiful beach, but the kids couldn't have had more fun. Lily first experienced playing in the sand. Unfortunately Lily also ate a little mud. In that first picture you can see my hand coming in to stop her taste testing but just a second too late. In the last picture you can see the remnants of Lily's mud pie.

cuties!

Lily loves to stand up! I help her to her feet and then she has a big time!

We went to Houston for the weekend and Galveston on Saturday. Camille was excited to try out the DVD player in Papa's new truck. Here you can see Camille enthralled in a Disney movie. She's wearing the headphones even though the sound was on for everyone to hear. She's holding a ball of yarn while Nana knits in the seat next to her. Camille requires Nana to ask, saying please, whenever she wants Camille to unroll some more yarn.

Pat-a-Cake

Lily and Mom playing pat-a-cake. We call Lily "fruit loop" these days because of these PJs.
Last night Lily and Camille had a great time shaking their baby teething rattles, which Camille insists is a bell. I got out Lily's for her to chew on and Camille wanted hers too. These are rattles given by their Smith great grandparents. It was so cute because Camille would start shaking and Lily would shake hers too.



Yesterday while Matt was not home Camille played independently outside in the sprinkler as I fed Lily inside. Here she is washing the window. She would repeatedly go to the sprinkler and get her hands wet and then come back over to the window.

Camille's got style!

3 year olds can have an interesting sense of style! Note the orange swimsuit coverup with the green hat, blue sunglasses, and silver flipflops. I think she looks adorable. I guess it's my fault because I'm responsible for buying all but the sunglasses.

Here's a photo capturing the reason Camille may be soon asking for a bigger bed. Yes, there in the bed with Camille are Sunshine Rabbit, Sterling Bear, Mr. Moose, Chicken-Duck (we can't decide what it is), Pinkie the pig, Goldie the dog, 4 lovie blankies, and Priscilla the doll complete with her bassinet and diaper bag.


Camille had fun on Grandpa's boat with Grandpa and Daddy, and then she had fun playing in the waterspouts. She apparently had several near misses with the surprise water spray up from the ground. The funny part is that Matt and Dad saw it all unfolding and Camille was oblivious, having a marvelous time.

Summer time fun

Camille is having a wonderful time playing outside since the weather has warmed up. Every evening I set up the sprinkler and Camille has a blast. She bought a squirt gun at the Dollar store and squirts everything she can find--the tree, the fence, the windows. It's harmless and lots of fun.


This photo doesn't capture it, but Camille has a black eye from falling into the bricks outside at school. Camille is always on the move and gets lots of boo boos.