Summer time is fading fast

This is the last week before Ms Emma starts back at Burkhead Preschool on Tuesday (notice the background change :o). We have been taking full advantage of having fun this summer with late bedtimes (often in Mommy and Daddy's bed!), sleepovers, cookies for breakfast(!!), lots of time in the water, and a good amount of Noggin (Diego and Dora are helping her get quite the imagination!). We are hoping that this week we can work on getting into bed by 8 and sticking more to a routine throughout the day. Last year, I was a teacher at Emma's school and didn't really experience much of what it was like to have a baby at school. This year, I will be home with Luke and it will give us a chance to have some one-on-one time together and also allow me to work on the many DIY projects I have found these past few weeks. Elle is here some this week and next while Grandma and Pop enjoy a nice vacation. I know the girls are going to really enjoy themselves and I've got a fun little project planned I'll show you on Friday!
Here are a few random pictures of the last two weeks-enjoy!

 He's getting too big, too fast!

 Preparing to roll over

 He was seeping and just in a diaper, so she wanted to be a naked baby too and take a picture!

 Nana and Emma back from a ride to dinner at Putter's!

 She loves to take pictures with him!

Rollin on Over!

We officially have a roller on our hands! In the past few weeks, Luke has rolled over from his belly to his back with a little "help". Being propped up on his shoulders, a little nudge here, uneven ground there-you get the idea! He won't need anymore help after today, though. He's already rolled over three times on his own and before we know it, there will be no more containing him!

Twinkle, Twinkle

The other day we got a tent for the beach to put the babies in and Emma was infatuated! She wanted to play in it as soon as she saw it. I tried to put it in the garage and she started crying because she wanted it in her room. I put it in her room and she was so excited. She played for hours in it and ended up sleeping in it that night. She took her nap in it the next day and was planning on sleeping in that night, but she started crying around 10. I went to check on her and she said she was afraid of the monsters, so she ended up in our bed :o) She broke her night light, and ever since has had a tough time going to sleep because of the monsters and tigers (oh my!) Matt and I have already started talking about Christmas-I am more than obsessed with this holiday!-and I thought she might like to get a playhouse tent. Guess I nailed that one on the head! On a side note-we felt the earthquake too. Or I guess I should say, I felt it, because Emma was running around the house like nothing was going on! I, on the other hand, thought I was losing my mind for a minute while I was sitting on the couch feeding Luke and all of a sudden felt the whole couch shaking. I thought something was going on with the foundation of the house-ha!

 Getting ready for story time-notice Matt is focusing hard on what story to read!

 Talking to her baby about something!

 Look at that love!

 He was cracking her up!!

This is a picture of her tent coming from Santa!

Emma Talk

Here are a few more funny phrases from our sweet girl!

She's done this one for a while now-When she wants to be held she says, I want to hold you.

All sports are soccer and she always asks if you want to watch her play and sometimes she throws a ball, sometimes she kicks a ball and sometimes she just runs around!

When she gets scolded, she starts talking about herself in 3rd person and says she's in time out.

She always wants to play hide and seek-she says count to ten mommy and come find me!

She's really started saying thank you a lot. She says thank you for things we get for her. IE- she had a taco for dinner and she told me about 3 times thank you for my taco mommy. She got a new pair of pjs and she said thank you for my new jammies mommy

When she likes something shes eating she'll say mmmm that's delicious!

If she did something she's not supposed to (like color the back of the couch!) she comes to you and starts saying repeatedly hi mommy, hi mommy. Then you get to find out what she did!

When it's time for a diaper change she says my body hurts

For whatever reason she can't say won't, so when you tell her something not to do she says I will instead of I won't

Home Sweet Home

We had a great time visiting Ga this week and enjoyed plenty of her yummy home cooking. Of course, the last day of vacation is the nicest, with no rain and 80 degree weather-perfect for soaking in the sun by the pool. And let me tell you, I took full advantage of the sun! We were outside from 11-5:30 and enjoyed hamburgers by the pool for dinner too. It was nice to get away from the sweltering heat for a few days and not have to worry about the laundry or cooking. We headed home about 6 AM Thursday and both kids woke up and stayed up for almost an hour before taking little cat naps. Emma watched Toy Story 2 four times and enjoyed some M&M cookies and Cheetos. As much as we loved being away, we were all happy to be home in our own beds, although I have a feeling Emma is going to miss her fluffy air mattress!

 She LOVED the air mattress!!

Emma entertaining herself at her brother's expense

Happy as can be with her Toy Story and Cheetos!

Take me out to the ballgame....

Last night, Matt and I were able to sneak away for a bit and catch a Red Sox game. Matt has never been to Fenway and is a HUGE Sox fan, so he was really excited about going to the game. We left the house around 4:30 and after a few stops, arrived at Fenway around 6. We were able to park right outside the stadium and decided to head on in. After a lobster roll and cold beer, we found our way to our seats. We had really good seats too, grandstand left field. By the time the second inning started, there was barely an empty seat in sight. Despite their loss, we still saw a few good plays (triple play anyone?), had perfect weather and had a great time! Emma and Luke had a good time playing with Ga and Patrick too!

 The Green Monster!

 Nice view!

Road Trippin'

Early (4:40!) Saturday morning, we started our trek up to visit Ga in Massachusetts. We I opted to drive rather than fly-trying to pack sufficiently for almost a week with two little ones is hard! I would much rather be over packed than under, so I took full advantage of our mini-van rental and loaded it down with everything we might need. Six bags, two packs of diapers, two computers, one pack n play, a huge bag of snacks and tons of new toys later we were ready to roll!! Emma woke up at 3:50 that morning and didn't want to go back to sleep, we were getting ready to leave around 4:15 and Emma was awake the whole time. Once in the car, we figured she would fall back asleep. It was almost 6 before she conked out and she was awake again by 7:45. I found a bunch of little toys at Target to bring out throughout the day to entertain her. By 11:30 she was getting restless and we stopped and got a car adapter that would allow my computer to turn on and she would be able to watch movies and we were all set! She had a new Strawberry Shortcake movie and all the Toy Story movies to keep her happy. We arrived about 5:30 and all in all, I must say, the drive really wasn't that bad and much easier than lugging two babies, two car seats, toys and everything we could possibly need through the airport! I know we would've probably spent over a $100 on bags we checked and I'm not good at being a "light packer"

 Emma making sure one of the bags was big enough

 She loves this chair!

 Playin on the floor

 Ga and her great grandbabies

Luke loves his monkey

 She loves her naked Barbie-she did have a bikini, but once she figured out her clothes could come off, they haven't been on since!

NO MORE PICTURES MOMMY!!

Busy, Busy!

This past week and a half has been a whirlwind of things going on. Matt went out of town to New Mexico for a few days, and Elle came and stayed with us while he was gone. Emma was so happy to have her cousin over and it was not a dull moment at our house! The girls get along really well and play great together. They were running all over the house playing with all the toys and taking rides in Emma's pink car. We went to a cook-out Wednesday night and Thursday we went to the pool with Staten (another fun cousin!) until it started thundering. That night, some of the girls came over and the little girls went to bed. As the "big" girls were leaving, the little ones were crying in Emma's room. Elle wanted her mommy and Emma said there were monsters. After getting some fruit snacks, an episode of Olivia and climbing into our big bed, they were ready to go back to sleep! Elle went home Friday, and neither of them were happy to see the other go-but we had to get ready for our trip to Massachusetts!

 Time for the pool!

 Best Friends!!

 Elle has a crazy face!

 Taking Charlie the Monkey for a ride

Loves her baby

Picture Day

Today I thought I'd put up some pictures from the last few weeks-enjoy!!

 Cheetos hands!

 Hangin with Pop Pop

 Emma's "collection" in Luke's swing-including his "new" saddle shoes

 Holding her baby

 She wanted to read him a story

 Handsome fella

 Looking serious

 She wanted her picture made at Williams-Sonoma

Fun in the Sun

Yesterday Emma, Elle, Luke and I met Becky and Staten, Max, Jake, Sam and Anna for a pool day. Everyone was having a lot of fun and Staten did a great job at looking after the little girls. Anna was fascinated by Luke and wanted him to always have his paci, like she was. We were at the pool from 11:30-4:30 and then we came home with Elle and took baths and were off to a cook-out with Dad, Lisa and Christine. Needless to say, Emma slept like a rock last night and woke up after 10:30!

Slumber Party!

Elle came to spend the night at our house Tuesday night and they had a great time! She arrived bright and early and those two played hard-and Emma's bedroom was proof of that! Some more girl cousins came over to play for a few hours and they all had a great time. We ate dinner with Dad and Lisa and when we got home it was time for bed. I knew they would probably want to sleep in the same room, so I decided to bring Emma's twin mattress out for Elle to sleep on the floor next to Emma's bed. Emma really, REALLY wanted to sleep on the mattress with Elle, but there just wasn't room. She was devastated and crying her little eyes out. Then I had a great idea-I pulled her mattress onto the floor too. She loved it!! She started squealing and jumping up and down and climbed into bed and told me to turn the light out-ha! They talked for a few minutes and then it was silent. They were worn out!