Dad & Elaine's visit

My dad came to visit this weekend, and Tony came home from a 2 week trip to Australia. I also got to help host a fun baby shower for one of my favorite people in the world, Jessica (lots of details on the Pence and Rucker blogs - see links at the very bottom of the page). Her toddler Joanna, who is close to Anna’s age and in the same class at school, is going to have a baby sister. Here’s what Jessica has to look forward too…

Joanna already even has this shirt (it says Big Sisters Rock!) I love this one of Emma because she is actually smiling without her tongue out. Anna didn’t want to smile for the camera – she’s definitely a girl who knows what she wants!
Anna loves to get in the crib with Emma. It is very cute!Other exciting news - Emma got her 2 bottom teeth a few weeks ago. You can't see really see them in any of these pictures, but as soon as I get a good toothy shot I'll post it. I bought Anna a package of big girl Elmo underwear today, and we'll start the hard core potty training tomorrow. My last hesitation was fear that she'd need to go potty when I had my hands tied with Emma and couldn't help. Well last week she took off her pants and diaper, went in her little potty and poured it in the big potty while I was upstairs with Emma - I'd say she's ready!!! Anton starred in a school skit about not doing drugs. They filmed it on Friday so hopefully I can put a clip on the blog soon.

Anyway, it was a happy weekend!!!! We relaxed a lot, played a lot, and ate great food. Luckily Anton loves to cook and my step mom loves to help him and take him grocery shopping. It's really only because of Anton that we ever try new and exciting dishes around here. Even when I branch out it's because he inspires me. At the shower with amazing incredible food my contribution was paper goods!! Anna kept us all entertained with her 2 year old creativity and energy, and Emma smiled and laughed her way through the weekend as usual, even with her 4th!!!! ear infection (yes we’ll be going to a specialist soon). I am SO thankful for my family!!! Enjoy the pics...

We love our Junior! He's such a good boy. If only we could train him not to shed and only bark at the boogeyman, he'd be perfect!!

It was a beautiful weekend! Thank you God!!!

Big brother love...

Oh how I wish she would actually let me use that brush sitting next to her...

If this one doesn't make you smile, you may want to visit a therapist!

Emma's been listening to Anton talk about his dreams of flying and thought she'd start practicing...

Vegetarians may want to skip to the next picture.

Mami is teaching Emma what crushing cookies for a yummy desert is all about.Emma loved bouncing up and down on Papi's leg!!

Pretty girls in Sunday dresses... (Poor Anton had a stomach bug Sunday so he was not present for the pretty Sunday dresses pictures, but then he wasn't wearing a dress anyway - he did thankfully recover by Monday morning and didn't have to miss school - YEAH for bugs that only last 24 hours).

Anna loves to eat carrots... well actually she loves to chew them up and then spit it out (yuck!!) so she doesn't get to eat them very often!! For some reason she does well with the little frozen cubed ones that come in a bag with peas so that's how I get her to eat lots of veggies. Looking mysterious...

Anna loves to rock in Mommy's old rocking chair. Emma thinks it's a party dress... getting her grove on! I like the sweet profile shot. By the way, this was the first time Emma has worn real shoes with a real sole. She was fascinated!

Anna tries on Papi's glasses.

Emma is glad Pappa is home from Australia... or maybe she really just wants to chew on the Winnie-the-Pooh burpie. Well Pappa is definitely happy to be home!!

Putting on Pappa's glasses.

Maybe Emma needs glasses!!

My funny girl!

I came home from Kroger the other day to find Anna’s doll in “Time-Out”. I thought it was hilarious!
This is where Anna sits when she misbehaves. Luckily I can’t remember the last time I had to put her there for hitting Emma. Unfortunately for Junior she still ends up there at least once a day for hitting him. Anyway, this poor doll goes to time out quite a bit lately. Anna has quite a doll collection… this one was a birthday gift, as well as another one just like it with red hair. I have mentioned to Anna before that the red haired doll looks like her and the dark haired doll looks like Emma. I don’t know if that’s the reason this particular doll goes to time out…she also plays with this doll more than the others recently - changes her diapers, reads her stories, and oh yes even nurses her... oh if we could get inside the mind of a 2 year old!!

Of course I had to get in a cute one of Emma.
In High School news, I took Anton out to eat with his girlfriend Megan last Saturday (with the girls). It was great fun!! It’s funny that the momentous occasion was also the 1st time I tried to feed Emma real food out at a restaurant. She likes real food about as much as Anna did at that age – NOT! But anyway, Megan is a sweet girl and we are so grateful Anton actually wants to hang out with us and his girlfriend. Hopefully the trend will continue when he’s driving on his own!!!

Other random shots - from playgroup last week… the parks people finally pulled the dead/fallen trees from the greenbelt and the tree trucks came by to pick them up on Friday during playgroup.
It was a big hit with the kiddos.

Anna holding hands with our sweet friend Abby. Abby is the kind of baby who is so sweet that the other kids are always nice to her and don’t mind sharing toys with her. It’s quite amazing because they normally have a little struggle with that.

Even though she doesn't always want to share, Anna always loves to have all her friends over for playgroup. It’s a good thing because I sure love having MY friends over for playgroup!

Going back in time a little are some birthday party shots. Anton did a great job as party photographer! We really had a fun time, and I was thrilled that so many of my old “single days” friends came with their families. Anna had a really great day at her “happy party”! She LOVES LOVES LOVES birthday parties and especially the balloons. I tried to scatter the balloons throughout the house in small clusters but she wanted them all together and walked around the house for a good part of the party dragging them along. I was very happy and relieved that she actually let me give a balloon to each child as they left the party!! There’s a few before and after the party shots too - so sorry they’re all out of order!!

Going back in time a little more – FINALLY some pictures from Emma’s baptism (it was in August!) Sorry the pictures are not in any logical order again, but they were all taken that weekend. We had a wonderful celebration of this blessed sacrament with both my mom and my dad.