Hiatus over?

As if I ever did anything with any regularity or consistency...but wow-not posting since Jan 7!  Bad girl. So, minor appologies to the 2 people who ever read this thing :)

Kate has been developing so fast I fear I will forget all the huge milestones she is flying past if I don't put it all here.

First teeth at 4 1/2 months.  Been chewing on her hand and stuff (right now its Daddy's smelly sock-nice!) since then but no more teeth.  Even so, I still have to throw her on my lap (daily), wrench open her mouth and do a tooth check.  She laughs at me.  Maybe even scoffs. Nah.

Started rolling over at 6 months.  Opps. I'm back. She'd stopped eating the smelly sock and was trying to eat stuff from the carpet. I have my standards!  After learning to roll over, the world was her oyster! Rolled here, there and under every where.  I'd come back in the room and see a head sticking out under the couch.

In the past 3 weeks she has started crawling.  It still isn't up on her knees (I spelled that nees first-ha) but it gets her where she needs to be.  At daycare she crawls under the cribs, under chairs, etc.  They'll be kicking her out of the infant room soon, to the mobile infants.  That whole idea made me a little verklempt until she returned from my mom and dad's house this weekend sitting straight up.  Grandma Catherine (and, well, me) almost cried.  Our little girl is growing up.  It's time.

She can feed herself her bottle.  She eats ANYTHING we give her, including avocado (which she stares at the ones I try to selfishly eat until I am forced to be maternal and share), hummus, banana, pasta, and on and on.  Sigh.  We are trying to teach her to sign more for more food, but I think she is already saying mmmmmm for more.  She's been doing that.  It actually sounds a little like more now.

And she can clap.  And clap at music.  And wave.  And says her version of "hi."  Oh. And has said dada.   What do I do when I hear that?  Instantly say, "Say mama!  Say mama!"  Last night at dinner she became a little scientist...Let's see what happens when I throw the towel on the floor...Wow, mom and Talia pick it up. Again and again.  Dang little developing monster!  Such a doll!

Talia is doing phenomenal at school.  Hasn't had her name on the board since she returned after the winter holidays.  Her writing has improved 100%.  She attends and answers questions in class.  She tells me what they do in class.  She actually got "Bobcat of the week" last week!!!  She and her cousin and 2 other friends also were in a talent show at school and sang "We are the World."  I'll post pics soon.   We are still having some tantrums at home but I am upping my game and her doctor upped her meds so they'd last longer.  So, I'm hopeful.   I've just spent the last 4 days reading the. entire. internet.  (Mike and I got the horrid stomach virus-me worse than him) and found lots of ideas for streamlining house stuff so I can spend more time with the girls.  Mike has been home (sick, too) but it has been so wonderful having him at home at night to talk with, to help with the girls, to put one to bed, to just dialogue with...really very sad that he is returning to health, and work, today.

Off to wake the older beastie!  It snowed a tad last night (twice in one year!) and the girls' schools have a 2 hour delay.  Hense, I blog and the older one sleeps.  Kate-not so much.

Talent show Pic

4 amigos singing "We are the World."

Snow Day!

A few pics of the 8 inches of snow we had! Too cool.

Wine Tour!

Some friends and I went to the Yadkin Valley area and toured FOUR wineries. The second winery gave us 16 wines to taste! Yikes. We had a blast. After the wineries we went to Full Moon, a local restaurant, and had delicious food. Then we slept.


I think I was thinking about the 4 S's of wine tasting...


My sis, the lush.


SIXTEEN!


Them. :)