We have been busy enjoying the summer since we returned from our Michigan vacation. I took Anna to her first ever movie. I knew she was a bit young (she isn't even two) but it was a free movie on a really hot day. I decided that in the worst case scenario we could at least enjoy some popcorn. We went with a bunch of friends and Anna made it over an hour before we had to leave. The girls both had a good time and loved their popcorn, although Emma was a bit upset that we had to leave early. The movie was Happy Feet 2.
Happy Feet 2
Look at all of this candy! All I really want is popcorn!
Yummy popcorn
After the movie we played in the fountains. Emma had a blast. Anna was a bit slow to warm up to them.
Another day was spent at our local park. The girls had a blast and I brought my camera for once:)
We have also been doing some cooking. Girls love to lick the beaters. Mom still wishes that their were three beaters because I never get one anymore. I guess that is a good problem to have:)
This past weekend we drove to Annapolis to take a tour of the Naval Academy, eat some crabs, and check out the town. It rained all day, but it didn't damper our fun. The girls both thought it was so much fun that we were letting them outside in the rain! Our first stop was the Naval Academy.
Bancroft Hall which is the dormitory for all of the cadets. Beautiful building!
Cadets running. They actually do the banter back and forth between the instructors and cadets. It was very fun to listen to.
Our lunch spot - famous Cantler's
Crab for Jay
Digging into the crab - it took him forever!!!
I also took the girls to a local park and brought my camera along for a photo shoot. I got some super cute pictures of the girls!
Anna is finally learning to use her spoon correctly. She does a great job with her fork but has refused to use her spoon up until the past couple weeks. I personally LOVE how she opens her mouth as wide as possible in hopes to land her spoon inside somewhere:)
This is just a silly video of Emma, her friend Hannah, and Anna pushing strollers throughout the house one night in their jammies. It shows the typical chaos that is part of our normal daily life:) Anna decided for some reason that it would be fun to pull the stroller backwards. It was super cute.
We recently returned from our annual July trip to Michigan. We spent a week and half and put 2160 miles on our car! We arrived at Jay's parents house at the wee hours of the morning.
Anna fell asleep in the car with baby Stella
We visited Great Grandma Charney the first day and took her out for lunch. The girls especially loved rocking in her chair and spinning it around and around and around.
We then spent a few days at Nana and Papa's house playing and spending time with Aunt Jenny, Uncle Seth, Kole and Sydney. We also managed to finally get our family pictures done (after a photographer no show and a reschedule the next day!). We would all agree that it is nice to have those pictures done:)
Anna loves to snuggle her dolls
No, Papa! Don't take my Popsicle!
Sprinkler fun
Nana was a good sport and ran through the sprinkler with the girls too!
Although this is proof she tried to duck out of this round:)
Anna had to stop to try and take a drink
We then went to visit Great Grandpa Jay. The girls had fun with their cousins "painting" the patio at his Assisted Living facility.
Emma and Anna with their cousin Sydney
Our next stop was across the state to Kalamazoo where we visited Great Grandpa Bill
We stayed the night with my Aunt Jenny and Uncle Gary who had a little Gnome waiting to welcome the girls! We enjoyed a great dinner with them and the girls got to swim in their pool, which they loved!
Next stop on the road trip was up to northern Michigan where Grandma and Grandpa were camping. Darian and Kennedy were there for the week and Emma stayed at the campground in the tent with Kennedy every night. Jay, Darian, Anna, and I stayed the night at Great Grandma Charney's house for the week which is on the lake just a few miles down the road.
Anna was visiting with the boys
Darian practicing her back walkovers at sunset. I LOVE this picture!!
Sunset on Mullett Lake. Absolutely beautiful! This is why we keep coming back:)
The rest of the week was spent doing lots of boating and swimming. The girls LOVE the boat and swimming!
Here they are putting there hands in the air like a roller coaster ride:)
Emma enjoying the campfire and just waiting with baited breath for a s'more
Anna playing with her friend Avery on the tube
This is our princess Emma at a campground. In her tutu. No surprise for anyone who knows her!
Hmmmmm. Do I love Grandpa Big John?
YES! Of course I do!
Snuggles with Grammy on the boat
Grandpa and Grandma sudsing the girls up for their annual Mullett Lake bath
All soaped up!
Happy 4th of July!
Anna wanted more dessert. She decided she might get some by licking her plate. It was seriously adorable!
Family walk to get ice cream
Our best friends Aimee and Phil totally surprised us and came home to MI to visit from Milwaukee. They just had a new baby 2 weeks before and weren't planning on making the trip. We were so excited to see them and meet their precious new baby, Kyla Jane!! We are also beyond excited to be her God parents and will be going back to MI over labor day for her baptism. Times have certainly changed and we have gone from zero kids 4 years ago to having 5 kids 4 years old and younger between us! We are so lucky to have such awesome friends!
Sweet Kyla Jane
The boys with Emma and Ben
Aimee keeping Kyla in the shade on a hot day
Phil and Owen playing in the water
How many toys can Emma bring up the steps at once?!?
Jay getting in on the baby action and snuggling up with Kyla:)
What is better than swimming in gorgeous Mullett Lake, holding a sweet baby in one arm and a beer in the other?
First ever campfire at Great Grandma Charney's house
Uncle Ryan let Emma drive the boat
Emma is our little fish and loved jumping into the water over and over and over again
Daddy and Anna having fun. Daddy didn't do the best job catching her on the second throw and she did a belly flop!
Most of this blog is dedicated solely to Emma and Anna because, frankly, that is what everyone wants to see. Jay and I are totally ok with this, but I have decided to put a rare clip of him and I water skiing to show that we still have what it takes all these years later:) In our mid thirties, we have noticed our endurance isn't what it used to be and we are sore for days (and days and days). However, we can still do it!! First video is Jay.
Keri
We had a nice drive back to Virginia. Some of our good friends Lindsey and Shane happened to be at a wedding in Toledo for the weekend. We had to drive through Toledo so we were able to meet them for a quick breakfast (at high class McDonald's) and it was so nice to see them!
Lindsey with Emma and Anna
The girls were so well behaved on ALL 2,160 miles!! We could not have asked for better behaved children. When we walked into the house Sunday night Emma instantly began crying. She cried and cried and I couldn't get her to tell me what was wrong. She finally started saying that she didn't want to be home in Virginia. She wanted to be back in Michigan. Poor thing! She had so much fun and was just beyond exhausted from all the fun and the driving.
We are settling back into regular life this week and the girls are bored since they don't have a boat and a lake and grandparents and cousins and junk food and ice cream and no rules to entertain them. I have tried to keep them busy with the park, trip to the library, movie, pool, water fountains to play in, and the list goes on. A post on all of this will be coming in the future. Unfortunately, mom's entertainment doesn't compare to any of the grandparents!
I don't really remember what information I have posted to keep you updated on Anna. Her EEG came back completely normal, which we are beyond grateful for. We have officially started weaning from her meds. It is a slow process and will take a few months. Please keep sending prayers her way during this big transition! We will be going back to Boston in August for her developmental assessment and she also has an important appointment in August with the pediatric nephrologist. I will keep you posted on how those appointments turn out. She is really starting to make some progress with her speech. I had to make a word list this week and she can say about 45 words! Have a great weekend!
