summer fun

just a picture update!

G's photos

As promised, here are just a FEW of the pictures Gabby took. Most of the ones she took of us are unflattering, so I picked some of the best! Here is her "cheerer" she uses at sporting events (the picture I have of her with the camera is her taking this picture).

She actually got Clayton, the blur of blue and black clothes!
Elliot's arm and my nursing cover.Clayton being Coach!
Close up of her face. There are many of just her eye or nose too!
Her soccer ball!The mess that is our shoe basket!

Champs!

NOPF (Clay's work) is the new Dam Neck (navy base) softball champions! They pulled out a win tonight to clench the title. I got to take the team photo even. I am working on a new juggling act, tonight at the game I practiced.... big camera around my neck, Elliot in one arm, Gabby needing to go potty (that means running the bathroom, unbuttoning her pants and getting her up on the toilet). It was successfull! Potty training is great, she doesn't even want to wear a pull up to bed (so far only one night we have had an accident, I blame the big glass of water Clay gave her!) Gabby has another new hobby, photography! Clayton lets her use his camera and she snaps away! Lots of close ups of things you cant tell what they are, some more of herself and lots of fingers. I think my next post I will have to upload some of her pictures!

Love Him!

June news

June has come and gone, and boy was it a quick month! I will try to capture it in pictures, because otherwise I can't remember what we did! My mom came for a visit once the school year ended (thanks to the extra week tacked on due to SNOW days). We were all anxious for her to come, and it wasn't nearly long enough since she had to get back home so she could jet off to Finland with my aunt and my godmother.

We had a great visit with my mom, and one of the favorite things we did was go to the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. It was a first for all of us, but not the last- my mom bought me a membership so we can go all year long. It is a gorgeous place, they have a newly opened butterfly exhibit but the best thing by far is in the children's World of Wonder..... a "splash pad" which is pretty much a playground full of sprinklers. I am excited to go back because it is something I can do on hot days with both kids while Clayton is working.

Speaking of water, we have become regular faces at our complex pool. It is a nice small pool that rarely has more than 3 people in it. Elliot went for his first swim and loved it, no crying at all. Gabrielle is a regular fish in the water, and even "swims by herself" (really she uses two noodles and kicks all around the pool, but all on her own with one of us close by). Clayton and Gabby have been going together when it opens in the mid-morning (on days he works a late shift) and even have a new friend they play with there, a girl named Virginia who is 5.

Making it easier for Clay to get to work and the kids and I to be out at the same time, is the addition of a second car! I call it Clay's car, since I only get to drive it if he is here and I run to the store (no car seats in it). We got a 2003 Mazda 6. It is much nicer than I would expect for that 'old' of a car and it only has 46K miles on it- plus power everything.

Elliot had his two month check up. He weighed in at 13.4 lbs and 23.4 inches long. He is a big boy! He is a pretty happy boy, and loves to smile and even almost giggles! Except when I eat something like dairy, beans, onions, etc. then he has gas (but he has gas all the time).

One reason I haven't blogged is due to an injury. I had an accident with hot wax and spilled it all over my left hand and a few splatters on the right. After going to urgent care, I was left with a total of 5 fingers and the top of my left hand bandaged. 8 days later I still have my hand wrapped up but all the fingers are free!

Gabrielle is a big girl these days! She is pretty much potty trained! We are all very thrilled and excited about it, she loves to poop in the toilet now too! She wears a pull up to bed, but gets up between 1-6 times before falling asleep to go pee (sometimes I think it is a ploy to not go to sleep). She is however developing a little bit of an attitude, evidenced by this quote "Don't say those mean words. It makes me upset. I don't want you to tell me to put my shoes away!" I am trying to be strict, and not let her get away with it because I do not want it to become permanent. She is becoming a great artist though, and draws pictures of our "big face, big legs and toes."

picture catch up!

Bub

Bub is the nickname I have affectionately given Elliot. It has its variations, such as Bubsy, Buberonie, Bubby. Gabby even calls him Bub sometimes. Mr Bub sure is growing, he seems big to me these past few days. His neck is getting very strong and he smiles too (although not that I have been able to capture it on camera).

In other news, we just went ahead and did it.... we have been (well me mostly) talking about getting a fancy camera. I know nothing about them and didn't know how to pick one but we bought one that seemed pretty good. Clayton is so generous and supportive, he said that I wouldn't learn how to use one if I didn't have one and that is why they give you a manual! We bought a Canon Rebel, T1i. I have figured out how to take a picture and charge the battery.. the battery stinks (which is what reviews said was the downfall) and doesn't last long. I am excited to start to figure out how it works, what all the different settings do and eventually down the road buy another lens to play with! I also don't know how the new software works... so lets hope I can get it to work! This may mean that you all get more pictures posted here! oh and tonight when I took Gabby to the store she insisted she needed to buy a donut, even though she has had one a total of once in her life! of course she wanted the powdered one!