Family Time

By Carmen

Tyler and I are making it a point to go to the park on Saturdays.  We really enjoy going. The weather was perfect and the park was beautiful.  I've never lived anywhere that had such beautiful parks.

This weekend Annley got to not only stop and smell the flowers but touch them and pick them as well.  Tyler makes sure she gets to have all these little experiences.  I'm so grateful he enjoys introducing her to new things.

I think Annley was more interested in the flowers than Tyler was.

Annley is a lot like Tyler in a lot of ways.  They both have contagious laughs, both are very animated, and they both love technology.  Tyler loves his laptop and takes it everywhere with him, if Annley sees him with the lap top that is where she wants to be.  She loves typing (slapping) the keys. See for yourself.

               

Mail

By Carmen

Annley and Nana usually check the mail together.  I'm starting to think it may be one of Annley's favorite parts of the day.  Actually its not even the walk to the mailbox that is so exciting, its what happens after they get back.

Annley gets perched on the island (in the kitchen) and is given all the "junk" mail to play with.  She has learned that some of the junk mail crinkles which makes it even more fun.  Now she thinks all the mail is hers to crinkle and eat.

Annley's newest facial expressions

By Carmen

Annley and I have been having lots of fun the last few weeks.  Annley has the ability to make me laugh harder than just about anyone.  She is learning new facial expressions each day.  Here are just a few. We have shocked, pleased, curious, focused, confused and ecstasy.  

 

   

 

  

More Right Now

By Carmen

I thought it was time for a family update.  Tyler just got a new job down in Greer, SC at Digital Technology Products as a Sales Manager.  His first official day is tomorrow and he is very excited.

This weekend Tyler, Annley and I had some much needed family time. We went to the park and walked about 2 miles. It was so nice to just get out of the house for a little while.  She loved seeing all the dogs and was intrigued by bicycles. 

Annley is getting bigger everyday and we are also seeing more of her personality.  She has a ton of energy and loves to constantly be on the move.  Her latest accomplishments are; sitting up on her own, pushing up on her hands and knees, standing on up while holding on to something of course (we have to stand her up first) and always jumping as much as possible.

 

She loves to laugh and play with us as well as on her own, this gives me much more freedom.  Last week we started her on baby food; she loves it.  Her favorite foods so far are peaches, applesauce, butternut squash and peas.  She really really wants to try grown up food and tries to put everything in her mouth and makes eating movements with her mouth.

Annley has been working on teeth now for about 3 months and she is just about to get her first 2.  I'm pretty excited for this but it also seems too soon.

We love our little one and hope you enjoy the pictures.

Ike's Pets

By Tyler

So I checked the news this morning and apparently there's a hurricane.  They've named it Ike.

Now, this was obviously not news to me.  What was news to me was that, for a limited time only, you too can adopt an adorably water-damaged pet from the Humane Society that has been rescued from Ike's allegedly devastating path.  That must've been news worthy because it was in the news.

I say "allegedly devastating" because I'm not personally there and I can't possibly know for myself how bad it is, except as evidenced by what's in the media.

So here's what the media's told me:  It's a category 4 hurricane and the National Weather Service has proclaimed "Certain Death" on any person who doesn't evacuate.  Which is kind of a bum deal.

And yet, with all the doom-and-gloom reporting by all the news outlets, the only photos I can find aren't devastating at all.  They're all... well... pretty amusing.  Here's my favorite:

My prayers go out to her.

Food is Subjective

By Tyler

Annley is enjoying new foods.  Gone are the days that Carmen and I could simply mix up some formula and reassuringly nuzzle a warm bottle's nipple into our little one's mouth.  No sir.  She's officially at that age that she's set herself out on an adventure to know what everything tastes like.

Formula?  Boring!  But what about kitty-cat tail?  Delicious!

Here are some pictures of a few new flavors Annley's been trying out:

Conversely, Carmen and I are eating things that we should already know won't do us any good.  Those things tend to come back and haunt us later.

Circle of life.  While Annley's obsessing over putting whatever she can reach into her mouth, Carmen and I try to be a little more cautious about what ends up in ours.

Humpty Jumpty Dumpty

By Tyler

***

Carmen, Annley and I are all at Carmen's parents' house for the weekend.  I was finally able to catch up with them yesterday and we spent the whole day playing.  Annley's learned a few new tricks (like vocalizing specific sounds for specific needs) and mastered some old ones (as seen in the above video).

I was so happy to be with my family again, I had the camera out all morning.  The above was the result.