New at the Zoo

Most people go to the zoo to see the Animals, but when we went to the Detroit Zoo on Monday I was excited to see the new trains they have there. Well, actually they aren't really new. The trains were built and donated by the Chrysler Corporation in 1949-1951, and Chrysler stepped up with a big donation to refurbish them so they look brand new. They do look very spiffy and are fun to ride on too. The best surprise about the zoo? The onion rings. That's right, the best onion rings I have ever tasted come from the Detroit Zoo. I am thinking of joining the Detroit Zoological Society just so I can have those rings on a regular basis. The rest of their food is excellent as well, but the onion rings alone are worth the price of admission. Oh yeah, they have some animals there too.

Having a blast....

with our very good friends who drove all the way from Georgia to see us.

Just a few pictures - more later.








Have a great week!

Which is which?

These are my girls, both at nine months. Definite differences - but oh so similar. If I didn't use the pictures of Paige in this outfit on previous posts - would you be able to guess who is who? Also, Paige really does have lighter eyes, but the light makes them look really dark.

I really could have spent a little more time making the scanned picture look a little better, but as it is, I am waiting for Miss Paige to wake up from her nap.

Have a lovely evening! And, just so you know - it's STILL cold.

I guess it's okay....

I tried to take a few pictures of the girls together today - okay more than a few....and I think these two are the best of the many. Emily looks good, Paige is squirmy. Paige looks cute, Emily is making a weird face. Oh well. Have a great Wednesday (only about 1/2 hour left of Tuesday).

Weekend pictures.....

Paige and I have been taking many walks this past week. The trees are all in full bloom - just beautiful.





The last time I took a picture of this tree, it was covered with snow - very pretty. I like it this way too.



This tree is in the front of our house. The pink flowers don't last long...they should be done by the end of the week.







Paige does not want to sit still for pictures anymore. So, here's the best that I have.....in her so very cute froggy pajamas.




Emily drew this very cool piece of art. I think it's a map of something. If you look closely under her nose, you can see some red and blue marker there. She has these markers that smell like fruit, and she's always smelling them, and getting them on her face.


Paige this morning - wearing her new hoodie and pants - it's only 40 degrees today. I had to go and get her some size 12 months clothes for cooler weather. She is pretty much grown out of all her nine month stuff....get ready for another bag Ryan and Julie!! I went to Carter's on Saturday looking for this hoodie and pants set that I saw a couple weeks ago. They had tons left, all different styles and colors, but this was the ONLY 12 month size. I guess I was lucky to get this one. I was even willing to get her one of the boy ones, but there were none in her size. Crazy. Hopefully, it will be getting warmer soon.......

Nine Whole Months

It's been nine whole months since this little bundle of energy, cuteness, sweetness, happiness, crabbiness, and of course, joy has come into our life. I remember wondering while I was pregnant:

"What is she going to look like?"

"What kind of personality is she going to have?"

"Is she going to be a sleeper?"

"Is she going to have colic?"

"Is she going to be a quiet, contented baby?"

"Is she going to be like Emily?"

And of course, "How is it possible for me to love this little baby as much as I love her sister?"

Well, I have the answers to some of those questions, and some we'll just have to wait a little longer to see what pans out.

Paige looks a lot like Emily. In fact, when going through some baby pictures of Emily, I caught myself thinking they were Paige. Of course, there are differences. Emily was a much smaller baby than Paige - in length, mostly. Eric thinks they have different looking eyebrows...ahhh, okay. In saying this, I think that Paige and Emily has a good mix of both of our features - mine and Eric's. They are both totally adorable.

Paige's personality is still developing, but I will say that she a very determined child. She tries things until she gets the desired effect - and if that doesn't happen, she'll let you know. She is very vocal, although she hasn't said any real words yet. She loves the sound of her voice, as many of my neighbors can attest to. She is also a charmer and can turn it on at any given time. I can't wait to see how this all plays out as she goes into toddlerhood.

Is she a sleeper? Well, she is now. But, I think she had different plans. Her and I have been in a battle over this since she was about two months old. I have lost many battles, but I may be slightly ahead. I am not going to declare victory yet - see above.

Thankfully, she did not have colic like her big sister. In fact, she was and still is, a great eater. Her current favorites are: yogurt, Cheerios, cheese, Gerber puffs, grapes, watermelon, pear, apples, and ANYTHING that Mommy is eating. She is not really into regular vegetables yet. She likes to eat them pureed, and that's okay for now. This girl definitely has a sweet tooth. Wonder where she got that from???

Quiet and contented - that would be no. She is loud, busy, fast and can be whiny at times. But she's very cute doing it - so we'll let that one slide.

Other than looks, she is not really like Emily at all. Emily was not nearly as needy as Paige is. Emily was a very verbal child - she had quite the vocabulary by one year, her first words were at six months. Paige likes to yell, a lot. Paige is much more coordinated. She is also fearless. Paige is something new and different everyday - not predictable at all. I love and appreciate the differences in both. And, of course, I knew it would be that way. But, sometimes, you can't help to compare - it's human nature.

As for loving her - well, I just do. How could I not? I did the second I saw her. In fact, it wasn't even surprising. It's just one of those fears that you have as a pregnant Mommy, who already has one child. You just somehow think that one of your kids is going to get slighted - and it's not true at all. It's something you can't explain until it happens to you. It's a wonderful thing.

Happy nine months Paige. Thanks for coming into this world.

Things you should know about Spring.....

When you have too much of this:





Apparently you get this:


Emily has been sick for the past couple days. She woke up early Sunday morning with an upset stomach and a fever. She continued having a fever all day Sunday and Monday. She is feeling much better today and she went to school. Her biggest disappointment? Not getting to play on her playset while she was sick.

I went on a walk this morning. It's just beautiful out today. Blue sky, high 60's. All the bushes and trees are really starting to bloom. I took a few shots. Should be in full bloom in the next week.