War against thumbsucking

We have declared war against the thumbsucking! It was cute and very easy to parent a child who could self soothe herself. However, now that she is getting older we are determined to break the habit. We have tried a lot of different techniques. We have tried bribery, sticker charts for not sucking her thumb, etc. We tried putting bandaids on for awhile and then she started sucking the bandaids. So, out of fear of her choking on one in the middle of the night we stopped that. We now wrap her thumbs with gauze and tape every night and at nap time. But, we have another effort on it way. The dentist told us to order STOP from Amazon, it is for nail biting and thumbsucking. It paints on so we don't have to worry about her rubbing her eyes and making her eyes burn, etc. So, I can't wait to try it, it supposedly is very successful according to her dentist. I sure hope so! My goal is to get her to stop before pre-k starts in the fall.

Emberli vs. Ice Cream Cone

Isabella feeding Emberli her ice cream cone.

Isabella taking a bite, and apparently Emberli wanted to show her how to do it.

Isabella is on an ice cream cone kick lately. She saw a kid at the park with one, and then she wanted one. Well, Emberli wanted in on the action. So, Isabella shared hers with Emberli. She loved feeding it to her. It was very cute.

The girls

Isabella still loves to perform wherever we go. It is either, dancing, cheering, gymnastics, or singing. It is too cute. I think she is born to be an entertainer because she seems to love it. Emberli is now at the stage where she just tries to copy anything her sister does. We will catch her mimicking Belle. Emberli can say quite a few words now. It is very cute. I can't believe she is growing so fast!

Storm brewing

Awhile back we had a severe thunderstorm. It had gotten bad enough that we all packed up for the evening and headed up to mom and dad's house to wait out the storm. Our neighbor took this picture of behind the house, I can't imagine being the one taking this picture and seeing the rotation that it had. How freaky! I guess our intuition to leave the house was correct....thank you Lord!

Belle made the Killeen paper

Here is a link to the Killeen Daily Herald. Isabella made the paper for her 3 legged race. If you get to this link and it is a picture of the band during the parade, under the caption of the picture there is a 1 and a 2. Click on the 2 and it will bring up her picture. Tooo cute if I do say so myself! I am slightly biased though! :)

http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?c=9

Belle's flower

Isabella got to go pick a flower out one day when she went over to my grandparents house. This is the one she chose, so they came home and put it in a pot and she is so proud of it. There are days we drive by their house and she says, "I wonder how my flower is." She checks on it when she goes to their house.

Parade

Getting ready for the parade...
Here it comes


She just loves the loud sirens...can't you tell?

Emberli is happy as long as she is eating! :)

Well, we took the girls to the parade. It was a range of emotions for Belle this year. She loved seeing the princesses, and the floats. Her Grammy and Papa and Aunt Sharon were on a float this year and she thought that was neat. She loved seeing her dance teacher in the parade. But then came the water guns, etc. And one truck pulled so close to the curb we were getting up to move so it wouldn't hit us and then they unloaded the water (which they aren't supposed to do) and needless to say they drenched us. Well, seeing as Belle does not like to get wet by any means, she went into complete hysterics. She was crying because she was wet and muddy from so much water being poured on her. But, she eventually somewhat got over it...she wanted to go home, but we stayed through the end, but she was more than ready to change clothes when we got home.

Kid's Day Activities

Well, we took both girls to the kid's day activities. They had fun. We got there too late for Belle to run in the sack race...although she hopped once last year and was done. But, we made it in time for her to do the 3 legged race. She was actually getting her face painted when they called her heat. So, we hurried over there and one of her friends was waiting for her so they could race together. Belle had never seen or competed in a 3 legged race. I was worried that she wouldn't like being attached to someone else, but they did soooo good! We were so impressed. The girls were in first place for a little bit, then they stumbled (not falling), and so the other team passed them, then they stumbled not even a yard away from the finish line and it took a few more seconds to regroup, but they did and managed to get 3rd place. We were soooo proud of the girls. We thought that was pretty darn good for never doing it before! Isabella was very proud of her ribbon. She showed it off to everyone. We didn't stay for the corn shucking contest...Emberli was starting to get overheated, so we came home to get them cooled off. Used to we worried when Emberli would turn blue...but we have noticed now she does it when she is cold, and then when she is truly sick with an infection of some kind... crazy, I know. But, now she turns red the second she gets the least bit hot. It starts on her legs, then her cheeks, then her arms. We noticed how bad it was at Gospel Night, we honestly thought she was sunburned, that is how red she was, then we realized that was her getting hot. It never really affects her any other way...she will still play and run around and be happy, but she is just red. So, I don't think it is anything to be overly concerned about at this point, but I will still bring it up at her 18 month checkup.

Pet Parade

After the diaper derby we went and watched the pet parade. I attempted yet again to get both girls to look at the camera at the same time...not so successful, but this might be the closest yet. They enjoyed seeing all the pets and costumes.

Diaper Derby

Emberli getting ready to start the race...
Emberli not appreciating the race not starting on her time schedule...


Emberli taking off...notice she is still ticked off...

Now, she is just plain MAD!

However, in her being ticked off, she still managed a first place ribbon.

Well, we attempted the diaper derby with Emberli again this year. We weren't real sure how she would do, seeing as last year she just looked at us and never moved. Apparently, if this is to show how competitive she will be, we might be in trouble...lol. But, for those of you that know me, I sleep in late and have created to very good late sleepers for children. So, she didn't wake up until it was time to get her up and dressed and then we left the house. So, no, she didn't eat breakfast...I took a pop tart with us and her juice with us until race time. I figured by then she would be nice and hungry and have no problem running towards her breakfast. But, as you see in the picture, I pulled out the pop tart too soon and the race didn't start as fast as I had anticipated. So, she was totally ticked off the whole time, at least until she got to me and got her juice cup and her pop tart. (And for those of you cringing out there, yes I feed my kids pop tart...healthy, I know, but they love them).

Carnival

Isabella and I went to the carnival during Spring Ho. We decided that it was probably best for Robert to stay at home with Emberli at least for one more year. She still likes to run off and when you tell her no...she runs faster and laughs all the way. So, seeing as she couldn't ride rides anyway, they stayed at home and Belle and I went to the carnival. She had fun, it took her a little bit to warm up, seeing as she doesn't like being around people she doesn't know. We didn't really run into any of her friends at first, then she saw one of her friends from gymnastics and she was ok. So she rode the carousel, the boats, the motocycles, the cars, and the elephants (that was her favorite). I even let her play one of the midway games...all she had to do was pick a duck and it said what prize she won, so she won a little bear. She loved that thing. She would buckle it up with her in the ride all night long...it was super cute.

Spring Ho Fireworks

As you can see, I still have trouble getting them to pose together. I guess this is Emberli's version of posing.


The girls were given free light up pens and they both loved them.

Both the girls watching the fireworks.

Well, time for Spring Ho again. Belle and I went to the Beauty Pageant this year. She will be old enough to participate next year if she wanted to. So, I wanted to make sure she watched it to see what happens and see if she was at all interested in it. So, they ask the girls questions like what is your full name, what is your favorite tv show, what do you want to be when you grow up, etc. So, Isabella turns to me at one point in the evening and says "hhhmmmm, I need to go up there next time and let's see......what dress up outfit should I wear?".....after a few moments of contemplating, she says, "I got it, I will wear my white Cinderella dress and tell them my name is Isabella Jayden Lindsey and I like to watch Hannah Montana, and then I think I need to take the microphone and sing them a song." I said "Oh really", and she said "Yes, and then I need to tell them I want to be a doctor when I grow up so that I can take care of my babies."

Now, let's just see what happens next year. I forsee her getting up there and not talking at all, but we will try. :) It is all for the memories anyways.

Hot Summer

It has definetely been hot this summer! The girls have tried to stay cool by swimming every chance they get. Emberli is a little water bug. She absolutely loves the water. Isabella on the other hand is a different story. Swimming is something that has had to grow on her a little. At the first of the summer she "hated the water" she would say. Now she will swim with her floaties on throughout the pool. Now she says she likes to swim as long as she doesn't get her face wet. Still working on that one, but we will get there. I figure by next summer it will be a totally different story...but we will see.

4th of July

The girls with Aunt Sharon

Emberli and Aunt Sharon


Emberli trying to escape.

Well we had a good 4th of July this year. Last year we traveled to Lubbock, but this year we decided to stay home. We had a fish fry with my grandparents for lunch, and then later in the evening, we went up to my mom's house so Isabella could swim. Emberli still runs a fever off and on, so we didn't let her swim that day. Not to worry, we think it is just more teeth. But, as always Isabella had to show off her handstand and her cartwheel to all who would watch and then Emberli needing in on the action. Emberli can do a forward roll all by herself now....she thinks she is the stuff!

Grammy's Twin

The girls got to meet my mom's sister this last week. They weren't quite sure what to think of her at first. They both eventually came around. But, when we asked Isabella if she thought Sharon looked like Grammy she said no. Her hair is different. Grammy's hair is curly and Sharon's is straight. Then she told Robert...and it is a different color and she said I will be right back and in she came with a blond headed barbie doll. She said, "Look, her hair is more this color." When I asked her if they talked the same, she said yes. I am sure they are going to miss their Aunt Sharon when she leaves. Already daily I get asked if they are going to see her that day or not. So, maybe one of these years, we will have to make the trip up to California to see Aunt Sharon again and meet all the other cousins.