"New" toys

I recently brought the Leap Frog table back out for Cole to use (we'll add the legs once he's pulling up). I think the girls got just as excited about it as he did!

The girls both played with this same toy when they were babies, and they still love it now. I should rotate our toys in and out more often.

Just can't get enough smiley pictures of Cole. He's too cute!

Together

Our kids love spending time together lately. If I hear one of them, more often than not, I find all three. It's sweet to watch - as long as they're not hurting each other!

You can definitely tell they're related!

Yet again, personalities are captured in pictures amazingly well.




Proof that Mead does smile - though this one looks a bit artificial!

Nan and Pop visit

My mom and Alex came and stayed with us for a long weekend, and we had a great time. We didn't do a whole lot - just hung out, relaxed, and read tons of books to the kids! The girls loved it!

I barely got my camera out, so I didn't get proof that Alex came, but he was here too. And he captured the girls' hearts pretty quickly! Thanks again for coming - we're looking forward to the next time we're together again already.

Bathtime!

Cole is now big enough to sit in the big bathtub, and Mead has loved having a friend to splash around with. Laine has gotten so tall that she generally takes a shower or a bath by herself. We definitely couldn't fit all three in the tub!

Smiles

Here's what we see regularly!

Cake Decorating Class

During the month of June I took a cake decorating class at Michaels. I was inspired by a friend of mine who took a class with her mom when she was a teenager. Since I've known her I've admired her cake decorating skills.

Rather than waiting until one of my girls is a teenager, I decided to go ahead and take the class now. I realized I'd be able to put it to great use immediately! It was so much fun, and I'm amazed at how quickly I learned how to make beautiful things. I'd highly recommend it to anyone with any interest in making fun cakes.

The first week we learned how to make yummy icing, use the decorating tools, and do a basic star.

The second week we learned a few more tricks, including how to transfer any design printed out on paper onto a cake. This is wonderful for someone like me who can't draw worth a lick!

The third week was cupcakes and all the different flowers and designs that go on top.

And the fourth week was roses and handwriting, to be used on our final project. This was the cake that Laine picked out of the decorating book. Such fun!

Thank you, Penny, for watching the kids each week as I went out to my class. Hopefully we'll all reap the benefits for years to come!

8 months

Cole is 8 months old today. He seems so big compared to the newborn babies I see around. In fact, he is big: 23 pounds at the moment!

Cole has gotten two teeth this month - both without much fuss, thankfully. He rolls a lot and scoots backwards on his tummy. I'm sure he'll figure out the forward motion soon enough!

And he's a great eater (obviously, by his size). We're almost at the point where I can mash up whatever we're eating and let him join us. That stage is so nice! In the meantime he's content with pureed fruits, veggies, and meats. And he's almost able to feed himself Cheerios.

He's such a happy guy. We love you, Cole!