Quality Time With Dad

Jeff hates to be filmed (as you can tell by the last few seconds of this clip), but I just couldn't resist catching them together Tuesday night! Zoe loves to be read to and that night, only her Daddy would do!

First Hair Cut

Zoe got her first haircut on Feb. 8th. The whole family went to Expressions by Cathy for "Cuts for Cancer." Zoe did really well. At first she wasn't so sure about Cathy, but Cathy was great and Zoe warmed up to her! We only had a little bit of the back trimmed up and had her bangs done (they were getting into her eyes). Amazingly, now her hair in the back is a lot curlier!!

Sleeping Arrangements for Two

As if Jeff and I needed any more reason not to have another baby...

Adisyn came over for our first sleepover a few weeks ago - and even a king size bed isn't really big enough for me, Jeff and two little ones! Although I did enjoy being the center of attention for two little angels for awhile!

Has it really been 5 months???

Five months has gone by since my last post! Where does the time go? Here are a few pictures from the last five months...

Mark & Christine's Wedding

October 18, 2008

A trip to the timber. Zoe is showing off the quarter her Uncle Paul (Blumrick) gave to her.










Christmas Morning! Zoe's first Christmas was more memorable than her first...She loved opening her presents and was excited about the new stuff she got! I can't wait for next year!

Zoe's Rocks

I just have to take a few minutes to write about Zoe's Rocks.  My daughter is addicted to rocks.  She has to pick them up every where we go.  If we show up anywhere there are rocks present (especially Paul & Laurie's driveway), she immediately heads to the rock saying "Rocks, rocks" over and over.   I have started a little collection of them for her.  I'm trying to get a least one from each of her scavenges. 

This picture was taken on a trip to Matagorda that we took with David, Amie and family in August.  We were at a playground just off the beach and as usual, Zoe was picking up small rocks from the playground area.  We were just heading out to leave when she spotted these off to the side of the playground.  You should've seen her eyes - they got big and round just like you'd expect from a kid on Christmas morning!  She was very upset that she could not pick these rocks up and I had to finally pick her up and take her away!

I'm not sure where this obsession with rocks comes from.  She'll have 3-4 crammed into each little fist and will still try to pick up more.  She used to give them to either me or Jeff like a kind of present, but no more.  Now they are hers and you better not try to take them away.  Now the only time she gives them up is to collect more.

Hurricane Ike

We recently had a brush with disaster when Hurricane Ike narrowly missed our part of the country and hit Galveston/Houston head on.  With the projected path predicted to hit Matagorda Bay, we decided to leave and headed to San Antonio.  Our convoy, consisting of me, Cheyenne and Zoe in our car, Jeff in his truck, and Jeff's Mom and nephews, Wesley and Caiden headed out on Thursday (Sept. 11) - my birthday!  Happy Birthday to me!

We met Mike and Cindy and Amie, Tyler and Riley at the hotel.  We stayed close to Michelle's apartment where Mark, Christine, Adisyn and Mark's brother, Adam were staying.  One big happy family of evacuees!

Ike moved onshore missing El Campo and so we all headed back on Saturday morning.  All in all the trip was uneventful.  We did learn that Zoe does not like being cooped up in a hotel room and that she loves the swimming pool!

She is also getting really good at saying Amie (Mamie), Cheyenne (Shy), Tyler (Ty) and Riley (RiRy).  This morning (Wednesday the 17th)  she moved up from Mamie to what actually sounds like Amie!

Zoe was awesome in the car on the way there and back.  She played with her books and toys and watched out the window most of the time.  Never once crying or fussing to get out!  She didn't even need the DVD player I installed for her.

We have a lot of family now in Houston with no power including my Mom, Lisa and her family.  The damage on Galveston and surrounding coastal areas is hard to fathom.  Pictures and videos are terrible to see.  We cannot count our blessings enough that we were spared and I am reassured that my plan to leave for any storm predicted in this area is the right one.  I cannot imagine staying with no power, water or sewage.  Yuck.

Repeat After Me...

It is finally here - the age that I have been dreading.  You know, the one where your child suddenly learns to repeat everything that you do.  The day before yesterday, I was changing Zoe and talking to Jeff.  Of course I was being a smarty pants and said something followed by a very exasperated sigh. And what does my girl do?  Repeat after me!  Not the kind of thing you want coming out of the cutest little girl in the whole world's lips!  

Now we are on red alert to watch our language and every little move!  

On the other hand, she's picking up lots of new words.  Socks, shoes, pink, purple and she is working hard to say names!  Mimi instead of Memaw...Mami instead of Amie.  She's getting there!