Fun at Folly

We were back at the beach yesterday. This time we were at Folly with Walter's family. The girls had a great time digging in the sand and splashing in the water. The coolest thing was all of the starfish. They were everywhere. I am so disappointed I didn't get a picture of the girls with them.

Here's Mallory filling the bottle of bubbles with sand...And, here's Anna Claire with an oyster shell...

We're off to the pool as soon as the girls wake up from their nap! My babies love the water!

Tech Baby

Mallory loves all things electronic. She can't keep her hands off:

cell phones
phone phones
remote controls
cameras
video cameras

and

my laptop.

So, we bought Baby Giggles, and she and Anna Claire can't get enough. They love the animals, the sounds, the music. They dance, sing, point at the screen, and tap the keys the entire time.

We have the animal DVD, but I think they have others that may be a bit more educational (counting, etc.). I'll have to check this out. All these animals sounds are about to send me to the crazy farm.

Blueberry Pancakes with a Side Order of Blueberries, Please

Anna Claire and Mallory love blueberries - I mean love them like cry when they're all gone. Actually, they like most any kind of berry. Come to think about it, we have all been enjoying lots and lots of fresh fruit this summer. Some of the girls favorites in addition to blueberries include strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, watermelon, and cantaloupe. They just can't get enough.

Aunt Helen and Uncle Terry were sweet enough to bring us bags and bags of blueberries back from the Toogoodoo Sunday, so this morning I made the girls blueberry pancakes.

They didn't seem to understand that the blueberries were actually in the pancakes at first, so they ordered up hollered loud enough that I offered them each a huge handful of fresh blueberries.
They ate every bite - except what Anna Claire put on top of her head!
Notice anything different? No more high chairs! Since school's been out, I've had to clean highchairs and high chair trays three times a day, and I just couldn't take it anymore!! These little booster seats are great - so much easier to clean up - and they were perfect at the beach!

Back from the Beach

We got back from Edisto Saturday and had an evening wedding to attend; Sunday was pretty much our day to unpack, do laundry, and rest. Finally, today, I have time this evening to post pictures from the girls' first beach vacation. We spent the week with Granny, Papa, Aunt Michelle, Uncle Brian, Connor, and Dylan - all in one house! We all had a blast, I am so pleased to report. As many of you know, I was really worried about how the girls would adjust to being away from home for the first time. They didn't miss a beat.

I took a gazillion pictures; these are just a few of the highlights...

Anna Claire and Mallory loved playing on the huge screened-in porch. If we weren't on the beach, this is where we spent most of our time.

Both girls couldn't get enough of the water. Luckily the tides were right, and most days they were able to splash in the waves during low tide.

Anna Claire and Mallory were fascinated by the seagulls and pelicans. Here's Mallory pointing at the birds, but by the end of the week, it was Anna Claire who was saying "bird," and - you guessed it - it sounds like "ba."

Don't want your babies getting away from you? Just dig a big hole and sit them in it. The girls, particularly Mallory, loved playing in the big holes, especially if someone was in the process of trying to dig one!

Anna Claire and Mallory loved taking rides in their new wagon up and down the beach.We had a picnic lunch on the beach every day, and every day the girls got better and better at not eating so much sand!We also ate out a lot, and the girls did great, as the usually do, in restaurants. They had salmon and hush puppies for the first time (still too young for shrimp!). Anna Claire and Mallory also ate their first Ritz crackers last week. They are a new favorite. Notice Anna Claire eyeing Mallory's cracker.

Not only did we take the golf cart to and from the beach each day (a life-saver), but we also took rides around the island every morning before breakfast and every evening before bedtime - so relaxing.

As fast as I could pack the sand in the bucket and dump it out, Anna Claire and Mallory would smash my sand castles flat with huge grins on their faces.All the cousins playing in the crib one morning...

We had such a great vacation as an entire family last week; I don't regret one bit of it. Things went about a thousand times smoother than I ever expected, and I am thrilled that Anna Claire and Mallory seem to absolutely love the beach! I was so sad to leave Edisto and come back to reality; although, it was good to be back home and into our normal routine. We can't wait until next summer!

Happy Independence Day!

Anna Claire and Mallory's first fourth is a blur - they were only four weeks old last year. I don't think we left the house. This year, there won't be much celebrating, either, since we are heading to the beach today for a week! Today has already been filled with last minute packing. After the drive over to Edisto, unpacking, and a quick dinner, it will be time for the girls to hit the sack.


I know I will have tons of pictures to post of the girls first vacation. We'll be home next Satruday, so be sure to check back. (I won't be posting from the beach.)


We'll miss you!

Walkin' the Walk

Anna Claire is walking! I guess she got tired of watching Mallory walk all over the place. She really got the hang of it quickly. Monday she would hesitantly take one or two steps, and today she is walking everywhere. She's still a bit shaky and only walks in a straight line, but I'm so impressed with how much confidence she has gained in herself so quickly.

Mallory, on the other hand, has become quite the accomplished walker these past few weeks. She can walk sideways to get around a toy, she can walk around corners, she can turn around to face you if you call her (essentially walking in a circle), and she can walk to a toy, squat down, pick it up, and keep right on walking. Her balance is amazing.

So, what's next? Running!

Talkin' the Talk

Anna Claire and Mallory are equally verbal, babbling away practically all the time, and while their vocabulary is still limited, the words they can understand are many.

Above and beyond mama and dada, Anna Claire can say ball, book, boy, and bowl which all sound like "ba." She can say baby, bottle, and bubbles which all sound like "baba." ;-) She can also say more ("mo"), banana ("nana"), and snack ("na"). If I ask her to sing a song, she will sing "lala" or "ahhh..." She can also point to her head and nose.

Mallory will carry on a five minute conversation with you - in Chinese. Her vocabulary is more limited than Anna Claire's at the moment, but she babbles much, much more. In addition to mama and dada, she can say yes which sounds like "essss" and she also says two words that sound like this and that ("dis" and "da") which she seems to use in the appropriate situations. "Do you want this?" (showing her a doll) She responds "Dis!" "Do you want that?" (pointing to a ball) She points at the ball, nods her head, and says, "Da!"

Mallory can also point to her head, but one or two body parts seem to be our limit right now. I introduced ears yesterday to confused stares from both Anna Claire and Mallory. We'll give ears a few more days before trying again.

Under the Sea

What are Anna Claire and Mallory gazing at so intently?This giant loggerhead turtle...We had a great time at the aquarium Monday with Aunt Michelle, Dylan, and Connor. Here, the girls get a break from the stroller. I think the they need their own rocking chairs for the back porch.

The girls saw lots of different fish, sharks, sting rays, alligators, penguins, a bald eagle, and much more! They loved all of it and wanted to get right up to the glass at every exhibit to point at and "talk" to the creatures. The aquarium was a definite hit; we can't wait to go back!