Hi Daddy!

2008 Nov 235, originally uploaded by counsel14.

Thought I would share a rare one of me with you!

Arrived

We have arrived! And I am finally over jet-lag enough to take and post pics. Whew. The journey went off without a hitch, except for all of our luggage getting lost. But even that was delivered the next day. So far, we have hung out with Grandma and Grandpa and Grandma Donner, hit up Chick-fil-A, Sonic, Gordmans and Walmart. Here are some pics of our weekend in the woods.

Smores in the fireplace

Snuggles with Lucy

Snuggles with Ferbie

Saying Goodbye

Right before we left, we learned our babysitter extraordinaire is leaving us for a cush deployment before we return. As you can see, the girls hated saying goodbye!

Tear-jerker

2008 Oct 009, originally uploaded by counsel14.

Saying Nigh'-Night: Captured the night before Mark left.

Playing Catch'Up

We went to a Pampered Chef party at a friend's house today-while I learned to bake a chocolate cake in the microwave, Liv dressed her sister like a hula girl. The funniest part this that Katelee left the lais on for 15 minutes or more! Aloha!

Liv talking to her Daddy.

Crazy Hair Night


Our new tansu step from Hong Kong!

We're Back!

Hey All! It has been several days because our modem went down, so here is a picture just for kicks-it is Katelee trying with all her might to lift Doggy while trying to stay balanced. Check out that belly!!!

Salvaged Photos

Here are a few of the pics that we got before my camera went dead. Will

Well Baby

Katelee had her 12 month well-baby check today and the biggest news is that she is back on the growth chart! She went from 16 lbs to 17lbs 12 oz in just one month! She is doing great and is even ahead of schedule in some areas, like speech. Apparently, we have another verbal girl on our hands. Is anyone surprised? That girl would talk herself to sleep at 2 months old. Some of her words include mama, daddy, doggy, stuck, cow, moo, quack, that and uh-oh. In this photo she is snuggling her doggy daddy got her for her birhtday-it is her favorite. She flops herself down on him and just snuggles in. Too funny!

Birthday Box

Here are some pics of the girls opening a package sent from Grandma Donner for Katelee's birthday. She had an outfit and several cool toys for the Birthday Girl and somehow managed to find a Little Red Riding Hood doll for Olivia that sings "Grandma is waiting for me in the woods." Couldn't be more appropriate!

Unfortunately, my camera died so all the pictures of the party for Will and Katelee are on a friend's camera. Sorry, you all have to just wait! It was a lot of fun for everyone and the new patio makes a nice area to hang out. It is, however, really rough, so not good for bare feet or knees. I guess they made it rough so that it will not be slippery when wet. Makes sense. There is a lot of exposed red dirt for lots of mud and fun! Hopefully, they will come fill some of that in before it is declared officially finished.

Bummer!

So, the cool hand and foot prints we made will only be documented by the photo I last posted. Workers came and wiped them out when they did the finishing work on the patio. Bummer. By the time they were done and gone, the cement had set. It was too late. Oh well, at least we have the picture!
I included some pictures from while Daddy was home. Today was Katelee's First Birthday and to celebrate I took the girls for ice cream with a friend, but I forgot my camera. However, don't be too bummed, because tomorrow we are have a party with her friend, Will, who turned one on Sunday. I should get some great photo ops there. Stay tuned...

Finished Product

The hard part is finished-now it just needs time to dry and then clean up. The girls each left handprints and footprints for posterity's sake. It seemed appropriate being Katelee's 1st Birthday!

Olivia's are on top, Katelee's are on bottom

Men At Work

Yesterday, work began in our back yard to add a patio. Liv and Katelee have both been fascinated watching the men working to tear up the yard and fill the space with concrete. Liv perches on the cabinet to watch.

Hangin' Out

Smilin' Eyes

Ring Around the Rosie

Katelee snugglin' Do-ggy (taken by Olivia)

Kisses for Daddy

Yesterday was a Monday, through and through. One bittersweet moment I tried to catch on camera. After I got Katelee up from her nap she spied the picture of Mark and Liv on the wall in the hallway. From that moment on all I heard was "Da-dy, Da-dy, Da-dy". So, taking the photo from the wall, I handed it to her.

Giving Kisses

She clung to it, patting Daddy's face, hugging the photo to her, giving kisses and just snuggling. I guess when you can't have the real thing, you just have to make do. All I could do was smile through my tears.

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

This afternoon, the girls played and explored while I cleaned up the yard and the porch in preparation for a new patio they are going to add on to our backyard. It was a perfect afternoon to be outside. Liv jumped in the pool with all her clothes on. Katelee got brave with the swing. Enjoy the pictures!

Halloween II

Thanks to my friend, Shelby, we have one pic of the girls trick or treating.