The Weekend

Our weekend was once again a busy one. I'll start the weekend review with Thursday evening. Thursday evening Trumon and I drove into Dallas to meet one of my oldest, dearest friends Rustin Richburg for dinner. Rustin currently lives in London, so needless to say, I don't get to see him very often. Rustin is quite possibly the most hilarious person I've ever known, and I have a lot of characters in my life, so that is really saying something. We were joined for dinner by Rustin's mom Carmen and friend Jeff, who are also both riots. We had a great time catching up and reminiscing. I didn't want to leave, but we had a sitter and Trumon had to work Friday morning. Friday evening, we hosted a Christmas party for Trumon's staff. It was great to do something for them, they have worked really hard this year and we so appreciate all of them.

Saturday, we went out for breakfast, ran some errands together and then Trumon took off for the final Cowboys game at Texas Stadium. The Cowboys of course blew the game, but he said the experience was awesome, and that he got to see many of the players he grew up watching. While Trumon was at the game, the kids and I went on a road trip with Papa and Sugar to visit the Graham family (Sugar's parents and brother/sister-in-law). It was a rather lengthy one, due to the fact that Papa decided to take one of his infamous shortcuts. My father-in-law has the unique ability to turn any 45 minute trip into a 3 hour tour with one deviated turn. He has even continued to do it with a navigation system in his SUV! We had a great time though, the road trip conversations were lots of fun, and it really helped break up what would have been a very long evening alone with two kids. After the long journey(we drove sixty some odd miles out of the way), we had a nice visit with Sugar's family. They have recently moved out to a farm, so of course, Walker was is heaven. On the way home, we stopped at Saltgrass, Walker's favorite restaurant (because of all the stuffed animals on the wall). Thanks Papa and Sugar for a very entertaining night, we had fun!

Sunday was low key, we just enjoyed our day together as a family. Walker and Trumon took care of a few projects, and then bundled up for a hike(high temps in the 30s).

We are SOOOOO excited about the upcoming week! I don't think I 've anticipated a Christmas like this since I was a little girl.

Christmas Party

Today was Walker's Christmas party at school. We had a great time making ornaments (candy canes made from beads and pipe cleaners/swirling different paints inside clear ornaments), decorating cookies, drinking hot cocoa and having a Dr. Seuss book exchange. However, this mommy's favorite part of the party was the musical entertainment. Walker was so intent on being the loudest (Trumon!!!), that you can't tell what a sweet voice he actually has. On the way home I was telling him how proud I was of him, and how much I enjoyed his program. I started to tell him how he didn't need to scream his words when he sang, and how his voice sounded its best when used it at a normal volume, to which he replied - "but I sound so good, I just want everyone to hear it!". Have I mentioned before that I love his level of self confidence.

So Big!!!

Check her out!

An Old Friend

Sweet Lauren is getting so big. She is awake for longer stretches now, and really wanting to play. She is very content playing on the floor, but due to her proficiency at rolling, I have to keep a very good eye on her. So, today I decided to pull out an old friend, the trusty Baby Einstein exersaucer. This toy was very loved by Walker, and a lifesaver for me. The exersaucer offers entertainment for baby, and the security of confinement for a mommy. Now, I don't just stick the kid in for hours on end, but it is nice to know where they are so I can do something as exciting as unloading the dishwasher. I'm anxious to see how big brother reacts to Lauren playing in one of "his" toys, I wouldn't put it past him to try to get in the thing!

The Weekend Review

This past weekend was full of fun! Friday after school, the kids and I ran a few errands while waiting on Trumon to get home. After Friday afternoon family nap (a Friday ritual, because Trumon works a half day) we grilled steaks, and after dinner made smores out on the patio. Walker told me it was the best night ever. Saturday morning, we went out for breakfast, did a little shopping, and then headed off to a birthday party. The party was for Paige and Peyton White, six year old twin daughters of Trumon's best friend from high school, Jeff White. Jeff and his wife Ronda own a beautiful equestrian facility, Whispering Farms Equestrian Center in Prosper, TX, about 40 minutes away from where we live. Walker LOVES going to "Uncle Jeff's", he can't get enough of the horses, and lucky for him he is getting big enough to start riding. The party was so fun for the kids and parents. Jeff had several of his riding students doing pony rides, there was a hayride, Christmas ornaments made and LOTS of delicious food. Ronda is an incredible cook and hostess, any party she throws, even a six year old's birthday is fabulous!








On our way home we stopped in Aubrey for a quick visit with cousins Britley and Oliver, and Aunt Angel and Uncle Justin. Saturday night, Trumon and I had a real treat - Papa and Sugar took BOTH kids for the night! We headed to Southlake and enjoyed a nice dinner at Trulucks. It was wonderful to have an uninterrupted conversation and just be together with no distractions. Well, there was a little bit of distraction, or entertainment actually, at dinner. There was a table of obnoxious, middle aged couples with, as our waiter stated "much more money than class". We had a front row seat to their show, and it was very entertaining.


Sunday morning we slept in, did a few projects around the house and went to brunch. We went shopping for a few final presents and then headed to Arlington to pick up Walker and Lauren. Sugar's house is a Christmas wonderland, I always love going there during the holidays. Walker and Lauren are so blessed to have wonderful grandparents in their lives, and Trumon and I are very grateful to them for all of their help. Thanks again to Papa and Sugar for our date night.

Playing Catch Up (Again!)

I promise that this week between posts pattern will not continue. Between sick little ones and Christmas busy stuff, there has been little time to be on the computer. Plus, my camera is not cooperating these days. Here are a few pics of the kids for their grandparents. Most are of Lauren, who is officially a thumb sucker (good thing her dad is a dentist), and she also wants to feed herself already. It is hard to believe she is five months old today, where has the time gone? Walker is so excited about Christmas this year. He loves the decorations, and helped his Dad put lights in the bushes last weekend. Each day when we turn the lights on he declares "I sure was a big helper to my Daddy". I know Trumon agrees completely! Walker and I are going to start our cookie baking this afternoon, he is most excited about making gingerbread boys and girls. He has been reciting the story for days in preparation for our baking day! I should have some very good pictures, and even better stories by tonight.

Its Been A While

Ok, so it has been a few days (actually a week) since my last post. The last week has been a whirlwind, and my camera obviously got lost in it. I have almost no pictures of the last week's happenings. I am hoping my father-in-law snapped a few at Thanksgiving, so I have some kind of record of our first Thanksgiving in our new home, and with Lauren. Thanksgiving Day was an eventful one with 11 adults, 5 children under 3, and 2 babies. We all had a great time and ate way too much. On Friday, we did a little shopping and went out for mexican food(a day after Thanksgiving tradition). Saturday, my brother Jon-Michael and his wife Jamie came up and stayed through Sunday. We have also been decorating for Christmas, which isn't so easy with a little boy who "just wants to help mama". While I am on the topic of Christmas, in one of the boxes we pulled down there was a decoration/toy that Nana sent to Walker in one of her care packages last year. It is one of those annoying, singing Hallmark things that little children love, and their grandparents seem to think are so cute. Had something like this been sent to our house growing up, my mom would have removed the batteries after about 30 minutes, now she sends them as to my children. Check out the video of Walker with this little jewel, I think the batteries are going to go out on their own very soon - he has not quit playing it for three days now, even taking it to bed.
This morning, we had an appointment to take a family portrait, our first with Lauren, and one to hopefully use for our Christmas cards. Trumon was meeting us from work, so all of the dressing and hair coming(Walker) was on me. While driving down the road and fretting about Trumon running late(his schedule was very tight, and people tend to frown on their dentist just leaving mid-appointment), I met up with a policeman and his radar. I was of course speeding, how badly I would rather not say. As I pulled over Walker started asking "Momma, is this were we are going to take our picture?" After the policeman approached the car Walker exclaims "Wow momma, we are going to take our picture with a policeman - this is great!" The officer and I had a good laugh, and I was hoping that he thought we were all so darling that he would overlook my offense - but he didn't. Oh well, at least he was nice. Besides Walker's usual antics that are always apparent in our photographs, we will have another good story to remember as we look at this year's pic in the years to come.

Unusual Ingredients

So here is a sampling of the groceries purchased for my Thanksgiving recipes. As I unpacked the bags, I just giggled about how different my purchases were from my typical shopping trip. Our pantry typically doesn't see the likes of crisco(for a perfectly flaky pie crust), or coconut, and we usually don't have buttermilk in the fridge. I also laughed because my grandmother probably wonders what on earth I cook on a given day considering these are not pantry staples here. Tonight I start preparing our Thanksgiving dishes, and I better get busy - at last count we have twelve (maybe thirteen) adults and a handful of little ones coming Thursday.

A Very Busy Day

Today marked Walker's first day of gymnastics. We think this will be a good activity for him. It is fun, channels some of the abundant energy he possesses, and will require him to exercise some self control. He loved his first lesson, and I think he did very well. After class, we headed over to visit our cousins in Aubrey. Walker was excited to Britley, Ollie and Aunt Angel. We ate lunch and played - lots of fun. Naps had to take place in the car because we still had some errands to run. We are finally home and I now need to start getting ready for a holiday party tonight. I can't believe the party season has already begun! Here are a few pics of our busy day thus far.

P.S. Literacy Thursday is probably going to be Literacy Friday this week!

Rice Cereal

Tonight brought Lauren's first taste of rice cereal. She did great!!! One would have thought she had been doing this all along. As Trumon so eloquently put it "Ol' girl likes her groceries". The most difficult part of the experience was a little bit of jealousy on the part of a certain big brother. He doesn't like it when the cameras are focused just on Lauren. At one point, he even wanted to try the rice cereal - I don't think he'll ask for it again.

Boys and Girls

These photos from our weekend definitely showcase the differences that I can already see between Walker and Lauren. Walker, who has never enjoyed a shopping excursion, spent most of the weekend dressed in one of his costume creations and looking for dead worms and such. Lauren, on the other hand went on her inaugural trip to Neiman Marcus. We had lunch there and did a little shopping. She loved it, never fussed the entire time we were there. She just smiled and cooed, and had everyone coming over to check her out in her little pumpkin cap. For those who don't know, I was very leery about having a little girl. I really wanted a house full of boys. I have three brothers and so enjoy Walker, plus I REALLY don't like whining, which little girls seem to be prone to do. However, I am so thankful God has blessed us with Lauren. She is such a sweet, calm and happy baby. I love dressing her in all her frilly things, and can't wait to buy doll houses and ballet shoes. I know that each sex presents very different challenges to child rearing. I worry about the pressure that our society places on both boys and girls, and I pray daily that God will guide Trumon and I as we raise these children. For my children to mature into a Godly man and a Godly woman is my purpose, and responsibility. I am thankful though, that this very daunting task is an incredibly fun one - just ask the goggle, horse hoof wearing superhero and the a little lady who loves to lunch with her momma.

Literacy Thursday

My friend Jennifer had a great idea on her blog If Your Happy and You Know It. She is reviewing a different children's book each Thursday, and asking others to post a review of a book on their blog also. Hopefully this will catch on, I think it will be a great resource as we encourage a love of reading with our children.

The book I have chosen for this week is Caps For Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina. It is an oldie (I remember reading it as a child) but a goodie. This book was included in Walker's most recent literacy bag and he has really enjoyed reading it. It is the story of a peddler (fun new vocabulary word for a three year old) who sells caps. He wears a very tall stack of hats on his head, and walks through town shouting "caps for sale!". One day the peddler couldn't sell any of his caps, so he decides to take a stroll through the countryside. After stopping to nap under a tree, he realizes that all of his caps have been grabbed up by some silly monkeys. He then goes through a series of of frustrations trying to get the caps back from the monkeys. Caps For Sale has great repetitive rhythms which are so fun for the three year old reader. The repetition of the peddler's call, his actions, and the stacking of the different colored caps are quickly picked up on by a child this age. There are also plenty of three and four letter words that are exciting for this age to recognize and read on their own. Of course, anything with a bunch of silly monkeys is a hit with Walker!

On A Roll!

Ok, hopefully the video will post this time. She is really rolling around today, so cute!

Lauren's Latest Tricks

This is what Lauren Grace Davis is up to these days. She is talking(aka squealing) and continuing to be her delightful little self. She is also rolling over like a champ, but I couldn't get my video to upload, I'll try again later. What a blessing she is!

Uncle Caleb

This weekend we were blessed with a visit from my youngest brother Caleb. Caleb ( also known as KK or Uncle KK), was in a wedding in Wichita Falls Saturday afternoon, and stopped through here on his way home. Trumon had already procured a babysitter for the night, so we thought it would be fun to go out in Ft. Worth with Caleb. We went to Del Friscos, where we had a very nice dinner, and ran into a few people we know from Tyler. About midway through the salad course, a very nice lady approached our table. She had been sent by a young lady she was dining with who was interested in Caleb. They thought KK, dressed in his cowboy finery and black Stetson hat, was a celebrity of some kind. They had apparently been stalking him the entire time we were there, because they noticed that at the bar he ordered a coke. They told him they thought he was out with his pastor and pastor's wife(although, we had ordered libations in our cokes). SO, here we have Caleb, who appears to be some sort of cowboy celeb, with the reverend and wife. The ladies said it was because we looked nice. Oh well, we obviously aren't very cool looking, but I guess worse things could be said about you. Anyway, we had a nice time at dinner and indulged Caleb's ego by meeting up with his admirers at another restaurant for drinks afterwards. Ultimately, I don't believe a love connection was made, but we enjoyed meeting some new friends.

This morning I made pancakes for breakfast, realizing that we we almost out of syrup at the moment I was putting food on the table - way to go Adrianne. We ate our dry pancakes and headed off to church. Walker was so proud that Uncle KK was going with us. Walker absolutely adores Caleb, and for good reason. Besides the fact that Walker thinks Caleb is awesome for being a real cowboy, and driving a big truck, and having horses to ride(and let Walker name), Caleb is also very sweet to him. He has hauled him around for hours on end since he was just a baby, bought boots, hats, chaps and lassos, and always makes Walker feel like "a big boy". For Walker, time with Uncle KK is always an adventure, and Caleb always takes great care of him. Caleb's relationship with our Lord is evident in his actions, he is a good man, with a good heart. We love you KK - hope you come back to visit soon!

Central Market

Tuesday, the kids and I went to Central Market in Plano to see our friend and former neighbor Mrs. I.V. Crawford. I.V.(actually her name - the I and V are not initials for anything) and her daughter Margaret were in town for a doctors appointment, and we were thrilled when they called us to meet them. Mrs. I.V. and her late husband Jack lived across the street from us in Tyler, and she is very dear to us. She has been ill over the last few months, but she is now doing much better and has even been able to return home from the rehabilitation hospital. Hopefully she will be back to quilting and making pies soon (two things she does VERY well!). I was so glad she was able to meet Lauren, and see Walker for the first time in a year or so.

After our friends left, the kids and I stayed so that Walker could have some fun on the barnyard themed playground. I had a coffee and some fruit while Walker played, and Lauren took everything in from my lap. After dragging Walker out of the barn we made a lap through the store and picked up a few things. Its amazing how an unfamiliar grocery store can be so entertaining to a child. Walker said we were on a food adventure - why can't he be so excited about a trip to our Tom Thumb or Kroger? I guess I can't say anything, I grocery shopped with two little kids, which I typically consider to be a beating, and left thinking - wasn't that fun!

Little Lauren - 16 Weeks

It is very hard to believe, but Lauren Grace is 16 weeks old. Today she had her well check appointment with the pediatrician. Here are her latest stats....

Weight - 14lbs. 12oz. (75th percentile)

Height - 24 inches (50th percentile)

(they didn't write down the head measurement, but I recall her saying it was in the 90th percentile - my kids have enormous heads!)

Lauren received another round of vaccines, which she tolerated very well. She has been a little irritable this afternoon, but hopefully some Tylenol will resolve that. Our pediatrician was very impressed with Lauren's developmental accomplishments, and says she is doing perfectly. It is so reassuring to hear your doctor say that your child is healthy and progressing as they should. Thank you God, for the blessing of healthy, precious children.

Halloween!

Here are a few pictures from our very busy Halloween. Walker had his class party yesterday and then our family came over for trick or treating and gumbo. Thank you to Papa and Sugar for coming to the class party, it really meant a lot to a special little giraffe!

The Itsy Bitsy Spider

There was a time when Walker looked as if he just stepped out of a children's catalog every time we left the house. Always matching, hair combed perfectly, shoes free of scuffs. This is no longer the case. The three year old child is a very independent creature. Their aesthetic differs from most, and they usually leave the house looking a little kooky. Walker loves to dress himself these days, and even though I have clothes laid out for him, he always digs in the closet for his own creation. Sometimes I make him change, sometimes its just not worth it and his creativity gets to go on display. We get a lot of looks in Target when he is wearing say, a button down polo, camo shorts and bright orange cowboy boots - with some sort of hat. His hair is also an attention getter. It is curly and golden and beautiful - but it has a mind of its own, and he likes to comb his own hair now. Yesterday, after Trumon got home from work, we went to go vote. We decided we would go out to eat after we left the polls. We informed Walker that we were about to leave and that he needed to get ready. He came downstairs in khaki shorts that were backwards, a red pajama shirt turned inside out and backwards, and a spider hat he had made at school. I convinced him that the pj top and shorts were not the best choice, but that he could wear the hat. The hat stayed on for the remainder of the evening, including dinner. So kooky, so cute!

Weekend Review

Here are a few highlights of our weekend. Friday night, we went out to Blue Goose Cantina for mexican food. There was a a thirty minute wait, which was not a problem because we had such an entertaining show. Walker's level of confidence in his dance moves may be a little inflated, but he loves to groove!

We stopped for ice cream before heading home and Walker ordered for himself, chocolate in a cone, yummy!

Saturday we did a few projects before heading to Arlington for Trumon's haircut. We enjoyed visiting with everyone at the salon, and Sugar got to show off her babies to her friends at work. I don't think I held Lauren the entire time we were there. We spent the rest of the afternoon with Papa and Sugar and had a great time. Trumon, Papa and the kids napped while Sugar and I got in a little shopping. We picked up a pizza on our way home that evening and were in bed by around 10pm, we are an exciting crew around here!

Sunday morning, we actually made it to church with a few minutes to spare, a big accomplishment. Our new routine is that we drop Walker off at his class and then Trumon and I go to the sanctuary with Lauren until the end of the music service. I slip off the the nursing mothers room just before the message, and watch the remainder of the service from there. When we picked up Walker from his class, one of the teachers had to tell me how impressed he was with Walker's vocabulary. Apparently, while discussing David and Goliath, one of the children referred to Goliath as "a bad guy" to which Walker responded "actually, I think he is the villian in this story". Walker's ability to communicate well didn't stop there though. We went out to eat after church, and as the waiter was taking everyone's order he looked at Lauren and joked that she probably wanted to order a steak. Walker quickly corrected him saying "Oh no, she can only drink milk from momma's breast right now, she is a baby". You just never know what you are going to get when dining with a three year old, it is certainly never boring!

It was nice to have a relatively uneventful weekend, to just enjoy our family without any other obligations or commitments, what a blessing.

Fun at the Park!

Today is one of those beautiful, golden days that makes fall so special. The kids and I went to the park this afternoon for a couple of hours. Walker is really into monkey bars these days, and he is really good on them. He can swing for about four bars now, and can hang and swing in place forever. He is also not afraid to drop when he needs to let go. At one point, he was trying to swing from one bar to the next and he fell. When he got up he said "mama, that didn't go so well now did it". The child never ceases to amaze me with his little quips, he is really something else.

Lauren seemed to enjoy her time also, she even rolled from her back to tummy while we were there(of course not while I had the camera out!). She'll be on the monkey bars herself before I know it! I did catch her doing some serious "talking" while we were at the park.

Itty and Bitty

I just realized I haven't posted since last Wednesday! I don't know where a week has gone, I knew it had been a few days - but a week I can't believe. Oh well, I'm back to blogging. Last week was a little wild here. Trumon was out of town Thursday through Sunday, Walker had an ear infection, and Lauren has decided she likes to fuss from about 5:00-6:30pm every day. She is also rolling over from her tummy to back, though I can't catch her on camera. She is almost getting from back to tummy, it won't be long.

The most excitement we've had here lately was a trip to see Itty and Bitty. Itty and Bitty are two miniature horses who are the stars of a children's book series. You can check them out at ittyandbitty.com, they are SO precious! Itty and Bitty visited Walker's school, Reading Friends yesterday, and though Tuesday isn't his class day, we were invited to meet the horses and listen to their latest story. Walker dressed in his cowboy attire, and even though he can't seem to keep his hat turned the right direction or his shirt tucked in, he looked pretty cute. Being three and a little egocentric, he was under the impression that the horses were there just to meet him. When we pulled up to the school he shouted "Yeehaw Itty and Bitty, don't worry, Walker the cowboy is here!" Imagine his disappointment when he realized he had to wait his turn to meet the horses because other children were there. Thank goodness the author and owner of the horses Nancy Czerw, took a liking to Walker(and his outfit) and kept asking him to come and pet or take pictures. It sure pays off to be cute and have the right clothes for an occasion!

Daddy Time and Nursery Rhymes

Now that there is another member to our family, our dinner table arrangement includes a baby swing. We place Lauren at the corner between us, and Walker sits to Trumon's left, across the table from me. This arrangement has worked great, and Lauren usually just swings and watches us happily. However, last night she just wanted to be held. From the time Trumon got home from work yesterday, she only wanted him. Whenever he left her sight, she would immediately start to look for him, then fuss until he came back and picked her up. She has him trained very well already. So, last night Trumon ate dinner with a baby on his lap, and as soon as Walker had finished his dinner, he was on dad also. Lauren had really been vocalizing, making some of the most precious little sounds, and we were going on about her. Walker, sensing that someone may be getting more attention than he was, had to go one better. He acknowledged Lauren's cute sounds, and then started reciting nursery rhymes. It was a sweet sight, seeing both of my babies with their Dad, each trying in their own way to capture his attention. My heart also overflows to see my husband able to give that attention and love to two children, both differently and simultaneously. Here is some video of last night's entertainment.

Too Sweet, Too Cute

Sweet little Lauren is getting so big, and so cute. It seems like this three month stage is really when you start to know who your baby is. If I had to describe Lauren with just one word right now, it would be happy. She wakes with a smile, is pleasant most all of the day and then gives you a sweet, sleepy grin when you put her down for the night. She really is a joy. Occasionally, she has some pretty fussy times, but they are very few and far between. Walker has an ear infection, so we are just around the house today, and he has been napping for the last hour or so. I've enjoyed this alone time with Lauren. I don't get to spend much time with her that is free of distractions. For the last hour and a half I've done nothing but play, sing, talk with her. No big brother, no housework, nothing but Lauren - it has been fun. She is napping now also, so I'm off to get some work done, but here is some video of my precious girl just being her happy little self.

The Peanut Festival

This weekend we traveled to my hometown of Grapeland, Texas for the 63rd Annual Grapeland Peanut Festival. Every year on the 2nd weekend of October my little town of 150o people hosts around 20,000 people for a couple of fun filled days. The weekend kicks off on Friday with homecoming festivities, a street dance after the game and old friends getting together at parties, usually around a bonfire. On Saturday morning there is a parade and then everyone heads out to the city park for music, food, carnival rides and craft booths. The weekend concludes with the coronation of the new Peanut Queen. I've been a part of 33 of the 63 Peanut Festivals and look forward to it every year. My friends and I consider this weekend another holiday, in fact, Trumon calls it Christmas in Grapeland. It is so wonderful to see old friends and their families, and catch up on what is going on in their lives. This was Lauren's first "Fest" as we like to call it, Walker tried to fill her in on what would take place since this was his fourth year to experience things. For years, my family has played a big role in the "Fest". My grandfather served as Master of Ceremonies for as long as I can remember and now my little brother Jon-Michael has stepped in to announce the parade. Until the last couple of years we were always part of the entertainment, singing at the park and sometimes the coronation, and yes, I am a part of the elite group of ladies who can say they were once a Peanut Queen. I try to use this royalty status to get to the front of the corn dog/funnel cake line, but it never seems to work. Speaking of which, the weekend is also an eating festival, at least for me it is. I probably consume half of my yearly calories in this one weekend, and enough fat grams for 2 years - but I love fair food! Trumon and I schedule our activities at the park around which food vendors we plan on stopping by. Now that Walker is big enough, he of course, just wants to get on the carnival rides. He and Trumon rode everything Walker was tall enough to ride on. The boy is scared of nothing! There is no way I would get on some of the things he rode, and if I did I would be dizzy and nauseous for days afterwards. We brought Lauren out to the park just long enough to get some pictures, its just too busy and dusty for one so little, but she did go to the parade and met lots of new people. Walker was upset because he wanted to ride a horse in the parade, but Uncle Caleb worked on a float this year so there was no one to ride with. So, after the parade was over, Uncle Caleb borrowed a horse from one of his friends and Walker got to ride, we told him it was his own parade - he was a happy boy again.

The weekend was a success as always. I'm amazed at how Grapeland pulls off such a big event each year, everyone works so hard to make it all happen. We enjoyed visiting with my family, and it was the first time I had been with all of my siblings in probably two years, it was really nice. Thanks to Nana and Mike for all of the cooking, babysitting and the cleanup that it must have been after we all left - you had a full house, but it sure was fun!

Literacy Bag Lessons

Today is our last day with this week's literacy bag. We've enjoyed all the books (Walker has three of the four in his personal library), but it has been the activities that have added some fun to our days. Using salt in the cookie sheet to write was fun, a little messy towards the end, but lots of fun. Discovering equivalents with the measuring spoons and cups was a great project. There was also an activity making playdoh and using cookie cutters and then using tweezers to place, then remove matchsticks from the playdoh. This is an excellent exercise for fine motor skills and grasping strength. After some intial frustration, Walker really got into it. When I told him that playing with the tweezers would help the muscles in his hands and fingers get stronger he responded "no mama, actually this is for fine motor skills - like on fine motor Fridays". Each Friday, his class has special fine motor units, I just didn't know he realized what they were doing. Tomorrow we will return the cooking literacy bag, and start looking forward to what will be in our new bag next week.

Big Brother

Walker is taking his role of big brother very seriously. He is increasingly protective, and always thinks he knows best what Lauren needs. He also tells Lauren how he thinks she should react to things. When she doesn't take his advice he feels the need to jump in and save the day. Oh the burden we firstborns carry, such responsibility, so young. Well, Lauren was having a fussy moment when we got home this afternoon. Walker told me she most likely needed her diaper changed, but she still cried. He then suggested some toys and her play mat. When nothing was working he said "Alright baby Lauren, I'll sing a song - that always helps you". He then began a concert of "lullavies" as he calls them. I was able to grab the camera for the finale. She eventually settled - big brother to the rescue. The role of eldest sibling isn't an easy one, Trumon and I can both appreciate that, and our advice is not always well received, but we mean well. Little Lauren is very fortunate to have a third parent (that's what we are often referred to as) like Walker - he is an awesome little boy and a terrific big brother.

The Literacy Bag

This week Walker's class started rotating literacy bags at school. Every Monday, each child brings home a different bag containing four books and activities associated with the theme of the books. Walker's bag this week is called "What's Cooking" - the books we've read thus far are If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and The Little Red Hen. All of the books have to do with cooking or food in some way, so the activities include supplies like a baking sheet, measuring cups, ect. Today we are going to play with salt on the baking sheet - using our fingers to practice writing letters, shapes ect. in the salt. Then you shake the salt around to erase and start over again. We also take the measuring cups and spoons to the bathtub and experiment with how many tbsps. go into a 1/2 cup, cup and on so on. I write about this because Walker was ecstatic to bring this bag home. You would have thought it was a bag full of candy. He could not wait to get into the bag. We had a really busy day yesterday, so I told him we would read the first book after bath and before bed, with Daddy. You've never seen a child so ready to bathe and get into pjs. Now, we read everyday, and in fact he told me the other day that his dinosaur book was his favorite toy, but the literacy bag was fun on a whole new level. Dad read our first book and we talked about the projects we would do this week. He of course wanted to do them all right then, and read the other three books the first night. After explaining several times that we would have the bag for the entire week, he finally settled down for bed. I am so encouraged by his love of learning, especially reading. Thanks to Mrs. Fullerton for the literacy bags- we are having great fun!

The Zoo

This past Saturday morning we loaded up and headed to the Ft. Worth Zoo. We haven't been in a few months, so Walker was very excited. He was also excited for Lauren, since this marked her inaugural visit to his favorite place. The weather was nice, a little warm, but nice. Apparently, half of the metroplex also thought it would be a great day to go to the zoo - I've never seen so many cars there. We had to park in a field across the street from the parking lot and hike over, but Walker was thrilled to wave at the "cowboy policeman" (traffic officer wearing a cowboy hat). The zoo had several new additions since our last visit - baby giraffes, baby tigers and baby lions, all so cute. There is also a new exhibit where the kids get sticks covered with bird seed and little parakeets will flock to the sticks. Thank goodness I had to sit outside of the "cage" with Lauren. I'm scared of birds on the loose - and I don't think I could have put on a brave enough front for Walker. I am determined not to pass my neurotic fears on to him. Lauren did great, she is such a trooper. She was either happily looking around or sleeping the entire visit, never any fussing. We knew Walker was tired when he decided to ride in the stroller, so we took that opportunity to head back to the car, and home for a nap.

The Park, Pizza and a Bike Ride

We've had a full day here at the Davis house. After breakfast and some playing around the house, we headed to the park in Coppell to meet daddy for lunch. We had a great time as usual, enjoying the weather outside and dining on one of Walker's favorites, "Chicken -Fil-A" . Lauren enjoyed some swinging, as did Walker, before he moved on to bigger and more dangerous attractions. After Trumon left, a little girl came and sat at our table. She was there with a nanny, as are most the children there, and she just walked over, sat down and stared at us. Walker and I both tried to make conversation with the little girl, but she just looked. This was terribly perplexing to Walker, and he finally said "well, if she is just going to sit there, I'm off to the slide". So he took off and there I was with this peculiar little girl. Again I tried to engage her, only to be met with silence and staring - it was beyond strange. After her nanny finished her phone call, she called for the girl and she took off. Then the nanny instructed her to sit on the bench with her, the poor little thing never played. There was also a little boy, big enough to play, in a stroller who the lady never got out. I don't know why she even took them to the park. I felt so awful for those children. I also felt incredibly blessed that I am afforded the opportunity to stay home with my children. Going to the park with my children is pure joy, but to this nanny, you could tell it was a just another task. Enough about that.

This afternoon, after nap and while Lauren was still down, Walker and I made pizza together. He had fun mixing and kneading the dough, and especially rolling it. We made barbecue chicken pizza, it was delicious! After dinner Trumon and Walker took off for a ride with our new bike stroller. They are still gone, I hope Walker is keeping his helmet on - he was determined not to, so we'll see.

Sweet Lauren

Little Lauren is getting bigger, brighter and more precious every day. She is discovering more and more all the time. Check her out playing in her swing, and modeling her little sombrero from Papa and Sugar.

Apples!

Last week Walker's class discussed all things apples. On Monday, Walker brought two apples to class. They counted, sorted, graphed and tasted apples on Monday and Wednesday. Then on Friday, mommies were invited to an applesauce party. The kids made applesauce in class, and it was actually very good. The moms were also treated to some very entertaining songs and recitations. All of these little ones are so cute, and their teacher Mrs. Fullerton is doing such a fantastic job with them. Check out Walker's interpretation of the R-E-D song, he is really feeling it!