Getting ready for Christmas!

We are having a WONDERFUL time preparing for Christmas. We have a beautiful little tree and this is the first year Aria has helped so much with all the preparations. She and Aspen are both so excited every morning to discover where our elf, Browning, has chosen to land each morning. Aria loves Santa, Aspen, no so much.

Aria's Report Card...

...and her teacher, Miss Amanda tells me she doesn't like to give out "above-average" for 4 year olds. Only wish mine had been as good at her age. :)

Aspen Stats/Bridge Walk

Aspen had her one year well child visit last week. She is 30" and 21 lbs, 8 oz. (Aria was also 30" at her one year, but 25 lbs) I think the milk protein intolerance and the food strike for 2 weeks took their toll in October, but all seems to be well now and Aspen is eating up a storm! She'd have Chris' homemade pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner if we let her. Now if I could only find some green veggies that she likes...

Fall foliage is at its peak here in Arkansas and keeping the yard up would be a full time job (if we cared that much) We are having a lot of fun with the girls at the local soccer fields, Aria loves to ride her bike and we play "soccer" and wheelbarrow race and play on the climbing wall several times a week.

Here is a photo I like from the Big Dam Bridge (over the Arkansas River) moonlight walk. Beautiful night 68 and windy.

Aspen Turns ONE!!

The year has flown by! Now that Aspen has mastered walking (in every direction at top speed) she seems to learn a new word every day! In her repertoire: bear, baby, mama, dada, fairy, fan, puppy. She whispers just about all of them which is so cute. Her are a few pictures of her at her first birthday...she inhaled the cake!

Halloween!

Aria was Tinkerbell and Aspen a spider. We had a wonderful time trick or treating!

Halloween and Soccer

We are having a wonderful Fall! Halloween was terrific, Aria had a school costume parade, we did a great trunk or treat at the Methodist church and went trick or treating with Emma. Aspen is walking, saying "mama, dada, Aieya (Aria) baby" and turning one tomorrow! Where has the year gone? Here are some pictures of my wonderful girls...

Our Church Community at First Presbyterian Argenta

Link to video of our church...

http://youtu.be/iLh9wLaty8Y

Halloween!

Only a few days away! I'm trying to get Aria to go for this "Southern Belle" costume instead of Tinkerbell, but I seriously doubt I'll have any luck, she is fairy crazy! Hoping for good weather. We LOVE Halloween!

Aspen's Baptism

Godmother Kirsten here for Aspen's baptism. We have had a wonderful weekend visiting the Clinton Presidential Library, visiting the pumpkin patch and hanging out with our "Arkie" friends. Helicopter ride slated for this afternoon.

Officially Fall!

Having a ball with Aria, Aspen and Chris in the cooler weather. We ended the summer as we began it, at Burns Park "Funland". Aspen is walking--clapping, babbling and Aria is loves her new school and her new friends. Had a great night out for my birthday last week although I missed celebrating the day of with Chris who was flying in MO. Here is one of my favorite pictures.

School!

Aria started school almost two weeks ago! They start early here in Arkansas. She is at a private school in Little Rock (pre-K 4's) and she loves her teachers, Miss Amanda and Miss Lynette.

We have made some friends here -- Aria has regular play dates with Emma and Kensley who live in Maumelle. Our pool closes Labor Day so we are trying to get a few more afternoon swims in before the end of summer. I have been going to a regular dinner out with friends followed by Bible Study at a wine bar (my kind of bible study) on Wednesday nights which I love. Chris is learning a lot about all aspects of the helicopter business and flying some. And Aspen? Aspen is eating up a storm (finger foods and jars), crawling super fast and starting to cruise and walk holding our hands.

Both girls are happy and healthy and so are we.

Date night!

Chris and I got out for a date night --and decided to go up in the helicopter. It was incredibly scenic and even cool! We flew over the Arkansas River and to Pinnacle Mountain. What a great ride!

Hot. Hot. Hot.

We can't stand the heat. It really is intolerable here in the summer, especially with a young baby. We've had very hot weather (and no rain) since the middle of May and we are very ready to move to fall, unfortunately August and so far record breaking heat (it is going to feel like 118 today, maybe 120) has only started. It is a shame that the weather makes it so difficult to enjoy the natural beauty of this state. To add insult to injury, many things don't open (pool, swimming spots at guarded lakes) until noon which means it is already close to 100 (actual or feels like, makes little difference both are) by then. People tell us it wasn't always this bad during the summers but that things are getting worse. We were warned but thought "How much worse than VA could the summers be?" The answer? Waaaay worse.

Cheerios, Crawling, Pulling Up...

Aspen is on the go! She has only been crawling for two weeks but apparently has already moved to pulling up on everything! Nap time is not so fun these days, she spends a lot of time sitting, crying, pulling up until she collapses in a heap.

Aria's swimming cache

Turns out Aria won a 5th place ribbon for her 1:10 backstroke time at the last meet! She also got one of two medals (boy and girl) for most improved 6 & under swimmer on the Maumelle Marlins and everyone on the team received a trophy for participating. It was one fun awards banquet! After the awards everyone had cake, ice cream, went swimming and dove for quarters.

Sisters playing

A few summer photos.

Swimming!

Stats!

Aria had her 4 year old well child yesterday and Aspen had her 9 month checkup a month early. Poor Aria had 4(!!!) shots. My ears are still ringing! Aria is 45" tall and 46 lbs which puts her at the top off the chart for a 5 year old :) Aspen was 17 lbs and 27" which puts her in the 40th and 60th percentiles respectively. We had a great 4th of July. Aria saw the fireworks for the first time with her dad (after playing with sparklers at a friends house in the early evening). Aspen is rolling everywhere, we've had to cage our living room, and starting to get up on all fours. We are enjoying our summer with Miss Selma's camp, First Presbyterian summer program and swimming activities. It is HOT here in Arkansas. Hard to believe but hotter longer than Virginia. Longing for some fall weather!

Bedtime!

Aria is 4!

Aria had a wonderful birthday. She started the day with swim practice, then we brought two dozen doughnuts with sprinkles to camp at Miss Selma's, then we finished the day with a party at the Purple Cow with two 4 year old girl friends and their parents.

Aspen is babbling "dadadada" getting teeth (she has one out and another popping through) and has started rolling and getting very mobile--rolling all over the place. Both girls are happy and sweet. We are so lucky.

We are adapting well to life in Arkansas. I've met some wonderful women (and families) in our community and on the other side of the river. I had a great time at "Momcation" a retreat for mom's at Heifer Ranch in Perryville Arkansas and hope to make it an annual event. Last weekend we went to Jay's wedding in Fayetteville (Doc I's grandson) and it was really fun despite the fact that we left the suit bag containing all of our wedding formal attire at home and had to buy clothes an hour before the wedding :) This weekend is Father's Day and it is HOT so we will probably spend a lot of time at the pool.

Aria's first swim heat

Our little girl is very determined!

Summer is right around the corner...

We're still surprisingly busy! Aria had a little concert at her mothers day out program (Lutheran) made the swim team for 6 and under set, has started a weekly gymnastics program (instructor tells me she is very flexible). We are still investigating preK 4 programs. Leaning toward Miss Selma's in W. Little Rock.

We went to Jay Heulitts' medical school graduation celebration yesterday. What a great group of people and fabulous food! We met "Dr. Duck" a physician duck hunter. He and his wife have nine children, 4 biological, 5 adopted. Amazing. We also met Jay's fiancee and their family. A long time friend of Candy's, lovely people. Aspen was a big hit. :) so was Aria.

Chris has been flying a fair amount. Lots of storms taking out power lines around here. Chris had to fly at first light yesterday to assess damage. He loves his job and we love that he loves it. :) Missing friends and family, but adjusting to life in Arkansas.

I have a "momcation" coming up that I am really looking forward to, and then Jay Heulitt's wedding in Fayetteville where I will get to see all the Inglefields. Whoo hoo!!

In Arkansas!

A hectic few weeks!! Where to begin? The mad packing frenzy before Easter? The wonderful week long visit with family in Nova? The 16 hour trip through Virginia (including a brief visit with Kitty Ama, Chris' mom), terrible weather and tornadoes in beautiful Tennessee and hail damage to our car? Worst flooding in West Memphis and on I-40 since 1927? Tiny house 1/2 half the square footage of our Chesapeake house? We are adapting and thriving though. Chris enjoys going to work every day, Aria is already making friends and we are finding the people in our town to be warm and friendly. Aria will do a mom's day out program locally for the rest of this month to make some more friends.

More party pictures

Aria's Farewell Party at School

Aria's teachers Ms. G and Miss June had an amazing party for Aria her last week of school before we move to Arkansas. Here are some pictures

Aspen at 4 months

Photos by William "Kenny" Lucord.

Aria at one year, Rachel at one year

Guess who?

Fake coughing...

to get our attention which is pretty funny. Aspen also started squeaking, squealing and laughing which is adorable :) We are having such fun with her.

Celebrated Chris' 40th all weekend. Yesterday his dad, brother, sister and their families came for breakfast and a visit which was wonderful.

With a healthy second child and a full-time flying job there isn't much left to wish for when he blows out the candles. I'll have the same difficulty. Life is sweet.

Her favorite things...

Watching the "Sound of Music" tonight with Aria for the first time. We both love it. At bedtime we talked about her favorite things: ice cream, doughnuts, bright leaves, shiny things, lovey, blowing flowers (dandelions), Miss June (her teacher's aide), her monsters, bright lights and my favorites: the sound of lawnmowers in summer, the green "haze" of spring as the trees start to bud, thunderstorms, convertibles and running at night under a sky full of stars.

Aspen at 4 mos

Just back from Aspen's well child visit at the pediatrician. We were in last week for some issues, turns out she was only 11 lbs 6 oz at that visit, today's visit after adding supplemental formula (to the tune of 16 oz/day) she was 12 lbs 6 oz! Up a pound in a week. Guess she was hungry :) She is sleeping much better during the day. Her height is 25.25". I looked back at Aria's 4 mos stats just for kicks and found this: "Aria height 26", weight 12 lbs 14 oz. "

Almost 4 mos and gobbling up the rice cereal...

Aria wanted nothing to do with the rice cereal on the spoon...not so Aspen! My skinny minny couldn't get enough of it! We might get scolded by the pediatrician for starting a teeny bit early.

This Valentines Day, things I love about my daughters...

Things I love about Aspen We get the BEST BIGGEST smiles first thing in the am and all day...even when she's grumpy or hungry she'll give an ear to ear grin then grump.
She is ticklish and laughs if you walk your fingers up her belly to her neck
She has the fattest cheeks and the biggest blue eyes
When something is puzzling to her she gets a confused look on her face, wrinkled brow and all.
She has smiles for everyone (but first gives them a puzzled look)
She is so easily entertained by Aria it is ridiculous.

Things I love about Aria...She is such fun these days!! She is so good to her little sister and helpful to us. She loves her new school with Miss G and Miss June and her friend Jillian. She loves the blue cowboy boots and heart necklace we got her for Valentines Day. She is sweet and loving to just about everyone, teachers, classmates and neighbors. Learning big and small letters and some phonics. On the rare occasion that she makes Aspen cry (scares her with a noisy sound or accidentally brushed stuffed animal tail in Aspen's eye, she cries hysterically, so scared she hurt the baby or made her cry.

Sisters at 3 months