Kiddos in the pool

I have been friends with Dana-Susan and Peggy since college.  Since Peggy was in town from California, we all got together for some swimming fun!  Caris is becoming a fish this summer...I'm so glad she likes the water and is not afraid of it.  So we will take advantage of it and will enroll her in some swimming classes this summer.  And so it begins with our summer activities...  

Caris & I, D-S with Morgan & Dylan, and Peggy with Eddie.

What else can we expect from Eddie?

Ring Around The Rosy

D-S, who is a swim coach, is giving Caris lessons

Treading water

Showing momma what she learned.

Kiddos being themselves

Here's my Chunk-A-Roo

All of our cute kiddos.

First Father's Day

We celebrated Daddy's Day by grillin' at home.  I know, it's suppose to be his day and he shouldn't have had to do anything but he is the Master of the Grill so we just let him do what he enjoyed doing...We are so thankful that daddy is the leader of our home!  His desire to walk with God to be the husband and father according to God's Word gives me so much comfort and confidence to know that we are safe in following in his leadership.  We think he is the best and grateful that we got to celebrate him on his First Father's Day!  Looking forward to many more!

Daddy and his favorite cupcake

I got this book by Christian singer, Cindy Morgan, for him to read to Caris.  The book is about a special dance they share over the years leading up to their dance at her wedding....a good one for daddies and  their little princesses. 

Up early in the morning to open the scrapbook I made for him.  

We are also thankful for Pappaw and the joy he is to our family. 

Caris made this in the church nursery...OK, she is only 10 months.

Prepping lunch

Salmon and veggie kabobs

Watching too much of Food Network.

These veggies were so tasty and delish

Our yummy lunch

Dessert was chocolate fruit parfait

Sippy Cup Drama

I think the title says it all on this post.  As we are approaching the 11 months mark, I have been unsuccessfully trying to wean Caris off the bottle.  No such luck thus far!  She will take water out of a sippy but not her milk.  I know the pediatrician told me to just do it and if she gets hungry she'll take her sippy.  Hmmpf...easier said than done!  I know I'm so weak in this area because I can't stand to watch her refuse to take milk in any form.  Plus, it's a comfort issue for her and I do admit I enjoy cuddling up with her to give her the bottle...I know!!!  But then I am reminded of this actress, who shall remain nameless, that had her baby on the bottle til 2 years old and the child was manipulating the parents to stay on the bottle for milk and water! Then I am jolted to reality that this will not happen to my child! Ha! So I need to become the Sippy Gestapo...soon I pray!  I'm hoping to draw some sympathy and have y'all join with me to pray and am open to any and all suggestions.

Still holding on to the bottle for dear life.

These are just a few that I've tried so far: Nuby, Munchkin, Nuk, ones with and without straws...and the $10 Born Free bottle-she will only drink water, not milk, out of it. 

Pool time with the Crews

This week we went over to my friend, Dana-Susan's house in the Woodlands.  D-S and her whole family are like my adopted family.  I've known her since college days at Sam Houston.  He parents have literally taken me under their wings.  D-S and her husband are triathletes and are also swim coaches so it wasn't a surprise that they now have a pool in their backyard.  It was fun to have all the kids in the pool together too.  D-S actually gave Caris her first swim lesson and I'm so sad I forgot to take some pics of that!

Dylan, Caris, and Morgan 

Dana-Susan and Caris 

All of us together

Pool side

This weekend our neighborhood pool opened so we took advantage of it by taking Caris for her first swim! What a treat for her and us...so much fun!  Sadly, I have lived in our neighborhood for 4 years now and have never checked out the pool.  I was also waiting for the swim diaper that I had ordered for her to come in and was a little nervous for her to try it out but all went well.  To say the least, momma and baby will definitely come back often during the week. 

For the video, please remember to pause on the playlist.  Also, ignore our crazy jibberish as we talked in Caris lingo!

Checking out the new float

Extra shade protection...gotta watch those wrinkles early!

We took off the octopus activity center on her float since it was bigger than her and she showed no interest in it whatsoever!

Enjoying the ride

And so it began with the splashing!

Daddy drying her off...I was in the pool taking these pics so the angle is a little off.

I'm dried already daddy!

I love this tender moment between them.

Battle of the Bow!

A light just clicked on for Miss Caris.  She now has got a mind and strong will of her own!  It started when she was first born, sitting in her PINK bouncer, when someone said, "How cute, is it a boy or a girl?" I held my tongue when what I wanted to say was "would you put your boy in a PINK bouncer?"  Anyway, I then emailed Wendi's sister, Ashley, about the cute bows that her daughter, Anna, was wearing.  Well, Wendi got wind of it and so she and her mom got Caris some adorable bows and headbands for Christmas.  So from 3 months on, just so there would be no confusion,  I was delighted that she was a Bowhead and she was fine with wearing them, up until now, that is!  I guess she has come to the conclusion that she doesn't have to if she doesn't want to!  Let's see who is going to win this battle...

The look of frustration

About to take it off!

Here at lunch with my teacher friend, Lorena...and off it goes...

Church Picnic

Our church recently had a picnic at Telge Park, just down the street from where we live.  So nice to attend a church that is just down the street from us, I'm talking about within 5 minutes! We are so blessed by the teaching of our pastor and the people that we have met there.  Harvest Bible Chapel is a fairly new church, just a few years old in fact.  Pastor Buddy Riddle came from one of our former churches, the MET.  He has a heart for teaching God's Word in truth and really cares about developing relationships within the local body.  Caris will also be dedicated at this church in late June so more to come in a future post. 

Don't think Caris was quite ready and hubby seems to somehow appear shorter than me.  He says I have good posture and he is a sloucher.  Well??? Sometimes you have to be happy with what you can get...

Corrine and her daughter, Amanda, always take great care of Caris in the church nursery.  

Kiddie Pool

It is summer time and that means pool time in Houston! I thought before we took  Caris to the big pool we would slowly immerse her in the kiddie pool at first.  She was a little hesitant like I thought.  She whined a little at first because it was all new to her.  I thought how weird since she loves her nightly baths.  But I came to the conclusion that the water was a little cold for her.  I found this cute kid's pool with the shaded palm trees...perfect for the sun!  I was a little concerned since the reviews I read said the palm trees didn't stay up so well.  But not everyone has the super duper air pump that daddy has.   

I do have to apologize for the picture quality in these pics though.  I know my husband is the photographer extraordinaire and got me a really good Canon Rebel but sometimes that thing is so big to haul around that it's just easier to pull out my Canon Powershot.  So the lighting is a little off and if I had more time I would do something about it but oh well, such is life...

My new jungle kiddie pool

She didn't want to touch the water at first

She was kind of whiny so I got in with her to try it out.