Memorial Day Weekend

We had an eventful Memorial Day weekend this year!

Our weekend started off on Saturday with a 9:30am flight to New York to visit with the Aston-Reese side of the family. Kristen recently Graduated from Suny Cortland and we wanted to celebrate with her at her graduation party. Since we were just going for the weekend we thought it would be easier to fly there rather than drive the 380 miles. It's only a 7 hour drive, but with two kiddos in tow, it would have been more like 10.

The flight was an hour long and besides lugging two car seats, two kids, two suitcases, a diaper bag and a carry-on through the airport, it was a relatively easy trip. It was a first for both Jocelyn and Reagan--their first ride on an airplane!

Jocelyn was very excited to sit in the seat and use a "big girl seat belt". Jocelyn behaved like an angel through the airport and on the plane. She's definitely our easy child!

Reagan didn't realize what was going on. She didn't know we were 20 thousand feet in the air. She also didn't understand why she wasn't allowed to shake or climb on the seat in front of us, but overall, she did well--We didn't have to leave her at the airport! ;-)


Sunday was the Graduation party at Carolyn's Sister's house. She has a pool--a great location for a party, especially when it was as warm as it was that day! Jocelyn was excited to swim (after she was done eating appetizers). She doesn't get too many opportunities to swim, and her need for swimming lessons shown through now that she is a bit older. She has a slight fear of the water, but she got used to it just in time to swallow some water and become scared all over again. I'll put in a call to the YMCA sometime this week!

This was Reagan's first time in a pool! Reagan didn't like the water at first, but by the time Todd was ready to get out, Reagan was finding any Aunt or Uncle who would hold her, allowing her to stay in. She didn't want to get out!

I took the opportunity to get a picture of the girls with their Aunt and Uncles. A rare occasion to get everyone together at the same time!

I couldn't resist one of the entire family as well!

It was a great trip to NY! We had a blast! The trip home on the airplane went a little smoother than the trip there. Todd and I were a little more prepared for all the lugging, train-riding and waiting around this time. Thanks for having us Will & Carolyn!


When we got home on Monday, we almost immediately turned around and headed to Grandma's house for a Memorial Day picnic. Reagan was a trooper and was all smiles even though she only had two very short car naps that day!

The girls did a little more swimming.

In a pool that was just the right size for fearless play.

By 7:15 Jocelyn was ready and asking to go home to "sleep in her own bed". Poor Grandma & family were upset that we had to leave so early, but after an eventful weekend, we were all pooped and ready to get home to relax a little bit. It was so much fun!

Last Day of PALS

I can't believe today was the last day for playgroup! The girls had a blast at the party! When it began Reagan was only a month old...now she's nearing her first birthday! Time flies when you're having fun!

Jocelyn's Art

Yesterday Jocelyn was quietly coloring when she finished and brought the picture below to me.

She said, "Look Mommy, it's Reagan!" This was so exciting because I feel like this is one of the first times she drew something with intent. She had made other drawings and then named them things that she thought they looked like, but this time she tried to make the picture look like something she wanted to draw. She even wrote Reagan's name at the bottom. Then, she added the whiskers. Not sure what that's about--but Reagan doesn't have whiskers on her chin, that's for sure. I still think it's pretty darn cute!

Reagan's Newest Accomplishment

Mother's Day Flowers

Todd has a knack for picking out a bouquet of flowers that, although it doesn't look so great on the shelf, ends up being beautiful...

Thanks Todd & Jocelyn for cheering up our dining room with these beautiful flowers!

Our Easter Trip to Charlotte 2011

On Saturday we participated in the Easter Egg Hunt at the Historic Latta Plantation. Jocelyn patiently waited to find some eggs.
She had a great time & found lots of eggs!
Our Easter Family PortraitThe Plantation Bunny

Hanging out at MeMe & Papa's was Reagan's favorite activity! She especially enjoyed "talking" on the phone.

Dyeing eggs

Hunting for the Easter baskets

This is surprise that the Easter Bunny came! She didn't think he had!
The Easter Bunny also hid candy-filled eggs outside MeMe & Papa's house. This was also very exciting for Jocelyn!

Reagan in her dress outside at Aunt Sally & Uncle John's house.

On Monday we went out to the Maurer Stables to visit the horses!

Jocelyn really enjoyed riding on a horse. This year she even got to steer!

Reagan was a bit afraid of the large animals, but she enjoyed spending some time with Papa sitting on the fence.

We had a great trip!! The drive isn't too bad, even when two kids add about 3 extra hours, but it's worth the fun and time we get to spend at Meme and Papa's house! Meme and Papa's house is so much fun for the girls and Jocelyn was truly upset that she had to leave. Time flies when you are having fun! Thanks Mom & Dad for another great Easter! We love you guys!

Wordless Wednesday

It's time to put the gate back up!

The Things I Don't Want to Forget

Reagan is already 9-months-old today! I just can't believe how fast time is flying. Realizing that Reagan's baby days are quickly becoming memories, and knowing how quickly a baby turns into a Preschooler, I find myself trying to etch into my memory the things I love about baby Reagan and really trying to cherish the time I have left with her sweet "babyness".

I know, no matter how hard I try, the memories will fade. I know because there are things that Reagan does that remind me of baby Jocelyn--Things that I haven't thought about and things that as time went by, just escaped from my mind. The things about Reagan that I always want to remember are simple things, like how it feels to kiss her big, squishy cheek. How she smells when I kiss her forehead. How her hand and arm meet in a such a chubby way that the only evidence of a wrist is the wrinkle that lies between chubby hand and chubby arm. The way she gets so overjoyed just to see that I have entered the room--smiling and screeching. The dimples on her elbows. The way she smiles and shows only her bottom teeth. The way she tries to get everyone to laugh by blowing raspberries. The way she pushes her head down toward me when she wants a hug. Her open-mouth baby kisses, which are so slobbery but too cute to resist. Sock lint caused by having too-chubby of toes. The way she scratches at my back and stares at me with those big blue eyes while she nurses. The way her cry sounds.

Every day I find myself thinking of new things and certain moments I want to hold on to forever. I can't believe Reagan is already 9 months old. In three short months we will be celebrating her first birthday. I can't believe how fast time goes by. I try to remind myself of all these things when I am having an overwhelming day where she just wants to be held and I can't see to get a thing done. The days of holding a baby will be a distant memory, and I know when the girls get too big to hold, I will look back longingly at the days when all I could do was hold one of my babies!

Reagan is Beginning to Crawl!

Reagan crawled a couple of times today. Here's a small clip of one of the times. It seems she will crawl on hard floor rather than the carpeted floor...please excuse the fact that I am allowing my child to pick a carrot up from the kitchen floor. I grabbed it away from her before she ate too much of it! ;-)

First Zoo Trips

Jocelyn in August 2008 during her first trip to the zoo!
Reagan in February 2011 during her first trip to the zoo!

A Sippy Story

Mommy finally decided to let me try a sippy cup back in February when I was 7 months old. I'm pretty sure I heard Daddy saying she let Jocelyn try it when she was 6 months old.

I wasn't too sure about it at first.
But the cup looked interesting!

The stuff inside tasted weird and was cold. I'm used to warm liquids. What is this stuff?

Now I'm a pro!