The Remington Family

New Year's Day

2012-01-05T23:04:00.003-05:00

We had a very low-key and quiet New Year's Eve. With 3 kids (two of which are still not old enough to stay up to watch the ball drop!) it's kind of hard to have one of any other kind. But honestly, we were happy to have a quiet evening at home. Brady was of course extremely excited to both see the ball drop and to get to stay up that late. On New Year's Day the 5 of us went out to Cracker Barrel for Brunch. It was really quite nice! All 5 of us don't go out to eat together very often (it's a production!) so I think we all enjoyed the fun of it.

The kids really enjoyed sitting out on "the porch," in the rocking chairs and playing checkers!

Cutest Baby Contest - She Won!!!

2012-01-05T22:45:00.004-05:00

A good while back, it was April 2011 (Anna Cate was 11 months old) we had her portrait taken at Caston Studios. For those non-Richmonders, it's a local studio that's been around for a long time - they did my mom's bridal portrait and both mine and my sister's high school senior portraits. She was entered into their cutest baby contest and we recently received word that SHE WON!!!

Here's the picture that was entered. She's grown so much since then, it's hard to remember when she looked like this!

Perhaps it was this contest that has helped turn her into a Glamour Girl...

She loves her "lipstick." (That's what she calls her chapstick!)

Looks good in shades!

And even sports gorgeous nails!

**While all of this is true, she is actually the most well-rounded little girl. She also happens to LOVE rocks, playing outside and getting dirty, knows her Star Wars characters and loves T-Rex (the last two both thanks to big brother Grayson!)**

Bedroom = Playroom!

2012-01-05T22:37:00.004-05:00

Anna Cate got so many wonderful new things this Christmas, it's literally turned her bedroom into a playroom!

We love the personalized growth chart that Nana gave her!

All THREE kids love and play with her new kitchen. And you can also see the new Hello Kitty she got from Granna and Kristin as well as the babydoll set that came with doll, crib and accessories!

And speaking of Hello Kitty, check out her new slippers! (She LOVES and is OBSSESSED with all things kitty cats, including Hello Kitty!)

She loves the new dollhouse that Pops got her!

Brady and his Legos

2012-01-05T22:31:00.004-05:00

One of the things that Brady really wanted for Christmas this year was Legos. He LOVES Legos. And he is REALLY, REALLY good at building the sets. He sits down, follows the instructions and builds the entire set from start to finish without asking for a single bit of help. It's really impressive! He got 4 new sets for Christmas and by the end of the evening had put them all together!

He put this Lego City NASA Space Shuttle together in a little over an hour, and with no help whatsoever!

His new sets on display in his room!

Our Wonderful Christmas

2012-01-05T21:46:00.011-05:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. In the morning Anna Cate, Grayson, Daddy and I woke up to see what Santa had brought the kids and opened some presents (it was Brady's mom's year for him to spend the night with her on Christmas Eve). All 3 kids were very good this year, so Santa was particulary kind to them as well. Granna, Nana, Kristin and Pops came over for Christmas breakfast and (of course more) presents. Brady got home later and we all had Christmas dinner along with Mom Mom and Grandma. Ann and Papa came over that evening for some dessert and (more) presents. Can you tell already that the kids made out pretty well this year?!? It was certainly a busy day, but it was a perfect Christmas day filled with family and love.

The "loot" from Santa. The highlights were a T-Rex (Grayson specifically asked Santa for a T-Rex when sitting on his lap) and a Big Boy Bike for Grayson, a Play Kitchen for Anna Cate and a Remote Control All-Terrain Motorcycle for Brady.

Grayson on his new bike! And because he knows all, Santa knew that Grayson's nickname (and the only name Anna Cate uses!) is Bubba - so he even made him a Virginia license plate with his name!

Some of the Christmas morning highlights!

And later that day!

Anna Cate loved playing with the bows from the presents as well as the presents themselves!

But she also had a great time playing her new piano from Mommy and Daddy!

Daddy also ended up having a really great Christmas as well. Pops (my dad) gave him a set of golf clubs! He was really excited!

**With all of the wonderful food and presents that Christmas brings, we also always want to remind our children of the real reason for Christmas - the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. So, as we do every year, we have a birthday cake for Jesus, as a special way to remind the kids of his birth.

Happy Birthday to You, Jesus!

Christmas Eve

2012-01-05T21:26:00.006-05:00

We celebrated Christmas Eve over at Mom Mom's house with Mom Mom, Ann and Taylor, as we have the past couple of years. This year was particularly special since Grandma was now here to celebrate with us. We had lots of delicious food and had a wonderful time. The kids had a great time, especially since that menat they got to open some presents early!

Opening presents!

Mom Mom got Grayson a really cool Melissa and Doug Dinosaur floor puzzle and Grayson insisted they put it together right away!

Christmas Eve with family!

We made it home in time to put cookies out for Santa and some celery for Rudolph and the rest of the reindeer!

Christmas Lights and Hot Chocolate!

2011-12-18T22:02:00.006-05:00

For the third year in a row we took part in one of our favorite family traditions. Each year after Grayson's birthday party we fill up thermoses with hot chocolate and drive around looking at Christmas lights. We had a wonderful time this year.

Daddy took a picture of us by our tree before we bundled up and headed out.

All 3 kids had a great time walking around the James Center in downtown Richmond.

Daddy and the kids by the BIG Christmas tree.

All of the kids loved the "Tacky House," (as Richmonders fondly call it) and we got out and walked around to look at it.

Grayson's 3rd Birthday Party!

2011-12-18T21:52:00.004-05:00

Grayson had his birthday party this past weekend. It was (of course) a Dinosaur Birthday! He was beside himself with excitement waiting for all of the family to get to the house. He couldn't wait to eat his dinosaur cake and open presents. He had a really great day!

The birthday boy with his dino ribbon waiting for everyone to get here!

He loved all of the dinosaur decorations and of course his dinosaur birthday cake!

Anna Cate was interested in all of his presents, but as you can see, Grayson didn't mind!

Brady, Grayson and Anna Cate playing Gray's new game - Hungry Hungry Hippos!

"Happy Birthday to You!"

Grayson's THREE!!! 12/12/11

2011-12-18T21:39:00.005-05:00

Grayson turned 3 on Monday, 12/12. Just try to call him a baby, he will quickly tell you he's a big boy! And he truly is! I can't believe he is already three. And yet, in the week since he turned 3, we've noticed a change in him. He's eating better, he's sleeping better, and he's not as quick to fuss. I honestly feel like the past 3 years have gone by in a blink. But I never knew life could be as sweet until this precious boy blessed my life 3 years ago. Happy Birthday, Grayson James. I love you more than words could ever describe!

Grayson was super lucky on his birthday. He got a birthday cupcake at lunchtime with Granna and Aunt Kristin. And then that night we had a small birthday party, just the 5 of us. Daddy made Grayson an ice cream cake and there were a few presents, too!

He loved his birthday cupcake!

Later that night we had his favorite meal for dinner, Lemon Chicken Pesto. Followed by presents and cake!

Happy Birthday, Grayson!

Visit with Santa Claus!

2011-12-18T21:25:00.006-05:00

We made our annual trip to Bass Pro Shops to see Santa Claus. Grayson was really excited. He told me prior to seeing him that he was going to tell him that he loved him! Brady was excited to see him too. Both boys told Santa what they hoped he would bring them for Christmas and Grayson told him he would leave him some cookies and milk. Anna Cate thought she was excited, but once she was placed on Santa's knee, excitement soon turned to terror!

After we saw Santa we walked around a bit. Anna Cate liked seeing the fish with her big brothers.

This bear has made several appearances on this blog with Brady and Grayson! But, it's fun to be able to see them taller and taller with each picture!

***It's really neat for me to see Christmas through our kids eyes, particularly through Grayson's this year. He's at that magical age where he truly "gets" Christmas. He understands fully about Santa - that he will come on Christmas Eve and bring presents; and that he must be a good boy for Santa to come (yep, I've used it several times!). He also loves the story of the first Christmas. He knows all about Mary, Joseph and the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Our Christmas tree has brought us many smiles so far. And the kids love to look at all of the ornaments. And so far, they've done pretty good about not breaking any, either!

Silly Anna Cate!

2011-12-18T21:22:00.002-05:00

Not only is Anna Cate percocious, she's also pretty funny too! She gets into everything and is always having fun doing it! (And this time, I mean literally!)

Fun with Aunt Kristin!

2011-12-18T21:08:00.005-05:00

Aunt Kristin never fails in the fun department. Grayson and Anna Cate always have such a good time with her. She had off a couple days last weeks, so while Mommy and Daddy were at work, Guh Guh made sure Grayson and Anna Cate had plenty of smiles and laughs!

They spent one day running errands. The trip to Petco turned into a huge hit. Anna Cate is in love with all things "Kitty Cats," she gets so excited whenever she sees one, real or pretend. But when she saw the real kitty cats at the pet store, she was squealing with excitement.

Anna Cate so happy to see the cats!

They both loved seeing the fish, too!

Not only is Kristin fun, she is also very creative! Knowing Grayson's love of dinosaurs, she had Grayson and Anna Cate go on a DINO DIG! It was a very warm day so it was perfect to play outside. She gave them some digging tools (aka gardening tools) and let them loose to find fossils (aka tree bark). They had an absolute ball.

Dr. Grayson Remington, Palentologist!

Anna Cate really had fun digging and playing outside too!

O' Christmas Tree, O' Christmas Tree!

2011-12-11T23:09:00.003-05:00

We took Grayson and Anna Cate on the hunt for the perfect Remington family Christmas tree this past weekend. Brady was at his mom's so unfortunately he didn't get to go with us.

They liked looking at all of the trees.

But their favorite part was getting the candy canes that were being handed out!

Anna Cate, the Fashion Diva!

2011-12-11T23:06:00.002-05:00

Anna Cate sporting the 80's look in her leggings and slouch boots!

Think that was good? Check out her modeling her pink coat while wearing her boots!

Anna Cate and the ABC's

2011-12-11T23:03:00.002-05:00

Grayson is REALLY into the ABC's. He's learning all of the letters and he's getting very good at identifying them all. Well, it's obviously rubbed off on Anna Cate...check out this video!

Like Two Peas in a Pod!

2011-12-11T22:55:00.000-05:00

This picture tickles me, so I had to share it!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-12-11T22:46:00.005-05:00

We had a very nice Thanksgiving this year. We had our loved ones come over to the house to celebrate Thanksgiving and to remind us what we are the most thankful for...family.

The only thing, we were so busy cooking and eating, we forgot to take many pictures!

Anna Cate and Mommy on Thanksgiving Day!

Daddy was able to get a picture of the 3 Generations of cooks in the family.

Mom Mom and Grandma had a different Thanksgiving dinner to go to. Instead they came over on Saturday to spend some time with us. Grayson loved having Mom Mom and Grandma read books with him.

Family Fun Night/4th Anniversary

2011-11-20T22:38:00.003-05:00

Michael and I celebrated our 4th wedding annivesary last Thursday, November 17th. But instead of going out to a romantic dinner for two, we broke with convention and made it a family night. We decided to spend a fun evening with the little ones that mean so much to us. So on Friday night all 5 of us went out to dinner. We went to Red Robin and the kids had a great time. Everyone behaved really well too, which was a complete bonus! All 3 of them were excited to get their balloon as we left. When we got home all of us got into our PJs and settled in for a family movie. Anna Cate didn't get to stay up for the whole movie, but the boys had a great time. It was actually a wonderful night! And what better way for Michael and I to celebrate our love for one another than with the little ones we love the most!

In Our PJs and Ready for the Movie!

Anna Cate - 18 Months

2011-11-20T22:24:00.006-05:00

Anna Cate turned 18 months old at the beginning of the month. I cannot believe she is already a year and a half old. She is such a wonder, and I literally stand in awe of her every day. She is extremely bright and intelligent; she's funny; she's so sweet and loving - she just couldn't be any better. We're so lucky that she has blessed our lives. She's very ahead of the curve in many areas. She's speaks long, clear sentences. Sometimes the things that come out of her mouth cause our jaws to drop. She can count to five, and even points to each finger on her hand as she counts. She knows all of the words and sings "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and "The Itsy Bitsy Spider." She loves to color and draw, and can hold the crayons so well. We had her 18 Month Check-Up earlier this month and here are her stats:

Height: 30 Inches - The little shorty is (still) between the 5th and 10th Percentile
Weight: 27 lbs, 5 oz - 85th Percentile (She's got to make up for being so short!)
Head: 18 Inches - 26th Percentile

She's also extremely interested in using the potty. She's peed in the potty several times on her own. And she gets so excited and proud of herself when she does. I have a feeling it won't be much longer with this little one in diapers...

Teaching her Bitty Baby to Use the Potty

Fun With Grayson and Anna Cate

2011-11-20T22:12:00.003-05:00

Grayson and Anna Cate are little balls of energy. They are go, go, go all the time and they play so hard. And usually where there is one, the other is not far. They're so close and love each other so much.

Big Brother Giving Little Sister a Ride

And Little Sister Giving Him One Back!

Some Fun Videos of them in Action!

They Love to Run!

Grayson Loves Hide and Seek!

Anna Cate Trying to Climb

Halloween 2011

2011-11-06T22:17:00.006-05:00

This Halloween Grayson and Anna Cate had very special costumes. Grayson was a doctor and Anna Cate was a nurse. This was done in honor of Granna, since she always says they help her so much and are her best medicine. They looked really cute.

Paging Dr. and Nurse Remington!

"Here Mommy...want to hear my heart?"

Brady's mom bought him a Scream costume (not at all a choice of ours) and once he had his mask on, a group picture became nearly impossible. Grayson was ok with it (which pleasantly surprised me) but Anna Cate was not. She kept saying, "I'm scared, Mommy. I'm scared."

For the third year in a row the Johnson boys (Isaac and Dallas) joined us for Trick-or-Treating. But we were not successful at getting a group shot of all the kids. Isaac and Dallas were afraid of Brady's costume as well (aye yi yi)...

Right when we got ready to leave to Trick-or-Treat, it started POURING. It ended up easing up a bit, but never stopped raining. So instead of us all going, the boys went out while Anna Cate stayed home and gave out candy with me. Michael said that Grayson did really, really well this year. He said "Trick-or-Treat" at every door and was having a ball.

After the boys came home and counted their loot, they all piled on the couch with Michael.

Pumpkin Time!

2011-11-06T22:12:00.003-05:00

The night before Halloween we carved our pumpkins. We let Grayson stay up a bit longer to participate; next year Anna Cate will be big enough to join in too (she was already in bed this year!) The boys had fun and they turned out great!

Happy Halloween!

Meeting Grandma...AT LAST!

2011-11-06T22:06:00.003-05:00

Michael's Grandma Miriam has moved down to Richmond from Buffalo, NY. Everyone is so excited that she is down here. A few days after she had gotten settled, the 5 of us went over to Mom Mom's house for dinner with her and Grandma. Michael and I were both so excited because it was the first time for Grayson and Anna Cate to meet their Great Grandma!

Grayson was smitten with her right away. But as is the case in most instances with new people, it took Anna Cate a bit longer to warm up. But by the end of the night, they were both sitting with Grandma and giving her big hugs and kisses. Looking forward to many blog posts to come with Grandma!

Driving Buddies

2011-11-06T22:05:00.002-05:00

Grayson and Anna Cate enjoy going to the grocery store with Mommy. They love to drive together!

A Random Act of Kindness

2011-11-06T21:57:00.011-05:00

Several weeks ago the door bell rang while I was home working. When I got to the front door, there was no one outside. Instead, there was a little note along with a Beanie Baby. The note read, "Here is a random act of kindness that Anna Kate hopefully will enjoy."

You can clearly see that the note was written by one of the many little kids in our neighborhood. It is so cute and sweet.

Pumpkin Patch 2011

2011-10-23T23:22:00.010-04:00

Today the 5 of us went to the Pumpkin Patch! It was quite exciting...this is the first year that Daddy went with us, and we were all excited to have him there. All 3 kids had an absolute ball. We saw animals, rode ponys, shot paintballs, and got pumpkins of course!

Family Fun - Chesterfield Berry Farm, 2011.

Brady and Grayson had fun playing on the haystack...

...and going through the hay tunnel!

All of them liked looking at the bunnies and other animals.

Brady's favorite part was the Paintball!

Grayson's favorite part was the Pony Ride!

Then it was time to take the hayride over to the pumpkin patch!

Off to find the perfect pumpkin!

Anna Cate kept trying so hard to pick up the pumpkins!

Annual pictures at the height chart!

A GREAT trip to the pumpkin patch this year...all 3 kids had a blast!

Happy Birthday, Kristin!

2011-10-23T23:14:00.003-04:00

This past Saturday was Kristin's birthday. The 5 of us went over to Granna's house to have dinner and birthday pie with Kristin, Granna and Nana.

Singing to the Birthday Girl!

Even though it was her birthday, Kristin got gifts for the kids! She's so good to them, and spoils them in the best way ever! She got them little gifts for Halloween/Fall Fun. Brady got some money (so he can buy legos), Grayson got lots of dinosaurs, and Anna Cate got fairy wings and dress up jewelry.

Anna Cate's wings are so adorable!

Anna Cate was having so much fun at the birthday party - and showing what a little wild woman she can be!

All 3 kids together!

Last Weekend - Fun for Us All!

2011-10-23T22:59:00.008-04:00

Last weekend we all had some fun. My dear friend from college, Amie got married up in Northern Virginia. So while Mommy and Daddy went out of town for the weekend, Grayson and Anna Cate had a blast with Granna and Aunt Kristin!

The kids had such a good time, and did so many fun things. They made some new artwork to hang in their rooms. The last time they did this was for my birthday last year - it's now going to be a yearly project - so their bedroom wall will be filled with an annual piece of artwork!

They went to Sunday school. Grayson got to do more artwork in Sunday school and he was so excited to go!

When we picked them up on Sunday afternoon, they were both ALL smiles! They had such a great time with Granna and Kristin!

Michael and I had a wonderful weekend, too. It was the first time in a couple years that the two of us had gone away together. We both missed the kids terribly, but it was also nice to have a mini-vacation! We also got to spend the weekend with my best friend Meghann and her husband Luke.

The 4 of us at the Rehearsal Dinner - Meghann and Luke and Michael and I.

We had a great time at the wedding, too!

All of the bridesmaids with the beautiful bride, Amie.

Just Because...

2011-10-23T22:50:00.005-04:00

I've been a bit behind in blogging lately (we've been so busy these days), so here are just a few pictures from the past couple weeks, that just made me smile.

Just Hanging Around!

Funny Face...and so ladylike, too!

Helping Mommy Cook Dinner.

Watching TV.

Wrestling!

Hanging with the Big Boys!

Traditional Decorated Pumpkin at Granna's!

2011-10-23T22:43:00.003-04:00

Every year Aunt Kristin has bought pumpkins and let Grayson (and then Anna Cate, too) decorate them. Everyone in my family knows how much I LOVE traditions (of all kinds!) so I was so glad that Kristin continued the fun with the kids again this year. Poor Anna Cate's pumpkin busted, so they only had one to work with this year. But Grayson was happy to share!

Grayson and Anna Cate's Pumpkin!

Happy early Halloween from Grayson and Anna Cate (and their pumpkin)!

The End of Fall Ball

2011-10-23T22:37:00.002-04:00

Fall Ball came to a close last weekend. Brady really enjoyed the Fall Baseball season, and he played so well. In his last two games he closed out the season with two triples and one home run!

Scoring a Triple!

Grayson and Anna Cate really enjoyed Fall Ball, too. Grayson made friends with some other little brothers and Anna Cate was just happy to be out and about!

Grayson's BIG Big Boy Bed!

2011-09-25T21:34:00.006-04:00

We felt that Grayson was quickly outgrowing his toddler bed so this weekend we decided to change it out to a BIG Big Boy Bed. He was so excited. We're excited too - Michael and I kept having a frequent visitor in our bed for many nights recently. We're also glad the way his room turned out. He absolutely loves his bed and loves jumping on it as well (supervised, of course!)

Helping Daddy put the bed together.

The minute the matress went on, Grayson and Anna Cate just HAD to try it out!

Grayson's Big Boy room!

He just loves it!

Anna Cate Update

2011-09-25T20:40:00.008-04:00

It's hard for me to believe that Anna Cate is now the age that Grayson was when she was born (16, just shy of 17 months). Where does the time go? She's at that age now where she does so many new things so fast, it's hard to keep up with updating her accomplishments. She's gone from walking to now running. She loves to sing - she sings the ABC song (doesn't know much past A, B, C, but still!), she loves to sing with the radio (and Pearl Jam like her brother!), singing along with Veggie Tales, you name it. She also loves to dance. But what's most striking to me is her vocabulary. She can pretty much say anything these days. And if you tell her a new word she will repeat it and remember it. She's no longer saying 1 word at a time; she's saying 2 and 3 word sentences, which just blows me away, especially being so young. She also changes her pronouns correctly. She continues to be fearless and will try anything. She's extremely sweet and loving and loves to hug and cuddle. She's also very precocious and fiesty.

Here are are latest sayings (and I know I will forget to include some):

Why Not? (This is her favorite saying. She says it ALL THE TIME! I told her today I'm going to start calling her "why not." She is often told "No," to which she will always say "Why not?")
What's that?
Where's ____? (blank being Brady, Daddy, Mommy, Bubba - she says them all!)
I did it!
I got it!
I need it! (If you take something away or tell her she can't have something after why not, of course, she will say "I need it!"
I pee pee. (She loves to follow you into the bathroom and sit down on Grayson's potty and will say "I pee pee," or sometimes "I'm peeing.")
I'm a mess.
I'm pretty.
Stop it!
I love you, Mommy.
I go nigh-nite.
My turn! (Said to Grayson of course.)
Anna Cate (But for some reason she says Anna Tate!)

I know there are so many more, but these are the ones that stick out the most right now.

Remember when I said she was PRECOCIOUS? Look at poor Granna's wall.

When I saw this picture, it reminded me of what another little toddler did once upon a time at Granna's.

Grayson and Anna Cate

2011-09-25T20:16:00.002-04:00

They are still the best of friends, and Grayson tells this to Anna Cate often. I just love to watch the two of them together. They've now started chasing each other around the house and the giggles are contagious. Grayson really looks out for her as well, and for the most part, is quite patient with her.

Grayson trying to teach Anna Cate how to play Fruit Ninja on the iPad.

Another Remington baby has fallen in love with Veggie Tales. Anna Cate doesn't really sit still for much at all; she's entirely too busy! But she will sit still for Veggie Tales. She loves the songs and sings and dances along. The latest video out is Princess and the Pop Star. It tells a wonderful story about accepting the life God has given you; and that even when it gets hard, it's the life that He has planned for you all along. (A good lesson for Mommy, too!) Both Grayson and Anna Cate LOVE this new video. They both sing and dance and get mesmerized when it's on.

Watching Princess and the Pop Star together.

Happy Birthday, Granna!

2011-09-25T19:44:00.005-04:00

Last weekend we all got together to celebrate Granna's birthday! Granna, Kristin and Nana came over for some cake and ice cream. Grayson of course loved singing Happy Birthday and helping Granna blow out her candles.

Happy Birthday, Granna!

When you need to fit 63 candles on the cake, you need to be creative!

Anna Cate was ready to party and EAT CAKE!

We were finally successful in getting Granna to be in some pictures! When you're the birthday girl, it's hard to say "no!"

SO Big!

2011-09-13T08:27:00.002-04:00

The book "SO Big!" has been through a lot. Mom Mom got it for Grayson when he was a baby. So, the book has seen better days, now that it's been through two Remington babies. But Anna Cate still loves it. She asks for us to read it to her every day. But now...we have another reader in the family. Brady started reading to Anna Cate, and then the whole family chimed in. Honestly not scripted or planned...but an awesome Remington family moment!

We Will Never Forget 9.11.01

2011-09-11T21:41:00.003-04:00

Today marked the 10th Anniversary of September 11, 2001 and the tragic events that took place that day in our great nation. This morning we marked the day with rememberance and all five of us said a prayer at breakfast. We prayed for all those that lost their lives that day and the loved ones they left behind. Michael and I explained the events of that day to Brady. We felt he was old enough to hear it and understand. We told him about the innoncent people that lost their lives, the heroes on the plane of United Flight 93, the heroes from New York City - the firefighters and police officers that ran into the twin towers while everyone else was running out.

Growing up I used to hear people say they remember exactly where they were and what they were doing the day they learned that President Kennedy was shot. I now fully understand that feeling. I don't think there is a single American that does not remember where they were on the morning of September 11, 2001. We must never forget that day and all that was lost. I only pray that we never bear witness to another tragedy such as this.

God Bless all of you, and God Bless America.

Goooooo Redskins!!!

2011-09-11T21:34:00.005-04:00

Yep, it's that time of year again, football is here! That also means it's Burgundy and Gold time in the Remington house. Grayson and Anna Cate were happy to support the Redskins along with their Daddy.

Gooo Redskins!! (This will be the extent of Anna Cate's cheerleading!)

Anna Cate with Daddy.

Anna Cate and Mommy.

Grayson and Daddy. Grayson was really cute...the minute he got his jersey on he started running around the house yelling GO REDSKINS! (over and over and over!)

**The Redskins BEAT the Giants tonight, 28-14, so now, superstitious Daddy says that Anna Cate and Grasyson MUST wear their jerseys for every game the rest of the season!

Fall Ball's in Full Swing!

2011-09-11T21:29:00.002-04:00

Brady had his first Fall Ball baseball game on Saturday. He's on the University of Tennessee. (I have know idea why the teams are named after colleges for Fall Ball!) He did GREAT at his first game. He's truly one of the best on the team! The whole family made it out to the game. And Mom Mom came out to watch him too! He got a hit his first time up at bat. After he hit and made it to 1st Base, Grayson was clapping and said "That's my brother!!"

My Little Helper

2011-09-11T21:25:00.002-04:00

Most that know me know that I have a hate/hate relationship with my hair. Yes, I said hate/hate, not love/hate!! I always dread the day when it's time to "tame the beast" (AKA tame the curls) and blow dry and flat iron my hair straight. But maybe things are looking up now that I have a little helper...Maybe I can eventually talk him into doing all the work for me! On a more serious note, Grayson is at that age where everything is interesting and he wants to try things and learn. This weekend he was VERY interested in me drying my hair and wanted to help!

First Day of School!

2011-09-06T22:34:00.003-04:00

Brady started SECOND GRADE today! I cannot believe he is already in 2nd grade. He was both nervous and excited for school this morning. I can think back and remember that exact feeling. His teacher is Mrs. Hughes and he really liked her and said she was very nice. He's a 7.5 year old boy now, so getting much more detail from him is like pulling teeth! But he had a great day. He's also going to be starting Fall Ball (baseball) this weekend and he is really looking forward to that!

The View from the Backseat

2011-09-06T22:31:00.003-04:00

(This is how Anna Cate and Grayson sit when they are in the car together)

Seriously, can life get any sweeter?

M's and N's

2011-09-06T22:29:00.001-04:00

Grayson has really taken to coloring and writing. He's constantly asking us to write his name. He's learning his letters. He's been able to do O's, but now can do M's and N's, too. He's so proud!

Brady's Home!!

2011-09-06T22:27:00.002-04:00

We were all so excited when Brady came home on Labor Day. He had been gone for a whole week. Grayson and Anna Cate were especially excited to have him home. That day he took them out and helped Anna Cate "race" her brother in their cars.

Swan Lake

2011-09-06T22:17:00.005-04:00

Ok, so it was geese and not swans...but I thought the title was appropriate because Anna Cate went to the lake at Granna's to feed the geese in her full ballerina attire, leotard, tutu and all! She is FEARLESS. Throwing the bread at the geese was not good enough for her. She kept trying to walk up to them and feed it to them!

Grayson loved it too!

A cute little video...

So...my nickname for Grayson is "Bubba." I never really meant for it to be, but somehow I started saying it and it just stuck. I guess it's ok since we're in the South, right?? Anyhow, that is now what Anna Cate calls Grayson. She calls him Bubba! Totally my fault, but in a way, kind of cute. I had to include this video so you could hear her say it!

Remington Reunion - Lake Anna

2011-09-06T21:58:00.007-04:00

This past weekend we went to Lake Anna to Aunt Mary Lou and Uncle Jim's house. Unfortunately, Brady was still with his mom, so it was just the four of us. In addition to Papa, Aunt Mary Lou and Uncle Jim, Michael's Aunt Theora, Aunt Dana and cousins Julie, Janice, Lisa, Bob and Amy were there. It was fun to get together, and Grayson had a ball.

Anna Cate was happy to eat her lunch before making the trip to Lake Anna.

Grayson loved coloring with Julie and Aunt Dana. He talked their ears off!

Anna Cate was a little shy, but she did let Julie hold her for a bit!

Grayson was a big fan of Julie. At one point he told me, "I'm having so much fun, Mommy."

Anna Cate sat out on the porch with her Daddy while Grayson went for a walk with Uncle Jim.

Hospital Visit

2011-09-06T21:50:00.004-04:00

Last week Anna Cate, Grayson and I had to take Granna to the hospital for a test for her cancer treatment. Granna update: The cancer has spread to her bones, so please keep the prayers coming. At the hospital they have a really neat courtyard with animals and a fountain. We played out there while we waited for Granna to have her test.

Grayson loved the elephants. He kept trying to feed them by giving them branches, leaves and flowers.

The giraffe was HUGE!

Grayson also really enjoyed throwing pennies in the fountain.

He even humored Mommy and sat for a picture!

Anna Cate liked picking the flowers.

Hurricane Irene

2011-09-06T21:11:00.019-04:00

Hurricane Irene hit on Saturday, August 27. She hit us very hard here in Richmond. We had a huge oak tree come down in our backyard, luckily it fell away from the house instead of on it. Our power was out for SEVEN LONG DAYS. It went out around 12:30pm on Saturday afternoon and we did not get it back until the following Friday afternoon. It was challenging to say the least! Luckily for Brady, he was scheduled for a week's vacation with his mom that week, so he didn't have to suffer through the hot blackout like the rest of us (he was here for the hurricane though). We never knew how important night lights were until our babies were without them for a week. There were many sleepless nights! We stayed away from the house during the day, and returned in the evenings to sleep. Many thanks to all of our family members for taking us in, feeding us, bathing us, and doing our laundry! Here is our journey with Hurricane Irene...

Anna Cate and Cooper watching the storm.

Grayson was really excited when we had to bring out the candles. But he kept wanting to blow them out, like you do for birthdays!

That first night it was really dark and we let the kids come into bed with us for a while until we could get them settled down for bed (although Grayson ended up staying in our bed each night after that!)

The next morning we all got up, went out to survey the damage, and headed over to Mom Mom's for some cool AC (she never lost power) and breakfast...

This is the tree that came down in our backyard...it's HUGE!

The front yard was a mess as well. But it was smaller branches and limbs.

By Wednesday (day 5 of no power) a neighbor let us share her generator. We got two plugs. We used 1 for the refrigerator and the other for a light. It was the best feeling in the world to see this light! (Sad but true!)

On Friday morning as I left for work (because I work from home, I had to go to my mom's house every day and hide upstairs to get some work done) I saw the Dominion Power trucks in our neighborhood - it was the best thing I had seen in a long time!

So what did we do to pass the time with 7 days of no power? Well, we...

Watched movies on the little DVD player. We let Grayson stay up later each night (since our bath, book, bed routine was interrupted) to watch Finding Nemo and his dinosaur documentaries on our bed. I left the room for two seconds and when I returned, found he turned our bed into Animal Kingdom! Amazing he was able to do this in the dark!

We took baths over at Mom Mom and Granna's house. Grayson LOVED the baths that Aunt Kristin prepared for him!

I wasn't prepared one night, so I didn't have the kids pajamas. AC had to go home in a T-Shirt...she was not a fan!

We played on Granna's scale. (We prolonged going home to our dark house for as long as possbile!)

We played Fruit Ninja on the iPad. Grayson is amazingly really good at this game!

We played outside.

It was a long 7 days, and hopefully something we will never have to go through again! And P.S. - That tree isn't looking so good these days! ;-)

PIGTAILS!!!

2011-08-25T21:51:00.001-04:00

Anna Cate's hair is starting to get long enough for PIGTAILS!! YAY!!!

Sidewalk Chalk!

2011-08-25T21:39:00.006-04:00

One of my most favorite times of the weekday is around 1:00pm. That is when Kristin gets back to work from her lunch break and sends me pictures of what the kids did at lunch time. She is so sweet, and goes and plays with them at lunch and always has something fun for them to do. And I love getting to "see" them during the day while I am working. Today's activity was coloring with sidewalk chalk! They had a great time. I have no idea why, but Anna Cate calls pens, markers, crayons "Bahms." Where she got that I don't know, but she was so excited to play with a "bahm" today. She kept saying it over and over!

"Yay, sidewalk chalk!" (AKA "Bahm!!")

Having fun coloring!

Grayson LOVED the blue dinosaur that Kristin drew for him. It had to be eating a palm tree, of course. He likes to talk about "herbivores eating plants."

Grayson so excited to sit by his name written in chalk. He loves to see his name in writing now; he's learning the letters in his name.

Some of My Favorites...

2011-08-25T21:32:00.005-04:00

Just wanted to share some of my favorite pictures taken of the kids this week...

Look Who's Driving!

2011-08-25T21:28:00.002-04:00

Grayson loves to pretend to drive. What's so funny is that when he does, he asks to listen to Pearl Jam. One of these days I must get Grayson on video listening to Pearl Jam in the car. He absolutely loves them, and requests to hear it every time we're in the car together. He sings and claps and laughs. It's really quite funny! His favorite song is Given to Fly.

Earthquake!! 8/23/11

2011-08-25T21:22:00.002-04:00

I had to mention on here (since this is my virtual baby book, journal and keeper of all memories) that on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 we had an earthquake here in Richmond, VA. It was a 5.9. I was at home working and Brady was here with me in the kitchen doing some 2nd Grade Worksheets (trying to get him ready for school starting soon and spend a little less time on the Wii!) when all of the sudden out of nowhere our house started shaking. It was one of the craziest things I have ever witnessed. We had to jump up and run to get into the door frame. It lasted a good 30-35 seconds, and I literally thought the house might come down. Luckily, we didn't have any damage. Definitely something I will never forget!!

Anything You Can Do, I Can Do...

2011-08-25T21:11:00.008-04:00

It's so funny to watch Grayson and Anna Cate together these days. She loves to try and do anything and everything that her older brothers do.

If Grayson can climb into this pit...

...SO CAN I!

If Grayson can sweep...

...SO CAN I!

If Grayson can color...

...SO CAN I!

**By the way, these personalized coloring pages were made on Frecklebox.

If Grayson can drive in the Cozy Coupe...

...SO CAN I! (Doesn't Grayson look thrilled to have her in the car with him??)

More Scooters!

2011-08-25T21:06:00.002-04:00

Sorry for yet another post about scooters, but they've really been a hit around here. We get really excited to see Grayson riding his so well. And I think he enjoys it so much because he gets to be like his big brother Brady. Here's a video of the two boys riding their scooters together!

Brady and Grayson together on their scooters.

All 3 kids together on an evening walk.

Scooters!

2011-08-21T21:49:00.001-04:00

My Birthday!

2011-08-21T21:26:00.011-04:00

I had an absolutely wonderful birthday this year. The day started out awesome - my sweet husband got up with the kids and let me sleep in...I slept in until 8:30!! (That is late around here) Michael and the kids had breakfast ready for me, and a cup of coffee, too. The kids gave me a beautiful heart necklace with the word "Mom" on it and a pretty saying on the back - I love it. That evening we went over to Granna's house for birthday cake with Granna, Kristin and Nana. It couldn't have been a more perfect day!

Mama/Granna got me a yummy birthday cake!

Grayson and Anna Cate liked licking the candles. And as you can see, they REALLY loved the cake!

It was a nice evening and we played outside with the kids. Grayson got a scooter just like Anna Cate's! They had a lot of fun riding them.

My beautiful Mama and me on my birthday.

There's no better present than these two!

At the end of the evening Anna Cate played with her Daddy and Grayson watched a new Dinosaur Documentary that Kristin got him. It came with 3D glasses!

Grayson's Reward Charts

2011-08-19T21:07:00.004-04:00

The one thing I have always been able to count on was Grayson being a fantastic sleeper. He has always taken nice long naps and gone to bed each night so easily, right on schedule. But lately we have hit a rough patch. Sleeping has now become a big ordeal every day for nap, and especially every evening. I read this is quite common in toddlers 24-36 months, so I guess I am not alone. But in my research I read about using reward charts to try and get your child to go to bed easier. I figured it was worth a shot! So, we started tonight...

He gets a sticker for brushing his teeth, taking a bath, going potty, reading a book, turning off the lights and staying in bed all night. It worked pretty well, too! Tonight was a success and he LOVED getting the stickers. I decided to do a potty training reward chart, too, since we haven't been able to have much consistency with that. He was proud of himself for getting the stickers.

Anna Cate Got Sperrys!!

2011-08-19T21:04:00.003-04:00

It's no secret that this family loves Sperrys. We all have a pair; and now Anna Cate does too! I'm so excited!

Sperry Kids. :-)

Anna Cate's New Scooter!

2011-08-19T21:02:00.001-04:00

Anna Cate got a new Radio Flyer Scooter! She really likes it. She's already trying to ride it. Big brother Grayson LOVES it too, and can ride it like a pro, so he will be getting one soon. Then all THREE Remington kids will have scooters...I can't wait for more fun pictures to come!

"HaHa, I've Got a Lollipop and You Don't!!"

2011-08-19T21:00:00.002-04:00

Just like her brothers, Anna Cate loves Dum Dum Lollipops. She calls them "bahpots!"

Grayson the Paleontologist!

2011-08-18T22:54:00.003-04:00

Grayson continues to love all things DINOSAURS. He is so interested in them. He loves them all. His new favorite show is Dinosaur Train on PBS Kids. But it doesn't stop there. He loves dinosaur books and will even watch a documentary and be completely enthralled. He has learned so much. It's quite funny to hear my 2 year old going around talking about the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous time periods! But what's even more amazing is his knowledge of the dinosaurs themselves. He knows all of their names, and can identify them easily. And some of these are not easy, like Corythasaurus and Parasaurlopholus.

Here's some video of him doing his dinosaur flash cards. He actually can say all of the names much better than this, but was acting silly and talking funny for the camera.

I'm really very proud of him. He amazes me. In other Grayson news, he has started to take a real interest in writing and coloring. He was not very into coloring for a while, but now asks to do it often. And he loves to spell and "write" his name. He knows all of the letters in his name, just not in the right order! But he's learning!

Wrestle Mania!

2011-08-18T22:46:00.002-04:00

The Remington kids LOVE to wrestle. All THREE of them. Brady has always loved to wrestle; and used to do it for hours on end with Michael when he was younger. Now Grayson loves it, and begs me to be able to (I'm not the biggest fan of wrestling!). "Pllllllease Mommy, can me and Brady wrestle?" Here's a video of Brady and Grayson showing off their moves. (It's a bit long, so don't feel like you have to watch the whole thing!) In it, you will also hear Grayson's Pteranadon impression!

But Anna Cate really loves to wrestle with Grayson, too! She's always trying to get him to wrestle! Must be a Remington thing!

The Ball Pit's Back!

2011-08-18T22:40:00.003-04:00

This past weekend I decided to get Grayson's Ball Pit out from when he was a baby. I thought Anna Cate might really enjoy it, since she's so rough and tumble. And she really does love it. But I actually think Grayson was even more excited. I think he likes it more now than he did when he was younger! They both have a blast playing in it, together of course!

Fun with the iPad!

2011-08-18T22:37:00.003-04:00

Grayson and Michael have so much fun playing with the Photo Booth App on the iPad. These pictures crack them up. They make me laugh, too!

Thirsty Anna Cate?

2011-08-18T22:36:00.002-04:00

In Someone Else's Shoes

2011-08-18T22:33:00.002-04:00

Today Anna Cate insisted on wearing other's shoes...

First she wanted to wear Grayson's Sperrys.

Then she wanted to walk in Kristin's shoes.

I guess even at 15 months it's already fun to play dress up! That's my girl!

"I love you"

2011-08-11T20:46:00.003-04:00

Anna Cate started saying "I love you" tonight! I was so surprised! It still needs a little work, it kind of sounds like one long word because she runs them together, but you can still hear it! I'm a proud Mommy. She's saying so much now, and I am really proud of her. There is a list in a post below of all the things she is saying now. I actually had to go back and add more, because there were some I had forgotten!

**Michael also reminded me this morning that she said another 3 word sentence recently. "I'm a baby." Grayson was saying "I'm a big boy, you're a baby Anna Cate." And Anna Cate would say, "I'm a baby."

Shopping with Mommy

2011-08-07T21:25:00.004-04:00

Grayson and Anna Cate both LOVE the Melissa and Doug Shopping Cart that Granna and Kristin got Anna Cate for her 1st birthday. They play with it all the time. Today Grayson wanted to go to the grocery store with me and take the shopping cart. So I said, "Ok!" He had a great time following beside me, pushing his own cart!

**But note to self for next time: This is a great idea for a short trip to the store to pick up a couple things, but for a week's worth of shopping, not so great! About 2/3s of the way through, both Grayson and his shopping cart ended up in mine! But we still had a great time!**

Thanks to my little buddy for a fun afternoon!

Anna Cate - 15 Months

2011-08-07T21:06:00.007-04:00

It is incredibly hard to believe that Anna Cate is already 15 months old. It's all going by way too fast. In the last couple months her little personality has really come out. She's sweet, she's loving, she's funny, and she is a brave little dare devil. She loves her brothers and her Daddy. She's very smart and she's learning so much and taking it all in. She loves books and climbing into your lap for you to read to her. She's extremely ticklish and loves to be tickled. When you stop tickling her, she asks for you to do it again. She's practically running and loves climbing on anything and everything, be it the stairs, chairs, beds, you name it! And she loves to sing and dance. Every single day with Anna Cate is a gift from the Lord and every day is so sweet. She's always happy and always brightens our days.

Having fun on the Sit and Spin!

Uh-oh! Someone found the toilet paper!

She's getting teeth like crazy! Bottom molars are in and one top molar, too!

Her vocabulary has flourished recently. It's as if a light bulb went off and it started to click for her. Every day we hear something new. Here is her latest list...

Mommy
Daddy
Hi (and she loves to hold a phone to her ear and say "hi!")
Bye Bye
Brady
Baby
Bitty (as in Bitty Baby)
Eye
Hair
Hot
Uh-oh
Oh my
No
Ellie (yes, Grayson's Ellie, but she loves it too!)
Blanket
Ball
Milk (sounds like "mik")
Grape (it sounds like "bait," but she's really saying grape)
Again (it sounds like "Gen")
Bow
Guh Guh (she says this for both Grayson and Kristin)
Nana (this is Granna)
Amen
Bath time (she says "bah ime")
All done
Down
Diaper
Up
Papa
Oh boy
Man

Janie and Jack/Grayson and Anna Cate

2011-08-07T20:57:00.004-04:00

Grayson and Anna Cate are at such a fun age to watch them together now. They are always together, and love being with each other. And there is really not much that Grayson can do that Anna Cate can't do either. In fact, he is the cautious one and she is our little dare devil.

These pictures were taken a couple weeks ago when they were on a walk together. They also happened to be in their matching Janie and Jack outfits...

Anna Cate stopped and soaked up some sun while Grayson threw rocks in the water (one of his most favorite things to do these days!).

Just Because...

2011-08-07T20:55:00.001-04:00

I love when these cute little moments are captured. Grayson and Anna Cate really are best friends, two peas in a pod.

A Prayer for My Mom

2011-08-03T18:58:00.002-04:00

My mom was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Tomorrow (Thursday) she will be undergoing a mastectomy in the hopes that we can rid her body of this disease. Please say a prayer for my mother; that she will have a successful surgery and recovery and that she will be healed. In God all things are possible, and we are praying that she will not have to undergo any further treatments after surgery. Please also pray for her doctors and nurses; that God guides them in their efforts to help my mom.

My mom has always been my rock, my best friend, and the strongest person I have ever known. She is my hero, always has been and always will be. There is no one better than her. Without her I know that I obviously would not be in this world, that is a given. But what I know with everything in me is that without her, I would NEVER have made it this far in my life. She has always been there for me, in the good times and the bad, and has shared every life experience with me with love and support. I know that she will make it through this.

Mama, get well soon. We love and need you. There is an entire new generation of kids that feel the same about you as me. You are our light and our happiness. I love you with all my heart.

Outside Fun!

2011-07-17T21:38:00.007-04:00

Grayson and Anna Cate always have fun over at Granna's house each day. But one day last week, they had extra fun! Aunt Kristin treated them to a day of playing outside, eating popsicles and a really fun waterball!

They LOVED their popsicles!

They even ate them in the pool!

Popsicle hands!!

The new waterball they got is so neat! And they LOVED it!

Grayson is so sweet with his little sister.

They also mowed Granna's lawn!

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-17T21:36:00.004-04:00

I'm quite late in saying this, but Happy 4th of July! Here are Grayson and Anna Cate celebrating the holiday!

Mommy's Flowers

2011-07-02T21:48:00.003-04:00

On Friday I was feeling very sick. I had a fever and was just all-around miserable. When Michael picked the kids up after work they got in the car to go home. In the car Grayson said, "Let's go get Mommy some flowers. Flowers will make her feel better." So Michael took him to the store and he picked out flowers for me all by himself! And when they got home he came running to the door carrying the flowers he had picked out for me. Be still by heart... (and they DID make me feel better!)

Silly Toddlers!

2011-07-02T21:46:00.001-04:00

The post title says it all!

Backpacks!

2011-07-02T21:44:00.003-04:00

A while back Grayson got his own backpack (he calls it a "packback") and he uses it everyday to take his animals and dinosaurs to Granna's house. He loves it. Anna Cate loved it too. She loved putting it on and walking around, so now she has one too!

Summer Time Means...

2011-07-02T21:41:00.003-04:00

Summer Feet!

Wearing cool shades!

Playing in the water with friends! (This is Brady's best friend Bobby.)

Brady and Anna Cate

2011-07-02T21:38:00.002-04:00

Even though he is 7 and 1/2 and could always be doing something that he'd probably find a lot more fun, Brady is still always there to take time to play with his little brother and sister. He is so good to both of them. Here he is playing with Anna Cate.

Just Because...

2011-07-02T21:32:00.004-04:00

Once again I've gotten a little behind on my blogging. So here are some pictures I wanted to catch up on, just because I had to share!

Anna Cate wakes up most mornings with an awful case of bedhead. This particular morning, we had to take a picture!

Now that summer is here and Brady's out of school, he's been very helpful with Cooper. He takes him on a walk every morning after breakfast.

I love when you can get a good picture of Grayson smiling. They're not always easy to get!

Father's Day 2011

2011-07-02T21:20:00.005-04:00

On Father's Day the 5 of us went out to lunch together and then took the kids to play in the water at Stony Point. It was a very low key relaxing day, just us five.

Daddy was taking pictures at lunch. (I should have taken one of him and the kids!)

They all had so much fun getting wet and playing in the water.

"Your're my best friend."

2011-06-18T12:13:00.002-04:00

I don't have a picture to go with this post, but I wanted to write this little story, so it's recorded here, and I never forget...

This morning I had Grayson and Anna Cate on my lap. They were loving on each other, like they normally do. Grayson was kissing her cheek, her hand and giving her hugs, and she was giving him kisses back. Then he said to her, "Your're my best friend. You're my best friend." I've had a lot of awesome parent moments with these children, but this is definitely in my top 5.

The Similarities Continue!

2011-06-17T08:41:00.004-04:00

I keep getting surprised by the similarites between Anna Cate and myself as a baby. Pictures of Anna Cate get taken and then it blows me away when we find a picture of me doing the same thing! When she was first born I showed the two pictures of Anna Cate and I being burped by our Daddys. And then recently showed you the two of us on our first birthdays. Well now here's another one! This is me hugging on my Mommy's leg, and in the post below, you see Anna Cate hugging on Granna's leg too!

Anna Cate - 13 Months

2011-06-16T20:51:00.002-04:00

Miss Anna Cate is 13 months now. She has been walking for a month now, and she has gotten super fast. She will be running before we know it. She has gotten 4 more teeth in since last month! She is super sweet, loves to play and just lights up a room.

Grayson is 2 and 1/2 Years Old!

2011-06-16T20:46:00.002-04:00

Grayson officially turned 2.5 years old this past weekend. I cannot believe he is already so big. He will be 3 before I know it. I know every parent says this about their child...but I am truly blown away every day at how smart he is. His sentences are getting longer and longer and more descriptive as well. We've gone from saying something like "No." to "No, I don't like that anymore, Mommy." And some of the things he grasps and understands amazes me. He has recently really gotten into counting and loves to count everything he can! He can consistently count to 10, and knows some numbers over 10 as well. He still loves ALL animals more than anything else. He has a new backpack that he takes over to Granna's every day and it is filled to the brim with his animals.

Brady the Baseball Star

2011-06-16T20:42:00.004-04:00

Brady's baseball season has come to a close. He had a great time playing this year. And he really learned a lot too. His batting average was 588, and he improved as the season went along. At the last official game this season (before the playoffs) he hit a HOME RUN at the last play of the game. It was AWESOME.

His team picture, Dad of course, was a coach!

Grayson and Anna Cate - Best Friends

2011-06-16T20:38:00.003-04:00

I know I have said it before, but watching Grayson and Anna Cate together brings such joy to my heart. They really are best friends. They have SO MUCH fun together. They are constantly making each other laugh, they play together, and Grayson also loves doting on her as well. When she falls down or gets upset, you always here him say "It's ok sweetpea, it's ok." They love to give each other hugs and kisses and love being around one another. My cup runneth over...

"Here Anna Cate, let me read you a story..."

Playing with Bitty Baby's bottle.

Anna Cate's Fun Day

2011-06-16T20:34:00.005-04:00

Anna Cate was treated so some fun this week...

She got to have lunch in Grayson's chair instead of the high chair. And she was so proud!

Then she got to play with sidewalk chalk for the first time. She loved it! And this was 3D sidewalk chalk so she got to accessorize as well. What more could a girl ask for?

Looking cool in her 3D Glasses!

Coloring the sidewalk!

**Grayson was here for this too, but was not very interested in the chalk. He was fascinated with the airplanes that were flying overhead!

Richmond Metro Zoo

2011-06-16T20:14:00.007-04:00

I'm a little behind in my blogging. I had to go out of town on business all last week, so I didn't get to blog. Two weekends ago the 5 of us went to the Richmond Metro Zoo. Brady and I had been several years ago. What was so different this time around was watching him read all of the signs and tell us about the animals. Grayson had never been before, so it was very exciting for him. He loves animals so much. Anna Cate just enjoyed being out and about and wathcing all the people. It was a great family day.

Anna Cate had the best seat in the house.

But for much of the time, so did Grayson!

Brady and Grayson

The boys loved feeding the giraffes.

And the camels, too!

The best part to Grayson was the Rhino and the Tigers!

1981 and 2011

2011-05-31T17:02:00.001-04:00

I thought this was neat to look at.

Me and my Daddy at my first birthday.

Anna Cate and her Daddy at her first birthday.

GOT IT! A Video of Anna Cate Walking!

2011-05-30T16:17:00.003-04:00

We were finally able to get a good video of Anna Cate walking. She has gotten so good at it. She's a girl on the move. And we were finally able to capture it, in a bikini no less!

Memorial Day Weekend

2011-05-30T16:02:00.007-04:00

We've had a great Memorial Day weekend together. But instead of being our usual family of 5, we were a family of 4 this weekend, since Brady was at his mom's house. But we still had a great time. On Sunday we went over to Papa's house for lunch and a swim in his neighborhood pool.

Anna Cate loved being in the water with her Daddy.

She had fun with Papa, too.

She stayed in the pool for quite some time, but the water was still a bit chilly, so we finally had to get her out and wrap her up!

Last summer it took Grayson a while to warm uo to the water and I think it will be the same this year, too. But by the end of the summer, I am sure he will love it again. AC is definitely more the "dare devil" of the two. He did get in and swam a bit. But he had more fun walking around the pool and shooting his water guns.

On Sunday night we went over to Meghann and Luke's house for a cookout. We all had such a nice time. At one point, Isaac, Dallas and Grayson decided they wanted to watch a movie, so they watched Cars. And the 3 of them were having SO MUCH fun together. They were so excited.

Then on Monday, we went to Meghann and Luke's pool with them. It was extremely hot and the water felt so good. And that pool is a lot of fun, they have so much there geared for little kids.

Taking a break and getting some sun!

Happy Memorial Day!

2011-05-28T10:32:00.004-04:00

What would a national holiday be, without Grayson and Anna Cate wearing festive headgear and wishing you a great holiday? Happy Memorial Day from Grayson and Anna Cate!

Anna Cate's Dolls

2011-05-28T10:27:00.003-04:00

I don't know if it is a natural "girl" thing for a little girl to love dolls, but Anna Cate sure does! She has 3 that she loves so much.

There is Dolly, her plush doll that she has slept with for some time now.

There is Phillip, who was actually MY Cabbage Patch Kid Preemie!

But her favorite, is her Bitty Baby (we call her Bitty) American Girl Doll. She loves her so much. She hugs and kisses her, burps her, feeds her, and carries her everywhere!

A couple pictures...

2011-05-28T10:24:00.002-04:00

...that I really wanted you to see!

Brady is the best big brother in the world. His little brother and sister adore him!

Can you guess who this is???

We love and will miss you, Grandpa

2011-05-28T10:19:00.003-04:00

Michael's Grandpa Elmer recently passed away. He was the sweetest man, and he will be missed by so many.

Because Grayson and Anna Cate were too little to make the trip to Buffalo, NY for the funeral, they made some cards for Mom Mom and Grandma for us to send from them with love.

Anna Cate had fun finger painting her cards for them.

Grandma and Mom Mom's cards.

Grayson and Anna Cate's Fun Weekend

2011-05-28T10:07:00.007-04:00

While Brady, Daddy, and Mommy were in Buffalo, NY for Grandpa's funeral, Anna Cate and Grayson were having tons of fun with Granna and Kristin!

On Sunday, Nana's church was having an Animal Day after church, so they decided to take the kids. Grayson was on Cloud 9, as he got to see all his favorites, lions, tigers, baby tigers, camels, you name it!

His favorite was the lion and the tiger.

He loved seeing the "baby white tiger" (as he called it) with Nana.

They said he was just mesmorized by all the animals!

He also played in the bounce house!

Anna Cate had fun of her own. She made friends with a little girl her age named Emily. And for some of you Richmonders, this is Amy Lavender's little girl! Emily loved AC's blue car, and AC was nice enough to share with her at one point!

They even gave each other kisses!

When we got home Sunday night, Aunt Kristin has already given them their baths for me, and they were in their PJs ready to come home! (THANK YOU KRISTIN) AC played til the very end, til it was time to go home!

Playing with the grill.

Then she played Peek-A-Boo with Kristin, hiding behind furniture, then popping out.

Anna Cate's 12 Months Stats

2011-05-27T21:14:00.006-04:00

We had to wait a couple weeks after her first birthday before we went to Anna Cate's official 12 month/1 year visit. Here are her stats:

Height = 28 1/4" 19th Perentile (She's slowly making some ground on height!)
Weight = 23 lbs. 1 and 1/2 oz 78th Percentile (Still a fabulous eater!)
Head = 17 3/4" 47th Percentile

Anna Cate is doing all kinds of things now...

The most important of which is that she is WALKING!!! She had been taking a few, maybe one or two steps on her own here and there. But on May 23 she officially took off! She takes several, 7-8 steps at the time now. Here balance is so good. She's a walker, and I'm so proud of her!

She also blows kisses and give high fives. She continues to dance and clap her hands when we say "yay!" She's extremely inquisitive and will point to everything and ask what it is. She says "Daaah?" But to hear her say it, you know she's saying, "What's that?" She loves her dolly and Bitty Baby and will burp her and give her kisses. She can point at nose and eyes when you ask where they are. She is quite the sassy little thing. She loves to shake her head "No" at me when I tell her to do something.

Things she is saying:
Mama
Dada
Uh Oh
Ball
Hi
Bye or Bye Bye
Oh My
Down (She actually says this when she wants to get down!)
Now

Tooth Update

2011-05-27T21:12:00.003-04:00

I took a tally of Anna Cate's teeth earlier this week. She is officially at 6 teeth, 6 are all the way through. She's trying to get 2 more right now, one more on top, one on bottom. But here is the official count from 5/23/11!