Santa

Santa came to Hoppin' Hippo, one of our favorite places to play. It was nice because we could just take our own pictures and then Rory got to go play. Rory told Santa she wanted High School Musical Dolls. She was a little hesitant at first to go up to Santa, but I convinced her that she could just stand next to Payton and make sure she was ok. She was very excited about the candy cane he gave her.

Snow in Round Rock

We had some snow flurries. It came down pretty good for a little bit. Rory didn't want to go out at first, but once she was out in the snow she was loving it! She and Bogey ran around the backyard. She loved it!!

Sisterly Love

This is how Rory shows her love....

Payton 2 months

Here are some pictures of Payton. I need to get out Rory's pictures to compare....there are some similarities, I think, but the hair throws me off.

Things are getting easier....with Payton I guess. Rory continues to challenge me!!! Just today, we were at the park and she got upset and so we left. We got home and she was in her room for a little bit. Then she came out and told me "I'm little so you shouldn't be mean to me. I am going to tell Daddy when he gets home and he is going to get mad at you." She is so tough!! Love her, but wow!!

Payton is smiling like crazy and tries to "talk" to us. She has gotten very curious in the last couple of days, just looking at everything! Even starting to get distracted while she is eating. We took her trick or treating the other night...actually stopped her in the middle of eating to go, and she was content for almost an hour just being outside and looking around.

Love my girls!!

Halloween

Rory was not too sure about going trick-or-treating. Sammy very carefully convinced her, but she still wasn't so sure. Then her little buddy Colton came to the door and asked her to go with them and that absolutely made her day!!! She loves Colton. It's funny to listen to their little 3 year old conversations. They even have a little inside joke-"a pumpkin on a pumpkin." They say that and think it's so funny!!

Preschool

Rory started her 2nd year at Grace Episcopal Preschool in September. I was a little nervous about it because of the transition of having Payton and also we absolutely LOVED her teacher Ms. Kara last year. Rory spent several days a week this summer at Ms. Kara and probably thinks of her as a second mom. Ms. Kara's classroom is right next door to Ms. Linda's so I was having visions of Rory hanging out in the 4 year old class refusing to go into hers. Ms Linda is her teacher this year and Rory is really enjoying school and Ms. Linda. There were tears the first week at drop off, but now she is excited to go and asks to go to school. On the way to school today, she was telling me in the car about how she and Daddy saw a windmill on the way to Grandma's when they went in the Jeep. "When we were going Grandma's and we got off the high road onto the little road. We saw a windmill with a different top. Is wasn't windy so it wasn't spinning." Then she said she was going to tell her friends about that. When I picked up her this afternoon, she said "Oh I forgot to tell my friends about when I went to Grandma's."

When I asked her the other day how many boys and girls are in her class, she answered fairly quickly and said 5 boys and 3 girls. She knows the girls' names and a few of the boys names, but mostly calls the boys by what color shirt they have on. "The boy with the blue shirt..." They have "show and tell" every week and on Tuesdays, Ms. Linda lets them pick a toy out of her treasure chest (very generous of her!) Ms. Kara, our beloved teacher from last year, moved up to the 4 years old class, so maybe we'll get lucky and have her again next year!

Payton smiling

Payton started smiling about a week ago. At first, I thought it was just gas...but she really is smiling at us. She smiles and "talks" the most to Sammy. She has even smiled at Rory when she is not completely in her face. Rory loves to put her face on Payton's and squeeze her whenever she can. She just has so much love for Payton!! Her is a video after her bath. With a little bit of smiling and talking.

Rory reading to Payton

Payton's here

Rory's 3rd birthday party

We had Rory's party at Hoppin' Hippo. Rory wanted a Cars party. We invited the girls from her preschool class, her "boys" Colton and Landon, and Ava, and the Tooley boys. The kids had a great time running and jumping.

Getting ready for Payton

Rory's 1st pedicure

Sunday we went with Aunt Naomi to get pedicures. Rory was excellent! She put her feet in the water with me and then got her toes painted. She got to pick out her own color of nail polish and sat very still the whole time. At one point she seemed concerned that the lady was hurting me scrubing my feet. It was fun!! We may have to do this a couple of more times before Payton gets here!

Rory's Dance Class

Ballerina Hair!!




Rory's first day of new dance class.

Happy 4th!!

We went and saw fireworks at Old Settler's Park tonight. We got very lucky and the spot we happened to park in was literally 100 yards away from where they were shooting the fireworks. We took part of the jeep top off and Rory sat on top. The fireworks were popping right over our head. It was great!! Also, not much farther they were fireworks at Dell Diamond, so we got a two for one show!

Doing things herself

Happy Father's Day!

Sammy's gift to himself (and from us too) was a bass boat. He took it out every day last weekend, and he and Rory have even made an evening trip this week. Lake Georgetown is within 10-15 minutes of the house. We went out with him on Saturday and went swimming. It was very nice and relaxing. At one point, Sammy was fishing, Rory was watching videos, and I was reading. Perfect relaxation!

Rory has a pink fishing pole with a frog lure she picked out herself. Some good quality time for Sammy and Rory!! She wanted to catch a purple fish, but no luck. She told me on the phone that she'll get one next time! She really loves the boat and most of all spending time with Daddy!

Baby Sister

We went to see our baby sister on 3d ultrasound. It was fun to see her. Of course she had her arm in front of her face most of the time. The place was really nice and had a nice bed for me to lay on during ultrasound and couches that Rory and Sammy sit on. Rory kept coming over to me asking me if I was ok and if the lady was hurting me. She can be so sweet!

I think this little girl looks like Rory did as baby, but who knows. Same nose, chin. Sammy thinks all the pictures on the wall in the place of other babies all look the same and I don't think he's that far off. Rory looks nothing now like she did when we was first born, so who knows what this little girl will look like. But here she is....

Beach

Summer's here....

We dug out the old pool from last year today. The water was really cold when we first filled it up, but Rory didn't mind. Bogey loves the water too....

Happy Easter