Parents of the Year!

We've won! We've won!

It's official... and we didn't even know we were nominated!
Apparently this is the video that sealed the deal.

Here is the background:

1. They told me they were building a sidewalk - which is what the path of random stuff they are walking on is meant to be. Clever and weird at the same time.

2. The thing they jump on is actually a blow up trampoline, which is upside down, that has provided over a year of fun for us. It finally succumbed to the "hole" gods as apparently there is a hole in the upper portion of the "guard" around the trampoline. To move it out of the way before we threw it out, I put it in the corner after they fell asleep so we wouldn't break an ankle trying to get around it. Once we came home from daycare the next day Grace saw it and wanted to climb the "ladder". How safe is that, right?! So I put it on it's side, about it move it out of the way, then my attention was diverted (maybe on purpose??? this NEVER happens!) and you have the video below.

3. In the video Peyton is saying she is a baby Marmoset in trouble. Do you even know what a Marmoset is? Well if I didn't watch Diego (The Animal Adventurer) I wouldn't know either. We saw the episode months ago and she pulls it out randomly here. It's amazing what kids remember... Stephen really needs to watch his mouth - who knows what we'll catch on video next!!!

So Proud...

Like mother, like daughter. In one area above all others I hope this comes true... on the soccer field! (Daddy played soccer too so they should be programmed just right for soccer.) We got a glimpse into the future this weekend and I couldn't be more proud!

Here is Peyton dribbling! Mia Hamm, eat your heart out!
Never mind the hand ball in the middle, she's only 2 1/2 for goodness sake!

And here is Grace dribbling the ball! What a star! Look at that speed!!!




Much to our surprise Grace has already mastered keeping her head up while dribbling.
For those of you who are not familiar with the inner workings of soccer - that's a big deal.




Yes, I am crying right now. This is beautiful.

Elmo Live!

First off, a BIG THANK YOU to J.Todd at the DCC!

Daddy and the girls walking up to get our tickets!
(No, they are not wearing the same thing, similar, but not the same)

We went to the 7:00 show on Friday night and the girls had a ball! It didn't hurt our seats were awesome too!

Grace is ready for Elmo to "bring it"!
Meanwhile, Peyton is terrified of anyone with fur.

I don't have too many pictures of me and girls for some reason. Maybe because I feel skinnier behind the camera. I thought this one turned out pretty well though.




The show starts... Look how close we are!
The characters had near perfect N'SYNC moves!




Then intermission hits and a lesson in Marketing 101 is given free of charge. Well, sort of.



If you bring it, they will buy it. These puppies were $8 a pop!


Suckers.



We were lucky enough to be tipped off by a good friend (thanks Angela!) that this would happen so we promptly whisked the girls upstairs so we could stretch our legs on the concourse level.

Another highlight: Grover reached out and touched Grace! She was understandably very excited. As a parent, it was pretty neat that the characters came around so the kids could get an up close look.

How many do you remember?



Don't worry if you can't remember their names.
When you become a parent, you'll be required to know - by law.

So Long Peyton!

Peyton (in the pink shorts on the top right of the photo below) has decided to spread her wings and run away.

We wish her the best of luck in all her future endeavors! You'll be missed!

Love,
Mommy, Daddy, Peyton, & Baby C

We had dinner this week with our friends Sara, Jessie, Uncle Won, & baby Mallory at the Natural Born Griller's restaurant in Southaven. We all felt weird to be there since they are a competitor of The Pork University during Memphis in May every year. But that's where baby Mallory wanted to go and really, who's going to argue with a 4 month old?

As soon as we pulled up to restaurant the girls saw "a tall mountain" that they immediately wanted to climb. Can I blame them? Absolutely not.

Was Daddy going to cart them up the hill while Mommy relaxed at the bottom to take pictures?

Absolutely.

So after dinner the girls climbed the "tall mountain" with Daddy. Twice. I'm so glad we have photographic evidence of this event. Their baby books would not be complete without it!

20 Questions

This post is in honor of the mean checkout lady at Target almost two years ago.

It used to happen all the time when we would go out in public with the girls while they were very young. Apparently seeing two small children, both in infant carriers, evokes a person to figure out why and how this happened. The questions and comments come unsolicited and without warning. I WISH I would have had this shirt back then so I could just keep on going...

And no, if you're my friend, I don't ever mind answering these kinds of questions. It's the crazy checkout lady at Target who takes the pacifier out of my sleeping child's mouth so she can get a good look herself to tell if they are identical or not. Nevermind my now screaming child who was perfectly content 15 seconds ago.

Also, I would have had to have taken off #14 as that would be an incorrect statement.