Caroline and Mommy

Caroline loves chocolate ice cream, especially when it's Mommy's!  

Even if it's fallen on the ground, you can observe the 5 second rule!

The Tale of Caroline and the Friendly Snake

That's right, it's just a tale.  This NEVER happened boys and girls, so please don't try this at home.

So the other day we were returning from a Graduation Party, and when we opened our front door, we discovered a little baby Ringneck Snake coiled up.  Mary instantly screamed and I lunged for the snake.  (Note: these are not poisonous snakes!)

Now, of course, the downside to this is that Caroline recently picked up a coiled root in the driveway that, yes, resembled a snake.

And they lived happily ever after. . . THE END.

Free Fun

The black lab next door, a.k.a. "daa-wg," is always great for entertainment value.  Every time she hears her barking, she immediately tells us, "daa-wg."  Caroline is getting braver too.  Now, she's letting the dog lick her fingers--she laughs whenever the labby does this.

We've been wanting to get rid of this basketball goal post for some time.  Please note Mom:  we did not encourage her to drink this rather stagnant water that has been sitting in the base for a couple of days.  Caroline simply thought it would be "fun." 

Caroline is honing her skills in the kitchen.  

Building a Vocabulary

Caroline is starting to talk.  Here's a running list of words that she can say:

• Daddy (my favorite)
  
• Ma-ri (for Mary, I taught her that)
  
• Tar-tar (for Tucker)
  
• Pass (for Pacifier)
  
• Ju-ss (for Juice)
  
• Hyi-th (for our lady, Hyacinth)
  
• C-ya (for See you later)
• Bye-bye
• Ma-ma
• Side (outside)
• Dawwg (dog)
• Ha-ee (Hattie)
• Uh-oh
• No!
• Ca-ar (car)
• Pooooh  (Winnie or poop)
• Elbo (Elmo)
• Upp-a  (I want up please)
• Pees (please)
• Cheesh (cheese)

In addition to these words, she can blow kisses on command, wave good bye, and give you a kiss (opened mouth though) if you ask her!

Our Helper

It's no secret that Caroline has taken to her little brother.

Every time he cries, Caroline makes certain that we know (as if we can't hear!) so that we can do something about it.

She helps us burb him and now she wants to help feed Tucker.  Caroline can even take things to trash can and throw them away.

She's so smart!

Caroline: Beach Proof

Mommy thought it would be funny, but smart, to get Caroline a wetsuit to wear at the pool or the beach when we're in Florida this summer.

Caroline loves it.  It has built-in floaties in the chest and back so she looks "buff."

Fun Time

Caroline has taken to eating off her plate now.

Tucker chills in his bouncy seat.

Caroline does sit still sometimes, though we had to sneak up on her to take this photo.

A Quick Update

So, it's been awhile since we've updated our blog.  Here are a couple of photos of Caroline and Tucker.  We have tons to post but we've been busy with allergies, eye infections, and the end of classes.  Hopefully, we'll get more up in the next few days.

Stay tuned!

There's no doubt in our minds that this girl has "personality."

Tucker and Friends...from left to right:  Noah, Tucks, and Megan.  The three new kids of the School of Theology's Class of 2010.  They're thinking, "hah...no sleep for them!"

Caroline Superstar

At Home in Sewanee

Caroline is 1 year old and doing great! She weighs 23lbs 13ozs and is 30.5 inches long. She is walking nonstop and talking a lot, too. Caroline is staring to recognize certain words that we say. She has a small baby that is in her toy basket and when we ask her to "bring mama the baby" she finds it and walks it over to us. Caroline has started to eat more "big girl" foods. She loves Kix, diced peaches, bananas, cheese, and of course Goldfish. One of her favorite things to do is to play with Chad on the floor. She loves to climb over him and she especially likes to be upside down. She is tough! Caroline was a Bumble Bee for Halloween, thanks to Bigger Paige! She had a great time strolling around the neighborhood with her friends...no candy, just Teddy Grahams! Here are some current pictures...I am still working on pictures from her birthday!

A Walking Girl

Caroline has started walking...and I'm not sure she will ever stop! She is constantly on the go! The ladies at daycare always tell me, "she has walked her little legs off." Her top two teeth are almost halfway in, so that means lots of drool and also new sounds. Her newest game is to bite the spoon as we are feeding her and then eventually she will make eye contact with you and start laughing...still with the spoon in her mouth. It is hard for us not to laugh with her! Caroline was a trooper on our 3 day, 12 hour road trip (just Caroline and Mom!) We made a stop in Knoxville to stay with Lee and the we stayed in Farmville with Courtney and Hayden. That was fun! It was in Farmville on our return trip that she actually started to take 8-9 steps without holding on. While on the Shore, Caroline went swimming for the first time with Aunt Annie. She loved the salt water! No pictures of that experience, but we do have pictures of Chad and Caroline in the pool at a Sewanee picnic. (The chlorine was quite an issue for Chad, but Caroline didn't mind at all!) We tried to get pictures of Caroline walking, as she tends to look like Frankenstein with her arms out in front of her! Enjoy! (Next time we post, there will be pictures of Caroline's 1st birthday party!)

Caroline's New Friend

Caroline has taken the summer off from the blog...Sorry!! We are now settled in Sewanee, Tennessee and Caroline seems to be adjusting well to her new home and friends. In May, we spent a week in West Virginia, and then in June we travelled to Boston. That was Caroline's first plane ride and she did great. We also went to the Shore for a few days, so Caroline could experience her first boat ride...she slept the whole time. She is now 10 months old and very close to walking. She has loved having all the boxes sitting around so she can pull up on them. She even does a little dance (shakes her bum) when she hears music. Caroline is slowly starting to understand what the word "no" means. If she hears is repeatedly, which sometimes she does, she will start to pout and fake cry. She is into everything she can get to. Toys don't seem to be nearly as fun as boxes, tape, flip-flops, etc. We have posted some pictures for everyone to see what a big girl Caroline is. I think she probably weighs around 20 pounds now. The picture of two babies is Caroline and her new friend Hattie. Hattie and Carline will have a lot in common as they are both going to be big sisters in the coming months. I'll try to keep the blog more current this Fall!

First Easter

Caroline is 6 months old! She went to the doctor on Friday and weighs 15lbs 4ozs and is 26.25 inches long. She is growing so fast. She loves to grab everything and has finally perfected taking her pacifier out of her mouth and putting it back in all by herself. Of course she puts anything she can get her hands on in her mouth. Her feet are still her favorite. She has started using her "exersaucer" this month and loves it. When she is playing in it, she is at the same level as our dog, Patton. He enjoys watching her play too, and occasionally feels the need to give her a kiss! She loves to watch him. Caroline is still eating baby food and actually eats green beans without a fuss. She is getting stronger, as she loves to stand up on our laps. She is rolling over (only when reaching for a toy) but gets stuck on her stomach and makes noise for us to help her turn back over. Caroline is constantly making new noises. She gets louder and louder to get our attention. She had a good first Easter with her own special Easter basket from Bigger Paige.

All Smiles at 5 months

Hard to believe, but tomorrow Caroline will turn 5 months old. She is all better from her week of being sick with RSV. She is talking a lot, or actually squealing and grunting. She seems to know that when she makes these noises, she gets attention! As you can see in the picture, she has started eating baby food. She loves carrots and applesauce, but she is not crazy about green beans. Who can blame her? She is still smiling and laughing. However, when I try to get a picture of her, she immediately opens her mouth and stares at the camera. Each night she gets a bath and loves to splash and make lots of noise. Caroline puts everything she can get her hands on in her mouth. She has started to really grip onto things, especially my hair and earrings. Daycare is still going well. She gets so excited in the morning when I put her in her carseat. Caroline likes it when Chad reads to her at night. Really, she likes playing with her feet while he reads his book out loud. She goes back to the doctor next month for her 6 month check-up! Until then...enjoy the pictures!

4 Months Old

Caroline turned FOUR months old yesterday! She weighs 12 pounds and 11 ounces and she is 24.5 inches long. The doctor commented on how strong she is. Chad and I think she is probably going to be strong willed, too! She definitely knows what she wants and if she doesn't get it, then she acts like the world is coming to an end. Caroline is still loving daycare. The teachers frequently comment on her "pretty pink outfits." (They are used to boys!) Caroline is starting to investigate her feet. She loves to kick and stick her feet up in the air. She loves it when we play with her feet. She is still smiling a lot and starting to laugh. Here are some pictures of Caroline in action. Her hair is not as red as it appears in the pictures. (Isn't her sweater so pretty? Thanks Bigger Paige!)