Roll Me Over in the Clover

Milestone reached: check! Emily has finally decided to roll over on her own. For weeks now she has been teasing me, easing onto her side, then flopping onto her back again. Today, she apparently wanted a toy out of reach. She pulled her feet up to her stomach, rolled to her left, and went all the way over! She pushed herself up on her arms with an expression like "What just happened?!" I rolled her back over and she did it again! Once on her belly, she pushes up on her knees like she's going to take off crawling, but her arms haven't caught up yet. So we (and the cats) should be safe for another couple of months on that skill! On my back--this is boring!

That rattle over there looks fun...

Oooooh, the edge of the blanket looks cool! I might just try to grab it....

Wow, the world is so different from this angle!

Joining us for Dinner

Emily has been showing signs of being ready for food lately (tracking our forks from our plates to our mouths, grabbing at my spoon, drinking in excess of 20 oz. at daycare in 8 hours) so I decided, on a whim, to try some avocado with her tonight. I had previously given some cereal a try with her in the past couple of weeks, and Emily was less than impressed. I read that avocado is a great first food because of the high fat content, smooth texture, and very mild flavor. I chopped one up and threw that bad boy into the blender. To our surprise and delight, she loved it! I wouldn't say that she actually consumed that much, judging by her face and bib, but it's the practice of getting that food in her mouth, moving it around with her tongue, and swallowing solids. Let's hope we do as well tomorrow evening! Wow Mom, this green stuff is actually good!
Oh, wait, I'm supposed to swallow it?

Yes, I'm surprised too that I actually like the flavor!

Here, let me help you out with that spoon.

No, I did not just eat a small space alien.

This stuff makes for some excellent finger painting on the side of my Bumbo.

Wow, I'm stuffed!

Happy Easter

We headed over to MD to celebrate Easter today with Peggy and Joe and Mary, John, and Brooklyn. We did an early dinner then looked for some Easter eggs in the front yard. We wrapped up the day by watching Toy Story 3 on Joe's giant tv (he taped it for the kids) and eating a bunny cake that Mary and Peggy decorated. Emily let us know it was time to go by screeching at everyone, screaming when Peggy got near her, and then finally drooling her shirt soaking wet.

the cousins: Brooklyn and Emily

Emily sampling her toes

Emily and Aunt Mary

Caroline on the hunt for eggs

Emily decided to sit this hunt out since she lacks basic mobility skills

This was her "surprised" face

This is her new face that made us all laugh! She did it about a dozen times and got such a good reaction out of the crowd!

Timmy the Tool Man

Tim has been hard at work around the homestead. The man commutes over 2 hours a day to DC, works 40 hours a week, comes home and does another 20-30 hours a week around here, and in his "off" time he crabs and fishes. Yes, he occasionally sleeps, mostly on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Here are some of our recent updates (the yard work is all me, mostly because I can handle a rake a lot better than a power saw). In the next week or so we hope to get our inspections so that we can put up the siding around the garage and install our garage door. Then it's onto the game room/den. And then...maybe a vacation?!

Closed in the carport, put in windows and rolled out the Tyvek--just waiting on siding! Azaelas are compliments of Mother Nature

framing for the front wall that will support the garage door

On my spring "break" (I use the term loosely) I painted the shutters black and finished the flower beds.

The kids picked out a bird bath and frog statue.

Like my trellis between the windows? It is actually a utility screen that Timmy found on clearance @ Lowe's for $5 (original price--$23!)

Ladies (and Garrett & Justin) Who Lunch

My friend Jen is home on maternity leave (her little boy Justin was born just a few weeks ago) and she suggested we get together for lunch while I was on spring break. Both of us were sick of the usual hangouts (Vinny's, Crabby Oyster, etc) so she threw out the idea of hitting Busters. Lucky for us, they are open for lunch every day but Monday, so we met up today at noon for some salad, crab cake sandwich, meatball sub (Garrett), and chicken strips (Caroline). Garrett was the residential photographer and got some great shots of the new baby since Emily had pretty much demanded my undivided attention since we got there. It was wonderful to see Jen again (and looking so alert and put together for a new mom! Go Jen!) and to catch up on all the King George gossip! Jen and Caroline

Baby boy Justin in his turkey/hokie bird sleeper

Look at that hair! He's definitely got Emily beat in the volume department!

Center of attention?! No, I normally stand in the middle of the table and giggle for the crowd!

Emily: Five Months Old

I have almost no stats on this girl because it's been a month since our 4 month checkup and we still have a month to go til our 6 month checkup. She is easily 15-15 1/2 pounds by this point (my arms ache if I have to hold her and her carseat for more than a few minutes) and she's definitely getting longer. Her personality is really starting to shine through--she is showing obvious likes and dislikes, and she has specific peferences in terms of who holds her (mommy), who bathes her (daddy), and which toys she wants to play with at certain times (play mat in the morning, exersaucer in the afternoon). She is chewing on EVERYTHING! Her hands are her favorite teething toy, but she will settle for a washcloth, her cow toy, or her rattle ring if they are handed to her. Emily does not enjoy being left behind in the living room if Mommy goes into another room, so for now, if Mommy has to make dinner or do the dishes, Emily perches on the countertop in her Bumbo and keeps Mommy company.

Sizes: size 2 in diapers (starting to fit snuggly), just graduated to 9 month clothing for her short sleeved stuff (like outfit above)

Likes: being held at dinner time, playing in her Exersaucer outside while we enjoy sunny weather, watching cars drive by, being around a lot of excitement (Walmart, the mall, etc); when people tell her she's a pretty girl, being swaddled for bedtime

Dislikes: when she gets her arms free in the middle of the night; being expected to play with one toy for more than a few minutes; being stuck in the car for a long time; having to sit in the back seat of the car by herself; when people talk very loudly at her as if she's hard of hearing

TAG, You're It!

In King George, TAG stands for "Talented and Gifted". Both of my kids are part of the TAG art program because they are considered to be "gifted" artists. I just think they have a higher-than-average knack for drawing, but they have a great time staying after school for TAG art and get to do a bunch of activities that you can't just break out with the average kindergarten class (for example, wood burning). The annual TAG art show was held today (4/14/2011) at the School Board Office and I had a great time taking the kids down there to check out their art (along with some pieces from the other elementary schools, the MS, and HS). Bunny painting that Caroline whipped out this past weekend in about 12 minutes. She just free-handed it, no copying or tracing. Why, yes, I do think that my brother and sister are good artists. Have you checked out their work?

Wood burned box by Garrett (original design)

Garrett posing next to his box at the TAG art show

Above Caroline's head is her black line and paint creation of a castle.

Garrett's fish collage called "Gone Fishing".

Caroline's castle piece

Good Morning Sunshine!

I don't know about you, but I usually wake up in ways that don't put me in the best of moods: a startled reflex to the sound of the baby crying; Tim's elbow in my back because I'm inhaling the drapes with my snoring, etc. So I tend to get a little jealous when I watch Emily wake up every day on the changing table. I place her down gently so that I can get her changed and dressed for the day right before we leave the house. I pop the velcro off her swaddler, pull it down to her ankles, and her eyes squint open and she gives me a little smirky grin. Still in la-la land, her arms automatically stretch up behind her head and she arches her back, pushing her belly into the air. It's a sight to behold and I get to enjoy it every morning. It's a message to me: "Hey Mom, I slept like a log and I'm ready to start my day! Where's breakfast?"

Party of Five

I realize that this blog has basically become "The Life of Emily", and I don't give enough updates on the other two babies in my life (hubby not included). In my defense, Garrett and Caroline aren't changing and becoming more independent by the day and their lives follow a very reliable pattern (school, play, shower, bed). In short, there's not much to report on unless something out of the ordinary happens, like Garrett's all-district band concert this past Monday or the soccer game he has next week. Or the TAG art show that both children will be participating in next Thursday (definitely will have pics of their art from the show on the blog!).

So here's a snip of the "Life on Dahlgren Road": just a party of five, rushing through their day, struggling to get dinner on the table while juggling a baby on one hip and a homework agenda on the other. Dinner at 5:23 PM, soccer practice at 5:30 PM, then homework for another hour. Garrett takes it all in stride! Fresh from the shower, Caroline is just giddy about the new shower gel I left in the bathroom.

My snuggle bug got a little cranky while I was running around the house, doing laundry and getting the kids in the shower. She hung out with Dad until I was ready to swaddle and feed her.

Relaxing on the couch. Rare event in the Drinks household!

There's the smile I was waiting for! The adorable shirt is courtesy of Aunt Carrie, who sent a whole bunch of Britton's clothes for Emily.