Craft time!

Baby Sis wants to join in on the crafts!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

DC Zoo

Well The Gardner's were back for another fun visit! They came up Sunday and we played and played! Somehow the stairs were a  big hit! Maybe because they were hiding from baby sister??? Tessa doesn't usually make her way over there so they are safe! Plus sliding down steps rock!




Playing around before heading to the Zoo!

Last time we went to the DC Zoo as well Its a favorite!!!!!! Not a bad drive, free admissions, (just pay for parking) lots to do and see! The kids crash on the way home! Its a win win!


Maddox sipping on his juice

Me and Tessa sharing a lunch in the sunshine.

Hannah hammin' it up and chowing down.

Look who wanted to Moooooovve inside!!!!! hahah

The kids could NOT stop pointing to the cow droppings all over the floor. Stinky!

They love the petting farm at the zoo, see example here, Hannah ran over to the donkey's and started rubbing him(her?) Too cute!

If your ever in the area definitely check it out! Its a lot to see, always growing and making new exhibits. The staff is always so knowledgeable and friendly!   If your flying out of Regan or Dulles its also a great spot to hit if you have time to kill! We use to do that flying to Mexico!!!! Drive up from Richmond, spend a day in DC then fly out the next day! Fun and educational! shh don't tell the kids that!

Daddys Birthday!

Remi had his big 3-0 last Saturday and my folks came up and we all had a really good weekend! We played with the kids, took naps,played outside, made birthday cakes, went out to a Japanese Steak House in Annapolis it was great!!!! 

We thought we would be crazy and ALL go b/c its a show and thought the kids would enjoy it! They did expect for the first part when they lit the fire and it flamed up really high and got hot! Like the picture below! 

 

Hannah trying to get soup with her kiddie chop sticks! :) Bless her heart! She loves soup!! She loved the dipping and trying of new things! It wasn't that bad bringing them! Tess was tired and didn't eat that much so we had to take turns holding her but eh roll with the punches ya know?!?! She wasn't screaming so who cares?!

 

It was a beautiful evening so I made us pose out front at home and get some family pictures! We are forever taking pictures but not with all 4 of us in them together! I LOVE THIS PICTURE!!!

 

Of course we had cake, cards and presents!!!!

 

Yummy! Homemade lemon cake and icing! With help from my parents!

 

Girlfriend knew that better food was to come after dinner, shes no fool.

 

She ate every single bite then some! We cheated and let her have cake before her first birthday, why not right?? She will be getting her very own cake to destroy!!

Happy Birthday Baby! I hope you had a great day! We love you so much!!!!!!!!

Hannah's 1st day of school!

So now Hannah is into her 3rd week of school and loving it! You can't tell by these pictures but she was super excited about school and was so not excited about us taking pictures of her with her school bag before we left. She is so laid back and we kept making a big deal about it so she did the opposite of what we wanted her to do! She let me do her hair and put a bow in it after the picture....ugh!

Miss. Sassy in her boats!

Going in! :)

Again with the camera! Ohwell we got her there and she loved it! Said bye to us gave kisses and didn't even cry! There were multiple kid crying she just looked at them "like dude be happy your away from those crazy parents" She loves it and asks daily if she has preschool! I'm enjoying the break! Its only a few hours so I basically come home, lay Tess down for a nap then clean, check email, do laundry, b/c its never ending........

Run 4 Shelter

Our moms club was a sponsor for a race recently in our town, it helped raise money for the homeless shelter. It was a great event! A beautiful day! And we raised a lot of money! We had a kid fun run too!!! It got the kids involved too!!

Here is Hannah with her boys!! Grayson and Preston! They are the cutest boys! She knows that too!

See proof! :) She is forever grabbing Grayson by the hand and pulling him around. Such a girl! :)

Moon Bounce, best idea ever. The main thing you ne

11 Months

Wow my baby girl is almost a year old!! I can not believe how fast this year has gone by!!! Its' been an amazing 11 months! She is such a great baby! Always smiling, happy and such a great eater so thankfully she sleeps well!!!

Tessa is pulling up, standing with assistance and cruising around furniture now!!!! Shes on the go and pulls up stands and moves along anything and everything, toys, chairs, doors, steps, blocks, the dog! Yup anything she can brace herself on she does! I say steps b/c she pulls and stands but can't quite climb them yet.....darn! haha

We are still nursing 2-3 times a day. Some days she does more than others, mostly not. So that's good hopefully it will be an easy transition. Its funny I was so ready to quit nursing with Hannah (also I was pregnant with Tessa at 11 months too) but this time around I'm holding on even though I know she letting go! :) I guess that is always going to be the case huh?

We are planning her party and getting things together for her!! I'm thinking of the pottery barn comfy chair for her then getting Hannah one for Christmas or maybe sooner so they each have one. Shes still too young to know the whole gift thing at Christmas anyway.

Tessa you are such a ham, always waving and smiling and everyone all the time! You make me smile and laugh all day long! Your sister can not get enough of you either! Shes always giving you sloppy kisses (really just slobbering all over your face) and hugging on you (headlock). Its cute and when you have had enough you push her away or pull her hair. Priceless! We love to pieces and can't imagine our lives without you!!!!! I swear sometimes I look at you and see myself as a baby or see your papa. The Inge traits are strong! Its scary! :) We love you baby girl!!!!!


Happy 11 months to my bugga bugga! 

Will. NOT. sit still! You love the squealing game, Hannah goes, you go, Hannah goes, you go and for some reason you girls get louder every time.......adorable!

You do this adorable belly rub!! Its only adorable on babies! You use to do it only when your clothes were off (diaper changes, bath etc,....) now you do it dressed or not. So during meal time it can get pretty messy if your dressed, feeding yourself and rubbing your belly!!! So here she is caught in action rubbing on her "Buddha belly" what my momma called my belly! :)

2 peas in a pod. Always kissing, hugging, chasing each other, pulling hair, sharing....germs :)

My sleeping beauty!

Girlfriend has gotten so long!!!! Shes always moving and flopping around in her bed. She starts at the top center and usually ends with her head at the bottom of the bed!

My bestie!

My bestie from way back came to visit a while ago and we showed her a good time! We had lots of girl time during the day with the kiddies then lots of adult time with beverages at night! We actually went out I thinke TWICE! Usually that's unheard of with us! We go out but never with each other, we are usually exhausted, and popcorn, movies and sleep sounds better! I love that we are always in agreement on what to do, eat, see, pretty much agree on everything! Shes my soul sister.

Hot sweaty mess!

MY FAVORITE PICTURE! 

Jamming at the Jetty! I think that's the best place! Its on the water, beautiful sunsets, sand, beer, friends and good music!

Sarah, Me adn Carolyn just having a good time! 

Sleepover preview!

SOOOOOO! Hannah got a big girl bed, well toddler bed so to her its a big girl bed! She loves it! Its been a very easy transition, minus a few missed naps but shes always in her room reading books in bed so its alright.

We had a playdate on afternoon. 4 girls, lots of dolls, books and a very messy room!

Vivienne and Tessa showing off their pulling up and cruising skills!

Playing with the spinning top and the babies destroying it! I love it!

So here is the sleepover preview, Maddie and Hannah loved playing, jumping cuddling in the bed! It was the cutest thing! They are so sweet together.

Playing dolls in bed. Would they both really fall asleep here together?? Its such a small space to us but to them its HUGE!!!

I miss our weekly playdates with the girls :( Hannah has preschool Tues/Thurs and that is when my friend Carolyn is off with the kids! We try to do afternoons but between our schedules it hasn't worked out for a while!!

Trip out to Minnesota!

Well we pretty much got power back, packed, cleaned up the yard a little bit then headed off to Minnesota for our 1st family vacation of a family of 4!!!! Remi had some friends from college that live out there so were staying with some and visiting the others! The state fair is the 2nd BIGGEST in the US so we went there, Mall of America, boat rides, more state fair, animals, parks and lots and lots of lakes!!!!! It was a great but VERY exhausting trip!


Here is mini me and me on the way out there! 6am flight..hello dragging booty!!!!!!!!! 2 car seats, double stroller, 2 carry on backpacks, 2 kids, 2 adults and 2 large suitcases! A lot of junk!

But 2 very cuties in the PJ's all warm and full of snuggles! ha!

No complaints on the flight attendants on either flights but the ones from Philadelphia to Minneapolis ROCKED! They were so attentive, talkative to Hannah who kept one of the ladies by her side for about 20 minutes, and showed Hannah the cockpit of the plane b/c they quickly learned her obsession of planes and trains! How cool is that?!?! 

Shes all like, I'm pretty much the coolest..big deal!

More to come later....for now I'm out!

Come on Irene

Ok, so lack of blogging means we were safe and sound and no harm to our house, our neighborhood anywhere really! Just lots of RAIN, WIND and no power :( booooo!!! Luckily we got ours back within 12 hours so it was not bad at all!

Where we live did get evacuated b/c we are on an Island, (Kent Island) to be exact. They were worried about flooding (duh!) high winds and the fact that god forbid something horrible happens emt's wouldn't be able to us across the bridge (a huge 4 mile bridge that connects us to Annapolis) to the big hospital. 

We didn't listen and stayed! Rockstars!!! We figured we would chance anything catastophic happening to us and stay in case of flooding to our house, since we techinally live "on the water" a bunch of horse poop that fell for and hopefully others will when we sell! Its water in the back YES but so little no dock, boat, jet ski could dock there! But lots of wildlife, the smells, the flow of water and relaxation views we have. Anyway flooding is pretty major, so it was possible. 


So here we are staying during a hurricane and now heading out to a friends a block away! For a party! Pretty much let the kids run b/c its been raining for 3 days straight and will be for a few more!  So kids play hard and they sleep through the hurricane while it was suppose to hit during the night.

Preston and Hannah sharing ice blocks...hey better than an ice luge right!!? Who's with me??

Remi and the boys took a trip out during the storm around the island, to the beach, docks, just driving around doing manly things thinking they are tough being out in the storm. 

Our neighborhood beach. 

The next morning, down tht street, lots of standing water. 

Yo dude I think you got what you prayed for......Surf and lots of it!! But you cant really even surf in the Bay can you??? There are waves but its from watercrafts! 

Again driving around the next day with Hannah in tow, Look at my girl dressing herself, Red shoes from Aunt Gemma's Wedding, snoopy socks, shorts, shirt and jacket. Not too bad girl!

Well all in all it was a big flop of a hurricane! But thats a good thing. :o) Hannah thought the noise of the wind were trains going by! haha the minds of 2 1/2 year olds! Love it!

Hanging around

 In this picture Tessa looks totally bored! But check out that sky and how blue it is! Pretty huh?? I love days like this! It was the calm before the storm. (Hurricane Irene)

 Big mouth # 1.

Big mouth #2.

This was August 22, and now she has 4 top teeth that came in all at once! Yup fun times over here at Casa de Smith. So shes 11 months old and has 4 top teeth and 3 bottom ones!

Teething is the worse, b/c it seems they are teething the whole 1st year, then it backs off then hello mega molars!!!!!!! You seem the gums getting puffy but like with Hannah it took FOREVA to break thru with Tessa they were puffy then BAM all 4 or 3 popping in. So lots of missed sleep here. Thankfully it happens at once so its bad then done with for a few weeks but still sleep or no sleep I hate seeing my baby in pain.