Weekend With Ainsley, 15 months old

Colleen was in her best friend's wedding Saturday, so I went to Houston to babysit with Ainsley. She was in rare form and very entertaining. She's talking a lot now and has learned to say, "Mimi," really well. Up until now, it sounded like "Mommy." She likes to mimic almost everything we say and do. She has a new table and enjoys sitting at it to eat a "clean meal." (Messy ones still require the high chair!)Wheeeeerrrreeee's Ainsley? Can you find her? Poor, deprived child doesn't have enough toys! The family room has become "Ainsley's Room!"

She woke up very fussy from her afternoon nap, but once I put her in the stroller and we took a walk, she became happy again. Before, above; after, below!

And she loved getting in and out of a cardboard box!!

You kept me very busy, little Ainsley, and brought lots of laughs! I will see you in a few more weeks, and I can't wait to see what new things you've learned!

Valentine's Day Across the Generations

This is a little Valentine that I recently found in my mother's scrapbook (she was keeping scrapbooks, long before it was the "in thing" to do!) It is signed "Dubs" a nickname of my Dad's. They got married in 1932, and I think it is probably from around that period. The little boutonniere (thank you Spell-Check!) even comes out of the card, and it says, "I'm sweet on you."

This is Macy with her teacher, at her "Valentime's" party at her school yesterday. We all loooooove Mrs. B. Before the children came in from recess, she gave each one of them a squirt of antibacterial hand gel, and told them when they went in the room, to sit down quietly and begin eating their treats, but not to open up any Valentines yet. Macy saw one little girl opening some of her Valentines, and she got up, went over to her, and very nicely told her, "Mrs. B. said we are not supposed to open up our Valentines yet."

Here they are enjoying their treats, following instructions! That's Barbara Ann, on the far right, one of Macy's good friends.

Then, the teacher had all the kids sit on the little carpet in front of her and she role-played how to open Valentines. She told them that they were to read each card and then they needed to say "thank you," to each person before they opened another one. Macy and I were sitting on the carpet and I read the name of the person to her and then she got up, and walked across the room and told each person "thank you." (Her mom was helping Barbara Ann read her Valentine's. The room was very calm and orderly, thanks to Mrs. B.'s instructions, but Macy took it very seriously, and would not only say "thank you," but many friends got hugs.

After a little while, I told Macy she didn't need to walk over to the person, she could just say, "thank you," to them across the room. It was a little noisy, but also much quicker! Valentines have changed since Dad's Valentine from the 1930's. Every Valentine Macy got had candy attached to it, (the candy companies have gotten smart!) or special stickers from a current cartoon or movie.

Macy and her beautiful mom

Some of the beautiful flowers on Macy's teacher's desk!

Cowboy Marshall

Marshall is ready for "Western Day" at his school.

Giddy-Up!

All the kids in his class made horses with yardsticks and stuffed socks for a head with yarn on top for the mane! It is quite a creation!

Macy and Marshall have always loved making their own "trailmix." Instead of having just pretzels or crackers for a snack, they like to add several things together. Here is Marshall making Valentine trailmix. Mommy even had them set out in "LOVE dishes."

(Thanks, Julie, for the great pictures that I stole from your blog! You're the BEST family photographer, for sure!!)