Off to work we go...

 My mother and I did Flowers for a wedding this past weekend.   Elsie got to tag along with me while Texas took care of Annie.

 Elsie had a blast with the church steps.  She climbed right up the steps like she'd been doing it for years.  Then she just sat herself down on the bottom step.   Sitting all by herself on a step watching her Grandma was pretty fun.  She couldn't stop laughing about sitting on the step.

 It was so cute.

It was a long morning, but she did great.

"IT'S FRIDAY"

Annie woke up extra early on the morning in question; saddled up to the computer and then asked, "it is Friday isn't it?"  The second I say yes the computer is buzzing to life and before I know it PBS kids is blasting an episode of Aurthur into my living room.   Annie slowly eats her oats while watching, glued to the screen.   I have relished our no TV during the week rule.  It has changed our home life tremendously.  Annie plays, paints, dances and sings 100% more than she did 4 months ago (when I first instituted the no TV Monday-Thursday).  Friday mornings are so exciting for her now.  She wakes up thrilled to watch an episode of TV before school.   The TV no longer stays on all day, with it's constant stream of noise.  She watches a show and then it goes off.   Annie looks forward to the time when she gets TV and is perfectly content when it's not TV time.  Sometimes I forget how our kids need us to set the boundaries for them, even in the most simple of things.

SLEEPy BABY

 This is Elsie refusing to take a nap.

She doesn't need naps.

She's seven months old and has two teeth.

 She's far too big for naps.

Tilly Doll vs. Elsie

"Hey there Tilly,  I'm Annie's baby sister."

" I bet if you move over a little we can both fit up here. "

 "Maybe not.  Lets rethink this plan."

 "If you just move over here..."

 "and let me squeeze in here..."

"That's better."

TWO TEETH

Elsie has been rather MONSTER like these past few weeks.  On the 17th she got her first tooth, then today I found another one.  It seems to be happening a little fast.  I don't want her to get teeth.  That means biting, and biting is bad.

The illusive full nights sleep

It was so cute the first time I found Elsie standing up in her crib.  I yelled down to Texas to grab the camera.  That was last week.  Now I'm in a loosing battle with my 7 month old.  Every time you lay her down she stands up.  EVERY TIME.  It's insane.  Crying and crying until you pick her up.  The biggest issue?  She doesn't know how to get down.  Dear Lord, this is NOT cute.  My sleep is constantly interrupted because of her compulsive climbing.   I'm not even sure that she's awake when she starts climbing.  Is it possible to sleep climb?  Could I have the only baby who climbs in her sleep? 

Garden Friends

 A snake took up residence in the garden over the last week and I have found him several times perched up in the veggies.  This is not my preference, but he seems happy and Annie loves to say hi.

 Peace left the vegetable garden and was found checking out the chickens run.  We wouldn't have known except for the insane squawking and flapping of wings. Strange.  Annie had to take him out and put him back in the veggie garden.

So we have peace once more in the garden.