1st Day of Preschool!

Claire started preschool last week!! She was as happy as can be and went in smiling and came out smiling. Anna Kate and I definitely missed her while she was there! As soon as Anna Kate saw Claire when we picked her up today, she ran straight up to her sister with her happy squeal and gave her a big hug!! 

All ready and as cute as can be!

Special first day of school smiley face pancakes with Hershey kiss eyes....her favorite!

Sisters!

Hanging up her tote bag!

Putting up her "I'm here" sticker!

Celebrating the end of summer in Nags Head

We spent Labor Day weekend in Nags Head with the gang again and had a blast! It sure is a fun way to kick off the summer there over Memorial Day and see it off the same way at Labor Day!

We had a great time with family, eating lots of yummy food and going to the beach everyday. Both girls loved the ocean, especially Claire. She even bogie boarded! We spend a lot of time right on the water's edge which Claire loved to call the shore. "Come on guys, lets go to the shore!" Both of them loved to collect sea shells. On one shell collection walk, Anna Kate insisted on carrying the bucket of shells back. It was quite a large bucket about a third of the way full and a good walk back...and sure enough she carried it all the way. Slowly, but she did. She just held her arm straight out and walked away, David said he was impressed by her shoulder strength :)

The weather was perfect beach weather, the food delicious and the company even better! Can't wait to kick of Summer 2015!

Happy to be at the beach!

Watching all of the cooking below...

Smelling good Kevin!

Lots of swinging happened!

Some more!

 

Time to go to the shore!

Splashing around!

Lounging

Thanks for the pool Aunt Mary!

All camped out on the 4 wheel drive beach!

Grill all set up for some delicious beach eats, thanks Kevin!

She loved bogie boarding!!

Anna Kate even tested it out!

Kite flying time! Daddy and Claire worked really hard keeping it up!

There she goes running down the beach with her kite!

Anna Kate soaked in the pool and watched!

And took a much deserved beach nap!

Building a sand car with Aunt Mary!

Tada!

Some more swinging with some worn out beach girls!

Yummy!

Some appetizers with Lambie and Cindy!

Anna Kate was a huge fan of the big tub of cheese balls!

Claire actually took a nap one day in my lap...first nap in months!

And before we all left, Claire had a "birthday party" for Grammie that was talked about all weekend. Complete with cups, plates, cake and candles!

With the "birthday" girl

Handing out the cake slices

Until next year!

Anna Kate is 14 months old!

14 months is such a fun age!! She turned 14 months on August 27th. Anna Kate is saying more and more words everyday. Claire's favorite game is to get Anna Kate to say new worlds. It goes something like this. 

Claire: "Anna Kate, say apple. Say apple!!"

Anna Kate: "Aaaappple"

Claire: "Mom, I have some great news. Anna Kate said apple!!"

Claire always says the I have some great news part! Speaking of words, Anna Kate now says...mama, dada, sissy, apple, eat, up, this, wawa, all done, book, balloon. She also knows some animal sounds...ruff, meow, tweet, moo.

She has started to eat some new and different foods, yay!! Some favorites now are raisins, pizza bites, and cheese sticks! She also will try anything that Claire will hand her. She may only take a bite of it, but at least she tries it.


Anna Kate loves to look at books and will drag around a book (some are quite big too) until she finds you and you read it to her. She still loves balls, her bus ride along toy, and have tea parties with her sister! 

She is so friendly too! When we go places she loves to go up and say hi to people. Not shy at all! The other day while we waited for Claire during her gymnastics class, Anna Kate walked up to 3 other mom's and handed them her book, her ball, etc. all while saying hi. She also loves to blow kisses and will come up to you with her face leaning forward to give you a big kiss!

Peek a boo choo choo....one of her favorites!!

Playing with her best friend!

Silly girls!!

Yogurt treat at daddy's work

Walking around with her big sister!

"Helping" with the laundry

Such a happy girl!