Our Week in Georgia

We spent last week in Georgia soaking up all the family time we could get. Due to the move, we didn't spend Thanksgiving in Georgia as has been our tradition. While the girls and I passed through on our way to Delaware, Peter hadn't seen our niece and nephew since July. We were long due for a visit.

Cole was reunited with her Strider bike! We left the bike in Geogia last time we visited because Cole was just a hair too short to really use it. Now its a perfect fit! 

We made the most of the nearby parks and had two picnic dinners. One just because and the other to celebrate my brother-in-law and Peter's birthdays.

One afternoon, Peter, the girls and I ventured to Stone Mountain Park for a train ride. Cole is really into trains right now so we thought it would be a hit. And it was. In no small part, thanks to the candy we let Cole buy as a peace offering for the loud noises the train made.

Our little water bugs had a blast splashing in the backyard and a local splash park.

Of course, the best part was just getting to see everyone. Recently, Cole's language has taken off so she was able to name and identity her grandparents, aunts, uncle, and cousins.

I should point out that since this was a vacation, Peter got to rest. For a whole 20 minutes on the couch, which may, in fact, be the longest nap he's taken this year.

Ibbie :: 8 months*

*make that 8 months, 9 days

Oh goodness, this month was the month of mobility! In a flash, Ibbie went from scooting to crawling to pulling up and cautiously cruising. Thank heavens, it was also the month we moved into our new house which has far fewer stairs than our rental home.

Ibbie mastered sitting up this month. And started to eat picky foods at every meal. She loves strawberries and Cheerios. Though, she may like spitting them into her lap even more than she likes to mash them in her mouth. Ibbie has her two front, bottom teeth and, from what I can tell, no signs of others. She continues to be a solid sleeper though she's quite the early birth, monologuing around 5 o'clock each morning. Who can blame her though? She is practically begging for her crib by the time we put her down at 6:15pm.

Little sister is smitten with Cole and the dogs. And Peter and I manage to put a smile on her face, not that getting Ib to smile is a challenge.

month one, two, four, five, six, seven

Cole at eight months 

A Birthday Surprise

For as long as I've known him, Peter has wanted a ping pong table. He talked about it in our loft, our first house, and in every house we've ever considered buying. When we moved into this house, we both knew the basement would be used for storage, laundry, and, eventually, ping-pong.

The week we closed on our new house I sent an email to rally the troops. For once,  I had a gift idea for Peter's birthday: a ping-pong table. This was a major gift, with everyone chipping in to help with the purchase and construction of the table.

On Tuesday, as we were getting the girls ready for dinner I asked Peter to go to the basement to change the laundry. From halfway down the stairs I heard him exclaim, "Whoa! What?!" And he came right back up. I sent him back down for his cupcakes and card so I had a chance to snap a picture. What a surprise! He claims he had no idea it was coming which I count as a major success.

I should also mention that after our little family celebration ended he asked if there was actually laundry that needed to be changed. What a guy!

Happy birthday, Peter!