Christmas Card Photos

Yesterday was such an awesome day. So we went to the beach to take pictures for Christmas cards. I took a ton of pictures. Ariel was great with Cailin and I got some amazing pictures.

This was Cailin's first time at the beach. When I sat her down on the sand, it didn't take long for her to figure out she could pick up the sand. Before I could stop her she had the sand in her mouth. By the time we left the beach she was completely covered in sand!

Look at Cailin play

I bought this exercise gym and Cailin took to it right away. Now she stands up in it, turns in complete circles and chews on the toys.
She loves that the toys make noises.
This seems to be her favorite toy to chew on. Maybe this one tastes better than the rest.

Look at Cailin now!

Cailin says Ma-Ma

Cailin is 5 months old

I can't believe it, but Cailin is 5 months old. I haven't been able to update the blog the way I wanted to because first I was totally overwhelmed when we first came home and for several months after, especially when I finally returned to work. Then Jerry broke the camera. He not only dropped the camera but managed to kick it across the ground before picking it up. Next, the computer broke and I couldn't believe our luck. Okay, so things Cailin is doing now is she babbles a lot and sometimes sounds as if she is saying "Ma-Ma". She also just screams (more like a screech) especially when you are not paying attention to her. She is trying to sit up by herself.
She is so theatrical! She makes lots of different faces. Although, with this picture, she was startled by the flash.
She smiles when you call her name!

Every time you sit her up by propping her against a pillow she always leans forward. She can hold her balance for a little while before she falls over. This was right before she toppled over.

Mommy's Little Butterfly!

When I saw this costume in the store, I loved it! Cailin hated it! I tried to have her pictures taken because she looked so cute. She cried the entire time, she had the costume on. The poor photographer tried for over an hour to take her picture and didn't get one usable shot. I bought pink tights and a pink shirt to go with this costume, so she could have been a little hot. When I took her out of the costume, she was a little sweaty and immediately started to smile and play again. But I was determined to have her pictures taken in this costume, so I waited a few days and tried again. I made sure it was after her nap, she had been fed, and I even took the pink undershirt off. She had the same reaction, she cried and cried, but just as we were about to give up, she gave one little crooked smile and the photographer took the picture. It turned out to be a little off center, but I bought the picture anyway just for all the hard work. So, for Halloween I didn't put the stocking or shirt on and she did just fine. Look at her smiling and sitting up like a big girl.
She was trying to see her Mumsil, but I thought it was funny the way she was cutting her eyes.

Mortecia (from Adam's Family)

Ariel went as Mortecia for Halloween. For the last 3 years, she has been a witch (different costumes). I tried to get her to be something friendly this year, like a cheerleader. She absolutely hated this idea! This year she is claiming her independence from me. This year, she wanted to ride the bus, instead of being driven to school. She insists on picking out her own clothes, when before she never cared. She doesn't want to have her hair in ponytails any longer. She only wants to wear one ponytail and there can be no barrettes in her hair. I look at this picture and wonder were the time went. It seems just yesterday she was just 3 years old. Of course it doesn't help that she looks like a little woman with the boots and lipstick on. Jerry joked whether the dress came in a bigger size!

Trick-or-treating

For the last few years, we have been trick-or-treating at a neighborhood church. They have rides for the children and they have trick-or treating. This year members dressed up there cars with different themes and gave out candy. Ariel got to take a picture with Shrek and Princess Fiona.
She also took pictures with Nemo.

Halloween Party

Ariel & her Mumsil went to one of her gymnast friend's Halloween Party.

There backyard was decorated like a haunted house.

Our time in Kentucky

We spent a week in Kentucky visiting family. It worked out great because there were family members there from Detroit Tennessee and Germany. We got to visit with some that we haven't seen in a long time because we are usually in town at different times. Ariel had a blast because she got to get out and play.

Cailin got to meet her Grandpa.

And her cousin, Kenya

On the last day we were in Kentucky, we all got together and went out to lunch.
When everyone was done eating, we sat around the tables talking while the little ones ran around playing.

Skating Time!

Ariel is skating in the backyard and, yes, she is in pajamas. Since the end of the school year, Ariel almost never gets dressed and if you tell her to put on clothes, she immediately wants to know where she is going. As if the only time to put on clothes is if you are leaving the house! I took this picture because I couldn't believe that she was outside skating in her pajamas.
She even skated down the block.

Introducing Cailin Imani

Cailin Imani born at 3:30 pm on May 29, just 11 minutes after making it to the hospital.
Our 1st family portrait.

Cailin's 1st bath

Cailin all soapy during her first bath. She was very unhappy at being wet and cold. It felt good hearing her cry though. I can't believe we have another baby!

Cailin getting her hair shampooed.

big sister, Ariel

Ariel loves her new baby sister. She is incredibly gentle and always wants to hold Cailin. When Cailin starts crying, Ariel beats me to going to the baby. She talks and kisses Cailin frequently. Ariel's latest word that she uses very often is "adorable". Everything Cailin does is adorable. One of the nurses taking care of us, tells me of her having a son and daughter that are 12 years apart in age. Although the son is so much older than the daughter, they have always been very close and the son looks out for his little sister. I believe Ariel will look out for her little sister.

4 Days Old

Cailin is the most alert baby I have ever seen. When she is awake, she spends time just looking around at her surroundings. During her fussy times, if you bring her close and start to talk to her, she instantly quiets down and gives you the most perplexing look. She gives you a look that seems to ask, "What are you saying?"
On this photo, Cailin reminds me so much of Ariel- they share the same head shape, eyes and nose.

Smile Cailin

For the last couple of days, we've been trying to catch some good shots of Cailin when she is awake. On this day, I tried to get a few pictures of her before bed, but she wanted to eat and go to sleep. She cried in every picture except this one. On this picture, her eyes are closed because Jerry forgot to turn the flash off.

Park Pets

This is the park near our house. It has a big pier were you can go out and look over the lake or I have seen people fishing there also. Ariel likes to play at this park because it has a huge playground.

This park is bordered by a lake. My mother and Ariel were in the park walking the track around the lake when they spotted an alligator. Ariel then called to tell me that they see an alligator in the lake. We have heard stories from neighbors that there were alligators in the lake, but we just didn't believe they could be very big. After they came back, we grabbed the camera and went back to the park. I couldn't believe my eyes, right on the edge of the lake was this huge gator! Ariel and I stayed back and Jerry, as you could have guessed, ventured closer for a picture.
(make sure you click on the photos to enlarge the picture)
More people came to watch the alligator, which probably disturbed him because he swam off and disappeared underwater. It was a sight to see! Jerry proposed that we go and get raw meat to feed the alligator. I am sure you can guess my response to his proposal.

Bird Watching

After the alligator went underwater, we then began watching the birds along the edge of the lake. We were hoping to get a shot of the alligator feeding.

St Pete Yacht Club

Ariel's Level 4 Gymnastic Awards Banquet (she now is a level 5 gymnast) was at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. The team was awarded individual plaques by their coaches for winning 1st place at the State Meet in Daytona back in December. This was a first for the gym. Ariel was one of the gymnast that "swept" (took 1st place in all four events, including all around gymnast) for her age group. Congratulations Ariel!
Her team was also presented with a big banner that has each gymnasts name on it and will be hung in the gym were they practice.
Ariel with her coach, Carlee and two other gymnast from her team.

11 more days to June 5

May 24- At Ariel's Gymnastic Award's Banquet and 12 more days (11 more days at the time of this post) until we meet little Cailin Imani. I look at pictures of me and can hardly believe I am this big. I'm thankful that I don't always feel this big though. As we near the end, I can't believe that the time is nearing and we will have another kid in the house. It's been a really long time were we have been a family of 3- just Jerry Ariel and I. We are all excited though! And I am thankful that this journey is almost over.

Swimming Time!

After the award's ceremony, it was swim time!