Look at Cailin standing in her chair!

Cailin Crawls

Just this week Cailin started to crawl!

It was a nice day yesterday and Ariel went outside to ride her bike while attempted to get an action shot.

This was really funny! My mother then got on and rode Ariel's bike!

Cailin's Cookie

I am taking a photography class (the result of breaking my camera and researching to buy a new one). I bought Cailin out on the porch with me, so that I could practice this week's lesson. I sometimes have to bribe her so that she will stay in her play gym. She has in her hand and all over her face, a Gerber baby cookie.

She will eat a little and then switch it from hand to hand.

She used to cry when the cookie dropped. Now, she will search for the it first. I am so proud of these pictures. This was my first time taking pictures in the manual mode and making all the camera's settings myself.

MLK Day

We went downtown for the MLK day parade. It was extremely windy and chilly, being down by the water and between the buildings in the shade.

There were bands that marched in the parade. I shot this picture through the gate because I was sitting down holding Cailin. Everytime a band came through playing their instruments, Cailin would yell as loud as she could. It was really funny!

There were plenty of floats displaying MLK. Evidently this is a big day in St. Petersburg. They celebrate the whole weekend. There was a battle of the bands on Saturday, the parade on Sunday, and driving to the parade, we rode down MLK and there was alot of people out setting up booths with things to sells and others setting up BBQ grills to cook and sell food. It reminded me of Derby weekend in my hometown.

The Grabbies

Jerry has nicknamed what she is doing here as "the grabbies". When she wants something you have or wants to be picked up, she raise her hands in the air and starts moving her fingers back and forth. She does it as if she saying, come here or give it to me!

Cailin's Ponytails!

Cailin finally has enough hair at the top of her head for ponytails! For months, it looked as though she was loosing her hair. I was getting a little concerned when it started to thin around the sides and the back only, leaving hair at the top and the very bottom of the back of her head. Ariel, at this age, was what I called slick bald. Just enough hair to slick down on her head. I was getting my hair done a few days before this picture and my beautician said that when her daughter was Cailin's age she had an aunt that suggested that if you want a babies' hair to grow then you start putting it in ponytails. I myself have heard this, but I am not so sure if it is true. I am willing to try it though. Especially, since she looks so adorable with ponytails!

Cailin Peeping

We have been trying to get Cailin used to going down to sleep by herself. She is usually rocked to sleep by Jerry or she is nursed to sleep by me. She is such a light sleeper. If she is not totally asleep then she immediately wakes up when you lay her down. Now we are working on laying her down when she is sleepy and letting her go to sleep on her own. However, when you put her down and she is still awake, she immediately rolls over and looks for you.

Sawgrass Lake Park

Ariel had a field trip to Sawgrass Lake Park, a wildlife and nature park. I was a little weary taking Cailin because I didn't know how she would act, but she was great. I was looking at the signs that detailed the wildlife in the park and I got a little concerned because the list included coyotes, bobcats, and alligators. It actually was pretty safe. We walked on a trail that was above the actual park ground.

At first, Cailin was nice and calm and just riding in her stroller enjoying the park.

Then whenever the tour guide would start talking about the animals we'd come across, Cailin would start babbling and yelling. It was pretty funny, because it seemed that when she heard talking, this would start her to talking and shrieking. She'd start to wave her hands around and let out loud and long screams.

It was really interesting walking through the park. I really liked learning about the different animals. When we first came to Florida, I was so fascinated with the birds because I thought it was so amazing that these birds actually dove in the water and caught fish. Well this bird is equally amazing, he is called a snake bird and he not only hunts in the water for food, but he actually swims around in the water with it's head and neck out of the water.

There were vultures and eagles overhead. Maybe next time I'll have gotten a telephoto lens for my camera (so you can actually see the bird).

There was an alligator under the brush. The kids were really excited to see him. I was just afraid, because it took me a long time to spot him. The alligator was blended into the surrounding and only his head remained above the water. I'm pretty sure he seen us long before we seen him. I don't care how long I have lived in Florida, I don't think I can truly get used to alligators living so close to were I live (probably because he can eat me)!

This was a soft shell turtle

Ariel holding the snake

At the end of the field trip, we all went into the animal shelter. This is were they kept all the injured animals and the animals that you could hold. This was also the place they kept animals that people had released into the park, but were not natives to the park or Florida. I couldn't believe that Ariel volunteered to hold the snake. The tour guide asked her to sit on the floor and hold the snake in her lap. Ariel did just that and she seemed perfectly comfortable holding the snake. She has always been comfortable with bugs and animals. When she was two and three years old, I would have to stop her from picking up bugs and whatever else she found outside.

After, she finished holding the snake, she passed it along to the next person in line. I watched in amazement because I have never held a snake and probably never will!

My Mother is feeding Cailin a cracker.

She has fed Cailin all sorts of stuff. Now Cailin can't stand to see you eating when she is not. This usually starts her to yelling to get your attention.

Ariel Dancing

Ariel was dancing to her Cheetah Girls CD! She absolutly loves the Cheetah Girls! Lately, that's all I hear- Cheetah Girls this and Cheetah Girls that!

It was really funny because every time I got ready to take a picture, she would stop and strike a pose.

I have no idea what she was doing here, but it's a pretty funny picture!

I thought this was a great picture of her. She is a very photogenic child. She humors me even though she is sometimes not that thrilled with me taking pictures.

Cailin loves her Fingers

Look at all the ways Cailin can suck on her fingers. She loves all of them and does not suck on one more than the other. She can be found with her whole hand in her mouth. Naturally this leads to a ton of saliva and many ruined outfits!

Cailin

I buy Cailin outfits that have the hats to go with them. It works great when it is a little windy outside. She used to never bother the hat.

Now as soon as I put it on, she is pulling it off!

And naturally she eats it, because everything she has goes in her mouth.

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, we went over to my Mother's home. She has an amazing view of the lake. I decided to go outside, it was a great day, and take pictures.

I told Ariel to do something and she started jumping. I have another picture that I'm not going to post, because she doesn't like it (it has her looking like a bird).

She always chases birds when we are out there. I tell her to stop because as big as the birds are one day they are going to chase her.

Christmas program

Ariel starting playing the violin at the beginning of the school year. I believe she tried the violin because she discovered that I used to play. In the past, she has taken my violin from the garage and tinkered with it. On December 19 they had a Christmas program. She did really well for just having started to play a few months ago.
The fourth graders (first year playing) plucked the strings of the violin and the fifth graders (they had been playing since last year) were allowed to use the bow. The music teacher played the keyboard along with them. Everyone sounded great for not having played that long!
It lasted about 20 minutes and then they were done. Ariel done a great job!
Because they moved so quickly, it never was an opportunity to get a group shot. So after the program, I had Ariel pose with her violin.