Happy Memorial Day!

Anna Claire and I had a very fun and long weekend together, but missed Daddy because he had to work all weekend. The pool opened Saturday and we had a great time with Meiko, Lyla and Jessica. We also logged some pool time on Sunday and earlier today. I think my little gal is going to be a pool rat. She loves the water and is developing quite the tan! Mommy loves it because 2 hours at the pool = 2 to 3 hour nap! This weekend we purchased a "special potty" for Anna Claire. This has become her new toy and the word of the day is POTTY; however we have not yet started training. Pretty sure that sitting on it to watch TV is not the key to success, but we will cross that bridge in a few months.

Today AC is rocking one of her new patriotic ensembles in honor of all those who have served or are currently serving our country. A special thanks to Uncle Alex and Uncle Jason! Happy Memorial Day!

Busy Bees

The past has month has been quite hectic for the Williams family. It seems that May has come and (almost) gone with the blink of an eye. Anna Claire is now 20 months old! Time is moving WAY too fast! I am not sure of her current stats, but suspect she is still quite tall on the charts and lagging a bit behind in weight, as usual. Her hair is getting long and full and has a little bit of curl to it that I am sure will disappear as soon as she gets a haircut. :-( She has 13 teeth and a few more on the way. Just recently we got 4 at one time and it caused quite the interruption for a week or so. I find that she is getting harder and harder to please at the dinner table... she refuses all veggies and will not eat them unless I sneak them into sauces etc. I hope that she eats enough lean meat, dairy and fruit to make up for it, but we will most likely start her on a vitamin soon. Hopefully this picky stage will end soon. She used to be such a great eater.

The past few weeks Anna Claire has begun talking more and more. She tells me when she wants a snack or drink and says funny things like "I'm coming momma" if she is trailing behind me. The past few days she has stopped frequently to sit down and say "pretty shoes" while pointing at her feet. It is hilarious to see what she picks up on from conversations! She "talks" about certain people and family members at home. She can say all of her relatives names (or some version thereof) and has become quite fond of her friends, including Corianne(prnounced Cayenne) Lyla and Riley Katie (she refuses to say Riley and just says Kate.) She will repeat most of the letters of the alphabet and loves to sing and dance. She prefers to be outside these days and hates to come inside. Her favorite places include the park and Monkey Joe's. We have had several fun play dates lately! Today we went to the pool and that was a big hit. She was tired and really needing a nap; however she had a blast and appears to LOVE the pool. I can't wait for our neighborhood pool to open next weekend. It will be all hands on deck with her as she expresses NO fear around water and tends to want to jump straight in. In fact, she was trying desperately to find a way out of my arms! My Mom has informed me that this is pay back since I was an early and brave swimmer. Going to the pool has an entire different meaning with a toddler! I will be lucky if I get to even get out of the pool at all this summer. :-)

Here are a few pictures from the past few weeks. I hope to post more often in the next few weeks.

19 Months and All Grown Up!

This week Anna Claire hit the 19 month mark. Something about hurdling the 18 month mark just feels strange and maybe a little sad. We went away last weekend and left Anna Claire in Danville with her Honey and Poppy. When we returned to pick her up on Sunday, my heart sunk as we walked through the door to see an adorable, vivacious little girl with pig tails. What happened to our baby? There seems to be very little evidence of a baby these days... with the exception of the increasingtly more frequent tantrums. I suppose that proves even more that she is full-fledged toddler! We are very lucky to have such an even tempered and sweet little girl, but lately she has been exercising her opinion more and more!

Anna Claire is growing up before my very eyes.

Photographic Evidence

Anna Claire Makes a New Friend

We are so excited for our dear friends, Bill and Cindy. After lots of work, waiting and a very long adoptive process, they finally brought home their beautiful daughter just last week. We were so happy to go visit just a day after they made the journey home to Kentucky. Meeting Corianne Katerina was wonderful and it is clear that she and Anna Claire will be fast friends! Corianne is just 3 months older than Anna Claire, so we suspect they will be double trouble! Anna Claire shared her Dora yogurt with Corianne and it was the cutest thing... so glad to have caught a little video of them in action.

Congrats Bill and Cindy! She is beautiful!

Valdosta

We had a great time visting with Aunt Ba-Beth and Uncle Ally in GA and we are so glad that they are living state side! Anna Claire did quite well in the car - what a relief! Thank goodness for the DVD player!

Easter, Part II

Anna Claire had a wonderful Easter weekend, which included a birthday party in the park for her friend Miller, an Easter egg hunt, a visit from the bunny and lots of fun at home!

We are heading south on Friday to visit MB and Alex in Valdosta. It will be a long an interesting 9 to 10 hour drive with a busy, 18 month old, but we are so excited to have them in the country! Any tips for traveling? Wish us luck!