Before we travel to the states for the Leonard family reunion, I wanted to write a little update. Emily at 11 months is fiesty, joyful, energetic (especially in the middle of the night :-O), and animated. As of yet, she is neither crawling or walking, but she is certainly cruising. You never know exactly where she will end up if you turn your back for a moment! Emily is full of sounds, shrieks, bounces, and lunges. She is remarkably adept at determining what her sister enjoys playing with and then trying to "steal" said object from her sister. It is quite funny to watch!
In the last few weeks, Emily decided that she is done with baby food and wants to eat almost everything we eat. That makes mama think carefully about seasonings and textures. Emily enjoys throwing things on the floor and having mama say "uh oh," waving bye bye, pursing her lips to make kisses, initiating peek a boo, cruising around the living room, and getting into mischief. She seems to hold her own when it comes to her big sister.
Katie at 2 years 10 months loves to take care of her stuffed animals and dolls. She swaddles them, nurses them, puts them on the potty, declares them sick and gets out her medical bag, changes their clothes . . . . She also loves playing in her kitchen and making soups (cookie soup is a favorite, go figure!) and coffee. It is amazing to me how much she imitates me whether is "washing" dishes, sweeping the floor, doing laundry . . . Katie doesn't miss a thing. She is still a voracious reader and often will sit down with a book and "read" it to her bear. I enjoy hearing what she retains and watching her choose more challenging books.
Because it has rained almost every day for the last month and a half (still hoping for a heat wave or some sunshine here! :), we have spent more time indoors. So we have done a lot of baking together, art projects (making wind toys for August--the month of wind here, caterpillars to go with Eric Carle's book, etc.), reading, making obstacle courses, and whenever possible inviting little friends over. As expats come and go, Katie is learning about saying good-bye and discovering where airplanes are taking her friends.
Even during the "summer," we have continued our weekly pre-school coop. Katie loves spending time with her buddy, Maria Jose, and enjoys learning to dance amongst other things. Come September we are hoping to have two other little girls join us on Wednesday mornings.
Well, before my two little ones get up, I am going to attach some pictures from the end of June, July, and bit of August.
In the last few weeks, Emily decided that she is done with baby food and wants to eat almost everything we eat. That makes mama think carefully about seasonings and textures. Emily enjoys throwing things on the floor and having mama say "uh oh," waving bye bye, pursing her lips to make kisses, initiating peek a boo, cruising around the living room, and getting into mischief. She seems to hold her own when it comes to her big sister.
Katie at 2 years 10 months loves to take care of her stuffed animals and dolls. She swaddles them, nurses them, puts them on the potty, declares them sick and gets out her medical bag, changes their clothes . . . . She also loves playing in her kitchen and making soups (cookie soup is a favorite, go figure!) and coffee. It is amazing to me how much she imitates me whether is "washing" dishes, sweeping the floor, doing laundry . . . Katie doesn't miss a thing. She is still a voracious reader and often will sit down with a book and "read" it to her bear. I enjoy hearing what she retains and watching her choose more challenging books.
Because it has rained almost every day for the last month and a half (still hoping for a heat wave or some sunshine here! :), we have spent more time indoors. So we have done a lot of baking together, art projects (making wind toys for August--the month of wind here, caterpillars to go with Eric Carle's book, etc.), reading, making obstacle courses, and whenever possible inviting little friends over. As expats come and go, Katie is learning about saying good-bye and discovering where airplanes are taking her friends.
Even during the "summer," we have continued our weekly pre-school coop. Katie loves spending time with her buddy, Maria Jose, and enjoys learning to dance amongst other things. Come September we are hoping to have two other little girls join us on Wednesday mornings.
Well, before my two little ones get up, I am going to attach some pictures from the end of June, July, and bit of August.
