OSU Homecoming 2011

Ahhh...Stillwater, how I have missed you!  The older I get, the more I bleed ORANGE!  I love my alma mater.   This past weekend was Homecoming and as mentioned in a prior post, it's a BIG deal!

It doesn't hurt that we have a pretty darn good football team this year, either!

Friday night is "walkaround".  I won't go into much detail but I heard it described as a "backwards parade"...that's a pretty good description.  The floats (which are actually just HUGE decorations) are put up in front of frat houses and the people walk around to see them, several blocks just off of campus are blocked off from traffic because there are always so many people.  Here's a pic of what the 1st place house dec looked like if you're curious what I'm talking about.  (That house behind the decorations is at least 3 stories tall!)

We had to miss Friday night this year but made it up to Stillwater on Saturday morning in time for some tailgating, friend time, and then the big game at 2:30.  Let just say by 2:45 the game was pretty much over.  I left during the 3rd quarter when it was 42-0.  Sorry Baylor Bears...you never had a chance!

It was so nice to hang out and visit with our old college friends.  We are all now going on 10+ years of being friends with each other.  That's a long time!

Also, it was so nice to hang out in Stillwater this weekend kid-free!  Thanks to my sister for keeping both girls!  I look forward to taking Sarah and Caroline to a Homecoming weekend in the future.  They will LOVE it!  Go Pokes!

Sweet Sisters

I walked into the living room the other day and found SJ down on the play mat with C.  They were both checking out the mirror/lights/music above them.  I thought it was adorable.  And, Sarah stayed there for about 5 minutes.  That's a long time in toddler world!  So cute!

Josh and Caroline

Our friends, the Allisons, came to visit this week.  Josh and I met my freshman year of college.  He soon became like a big brother to me and we've been great friends since.  Once Daniel came into my life, Josh was a little leary...ha!  But Daniel soon won him over and now they are great friends.  Daniel was even an usher in Josh and Caroline's wedding last October.  

I loved getting to know Caroline.  She is super sweet, easy to talk to and I think we would be good friends if they lived by us instead of Chicago!  Josh sure married up!  :)  We loved having them here for a few days and reminiscing about old college days.  We made sure to show Caroline old funny pictures and videos (on VHS, ha!) of Josh.  So much fun having them here.  Thanks for coming to visit us, Josh and Caroline!

This weekend is Homecoming at OSU...and let me tell ya, it's a big deal!  I didn't realize other colleges don't make their homecomings that much of a big deal until I left OSU.  Proud of our tradition!  All that to say, I'm excited to see Josh and Caroline again this weekend as well as many of our other college friends!  Go Pokes!  

The Carolines together!

 Josh and Caroline with Sarah and the other Caroline.  

Carter and the Corn Maze

I have had three people tell me that I need to update my blog (Salle, Aunt Susie and Kati)!  Sorry for the long delay!  Expect a couple of more updates to pop up in the next few days...at least the three of you that read this! :)

A few weeks ago Carter came to visit!  While he was here we did some fun things!  The first night he was here we went to First Fridays on the square in Bentonville.  Lots of people watching (and eating).  

The next morning we met the Kirbys at the Ozark Corn Maze.  So fun!  

Sarah and Carter ate breakfast in the car.  I gave them these little travel trays and they kept themselves pretty clean.  

 The sweet Kirby family, with little miss Blair!

 Kevin wore Caroline in the Baby Bjorn.  So sweet!

 Carter feeding the goats...his mom would be so grossed out.  That's what aunts are for, right?

 Sarah "fed" them...more like beat them on their faces.  

 Hi Blair!

 And our family shot...it makes me laugh every time I see it!

Checkups

Sarah and Caroline had their 18 and 4 month checkups today.  Both girls are growing! Sarah has grown 3 inches in the the last two and a half months but only gained a few ounces in weight.  She's a climber!  Check out the pic below!  I had just taken clothes out of the dryer and walked them to the living room.  When I came back this is how I found her.  Crazy girl!

Sarah's Stats

33.25 inches - 90th percentile

24 lbs 14 oz - 60th percentile

Caroline is growing even quicker!  The nurse measured her length, walked out of the room, then walked back in and said, "I don't think I measured her right, the length seems too long."  So she measured her length again and sure enough, the first measurements were right!  She's grown nearly 4 inches in the last 2.5 months!  Wow!  She's also added about 2.5 lbs in weight.  And, as I sat here typing this paragraph, I looked down at her in the floor and she had rolled over to her belly!  So, I guess she can roll over now?  Too many changes and too soon!
Caroline's Stats
26 inches - 95th percentile
14 lbs 2 oz - 60th percentile

Happy Halloween!

Stole this idea off of Pinterest (my newest online addiction) and knew I just had to try it out.  It's pretty adorable!

Not so sure at first...

 Arrr, mateys!

And a sweet little face.  

BHS Homecoming!

We attended the Bentonville High School homecoming pep rally today. So much fun. Two of my former students/athletes/Bible study girls/favorite babysitters are on the Homecoming Court. I actually like to just refer to them as my friends. But anyway...it's a pretty big deal to make homecoming court because the entire school votes on the girls. This may not sound like a big deal but there are, oh, just over 3000 students at BHS! So Kiley and Melanie are 2 out of only 10 girls that made it. That's a BIG deal. I am so proud of the young ladies they have become since meeting them when they were in 8th grade. If I could choose two girls that I would like my girls to grow up to be like, it'd be Kiley and Melanie. They are smart, confident, beautiful, and amazing girls. (Not to mention that Melanie is going to OSU for college...yep, she's that cool!) I love them! Good luck tonight, Melanie and Kiley!

Melanie

Kiley

Tulsa State Fair

Last Friday we went to the Tulsa State Fair with my family. We went early to beat the crowds and that was the best decision of the day.

Well except for maybe eating these things! And in this order...

A mustard and ketchup painted corn dog.

Not one but two funnel cakes!

And a first this year...fried kool-aid. Worth trying, I must say!
Sweet Audrey and her momma, Hannah (a great college friend) met us for a few hours!

Sarah watching some seals that performed at the fair.

Carter got to enjoy lots of rides this year!

Sweet Caroline watching Carter on a ride.

Papa helped Carter on the carousel. Carter looks like a kid (instead of a toddler) in this picture!

Sarah getting some help from Grammy on the carousel!

Kati and Carter on another ride. He was so cute!

And of course, Kati and Darin couldn't miss out on some adventure! They rode segways. Pretty sure Kati never made it over 2 mph! Ha!

And, we're spent! Isn't she absolutely precious?

4 Months

Here we are, thirty days later and another month older! Wow!
What is little miss up to these days? Well thanks for asking, here's her list!

-Officially sleeps about 12 hours straight at night...in her own bed (has been sleeping that long since just after turning 3 months old)! I will preach the Baby Wise schedule/model until the day I die. Okay, I won't preach but if you are hard headed, and love sleep like me, you can do it!
-Loves her hands. This explains why she does not take a pacifier!
-Still working on turning over...she gets close from back to belly, just won't kick on over.
-Baby talks. A lot. Aunt Betsy nicknamed her "Squawk Box". I think it fits perfectly!
-Pretty much a happy laid back chica.
-Naps three times a day. About 1.5 hours for naps 1 and 3 and about 1 hour for nap 2.
-LOVES bath time. Loves it!
-Eats about 5 times a day. 7:30, 10:30, 1:30, 4:30, 7 (Have I mentioned before how much I love this schedule? Well, I do!)

Caroline has been an easy baby. I thought Sarah was easy but C is just a bit easier. Maybe it's because I know what I'm doing this time around. Who knows? Anyway, I remember with Sarah people telling me that "you only get one baby that good" or "they won't all sleep that well" or "they won't all be that laid back". I didn't like hearing that and thought, at times, that they might be right. I'm thankful that they have been so similar in these stages! We love you Miss Caroline!