Fun times with Landry!

On Sunday we went to grab a quick lunch at McDonald's before the Cowboys game started with my dear friend, Amber and her little girl, Landry (who is about 3 months younger than L & M). Here are just a few pics from our fun lunch!

Miller and Landry

Future girlfriend and boyfriend!

Landry, Miller and Lainey

Sweet girls, BFF!

JDRF Walk!

Every year in September we (my mom's side of the family) gather for my cousin's (Ryan, who has juvenile diabetes, 13 years old and a twin) cause and walk to find a cure for juvenile diabetes. Again, this year it was held at Victory Park, Downtown Dallas... and again it was a beautiful fun-filled day.

Here is a picture of Miller last year at the walk with my mom! *Note he is in the Baby Bjorn carrier..... (see photo of this year below).

Here's a picture of Lainey last year at the walk.... she couldn't even walk on her own yet..... wow! What a difference a year makes! At this year's race..... running for Ryan's Rangers!

And, while at the American Airlines Center we heard the Stars were practicing. So we piled into the AAC to cool off and watch some free hockey. Miller loved it.... I explained to him it is like soccer (sort of), except they are on ice instead of grass and they use hockey sticks instead of their feet.... he just thought it was so neat.

Lainey at American Girl Boutique!

I have been needing to blog about this for awhile now, but just now having the time to catch up. Lainey and her American Girl (her Bitty Twin) were invited to my cousin Shelby's 9th birthday party. This was not Lainey's first time to the American Girl Boutique and Bistro, but her first time (and mine) to attend a birthday party there. She loves her "Baby" and anything to do with Baby right now makes her happy. After we ate, I took her down to play with some of the other dolls. We have the Bitty Twins (Lainey has the dark haired girl doll and Miller has the blond boy doll). So, she got to play with the Bitty Twins kitchen, stroller and tea set. She would not leave the kitchen alone. She sat there for maybe 10-15 minutes playing "tea" with the kitchen, as happy as can be with her doll. I guess we know what to get Lainey for her birthday.... a fun day was had by all.

"See", Lainey says as she points to Baby!

Here is Lainey playing tea party with the Bitty Twins kitchen.

They even have a doll "hook" in the restrooms so your doll doesn't have to sit on the dirty floor while you go potty! Genius!

Aunt Niki loves her twins!

Last week, Tony's sister who lives in California (with her wonderful fancy chef of a boyfriend, Alex) came to visit for two weeks. Niki moved to California before I got pregnant and has only been back "home" once since '05.... so her trip was long over due. The last time she was here was almost two years ago and L & M were only 3 1/2 weeks old.

Here is a picture of Niki and Alex the last time they were in Dallas in November '06, when the twins were only 3 1/2 weeks old. (Man, how the babies have grown and how time flies!)

We talk about Aunt Niki a lot and the kids can recognize her in a picture..... but this was the first time they would actually meet her and get to know her (since they were so tiny on the first brief meeting). I just knew the kids would love and adore her and of course, the feeling was mutual with their Aunt Niki. They were so excited to greet her at the airport and Aunt Niki came bearing gifts for her sweet niece and nephew.... here are a few pics of them opening their presents from her.

Niki is helping Lainey with her new baby doll stroller! Lainey was so excited to have something to push her babies around in now!

Miller is looking at the baby stroller, too. But he got a fun Thomas the Train whistle.... so now he can make his own train noises. There were a couple of fights over the stroller the next day.... Miller wanted to put his "Buddy" in the stroller and Lainey was not having it. (Wish I would have gotten pictures of that battle!)

Also, while Niki was here we got to celebrate her 30th birthday! More than anything, she wanted her family together and for all of the kids to have a fun time, so we rented a bouncy house. What a fun way to celebrate being 30!

Here are a few pics from the bouncy house 30th birthday party:

Here are just a few other pictures from the two-week visit:

Uncle Alex playing blocks and building towers with Lainey & Miller. Alex and Lainey kept builing the towers really tall and Miller kept knocking them down (such a boy!)

Aunt Niki pushing and pulling L & M in plastic toy tubs... they thought this was so much fun and so cool that their "Ekke" (Niki) was on the floor playing with them.

Such a sweet picture of Alex and Lainey. She grabbed her paci, pillow, blanket and baby Elmo and crawled up in his lap. He really stole Lainey's heart while he was here. He made her lots of yummy things to eat and she was so excited one morning when he surprised us all with homemade banana pancakes!

It was really a great visit... the two weeks they were here went by so fast and we are excited for their next visit. Thanks to our Uncle Alex for spoiling us with his wonderful cooking and sweet treats and also for sharing some of your secret recipes with me. I am excited to try them out on my family. Niki, we miss you already!

It's About Time

Ok, I have been enjoying several of my friends' blogs for some time now, that I have finally decided to start my own. I will promise to update it as often as I possibly can and try to include lots of pictures, b/c I love it when you all include pictures in your blogs. I have been reading your blogs for about two years now, so I should have some good examples to follow.