2 Years, 10 Months, 1 Week, and 3 Days

Charlotte & Ruby are 2 years, 10 months, 1 week, and 3 days old today. We spent the majority of last week inside the house, as thunderstorms developed almost every day. We put their car seats in Grandpa Jay & Grandma Peggy's car, a Honda Element, so they sit much higher and can see out of the windows. Because of this, they no longer want to look at books or draw on their travel size Magnadoodles (the normal in the car routine), as looking outside as we drive is far more exciting to them right now. Enjoy the photos!

Using scissors for the first time with construction paper (we are still finding tiny slivers of it occasionally in the carpet, despite much vacuuming):

They LOVE building with their new cardboard bricks from Grandpa Jay, and knocking their creations down is equally fun:

Charlotte concentrates on peeling her clementine orange all by herself:

Ruby decided to start building a "small house", according to her:

Using Magnatiles to make various food items:

Inside one of their cardboard brick houses:

2 Years, 10 Months, and 3 Days

Charlotte & Ruby are 2 years, 10 months, and 3 days old today. We spent most of last week outdoors, which was an especially good choice since this week we are stuck inside with the high humidity resulting in heat indices over 100° according to the weather advisory. We devote time to coloring and drawing with crayons every day, sometimes a few times each afternoon. Enjoy the photos!

On a walk during the late morning:

We found a patch of stones & pebbles behind this tree along the nature path:

Charlotte had fun picking the rocks up and letting them slip through her fingers:

The next day Grandma Peggy & the dogs came with us on our walk to the stone patch:

They brought their buckets and shovels to dig about in the rocks for a good while:

Grandpa Jay teaches Charlotte how to swing the bat for T Ball:

Grandpa Jay teaches Ruby how to swing the bat for T Ball:

Ruby loves to play catch (she throws quite accurately for her age):

Charlotte led the way on another walk:

Ruby trailed behind, stopping frequently to look at various plants & bugs:

Charlotte holds Grandma Peggy's hand to cross a driveway safely:

Ruby holds Grandpa Jay's hand to cross a driveway safely:

34 Months Old!

Charlotte at 34 months old:

Ruby at 34 months old:

2 Years, 9 Months, 3 Weeks, and 5 Days

Ruby & Charlotte are 2 years, 9 months, 3 weeks, and 5 days old today. We have spent a good amount of time outside lately. Stick gathering continues to be a favorite past time on walks, as Ruby searches for the tallest stick to point at airplanes and Charlotte looks like she is gathering firewood with all the sticks she attempts to hold in her hands at once. Day time potty training has officially worked, they wear underwear all day, even when we leave the house and diapers are used only at night. Enjoy the photos!

The rare photo of both of them looking at the camera AND smiling:

Ruby can spend an hour at this tree pretending to climb it:

Charlotte brings back a few weeds for me as a gift:

On a walk with Grandpa Jay and Siouxsie:

Grandma Peggy reads a Thomas the Tank Engine story:

Charlotte helps walk Paisley:

Ruby discovered the joy of blowing on a dandelion:

Charlotte still needs to work on her technique, as she puts it against her mouth instead of blowing from a short distance away:

We went to the zoo on Saturday afternoon:

Grandpa Jay & Ruby:

They had a ridiculous amount of fun at the splash fountains and got thoroughly soaked:

2 Years, 9 Months, 2 Weeks, and 5 Days

Ruby & Charlotte are 2 years, 9 months, 2 weeks, and 5 days old today. Grandpa Jay & Grandma Peggy arrived a few days ago to live with us. Bob was gone for about a week helping them move from California to Illinois. Ruby & Charlotte were very excited to greet them outside when the moving truck and car pulled into the driveway. Enjoy the photos!

Painting with water on the sidewalk (one of my favorite past times as a child):

Ruby in her swimsuit:

Charlotte in her swimsuit:

Grandma Doreen sprays them lightly with the hose:

They both like to kick the dirt mound of this tree for some reason:

Ruby with a dead weed she called a flower:

Charlotte also found a dead weed to call a flower:

After welcoming Grandpa Jay & Grandma Peggy, they ran off to show them where they can find sticks in the reserve:

Reunited with Bob after a week:

Ruby loves to hug their dogs; this one is Gidget:

Charlotte tried hugging their other dog, Paisley, and was shocked to get licked: