Lately...

It seems like since summer began, we have been on the go non-stop! Summer for me starts when students go home at the beginning of May.  I have a week of "ahhhhhh, I have three whole months to do  all the special projects I have been wanting to tackle, clean my house thoroughly, and, when Trisha comes over, go to Starbucks to read instead of plan!!" And then reality sets in.  Our "summer" is often actually busier than the rest of the year, with family reunions, vacation, weddings, holidays, showers, VBS, and so on... Is this just me or do others share in my summer lament?  I need a vacation from vacation!

Anyways, as promised, here is an update on what has been going on at the Benson house lately.

Abby and Charlotte are starting to interact a lot more.  Abby loves, LOVES her little sister.  She loves to read to her, play under the play gym with her, tickle her, giver her hugs and kisses, and try to make her laugh.  Charlotte loves to watch Abby and saves all of her biggest smiles for her big Sis.  I love to watch their relationship grow even at such a young age.  Much of my prayer time right now includes me praying specifically that we would see fruit later on from our efforts now to teach our girls to love, honor, and respect one another.  I spent too much time when I was younger competing and being angry with my brothers, often viewing them as a nuisance instead of a blessing.  I know a lot of this is normal, and I am so thankful that I can now say that my brothers are two of my best friends in the whole world.  So I trust that whatever their middle school years look like, they will one day enjoy each other. But in the meantime, I want to continue to encourage and teach them how to encourage one another and be a blessing to each other.

Charlotte loves her baths!  It is so hot and sticky here that I am finding myself giving her a bath almost daily.  I think Abby got a bath maybe once a week at this age, haha.  But, Abby likes to "help" me wash Charlotte (and by "help" I mean dump water all over her face, poke her eyes, and pour an entire bottle of baby wash into the tub.  Yup).  

This is what happens when you give a 2 1/2-year-old markers and then turn your back to do the dishes.  Mom fail.  Abby win.

And, I think it might have been a little confusing that in the middle of my scolding, I grabbed the camera and said "give me a smile, Abby!" and the proceeded to put her into time out.  Oh well.  

More sister love.  Abby is showing Charlotte her Sesame Street Letter Flashcards (but don't get any ideas that I am diligently teaching her the ABC's.... I have yet to go through them with her.  She just likes to look at the pictures and pull out all the ones with Abby Cadaby one them...).

Will you look at this cuteness?  I can't get enough of it!! I could gobble her up!

As you can see, Charlotte is captivated by Abby!  She already looks up to her.

Sleeping sweetness.  She is a great napper already.  I try not to let her nap anywhere but her bassinet if we are at home now, but sometimes she falls asleep before I can get her swaddled and into our room.  And then she just looks to peaceful to be moved!  

Ummm seriously?  Could you be any cuter??? And would you just look at that yummy belly!!

I had a week of camp for InterVaristy back in May, and my Mom came with me to watch the girls while I was working with students during the day. The girls did awesome, thanks to my Mom the Baby Whisperer.  And, thanks to Abby becoming BFF's with one of my co-workers daughters, Sophia.

Abby's new obsession= ballet!! There is a dance studio next to a restaurant we go to with Andy's parents, and Abby likes to stop and watch the big girls dance on our way out.  The last time we were there, one of the managers came out and invited Abby in to watch the dancing.  She took Abby through the studios, and to the changing room and warm-up room.  Since then, Abby has been practicing her leg lifts (I dont know a single ballet term, forgive me!), and watching ballet movies on You-Tube.  

Seriously?  Do you see this face?

Waiting for Daddy to come home- the best part of our day!!

Laying out the squares for Charlotte's baby quilt.  This tiny little quilt is taking me forever, and it's not even hard!  It's just a quick little nine patch pattern. I'll show more pictures when it's finished!

Again, stop with the cuteness!  I can't take it!

She started smiling around 9ish or 10ish weeks, and smiles all. the. time. now.  I think my heart melts into the floor every time.  There is something about the smiles both of my girls give.  Or, I'm just a huge sap!

Charlotte goes crazy every time there is something hanging above her.  Her play gym, the butterfly mobile hanging in their room, the hokie bird mobile over the crib... And most of the time Abby wants to climb in, too.

Did you notice Abby's big girl underwear a few pictures up? We have been working hard at potty training around here!  She was pretty much trained before we left for ROckbridge.  But, I had her in pull-ups the whole week because I didn't want to stick my mom with a newborn, a two year old, and potty accidents.  Gotta take care of your caregivers!! So, she totally regressed and we've been working to get back into it ever since.  For some reason she not only forgot everything she knew, but she also flat-out refused to go. Ever.  So, with a few enticements by the names of Pez, Jelly Beans, and a Prize Box, we are now on track again.  And, if she is trained by July 5th she gets to take Pre-Ballet!!

All sorts of big-girl things going on around here.  We switched Abby from her crib to a toddler bed a week ago, and at first it was not going well.  So, I got the idea from my bloggy friend Naomi Glenn to have a "Big Girl Bed Party."  She picked out strawberry cupcakes with strawberry icing (can you tell we love pink around here?), and Tinkerbell decorations.  We even put a candle into a cupcake and sang "happy big girl bed to you!!" She took a much better nap that day!

This was my favorite cupcake.  She just kept dumping on the yellow sprinkles!

Now, if someone could please send Abby a memo about sleeping past 5:45am, that would be great.  Now that she can get in and out of bed herself, she gets up wayyyy early in the morning, and gets up too early from her naps as well.  I'm not opposed to getting up if she is really ready, but the girl is so sleep deprived and exhausted.  Particularly with naps- she goes down great but then gets up after an hour, and she really needs a solid two hours, at least.  Any ideas??

At least she's cute!

And, how could I not end on another cute one of Charlotte!  She loves chowing down on her arms and hands.  I think that when she figures it out, we might have a thumb sucker!