Dinosaur Fun!

In mid-August, a dinosaur exhibit came to our convention center.  There were life size replicas of dinosaurs and several animatronic dinosaurs.  There were also lots of activities for the children such as digging for dinosaur bones, bounce houses, and "riding" dinosaurs.  Michael and Abby had a GREAT time!

I had a little trouble scanning this first picture (we were given permission to do so), but I wanted to include it because I love everyone's expression.  What a fun night!                              

                            

Abby and Michael check out the exhibit.

Michael got right on the dinosaur with absolutely no fear and had a great time riding the dino.

Abby was a little more cautious, but once Michael rode the dinosaur and survived, she was ready to give it a try.

Abby and Michael dig for dinosaur bones.

Abby and Michael found some tamer dinosaurs to climb.

It was a busy, fun-filled night.  It was no surprise to Mom and Dad that they both fell asleep as soon as their heads hit their pillows that night!

First Day of School

It's the first day of school already!  Abby is now a first grader.  She was very excited to go to school this morning even though she was a little concerned about not having a lot of time to play anymore.

Abby is ready to go! 

 Abby was concerned that Michael might not wake up in time to say goodbye.  Luckily, he came downstairs just as Abby was getting ready to walk out the door.  She ran over to him and gave him a big hug.  It was really sweet.

 Abby (First Grade) and Madison (Kindergarten) wait at the end of the driveway for the bus.

The send off....  Guess how many children were waiting at this stop to get on the bus?  

TWO!  Just two!  A couple of neighbors stopped during their morning walk to visit with us while we were waiting, but the rest were family of Abby and Madison!  (Madison not only had Mom and Dad with her, but both set of grandparents and an aunt and some cousins.)

 Michael anxiously awaits Abby's return from school.  I'm not even sure how many time he asked about Abby during the day.  He's going to miss her so much!

 When Abby finally stepped off the bus, she ran right over to Michael, gave him a great big hug and said, "Michael, I missed you!"  (Talk about melting my heart!)

 Just talking about their day.....

 We are ready for a great year!

Toothless Grin

Here is Abby with her toothless smile.  She did have a little help from the dentist because her permanent teeth were coming in faster than her baby teeth wanted to fall out.  One tooth was loose, but the permanent tooth was just about ready to cut through the gum.  We had to race home from our family vacation to see her dentist before he left on vacation.  Instead of just pulling one, he ended up pulling both of them.  She certainly looks like a first grader now! :)

Meet Sam

This evening, we met Coley at the hospital so we could meet this sweet parrot.  His name is Sam.  His owner brings him to the hospital from time to time when he comes to pick up his wife (a nurse) from work.  He was the most gentle parrot I have ever met.  I was absolutely amazed at how well he did around little children!  Abby, Michael, and Emma had a blast!  So did Mom and Dad!

 

Matching Jammies

Abby and Emma show off their (almost) matching jammies.  

The Things She Says!

The other day, I was talking to Michael about how we needed to watch out for Emma.  She is crawling all over the place and is constantly under my feet.  I was telling Michael that we needed to be careful that we don't step on her fingers.  Then I said, "We don't want to hurt Emma.  We love her."

Abby was within earshot and replied, "Yes, we DO love Emma.  We love her more than our socks!"

Abby does have some pretty cool socks, so I think it was meant as a term of endearment. :)

Happy 6th Birthday, Abby!

Last month, Abby turned 6 years old.  For her birthday, she wanted to have a swim party at the Petrucci's house.  The water was a little cold at first, but everyone had a great time!  Thankfully, the rain waited until the end of the party before it started!

 Abby loves the water!

Michael slowly tries to adjust to the temperature of the water. 

Abby gets ready to blow out the candles on her dolphin cake. 

Swimming is hard work!  Emma is ready for a nap! 

Abby shows off her new cowgirl hat from Kathy Scerra. 

Abby's surfer pose.

Chet Scerra took a few pictures after the party (in the rain).  Abby, of course, loved performing in front of the camera.

It's hard to believe how fast the time has flown.  In so many ways, it seems like yesterday that we brought this little bundle home from the hospital.  In a couple of weeks, she'll be starting first grade.  We love you, Abby!  Happy birthday!