Gymnastics!

Last week we went to Lilley Guch rec center for playgroup. They closed off the gym for kids to play and do gymnastics. Shilah had a great time bouncing on the trampoline, jumping off mats, and walking on the balance beam. (And of course she was excited to wear her leotard and skirt). Shanti taught her to put her arms up in a "finish" pose after she jumps-- cute! Serena had a great time on the rocker and throwing the ball down the slide. And both girls had fun in the giant foam pit!

Kenosha Pass Aspens

Sunday we drove to Kenosha Pass, just a 1/2 hour from our house, to see the Aspen leaves turning. This weekend they will be even more beautiful! We all had a great time, and after enjoying the views we ate lunch in the VW van.

Kids Say the Cutest Things: Shilah has been fascinated with moms who have a baby in their belly (no, I'm not pregnant), and today she told Shanti that she has a baby in her belly too. He asked her how it got in her belly, and she replied, "The baby FLEW in there!"

Sharing sisters

Shilah & Serena usually play very well together, with occasional slaps & pushes. Here is Serena using Shilah's laptop. Notice the matching PJ's... my mom sends them cute outfits, and Shilah loves to match with her little sister (right down to the socks)! We'll see how long that lasts.

Serena using a fork & waving...

Ode to Cosmo

We just wanted to let everyone know what a great dog we have! He puts up with a lot of stuff with 2 little girls in the house (and now 2 kittens). He is the most gentle and loving dog. Here are some pictures: Cosmo in the hood, Cosmo with Roo, Cosmo with Barbie, and Cosmo with his new girlfriend Bella (our friend Deb's dog).

Meet the Kittens

This past weekend we had Gabe, Andrea, Emory, Keith & Lauren over for dinner to meet our new kittens. Here is Shilah with Cousin Emory, eating quite nicely at the kids' table. Westy & Roo are just like kids-- playful & mischieveous!

Serena Pics

These days, Serena loves to put on necklaces, climb on top of the table, and play with Shilah's computer while sitting in the chair (or standing on the chair when I'm not looking). She has really been trying to talk. We think she says cat, dog, & drink (as well as mama mama mama). Serena also can give kisses. She's learning the body parts, and knows belly & head. Our big issue now is teaching her to be gentle with the kittens. She's our little cutie pie!

Check out the chipmunk cheeks and dimple!

New Kittens! Westy and Roo

Cute!!! Yesterday we adopted a couple of kittens from our local humane society. They're just over 3 months old, brother and sister. Shilah named them Westy (after our VW van) and Roo. The gray one is Westy (male) and the black one is Roo (female). Westy is the wild one, whereas Roo is a little more hesitant. They are getting used to Cosmo, and even try to play with his tail. And of course Shilah and Serena love to play with them!

Serena left nest #1!

So we finally moved Serena's crib upstairs in her own room (nest #2), across from Shilah. To fill the space in our bedroom, we got a big round chair, which as you can see from these pictures is very comfy! We won't have a completely empty nest for quite a while, but this is a good start.

Kids Say the Cutest Things

After listening to Shilah ask tons of "Why" questions, I decided to start a new segment on our website, similar to the ridiculous headline of the day.
The other day Shilah asked, "Did the sun go behind the clouds because it wanted to get something, maybe something to eat?"
I'm sure there will be many more cute things like this!

A Great Trip

Here is the last set if pics from our trip to California. One of the highlights was exploring the tidepools just a few blocks from our hotel. Shilah enjoyed holding the hermit crabs! It was also neat to see big rocks in the middle of the ocean, covered with birds & seals.

A Tiring Trip

Our trip was also tiring, as you can tell from these cute pictures of Shilah & Serena sleeping in the hotel bed!