One Very Long Post

I've just decided to lump together all of the pictures from the past few weeks because it has been so long since I've posted.  We've been busy enjoying this warm weather and spending time outside together.  I think I've hit the nesting phase and can't seem to get the house clean enough or find enough time to complete all of my projects.  My "to do" lists keep getting longer and longer, despite the fact that Will keeps checking off the projects one by one. 

  

One of Anna Cate's favorite activities right now is "washing".  She asks to wash any and everything!  I put out two bowls of water with some toys on the deck and she is content to just splash and play.  Oh the joy of simple pleasures!  

These pictures of from the park several weeks ago.  She has become quite bossy lately (must be practicing her big sister skills!) But when she wants for you to come play with her, she will point first and say "Mama come... please."

Then she cups her little hand and moves it back and forth until you follow her. 

 

Enjoying a chocolate ice cream cone at the park.

 

Trying the zip line for the first time with Daddy's help. 

Playing on the floor of the nursery.

We moved the rocker out of her room (sniff sniff) when we put up her big girl furniture and transfered it over into the baby's room.  She is demonstrating how she is going to sit in the chair to rock the baby. :)   

My parents gave me a picnic table for my birthday and we've put it on the back deck.  This is Anna Cate's new favorite spot!   We each our lunch and snacks outside on warm days and she loves to sit and color or paint outside.  

Will and Anna Cate gave me a "du pot" (fondu pot) for my birthday and we had a Fondu Date Night one Friday night.  Since cheese is one of her most favorite foods, she thought this was THE GREATEST thing ever!! (Don't worry...the pot wasn't turned on in this picture and she wasn't allowed to dip from the pot for safety reasons!)

Helping Daddy get some yard work done. 

 Will and my dad worked really hard in our yard last Friday afternoon, getting the house ready for a baby shower I was giving for my sweet friend Baylis!  While they planted azaleas, strawed our flower bed, and cut the grass, I scrubbed down our porch and rocking chairs.  Whew! Our yard is now ready for spring and that is another thing to check off my list! :)

Baby shower for Baylis and Baby Scott last Saturday afternoon.  

They are due just 2 weeks before we are! :) It has been so fun to share the ups and downs of pregnancy together and I can't wait for Baby Scott to get here!  Baylis and Darrell live just 5 minutes down the road, so I can't wait for these two babies to grow up together! :)

Baylis and her cute little baby bump!

 

Opening presents... James was so sweet and well behaved for the shower! He just sat on his mama's lap, watching all of the festivities.  

Playing "Baby Bingo" during the shower.  Please note how the the younger girls are more into watching Baylis open all of her gifts, but the older ladies are all studying their cards.  They were so competitive and all wanted to win.  It was hilarious to watch them get so into the game! 

Checking In

 Yes we are still here!  Last week was just crazy at the Fowler house and I haven't had anytime to post on the blog, much less take any pictures!  All three of us were hit with a nasty stomach bug, and then my grandfather passed away this weekend so things have been so crazy around here I haven't had much time to process my thoughts. 

Our calendar is full for the month of March so I hope to have some fun pictures and stories to share soon!  Anna Cate is starting to get more excited about being a big sister.  We've started to put the nursery together and she can feel the baby kicking so I think it is becoming more real to her.  One of our favorite topics of conversation is all of the things she is excited to share and teach the baby when it gets here! :)  

There are no words...

Aunt D's took took this picture of Anna Cate yesterday. 

What can I say?  This one will definitely be saved for a Sweet 16 party or rehearsal dinner one day.

Valentine's Day

We aren't big celebrators of Valentine's Day around here, but Anna Cate and I did give Will a little book on making sushi.  So for fun on Saturday, we had a family sushi night and learned how to make it in our own kitchen.  

Who knew it was such an involved process?  I think we used almost every plate and dish we own and it took about two hours from start to finish, but we all three enjoyed our time together in the kitchen learning something new.  Anna Cate even learned to say "sushi" (although it sounds more like "shu shu" when she says it.)

  

For added festivities, she wore a little Japanese costume that used to be my sisters and wore a little eye makeup to complete her ensemble.  

We couldn't let her stand in her usual spot at the counter to help us prepare it since we were working with raw fish, but she quickly found entertainment at the kitchen sink washing dishes.  

Who knew washing dishes could be so exciting!?!  She was thoroughly entertained for about an hour.  

Will did a fantastic job rolling our sushi.  He made Spicy Tuna rolls for himself and California rolls for me since I can't have raw fish. 

The finished results!  They didn't look too far off from what you order in a restaurant and they tasted exactly the same!  We'll be doing this a lot more often now that we've learned how! :)

Anna Cate was even brave enough to try a bite and she loved it!  She kept asking for more, but I don't know the rules about raw fish and toddlers, so she had to stick with her chicken.   

Sunny Days are Here Again

Yay for warmer weather!  I know it isn't here to stay, but last week's sunny warm days were such a needed break from the gray skies that have seemed to hang around here lately.  We literally spent AS MUCH time as we could out in our yard enjoying it while it lasted.  

AC loves riding her car around the yard, picking up sticks to put in the back.  Silar loves to sneak up behind her and grab them out of the pile she has accumulated.  It is quite humorous to watch these two as neither tire from their little "game." 

"Silly Silar"

Little Helper

This is what your dinner table looks like when you have a 1 1/2 year old set the table. She actually did a great job!  She even knew to put the forks on the napkins without me having to say anything at all!  I hand her each plate, fork, napkin and tell her who it is for and she knows just where to place it.  We have done this the past several nights and it has now become our evening routine when I'm fixing supper.  

What a little stinker!  

She is so proud of herself.  :)

Cabin Fever

We are so ready for spring around here!  I can't wait for the weather to warm up and our grass to turn green so we can spend some time outside in the sunshine!  I think Anna Cate and I both have cabin fever.  We've had a lot of dress up parties and she has been baking up a storm of cookies and tea in her play kitchen.   I've tried to keep her entertained with some fun and different activities.  

"Sprinkle Art" 

She loves sticking the sprinkles into the glue and this keeps her busy for about 20 minutes. ;)

Baking a cake for Daddy.  

 I turned my back for 30 seconds to put the cake pans in the oven and she just helped herself to a wooden spoon from the drawer and started eating the batter.  What did I expect?