Grandpa Jerry's Birthday Party and Picnic

Raychel started walking and running with her arms thrown back, like in the video below. I think it was a transition to a whole new level of balance power. Unfortunately, she hasn't done it since...so this is the only video I have. But, after church she took off running with arms thrown back...we all thought it was hilarious!!



We celebrated Grandpa Jerry's birthday this weekend in Abilene. Almost all the grandkids are in the next two pictures...Natalie was sleeping! He received TWO flashlights that attach to your hat for hands-free light. Ooops...Jay and I didn't communicate very well. Jeff said he almost got him a regular flashlight too! THAT would have been hilarious! Grandpa, your kids all think you need to see the light! OR Grandpa, your kids all think you can't SEE! LOL (sorry....I couldn't help myself)

Mom got him a new game! It is called Lasso Golf! Essentially it is a PVC pipe stand with three horizontal bars (high, medium, and low). It comes with two different colored sets of balls that are connected with string...see picture of Raychel below. You throw the ball at the stand and get different points for wrapping it around different bars! IT IS FUN!!

Lasso golf balls! Raychel thought they were great fun!

Natalie thought Grandpa was hilarious!!! She has the BEST smile and GIGGLE!!! I even got to hold her while Raychel was sleeping! She is not a fan of letting Mommy hold other babies yet!

Derek got some good bonding time in with Lainie. They read books for quite a while on the couch!
Who needs Daddy to read, I have got it covered!!! She is really into her books and spends most of her time looking through them, pointing, saying the words she knows or signing them! Occasionally, when she is ready to learn more, she will bring them to me and ask about certain objects!

Raychel is ready for her birthday party. She LOVED the wrapping paper!

On Sunday, we had a wonderful picnic lunch with Grandpa and Grandma O and Great Grandma S at the Zoo Park in town. Afterwards, when the cotton got too thick, we headed back to the house! Raychel had fun showing off all her talents!

She has started dancing. Her favorite tune is Camp Town Races, played by her airplane toy. She walks over and pushes the button. This means...MOM sing...Raychel DANCE! And we do it OVER and OVER and OVER!!! Too FUN!!!

She also learned how to turn the TV on and off! Good thing we have practiced sign language and using the words off and on. So, I can tell her to turn it back on! The other day, when I told her we were going outside to play, she ran over and turned the TV off before we left! LOL



Raychel is also exploring her drummer side!!! Make sure you have your speakers on HIGH for FULL EFFECT!!! LOL