My Movie Stars

The girls were all about sunglasses this week - and rocking out! We had music playing - Kindermusik, don't you know! - in both bedrooms and made sure to have some sort of musical interlude downstairs as well.

Claire and Belle enjoyed Claire's "new" toddler bed, which seems to be helping her sleep better. We've progressed to half the nights going from 8:15-5:15, which is a great start for Claire - she seems to love the freedom, the room and the ability to get out of her bed. Thankfully she hasn't figured out the gate yet.

We also had a blast during our first trip to the World War I Memorial Park in North Attleboro where we got to see so many animals, including fawn who squeaked for food, donkeys, horses, sheep, bunnies, llamas, emus, ducks, goats and pot-belly pigs, plus a peacock! We brought carrots to feed the animals, who definitely enjoyed the treat.

Annabelle's favorite thing this week is saying "cheese" and then squinting her eyes - so adorable!

Claire's starting to say "pease" and "yes!" when she wants something and is really growing, changing into a little girl before our eyes - no more "Baby" in this house...

And while Claire has lost interest in sitting on the potty, she does enjoy sitting on the floor to watch, "Elmo's Potty Time." She looks like she's taking it all in and making some mental notes. Maybe the girls can train together!

Animal Addiction

No pictures this week since the entire Griffith Family was sick in one way or another, giving the camera a much-needed break. That doesn't mean we didn't have some fun though.

The girls and I set off to further our love of animals by traveling to a couple of different fun places: Ward's Berry Farm and Petco.

Ward's Berry Farm was a big hit, for despite the misty rain and the hot, humid temperatures, Belle finally got to see her cows - five, in fact! She wanted to know why they had tags in their ears and if they itched like the tags in her clothes do. We also saw sheep (which both girls had fun imitating), plus goats (which Mommy gave feed to), chickens, roosters, donkeys, miniature horses, ducks, roosters and bunnies.

Our Petco trip was born from Belle's desire to see guinea pigs and it didn't disappoint. From guinea pigs to tropical fish (she put in a request for a Finding Nemo or Ariel tropical fish tank kit on the shelves there), turtles to ferrets, the girls enjoyed running around and saying hi to all the animals. They even got to pet a huge dog named "Lucky" who was there getting food with his owner.

It was a big week milestone-wise as well. Not only have the girls begun to play better together but last night we took the front off Claire's crib, converting it into a toddler bed; since she's learned to scale halfway up, we thought we'd better get moving before she figures out how to get to the top and fall off. While she had trouble getting to sleep since we also removed the glider from her room - until Daddy worked his magic - she slept from 9-6 (something that hasn't happened in months). Of course she may have slept longer but fell out of her bed - don't worry, it was only about six inches, which is why we skipped the toddler rail that she'd somehow manage to get stuck on if we installed it...

Belle, for her part, is channeling her mother, teaching me all the phrases I say too much. Her newest and favorite this weekend, "Sorry, I can't, Mommy. I only have two hands." Oh dear! It's a wild ride but one that's oh so much fun.

Pool Party!

It was a long, hot week around here, so Elyse did everything she could think of to keep the girls cool, no easy task since Belle continues to be terrified of the water thanks to Mommy accidently spraying her with the sprinkler while trying to fill up the water table in May - I will never live that one down, evidently! We did enjoy non-water activities like playing with balls and chalk - and of course some walks before it got too hot.

Sunday we celebrated Zach Kondrat's 1st birthday and for the first time Claire put on a bathing suit and got in the pool. She had a blast, playing and splashing in the "big kids pool" and having a blast climbing up the ladder and down the slide onto the makeshift slip-n-slide tarp. Belle was a little too much like her Mommy, echoing the refrain, "Ka boom. You okay? Be careful" to all the kids as they played in the water. We think she's also just sensitive to temperature as Patrick got her to stand in the water but she was complaining that the "awoo" (water) was too cold. Here are some fun pictures of Claire, the water baby.

The girls are also starting to become friends, sitting next to each other and playing together more often. Belle looks out for Claire when she's not feeling jealous and is her sister's biggest cheerleader as Claire continues to work on potty training, going at least once a day in the potty. They grow up so fast!!!

Pink Toes and the Southwick Zoo

What a fun week! The girls continued to have a blast with Elyse with Belle still talking about the fact that Elyse did her toes for the first time. Check out the pretty pink toes, which Belle has to show everyone - from Reilly to Mommy, Daddy and Claire.

Claire continues to enjoy using the potty, trying at least a few times a day, succeeding several times a week and now starting a routine where she runs into the bathroom, shouting "pee pee pee pee." Today she used Belle's new potty that sings when you go and I've never seen her jump so high as when it started singing to her.

Both girls are really expanding their vocabularies which is both good and bad. Claire loves to say "hi," "Dad," Sis," "Please," "Fish," and "That" these days. Belle is stringing full sentences together and holding regular conversations. Some of the best: "Mommy, Raoul's name is Pooky." "No, I'm going to waste food." And, upon being asked if she wanted lunch yesterday, "No, thank you. I'll wait for the brownies to be ready." That's my girl!

We had a very relaxing 4th of July weekend. No fireworks or BBQs but plenty of time spent playing outside with bubbles, balls and water, in addition to taking walks and just enjoying time with the four of us together.

Today we took a family trip to Southwick Zoo for the first time and had a fantastic morning/early afternoon. From the monkeys to the giraffes, the rhino to the petting zoo, there was so much to see and do that we didn't really mind the 95 degree temperature. Of course the misting tents did help!