July

It has been awhile!!! I am going to try to catch up with this post. I really do hate that it has been so long, but I have this thing about having to have pictures for every post. I just think it makes it more fun to look see...but I think I'm going to have to change my mindset so that I can post more. :) Anyway! July was filled with lots of fun. First of all, we went with my side of the family on our annual beach trip. This year we went to Destin and had a great time. I was wondering what Norah Kate was going to think of the beach...sand, etc, but I needed not worry...she LOVED it! She just squealed the first time we took her out to the ocean and kept trying to run into the water (don't worry, we never let go of her hands). I didn't take her down to the beach every day because it was a good little hike and HOT. Plus, I couldn't really just stick her in the float and leave her like I can in the pool. However, when we did take her down there she had a great time.

Here is Norah Kate at the pool. Notice the "bath toy" in her right hand. This is one of the best things I've ever bought. A family that I baby-sat for had a couple of bath toys at the pool one time and it gave me the idea of something she could play with. These were just a few dollars at Target and we have almost worn them out!!! I can put her in her float and place these around the edge and she has the best time...throwing, squirting, etc. You will see them again later in this post.

Norah Kate and her baby cousin, Lexie. Wearing the dresses that our cousin, Rachael, gave to them. So cute!

Norah Kate in the ocean...one of her favorite places. Oh! I almost forgot to mention that we saw NO OIL while we were there!

OK, here are the toys again! Another one of her favorite things to do was for David or me to hide/bury the toys and then she would dig to find them. She was really good at this and was covered in sand by the time we went inside.

Norah Kate in her beach chair

We really had a great time at the beach...but the fun wasn't over! The last weekend in July was spent in St. Louis. For those of you who don't know, my mom is a big Cardinals fan. Well, when Mother's Day rolled around my sister and I decided to do something a little different this year and buy tickets to a Cardinals game for her and my dad (for his Father's day). We had a great time. It was a short overnight trip, but it was well worth it. Saturday night we went to the Cardinals game. A friend from my home church had given Norah kate some hand-me-down clothes from her daughter and this Cardinals cheerleading uniform was it the stack. It is an 18 month outfit, but it fit her well-enough, and well, when else will she wear it?! I did have to take off the onesie under it because it was so hot.

Here is Norah Kate modeling her outfit...kind of. :) She actually had been running a temp and so I don't think the Tylenol had kicked in at this point.

Uh, yeah.

And, there's the Tylenol! Here is NK saying "cheese!"

Our family!

Norah Kate enjoyed cheering and dancing and clapping the WHOLE TIME! She learned how to say "Woo Woo!"

The next morning we went to Grant's Farm. I have been there before when I was younger, but I guess I didn't remember much about it. However, it was GREAT. I highly recommend this for young children. You do have to pay for parking, but there is no charge to get into the park. It is pretty laid back as well. You can really choose how much or how little you want to do. Norah Kate still wasn't feeling too great (side note: we never really figured out why...wondering if it was teething), but she perked up and we all had a great time.

Here is NK & Daddy...lookin' good in their shades!

Another Family pic

Norah Kate's first carousel...she hated it :) As soon as it started she cried and would not sit on the horse, so I just held her until we could get off. Oh well, maybe next time.

But she LOVED the mist! By the time we left this area she was SOAKED...I can't say I blame her. It was HOT...and I didn't really mind the mist either! Ha Ha!

The famous Clydesdales! They are H U G E! I wish I had a picture to compare, but they are much taller than my dad (6'4.5"). They are so beautiful. I wish we could have seen more up close.

Looking at the Clydesdales!

Well, we had a great time...I only wish it could have lasted longer. (As always!)

We were also excited to welcome our new niece into the world that same weekend.

Gracen Margaret Carothers was born July 31!!! We can't wait to meet her!

Otherwise, we are just staying busy as always. Norah Kate is 17 months old now. She is really talking (although most still isn't clear). She is saying several spanish words as well. So far, everything is going well, but I wonder how much longer I will be able to understand the spanish that she speaks!! Ha Ha!!

She loves to play with Chula and tell her "NO! Ula!" Chula is such a good sport.

NK is running now as well. I just can't believe how fast she is growing. I was getting out her fall clothes to wash the other day and they just looked so BIG. I love her little personality though, and I am proud of how she is really catching on and learning lots of things.