Time with Sophie

After we dropped Ella off at school, Sophie and I went out for coffee. It was the first of a couple months of just mommy and Sophie time two days a week. I looked across the table at her and felt so thankful for the gift of this time with my baby. I am so excited to have some time with her before the new baby comes. We went for coffee and split a scone and then we went to the library and played and got some ducky books for her and unicorn and princess books and cd for Ella.

Sophia missed Ella that first day. As soon as we got back to the car without her, Sophia was saying "Ella. Ellla" and putting her hands up like "Where did she go?" She did it a few times at the coffee shop, the library, and when we got back home as well. She loves her big sister so much!

This was Sophie's happy excited smile after we picked Ella back up.

Thank you so much Lord for my sweet Sophie and for the precious gift of some time alone with her.

Ella's First Day of Preschool

This is Ella right before her first day of Preschool on Monday. She was so excited that it was cool enough for her to wear her new yellow dress (with her yellow socks)!

She is in the Peer Program at Dunwiddie Elementary in Port. It is a special needs early childhood classroom and she is one of 4 mainstream students that was chosen (lotto-style) to be a peer. I have heard great things about the program and am pretty excited about it for her. After two days, her teachers are very excited to have her in there too because she is a great helper. That's my girl! :)

This was Daddy helping her with her backpack when we got to the school. I thought I had a picture on here of her running way ahead of us through the parking lot. OOPs. :) She was so excited (as you can see below).

Thes above pics were taken just outside her classroom before she went in. She was saying "Yahoo" and couldn't wait to get in the room. I am such a mean mommy. I made her get her picture taken before I let her go in.

After class she stood in front of a mosaic that said Dunwiddie Dolphins to get her picture taken. I asked her to give me a face that told me how she felt about her first day of school.

Thank you so much Lord for my little big girl. Please be with her and guide her through her days as she continues to take steps toward independence.

More Zoo

I had to put in a few more pictures. Ella and I love the giraffes the best and I got some pretty good pictures. We were there right at the end of their feeding time, so we got to see them up close from the deck. That was really fun!


Ella waited and waited to get her picture taken as a giraffe with grandma. I had to post it too! (Maybe I should have done a slide show.)

A Day At The Zoo

We went to the Milwaukee Zoo today with Grandma Kerr and Dan. It was a beautiful day for it. It was sunny and the temperature was just right. The girls both love the aquarium (especially Sophia).
They have a special exhibit at the zoo this summer where you can touch sharks and stingrays. When we were there, it was not a feeding time, so they weren't really getting close enough. I got to touch a slimy stingray, but Ella kept missing them. They still really had a good time trying.
Grandma and Dan and Ella and Sophia outside of the Aviary.
Ella and Sophia holding hands preparing for the train ride. They were both so excited to ride the train. Sophie kept saying "Choo- Choo!"
Mommy and the girls on the train. Sophia didn't want to sit. She was just too excited.

The Land

Until we get steps put in or/and grading done, Warren rigged it to lower yourself down with a rope/pulley type thing. It isn't so bad. I could do it 6 months pregnant and holding Sophie (although Warren didn't want me to do it holding Sophie and I just got impatient). Ella could even get back up by herself (with me close behind).
This is a view down the slope from up near the road. My mom and the girls and I are in the center of all the trees. That is the camping area and where we set up the picnic table.
A little closer look at the camping area with the view of the lake. You can't hear any cars or see the road at all. All you can hear and see is the lake.
Looking north from "our beach". A little rocky, but that's all right with us. We enjoy skipping stones. :)