The Hanks Family

Long Range Nature Shots

2012-02-11T13:54:00.006-05:00

Still loving the telephoto lens! The deer were in our front yard again the other day - about 50 feet from the front door. The cardinal was on the feeder this morning...he brought a blue bird with him for company. (Neither stayed for long, so I was lucky to get a shot of one!)

Loving my new 50mm lens

2012-01-28T13:49:00.006-05:00

Truly a nifty fifty...

A few inside, a few outside. I was able to snap pictures of both girls this afternoon (amazingly).

Love my long range lens...

2012-01-20T11:27:00.006-05:00

Just a quick picture I got yesterday with my new lens (Canon 70-300mm) -- wonderful Christmas gift -- thanks, Dave! I was standing all the way across the gym and got still got Sophie in the picture easily. She was even one of the furthest away (of course). They were performing a song at lower school chapel for the other grades. Cute!

In other news, Sophie got her second report card yesterday -- all S+ and one S (penmanship). Next year they'll start a real grading system, but for this year it's all based on the level of whether it's Satisfactory (S) or not.

I also snagged Connor and Cupid (or Donnor and Blitzen) grazing on the other side of our front yard last week. You can see their individual markings on the shots...it's great! I'll post that soon. For now, here's Sophie, who is much cuter than any deer.

Emmie at 18 Months

2012-01-07T19:30:00.003-05:00

A little vintage fun to celebrate Emmie at 18 months...

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T19:31:00.002-05:00

Happy 2012...from Sophie and her bear!

New Year's Eve Fun

2011-12-30T22:36:00.005-05:00

It's almost 2012...how about some more fun with the kiddos?

The ONLY picture I could nab of Emmie in the studio tonight.

She's more the "run around outside" type

Sitting on the front porch rocking chair.

But, Sophie is ALWAYS ready to pose!

Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T16:03:00.007-05:00

Purely unedited footage -- Christmas as it really happened! HA!

The loot! A Christmas Eve shot.

My baby looks like a little girl in some of these pictures!

She was just DONE.

Playing in their new princess tunnel/tent. Think cat toy with princesses on the side.

Every girl needs a pony, right?

One very unamused cat. He spent the majority of the day outside.

Wearing her new shirt from Grandma and showing off her new wristwatch!

Wow.

The aftermath. We'll be cleaning for days!

But, it was all worth it!

Merry Christmas!!

Meeting Santa - 2011

2011-12-10T12:59:00.007-05:00

In typical Sophie style, she drew him a picture to hint heavily at wanting art stuff for Christmas.

Santa was very surprised to learn that he lived in a pink castle with princesses!

The family Christmas photo with Santa! We didn't all plan on being in it, but our most social butterfly decided that Santa was NOT going to hold her. Oh well!

She regained her composure pretty quickly after Sophie decorated a cookie (mucho icing) for her.

Hanging out in one of the clubhouse chairs...

Christmas Musical - 2011

2011-12-09T22:39:00.000-05:00

Before the big show...hanging out with friends, Madison and Janae. (Sophie and Janae were doves...I think Maddie had her sheep hat behind her.)

The kindergarten performed "The Friendly Beasts" (animals that were in the stable) -- think nativity scene

Checkin' out the audience...it was a packed house!

The grand finale number of the show...grades 1 - 6 were in the center and kindergarten and pre-K lined the ramps going up onto the stage. (Sophie's on the left.) That's a big group of kids on one stage...and they all did really well!

Chillin out on stage after it's all over...whew!

Kindergarten Photo!

2011-12-01T21:49:00.003-05:00

Wow, here it is in all it's glory -- Sophie's kindergarten photo! Very cute, but I'm kinda glad I do my own pictures as well ;) All grandparents can expect to receive their copy in the mail soon!

First Pair of Lace-Ups for Sophie

2011-11-26T18:45:00.004-05:00

It's a big day when you learn to tie your shoes! Sophie and I sat down this weekend and tackled this project. She's wanted to learn how to for quite some time, so a five-day weekend seemed ideal. As soon as she figured out how to make a bow, we headed to Target to pick up some lace-up shoes. Of course, most kid shoes are Velcro based, so they had a pretty limited selection. The pink ones -- the only acceptable ones, of course -- were available in one size larger than her own. Still, they look good and seem to fit well. And if you think this will give her "room to grow," you're way off...she'll wear them out within a month!

Lacing up for her first adventure out in them...

One Proud Kiddo

(And yes, she loves this jacket...despite the fact that it is now to short in the arms for her.)

Tree Decorating

2011-11-25T22:02:00.002-05:00

All 11 feet of glory...our biggest and best yet!

Fall Days in Maryland

2011-10-30T19:10:00.003-04:00

Sisters out for a walk together...big leading little

She thought the mums in front of our house were pretty tasty looking...until she tried one.

Sophie showing Emma how much fun leaf throwing can be by covering both of them!

First Kindergarten Field Trip!

2011-10-25T14:49:00.004-04:00

What fall kindergarten field trip would be complete without a visit to a local farm. We had a great morning enjoying a hay ride, exploring a corn maze, visiting the animals and picking out a pumpkin!

Same rules still apply -- if you can carry it, you can take it home. Sophie brought home one of the biggest!

Here's her pick!

My favorite pic of the day...visiting all the animals

Sophie and Madison, one of her best friends...they were "buddies" for the day!

Happy Kiddo!

Emmie at 15 months

2011-09-22T22:04:00.002-04:00

Our cute little munchkin is 15 months old! More pics to come...as Emmie decides she'll sit (or stand) for the camera.

Sophie...and her Love of Pink Cupcakes

2011-09-21T21:39:00.000-04:00

The "official" 5-year-old birthday photoshoot...

Saved the best for last!

Celebrating Sophie's 5th Birthday

2011-09-21T21:04:00.006-04:00

Happy 5th Birthday, Sophie!

Opening one present in the morning before school...

...and diving into her stash of presents as soon as she got home!

...more diving in...this time into a chocolate cupcake!

Books, books and more books for our bookworm

Posing with her new doll, aptly name Emily. She got a pair or PJs to match!

Cupcakes in the Classroom

2011-09-21T10:34:00.004-04:00

Woohoo! Sophie is 5! We celebrated with cupcakes in her classroom this morning...

Her class waiting patiently...or not so patiently!

Sophie up on her chair while the class sang happy birthday...I caught a picture of the grand finale. Very enthusiastic friends!

Diving into a pink, mommy-made cupcake!

She got a special birthday-girl sticker to wear the rest of the day at school

Bye mom, see ya later!

Sophie & Joe

2011-09-15T15:57:00.002-04:00

Last year, Sophie started pre-K and found one of her best friends -- Joe. He started calling her "the girl with the golden hair." Today, I was out trying to get some new marketing photos for the school and pulled a few of the kindergartners out of class to get some shots. I can't use this one, but it is pretty cute...Joe loves Sophie (and vice versa).

Air Show Fun

2011-09-03T19:40:00.004-04:00

This afternoon, we introduced the girls to the Blue Angels. Like most of the kids around us, Sophie tolerated the noise for awhile and than had had enough. Emmie on the other hand, didn't seem to mind or care about the noise. She just wanted to socialize!

The fam in front of an E2...thanks Nicki for taking this picture!

Sophie holding up the front end of the E2.

Sophie's First Day of Kindergarten

2011-08-22T09:11:00.004-04:00

Sophie is a kindergartner! We had a great time taking pictures -- and then an easy drop-off in her classroom. Thanks to relatives in Germany, Sophie got a big surprise this morning -- a "Zuckertüte" or German candy bag. It's a cone filled to overflowing with candy and toys. We had hidden it all summer long and she was THRILLED to get it!

You think she's excited?!?

She got a hug and warm welcome from her new teacher, Mrs. Nevala!

Emma at 14 Months

2011-08-20T14:21:00.006-04:00

Emma at 14 months...happy and VERY mobile. She runs around the house these days, climbs stairs and loves to go down the slide! With seven teeth in and more about to come through, she's eating (and loving) everything we put in front of her. But, despite her great appetite, she's still a peanut in the 19 lb range. To capture her for photos, I had to keep a steady supply of goldfish crackers in front of her (slightly hidden from the camera). It kept her from wondering out of my light!

When we ran out of goldfish, she made the sign for "all done!"

On the move again...probably to hunt for more crackers.

Summer

2011-07-31T16:17:00.002-04:00

A few of mom and baby :)

And a couple more of Sophie!

Grandma & Uncle Greg's Visit

2011-07-24T22:01:00.008-04:00

Thank you Grandma and Uncle Greg for visiting with us!

First a few from Grandma's camera...

Wow, Dave must REALLY have really said something! Sophie loved having Uncle Greg visit -- despite the look on her face here. The two spent HOURS drawing and coloring together.

These two hit it off famously as well. Uncle Greg is a comedian -- and so is Emma!

And then a couple of Grandma and the kiddos...

Come back SOON!

Baptism

2011-07-20T20:17:00.002-04:00

On Sunday, July 17, we had the girls baptized. Thanks to Uncle Greg for this great (and rare!) chance for a family portrait!

Our Happy 4th

2011-07-04T19:58:00.004-04:00

Go, Baby, Go!

2011-06-26T20:03:00.011-04:00

This weekend, Emma took a walk on the wild side...a four-step solo mission. Amazingly enough, all of us were present to see it! Since her first steps on Saturday, June 25, she's given it a few more tries, but hasn't wandered far...or anywhere, really. Crawling still ranks #1 on her modes of transportation. Still, it's really fun to watch her toes curl around the carpet (or the grass below) as she tries to keep her balance and propel forward. We'll see over the coming weeks how quickly she picks it up! Here are a few pictures of her trying out her new-found footing in our front yard this afternoon.

Ta-Da!

Yes, she claps for herself...it's a "proud to be me" moment

Dave mowed yesterday...the yard looks great!

Wobbly, but still upright.

Happy trails, Emma!

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-21T20:15:00.001-04:00

For Dave -- Happy Father's Day from your two little monkeys!

Emma's 1st Birthday

2011-06-10T16:20:00.005-04:00

Happy First Birthday, Emma!

Being cute must be very tiring...

And now...on to the tasty stuff!

Showing off her new tricks!

Beach Bound

2011-06-02T13:47:00.005-04:00

This morning, I headed out with the girls to get a local park complete with beach. They had a great time exploring, and we were able to find some nice shady areas to play. Sophie did a lot of shell collecting while Emma was happy to sit in my lap and run her fingers through the rocks and sand. If Emma's hair looks wet, it's because it's heavily slicked down with sunscreen...wish she'd just wear a hat!

Summer Splashing

2011-06-01T16:33:00.006-04:00

Second full day of summer vacation and I broke out the pool. It took a hair dryer and bike pump to get the job done -- guess we really need an air pump. (We got spoiled with those air mattresses that had a built-in pump.) In any case, we introduced Emma to the idea of an "outside bathtub". She loved it! Both girls had fun splashing and exhausted themselves :)

Coming down the slide...

Isn't there an expression "...or I'll eat my hat!" Emma refuses to wear hats at this point...

Oh, and if Emma's suit looks familiar, it was Sophie's...when she was 9 months.

Practicing her balancing act...standing. Just realized how much this photo shows her hair...she has quite a bit of fluff going on these days.

The pool has two wading areas...here they are enjoying their "separate but equal" spaces. As for me, I am enjoying the lush green stuff in the background.

One Happy Kid

First "Big Kid" Bike Ride

2011-05-27T19:55:00.004-04:00

To celebrate the first day of summer vacation, Dave surprised Sophie with her first two-wheeler. She's been asking for a bike for almost a year now, and her knees are hitting the steering wheel of her tricycle. It was clearly time for an upgrade. She scored a Disney princess bike and carefully made her way down the driveway to circle around at the top of the court.

The first outing didn’t last too long this evening since the bugs were hungry…for us. But, we did catch some fun pictures – and Sophie got lots of practice learning the most important aspect of riding: how to brake. Once she’s comfortable with the training wheels, I’ll hook up the “kid carrier” to the back of my own bike so that I can tow Emma and we’ll take some longer spins around the neighborhood.

Heading down our driveway...

...with dad right by her side.

It's a loooongg driveway!

But, she did pretty well by herself

Waiting for us at the top of the court

Heading home...you can just barely see our house in the distance.

Pre-K Graduation

2011-05-25T15:08:00.000-04:00

Today, Sophie graduates pre-K and officially moves into kindergarten. The kids put on a great show for us parents -- lots of songs and nursery rhyme recitations. Then her teacher, Mrs. Fry, handed out "end of year" awards where she brought each one up to the front and talked about him or her. Having started in the middle of the year, Sophie was given the "most courageous" award. Mrs. Fry talked about how shy she was when she first started, but how she's grown and opened up. She really has made A LOT of progress this year, and we couldn't be more pleased. After the slide show of pictures at the end, we went back to her classroom and stepped across the hall to check out the kindergarten room, which Sophie pronounced "cool."

The picture quality on the shots I took below stinks! I was juggling Emma with one arm and trying to take pictures with the other. Not the best way to do photography. So much for focus and red eye control. But, I did keep a squirmy baby quiet AND memorialize the event on film all at the same time :)

Here they are walking up on stage...Sophie's in the middle

They did a number with hand bells and triangles...the little group of boy on the right side of the photo entertained us all throughout the program :)

Sophie and one her best friends in class, Arianna

More songs...

...with more hand motions...

They ended with "You are My Sunshine" - cute!

Mrs. Fry giving Sophie her award...she LOVES her teacher!

Posing with her "most courageous" award

kindergarten, here we come!

Easter pics

2011-04-24T21:11:00.004-04:00

Happy 1st Easter, Emma!

And, if this shirt looks vaguely familiar...

...it's because someone else wore it four years ago! But, back to present day...

These two love each other!

Sophie Bowling

2011-04-23T16:46:00.002-04:00

Taking Sophie bowling for the first time was a hoot!

She'd roll the ball...then wait...

...and wait! Finally, the ball would make it to the pins. Except for the one time it didn't...and maintenance had to be called to retrieve the ball that was slowly making its way back to us.

Good thing Emma was there to cheer her sister on!

Easter Cuteness

2011-04-22T18:30:00.004-04:00

Too cute not to photograph...who can resist a baby's first brush with Easter?

Home Studio Pics

2011-04-18T21:00:00.006-04:00

Got my birthday wish early! One home photo studio up and running...here's the proof:

Emma Gets a Tooth (Finally!)

2011-04-06T14:32:00.004-04:00

Just five days shy of being 10 months old and Emma has big news -- she has a tooth! And, following in her sister's footsteps, it's the left lower front tooth that's decided to make its appearance first. I took these photos of her yesterday -- even though I had no idea I was commemorating her last "toothless" day. Guess I won't have to puree her 1st birthday cake afterall! In other news, Emma started crawling last Sunday, March 27. She started pulling up on March 28. And, she decided her feet weren't so stuck to the ground that she couldn't move them on March 29. We can't wait to find out what's in store for us next week.

A Snowy Spring Day

2011-03-27T14:57:00.007-04:00

This morning we woke up to a couple of inches of snow...and it was still coming down. I couldn't wait to get out there and capture it on film! Foliage is fun...but not as fun as when Sophie gets in the picture... But, what day in the snow would be complete without building Frosty...here he is bigger and better than ever :)

Then...on a rare occasion, I handed the camera over to Dave so that I could get one snowy picture for me :)

Spring is in the Air

2011-03-13T18:01:00.003-04:00

The warm weather sent Sophie scrambling for her spring dresses...she couldn't wait to get outside and play. I snapped a few pictures this afternoon of her...just being her.

Happy 9 Months, Emma!

2011-03-11T11:34:00.006-05:00

Nine months of personality!

Paci break!

My favorite

..and a few black & whites

Sophie Rides the Bus!

2011-03-09T08:56:00.004-05:00

This morning, Sophie's long anticipated wish of riding the school bus came true. She has been SO excited about doing this for as long as we can remember and today was her big day. On Monday, she got to meet her bus driver, explore the bus and even sit in her assigned seat for a minute. So, this morning, she knew exactly what to do...no hesitation, nothing. There wasn't much time for pictures, but in true mommy fashion, I snagged a couple anyway.

Waiting for the bus...it was pretty chilly out!

A quick wave to me and they were off!

Baking Fun

2011-03-06T18:13:00.003-05:00

Cookies I baked and packaged for open house night at Sophie's school...all tied with dual colored ribbons, spirit charms and personalized beads.

Happy 8th Month Emma!

2011-02-13T14:30:00.006-05:00

Emma at 8 months...who now very much resembles:

Sophie! (Here at 6 months)

Yea! I'm 8 months old!

John 3:16

2011-02-04T14:13:00.002-05:00

Sophie's first foray into the performing arts...sort of. She recited John 3:16 with her class on Parent's Day! She wasn't game for the hand motions that went with it, but gave me a couple of good grins as she was reciting.

Living in SOMD

2011-01-22T17:05:00.005-05:00

Coming home to Maryland...

The beach near our current rental

Christmas 2010

2010-12-26T11:10:00.009-05:00

Emmy's first Christmas -- Sophie guided her through present opening like the veteran she is. Despite the fact that our lives are in major upheaval (re: hotel living), we had a fantastic Christmas day. As usual, Santa left his pack at our place and the girls had a memorable morning opening gifts. (Sophie says Santa left her 100 gifts -- not far from the truth.) A quick trip to the grocery store and we enjoyed Amish salad (mommy's favorite), honeyed ham, mashed potatoes, mac n' cheese and cranberry sauce. In the afternoon, Sophie and I made sugar cookies -- yum!

Santa's pack unloaded...batteries included (thank goodness). Emmy was in blue. Sophie was in red. Santa is an Equal Opportunity Provider and VERY color coordinated.

Our happy baby!

Sophie couldn't wait to dive in...but I made her pause for a picture

Look at all that blonde hair coming in!

This is a "can we stop taking pictures and dive back into presents?" picture

Snuggling with a new Pooh

Emmy looks pretty interested in Sophie's new fire truck.

And checking out Sophie's new jewelry box....

Both checking out goodies...

But she had plenty of presents of her own to check out.

After looking at her new books, playing with her blocks and Pooh, this is one Sleepy Baby. (I think she fell asleep 2 minutes after we took this picture.)

But, big sister still had plenty of energy! Here she is at the end of the day with her brand new princes sweet shop...she had a great day making cupcakes and cakes in her magic rise oven (you have to see it).

Our day ended perfectly as the snow started to fall...we're looking forward to a white weekend!

Merry Christmas!

Gingerbread House

2010-12-17T23:09:00.004-05:00

Tonight, we embarked on what every family should attempt to do at least once: build a gingerbread house. Now, I've got to say, the pictures on the kit make it look incredibly easy. However, we had a few "foundation issues" -- i.e. leaning tower of Pisa. One of us, who shall remain unnamed, was a bit eager to start decorating before the icing had set. We like to think of our finished product as unique! (As I type, I can literally hear the walls shifting...I think we'll keep our day jobs.) In any case, here are a few pictures of the fun:

the icing bag in hand...

mom and dad have finished icing the house...yeah, it doesn't look completely professional, but it's definitely not as easy as the Cake Boss makes it look!

Icing went everywhere...

eyeing the candy...we told her to save it for the house!

According to this photo, decorating is a very serious job.

YUM! (Love the extra icing globs everywhere...but that house is NOT coming down!)

Meeting Santa 2010

2010-11-28T23:04:00.003-05:00

I don't know how we pull it off each year, but somehow we did it again...smiles all around!

Dallas Arboretum Fall 2010

2010-11-01T22:42:00.001-04:00

We visited the arboretum on October 31 and had the chance to see some beautiful fall flowers. (And a whole lot of pumpkins!) Sophie had a great time running around and we caught some cute photos of her "in action." Emma, as usual, was along for the ride and took everything in stride -- such a good natured baby!

Pumpkin Picking 2010

2010-10-17T21:35:00.003-04:00

This may be Emma's first year of pumpkin picking, but to Sophie it was old hat. She understood the mission perfectly this year and couldn't wait to get going. Here are a few pictures from our adventure!

The last in a series of "Sophie on the bench"...

Happy 4th Birthday, Sophie!

2010-09-25T23:10:00.003-04:00

This week, Sophie turned four! We celebrated her birthday at school, at home, and by having a gymnastics birthday party with all of her friends. Here's the recap...

Finally four!

Enjoying cake at home.

It was realllly good!

Blowing out the candles

Celebrating with her friends at the gymnastics center.

The fun included an hour and a half of running and jumping!

Opening presents at home!

New sparkly shoes

More princess goodies

A new Dora book (which she wanted to read immediately!)

Loving on her much anticipated pillow pet!

Seeing him for the first time...he was sitting on top of all the presents waiting for her!

One Happy Kid!

Carnival Nights

2010-09-19T22:56:00.006-04:00

Last weekend, we enjoyed one of our community's carnivals. Even though it's well into September, it still felt like summer. Despite the heat, the girls, Dave and I all had a good time. Sophie had a blast with all the kid games and carnvival rides that were just her size. Baby Emmie was good sport throughout the night and enjoyed the lights and action. Here they are...

Crusin' in the stroller...

3 and a half months old!

On one of the carnival rides...she actually waited an extra couple of minutes just to make sure she got "the pink one".

Going on the teacups with me...as soon as I showed her how to spin us using the center wheel, I was the one in for a ride!

Playing a soccer game

Riding the ponies

...back in the pink one!

...showing off her dunking skills

staying up wwaaaaayyy too late and totally loving it

On the carousel with dad

A happy ending to our night...loot at her loot!

First Dance Class

2010-08-29T18:02:00.004-04:00

Sophie took her first combo class this past week. She's doing ballet and tap...and then decided to add a jazz class this week. (Two hours of dancing = sleeping really well at night!) She's also got BFF Emily and another good friend, Caroline, in the class with her.

Posing with one of her new leotards and her dance bag...she was so happy when she first tried on the ballet shoes at the store!

Trying to tie to the laces on her tap shoes

No luck. This is a "Mom , I need help!" look.

Ballet class

Figuring out how to tap

Posing for me after class!

First Day of Pre-Kindergarten

2010-08-23T10:36:00.002-04:00

First day of pre-kindergarten at Primrose! Where did the time go...

Emma at Two Months

2010-08-12T12:24:00.009-04:00

It's hard to believe that two months have already flown by. She can:
*hold her head up
* smile
* recognize familiar faces
* sleep anywhere
* sleep through anything (firework displays included)
* sleep up to 5 hours straight at night (yea!)

Since Emma is getting so big, I think I'll let her narrate this entry...

So, mom thought it would be funny to put me next to the bear just the way she did with my big sister. I'm not quite as steady as she was , but I tried. (I may be smaller than she was, but I have more hair!)

Here's big sis at exactly two months. A little bigger and a bit stronger. But then again, she was two weeks late and I was a week early. That's got to count for something!

We both know how to smile!

I'm a very happy camper and would laugh if I could!

I loooove my boppy...see my hair? Mommy is stockpiling bows already...

...but all this picture taking is making me sleeeepy.

I'm out. No more pictures for now!

Emma's 8th Week

2010-08-04T16:16:00.006-04:00

Hard to believe, but we're closing in on the two month mark! In the last two weeks, Emma has started to give us big smiles. Just like her big sister used to, she loves her time on the changing table and thinks diapers are pretty silly. Last week, I actually took the camera upstairs when I was getting ready to change her because I knew she'd be grinning (last pic).

Emma's ready for her close-up...she's sitting on one of our recliners. This week, lots of fuzz (i.e. hair) showed up on the top of her head. If it keeps growing at this rate, she'll have a full head of hair by her first birthday!

Silly girl! (6 weeks in this pic)

Just the Girls

2010-07-27T09:57:00.006-04:00

As a surprise birthday present for Dave, I took the girls to a photo studio to get some updated pictures. We were so happy with the way they came out!

Splash Day

2010-07-16T11:06:00.002-04:00

This morning, Sophie's school had a splash day -- they literally bring the water park to the kids. Since our kiddo lives for water and slides (and the combo is unthinkably good in her book)...this is probably one of the best days of her year. One of the joys of maternity leave is being able to stick around and take pictures...here are a few!

The first run...woo hoo!

And another...

One Happy Kid

The madness behind the slide as all the kids make their way up -- Sophie is half way to the top

No time for a last picture before I left...she jumped off the slide, yelled "bye mom!" and ran to get back in line again!

5 Weeks Old (almost!)

2010-07-14T14:58:00.003-04:00

Too cute not to post -- even though we're a day early...

Week highlights:
* Emma is starting lose all of her hair at a rapid rate...she's got the "monk" look going on
* The original hair color was a mix of auburn and dark blonde. The hair left in the bald areas is now is very light colored and downy. Will we have another blonde baby? We'll find out in a year or two when it comes back in!
* She's filling out newborn clothes nicely - preemie clothes are a thing of the past.
* We'll graduate from newborn diapers by the end of this week. Just as a size comparison, Sophie used newborn diapers for about one week before needing a larger size.

Happy as a clam in her swing...and sporting a new headband to disguise the lack o' hair.

Looking out the window in our living room...she's holding her head up more often than not these days.

4 Weeks Old

2010-07-12T22:16:00.002-04:00

Finally starting to fill out those cheeks a little bit!

There's no doubt who her daddy is...they're the spitting image of each other.

More alert than ever this week!

Happy 4th!

2010-07-04T13:04:00.002-04:00

3 Weeks Old

2010-07-02T13:46:00.003-04:00

Alert at last! (Well, some of the time.)

Emma is starting to turn the corner from newborn to a little baby who shows some interest in the things around her. She's fixated by the Little Einstein aquarium in her crib and the music we play during diaper changes. She's also discovered the cat. (That didn't take long.)

Sleepy girl

The hint of a smile? We see them from time to time, but haven't seen "the real thing" yet. Emma is really beginning to enjoy spending time on her mat...

...and so is the cat! (This is old hat for him.)

July 4th Class Parade

2010-07-02T12:34:00.005-04:00

Today, Sophie's school held a parade where each of the classes had a chance to circle the parking lot to music. Here are a few pics from the event...

Circling the parade route around school...

Emily, Sophie & Wrenn...a tight knit trio

Doing another lap with Wrenn

The obligatory class shot where only 2 out of 20 kids are looking at the camera.
The kids in this class range from almost four (like Sophie) to just turned three...

Taking a break with baby sis afterward

Two Weeks Old

2010-06-28T20:55:00.004-04:00

At two weeks old, Emma is still very confused about when to be awake and when to sleep...it's all the same to her. She eats about every two and a half to three hours -- sometimes a bit longer. She's holding her head up a bit more by herself....just high enough off the ground to move her head from left to right if she's on her tummy. (A little ahead of schedule, just like Sophie!) At her two week well visit, she weighed 6 lbs, 10 oz. and fit into preemie outfits -- the newborn outfits are still too big!

Getting in some tummy time on her baby gym.

Lovin' from her big sis

Bonding Sisters

2010-06-21T22:21:00.001-04:00

Sophie loves her baby sister! I snapped a few pictures of the girls on the day Emma turned one week old.

Welcoming Emma Charlotte

2010-06-15T17:24:00.005-04:00

On Thursday, June 10 at 12:38 p.m., Emma Charlotte was born! She weighed 6 lbs, 9 oz and was 19" long. Big sister, Sophie is thrilled to have "her" baby home -- and we're all adjusting well to life with a newborn in the house. Emma sleeps well and is very content to just be held. She's giving us good 2 to 3 hour stretches between feedings during the day and even a four hour stretch at night. (Can't beat that!)

Dr. Franken holding up baby Emma as she makes her arrival

Getting her first footprints

Getting to hold Emma for the first time...it was a good distraction from the c-section!

6 lbs, 9 oz and 19" long

Holding on to dad's finger...

Sophie, dad and Emma

Decorating for Baby

2010-06-08T20:31:00.003-04:00

Let the decorating begin!

Over the crib it says, "Life's wonder and grace in one sweet little face"

A shelf to hang cute outfits -- and a picture frame ready for her first picture and hospital bracelet.

Our cozy window nook...

Dresser/changing table...complete with newborn diapers

A close-up of the bedding and mobile

38 weeks...and Counting Down

2010-06-06T12:41:00.004-04:00

In just one week, Baby Hanks #2 will make her arrival! Dave took some photos of me this morning at 38 weeks and some change...

Spring Fling Carnival

2010-05-30T21:52:00.003-04:00

A couple of pictures from this year's spring fling at Sophie's school...it was another hot one! (i.e. mommy didn't get many pictures because she was focused on staying hydrated!) But, we all had a good time...

back in the saddle...and loving it!

More train rides! Sophie and Dave went several times

More Spring Pics

2010-04-11T19:46:00.002-04:00

Another warm spring day outside...

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T10:30:00.004-04:00

A few pictures I took in our backyard yesterday afternoon - Happy Easter!

Easter Egg Hunt

2010-04-03T15:22:00.006-04:00

Today we (like thousands of other families in the area!) headed out to one of our community parks for an egg hunt. Having done one each year, Sophie had a MUCH better idea of the mission -- get out there and get eggs.

With her best friend Emily beside her, the two dads gave the girls a strategy -- don't start with the eggs nearby -- run as far to the middle of the field as you can and pick up eggs there. Well, when the countdown came, Sophie and Emily RAN! (As three-year-olds, they were the oldest in their age category and they were able to get way out ahead of the younger kids.) Then, Emily got sidetracked about half way out to the middle and started picking up eggs...not Sophie...she was determined to get to the middle of the field. And then she stopped and looked confused. What was next? And where were her parents? Dave and I headed out to meet her as quickly as we could and told her to hurry (!!) and pick up eggs as fast she could. She got a bit of a late start, but ended up being able to pick up quite a few prizes and treats. Afterwards, she told us that she was "frustrated because all of the eggs were disappearing." Her words, not mine. I told her that tomorrow the Easter bunny would hide eggs in her home and she could pick up all of them herself.

Look at all those eggs out there!

Hanging out with dad before the hunt

And her best friend, Emily

And I even passed the camera over to Dave to get a picture of myself (and the baby bump) in too.

But she's the cutest to photograph, so I cropped myself out!

In the midst of the hunt...there's no one around her! She was out in the middle by herself while the hundreds of other kids were still picking up eggs on the sidelines.

Checking out the loot afterwards...another successful hunt!

Meeting the Easter Bunny

2010-03-21T10:46:00.003-04:00

Even though Sophie wasn't willing to sit in his lap, she still enjoyed meeting this 10' tall bunny! (Notice the good 3" gap between them...apparently, personal space is priceless!)

Spring Fun

2010-03-19T20:09:00.002-04:00

Spring weather is finally here...almost! (Forecasters have predicted a wintry mix for tomorrow, but we're enjoying the 70s today.) We are SO ready to play outside again...

First Swimming Lesson

2010-03-03T21:40:00.004-05:00

This evening, Sophie had her first swim lesson. We found an indoor swim school that has gotten some great reviews -- and they had a class we could fit into our super busy schedule! For parents, they offer an observation room to watch classes...it's nice and quiet, but taking pictures is a little tough, since you're trying to get a shot through glass. Still, I think you'll be able to tell from these pictures that she loved it...so much so that there was a "breakdown" after the lesson was over! (She wasn't ready to leave - they were having too much fun!) There was only one other little girl in her class, so she has a great time and got plenty of attention.

Sophie at the beginning of her lesson...sitting on the first step of the pool

The teacher took both girls out to a small platform in the middle of the shallow end. They could hold onto a bar (just like gymnastics!) and practice kicking, blowing bubbles, etc.

The big treat at the end of the lesson was going down the slide...they have "big" kid slides too and Sophie REALLY wanted to try one of those! Since it was her first time, they had a helper at the top of the slide get her ready to go down to where her teacher was waiting. She got two turns and came up grinning both times.

Kicking her way out to the platform in the center.

Jumping off the platform to kick her way back to the edge.

Blowing bubbles...she can't wait to go back next week!

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T17:22:00.005-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sophie celebrated with some new goodies while we enjoyed a nice Mexican dinner...and lots of chocolate.

New Valentine's cat PJs...

A new pink bear and a huge caterpillar (who also, apparently, makes a good pillow)

Lots of snuggling today

P.S. For anyone counting, this is post #200 in our family blog!

February Snow

2010-02-11T19:07:00.009-05:00

Today, we had our fifth snow of the season -- and this one really stuck around long enough for us to enjoy. It has snowed from sun-up to sun-down, and there is probably close to six inches in accumulation!

The beginnings of our snowman...

Frosty in all his glory!

Hmmm...who do you think she was getting ready to throw this at?

More snowballs...

Tasting the snow...and yes, I made sure it was fresh

Yum!

Then, we had more snow overnight...and a full-blown snow day with no school!

Sophie wanted to work on yet another Frosty.

So before Dave left for work, they started to build one...

...but, got a little sidetracked working on snowballs.

...which then turned into a snowball chase and throw...

They both have pretty good aim!

And the last snow picture...

Who doesn't love a red cardinal in the snow?

January Fun

2010-01-27T21:24:00.004-05:00

Our January weather has been a mix of very cold and springtime warm. Despite the bizarre mix of below 5 and 75, we still managed to have fun! Here are a couple of pictures from this past week...

Sporting her new "big sister" shirt

Sophie loves announcing her status!

Here are some more gym shots...I'm still experimenting and am venturing beyond "auto" mode. I'm really able to capture the action now that I can shoot continuously.

Just hangin' around

The signs above her say it all...Sophie throws herself into those dive rolls

Taking a break and smiling for the camera

Jump! Jump! Jump! (No more blurry kiddo!)

A high five from her Wed. night coach for a good lesson

We're Thinking Pink!

2010-01-21T14:39:00.008-05:00

After having our anatomy scan on Tuesday morning, we learned that...

It's a Girl!

Our due date continues to be June 20, 2010. Below are two of the ultrasound photos that were taken.

Top scan: Baby's profile - right arm is bent and hand is by ear; Left hand is visible on other side of head; Legs and feet are at the right side of picture;

Bottom scan: Our "proof" of another ballerina/gymnast in our future; The typical shot from the bottom up -- two legs, two feet;

Sunday Afternoon Modeling

2010-01-10T17:34:00.002-05:00

More fun with my new camera today...thankfully, I have an adorable subject who loves to pose! Again, more experimenting with different lighting scenarios and camera functions. From the smiles you see below, I think we both had a good time!

17 Weeks and Counting

2010-01-09T22:13:00.004-05:00

Because we didn't have this blog three years ago, there are very few pictures of me expecting. (Maybe that's a good thing!) Strangely enough, I wish there were a few more. So, I asked Dave to take a couple of shots this evening and wanted to share. I'll be 18 weeks in a few days...we're closing in on the half way mark. On January 19th, we have our next ultrasound where we may be lucky enough to find out if Sophie will get a little sister or brother.

A little wider looking from the front...I'm starting to lose my waist!

Now you can really tell...

Definitely a little belly there., but here's the grand finale...

Yes, Sophie wanted to pose with "her" baby too! (Don't mind the little bit of jam on her cheeks...I think she had just enjoyed a PB&J sandwich before Dave shot these photos.)

New Gym & Skating Pics

2010-01-02T21:56:00.009-05:00

Today, I took the toy Santa brought me -- a new Canon Rebel -- to the gym. How nice to be able to snap photos of my kiddo in motion and have so much more stability. (Not to mention clarity and minimal blurriness -- and no more annoying DOTS!)

I was playing with a lot of the features sans manual...occasionally I used the full auto feature, but I was experimenting, which meant a lot of different lighting "looks" for these photos. Some are darker than others, but all are light years better than what I was previously able to do in the gym! As I get more familiar with the camera and the digital editing software that came with it, the pictures will get better -- for the most part, these are uncropped, and unedited.

Cartwheel city

Sprinting toward the springboard...she's a runner!

Okay, admittedly, my daughter is slightly blurry on this one...but really, that's because she's spinning super fast on the bars with no help.

Coach Elly is wondering when someone else will get a chance to use the bars...Sophie could hang out here alllll day. (And she won't let the coaches help her once she masters a new skill...she tells them, "Watch me! Watch me!")

Okay, sometimes she lets them help...but not often! Looks like she was getting ready to try something new...

Finishing with a nice long round of jumping...Emily by her side. Both girls were tuckered out after today's session!

On our first evening with the camera, I loaded the batteries and gave it a go...thankfully my subject obliged by doing something cute - skating.

Woohoo...we're getting ready to skate!

Helmet's on...

Doin' her thang...

Writing Skills

2009-12-29T20:23:00.003-05:00

Sophie really enjoys writing her letters and has recently started putting together words...she wants to know how to spell EVERYTHING! It started about a year ago when we bought her foam letters to play with in the bathtub...in the last few months, she's taken to writing the letters herself. Now, she's got her name down as well as a few other "basics" (cat, dog, etc.) She wanted to know how to spell Oma and Opa tonight...we'll work on Grandma and Grandpa soon!

Not a bad "Opa" for a three-year-old!

Loving her "P" on this one! She wrote her name and then traced over it again when I told her she had to make it darker for the scanner!

Roller Skating Derby

2009-12-28T22:26:00.003-05:00

For Christmas, Santa brought Sophie a pair of "learner" roller skates. She'd seen Minnie and Mickey skating and just knew she was meant to do the same thing. Our weather has been snowy and cold, but she just couldn't wait any longer to try them out. So, tonight we strapped on her new helmet, elbow pads and knee pads and took a spin through the living room, family room and kitchen. For the first lap, she held on to Dave, but after that, she was off!

Getting her safety gear on...while holding on to her inspiration - Mickey

She set her new Mickey choo-choo to roll ahead of her and she followed him around the house. (Guess it gave her something to aim for!)

Dave stayed nearby for most of her laps...

Then, she was off and speeding by herself.

Just before we took off her skates for the night, she sat down on the stairs and said, "I LOVE skating!" Something tells me we'll be strapping them on again first thing tomorrow!

Merry Christmas 2009

2009-12-25T18:53:00.007-05:00

Lucky us! The first white Christmas Dallas sees in 80 years and we made it just in time to enjoy it. (And I thought I wouldn't get my snow here, huh?) We got three inches on Christmas Eve...with a terrific wind storm to boot. The real kicker was that the day before was 72 degrees. From shorts to snowsuits...

I braved the wind gusts and took a careful stroll outside to capture this picture of our home with some snow on it...just a light dusting at the time.

Another picture to show the accumulation later on. The ground stayed dry for the most part, but we had some icy spots this morning. Dave shoveled our walk this morning.

Our Christmas Eve photo -- after Santa arrived.

Another view of Santa's pack...

Sophie had just woken up -- look at those pink cheeks from sleeping! She chose her own dress this morning and "big girl tights." One of the first gifts she opened was from her Uncle Greg who gave her a baby doll -- she loved it. Dave was on toy wrapper duty -- he had more than his fair share of twistie ties and plastic wrap today...

Tea, anyone? Great tea set from Grandma! We were all served tea and cookies before the unwrapping could continue...

Purses! A girl can never have too many. Here's the model showing off her new bags..."I love them!" she said.

Poor dad...another battle with the twistie ties! Dad won each round though -- Sophie was so excited to get her Mickey Mouse clubhouse and choo choo train this year! Both were a big hit.

And more...and more...and more!! It took us nearly four hours to get through everything since each toy needed to be thoroughly inspected and played with before moving on to the next. This girl really knows how to make Christmas last.

This is one happy kiddo...she said to us over lunch..."Isn't this a wonderful Christmas?"

Our New Addition

2009-12-11T14:35:00.005-05:00

Sophie will be a big sister in June! This morning, we got a first peek at her little brother or sister. The jury is still out on which we'll have, but you can take a look at these ultrasound photos and make your best guess. (The sonogram tech thought girl from what she could see -- or rather, not see.)

Baby is measuring 13 weeks, 2 days -- a little ahead of schedule. Double click on the scan below (it's one image) to see it with more detail:

Top Image: Baby's head is on the right and she is looking down; you can really see the detail of her spine on this one.

Middle Image: Baby is sitting upright and we're seeing a sideways view. You can see little arms and legs in this one.

Bottom Image: Full face -- baby is looking right at us and waving with one hand.

Christmas Fun

2009-12-09T20:47:00.002-05:00

Over the last few weeks, Sophie has had the best time playing around our Christmas tree. The other night after her bath, I snapped a few photos of her being silly just before bedtime. Here's the evidence...

Searching in a stocking...nothing there yet!

Holding up a pretty (and I might add, unbreakable) ball.

Happy Kid

Was she really sleeping? Nooooo!! (But, it looked cute, so I snapped a picture)

Sophie and Santa

2009-11-29T20:49:00.003-05:00

I grabbed this one with my camera (blurry, fast and furious)...she was ALL about Santa this year. At first, she was shy and held on to Dave...but then she mysteriously got brave and ran to go sit in his lap. She informed him that she NEEDED roller skates this year. Thankfully, we found the ideal "learner" set and Oma and Opa have taken care of the request. Another good round of luck with Santa -- WHEW! (And, isn't he a good looking Santa? He was exceptionally patient as well...the two chatted for some time before she decided she was done.)

Thanksgiving and Tree Decorating

2009-11-28T19:53:00.007-05:00

We enjoyed a great Thanksgiving dinner this year -- lots of good things to eat and plenty of dessert!

Dave snapped this shot just before we dove in...

On Saturday, we worked on our tree...Sophie got dressed up for the occasion. For the last few months, she's been a dress connoisseur.

Posing with a ball...yes, we're still using the unbreakable kind. That's also the cat hiding behind her -- he was insanely curious about what we were doing for about five minutes. Then, he left to go take a nap somewhere. Cats -- gotta love them.

Putting more goodies on the tree...

My silly goose...she was cracking herself up

Our cozy living room full of Christmas goodies! Dave is working on the outside lights this afternoon...

Santa has landed in our front yard...he twinkles :)

Blurry...but you get the idea...lots of stake lighting (painfully time consuming), bush lights plus Santa and his two crew members. Looks really pretty!!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T23:10:00.007-04:00

Celebrating Halloween at three years old is a lot different than doing it at one or two. Suddenly, as with so many other holidays, there is an understanding of exactly what's going on. We gave Halloween 110% this year -- participating in the preschool's party and costume parade, enjoying a neighborhood block party and, of course, trick or treating. Sophie gave it her all...and LOVED it. By the end of the evening, she was racing up to doors and saying "trick or treat" and "happy halloween" in her outdoor voice.

Trying on her costume at home for the first time...she was SO excited!

...complete with antenna

Flapping her wings around her playroom...

Getting ready to party at preschool...

Sophie and her best friend, Emily (who happened to be a bumble bee)...what a pair these two are together.

Enjoying some treats

Not sharing with dad

Hangin' out with me

CARVING THE PUMPKIN

"It's pretty yucky in there, mama"

She helped me draw a face on the "good side"

Happy Kid

Going for the best bird's eye view during a crucial moment of pumpkin carving. Somehow, Dave balanced Sophie on his back while maneuvering a battery-operated pumpkin carver. Skill!!

Two big smiles...one from Sophie - and the other from a pumpkin

LET'S GO TRICK OR TREATING!

What a happy grin...she couldn't wait to get going! Dave and I both took turns with her so that one person could man the door at home. We got bombarded, but had just enough candy for all. (I lost track of how many kids came to the door, but I know that we went through about six or seven big bags of candy.) Sorry, no pics of the actual trick or treating event -- but I will tell you that I had to carry Sophie's pumpkin bag by the end -- it was too heavy for her. (Between Dave and myself, she managed to canvas most of our neighborhood.) One happy kiddo is now fast asleep...Happy Halloween!

Fall Preschool Photos

2009-10-20T22:58:00.002-04:00

We recently got Sophie's preschool photos back...soooo cute!

Pumpkin Picking

2009-10-19T21:27:00.006-04:00

We hit the local pumpkin patch this weekend in search of "the great pumpkin" for Halloween! It was on the cool side and breezy, but perfect fall weather for being outside.

Sophie sat on this bench last year too...

Look at how much she's grown in one year!

Racing back with yet another find...she filled our wagon with about 18 pumpkins...Dave and I carefully unloaded most of them when she wasn't looking. By the way, those were some pretty hefty pumpkins she was carrying all by herself -- she's a strong kiddo!

Peeking through the cut-outs...

Checking out yet another pumpkin...

Happy pumpkin hunting!

Visiting the Fair

2009-10-12T20:11:00.007-04:00

Last year, we were just settling into our temporary digs and didn't have a chance to go to the fair. Because we get a kick out of going, we made it a priority this year. Up until last week, the weather was in the 80s. But, now it's dipping down into the 50s and 60s...gotta love the wacky TX climate. Hoping to see the 70s again at some point!

Sophie spotted the huge slide in the midway and really wanted to go on...she was barely tall enough to go, so Dave got the chance to climb about 200 steps (lucky guy!) while holding 32 pounds of eager kiddo...I think our little slide addict finally met her match!

She looked a little unsure of the experience when they first landed, but...

She immediately got up and turned around to say, "Let's do it again, dad!"

Dave was kind enough to feed my need for a few (more like 20) games of skee ball. While I played, he tried to teach Sophie how to roll the ball up the slope. When that didn't work, the carnie took pity on him and told him just to walk her up the ramp and toss each ball in. Don't know how many trips the two of them made back and forth!

Afterward, I took Sophie on another ride...

Then we checked out a few animals...you could get up close with zebras, buffalo, camels, ostriches (not again!), emus, donkeys, cows, sheep, etc.

Having just gone down to San Antonio, Sophie knew the drill and did her best to feed as many of them as she could.

I tried to explain to her that these little guys didn't need any food from us. It didn't stop her from throwing in a couple handfuls anyway.

We ate our way through the fair...best corn dog I've ever had. The ice cream wasn't half bad either!

Holding a prize I won at skee ball...another good year at the fair!

San Antonio Getaway

2009-09-29T18:38:00.010-04:00

Our well-deserved, much overdue vacation is finally here! We made the trip down to San Antonio and spent several relaxing days at a wonderful resort and spa in the hill country. During our stay, we checked out the local sites, but also found that you never really had to leave the hotel to have a good time.

We're here! Just a five-hour jaunt (and a lot of Max & Ruby DVDs) to get to our hotel. Sooo relaxing...

On our first full day here, we checked out the dolphins...

and whales at Sea World

Sea World had plenty for little kiddos, including rides for the 36" and under crowd. Here Sophie and I are riding up high in #5.

Buckling up for Sophie's first ever amusement park ride...boy, was she excited!

She loved it! She kept yelling, "Hey daddy, look at me, I'm having so much fun!"

We saw one of those water flume rides that sends a boat down a long slide. Of course, the splash zone (for those not wanting to ride) looked very enticing! I sent Dave and Sophie down while I stayed dry :) Here they are getting the brunt of a bow wave.

Let's do it again, Dad! Check out that happy grin. (I lost count of how many boats came down and got those two soaked before we were able to entice her on to something else.)

The next day, we explored a wildlife safari...probably one of the best experiences we've had in a long time. It was a huge open prairie that you drive through with a few bags of alfalfa food. Of course, the animals come right up to your car and expect to be fed. You weren't supposed to feed them out of your hand...but some of the animals made it downright impossible not to. (And some were too cute not to.)

We saw animals like this buffalo from afar...

...and others, right up close. This antelope (?) was very sweet and got a few pets from me.

This ostrich was pretty pushy (actually, all of the ostriches and emus were)...I ended up rolling up my window when we saw a flock.

Dave was adopted by this big guy...

Seeing the herd of zebras was probably one of the most memorable moments...

One of them wandered over and stuck his head in Dave's window...

...then he demanded to be fed. It looks ferocious, but actually, he was just begging for a treat. Dave would pop in a treat, the zebra would swallow it and immediately open again...patiently waiting. He's a dentist's dream, isn't he? We had a tough time getting rid of him. (I think I finally hit the window roll-up button and he got the message.)

Afterwards, we fed some baby goats.

The goats really liked Dave.

They really, REALLY liked him. By the end, Dave was missing the caps to his shoelaces. But, no body parts were missing (as this picture implies) HA!

Feeding our own wild animal afterwards...

Back at the ranch...

We enjoyed the many pools...

...and playing at the big beach they had.

Floating down the lazy river was one of the highlights. Here you can see the beginning of it past the beach chairs...it felt like a tropical paradise when you were floating with all the trees and flowers around.

Sophie enjoying one of the inner tubes down the river.

Here's a shot from the beach looking back at the hotel at dusk. We closed out the beach/pool every night. We also enjoyed making 'smores at the beach firepit each night...another big treat. Dave got pretty good at roasting marshmallows!

Hopefully we'll be back again SOON!