Our day in Atlanta

WARNING: lots of pictures......

The girls could have stayed in the tunnel the entire time looking at all the fish

We even ran into our friends who had the same idea as we did!

Emory was absolutely fascinated by all fish!

We got to see them feed the fish and answer questions while under water.

touching the thing that Nemo lived in!

Emory's favorite word while we were there was "WHOA!!" She said it at least a thousand time and loved every second of the aquarium.

The jellyfish was Christian's favorite.

Our only attempt of a family picture. After 3 tries, we finally gave up!

I wish I took her 'pas' out, but I was scared what would have happened....we were very tired but didn't want to stop looking at the fish

not a great picture, but it was so cute... we stood there for about 10 minutes while I said 'Emory, Emory, what do you see?" and she would point to a fish while I said "Emory sees a pink fish looking at her!" She thought it was great and would not let me move!

She was so tired, she actually laid her head on our shoulder to rest...NEVER HAPPENS- we had to get a picture!

Christian loved touching the shrimp and horseshoe crab.She also loved playing and going down the grouper slide

Bryan and CC inside the river section....Bryan's favorite area

under the river.

Here is CC today and when my mom and I took her in 2008 when she was close to Emory's age. Big difference, but still loved it just the same!

The girls and I had today off, so Bryan decided to take off so we could head to Atlanta to the Georgia Aquarium. We just told CC last night that we were doing something fun and it was going to be a surprise. So when we told her while driving, she went crazy. I'm not sure if she actually knew what an aquarium was, but either way- she gave us a great reaction! WE HAD THE BEST TIME! We got there around 10:30 and it wasn't crowded at all! We spent 3 full hours there going non-stop. The girls loved every second of it! Emory couldn't stop pointing at everything saying fish ('ish) and "WHOA". She fell asleep at the perfect time when CC wanted to play on the 'big kid' play area. I can't wait to take the girls back. It was a great day and still made it back in time for dinner.

18 month well baby

This is Emory still a little upset that she doesn't have her clothes on, but happy I put her shoes back on! No cute picture on the scale.....

Emory had her 18 month appointment and passed with flying colors. She weighs 26.2 pounds- 75 percentile, and is 33 3/4 inches tall- 97 percentile. We had a tiny little meltdown when it was time to undress to weigh-in. She DID NOT want to take her shoes off and she let us know it really quick. So as soon as we were finished, the nurse told me to keep her in her diaper for the doctor. I put her shoes on just to calm her down and the doctor started laughing when she came in. The nurse must have told her what was going on because she said that was not a battle she was going to pick!!!

Emory is sleeping from ~6:30-6:30 every night with a nap from 11:30-2:00. She is starting to talk a lot more and says a few phrases ("More please" while doing sign language more and usually relates to food!, "more juice", 'what's that" for almost everything). Her favorite thing to say is "uh-oh" and "boo" while hiding her face and "boo-boo' while showing you her knee that she scraped 2 months ago! She can say Papaw and Mimi and we are working on Gran and Granddaddy. She now calls us Mommy and Daddy and we still can't pinpoint how she says Christian but we know when she is wanting Christian's attention. She definitely knows what she wants and won't stop until she gets it! The doctor thinks that Emory has us figured out...her exacted words- "Um, she's got your number" when I was discussing how to handle my sweet Emory's ability to know what she wants!! So, we need to be a little more firm (I was a tad embarrassed to tell her I was a special ed. teacher who deals with behavior problems and can't figure my own 18 month old out!!). With all that said....I couldn't imagine her any other way AND she is oddly laid back even though she has a strong personality!What else.....she LOVES to eat and will eat and eat and eat! She's got the cutest belly to show for it- she's definitely a Duncan!!!:):)Her favorite book to read is Very Busy Spider and she loves to sit in your lap or next to you while reading. She also enjoys Brown Bear, Brown Bear and likes when we say 'We see Emory!" Every morning I kiss my girls palms and Emory will immediately put it up to her cheek! And if I leave the house w/o her, she will put her palm to her cheek. Who knows what she is actually doing, but Bryan and I like to think she is saying she misses me. She's a dancing fool! She will dance to any sound and often walks over to the big ipod speaker for us to turn it on. She LOVES her little school and her teachers love her! She jumps out of Bryan's arms every morning to her teacher and hugs them good-bye in the afternoon. I love that they love her just like their own. All in all- she's perfect

Steeplechase

The girls
the guys

EVERYONE- I MEAN EVERYONE- there had on boots, either with jeans or a short short skirt! We had to take a pic of all of ours....work it Fran!!

We got to see Ellen!!!

Bryan was happy to see John and Moret!

No.....don't get confused....this is not Nicole Richie in her big sunglasses!

Fran is giving a run for her money though with these sunglasses!

Megan flew in from Florida and her sister came to visit too!

Phillip wanted Fran to touch this gun (not loaded and we weren't playing with it) and Fran was refusing! Anne Alan's hubby is in law enforcement, so he has to carry a gun. So no one (mom) worry!

Our group of close friends from college have started over the past few years renting a cabin in Callaway Gardens for Steeplechase. We live all over, so it's so much fun to get together to act like we are in college again! We left all the kids with grandparents and had an adult weekend! We stayed up late, slept late, tailgated, cooked out and talked for 2 full days! It was a blast! I love being with my friends. Can't wait 'til next year.

Whew....busy week!

CC carried a purse with lipstick, Capri sun, and Halloween candy!

CC loved every second of the princesses on ice. Bryan said she kept hopping up the dance and yelling out to the princesses!

Miss Priss

Bryan and his great friend from high school, Richmond

Richmond and his beautiful baby girl. His wife is in the background- never got a family pic.

20 people, 8 of them children!

We have been on the go this week! Emory had her 18 month appointment (she is getting her own post on the doctor's visit:), Bryan and Christian had a date to the Princess on Ice show one night. Then we had dinner with a group of Bryan's friends from high school another night. It was a fun but busy busy week!

School Picture Day!

This is Emory smiling and saying "eeessse". This was CC's dress when she was a little CC's picture day. They will do sibling pictures too, so Emory had 2 photo shoots in one week!

Halloween- Part 4

YEP.... still have Halloween pictures!

Bryan took CC trick or treating with the Meacham's on Halloween night. Emory and I stayed back because we were just a little tired.
CC saw one of her friends from her class!

They had a great time and got a ton of candy! We still eating on it!

Tiki's adventurous weekend!

Christian was SOOOOO excited to find out that she got to bring Tiki, the monkey, home from school for the weekend. Tiki is the class pet. He goes home with a different child every weekend. He comes in a little backpack with his favorite book, Five Little Monkeys, a monkey card game, a banana ABC game, and a journal to write his adventures in. This weekend was extra special b/c he had his Halloween costume with him- a pig! Tiki has done everything with us this weekend- out to dinner, Boo At the Zoo, playing outside, running errands, church, etc. He even gets to go trick or treating with us tonight! Christian has had SO MUCH FUN with Tiki!

Halloween- the 4th and final chapter to come later.....anyone else ready for Halloween to be over with?!