It is really TRUE - Josie turned 2!!!

It is TRUE - Josie really turned 2!!!!

A few weeks ago Lyla's cousin Josie turned 2. We headed to Cincinnati to help celebrate her big day - and boy are we glad we didn't miss all the fun - Josie had a splashing good time at her POOL PART-TAY!!!

And would you take a look at this birthday get-up!!! No one had any trouble finding the birthday girl is this fabulous outfit! And of course the birthday girl had to take a spin in her wheels to say hello to all her family and friends!!

Josie had a special request - she wanted a birthday cake with 2 yellow bunnies:)

After all the fun in the sun we headed back to the Schneider house to watch Josie open ALL her fabulous gifts...which I must add took sometime because she is spoiled beyond belief...and we wouldn't have it any other way!!!!

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Here are just a few of Lyla and the joys she had during Josie's big day!!!

As I conclude this post - I am still in disbelief that Josie is 2...which reminds me how close Lyla is to turning 1!! Yesterday I held a baby that was 11 weeks old - WOW the days when the girls were that small - it seems so long ago yet just like yesterday!!!!

Maybe...just maybe I will believe it to be true that Sweet Baby Josie is 2 and Sweet Lyla Byrd is almost 1!!!!

Videos

The bead chaser...one of Lyla's favorite past-times. Keep watching until the end when we praise her with a big "Yeah Lyla" - she is so proud!!!

Where's the bird?

The first time Lyla pointed at the bird Michael and I looked at each other with the look of "Did she really just do that." So of course we had to test her again and again and again and the next day and the next day and the next day. We are now positively sure that she is intentionally pointing to "the bird." Haha! Our sweet Lyla is getting so big and so smart!!!!

To date, Lyla is signing: More, hi, bye, all done. We are working on: Bird, thank you, bottle, mom, dad

And for your viewing pleasure - introducing "Skags"...That would be "Skags" short for Skagway, Alaska because doesn't every Moose come from Alaska:)

My new favorite...

I don't believe I have mentioned this before but I have a habit of wrapping those sweet curls around my fingers and playing with Lyla's hair...which in this case led to me trying out a new hairdo...to trying out a head band...and how sweet is she - it's my new favorite!!!!

I couldn't stop at just one :)

On this day we had the perfect excuse to hang out around the house...the heat index being 104 we decided staying in the air condition sounded much better!!!

And we had ourselves a great day...Lyla providing all the entertainment!!!

"I've got my eyes on you!"

"Daddy come back!"

Here she is really trying to get Daddy's attention...

And of course it worked :):):)

Lyla finally discovered her puzzle rack...

Nap time! Would you have been able to move her into her crib???? :)

It's a really busy week sorry not much for details ;)

This past weekend we went back to Cincinnati for Josie's 2nd birthday - Josie is 2 can you believe it!! Pictures coming soon!!!

10-months!

Happy 10-month Birtday to you!

Happy 10-month Birthday to you!

Happy 10-month Birthday to LYLA!

Happy 10-month Birthday to you!!!

Family Vacation...

After a year of planning and weeks of packing and preparing the time finally arrived. It was time for Lyla to take her first trip via airplane to meet her family in Sea Grove Beach, Florida. Family arriving from: Cincinnati and Xenia, Ohio - Indiana - and England...yes England!!

So off we went - how would Lyla do on her first flight? She didn't sleep nearly as much as we thought - everyone around her played a part in keeping her entertained - and of course Lyla didn't disappoint and thanked everyone with a big SMILE!!! I honestly can not tell you how many times we heard "What a beautiful smile - what a huge smile - she is the happiest baby I have ever seen." Okay enough with the bragging - I know I know ;)

We arrived at the Lemondrop house around 5:00pm - we all exchanged long hugs and right to the beach we went...

This being one of my favorite moments...no explanation needed!!!

Michael was hilarious...of course he had to remind us all that he didn't see the ocean until he was 18 and didn't have his first airplane trip until he was 19...all of which Lyla has already done before her 1st birthday :)

Michael was a tad reluctant to dip Lyla's toes in the ocean so I quickly volunteered to takeover!!! After seeing the ocean we all headed back to the Lemondrop house to unpack, eat pizza and unwind...

This was a Family Vacation...

I would be in denial if I didn't admit I wasn't sure how the week would go. You put 5 families under one roof - oh goodness you just never know! BUT I will quickly point out that this is a family vacation I will never forget - IT WAS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!!! Next years plans are already being thought about!

Introducing my Uncle Denny (my mother's brother) - they travelled across the pond from England!

Left to Right: Katie(7), Sam(nearly 13), Pam and Uncle Denny

Words can NOT begin to explain this crew - Oh how we have missed you so!!

Pip Pip - Cheerio...

Here's the entire gang...

The Schneider Family, The Austin Family, Grandma and Grand-daddy, Aunt Pat (my dad's sister) and The Foland Family(my mother's brother and family)

This one has already been ordered - blown-up to an 8x10 - and will most definitely be framed and hung on a wall!!!! Now that all the introductions have been made let's get to business. Getting into "vacation mode" isn't too hard when you have a pool and beach right outside your door. Sidebar: My sister and I decided it would be impossible to summarize the entire vacation therefore the rest of this post will mostly be Austin Family related. Please visit: www.threeschneiders.blogspot.com/ for the Schneider Family's perspective. My sister is the absolute best when it comes to words so you will get lots of great commentary about the week from her :):):)

Okay back to business - here is Lyla in her "daddy approved" flotation device!!!! Do you think Lyla was enjoying herself!!! Next up - The BEACH - capitalizing it for more emphasis because Michael swore he would not let her sit in the sand...because he is the over protective - sweetest daddy in the world - that wouldn't dare want his daughter's skin to get irritated or itchy!! Thank goodness Grand-daddy brought his 30 year old (no exaggeration) boat!!!! Now let's go back to the point just mentioned above...you know that overprotective bit! Look what daddy was daring enough to try while I stood on the sideline having a heart attack. Ummm yeah - Grand-daddy to the rescue - Lyla was not a fan but still thanked her daddy for trying something outside the box - haha!! Sand - Sand - Sand - Daddy is not a fan!!! Would Lyla be??? Yes - Yes - Yes!! And daddy didn't even make me put on her "snazzy-knees". Please go to http://www.onestepahead.com/ and search "snazzy-knees" - Michael made me do it!!!! And because it is so exhausting to spend your days at the pool and beach - here comes the sleeping series...

Most of our days were spent just like this...look closely and you'll get a couple added laughs...

And one of Lyla's favorites - peek-a-boo - Where's Mommy?

Here I am!!! Look at this trio...TROUBLE!!!

I will skip the part about our ONE attempt going out to eat for dinner and summarize it by saying we didn't attempt that again. Instead we made our own feast each night...

Here are just some randoms that stand out in my mind. I just love this photo of the Schneider...

There is no stopping her from having a bottle...even if it did drop in the sand and taste like salt water - haha!!

Pressing my luck...

And the "beach pose"...

Looking at grand-daddy in the background - building his beach condo...seriously!!

Another one of my favorite moments. This pictures was taken at the end of the week. Was she relaxed or what?!?! Lyla was most definitely in vacation mode!!!

And this blog post would not be complete without giving Sam a proper shout-out from his American family that comes from Ohio ya'll!! Sam - Sam - Sam...what to say about Sam!!!!

Sam just a reminder that I love "my iphone" - Tennessee rocks - Howdy ya'll - Screw that - You did not do 6 flips - TWSS - Do you want a HAMBURGER - Lyla still hasn't said your name but I will report as soon as she does...the list goes on and on and on...please visit soon!!!!

Another Austin family series for you...

Another glorious day at the pool - honestly I could never tire of this...

And just because she is so cute...

So by now you can tell that we had a blast at the pool and beach BUT more importantly we accomplished what we really set out to do which was spend good quality time with family. Lyla was beyond spoiled all week.

And we'll end with this...Lyla on the subway "L" train making it's way back into the City...

For the complete shutterfly album from the week:

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