Swim Lessons

We started swim lessons tonight! Daddy decided to swim with miss Penny and I thought I would just sit on the side and document every last second of our little peanut's first adventures in swim lessons.After teaching lessons for so many years, I should have known better. The instructor came over and told us spectators that we had to move to the bleachers. Doesn't sound so bad, does it? Can you spot Penny and Daddy in this picture? It was like playing Where's Waldo for the entire half hour. Luckily, daddy would give me a big wave every few minutes so I could be sure I was watching the right people :) Penny loved her first swim lesson. She loved the songs and games. She kicked and splashed with daddy. And, she slid down the slide from the teacher to daddy at the very end.

She blew bubbles, jumped in to daddy and paddled across the pool with a huge smile on her face :)

And, right before they got out, Daddy helped Penny do her first bob. She wasn't sure what happened, but she didn't cry and she started playing happily again as soon as it was over.

We are so happy that Penny is taking to the water like a little fishy! Can't wait for the next lesson :)

We love Daddy!

From the first second we met, you've been there to take care of me You make me smile! If something is a little scary, you make it silly and fun and I forget to be scared.

You let me take risks, within reason. I am a big girl and you let me show you!

You teach me new things every day. You're teaching me to sing Twinkle Twinkle and you made up some cool hand motions, which make me giggle like crazy! You're teaching me to count when we walk up and down the steps. I love learning with you!

I want to be just like you daddy!

I watch you and I learn. And, then you act silly and make it even more fun!

And, you blow the best bubbles!

I love you daddy! I hope you had a great Father's Day!

Your Pen Pen

16 Months

We've got a 16 month old in our house!16 things about Penny at 16 months:

1. 
   
   She's repeating the ABC's. We say each letter and give her a chance to repeat after us. She knows certain letters in order- whenever we say E, she says F. She gets so excited when we get to Z.


2. 
   
   She's also learning her numbers. Daddy counts the steps with Penny each morning and night and she repeats the numbers after him until they get to 8, after which she immediately says 9 with a big grin :)


3. 
   
   She's started to blow bubbles in the bathtub!


4. 
   
   She loves playgrounds and is getting braver by the visit. The playground near our house has a four foot slide and she walks up the steps by herself, sits down and slides. She amazes me every day with her fearlessness!


5. 
   
   She is a people watcher. At the park, she is content to sit on the sideline and watch everyone for a few minutes. She picks up on everything- she'll point out every word she can say while she's taking it all in!


6. 
   
   Her vocabulary is growing by the minute. She is starting to repeat everything we say and she's starting to string words together. Up please. Hi daddy. I love you. She is really quite the talker!


7. 
   
   She knows the names of the Sesame Street characters and loves to tell us who each one of them is as we read Abby's Favorite Shapes.


8. 
   
   We still love outside! She would prefer to spend 24/7 outside! Since it's been warm out, Penny & I will sit outside and eat our cereal in the morning, which makes her so happy!


9. 
   
   Penny has started show-and-tell at school. So far, she's taken her dancing duck and talking Elmo to share with her class. Her teacher said that she is very good at showing when it is her turn.


10. 
    
    Penny also started splash days at school. On Thursdays, we send her in her swim suit and she gets to play outside with the water tables. June is water month in Penny's class and they've done everything from melting ice cubes to learning about water safety to reading books about water. This is her first full month with a structured curriculum and we're excited that it involves water!


11. 
    
    Penny & I have been enjoying morning runs with our jogging stroller. She talks to the birds and sings to herself while we run, loving every second! She is the best running buddy I could ask for! Occasionally, she tuckers herself out and falls asleep at the end of a run.


12. 
    
    Penny has learned what bye-bye means and is no longer upset when I leave for work in the morning.


13. 
    
    She's graduated to a booster seat at the dinner table and she feels like such a big girl eating dinner with mommy & daddy!


14. 
    
    She's got 16 teeth. Those eye teeth and molars have made their way in. She loves to brush her teeth in the morning and at night!


15. 
    
    Penny has started to say the names of our sisters. She says Meg for Megan, Ta-Ta for Terra, Missy loud and clear, Beck-ey for Becky and Nic for Nicole. She can point each of them out in pictures.


16. 
    
    She's using a fork at dinner. She is getting really good at putting the food onto the fork!

We are loving life at 16 months and are having so much fun watching Penny learn!

Villanova Fun

Some of daddy's friends were in town for the Villanova ten year reunion. We got to see Ryan!And Kelsi! Without Kelsi, mommy and daddy wouldn't know each other, so thanks Kelsi!
I got to play with my friends Kate and Alex. I tried to teach them how to walk and I think they're almost ready to do it!

I got to play with Madeline and Zachary too. Madeline just turned one! So fun!

It was so nice to see our Villanova friends! Hope we get to play again soon!

Aunt Becky's Shower

Aunt Becky is getting married soon, so we threw her a little bridal shower. I planned it all by myself and it was splendid! She was totally surprised!I got to see some of my cousins at the shower. Here I am with Kate. And with godmother Kellie and Maureen. Aren't they beautiful?Aunt Becky got so many presents! I helped her open them :)And I ate cake! I love cake!Aunt Nicole came home for the shower. Told you I'm excellent at planning parties!I had so much fun with Candis!I can't wait for Aunt Becky's wedding. It's going to be so much fun!

Fun with Grandma and Grandpa

Hi Guys,
I've been telling mommy to get her rear in gear and get these pictures posted...sorry they are late. I had some special visitors for Memorial Day weekend:I LOVE when grandma and grandpa visit! They feed me good food, bring me fun toys and play games with me!We had a blast! I showed them all around my house and my yard.I put them to work, of course. A girl needs room for all her outside toys! Thanks grandpa for teaching daddy how to build garage shelves. They're full of my toys, chalk and bubbles now!

Thanks Grandma for painting them. The white sure does look nice!I took Grandma to my pool. She made a fountain of water for me to catch!

And I showed grandpa my kitchen! I thought maybe he'd give me some candy, but mommy said no.

I took grandma to the zoo. We saw the monkeys and an alligator named Penny! Nana and Papa stopped by so I could have all my grandparents together. Isn't that cool!

Papa put together my chair from uncle Tom and aunt Mary Lynn. Thanks guys! I love it! Did you know my grandpa went to Notre Dame? Maybe I will too...

But, I have a few years before I need to apply. Until then, I'm going to stack up on hugs and kisses and snuggles.

Thanks for coming to visit. I had so much fun! Can't wait to see you again. Love, Penny