We are still alive!

Hi from the worst "blogger" ever!!! You would think this past month would not be nearly as crazy as the previous 5 months, so really I have no excuses (except for at least a week without internet partly due to me not turning on the computer and later due to technical difficulties with our cable internet provider and then our wireless router... but I won't go into that here... )

A recap from the past month (I will also post some corresponding pictures):
My grandma (Mamoo) turned 91 on February 10th and the girls & I went to Lafayette to take my Mamoo to lunch for her birthday and visit for the day. We had a great time!
Saturday the 14th we headed to Lafayette again to celebrate our month of birthdays (my brother, mom, grandma & sister.)
The following weekend (20-22nd) we drove to Chicago and stayed with my sister at her new apartment in Lincoln Park. Why does it require so much packing to take a toddler & baby somewhere???!!! Our car was jam packed and we were only going away for the weekend!?! We went to Chicago to celebrate my sister Melissa's 30th birthday. She knew our family was coming for the weekend but she did not realize there were going to be two surprise parties for her as well... In the afternoon on Saturday she was surprised when our family along with 5 other friends (and one friend's parents) were waiting at a restaurant to have lunch and see Melissa. Friends who flew in for the surprise wanted to be able to spend more time with Melissa while they were in town + the 2 friends who planned and organized it... so we all had a fun time getting together for lunch and visiting a little in the afternoon. The second surprise took place at a restaurant (Mambo Grill) downtown. This time Melissa was not expecting anything at all, since she had already been surprised in the afternoon! There were probably 30 people waiting in the downstairs part of the restaurant and she was so surprised! We had so much fun!!! Happy 30th Melissa + Thank you so much Amanda and Kiley for all of your hard work to make such a special and memorable 30th birthday for Melissa!!!
In the midst of all of the birthday celebrations we have been working with Anne more on potty training (2 steps forward and today it seems 3 steps back!) + Whitney has started solid foods! Yeah! This is the little girl who had a feeding tube until a month & a half ago!!! We are working on cereal and have started green beans and rice!!! Yeah Whitney!!! Whitney has also turned 6 months old. I cannot believe it has been 6 months since she was born and we began this new "normal" life. It has been a challenging 6 months but things are only looking up from here and we are so lucky to have both of our girls healthy & happy now!!!!!!

Here are some pics - have a great weekend everyone!!!

Mamoo's 91st birthday

Sisters

First bite of cereal

February birthday groupSURPRISE (#1)

More Chicago Pictures...

Amanda, Laurie, Melissa, Harmony, Whitney & Kiley
the "Aunt Sassy" salute (we call Melissa "Aunt Sassy")Grandpa Jimmy & WhitneyGrandpa Jimmy & Anne

Aunt Peg, Anne & GGLaura, Melissa, Tim & Nicole

Aunt Beth & Whitney
Aunt Peg & AnneThree generations of sisters
6 months old