While the cat is away...

We have definitely been playing this week!

This past Saturday, Evan took a group of kids to camp. They are at Super Summer, and I realize that is only 20 minutes from where we live, but we are going on a week without the big guy at home. We are managing just fine and it's actually been a fun, full week, but we are READY for tomorrow. One.More.Sleep.

We have stayed busy by keeping the road hot--Little Rock over the weekend, Arkadelphia every day for swimming lessons, Benton to swim with some old friends, and Hot Springs for errands. Kendall's friend Grace spent the night with us one night, which was a treat! I have cooked nothing but mac-n-cheese, ramen noodles, and turkey sandwiches and have spent my evenings falling in love with Masterpiece Theater's Downton Abbey.

The girls have done exceptionally well this week. Kendall has, for the most part, been helpful and cooperative. Arden is a little off her normal routine, but it's not too big of a deal. I think sometimes for a baby, it's hard to tell what is really normal for them anyway!!! 

The following pictures don't have a lot to do with Evan being away, but I want to take a second to talk about this sweet little thing. She is really starting to look and act like a toddler, and it's really fun. She is saying so many words!!! Bye, ball, no-no, yes, shoe, bath, more, "nanny" for banana, duck...just some right off the top of my head. Oh, and this kid LOVES to eat. We try really hard not to occupy her with food, but she will literally go HANG on her high chair!!! It's so crazy!

One morning this week, I was feeding her oatmeal for breakfast and about halfway through it, she shook her head "no," pointed to the counter, and said, "Nanny! Nanny!" I put the oatmeal up and got her the banana!!! It was too funny. She can show you her where her eyes, belly button, and "shoes" are. So sweet. If you ask her to say "Kendall," she shakes her head no, but points to her! Cracks me up.

Yesterday we spent the day with some old family friends in Benton. After we ate dinner, all the girls were getting fudgesicles and the big girls (Kendall, Madison, and Peyton) wanted to feed one to Arden. This was her face afterwards:

Another thing we get a big kick out of is when we are feeding her and she catches the spoon in between her front teeth. She thinks it's so funny, and will just sit there for the longest with the spoon in her mouth grinning at us. I think she's getting close to wanting to feed herself. We'll see.

Today, she found a picture of Evan with both the girls...she carried the frame around the house saying, "Baby!" "Da-dee!" "Baby!" "Da-Dee!" over and over. So sweet.

Did I mention we are ALL ready for him to be home?!