The BIG Wedding

I finally was allowed back at a wedding at our church (see last September's posts). Mr. Jamie and Miss Samantha were getting married. Mr. Jamie is Mrs. Kelly's son, and they invited me so I insisted on going. Mommy bravely sat near the front with me while Daddy helped perform the ceremony. (I was entertained by a sticker book at least). Before the service started, there was pretty music playing and when it stopped I would tell everyone around me that the music had stopped. Mommy told me we could not talk in the sanctuary, but I quickly pointed out that the ushers were talking. Mommy had to admit I was right and couldn't argue.

At the reception, I had fun running around and couldn't wait to get my hands on one of the cupcakes with the golf balls on the top. After I ate a piece of bread (aka dinner), I got my cupcake. Yum! That golf ball was chocolate!

The music started and everyone was dancing, but it was too loud for me. Mommy and Daddy were sure I would like the band and jumping around, but I didn't. I did have fun though and let Mrs. Kelly hold me so Mommy and Daddy could dance one time. I was pooped by the time we left. It was a beautiful wedding!








Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Family and Friends in August

In August I did lots of celebrating with friends and family. My friends Travis and Taylor turned 3 and had a party to celebrate. It was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed the game with the parachute with all the balls on it. The boys had chocolate cupcakes with lots of icing. For some reason, I chose to eat my cupcake with only my tongue. It was a challenge but eventually Daddy felt sorry for me and helped me pick it up and take a bite.



I also helped my great-grandmother Nana celebrate her birthday with all of Papa Nick's side of the family. All of my cousins were there to celebrate. I am now old enough to try and keep up with the older girls. Here I am taking a break with Rheana, Riley, and McKinley.



Lastly, Uncle Andrew came to visit me for a day. We went to the creek and threw rocks and played and played. I think I wore him out. He is so great and so fun. When he is around, I really prefer him over Mommy or Daddy but don't tell them that.



Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

I still love the zoo

Man, do I love our zoo! Mommy says it is something special but I would be amazed at all the other zoos around the country. We took Daddy because he never gets to go with us. My favorite animals are the siamangs with the mere cats taking a close second. I love it when then siamangs yell and talk to each other and swing from tree to tree. I like to climb in the tunnel and see the mere cats up close too. Daddy and I did the elephant salute to the elephants; I think they saw us and appreciated the greeting. For the first time, we went to see the larakeets. Mommy never takes me by herself (because she has a fear of birds flying close to her head), and we got to feed them. They were so pretty and colorful. The goats had babies at the petting zoo so we got to see them. They wouldn't hold still so I could brush their hair. I didn't understand why because my babies stay still when I play with them, but Mommy said I would one day when I have a baby of my own. Please come visit and go to the zoo. It is such a fun place!











Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Play, play, play

As I told you before, I played and played this summer. I went swimming a lot at the neighborhood pool. Mommy bought me these cute floaties. I don't like putting my head under the water yet but I love to "swim" with my floaties. I finally discovered the freedom I had in the pool once I got used to my floaties and would float all around. I really loved to jump off the side of the pool and swim to the steps. I can't wait to learn to swim.





I also enjoyed imaginative play. I would take my babies grocery shopping in the pantry, go the the airport in the dining room, and on and on. Mommy and Daddy's favorite thing I did with my imagination was "put on a show". I heard about "the show" from a friend's older sister. Since I had never been to or seen a show, I created my own using an electrical cord, dancing, singing, and dress-up clothes. The audience was Mommy and my babies. Daddy and Bear dog made a special appearance in the show. I think I have a hidden talent here. Pictures below to document the event.





Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Monteagle SSA

We went to Monteagle this summer. Daddy was the pastor on staff for a week at the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly, and Mommy and I tagged along for a week in the mountains. It was such a fun week of playing outside and swinging on the porch swing. We got to eat outside on a porch at the house we stayed at. My favorite things I did during the week were collecting tennis balls from the tennis court, taking walks around the grounds, visiting Sewannee and eating ice cream, and visiting my new friend Piper. Piper's mommy and my mommy went to school together and they just moved back Tennessee. Daddy is taking us back to Monteagle this year and I am so excited to go. I will actually get to participate in the day programs for kids my age (And mommy will get to take longer naps on the screened-in-porch)! Yeah.









Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Things are achangin'

This summer brought new things and lots of learning and growing. I have been working on my counting. I could count to twenty by early summer and have been working on actually counting objects in numerical order. Sometimes I get ahead of myself and can make 5 objects turn into 10. I also love to point out colors like the colors on the stoplights around town. My favorite colors right now are orange, pink, and blue. I am still working on my letters by mid-summer and can really only identify a few, but thanks to the Wiggles I can spell D-O-R-O-T-H-Y. I really love to sing (and Mommy and Daddy love to listen). I can now sing back to Mommy the song she has been singing to me since I was a newborn. Maybe one day I will sing for you but I do get a little shy about it.

Other things that this summer brought were pudding pops. Memie gave Mommy the popsicle containers that she had growing up and we made CHOCOLATE pudding pops. I think they are yummy.



One day this summer mommy had her hair in a ponytail and I asked for a ponytail so she attempted to put my hair in a ponytail. It didn't last for long. But all of this means that my hair is growing. I actually have curls in the back most days and now require a hair dryer to dry my hair at night. I still can't get a ponytail up but I do need a barrette to keep my bangs out of my eyes!





Lastly, this summer brought my love of peanut butter to the forefront. I really wish I could just have a spoon and the jar but mommy usually serves in on crackers, bread, or apples. Peanut Butter is SO yummy. It is almost as good as chocolate. I wonder if they make something with peanut butter and chocolate put together?



Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Where did summer go?

Hello friends! I finally let mommy take a break to catch up on this blog. I wanted to "do it myself" but couldn't figure out how to turn the computer on...hehe. I had a great summer and played lots. Fourth of July was spent on our street. I got to eat chocolate and play with water balloons. I didn't want to throw my water balloon though and was devastated when my balloon did break.

Let me tell you what happened after that....fireworks went off. Fireworks are LOUD! I covered my ears and ran around telling everyone that would listen that fireworks are loud. I finally broke from my campaign and uncovered my ears when Elmo showed up. Who knew he lived on our street. I really thought he was a little guy so I was a little nervous to go too near him. All the other kids thought he was great so I eventually warmed up to him. When the fireworks starting going off, we had to go home because I couldn't take it. It was too loud. Mommy says she is glad to know that I will probably never play with fireworks.










Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Does it start this early?

Mommy asks all the time, "Does it really start this early?" And she means all my latest habits. I now like chapstick. I have some purple chapstick of my own, but I prefer Mommy's (2 chapsticks to be exact and they are hidden in her top drawer in her bathroom in case you babysit me and can sneak them out for me!). I like to carry them in my purse, but mostly I just like to hold them and then apply the chapstick. I will be set when winter comes.

I also have become opinionated about my clothes. In the picture below, I chose purple shoes to go with this bright blue and red outfit. The shoes are a winter suede, and I wore this outfit a few weeks ago. Mommy has now figured out to pick out two choices of outfits and let me choose between the two, including the shoes.

Lastly, I can be "bossy" though Mommy and Daddy will say that I am including everyone in my play. Recently Daddy had some of his students over for dinner and I made everyone dress up with me. I thought they looked real nice. What do you think?







Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Some things never change

The joys of Summer

Now that summer is here I have been enjoying all the things that come with summer (except the mosquito bites). I love to go swimming and to the zoo. I love Popsicles and fresh produce. I love to eat corn on the cob like Mommy and Daddy. I play in my splish splash pool while Mommy dangles her feet in. I love to play with playdough when it is too hot to go outside. I love to go to the creek (in the picture with friends Travis and Taylor) with my bucket and throw rocks. And I love to ride my tricycle. Summer is so fun!









Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Uncle Andrew

My Uncle Andrew came over one day last month. He barely sat down to eat his dinner when I insisted on him playing with me. He had to eat and play at the same time and ate his dinner at record speed. He wore my sunglasses which I helped him put on. He also played hide and seek with me (my new favorite game). He was a good seeker. Hekept falling asleep so I would yell "Wake up!" and he would jump up awake. I don't know why he was so tired after playing with me?







Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Getting Big and Strong

I am getting Big and Strong; I tell Mommy and Daddy all the time. So I have been working on new things like brushing my teeth and giving myself a bath. Mommy said we needed to start working on taking on and off my clothes to help me with potty training. So here I am working on taking off my shoes. I find it easier to lay down; don't you?!?







Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Playing with my Friends

A daily ritual for me is to play with my stuffed animals and babies. As you may know I have named the potato heads Cake and Abby. My 2 babies are named Audrey after my friend John Mark's sister, and then I have Bear, Big Bear, and Pig. They sit in chairs or the couch downstairs and I tend to them. I line them up and snuggle them into their spot. Then I will tell them its time to go "nigh-nigh" and cover them with a blanket. Then I will cover them with another blanket. Mommy has limited me to using 4 blankets. If she is folding towels, I sometimes grab one of those when she isn't looking. Then I leave over them to say prayers and I say
God our Father, God our Father
Once again, Once again
We bow ourheads skank you, We bow ourheads skank you, (We bow our heads to thank you)
Amen, Amen.

Then my friends are alseep!









Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

I love swinging!

Hello all! I wanted to share with you one of my great loves...swinging. If I am not swining in a swing myself then I am pushing a swing that is either empty or has something in it. I have pushed swings with rocks in it, Cake and Abby the potatoheads, my Baby, and people. If you are with me on a playground, watch out because I am headed to the swings and I don't wait patiently for my turn, because I only prefer the swings!

These are pictures from a day with Perry where I played with her and her swing. I would push her, then stop her and ask if she wanted to go higher, and then push her again. Thankfully she didn't mind the starting and stopping like some people do. I have discovered though that now summer is here, the swings are hot and not so fun to be on so I have had to play with other things.







Much Love,
Carlisle Drew

Lots of Fun with Mommy

Where have you been? Or where have I been? Outside!!! I am having so much fun outside. Mommy and I have been planting in the pots and gardening and watering the plants. I love to hold the water hose and use my watering can. We planted some marigold seeds that are coming up. I will let you know how they do in the summer heat. My favorite thing in the garden are the roses and the daisies. There are all kinds of bugs and animals outside that I see and am learning about. I have seen bees, wasps, mosquitos, hummingbirds, turkey buzzards, birds, ants, spiders, rolly pollies, dragonflies, and lots of other things. I have been trying to learn about all of them but its tough trying to keep them straight. MOre to come on my summer fun....







Much Love,
Carlisle Drew