ANOTHER FEW PHOTOS FROM OUR TRIP TO GREECE, ITALY, AND FRANCE

A MEDITERREANEAN RETIREMENT TRIP AND A VISIT TO CALIFORNIA FOR A SAD EVENT

Here are a few photos from our trip last week to San Francisco for Oscar Simon's Memorial Service. Oscar always loved having all of his family at gatherings. Jason, Meredith, Amelia, Aaron, Caren, Maury and I all were there. Irene did amazingly well over the weekend. Oscar made sure that Maury and I left on our two week "retirement cruise" to the Mediterreanean before he died. He always thought of everyone before himself. We will all miss him.

KNEE HIGH FINGERPRINTS

Amelia sure is getting mobile as she holds on to everything trying to take steps. She was especially cute yesterday as the stereo was on as she bounced up and down to the beat of the music...laughing and trying in her own way to sing. She is really loving trying out her "Simon vocal chords" with her high pitched shreaks.

She loved standing against the front door peaking out as Bubby watered the flowers. She is also getting pretty good at crawling up carpeted stairs with a little help from Daddy Jason.

Great Grandma Emily and Bubby brought Amelia home some treats from their recent work related trip to Nashville, TN. She especially loved the touch and feel Rain Forrest Book.

Amelia's favorite was the fresh organic blueberries that Wanda Green brough over for Amelia to try. We all got to sample them. They were much better than the store bought ones. Amelia LOVED her frst try of Bubby's home made lasagna. What a special treat! Yum, Yum!

We are all amazed at how much she has grown this past month since we have not seen her in about 3 weeks. She is growing like a "weed"! It won't be long until Bubby has to put everything up on the top shelf as Amelia begins to walk.

A GREAT VISIT CAME TO AN END....

We will all miss Amelia and her family over the next couple of weeks as Poppie is going to San Francisco to visit Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Simon and Bubby is going to Nashville, TN and Greensboro, NC with Great Grandma Cooper to go to some work related conferences during that same time..

PLAYING WITH MOM AND DAD AFTER DINNER

I love playing with Mom and Dad at Bubby and Poppie's House. It is easy to scoot on the hardwood floors.

How about a "BABY BACK RIB" for me?

Those ribs smell really good! Amelia wished she could have tried one!

My first real "people food" from Bubby's kitchen!

Amelia ate like a real little lady. She tried for the first time, cheese, tofu, watermelon, blueberries, strawberries. Then she finished up with her favorite, applesauce. Only one piece of food on the floor! She did really well in the new special "big girl" chair with the tray that her Grandma Steele bought for her.

Something smells good...Here I come, Ready or not!

Helping Bubby Cook for the 4th of July

It won't be long before Amelia is up on the counter helping Bubby cook for family dinners!

Pre-Fourth of July Celebration...A barbecue feast at Bubby and Poppie's House

I love coming to Bubby's and Poppie's....I like getting presents....even if it is clothes!

THE YOUNG AND OLD PROM QUEEN

Little Amelia won the first of many contests....the 2006 Prom Queen of the Raleigh Day Care. She raised the most money from friends and family to help support the daycare. Since her head is so small and there is little hair to hold her crown in, Bubby proudly holds it on as Daddy Jason snaps the shot.

We cannot wait to see how much she weighs! She feels like she is over 20 pounds now. It won't be long before she is walking and running. She got crawling down pat, pulling up on everything, and looks like she is ready to be adventurous, let go, and begin walking. It should be an exciting summer!

A WEEKEND OF FUN!

Aaron began the weekend sitting in LGA airport waiting on a seat to fly standby as his father booked the wrong date on his holiday flight. He managed to get home and enjoy the family and visited with friends.

Aaron and Caren bought Amelia a new vintage knitted hat from Brooklyn. We all loved it! We hope it still fits next fall when it gets cold again.

Jason and his family had a huge party /cookout for many of their friends on Sunday afternoon. We could not believe all of the babies! The food was great! Thanks for inviting us. Aaron had a fun time too!

MEMORIAL DAY AT THE POOL WITH THE KIDS

Now this is the way I remember holidays!....With both kids at home, doing things together, having meals together, cooking together, watching hockey, being with friends...a GREAT weekend!!! It is even better now with a great daughter-in-law and a beautiful, happy grand daughter. Aaron loved his visit even though it was an adventure flying "stand by" this time! I loved seeing everyone happy at the same time. Amelia makes us all laugh!

"STRIKING A POSE"

Here's another photo from our Sunday visit. How do you like the "Amelia" pose on all fours?

DUCKS AND GEESE AT LAKE LYNN

Amelia got to visit with Dad today at Bubby's and Poppie's house while her Mom had to go Cary Academy's High School Graduation. We played on the carpet while the boys ate their lunch. We went for a great walk over to the lake. We could not believe the number of ducks, geese, baby ducks too, that were swimming around the lake. The big kids were feeding the ducks and turtles some pieces of bread. When the geese all flew in for their part of the Sunday feeding, it "freaked" Amelia out a little. Too much activity!

When Amelia fell asleep, we started back to Norman Ridge Lane. Everyone enjoyed the long walk on the California like afternoon. I believe that Poppie was a little "pooped" out from all of the walking. We all enjoyed a cool refreshing soda and Amelia loved her formula.

We are all looking forward to Uncle Aaron coming in next weekend for the holiday. We know he will be surprised at how big and mobile Amelia is getting.

FIRST MOTHER'S DAY WITH AMELIA

It won't be long before Amelia is celebrating her 8th Month Birthday! We were really noticing how much she has grown and is changing since we spent quite a bit of time with her this weekend. We were pleased that the Columbia family came up for a visit to see us all and to celebrate Mother's Day. Four generations together, lots of food, fun, visits to the N.C. Science Museum, shopping, playing in the back yard, and getting to baby sit while Amelia's Mom and Dad got to go out with friends for a few hours.

It is hard to decide which photos to post from the weekend as they are all so cute...but here are some of the best ones!

Don't forget to go on Amelia's site at www.ameliasimon.com and vote for her to be the homecoming queen of her day care center!

A SATURDAY AFTERNOON VISIT AT BUBBY AND POPPIE'S HOUSE

Look at Amelia! She had a great time playing at Bubby and Poppie's house as Mom and Dad were out shopping for a new dishwasher and other stuff. We read books, played with Amelia's toys, went for a stroll around the neighboorhood. We came back and went upstairs to practice crawling on the carpet in Bubbie's bedroom. She's almost there. She just hasn't figured out how to get both her hands and knees working together. She'll have it down pat in a couple more days...then she will be into everything! Amelia also loved sitting out on the deck as Bubby worked on her online clourse. She especially loved all of the flowers, listening to the wind in the trees, watching the squirles, and the birds feeding. We can't wait for another visit!

A BOUNCING BABY

I wish that I would have felt better than I did when we visited Amelia, her parents, and family from Charlotte this past weekend! Unfortunately, I had an alergeric reaction or some other type of bug over the holiday weekend. But... that did not keep us away from enjoying Amelia as she celebrated her first Easter / Passover with a new "Bouncy" seat. It was so funny seeing her bounce through the doorway. She was so proud of herself! It did not take her too long to figure out how to make the "new amusement" work. She has an amazing amount of strength in those little nearly 7 month old legs!

It was also funny to watch her eat solid food for the first time. More came out than went in...I believe! But she seemed to enjoy the taste of pears and peaches.

SUNDAY LUNCH

Amelia was full of smiles today as she, her Mom and Dad came over to Bubby's and Poppie's house for a pizza and salad lunch. All Amelia got was formula! It will not be long before she is eating more than baby food as she now has one and a half baby teeth. Pretty cute! I know she is looking forward to next weekend as we all have a long holiday weekend. Grandma Wanda and Uncle Michael are coming up to celebrate Easter and Passover. I feel sure that we all will be visiting and eating alot. We wish that Aaron Caren and the rest of the relatives could come for a visit. Hopefully it will be warmer as today was too cool for a walk!