A Grand Time in Grand Isle

Over Labor Day weekend we were lucky enough to score an invite from the Guillory/May/Neyland clan to join them at the camp in Grand Isle for some much needed R&R.  After a midnight ride to the gulf, we woke up on Saturday ready to get the party started.  Sadie needed protective gear for the festivities...

Actually, Mrs. Betsy, Kelly, and I were the ones who needed protective gear, or a head exam, one or the other.  We took all 5...count them, ALL FIVE...girls to Walmart to do some grocery shopping.  It was an interesting trip.  Stella found a hat that she liked...

I guess this is her Shiloh Jolie-Pitt impersonation?  Who knows...

What a ham!  I think she was excited to be out of the Tahoe with the most per capita car seats in the U.S. for a while.  Seriously, we felt like the Duggars...

After our shopping adventure, the men returned from their "fishing" trip with crabs.  Huh? How do you go fishing and come back with crabs?  Apparently the fish weren't biting...

Awww.  Talia loves her daddy...

When the older girls started playing in the water Cille had to get dressed for the occasion...

Check out that suntan!

Talia and Stella realized the importance of staying fully hydrated...

Cille tried to butter me up so I would let her in the swimming pool..

Stella tried out another hat...

Later Dara and Matt arrived with their baby.  He's the furry one that Sadie's holding...

Stella was a big fan of the puppy...
Meanwhile, all that fun in the sun wore Cille out...

Everyone was welcome in Talia's pool.  The baby doll took a dip, even though she forgot to pack her swimsuit...

A hammockful of girls...

John's "How to Eat a Crab" tutorial...

Yummy!

Stella was a big fan of the crab.  Seriously, Damon could not get the meat out fast enough for this child.  Add that to her love of crawfish and frog legs and you've got a 100% Cajun baby.  How did that happen? I know I gave birth to her.  I mean, I was there...

Talia decided to take another swim.  She did not see dry clothes as a hinderance...

She was finished with those clothes anyway, because it was time to put on her cheerleading outfit for the big game.  Go Tigers!  She was teaching Cille the cheer...

Since Emma's birthday was coming up, we had cupcakes to celebrate.  I am now planning to invite Emma over the next time I need to frost cupcakes...

Talia was our quality control expert...

Cille got lots of cuddle time in over the weekend.  Here she is with Dara, the fabulous photographer who you can read all about on our blog, but rarely get the treat of seeing because she's so great behind the camera...

She also cuddled with John and Talia...

Cille's Newborn Pictures

Now that Cille's birth announcements should have reached their destinations via U.S. mail, it is time to unveil the rest of her fantastic newborn photo shoot by Dara May Photography.   First up, Mommy and me...

Just the four of us...

In black and white...

Stella had a few shy moments during the shoot...

This one is Damon's favorite.  We used it for the back of the birth announcement...

Stella obviously warmed up to the camera...

Even though Cille was only a week and a half old, she was already a little too long for some of the props...

She is so sweet...

I love how it looks like she is thinking in this one...

All these pictures were taken in our living room, believe it or not.  Dara has quite the mobile studio...

Cille felt that she needed to adjust her hat...

Baby toes and Daddy hands...

In living color...

Look at those sweet baby wrinkles...

She's holding his finger but she already has him wrapped around hers...

I Want to Share Your Pillow

When Stella gets into our bed in the morning, she always wants to "share" Damon's pillow or mine. This time, she was doing the sharing, with her daddy and Cille...

This picture also made me realize that the stain that did not come out of her shirt was barbeque sauce.  Yum!

Water Park Fun

While we were in Minden, we visited the new hot spot for the toddler set: the water park!  At first, Stella wanted to stay on the regular playground...

Daddy enjoyed it, too...

Stella sat on a bench for a while trying to talk herself into it...

Eventually she got up the courage to test the water...

After that, she warmed up pretty quickly...

Be glad this picture doesn't have sound, because at this point Stella was emitting an ear-splitting shriek of delight...

This is my personal favorite picture from the day.  Look how much fun they're having!

Meanwhile, poor Cille forgot her bathing suit and had to just be a spectator...

She still managed to have fun, though...

Stella was having an absolute ball!

She slept very well that night...

Meanwhile on the bench nearby...

Cheese! They were soaking wet...

Cille thought they looked funny...

Unfortunately, Stella decided to head back to the sand in her wet swimsuit...

It led to this little dirt-encrusted booty...

But isn't sand just one of the funnest things in the world to play in?

She even got in some swinging before it was time to go home...

Cille and Grandpa Crane

Cille had a special treat last weekend.  She got to meet her Great-Grandpa Crane for the very first time!  He has the title for two reasons; one, he is Grandma Tonie's daddy, and two, he is the most wonderful grandpa ever!  Cille and Grandpa the Great posing together...

Cille was relaxed enough with Grandpa to really let it all hang out, so she bared her midriff...

We love and miss you, Grandpa! Come see us!