More summer fun

Hey sweetie! Just a quick update on what's been going on this week. It's been pretty calm (but it's definitely the calm before the storm!). We've got just about every weekend until October booked up, so we're enjoying these couple of low-key weekends we have!

This past weekend we did our usual Friday night gathering at Abigail's house. We actually did pizza instead of Mexican! (Don't worry, you, me and Daddy went to eat Mexican Sunday night, so we didn't miss out!) You had so much fun playing in Abigail's playroom with Ellie and Abigail. Baby Grant just kind of hung out on the couch, but that's about all he does these days - he'll play with you soon!

Then Saturday we played around the house, and we ended up going BACK to Abigail's Saturday to grill hamburgers. We were trying to eat some of the vegetables from our garden share program, so we had grilled corn, and Mommy fried some okra!!! Yum! You scarfed it down! You and Abigail played outside on her playset while the girls cooked and the dads watched you. But you guys just couldn't stay away!! You knew something good was going on in the kitchen!!!

On Sunday, we played around the house for a while and then we went to the pool. You're getting more and more at ease in the pool. We're going to make a swimmer out of you yet!

Daddy also bought you (and him) a treat - cotton candy! You weren't too sure of it at first, but of course after one bite, you loved it. You just didn't love the fact that when it got wet it stuck to your fingers. I think you may have a little of Mommy in you (I don't like for my hands to be dirty either!).

You're sleeping pretty right now, so I'm going to try to get some rest myself. Sleep tight and I'll fill you in next week on all of the exciting things you do!!! Kiss Kiss from Mommy!

Atlanta!

You're such the world traveler - and not even 2 yet! This past weekend we took a quick trip down to Atlanta to see Mommy's friend Lisa and her 2 little girls Sydney and Caroline. You had such a good time! They've got some great toys!! But we brought your Sesame Street house - just in case! I thought Lisa was going to steal it from you. I think it brought back a lot of memories of her childhood! We went to dinner Friday night and then just hung out at her house. Then the next morning we went to the Georgia Aquarium!! We thought the Tennessee Aquarium was nice?! This was fantastic! You had such a great time looking at the huge sharks and fish! But one of your favorite things was the coin spirally thing (not really an aquarium exhibit, but fun nonetheless!).

You even watched a 3-D movie. It was really cute and you actually did pretty well. It was only 15 minutes, so that was perfect for you!

We stayed and had lunch there so it was quite a morning for you. I had Lisa take a picture of us as we were leaving, and I swear you were awake not 2 seconds before this picture, but you just couldn't keep your eyes open any longer!

Then we just hung out with the girls the rest of the weekend. The girls put on a ballet recital for you which you seemed to like! You seemed to have a fondness for older women! You kept trying to play with Sydney, and she really was good with you, but I think when you hit her with a spoon too many times, she was a little over you at that point! But we all had a great time. We'll have to go back and see them soon!

As for what you've been up to this week, well, I never thought you'd do this, but you actually climbed out of your crib one night!!!! You're just not a climber (like our dear friend Abigail!), so I never figured in a million years that you'd do that! You'd only been asleep for about an hour and you woke up crying. I was upstairs in the guest room working on some stuff, so I thought I'd try to let you cry it out. Then I heard the crying getting louder (like closer to me), so I thought your Daddy had gotten you. Well, I looked out the door and there you were sitting on the top step of the stairs!! (I hadn't closed the gate because who would have thought you could climb out of the crib?!?!). So I got you and put you back to bed. Well, the next day the bumper pad came out of the bed! I think that seems to have helped a little. I put you in the crib last night while you were still awake and you tried to hike your leg over the side but you couldn't quite do it without that pad! So I'm hoping that fixed it. I just don't think you're ready for a big boy bed (and I KNOW I'm not ready for that!!!). You're growing up way too fast, so let's just hold onto our crib for a little longer, OK!?

That's all I have for an update for this week. We have a pretty lowkey weekend ahead of us, so hopefully we'll get some pool time in! I'll let you know next week though! I love you! Kiss Kiss from Mommy!

4th of July

Hey Buddy! You had quite a Fourth of July extravaganza! Thank goodness for Emme and her embroidery machine! You had a shirt for every day, so you could show your American pride every day! I tried to get pictures of each one, but you're not one to sit still for a photo opp! Here's what I could get!

Aren't they cute?!

We did our typical Mexican Friday night and then Saturday afternoon you had a girls' night (Grant has got to get older, so you can have some male companionship!!!) at Abigail's! After your nap, we went over there and played at their pool with Nicole, Abigail, Stephanie and Ellie. You guys had a lot of fun, but you couldn't make up your mind between the baby pool and the big pool. That got a little tiresome after a while, if I must say!! Then we headed back to Abigail's house for pizza - YUM! Then it was time for what us mom's had been waiting for - a bath with all 3 of you!!! You guys were so cute in the bathtub together. It was kind of a tight squeeze and poor Ellie didn't get the best seat in the house!! But Abigail showed you how she could draw in the tub and I think you guys had fun. We took videos and pictures just to be sure we have enough ammunition when you get older, and we need to bring 'em out (for embarrassment, blackmail, whatever)!!! Here's a sample!

Then we spent the night at Abigail's and went home the next morning.

We paid Baby Grant a visit that morning. We tried to get you two together, but I don't think we can stress "Gentle" enough with you!! One day he'll big enough for you to play with!!

The next night we went to Ellie's house! You and Ellie played outside in the baby pool and chased each other around the firepit, so cute!! Then we ate some yummy burgers that Jason grilled, and you guys got to watch Daddy and Jason with sparklers! You LOVED the little popper things. Jason kept throwing them on the ground, and they'd pop, and you would crack up laughing!!!

All in all, it was a great weekend with friends!

I have to brag on you too. You can count to 10!!! I had no idea you could do it. They were telling me at daycare that they were practicing counting but I had no idea how brilliant you were!! We were counting last weekend and I stopped when we got to 3 (underestimating you!) and you kept going. That was such a shock and a wonderful surprise! I'm trying to get it on video, but you are pretty stubborn and only do it on your terms!!! But it's precious whenever you do decide to do it!!

I'll fill you in on this weekend's fun-filled events next week. I love you!!!! Kiss Kiss from Mommy!

Prayers

This is just a quick entry to document something so stinkin' cute you did tonight! We usually say our prayers before we read books and before bed. So the routine is I play the prayer bear and say the prayer along with him. Then we ask God to bless our immediate family members (which I name them and you just listen) and then I say "and all our friends and family." Well tonight as I started to say the family members, you said each one after I did (cute moment #1). Then we got to Baby Grant and you attempted to say his name and then smiled REALLY big (cute moment #2). Then after I said "and all our friends and family" you said "Elmo" (cute moment #3). I couldn't help but laugh, and then of course I had to repeat it, so I said "and yes God bless Elmo." I'm laughing just thinking about it!! I'm sure we'll have many more of these moments to come! I love you, sweet thing!!!!