a blessed July...and August...

I know that I have not kept these monthly posts up, but I did not want to stop them all together, so I am going to catch you up on July and August in one!

July family photo on my birthday

July was a good month. We didn't make any trips or have anything big looming or planned, but ended up having a month full of fun stuff. There was my birthday, our 10th wedding anniversary (which included dinner out, by ourselves!, thanks Mom and Dad R), and a visit from my brother M and his wife A, and also a short visit with my brother L and his fiancé J who were engaged this month too! We also spent a lot of time outside in the garden and in the backyard with the kiddie pool and sprinklers going.

August family photo in sil M's pool

August was an anxious month. Getting ready for G to start school! Yikes! Along with getting school supplies, we also had times to visit and help Mrs. B in the kindergarten room, an evening with all the kindergarteners and their families and an all school picnic to help us get ready for her big first day of school. We also were able to squeeze in a pool party, roadtrip, day at the fair, and a fun 5th birthday party for G into the month as well.

August brought our first harvest out of our garden as well. Being that we planted the garden a month late, we enjoyed fresh beans a month later than when most people did. Which means we got to enjoy a really long season of fresh green beans. And ours definitely the most productive beans we have had yet! We were able to freeze 8 quarts, and missed out on freezing another 8-10 quarts due to our galavanting all over the country. We also had several meals of fresh beans (enough so the kids would say "beans, again?"), so yummy. I am enjoying G's help and interest in the garden this year a lot. She wanted to plant the beans, help weed the beans, and of course pick them too.

G notes:

• She learned how to skip!!! This is something that she has been wanting to do for some time, but couldn't quite get it. Well, one day in Target, she finally got it! So she skipped up and down the isles while the boys and I made quite a scene cheering her on. Yeah, we are that crazy family you roll your eyes at in Target...
• Her drawing ability really has come quite a ways. Now she is adding words and crazy faces to her drawings...so much fun! She also is drawing everything that she can think of - basically anything that she can't spell the words out to that she wants to write. Yeah, I would say she is ready for kindergarten!
• We started reading chapter books with her before her quiet time every afternoon. Have read Charlotte's Web and are in the middle of Stewart Little. S and I are enjoying this just as much as G is!
• Loves being outside. Loves putting on shows. Loves visiting with our neighbors and their dogs. Loves going to the park and playing with friends and cousins. Loves green beans. Loves riding her bike. Loves summer. LOVES the fact that she will be turning 5 and going to school.

W notes:

• His vocabulary and speech have progressed a lot these months. Other people comment that they can understand him a lot better (especially over the phone). He talks more like a little kid now rather than a toddler.
• He comes up with grand stories to tell us, has a great imagination in playing with G & C and also by himself. He also instructs us how to respond to his stories and games.
• Wakes up in the morning asking for an apple to eat and if we can play a game before C wakes up. Orchard Game being his favorite, "ticket booth game" (Monopoly Jr) being second pick.
• Dislikes the doctor's office very much. He vividly remembers the drs and examinations and shots that needed to be done with the polyp we found at the end of last year. Then in July he got hand, foot and mouth and also got a hairline fracture in his foot that required an x-ray. None of these incidents helped his dislike of drs! But we are making progress thanks to Dr. Tammy and had a good 3 yr well check in August. Insert stats here when I remember where I stashed that note (forgot regular book I record that in that day) and he is in the 60th percentile for height and weight.
• Loves playing ball! Has endless patience with trying to hit a ball with his bat, asks constantly to play "baseball guy" or "football guy" or "basketball guy". My favorite part of it though is that he goes through the whole process of pretending to put on the pants and the shirt and the helmet and throws us the same and makes us do that too.
• Loves playing with his trucks. Loves playing with G. Loves reading G's books. Loves playing in the park. Loves being outside. Loves to snuggle. Loves his dadda.

C notes:

• Yeah, going to stop recording "new words" now. He knew over 50 words by the time he was 18 months, which was right around where W & G were too. Our kids have always been gifted with words and for that we are very grateful! C is adding new words all the time and is talking in small phrases now too.
• This boy can get anywhere now! He loves to run, especially after his sister and brother, and wants to be doing anything and everything they are. He especially loves to copy W. If W has a book in the car, C wants one. If W wants and apple for a snack, so does C, etc. etc.
• C also had his 18 month well check at the dr. Insert stats here when I remember where I stashed that note (forgot regular book I record that in that day) and he is in the 97th percentile for height and weight. Only 2.5 inches shorter than W! They are going to be the same size here sooner than we think.
• C has really developed a love for books lately. Before he liked books, but you always had to pick short ones as his attention span was very short with them. Now he brings us books, asks us to read them, asks us to read them again, and then goes back to the bookshelf for more. He can also be distracted from being fussy or upset now by books, which is great!
• Loves yogurt raisins. Loves being outside. Loves shoes (will wear anyones lying around!). Loves being held. Loves getting into everything. Loves his brother and sister. Loves to smile.