I am a show off

This is from last month when we were in North Dakota. Here i am holding 2 babies because I am a show off! Gemma is the baby trying to escape and baby Z is trying to figure out what is going on. Don't worry baby Z. It is just your crazy auntie!

Summer goodness

We're squeezing the last bit of goodness out of summer. Temperatures outside are finally bearable and we made the most of it! Gemma is finally at the point where we can do a little running around town without a major meltdown. Her schedule/feeding patterns and needs are starting to be more identifiable.

Saturday, I settled for a picnic and hike when I really wanted camping. The weather was absolutely perfect. Our big kids managed a 1.75 mile trail walking the whole way!

Turns out I got a camping night Saturday when I woke up with everyone in bed with us and the window open. We'll call it camping light.

This morning, the weather was again too gorgeous to stay inside after such a long, hot summer. So, we packed it up and went out to Cahokia Mounds Stste park. We took in the museum and did some more walking before hitting the road. Just a quick hop away on the map is "World's Largest Ketchup Bottle". We took what should have been a quick detour....and never found it. After 40 minutes, we gave up and headed home.

All in all we had a gorgeous weekend of family time together - a nice way to wrap up the summer. This next week is a big one for our family. William will start kindergarten. This will push our family into the school age years as opposed to the preschool years. It is a big step - one that have a big impact on all of us. As big of a step as it is, I am certain this mama is much more worked up than the boy is about the whole thing! Wish us luck!

9 weeks old!

To celebrate the gorgeous weather we have been having, we took Gemma out for her first hike! She was awesome and cooed at her daddy the whole time...and then spit up gallons all over him.

What a wonderful day! Picnic in the park, a long hike, time at the playground, burgers& asparagus on the grill. Perfect!

Giggle!

2 months old!

Gemma is 2 months old today! Our sweet girl had her 3 month well visit with her doctor today where she received 2 shots and an oral vaccine (see the bandaids? So sad!). The doctor was happy with her progress in all areas and sent us on our way.

A quick number rundown:

13lbs 1 oz (I'm sure it would have been more if she hadn't created a giant poopy diaper in the waiting room.). That means she has gained roughly 5 pounds in about 8 weeks. Not bad for our prize winning piglet! Her weight puts her in the 95% of other kids her age for weight. Her height is also in the 95% at 23.75 inches (which is a gain of 3 inches since birth!).

No more appointments until her 4 month visit!

Amelia Takes the Leap!

We just wrapped up four weeks of almost continous swim lessons.  The kids have both made great progress this summer in their skills.  It was also great to have a reason to get out of the house for a few minutes every day for the kids to have some physical activity in such hot weather conditions.  During the last week, another student in Amelia's swim class asked if she could go off the diving board and Amelia begged (not kidding!!) to tag along.  I was sure she wouldn't do it.....I'm still not sure she would have done it on her own without any help.  She sure was proud of herself though!  A few thoughts on this:

1.  You can't see it in this video, but there weren't any other kids in the pool at this time as it was inbetween swimming lessons.  Yet, there were at least 3 lifeguards on duty in addition to the swim instructor in the pool and the swim instructor on the diving board behind Amelia (Fun fact: 3 out of the 5 lifeguards/instructors are former students of mine).  Despite all of the supervision AND having given my permission, I was still extremely nervous to see my little girl standing on the end of the diving board at the deep end of the swimming pool a good 20-30 feet away from me.

2.  The swim instructor came back with both girls by the hand after they both jumped off the diving board.  She handed both girls off to their mothers (we were sitting right next to each other), and said "I never thought I would see the day when two four year old girls were brave enough to jump off the diving board.  This is an awesome day!"  Her jaw hit the pavement when I informed her Amelia is only 3.  She was assuming Amelia was the same age because she is a full head taller than the 4 year old in the class.

3.  William was positively green with envy.  He couldn't believe his younger sister got to do something before he did.  Before we left the pool, William insisted we find his swim instructor and demand to be allowed to jump off the diving board the following day.  He had to promise to listen for the entire swim lesson the next day (this has been a problem for us this year, unfortunately).

Conversation

In the car this morning on the way to swimming lessons


William: Do you know any old people mom?
Mama: Whhhaaa?  (I was up waaaay to late last night trying to get stuff done.  Like surfing Facebook)

William: Do you know any really old people?  Who do we know who is old?
Mama: Ummmm.....I don't know?
William: I only know four really old people.
Mama: (uh oh....who is he going to proclaim as old?) Really?
William: Great Grandpa Tom......Great Grandma Gerry.....Grandpa Budd and Grandma Nona.  Those are all the old people I know.

Whew!  I know you all are as relieved as I am to not be included on this list! Sorry Grandpas and Grandmas (the greats)!


**He then went on to wonder if his body could be a fossil when he dies and about how long that would take...and then if any person's body had ever become a fossil in the history of ever....and where that fossil would be located and if anyone had one in a museum.  He then wanted to know why all immunizations aren't the kind that go up your nose (he had a nasal flu shot last winter), what kinds of sicknesses were prevented by the immunizations and how many more shots he will need before he dies (when I was non commital about this one, he pressed on.  He would like a precise number, please), if kids in the future will have shots or a "better" kind of medicine, if people who live in space will need the same shots, and why people walk in the street when there is a sidewalk for them to use.

*** We live roughly 3-7 miles from the swimming pool.  When I say it takes us less than 10 minutes to get there, I am not exaggerating.

****This boy is exhausting with the questions.  I admit to being overly anxious about him going to kindergarten.  I will also admit I am totally looking forward to handing over responsibility for his never ending questions to someone else for a few hours a day....