We love the summer! Warm summer days make me so happy. It's only the beginning of July and we've already done so much!!
Strawberry Picking
We took the kids strawberry picking at Butler's Orchard in the beginning of June. Both of the kids LOVE strawberries, so we thought it would be a fun way to show them how they are grown. Aiden had a great time "helping Mommy" pick all the deliciously sweet berries. Mady remained pretty unimpressed by the outing, but definitely enjoyed snacking on the fruits of our labor! The berries that we picked were in their bellies within just a couple of days! I think this activity will become an annual one for us.
Happy Father's Day!
We had a pretty low key Father's Day, just a day spent with the family and a special dinner made by me and the kids. Aiden was so excited to give Daddy the present he made at school for him, complete with a fantastic "tie"! Daddy was a pretty good sport and wore it to make Aiden happy.
We're so lucky to have such a wonderful Daddy!
Feeding the Ducks
We spent part of Father's Day weekend with Grandma and Grandpa eating lunch and feeding the ducks afterwards. The kids had a great time tossing bits of bread in the water for the ducks to fight over. However, there was a rather large (and grumpy) crane standing guard over the lake... Aiden talked about that thing for days afterwards and how "mad" the "big bird" was.
Mady loves her Grandma!!
It was a gorgeous day, so we took the opportunity to take a nice walk around the lake.
Midway around the lake was a carousel. Aiden and Mady had a great time, even though Mady was initially afraid of the bobbing horse. We ended up all sitting in the carriage and waving at Daddy who was standing along the sidelines.
Happy 4th of July!!
We had a pretty relaxing July 4th, is there a better way to celebrate it? We decked the kids out in their stars and stripes and had an impromptu BBQ. With Daddy at the grill, we were sure to have a delicious feast! Aunt Jen and Uncle Rez stopped by with Kai and we were able to set up the water table for the kids to play with. We got that water table for Aiden about a year ago, but this was the first time we actually put water in it! My goodness, entertainment for hours!
Our best attempt to get a cute picture of the kids.
Water table fun!
Even Rocky joined in on the festivities by sunbathing on the deck.
Aiden, Mady and Kai!
The water table was such a hit that we had a round 2 after nap!
We thought about going to see the fireworks, but in all honesty, we got pretty lazy from our relaxing day. We ended up lounging on the deck for awhile after dinner before turning in for the night!
Splash Park!!
This past weekend we made our first summer time trip to the splash park! This is an annual favorite for Aiden and we were excited to introduce it to Mady!
Mady was pretty apprehensive about the whole idea and was pretty timid to start. She watched her big brother run around laughing for about an hour before she decided that she wanted to join in on the fun. By the time we left, she was hooked!
Daddy took Mady down the small water slide! I promise, Mady was smiling afterwards.
Aiden and Mady loved when Daddy swung them into the water!
This was Mady's favorite spot. I think she stood here for a good 30 minutes. This was the first of many trips we'll take the splash park this summer! Not only is it so much for fun the kids, but they take excellent naps afterwards... score for Mommy and Daddy!
Updates on the kids!
Aiden:
My little man is getting so big! It's amazing some of the things that come out of his mouth. He's extremely smart, not only intellectually, but he has a smart mouth! He's definitely like his Daddy in that he has quick responses to things we say to him. You can't help but laugh!
Favorites right now:
Food: Rice, black beans and corn. Graham crackers and fruit snacks.
Song: Monkey's Jumping on the Bed
Book: Green Eggs and Ham (I have that thing memorized!)
Movie: Cars (the original, not the sequel)
Toy: Anything with 4 wheels!
He's been doing much better at Preschool and seems to be adjusting well. At our last parent-teacher conference his teacher commented on how impressed she was that Aiden knew all his letters, shapes, colors and numbers. I've been working on having him try to write his name, so far we've gotten as far as him being able to verbally state how to spell it. It's a start! Our big milestone these past couple months was potty training!! Shout out to my mommy friends that urged me to wait until I knew he was ready. It took about a week and it stuck! I have to admit that it was one of the most challenging weeks I've had since becoming a mom, but well worth it in the end!
Here are some pics of my handsome little guy:
A day at the park! Aiden's always been a bit timid when it comes to doing more adventurous activities, but he's slowly coming into his own. I think school has played an important role in teaching him that it's ok (and fun) to be more active.
Daddy bought the kids a cute little wagon for me to pull around when we go on walks. My helpful guy prefers pulling his sister around (who loves lounging with a snack and her sippy cup) versus going along for the ride.
One of the not so great things that happened was Aiden being formally diagnosed with asthma (2 ER visits later). He was such a trooper and all the nurses loved him! We also found out that he's pretty allergic to tree nuts, so another Epipen goes into our backpack! Luckily we didn't have to find out the hard way (like Mady with peanuts). Between the 2 kids, we have so many food allergies to be mindful of... eating out can be a challenge!
Another big milestone for Aiden was his first trip to the dentist! The pediatric dentist we were referred to WAS AMAZING and so great with Aiden. He let them look into his mouth and take a full set of x-rays! Go Aiden! What was not so great were the cavities they found (yikes), which we are getting filled this week.
Time for x-rays!
I love that Aiden is finally at the age where he will sit and smile for pictures!
Fun at the park!
My little Aiden is such a good boy. He's really becoming his own little person, testing his boundaries with mommy and daddy, and continues to be like a sponge- soaking every new thing up. Love you, Bug!
Mady:
Oh my little Mady-moo, what a little spark plug she is! She turns 15 months in about a week and her little personality has evolved into quite a fun (and strong) one!!
Favorites right now:
Food: Pretty much anything she can get her hands on, though she has a thing for french fries
Song: Anything with a good (and fast) beat! She loves to shake her little booty and dance! I think one of her favorites is "If You're Happy and You Know it"/
Book: Mady loves looking at books. She doesn't necessarily like reading the whole thing though...
Toy: Anything her brother is playing with!
Words she can say: Mama, Dada, Roro (for Rocky), yes, no (a favorite), hi, thank you, milk
Mady's big milestone is walking! She's been able to take a few steps for awhile now, but she always knew she could get where she wanted to go faster by crawling. It was only about a week or so ago that she's really spent a lot of time walking around. She's so cute toggling around the house with this enormous grin on her face.
Another big Mady milestone... teeth! Finally! Mady's 2 bottom teeth broke through first and the top ones will likely be in soon!
Here are some pics of our little ladybug:
At the park with Uncle Brian
Mady and Rocky are best buds... I think the fact that Mady throws food on the ground for him is part of the reason, but those 2 just love each other!
Mady's hair is finally long enough for pigtails!
Morning time fun with big brother.
Mady loves playing with the tupperware!
With Ba Thu!
I don't know if you can see him, but Grandpa is on the other side of the door. Mady adores her grandpa!! He was sitting out on the deck, Mady spotted him, and proceeded to wave hello through the door. Those 2 are like 2 peas in a pod!
I can't believe how fast time is flying by. Mady is already getting so big, it makes me sad that she's not a baby anymore. But she is so sweet and so much fun. I love her hugs and kisses!! Love you, my sweet baby girl!
We're so blessed!!!
Up next is our annual trip to Myrtle Beach! It will be so much fun now that the kids are older, we can't wait!!! More to come!!!
