I'm so proud of you

You and me, happy as can be

Flying through the park on our bikes

On a Sunday afternoon

You and me, rolling on the floor

Practicing your somersaults, cartwheels,

Your donkey kicks and more…

How did you grow so big overnight

How did you get so smart and bright

Yesterday you were asleep in my arms

Today you’re growing off the charts

I’m so proud of you

You and me, drawing pictures wild and free

While the paint goes flying,

Your big smile brightens up the room

You and me, reading books in bed

Your head on my shoulder,

Your eyes on the pages ahead

How did you grow so big overnight

How did you get so smart and bright

Yesterday you were asleep in my arms

Today you’re growing off the charts

I’m so proud of you

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5 Months Already?!

Maggie turns 5 months - she is doing so much more now!

We take a walk every afternoon. Henry rides his trike further and further everyday, and Maggie loves her stroller and being outside. We don't make it too far, just down the street and around the corner, but she is so patient and loves looking around. Mags really loves watching tree leaves blowing in the wind - whenever she can see a tree out of the window she is fascinated.
While she still doesn't love tummy time, she can do little push ups and push up really high. It is great to see her getting stronger and stronger. Lately she's been awake while Henry naps, so I love having one - on -one time with her.
For awhile, Maggie was sucking her thumb on her right hand quite a bit, although now not doing so as much. In the last month she really has been munching on fingers and munching on ours. Getting anything in her mouth that she can. Teeth might be coming - a little bit of drool too - but hopefully still a few months away.

Such a big girl in her swing! Watching her in the swing is so funny, for the first couple of swings she gets really red in the face and worried, but then realizes she likes it and she starts to smile.

And the most exciting news is that one week before she turned five months, Maggie started to roll from her back to her tummy! She really worked hard on this milestone - I watched her practice for a solid two months, and thought she would be rolling any day for those months. But she took her time. In the last two weeks, I could see the determination on her face as she would go after a toy and really try to flip herself. I hope that determination is a character trait that will stick around!
Her naps have mostly been a few regular short cat naps throughout the day, but in the past couple of days she has started to adopt a three nap pattern. I hope that lasts too! And she's also taken to falling back to sleep on me for the remainder of one of her naps. Reminds me of when she was a newborn, and I love it.

Grabbing her toes

And just yesterday, she sat unassisted for a good length of time, like a little tripod. She was so excited with her new perspective!

Henry really loves making Maggie smile, and she smiles every time she sees him, even if he is crying. For some reason, he started saying "DOUGH - NUTS!" to her, and it gets her every time!

If I could freeze time, I would. I hold Henry while he's watching tv or getting ready for a nap or reading, and I know he won't let me hold him as much as he gets older. And darn it, Maggie is going to do the same thing. I always have a tough time around their birthdays, and Henry approaching three and preschool age has left me with a lump in my throat all summer. And Maggie is now one month shy of six months. Six months is a hard age for me because while I get excited about starting solids, I miss that total dependence of 100% nursing. Maggie has helped out by taking her time, so for that I'm thankful! Anyone developed the stop time machine yet? If so, please let me know.

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Sunshine State

Maggie made her first visit to the Sunshine State! Which also meant her first trip in an airplane. We had fun playing in these little rocking chairs in the airport waiting for the flight. Maggie did just o.k. during the flight. She had a little trouble getting cozy, but did manage to take a nap on Daddy. She seemed to just want to eat and had TWO bottles during the flight!
We found lots of sunshine in the Sunshine State, and immediately went swimming. We spent every day in the pool, beating the heat and humidity, having fun and relaxing.

What a cute little penguin!

I love this picture of Daddy and Daughter. She was laughing hysterically as he was making his tummy bounce up and down.

A new swimsuit - a size bigger to last her through the rest of the year and maybe even into next year (hopefully!) And such cute tushy ruffles to boot

Maggie took well to relaxing in the pool

Papa took Henry fishing and they caught a fish "soooo big, Mommy". A true fisherman already.

Some tummy time on the beach, just watching the waves come in

All buried up in the sand

I love holding my little one while she sleeps - and I'm getting to do it less and less these days. Savoring every moment.

Henry also saw his first movie (and Maggie too I guess!) - Winnie the Pooh. It was a great first movie theater experience for him. He sat perched on the edge of his seat, enjoyed his movie "popcorns" and even sang along to the songs.

Outside of the children's museum, there is a big park for running and splashing in the fountains. A great way for us to cool off on our last day in Florida.

We came back to more heat in Indiana, just like around the rest of the country. First thing Henry asked when we got home was ask if we could go in the pool. We'll have to make do with the baby pool and hose.

We had a lot of fun visiting family and Maggie got to meet some of her relatives for the first time - great grandparents, great aunt and uncle, and see both grandparents. I was able to see lots of my friends from growing up and they were able to meet Maggie as well. All in all, a great trip to Florida and lots of fun. After all this travel though, we're tired. We're staying home and spending time playing at the house and local places. Well, inevitably we'll stay busy, but that's what summer is for!

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Blueberries for Henry and Maggie

One day, Little Henry went with his mother to Blueberry Hill to pick blueberries. Little Henry brought along his small tin pain and his mother brought her large tin pail to put berries in.

Little Henry picked three berries and dropped them in his little tin pail ...

kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk!

He picked three more berries and ate them. Then he picked more berries and dropped one in the pail - kuplink! And the rest he ate.

His mother walked slowly through the bushes, picking blueberries as she went and putting them in her pail. Little Henry struggled along behind, picking blueberries and eating every single one.

Little Henry hurried ahead and dropped a blueberry in his mother's pail. It didn't sound kuplink! because the bottom of the pail was already covered with berries.

His mother stopped picking and said, "Now Henry, you run along and pick your own berries. Mother wants to take her berries home and can them for next winter."

His mother went back to picking,

but Little Henry, because his feet were tired of standing and walking, sat down in the middle of a large clump of bushes and ate blueberries.

On the other side of Blueberry Hill, Little Bear came with her father to eat blueberries.

"Little Bear," he said, "eat lots of berries and grow big and fat. We must store up food for the long, cold winter."

Over on the other side of the hill, Little Henry ate all of the berries he could reach from where he was sitting, then he started out to find his mother.

Little Bear and her father went home down one side of Blueberry Hill, eating blueberries all the way, and full of food stored up for next winter.

And Little Henry and his mother went down the other side of Blueberry Hill, picking berries all the way

and drove home with food to can for next winter - a whole bag full of blueberries and three more besides.

The End.

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July 4th

Cause baby you're a firework!

Come on let your colors burst!

Okay, I might have been singing this song to Maggie all day on the Fourth of July. Having just been back from a whirlwind trip to DC (more of that to come soon), we hung out around the house for the morning and just relaxed. We would have been okay relaxing in the afternoon too, but dollar days at the 4H fair were calling our name. We knew Henry would love the rides - and he did! Best $10 spent on an evening of fun :)

of course, our boy found a train to ride, and liked sitting in the conductor's seat

He was really funny driving these boats - when he got on, he was in his own little world just turning the wheel and talking to himself. It wasn't for quite awhile later that he realized you could "bonk" other kids

Maggie was a bit perplexed at all the excitement, lights and sounds.

She also seems to be a bit perplexed at the camera because she makes this face every time I pull it out.

We broke up the rides - thus making it last longer of course! - with some visits to the animals. Henry really liked the rabbits "mommy, they're so cute!"

This picture cracks me up. He told us he was telling some stories to the goats. "Now you listen here, goats!"

This kid was showing off his new kid of only 11 days old. He was full of goat knowledge that he shared with Henry, and Henry was fascinated by the older boy.

Star Spangled Baby

I love 4th of July - it is one of my favorite holidays, right up there with Christmas. And I love fireworks, so I was only a little disappointed we couldn't see any big show this year. With little kids, we just couldn't see keeping Henry up so late, even with a long, late nap. Maybe next year, but Maggie will probably be the bedtime conflict. Gabe and I were able to spend some quality time watching fireworks from the neighborhood on the end of our driveway, and did a few sparklers ourselves. Mind you, these sparklers were from three years ago, but they still worked! Who saves sparklers for three years, really? The funny thing is, we couldn't even use them all so they went right back down in the basement to be saved for next year. I'm not a hoarder, really. I promise. Just some practical tendencies to never throw away anything that I might someday want to use. That's Type A and a teacher for you. Here's to this year's (and next year's!) Fourth of July!

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