The other reason I haven't posted much lately is we've been busy. With summer in full swing we've been having lots of fun at the pool, the park, the lake, lots of playdates, along with gearing up for Liam's 2nd birthday party... which, crazy as it sounds, will be this Saturday! Amazing how fast these two years have gone!
Anyway, here are some pics of what we've been up to lately! As you can see from the pics, I think it's safe to say, we are lovin' summer!
Pool Time!
So this summer we've been SO blessed to be able to get to the pool a few times already! Our friend Amy lives in a neighborhood with a pool, and she's been SO gracious to invite us over on days when she goes swimming.
We have had a GREAT time getting in some great pool-time! Liam has been very brave with the water, but HATES wearing a floaty, and doesn't want to even go near the little boat. He LOVES to sit on the step or have me hold him and swim him around and around.
Elizabeth, meanwhile, wants to wear EVERY floatie we have... Puddle Jumpers, pool noodle, and ALWAYS the baby boat. She won't get in without the baby boat. Sigh.
I went ahead and signed her up for swimming lessons in July, but we are going to have to get a LOT more pool/swim time in before then if she's going to even be willing to even try w/out floaties. At this point, she doesn't even like for me to hold her in the water.
At any rate, the kids have had a blast both times we've gone, and have taken GREAT naps afterward. It's great that Caroline and Anna are the same age as Elizabeth and Liam. We are pretty sure they will all be in the same preschool classes together (Caroline and Elizabeth, and Liam and Anna), which is so great that they will have friends to play with once school starts up.
And so much fun to get to hang with our buddies before then, too!
Along with some great pool time, we've also been to the lake a few times as well, going a few times with friends and one time just us. The lake is super close to where we live, and super clean (especially compared to most KS lakes), with a little restroom/shower area and even a playground.
Both kiddos are SO brave at the lake. The water is shallow for a LONG way out, so I think they feel less nervous. Of course, I'm always careful to have my eye on them and not be too far. But they've done a great job, and it has been a great place to get more comfortable with the water.
As you can see, Liam continues to hate water wings, floaties, or any sort of device that must be strapped on or that confines him in any way. So I usually end up taking everything off him, and just holding him in the water. It's lots of fun, though! And we are really enjoying all our little trips to the lake and plan to be back soon!
Bounce House
To keep us busy this summer, we also bought a groupon to a local bounce-house place. We met our buddies Caroline and Anna one day, and it was lots of fun! And can you believe, even LIAM went down the big slide!!!
Of course, after doing it a few times, he then got all the way to the top and decided he wasn't going to budge--a staff member had to climb up to get him. Silly boy. Sissy, though, did the slide and all the houses a million times!
The kids LOVED this place. It totally drained me, though!
And by the end, Liam started getting tired too, as is evidence by his little thumb sucking break. A sign of a fun morning--and time to head home for more great naps!
Saxapahaw
So the other night we went to Saxapahaw with some of our neighborhood buddies. Saxapahaw is a little town in the middle of no where, about 20 minutes from where we live, that's situated on the Haw river. The Old Mill has been converted into condos and a few little shops/restaurants, and in the summer they have a big concert series each Sat. night. We've been wanting to check it out for a few years now, but just never got around to it. But when my friend Laurey told us they were heading over and that the Paperhand Puppets (a very fun, family-friendly local band) would be there, we just couldn't pass up the offer.
It really was a lot of fun! The town itself is very "crunchy"--lots of organic co-ops and farmers markets, even a pump where you can fill up your car with biodiesel. Lots of those free-spirited, hippie types tend to come out to the summer concert series, although, because it was a family-friendly band, there was also a lot families like us there, too. Along with the music, they also have a giant slip-in-slide that goes down this big hill. I have to say, all the tie-dye, dread locks, and the giant slip-n-slide (with big muddle puddle at the bottom) made it feel like a little Preschooler's version of Woodstock--lol. But SO much fun!
They also had bubble stations set up where you could make HUGE bubbles. The kids liked this and took turns making their own bubbles... and chasing/popping the bubbles other kids had made.
Then we decided to wait in line for the Slip-n-Slide. Of course, Liam didn't understand the concept of a line. He just saw the fun slide and all he knew was he wanted on that slide. "Slide! Slide" he kept saying. When I kept pulling him back to the line, he'd throw himself down, mad that he couldn't go right then... you know, being a typical, almost-two year old. As we neared the front of the line, Liam kept wanting me to put him down, he was SO ready to go on that slide, "Bye, mom! Bye." he kept telling me, which is what he's been saying to us when he wants us to back off--almost afraid that we are going to keep him from the fun. Of course, when it was finally our turn, he threw a HUGE tantrum saying that he didn't want to do it--go figure!
"Weeeeee!" The girls loved it!
After doing the Slip-n-Slide, we headed over to the stage, to do a little dancing w/some other little kids (along with some VERY free spirited older ladies who were really getting into it! lol) Liam didn't like the noise. "Too loud" he told me. But Elizabeth was dancing away, trying to get her buddy Katherine to join her.
"I've gotta get up... I've gotta get out... I've gotta get mooooviiiin'!"
After a song or two, we headed back to our blanket. Liam was SO sweet with Ava. He handed her a clover-flower when we first sat down. Later, he shared a grape with her. We think it's love! ;)
There's my cuttie patootie eating his homemade ice cream. I love that face!
Sissy and daddy waited in line to get a balloon from Willie the clown. Elizabeth really doesn't like clowns--so I was AMAZED she got this close. Of course, daddy told me when he handed her the money to give to him, she got really scared, totally panicked, and then threw it on the ground. She also wouldn't tell Clown Willie what sort of balloon she wanted... but still, getting this close to a clown is still a pretty big deal!
The girls had a blast running around in circles, giggling, chasing each other, rolling down hills, and as night fell... catching fireflies. I LOVE summer!
As we were heading back to our car, the kiddos enjoyed running up and down this ramp over and over again. Towards the end our kiddos were getting REALLY wound up, so it was definitely time to head home. But all in all, it was a fun trip...
And already, a really fun summer!!!
More to come...
And already, a really fun summer!!!
More to come...
