Redi or Not....: July 2011

Father's Day Brunch at Ryles Jazz Club

We are thrilled that Summer is here...the girls have been saying all Winter, I wish it was Summer and we are thoroughly enjoying spending every minute we can outside. Whether it is at local parks, friends' houses or in our own backyard, the girls are happiest when playing outside. They are usually busy climbing, sliding, swinging, jumping, riding tricycles or cars or scooters, pushing lawn mowers or baby carriages or just playing in water making mud pies. We are so lucky to have 13 kids living on our street under the age of 12 so there is usually someone to play with for the girls and other parents for me to talk with!

Callia & Maia taking their ice cream very seriously

lovin' each other

another hug

Callie thought she would dress up for the backyard

Playing at the water table

Maia, as usual, has been so active. She loves to ride her tricycle, scooter and bike with training wheels.
Whatever she can find to climb on, she will climb on with much success. She loves to keep trying something over and over until she masters it. She also has a very funny sense of humor. Her latest "joke" is whenever I ask her for a "high five" and hold up my hand, she runs into it with her head and cracks up! She also likes to "wrap" things in tissues for me to open like a present, such as my lip balm. Maia really likes to do everything herself. She wants to wash her own fruit, get herself dressed, go potty by herself. Today she taped her own mouth shut...ahhh a few moments of quiet. Let's just say Maia likes to wake up really early and find the loudest possible toy to play with first thing in the morning.

Maia at a family wedding in MD

Callia has been so busy playing with dolls, Little People, doll house people with intricate scenarios that she narrates with language and feeling. She is often found singing something from the "Sound of Music" or " Mary Poppins" (Julie Andrews is her idol). I love it when she sings the line, "The hills fill my heart, when my heart is Yonyey (lonely)." She also likes to substitute her own words in songs we are familiar with. The other day, she sang a song about her diaper being soaking wet....

Callie at a family wedding in MD

We recently went to Burlington, VT for a few days to visit my brother Mark, SIL Jodi and their amazing boys. These are a few photos from our very special visit. Since we only see them once a year, we were so thrilled to have this time with them and what fun it was for my dad to have his kids, their spouses and all his grand kids at the same time. Exhausting at the same time....

After our visit, upon saying goodbye to Mark, Jodi and the boys I was feeling sad and Maia asked what was wrong? I said, "Maia, I am sad because I already miss Uncle Mark, Aunt Jodi, Jack, Charlie and Max." She said, "It's ok, Mama. You have me!" She takes good care of me...