Summer Days

This has been a perfect summer! It is the first one in a long time that Drew has had some time off too. We've been doing exactly what summer was made for...playing and relaxing and not much else. Here are a few pictures from our lazy summer days.

We've been having a few playdates. Caroline has been over to play and "swim" a few times. The girls get along so well and have been practicing their sharing skills on each other. Kate is slowly getting better.

Recently Kate has met a new friend whom she adores...Jude. They play together perfectly and that gives me a little free time to chat with the other mommies. (Thanks for the pictures, Emily.)


We spent some time on the lake with Grammy & Papa. Kate went tubing for the first time. I'm not sure how thrilling 5 m.p.h. is behind a pontoon (she is sucking her fingers and twirling her hair), but hey, she's 2! She is trying to get brave enough to jump off the side of the boat. We tried to convince her that jumping off the boat would be less scary than being thrown off; but she couldn't be persuaded and preferred to be thrown.


Once or twice a week we make a trip to the pool. Ben is satisfied to hang out under the umbrella while Drew and I take turns playing Kate's shadow. She really has no fear of the water. Unlike the boat, she loves jumping off the side of the pool. She is even starting to go underwater on her own. However, Kate's version of going underwater is a little different than most. She takes a deep breath, closes her eyes so tight that her whole face scrunches up, then plunges under until the water hits about her nose. She always ends by clapping and doing a little happy dance.

Occasionally Mono comes over for a little visit. Usually these visits involve baking. Most recently Kate & Mono made peanut butter blossoms...yum! I think Kate's favorite part of baking is eating the ingredients as she goes.



Most of our evenings involve a walk around the neighborhood or down to one of Drew's softball games or to the playground. It has been a great way to get to know some of our neighbors and explore this new town of ours. And, when we get home there's nothing better than a popsicle (or two).


I love summer. I love the bubbles and the sidewalk chalk and the sprinklers and the playgrounds. I love watching Kate run and giggle and chase the dog in the backyard. I love snuggling my babies on the couch while watching "Melmo" on Sesame Street. I'm trying to ignore the fact that the school year is getting uncomfortably close...