Summer Fun

We had lots of fun this summer. We visited family for most of the month of June. In July and August we stayed busy with various activities. When we wanted to go somewhere different than the pool we went to our local Sugar Land museum. We enjoyed going a few times this summer.

Dancing and watching their shadows:

Checking out the dinosaur:

 

Turn, turn, turn:

 

Are we dizzy yet?

 

We also went to our playscape once. It was crazy, busy. So the kids spent most of their time watching the fish:

The three kiddos enjoyed a birthday party at McDonald's one Saturday in July:

Every Saturday morning our local McDonald's has face painting (more like body painting) and balloons for free. Score for the mom who scheduled a birthday party on a Saturday! The girls were thrilled!

I wasn't very good about taking pictures at the pool this year. I guess we were just having too much fun. But most weeks we went to the pool 3-4 times. It keeps us busy and everyone has fun. A lot of times Ian just wanted to snack and didn't want to go in the pool. Although he definitely fell in love with the lazy river and the slides. We had lots of fun with friends and family at the pools this summer!

 

We also spent a fair amount of time at home. Here's some of the fun we had:

I think we baked cookies once. We don't bake very often in our house, because I'm the only one who really eats the baked goods. And let's be honest here, I'm the one who needs the baked goods the least. But we did bake cookies once and the kids had fun:

 

One of Ian's favorite spots to hang out in this summer:

 

Playing legos with Daddy:

 

Going on a boat ride in the living room:

 

Coloring:

 

Brushing hair:

 

Rachel having a go at body painting:

 

Cooking with Daddy:

 

Playing in Daddy's closet while Mommy gets ready:

 

Wrestling:

Ian worked on feeding himself yogurt (he's gotten better):

Here's Audrey cheering Ian on as he plays with his shape sorter. I don't think this little boy is going to lack in the self esteem department. He has two of the cutest cheerleaders I know for sisters. 

 

And just to be fair, we did have plenty of meltdowns this summer. Everyone had their fair share. Audrey was just lucky enough to have a picture taken:

We belong to the YMCA right around the corner from our house. The kids and I spent a fair amount of time there. They enjoyed the kidszone while I enjoyed some me time working out. Rachel loved going into the older section and playing the Wii. This summer I even went a few times in the evening (doesn't work during the school year) and Rachel discovered the rock wall. I was impressed at how quickly she mastered it:

We also discovered that once a month they have a Parent's Night Out program that's free for members. As long as your children are potty trained you can drop them off for 3 hours on a Friday night and go out. The YMCA feeds and entertains the kids. So, we did this in July and August. Both times of course Ian was still with us. The girls were thrilled to go to Parent's Night Out and Ian enjoyed some one on one time with us. He usually just accompanied us while we ran errands. The first time we went out Home Depot was one of our stops:

Making sound effects while driving the lawn mower (just like Papa Michaelson):

The next month we spent some time at the mall, so of course we had to let Ian play at the play place for a bit:

Mixed in with all our fun this summer there was also some work that was accomplished. It's so fun when they are willing to help out. Ian is definitely my most willing helper. He's my little shadow during the day and will help out with anything I will let him. The girls are also willing to help out. Here's a few snapshots of our little workers:

We also enjoyed a few beach days this summer. The one time we actually went with family and friends, I didn't take many pictures. But here's a cute one of Landon and Ian sharing a chair:

And then the whole group of kids:

We also enjoyed playing at friends' houses. I had to snap some pictures of my girls enjoying playing with a houseful of boys and their dress-ups:

The one thing I miss the most about summer is lazy mornings like the one pictured below. Sweet moments and memories that will never be forgotten. During the school year Saturdays are our only days to be lazy in the morning and it's not always taken advantage of...

I'm so glad we were able to have a fun, safe summer!

4th of July Weekend

We got back from Utah on July 3rd. On July 4th we invited Papa and Grandma Michaelson to come down and spend the long weekend with us. Andy had to work some and it was also Papa's birthday on the 7th, so it worked out well. We attended the 4th of July breakfast at church and then went swimming with some friends. After cleaning up and Ian getting a nap, Papa and Grandma arrived. We enjoyed a barbecue dinner and then doing sparklers once it got dark. We opted out of going to a firework show, since we had gone to one up in Utah. The girls enjoyed the sparklers and Ian enjoyed watching:

 

 

 

On the 5th, Andy went into work and the rest of us enjoyed a lazy morning. Once Ian was ready to go down for a nap, we left Papa in charge and all the girls went shopping. Grandma always likes to take advantage of real city shopping! :) After Andy got home that evening we went bowling. We had the bumpers put up for the girls, but I think we all appreciated having them up. We all enjoyed bowling, even though some of us did much better than others... 

 

Ian was pretty thrilled when we got home from bowling and Papa humored him by taking him for a bike ride:

We enjoyed Saturday together as well. In the morning we went to the pool. That evening we celebrated my dad's birthday, since they would actually be driving home on his birthday. So, we went out to Olive Garden. And you see this cute, unsuspecting little boy pictured below? Well, he made Olive Garden interesting. They were really slow and soon enough Ian tired of the high chair and coloring. So, I plopped him on the booth next to me. He was cornered in and safe. Pretty soon he was playing with my wallet and I didn't think anything of it. He was happy and we were all enjoying our food by then. Well, pretty soon someone brought it to my attention that my credit cards were disappearing. Ian found a little crack in our cushion and was putting them down that crack. We weren't sure how things were going to work out. Luckily we were able to lift up the booth cushion and retrieve my credit cards before leaving. Crazy boy!

After we got home the kids put on a birthday performance for Papa with singing, dancing, and guitar playing. However, the most fun was letting Ian take control of the microphone:

 

And of course there was birthday cake:

Helping Papa blow out his candles (we did 8 candles, 7 for each decade + 1 more = 71 years young):

 

 Ian also helped Papa eat his cake:

 

We definitely enjoyed our 4th of July weekend. Our kids got spoiled with grandparent time this summer and we wouldn't have had it any other way.

18 months

What an adventure the past 3 months have been for Ian and all of us! He has made sure that we are able to experience many things that we have avoided in the past. In the past 3 months we have experienced our first and second ER visit (had to go back to the ER 9 hours later to have Dermabond applied again), stomach flu, an ear infection (double at that), antibiotics, breathing treatments, and hand, foot, and mouth disease. Wahoo! Needless to say we've met our health insurance deductible for the year! Despite all these not-so-sought-after experiences we've had, it's still been a good 3 months. Ian's a really happy toddler and through all of this junk, he's been a trooper. 

On a happier note, Ian has mastered walking. Within a few weeks after turning 15 months he was full-time walking. Now he's trying his best to keep up with his sisters. We have finally got him used to shoes, which was no easy feat. Ian's also gotten some more teeth. Two of his top molars have come in and two of his bottom molars are coming in. He's also got a third tooth down below, so he currently has 6 teeth on top and 3 on bottom (working on 2 more). We left Ian for the first time back in May. Andy and I escaped for a week and of course, Ian survived. He didn't want much to do with me when we got home, but after about 30 minutes he warmed back up to me and I guess, forgave me...

Ian still isn't talking much. He does a lot of grunting and pointing. He understands and follows directions quite well, so we know he's at least processing and just doesn't have the desire to speak. Some of Ian's current favorite toys are the cookie sheets, Mommy's or Daddy's wallet, a trash can basket (luckily we don't really use it), the shape sorter toy, and the baseball bat. He's gotten into dancing when music is on. He has a quirky thing about tissue. He LOVES tissue and loves blowing (more like sniffing) his nose. He really doesn't mind having his nose wiped. Kind of odd, but it's his little thing. He LOVES to be outside. Ian's quite attached to his daddy. When Andy's home, he wants him. Back in June, Andy returned from a 9-day trip. He spent some time with us and then went to mow the lawn. Ian watched Andy out the window and just cried and cried and cried. Ian has recently learned how to blow kisses. He knows how to give real kisses as well, but he's pretty stingy about giving them. I ask for kisses on a regular basis and I consider myself lucky to get one kiss a week. Hopefully he keeps this up once other females are asking for kisses. :)

Today we went to the doctor. Ian is 23 pounds even and 33 inches tall. He lost quite a bit of weight when he was sick, so I was glad he's gained it back and then some...  Everything looks good. He's currently healthy (other than eczema outbreaks from so much time at the pool). We're so grateful for this little boy and all the joy and happiness and laughter he brings to our family. We are blessed. It was hard to pick and choose what pictures to include, so here's a bit of a picture overload:

Trying his best to fit into a plastic shoe box:

Picking flowers:

In time-out (we started doing this and he doesn't like it but he does stay there):

Hanging with his cousin, Landon:

Sunblock Mohawk:

Playing at Aunt Audrey's:

Happy boy in the Minnetonka Cave:

Playing with Landon at Bear Lake:

Ian, future pilot???

LOVES, LOVES, LOVES water:

Tunnel time:

Figuring out his first sparkler (Ian really has no fear of fireworks):

More playing in Bear Lake:

 I LOVE THIS PICTURE:

 

Fun at the mall play place:

Helping Mom with the laundry:

Playing with legos at the library:

Ian's such a good stroller toddler! Even though he's walking he's still really good about chilling in his stroller. He's a people watcher, so that helps...

Playing with Audrey:

He got the tissues!

 

One night the girls were taking a bath. I left the bathroom for a few seconds and heard a big splash. Ian decided he wanted to join them:

Riding the "right way" in the grocery cart:

Big cheese going for a ride:

Ian's such a good traveler! I think it's helped so much to have his sisters to keep him entertained. He's still rear facing and we'll probably keep him that way until he's 2 years old. He doesn't know any different... He falls asleep without a fuss in the car and transfers to his crib well. FINALLY!!! The girls NEVER did that for me... Cute pic in his car seat:

 He loves to wrestle and snuggle with this:

A fun video as Ian was introduced to stink bombs: