Snapshots of summer

I am always amazed by how quickly summer passes us by.  Every year, I always think we're going to magically have all this extra time.  That we will slow down, drink it in and savor those long days.

And then, somehow, by the time the Fourth of July is upon us, I look back and realize that we've been far too busy and I haven't slowed down to record any of it.

I have taken a lot of photos this summer - more, in fact, than in previous summers - but, disclaimer: they are mostly on the same, select few days.  The few days when I had time, hands and presence of mind to actually grab the camera.

Luckily, they largely encapsulate the "flavor" of our summer.

There have been lots of popsicles and lemonade breaks.

Lots of practicing, playing, sharing and hugging.

Lots of smiling.

Lots of tickling.

This picnic blanket has had its fair share of use.  At the park, in the back yard, at the pool...

It has been a summer of water and sunscreen.

Running through the sprinklers.

Playing in the playhouse.

Splashing on the slip and slide.

Playing in the pool.

Grinning like a maniac.

And generally just enjoying our time together.

In July, Leah will again have summer camp three days a week, so even though things have been busy, it is certainly more on the slow-paced together side of things than it will be before long.

And it must be said: our yard is awesome.  Finally.  All those dirty-weedy places have been filled in (nearly, anyway) after a bit of sod, a lot of seed and tons of patience.  It is, at long last, a great place to hang out and relax.

We're incredibly happy to do it!

Ten.

It's not that third children are any less loved than their first or second sibling counterparts.  It's that their mommy's hands are much more full - all the time - and she's less able to take adorable photos and comment on each and every little milestone.

But, my poor sweet Livvy is long overdue.

At 10 months, Olivia has the greatest expressions.  She is so hilariously funny; you can see her reaction right there in her eyes.

She is crawling, but only just.  She does the army crawl a bit, but mostly just doesn't care to go anywhere away from mom.  She does enjoy sitting and playing on the floor - provided, of course, that mom is right there in eye shot.

She has two teeth on the bottom (that took forever to push in).  Her diapers are still on the first snap and she wears size two in disposables.  I finally caved and got her a tiny pair of shoes - size 2.

Every single night, she nurses sweetly and the instant she is done, she insists on being put down in her crib.  The child loves to sleep, and she is so, so very happy to snuggle in her bed.  Since she was first in the crib at about 6 months, she will put her thumb in her mouth and pull her blanket directly over her head.  It about gave me a heart attack the first few times I saw her do it, but it's the only way she'll sleep.  Sometimes, she'll cry in the middle of the night if she has kicked her blanket away.

That child is so very loved by her big brother and sister.  They are just the sweetest little hearts in the gentle ways they play with her, help her and love on her.  Despite the uncertainty in this photo, she loves them, too.  Particularly Leah, that little mothering girl.

At her 9 month check up, she weighed 16.4 pounds with a head in the 85th percentile.  Smallest of my little ones so far.

She has not been as vocal as the other two, at least in the words department.  She babbles a lot, and imitates both pitch and rhythm.  She finally said her first words: Good girl.  Yep.  I think it's possible that she hears that one often.

She is still easy, but mostly because she almost always gets her way.  Heaven help us when the days come that she doesn't... she's going to be a sassy little thing!

We love that sweet girl.  More than words can even describe.  She is the most wonderful blessing to this family!

A, she's adorable

Two words: Dance Recital.

We're so dang proud of that girl.