water park

We're at the water park, beach, pool or splash pad almost everyday. There's something about being outside when it's hot and being in the water at the same time. I can't get enough of it and I guess my kids can't either...or they don't really have a choice. Lily choose the water park almost every time when I ask her where she want to go. I happily oblige. She always wants to measure herself before entering "just in case" she's grown since the previous visit (read: yesterday)

This day she wanted to measure Dora.

I have no words. He's as fast as lightning too. (standing seconds before)

I love seeing them together and happy. nothing better on this planet. nothing.

he got more on him than in his mouth...

she tripped and fell into this tree pretty badly ; i thought she broke her nose or all her teeth were gone when i saw it, but she ended up being okay after lots of tears.... then she thought the tree was hurt.

She was taking care of Dora the whole day like she was babysitting.

while grady enjoyed his favorite game of chair tipping....

Oh, how I love the hot summers! Call me crazy, but it might be my favorite season!!

zoo

We just got a new basketball hoop for the kids and they are eating it up....he's practicing for his big game at mom's work. Yes, they have a full gymnasium in their office space! Cool or what??

I love the little tomboy in lily. She loves pink, but dribbles the soccer ball all over the house and is shooting hoops like Shaq! this pic says it best...running after the ball with a pink bow headband.

Lily always wore hats as a toddler, but Grady won't ever keep one on. Except this one he loves to put on and say "hi" in as he travels the house. I think he knows he's cute as Curious George.

Speaking of Curious George. Grady is the type of kid who will climb on the counter tops, stand in sinks, empty out the box of cheerios and look at you innocently like "what's your deal , y u so uptight? " . He's hilarious, funny, unpredictable and has more personality in his pinky than I can describe. The other day I woke him up from his nap and the crib sheet and crib liner sheet were BOTH off the bed! How in the world did he do that? Then another day i woke him up and he looked like Tarzan.

somehow he got his one arm out of the jammies without unzipping his jam jams and was just hanging out like this when i woke him up.

This is grady in a nutshell. Wildly hilarious and doesn't even know it.

and our little tiger cub couldn't be more different if i scripted it on paper.

She's a lover and if she lets you in, it's a wonderland of love and loyalty.

and always the poser.

we go to the zoo every week at night and it's more fun than I can describe. they have a deejay, face painting, characters, and it's not africa hot!

more hugs

i kept doing double takes on lily and grace with their amazing faces painted like picasso

such hams

"Mommy, make sure you take a picture of me on the turtle"

i always oblige

different kid in disguise...

tada

life is good! especially at the zoo at night!!!

Cute Vids

Lily the lover meets Grady the pusher. Too cute.

click here

for courtney.


here

best meow in the world


here

story time with daddy


best story time i can ever imagine. (insert melting heart)
reading


here

helping bro. kind of.


here

life is good.

men day, zoo

We had a bbq, but the rain didn't want us to so the guys improvised. Cooking hamburgers and hot dogs in the rain is true dedication!

making a flag cake with grandma :)

G has no problem making himself comfortable wherever he goes.

I guess the manners lessons are always ongoing.

these 3D glasses transformed Lily altogether.

Grace too...

Grady likes the water, but doesn't love it. He used to hate it so we've come a long way considering. David is trying to convince him how much fun the water fountains are to play in.

He was getting close, but stayed a safe distance away. Hence the reason he's wearing regular shoes.

David and I had a bet if he'd go in or not. David was convinced he would and I said the opposite...here's david giving me the "I told you so" look, but Grady did a quick u-turn seconds after this shot and never got wet this day.

one week he'll love it and then the next week, he'll leave bone dry....

Lily insists on stopping at every tourist spot for a pic and I happily oblige.

you should see the otters at this zoo at night....they're open at night over the summer so that's the only time we frequent it because of the heat during the day and the otters go nutso wild in the water at night...

and poses and poses...

car fun...

at her sweet friend Hudson's birthday party swinging for the stars...

me and my girly friend...

hanging around...

When we first moved here, Lily asked me everyday with a reassuring tone "Daddy is coming home tonight right mommy?" I think it was semi-traumatizing to have such a powerful figure in her life be there for her everyday for 3.5 years and then suddenly he wasn't there like she relied on so heavily when he was living away from us during the week. And with most kids, they are resilient so she's flying high when I say "yes, of course he is" and I can see her breathing a little lighter. And jumping a little higher.
apparently the toy box doubles as a dancing stage, a place for concerts and also as a trampoline or a diving board.


raising her hand, playing school which she does around the clock these days. she starts school next week (i've been saying that since we got here) and my feelings are all over the map about this.


she's just growing up way too fast for me. things are so different about her lately, but so the same. it's like this abstract feeling of a new kid I get when I'm with her. I can't put my finger on it. Is it her face, her voice, her expressions, her walk, her hair? I can't place it because I see her everyday that it's so gradual, but so drastic.

and Grady? he seems the same as the day he was born....happy go lucky, waving all the time, and smiles in his sleep. He sure doesn't like his new teeth coming in - that surely makes him mad, but oversized jammies don't bother him much.

the 3 musketeers - the playroom is like a family magnet for everyone. it's separate from the rest of the house and looks like a mini-classroom where the kids gravitate as soon as they wake up - we usually follow.

Lily is really into magic lately. "mommy you can't touch me because I'm going to lose my magic powers" as she prances around with her magic wand. "Unless you're going to hug me or kiss me then you can touch me." she clarifies.

Her latest trick? Disappearing. See these ordinary boxes and her assistant Grady?

tada- she disappeared, but we're so happy she's back.

"mommy don't tell anyone how I did my magic trick okay? It's a secwet."

peek a boo

another narcoleptic on our hands - randomly will rest his head wherever he can when he needs a mental break. My favorite place is when he rests on my shoulder. (happy sigh)

ready for more playing....


a lapboard in the car...best invention ever!!

Grady got a little carried away with his game of basketball. Think he was trying to sabotage the opponent.

playing peek a boo with one of his many friends he picks up along the way.

while we waited for our little ballerina and tap dancer to be finished with her class.

being fitted for her recital costume - boots are not part of the costume.

at 15 month checkup for the Gradester- all is healthy and happy in his world. I was a little worried because he's pretty bow-legged and I immediately envisioned him in leg braces for a year limping around trying to straighten them out, but Dr. Stout (yes, that is her name) said it's perfectly normal and will work itself out on its own. She added "you sure make them big over there in Naples" about G-money. I agree. Holding and playing with him is like playing with a 4 year old school aged child. Ready for this one? Lily and Grady are wearing the same shoe size!! Yes, I said it! Granted, Lily's feet have always been small, but come on? They're 2 and half years apart to the day!! wowsa! Linebacker, catcher or defensive end, we've got a big'un on our hands.


Life is good.