Catching Lots of Rays During these Dog Days!

This summer has been, well... a bit lonesome and boring, but also filled with fun.  We have been pretty much stuck at home all summer because Cary's new job is rigorous during the hot summer months and it is still too hard to do much with David.  But... thanks to Pinterest, the baby pool, water hose and Margo's incredible imagination, we have made tons of wonderful memories together.

Kicking in the pool!

Fortunately, Margo got to attend a seven week summer school program at her new school which was WONDERFUL!!  They took a limo ride, had two water days with pools, slides and sprinklers, a rodeo day with a petting zoo and an awesome carnival with face painting, balloon animals and more!  Despite her usual separation anxiety, I think she really enjoyed it!

Otherwise, we did a lot of creative play at home.  I scoured Pinterest for super easy and cheap projects.  We painted the concrete with water, made fruit loop necklaces, made a card board rocket ship, made paper plate paddles with balloons and a home made bird feeder, among many things.  My little artist did tons of paint with water, chalk drawings on the sidewalk, filled up her coloring books and went crazy with stickers which were a big favorite these past few months.  We also made animals with this awesome Alex craft kit.  I will be buying MANY more of these.  So inexpensive and fun!

Her Snazzy Sheep!

She LOVED her rocketship!

Described as her 1st picture of a person... See the face?

Bird feeders!

Margo has such a wonderful imagination.  I love to observe her at play and we have been working really hard at getting her to happily play on her own, a requirement now that I am cleaning my own house, cooking many more meals at home and taking care of David.  She has created so many amazing and fun scenarios with her dolls and stuffed animals... the typical tea party and picnic, creating an ocean scene with a beach towel and all of her ocean animals, making the coffee table into a choo choo train and most recently taking all of her animals to the baseball game or teaching them at school.  She is very nurturing and loves to take care of all her animals and babies, kissing and loving on them in the sweetest, gentlest way.

My Stylish Swinger!

In deep popsicle concentration!

After fun in a big down pour!

Chasing a Bunny!

We had lots of wonderful visitors this summer.  First, my sister and niece, Caroline, came.  It was such a special treat and to say Margo loved having Caroline here is an understatement!  They played together really well and had a blast at the trampoline park.  I treasured my time with my sister and also had our extended family over for Memorial Day weekend, which was so wonderful catching up.  My mom has come twice and Margo and David loved every second with her.  We just hung at the house and enjoyed one another's company.  A real special treat was seeing my sweet cousin, Ali, and her beautiful brood for a quick visit.  I rarely get to see her, but adore our special relationship, so it did my soul some good to spend some time with one of the most gracious people I know! Both of my sisters and their beautiful families spent a day with us in July.  We took David out to dinner and drank wine on our wonderful back patio. 

Auntie Laura & David

Caroline & David

Uncle Gary Graciously Fed David

Pure Excitement!

Margo and her favorite buddy, Caroline!

The Weavers, my in-laws, also came for 4th of July and we had a truly wonderful time.  We BBQ'd ribs, pork and had an array of other yummy dishes, drank too many margaritas on the patio, laughed with the kiddos and attempted to watch the fireworks on the golf course.  It was a grand idea, but a bit of a failure.  We live on a hill and I was hoping to see something closer and more spectacular, but it was mainly from a distance.  Nonetheless, Margo loved staying up late and going for our little adventure in the dark with flashlights!

She is one little firework!

Tea Party!!

They don't come any cuter!

Hand in Hand with GiGi

Fireworks on the Green

My sweet little patriot!

Lovies!

Classic!

Speaking of fireworks, we took Margo to the minor league baseball game in Round Rock and specifically scheduled it for a Friday night, so we could make up for the failed fireworks on the 4th.  We went with her cousin, Lucas, and their parents, my niece and nephew, Trey and Kayla.  One of my favorite things about living here has been forging a relationship with them.  They just bought a house six miles away and I cannot wait!  Margo and Lucas are only a month apart in age and have already had numerous fun play dates.  With them right down the road, I imagine they will be forming a special cousin bond.  My sister's kids are much older than ours, so I am so happy to have a cousin close in age to Margo and David.  Both her and Lucas had fun sharing popcorn, shaking their booties to the baseball game tunes and both loved the spectacular fireworks show!

Loving our fun at the baseball game!

Watching with Daddy!

Fireworks are awesome!

Margo had a week long visit with her GiGi and PaPa, and although we missed her terribly, I got so many things accomplished!  My time with David was most special and I enjoyed bonding with him in the peace and quiet with my undivided attention.  Margo did fantastic with them because they are wonderful grandparents and boy do they spoil her rotten.  She loved going out to eat, to the mall and to the park.  She played GiGi's piano, had lots of treats and got the undivided attention she has been craving recently.

That is our only set-back this summer.  Margo did not start developing jealousy issues until David was almost six months old, but goodness, she has been challenging since.  While she is still as sweet as can be, she literally has begged and pleaded for me to hold her and put down David.  She has thrown her first, big on the floor fits ever, has had heightened separation anxiety and has just been a little pill.  She screams at the top of her lungs when she doesn't get her way, whines incessantly at times and is very needy.  I feel sad that our little girl is growing up, exhibiting her independence and also suffering a little bit, longing to be a baby again yet is stuck somewhere in between big girl and baby.  I have a heart that is quite big enough for both her and David, but I do not have four hands or two brains to handle it all at once as much as I wish I often could.  I love my life with two babies and I know that once Margo starts reaping the real rewards of having a sibling, she will see just how special her brother is.  I think deep down inside she already knows, but cannot wrap her head around the true loss of her mommy as she knew her.  She is mourning in a way, as I have as well at times, and my heart aches for her. 

She LOVED pushing her brother!

...and feeding him for about 5 seconds!

Chillin' on a rainy day!

On an exciting note, Margo is potty trained--yahoo!  I am oh' so proud of her!  That is for another post, but she took her own initiative and is doing great!  I have updated you on David's progress in other posts, our sweet boy, who I just adore!  This post is long, but I wanted to update our family this summer.  I could go on and on, there is just too much to capture it all.  Cary and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary, have been on some much needed dates and have thoroughly enjoyed our breezy back patio and the wonderful walking trails of the neighborhood.  Life is good, we are good, summer was fun and we are ready for all that awaits us in the fall!