Summer

With Josh returning to school next month, it seems that we're on the home stretch of summer - according to our calendar, not the weather. We've been blessed with a slower summer that will hopefully become an official slow summer before school hits. Being able to take a breath, re-evaluate, and enjoy the now has been a gift.

So, here are some highlights thus far:

We planted a garden - 64 sq ft of soil for the tilling. It has definitely helped me with my fantasy of living on a farm. We've harvested gigantic cucumbers, tomatoes, and strawberries. The watermelons are coming along and some squash pest killed off all of our zucchini, pumpkin, and butternut squash...except for the rouge butternut squash plant growing out of our compost bin, which happens to be the healthiest looking plant in our backyard.

Kip passed the 20# mark. He is now eating 13 foods (if you count water) and has tested negative for all of the things we hoped he'd test negative for during his check-ups. We're at a point where his doctors seem comfortable saying that he is just a genetically small guy with food issues that he should outgrow. It is a new and very welcome calm. Now we just keep trying new foods and enjoy our silly little boy.

We took the boys bunk beds apart into two twin beds. Kip's showed us that he could climb the ladder to the top bunk completely unassisted. Really Kip?

We've been cheering on G-daddy and G-mommy as they buy a house in the neighborhood. We're really excited for them to move in and be so close in the coming months.

We celebrated Brian's birthday. It was a quiet birthday weekend at home. Josh and I baked and decorated a big chocolate chip cookie for him. Josh chose the theme - dinosaurs stepping in piles of dinosaur dung. Wilton didn't have a sample cake for me to copy, so we just winged it with some chocolate icing, plastic dinosaurs, and my cake decorating supplies.

Josh has been in swim lessons for 5 weeks, thus far. Originally, he was signed up for 2 weeks of lessons at our community pool. Josh resisted and protested the entire first week of lessons, but as requested, he dutiful stayed in the water and participated to the point that he was comfortable. I was very impressed by his willingness to speak up and let the teacher know when he was uncomfortable doing something. When we returned for week two of lessons Josh decided that he really liked swim lessons and wanted to continue. Amazing! Josh is putting his head underwater, kicking on the kick board, and floating on his back. He's having a fantastic time and knocking our socks off everyday.

We've played with our neighbors and friends more days than not. Having multiple families that we love nearby is wonderful.

Fun stuff! I'm eager to see what the remaining few weeks hold! Hope you are enjoying the summer too!