Pool Time

My water babies have been loving the pool this summer.  We used to frequent splash parks and fountains as they were less scary than the pool.  However, now Eliana absolutely loves the pool and begs to go all the time or to fill our little pool up with water.  Laney and Will love the water too and could splash around all day.  They don't mind where they are as long as they are wet!  It can be a challenge to go to the pool just me and the three kids.  But Will and Laney both like the shallow water and Eliana swims really well with her puddle jumper on.  I hope David can join us at the pool some next month so that Eliana will have more chances to swim without her floatie.  We have been taking swim lessons and she has gotten pretty good at swimming by herself.  I just don't have enough arms to handle helping her swim while watching the two younger ones.  Either way she has fun.  Lately she has been staying in the shallow water too so that she can swim around with her googles on and hunt for things at the bottom of the pool.  Laney likes to sit and splash or be pulled through the water.  Will likes to stand in the shallow water and then jump up and splash on his bottom.  He also like to lay on his belly and crawl around on his arms pretending to be a crocodile.

Laney's first pool experience.  She loved the baby pool!  She hates her hat, but luckily it ties under her chin.  Her hair is so thin I worry about her head getting a sunburn.  Plus she looks cute in her little sun hat.

Swimming with her sister. My ladies in pink.

Will swam for a while but then preferred to sit on my lap.

After the pool, the kids wanted to take a trip in the wagon.  So I wrapped them all up and we just walked up and down the street.  They really like this wagon G.G. gave to us.

At the Upper Arlington public pool.  Laney and I are taking a break while the big kids splash in the shallow water.

 Look familiar??? Here is a picture from 2012 of Eliana at 9 months old at my sister Abby's wedding in the same swim suit.  And funny enough, the visor I am wearing in the above picture is from the resort we stayed at for her wedding!

Another day at the pool with Laney

Will wanted in on the selfies too

Mother's Day and Father's Day

For Mother's Day this year, David asked me what I would like.  I told him two things: one, I did not want to cook at all that day.  Two, I would like the kitchen floor mopped.  Mopping the floor is one of my top "want to do but never seem to find the time to do it" chores.  Our light colored kitchen floor shows dirt so easily but mopping never seems to trump dishes and laundry for most needed, so it just never gets done.  Anyway, I had the most wonderful Mother's Day.  I can't think of a much better day.  The kids went with David to the Lil Donut Factory and got me donuts for breakfast.  Then everyone dressed up really nicely for church and looked beautiful.  David made a delicious lunch and dinner, and cleaned up the kitchen after all the meals.  I was able to relax all day and just spend time with the kids without trying to get anything done.  And the best part was when David asked the older two to help him mop the kitchen.  They were so excited!  I really should mop more often, since the kids like it so much.  It really isn't even a chore haha.  I sat in Laney's room nursing her to sleep for a nap while I watched my amazing crew work on the kitchen.  Eliana had a scrub brush and was hitting all of the worst spots on her hands and knees.  William followed behind with a toothbrush while Eliana directed him on what to do.  Then David mopped right along behind them, making sure it was all sparkling clean.  As I rocked Laney, I just thought about how lucky I am to be so loved.  It was an absolutely perfect day.

Watching the cleaning crew.  It was quite a sight.  See Eliana trying to show William what to do?  And note my toes in the bottom of the picture - that's because I was sitting back with my feet up!

Pretty girl on Mother's Day

Tried to get a picture of my kids dressed so nice.  This was the best....

Now trying outside

Still can't get a great picture, but there is a lot of love in this one anyway!

For Father's Day, Eliana's friend Violet said that she was going to bring her dad breakfast in bed.  Eliana thought that was a great idea!  Unfortunately, David had to work on Father's Day, so breakfast in bed would have to be served around 5:30am.  I told Eliana that just wouldn't work this year.  So instead, she had the great idea to serve David ice cream in bed!  When David got home from work in the evening, she told him to go right to bed.  David gave her a strange look, but obliged.  We had made homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream the day before (with mint from our garden!) which we scooped up for him along with store bought chocolate.  Then Eliana and William rushed the bowl into our room for him.  David found the whole thing very sweet and funny.  He ate his ice cream and the got back up to spend the evening with the family.  So while his day wasn't quite as relaxed as mine was, I think he still felt how loved he was by the kids and me. 

Ice cream in bed!

Will wasn't so worried about getting to be with his dad as he was about getting a scoop of his ice cream. (This totally made me thing of Will from when Laney was born.)

Fancyburg

We love our neighborhood playground! Especially riding this bee!

Building tents out of logs

Pretend fire ring by the log tent. I love the imagination!