That's a Wrap!

Before:

After:

Alex and Vanessa working as the clean up crew.

View from out our back door.

Thank you Mark!!

The deck is done and we love it! We can't wait to sit out back for cookouts, parties, and watch the kiddos play! Mark did an amazing job! He definitely knows what he's doing that's for sure. We all had lots of fun hassling Brad about his super clean tool belt and he was able to break that in a little bit during this project too, especially on the weekends :) We've still got a little bit of work ahead of us washing and sealing the deck, but I think it is safe to say that the hard part is finished. Alex was so pleased that he went right to the garage and brought his little folding chair right out to the deck! It is going to be pretty dull around here during the days now, but at least we can pass the time while sitting on our lovely new deck!

Swimming, Finally!!

For the first time this summer, we were finally able to enjoy a fun, warm day at the pool! Our good friend Karen has a nice pool in the complex where she lives and she is always nice enough to invite us over to swim. Alex has turned into quite the little fish! He strapped on that life jacket and jumped right in. He swam for hours with a few mom-mandated breaks in between to warm up and rest. Alex made fast friends with all the other kids at the pool yesterday and loved throwing the dive sticks for the big kids. I had actually been getting worried about Alex's reliance on floatation devices in the pool, but his swim instructor at the Y told me today that they are moving him up to the class where he can remove his float now! What a big boy :)

I had purchased a cute ladybug float with a canopy for Abby and once she got used to being in the water, little by little, she did really well. She kind of stretched out in the float sideways and didn't mind getting wet at all. Now, she DID mind if she got splashed and always gasped very dramatically when this happened. Of course, she looked mighty cute in her polka dots too!

Dollars and Cents

Alex figured out that Abby has some money in her piggy bank in her room and anytime he wants to buy something, he says "well, we could us those dollars in Abby's bank"!! It is so funny! Today he asked if we could get the car washed and when I asked him if he had any money with which to do so, he suggested we borrow it from Abby. I wonder if when she gets older she'll have to hide her piggy bank--not from us, but from her brother! We'd also been playing this computer game called Farm Town, where we'd earn coins for crops we harvested, and Alex wanted to spend those "coins" the other day to buy a toy at WalMart! I told him he needs to stick to the money in HIS wallet or piggy bank for special treats :)

Visit with the Gordons

Baby John Gordon

The 3 Amigos

So cute together!

Mommy and Abby

Yesterday our friends Robbie and Margie Gordon stopped by for a visit with their son John. John is about 9 weeks younger than Abby and they were so adorable together! Abby was very interested in him, even throwing her weight around to get the toys she wanted! Alex was of course eager to show off all his toys to our new visitors too. He's always up for some new Mario Kart competition!

Is That an Alien?

Abby's new sunglasses make her look a little like an alien. I cannot believe that she'll actually keep them on her face, even for a little while?

Deck Construction

The deck construction is coming along and it is now completely framed! Next week should bring decking, handrails, and the enclosure around the bottom :) We keep joking with the neighbors that if they are looking for us, we'll be outside on our new deck!

Alex was a little bothered by all the construction noise yesterday and today but once we got out there and he was able to join in the fun, he was a happy camper! He was a very good scrap wood collector with his wheelbarrow and is officially in charge of the scrap pile on the side of the house!

Why Am I Moving Away From My Toys?

I noticed today that Abby seems to be crawling backwards. She really wants to move forward, and she does from time to time, but for the most part she moves in reverse. Today we started on the carpet in the dining room and she backed herself all the way out to the hallway wood floor! I don't think she's too far from moving forward. Let the games begin!

Plainfield Fest

Saturday evening, we headed over to Plainfield Fest with Brad's Mom and the kids. Alex had a great time, as he always does at Plainfield's festivals, riding the rides and playing on the playground. Here he is (in the orange shirt) riding his favorite ride, the "Dragon Wagon". I believe he actually rode this death trap twice that evening.

Brad the Builder

"Before" photo with holes already dug.

Brad filling the holes with concrete.

One last measurement before calling it a day.

Our backyard has temporarily turned into a small construction site as we prepare for the new deck--a little boy's dream! Friday, Mark dug the holes for the deck and Alex watched intently out the back door as he used the machine. Saturday, Brad and Mark poured concrete and rerouted the spigot. Alex was really itching to get out there and check out that concrete, especially when he saw that there was a hose involved. He's very helpful when it comes to "watering" things. I'm sure he'll be thrilled to see the big truck later this week when all the building materials are delivered! We are very much looking forward to using our new deck and are very blessed to have such good (and knowledgeable) friends!

Morton Arboretum

Alex and Grandma Kathy wading in the stream.

Alex waiting for his baby heron egg to hatch!

Abby, just being Abby.

Self-portrait!

Where are the frogs??

Today Grandma Kathy and I took the kids to explore the Morton Arboretum. This is a beautiful, meticulously kept collection of trees and plants from around the world. We explored only a small portion of the 1700 acre outdoor museum. There is a children's section with streams in which Alex loved splashing around and an array of interactive displays. We drove to a second section of the park to explore a few over sized "animal houses", which happened to be adjacent to the Buckeye trees :) Everyone was pooped by the ride home, especially Abby who only had to sit in the stroller and look cute all day!

6 Month Checkup

I took Abby in for her six month check-up this morning and she's really grow, grow, growing!

Height: 27" (86th percentile)

Weight: 19lbs 7oz (95th percentile)

The doctor seemed pleased with her growth and developmental milestones. It will be fun to watch her become more mobile as the weeks go by. Alex and I really need to go through the toys with little pieces and do some baby proofing there. This morning I watched him dump a bucket of small toy cars on the floor in front of her and offer her one to play with. I told him she needs to stick to the baby toys in the baby bins and he seemed to understand this.

You'll all be happy to know that Abby is finally starting to grow hair on the back of her head. For a long time she had a white rim around the back of her head where she would rub the hair off from laying on her back so often. The only area growing was a single sprout on the top of her head, and it was an adorable little curl. Now she seems to be sleeping more on her side so the hair is able to grow, and stay attached! I see lots of barrettes in her future :)

6 Months Old Already?

Did Abby turn 6 months old over a week ago? Holy cow! 6 months, really? Seems like yesterday Brad and I were here:

Abby is a happy little 6 month old who loves playing on the floor with her toys, eating baby food, catnapping in her swing, smiling at everyone, and laughing at her brother. We are so blessed!

Fourth of July

More so than anywhere we've ever lived, the Fourth of July is celebrated in a very lively manner here in IL. On July 3rd, the village held a family-friendly picnic/fireworks show at the high school. Alex loved being out past dark, eating popcorn, and watching the fireworks once they finally got under way. Abby watched a few fireworks before nodding off for the night. July 4th we simply set up lawn chairs out front with the neighbors and could see fireworks all around us. People here must spend tons on fireworks as it was quite a show! It was a very relaxing weekend full of late nights and good company! Needless to say it was a little hard to get Alex up for his class this morning!

"Look Mom, No Hands!"