water weenies

We had our first day of swimming lessons today. I decided to go ahead and start Mamie with Lilly this summer even though she's still pretty little. Lilly has been so excited that she has talked about swimming lessons, Miss Erin (her teacher), and being a guppy (from "Little Bill") for weeks now. She asks me every day, "When it goin be swimming lessons?" So, with all the excitement, combined with their love of the water and swimming pools, I was extremely optimistic that this would be a huge success. Not exactly. Lilly wailed pretty much the entire time about not wanting to go underwater, and screamed in sheer panic when the teacher would put Mamie under the water. I'm sure it will get better--it has to. Lilly had a few moments of calm where she seemed to enjoy herself, but mostly just obsessed over not wanting to go under the water. Mamie did pretty well, especially when Miss Erin put her underwater. I'll post again at the end of this little 2 week experiment and let you know if we're swimming or not! Just arrived--excited to get in the pool and learn to swim!

Mamie was not so fond of being put on her back.

Lilly did pretty well at this part--notice the choke-hold she has on her teacher

Mamie coming up from under the water--big girl!

One hilarious thing that I forgot to mention... The swimming teacher was asking Lilly, "What do you do if you are walking or playing by the pool and you fall in?" (looking for an answer here like, "kick to the side" or "float on your back") Lilly looked at her very seriously and said, "You Die."

i saw a caterpillar way up in the tree...

Lilly learned this song at church and also at "buh-cation Bible school." She has been singing it ALL the time lately. Just thought I would share (mainly so my mom and dad and sister could see it). I probably should have done this while Mamie was napping so she wouldn't have been next to Lilly screaming "cheese" the entire time. Oh well. Hope you can still understand it!

Mr. Moms

On Tuesday, Jon and Nathan took Lilly and Britt (Nathan and Cindy's little boy) to the zoo. I just thought it was too cute to not put on here. I wish they had gotten some pictures with the dads in them too, but at least they got a couple of the kids. They all had fun. Lilly said Britt liked the fish the best. Last time I was at the zoo with Lilly and Mamie, I saw Cheryl Crow...you don't think that had anything to do with them wanting to go do you?

Britt in the reptile house smiling at the fish

Monkey, Britt, and Lilly

keeping cool (for free)

The park here in town has a great kiddie pool. We've been regulars lately because 1) it is SO hot, and 2) it is FREE. Two fabulous reasons. Lilly and Mamie's friend Sophie and her mommy have been coming with us. The three girls have had so much fun playing there together. Mamie likes to eat snacks (especially Sophie's) and try to pour all of the water out of the pool one bucket or watering can at a time. Sophie likes to try to get the watering can and also "visit" people she doesn't know. Lilly likes to show me how she is swimming and "holding her breath" which does NOT involve her head or face actually going into or even making contact with the water. It's lots of fun and maybe one day I'll actually get a tan. Maybe. I still haven't figured out how my children who are slathered in SPF 50 from head to toe have more pronounced tan lines than me when I sit outside the same amount of time with no sunscreen on. It's making me a little crazy. I don't think I've had a tan since I was pregnant with Lilly...we're going on four very pale years now.

Angie sent me this picture of Mamie and Sophie and I loved it.

Sophie pretending to put on sunscreen. Do you think Mamie's water wings are big enough? Seriously.

An attempt at a group shot. Sophie did not want Lilly's arm around her and Lilly was determined to talk her into it.

happy father's day (better late than never)

Lilly and Mamie love their daddy! They are so lucky to have such a sweet daddy. He is so good with them--he keeps them for me on his days off so I can work, and spends so much time with both of them. He takes Lilly fishing, to the zoo, the park, and takes her for ice cream and to rent movies after he picks her up from school on Tuesdays (her favorite). The only thing I ever have to worry about is what they'll be wearing when they leave the house :) I know he'll teach them so many things and be so involved with them as they grow older.
He got a new pink shirt for Father's Day...he might as well give in to the pink with three girls in the house with him! Of course, Lilly had to tell him the second he walked in the door and before he opened his present, "WE GOT YOU A NEW SHIRT DADDY! IT'S PINK. WE WRAPPED IT IN A GOLF BAG FOR YOU!" surprise.

the filling

Today was the big day. Lilly had to go get her first (and hopefully ONLY) filling this morning. She was so excited she could hardly stand it (weird, I know). She did great and didn't cry or even whimper until she tasted the "yucky stuff" when they were doing the filling. The shot of novacaine? Piece of cake. The drill? Piece of cake. Yucky taste in your mouth? Tears and screaming. Anyway, the crying was very brief and everything was wonderful again with the presentation of a new battery-powered Cinderella toothbrush. I was very proud of her for being such a big girl. She called everyone today to tell them about her filling and her new toothbrushes. When Dr. Swang called to check on her tonight, she was so excited you would have thought Santa Claus had called. I think she would have talked to him for thirty minutes if I hadn't gotten the phone away from her.

Watching the Sleeping Beauty movie she picked out with the "nose" on

melting

It has been so hot I can't bring myself to do anything outside that doesn't involve water. On Sunday, we even resorted to "rednecking it up" with the blow-up pool and the sprinkler in the front yard where the shade trees are. I bet that will make people want to buy our house.

Saturday, Aunt Kristin and Uncle Branson invited us to swim. It was wonderful.

babies in tummies

Lilly loves playing with babies and is particularly obsessed with her new cousin, Hollis. She loves talking about how he came out of Kim's tummy and how Mamie came out of my tummy. We had a baby shower for Jon's cousin, Allison, two Saturdays ago. Lilly was so excited. I was stumbling around the kitchen making coffee at about 7:00, when she came in completely dressed and ready to go. Notice the sweater hat, plastic heels, beautiful jewelry, shiny purse, and of course, the BABY in her tummy.

Me, Kristin, Allison (and soon-to-be here baby Sean), "Sassy" & Mamie, Kim & Hollis

Sweet little Hollis all tired out from the shower

play day & photo shoot

Emily and Tressa brought their kids over last week to play and have lunch. The girls had such a good time and have never played so well--no fights at all! It was amazing. Mamie and Ty just followed the big kids around trying to keep up with them, and Grant slept almost the whole time. I tried to get a picture of all of them in the little pool, but it's impossible to get a picture with more than one 3 year old looking at the camera at a time. Anyway, I know I am posting an excessive amount of pictures of the same thing here, but please look at Lilly in the pool pictures. She does this pose when she is in her swimsuit EVERY time I try to take her picture. It's hilarious to me. Has someone slipped her a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue I don't know about?

Ty and Mamie playing together

Three pretty princesses

Quick, a camera! Get into swimsuit pose!


Still posing...


And posing...

Started laughing and ALMOST stopped posing, but still posing...

Showing Ellie and Livi how to pose in a swimsuit. Hands on hips are a must, apparently.