Father's Day Water Park

We turned the backyard into a mini water park Father's Day afternoon for Kate, Scarlett, and Matthew, complete with a slip and slide, sprinklers, pool, and sprinkler hopscotch.  Grandma, Granddaddy, Uncle Dan, Aunt Jennifer, and cousin Scarlett came for lunch and water play.  Kate loved the slip and slide.  After getting some coaching from her Dad,  she would take a running start and catapult herself down.  I have great video footage; hopefully I can get Jeff to make a clip of it for me to post on the blog soon.  Kate had so much fun and was so tired, that she literally fell asleep at the kitchen table before I could get her dinner in front of her-that has never happened.  She almost hit her head on the table, but I got to her before she did!

Father's Day Morning

Father's Day was a great day.  After our traditional celebratory breakfast of heart-shaped blueberry pancakes, Jeff opened his gifts.  After getting some clothes from me and some much needed athletic socks from Matthew, Kate gave him a sweet book called "Dance me, Daddy".  After reading it together (Matthew eventually lost interest), Jeff said to me, "What are you trying to do make me cry?"

We didn't quite make him cry, but we did make him laugh with this certificate.  He received one from each of us and has already used one to watch the amazing game between the US and Algeria on Wednesday.  Good choice, Jeff!  

The fine print says *does not apply to matches played during planned family obligations, but does apply to matches recorded on DVR because of said family obligations, **complete silence in the home is not guaranteed, ***all possible effort shall be made to refrain from waking sleeping babies or frightening children when celebrating or wallowing in sorrow.  I did a pretty good job holding up my end of the bargain, but I did have to take Matthew upstairs during the end of the match because things were getting a little tense downstairs.

Happy Father's Day Daddy!

We love you Daddy.  Thank you for always making time for us, filling our lives with laughter, and making us feel like the most special people in the world. 

You're the Best!

Go USA

The family all decked out for the World Cup!  We were all dressed up for an end of the school year party and to watch the England vs. US match with friends.  Matthew was decked out in his soccer gear, a very fun baby gift and Kate in her USA colors.  Matthew watched most of the game with the "guys" but was given quite the fright by the loud cheers when the US scored.  Jeff is in heaven with soccer constantly on tv-it is the perfect storm-summer break and World Cup.  However, since this is our first World Cup with kids, thank heaven for DVR!

Kayak Fun

Aunt Gina came for a visit over the Memorial Day weekend.  We spent the day at Falls Lake having brunch, kayaking, and swimming.  Kate enjoyed making sand castles on the "beach" with Gina and swimming with Daddy.  It was a beautiful day and a lot of fun.

On baby duty!

Off we go!

Kate is enjoying the ride.

Matthew Bryce

Here is Matthew at 3 months old, in all his glory.  He is our sweet chunk.  At his two months doctor's visit he weighed 15 pounds 9 ounces (off the charts) and was 23 inches long.  I would estimate that he now weighs about 17 pounds and has lengthened out a bit, but has maintained his "thunder thighs".  He is sleeping through the night and has reduced his feedings from 7 times a day to 5.  He insists on going to sleep around 8:30 and usually wakes up between 6:30 and 7:00.  Matthew has an umbilical hernia which causes his belly button to stick out.  We are praying it heals on its own (which they usually do) without surgery.  If it doesn't heal, surgery would be done when he is 4 years old.  Matthew loves to "talk" and entertains us with his frequent smiles.  Kate is quite enamored with him, the first thing she asks when she wakes up in the morning is "where is my brother?"  We are looking forward to a fun summer with these two!

That Kind of Mom

I've become that Mom-the one who dresses her kids alike when she can.  I didn't know if I would be that kind of Mom, but apparently, I am.  It's just too tempting, especially when friends make cute things for them to wear.  I have complex feelings about this because my sister, Jennifer, and I were often dressed alike as children and just as often we were asked if we were twins.  Jennifer and I would then look at each other in exasperation, wondering how anyone could possibly think we were twins since we are two years apart in age, and politely explain that we were not twins.  Now, it has become a sweet memory, one in which Jennifer and I laugh about, and we have even  found ourselves inadvertently dressing alike as adults.  Our daughters, Kate and Scarlett, are repeating history.  People often ask us if they are twins and again Jennifer and I look at each other, this time in surprise, and explain that they are in fact cousins.  As Kate and Matthew get older, I don't think they will be dressed alike too often, but I'm not ruling out the occassional matching or complimentary Christmas outfits!