By the time July rolled around, it was becoming very apparent how fast the time was ticking down until school started. We crammed a lot of fun into our last full month with Brooklyn home.
Abigail was fascinated with Brooklyn eating her apple :)
In early July, Abigail was starting to get mobile. She started out on the far side of the living room and scooted across the rug on her bottom!
July 3rd – the Loveless boys came over to play. We always enjoy it when they come!
We had a festive 4th of July this year!
Abigail is thinking: Am I really related to these two crazies?
Abigail’s last “first holiday” :)
The 4th was on a Wednesday this year, so we snapped a quick picture with Michael after Bible class. He apparently got the red, white, and blue memo too :)
We decided to get crazy and take the girls to watch the fireworks that night even though it was definitely past bedtime. Brooklyn and Savannah were so excited! We found a parking spot near a grassy field with a great view of the Space and Rocket Center. Hopefully we can remember where we parked for future years because it was a great spot (and it was free, of course!).
I packed our camping chairs, a blanket, and snacks for the girls, so we were as prepared as we could be to avoid a major meltdown ;) The snacks helped keep them occupied while we waited for the fireworks to start. The grass was pretty high, so it was nice to have the blanket to keep our legs from getting itchy…
The girls really enjoyed the fireworks! I wasn’t sure what to expect, but they were definitely a big hit. Savannah kept saying “WOOO!” and “That was amazing!” She also liked telling us which colors were her favorite. Brooklyn didn’t like how loud the fireworks were at first, but she got used to it after a minute or two. Even Abigail seemed like she was watching them off and on, although she was more entertained by holding onto my cell phone the whole time ;) Overall, the night went really well, and I was glad we took the chance and went.
On July 5th, we headed to Smith Lake to spend a couple of days with Paw and Rae Rae. Savannah was perfectly happy to play in the baby pool rather than swim in the “big pool” :)
Abigail didn’t mind sharing it with her…
Brooklyn always enjoys swimming in the lake!
Savannah got brave enough to float with Daddy for a few minutes :)
TV time before bed…Abigail was taking it easy ;)
We went on a pontoon ride the next morning (July 6th).
Brooklyn enjoys waving at the other boats we see while we’re out :)
Nap time for Abigail!
Savannah is going through that stage where she may or may not eat a certain food just depending on the day or her mood…but she almost always eats all her fruit.
Meanwhile, Abigail was working on some banana bites and Cheerios :)
It rained off and on during the afternoon. Sitting on the porch while it’s raining is so peaceful…one of my favorite things about the lake!
The girls learned how to play Uno during this lake trip. They really enjoyed it!
We thought the rain had stopped for a while, so we headed down to the water to swim. And about 10 minutes later, a big thunderstorm came, and we had to take cover on the boat. We stayed pretty dry on the boat, and the girls thought it was so fun to be stuck outside while it was pouring rain.
There were big puddles on the boat, and the girls had the best time jumping and splashing around. It was definitely one of those moments that you are reminded just how fun it is to be a kid.
It’s so fun watching them have fun!
Abigail appeared to be on the verge of crawling while we were there…
July 7th – more swimming!
I think this may have been the first time Brooklyn jumped in from the dock?!
Abigail was supervising from her pink pool :)
Eating watermelon on the dock is another favorite tradition…
We also made homemade strawberry ice cream. Abigail enjoyed trying a few bites too!
We headed home later that afternoon—the girls were tired after having so much fun!
We hosted 2nd Sunday lunch with Baugay at our house this month (July 8th). The kids enjoyed their brownies for dessert :)
These girls were ready to fix things with their tools!
On July 10th, we spent the morning at Jessica’s house swimming, playing outside, and eating lunch together. Brooklyn and Savannah had a blast, and Brooklyn asked for weeks afterward when we could go back to play there again :)
That night, we went to Chick-fil-a for Cow Appreciation Day to get our free food. Who can pass up free Chick-fila?? Brooklyn was more excited than she looked ;)
We’ve figured out that going as close to 5 PM as possible is the best way to get in and out easily. We definitely beat the crowd, found a table easily, and didn’t have to wait too long to order. It was a good night!
July 11th – I went into get Abigail up from her afternoon nap, and she was sitting up in her crib! First time that she’s pushed herself to a sitting position on her own that I know of.
On July 12th, Brooklyn had her “kindergarten assessment” at her new school. When we got inside, there were a few teachers sitting in the rotunda, and one of them came up and took Brooklyn to a different room for a “test”. (It actually turned out to be her teacher for the year, Mrs. Patterson. Funny coincidence!). It didn’t take very long, and then we were headed home! This was our first time to go inside the school….it was exciting and a little sad all at the same time thinking about sending her off to a big place like that full of people I don’t know. She looked so small standing in front of that huge school!
I always enjoy when she falls asleep nursing before bedtime…sweet snuggles!
One night, Brooklyn wanted to “read” to Savannah before bed instead of us reading to them :)
I found this chalkboard at Hobby Lobby and thought I’d hang it in the pantry and use it for my grocery list. Travis noticed something we were out of and added it to the end of my list. Too bad I never found any! ;)
On July 13th, Travis went to a concert with Matt, so after supper, the girls and I went on a walk/bike ride around the neighborhood. This was the first night Savannah really started to figure out how to pedal her tricycle!
We stopped by the playground on our way back home…
Abigail was parked right beside the bicycle and tricycle :) I love how all of the girls have propped their leg up on the snack tray like that…haha. It must be a sign of total relaxation :)
On July 15th, Cici hosted a “Going to School” party for our soon-to-be kindergartner!
Carter, Luke, and Savannah wanted to be in a picture too!
After lunch, we ate cupcakes, and Brooklyn opened some gifts with school supplies for the upcoming year. It was a fun way to celebrate our big girl!!
The cupcakes were a big hit with all the kids :)
Cheese!
On July 17th, we ran into the Faris family again at the library. Ivey and Brooklyn had fun playing with a computer game where you take a picture of yourself and then “paint” on it.
On July 18th, Brooklyn and Savannah got haircuts with Sydney. This was the first time Savannah didn’t sit in my lap when it was her turn…she stood up like a big girl the whole time and did great!
Sometimes Savannah just can’t fight the nap any longer…
Haha!
My big helper at Sprouts! She always likes to push a second cart (the one I push has the other two girls in it). She takes her job very seriously and wants to be the one to put the food in and load it onto the belt when we check out!
July 19th – Abigail figured out how to open this cabinet door in the kitchen. I figured it would be the start of her getting into EVERYTHING in the kitchen, but surprisingly it was an anomaly because it hasn’t happened again since. I’m not complaining…
I don’t pull out our good camera often enough, but I’m always glad when I do. This is one of my favorite pictures of Abigail!
Spaghetti lover!
After the girls had so much fun playing Uno at the lake house, we decided to buy our own set of Uno cards to have at home too!
Cutest little sister!
On July 23rd, we went swimming at the neighborhood pool. We only went swimming a handful of times this summer, but it was nice that it was never too crowded while we were there. We had the pool to ourselves the whole time until right before we left to walk home. My key got stuck in the lock when we left, and I had to just leave it there. Whoops! Our HOA president was awesome – he had the lock fixed and returned my key to me that same day!
Trying out her new nap mat for school!
Paw and Rae Rae spent the night with us for the first time on July 24th so that I could go up to the hospital for Cici’s surgery on the 25th. Cici was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier in the summer, and thankfully surgery was the only treatment that was required. No chemo or radiation! We are so thankful that she’s doing so well!
July 25th was Savannah’s last night in the toddler Bible class….
They had a full class for sure!
It was also Brooklyn’s last time in the preschool class…she moved up to the K-1 class after this particular night.
Brooklyn set up a picnic for her stuffed animals one morning :)
Reading with Abigail (this must have been before she got super grabby…haha).
Morning snuggles with my big girl! It’s sad to look back at this picture several months later. It used to be almost a daily occurrence that she would come into our room around 7 AM and crawl into bed with me for a few minutes before we got up for the day. Now, I have to wake her up for school every day when my alarm goes off at 6:30 AM. There are no more lazy mornings where we leisurely get ready for the day. Things have changed so much since school started!
Abigail’s expression and Savannah’s tongue…this is probably the best picture ever :)
Savannah loves Abigail…she’s just not the most gentle!
Thankfully, Abigail still loves her even though she’s a little rough sometimes…
We are in that awkward phase where Savannah rarely takes a nap at home, but she will frequently fall asleep in the car….like on the way to church on Sunday afternoon.
On July 30th, I took the girls to Let’s Play Huntsville, a relatively new indoor play-place that opened in town. It was our first time going! I’d bought some punch cards from somebody on Facebook that saved a lot of money off the regular price, so I was eager to check it out. It didn’t disappoint! The girls had a blast!
There are different areas designed for babies, toddlers, and older kids. I mostly stuck with Savannah the whole time we were there, while Brooklyn ran off playing with other kids.
There were a lot of people there that morning, but it didn’t feel too crowded. Abigail stayed asleep in the stroller most of the time, which was helpful!
There’s Brooklyn!
Abigail woke up a few minutes before we left, so she got out to “play” with Savannah :)
We had a great time! It is definitely a good place to take your kids to burn off some energy…they can jump, climb, and play until they drop!
I think this may have been the first time Abigail tried out her walker…
I always enjoy seeing how Brooklyn makes her bed and arranges her stuffed animals like they are on display :)
Play-doh fun in the morning…
…before we met the Loveless crew at Chick-fil-a for lunch! Brooklyn and Savannah sure do love their cousin Carter :)
It’s hard to resist getting an ice cream cone when we go to Chick-fil-a…especially when it’s Brooklyn’s last time before school starts!
Quotes and Notes from July:
- 7/2/18 – Abigail scooted on her bottom from the fireplace across the living room, around the recliner, and almost all the way to the kitchen table! It took her probably an hour (I was cooking supper at the time), but she did it!
- 7/4/18 – Brooklyn pronounces most words correctly these days, but every once in a while, she’ll say something in a way that reminds me that she’s still little even though she’s growing up so fast! Example – she calls a thermometer a “fer-monitor” (I love it!)
- 7/5/18 – Abigail pushed up onto her hands and knees from her belly for the first time that we’ve seen! She didn’t go anywhere, but it might not be long!
- 7/9/18 – Brooklyn and Savannah have been playing a game today that they’ve nicknamed “Sweetie”. Brooklyn calls Savannah “sweetheart” and Savannah calls Brooklyn “Mommy”. They go around the house wrestling, chasing each other, and having parties…haha!
- 7/9/18 – Savannah’s prayer today (last 3 sentences): “Thank you for Jesus dying on the cross. Thank you for Jesus being with me when I’m scared. Thank you for Brooklyn not to hit me in the nose. And AMEN!”
- Brooklyn and Savannah like to play “bally-ball” together. I’m not sure if they think they are playing volleyball or if this is some totally different game?
- 7/26/18 – Savannah calls bandaids “bay-baids” :)
- 7/27-18 – Abigail is officially scooting everywhere! She’s using her arms and one leg to propel herself forward and tucks the other leg underneath her. It’s unconventional, but it works for her I guess. Our girl is getting mobile!
- 7/28/18 – I was giving Savannah lots of kisses on her forehead when I tucked her in, and she said, “Mommy, why are you doing that?” Because I thought you liked it. You don’t like my kisses? “Um, I think I’m ready for you to close the door now.”
- 7/31/18 – First incident with the stone hearth – Travis set Abigail down in the living room and she scooted right over to the fireplace and fell over, busting her chin on the hearth. Thankfully, she didn’t bleed much at all…it was just a bad scratch. We got lucky!
Thanks for reading!
