Ahhh... Summer

There really is no better time of year. Sure, Fall is fun bc it's crisp and there's football and yummy smells. And the Holidays are fun, b.c well, they're the Holidays! And spring is nice b.c it's invigorating and warmer. But SUMMER. It just takes the cake.

We had a great weekend. Very relaxed and chill. We're working on some new 'routines' in how and when we do things. First new change is that we went to the grocery store on Friday after work - tired - yes, but we wanted to get it done so it didn't hang over our heads all weekend. This week we'll be working on a slightly later bedtime (8pm instead of 7:30.. b.c lately, she's just not tired at 7:30 so I spend 45 minutes trying to get her to sleep!). We usually eat after she's in bed. But with the later time, if we continued that pattern, it would be 9pm before we ate! So we'll start eating before she has a bath and goes to bed. Hopefully we'll be able to eat by 7:15 or so. Added bonus is that now she can get used to sitting at the table and eating as a family.

Eileen is becoming quite mobile. Not yet crawling, but twisting and turning and reaching! Used to be I could leave her sitting in a shopping cart and she'd just hang out. Now if I leave her too close to the aisle or turn my head, she's either grabbing things off a shelf or twisting around so much I fear she'll just work her way right out of the buggy!

Then on Saturday we hit the gym, and then went and got our new garbage can. (yes, I really am still quite excited about it). Then Josh went to Uncle Bobby's for the afternoon and Eileen and I went shopping!

She's just SO GOOD. We went to the "Lifestyle Center" near our house (translation= outdoor mall with pretty fountains and walkways and streaming music). We wandered around for 3 hours. She was in her stroller the whole time, and it was pretty hot out. Not once did she fuss. She loved sticking her (clean!) hands out of the stroller and feeling all the clothes. She loved staring at all the people and cars (I swear she's judging their fashion, or lack there of, statements in her little head). At one point in NY&Co, I was going through a rack of clothes. I turned around and she had found a shirt she liked and had it in her lap in her stroller! She's just hilarious. Then we went to Belk. She loved loved loved the Clinique Counter. Her little finger prints are all over their display case (for which I profusely apologized to the clerk!)

And then we went for Ice Cream. :) She still doesn't really like it.. I think the cold shocks her. I put a little bit on a spoon and let her go to town. Once it was more liquidy she liked it better. We sat outside and I had to eat at mach speed b.c it was melting all over me and the stroller! There was a woman there with her teenage girls and their friend and they were all hanging out. It seems crazy that in a few short years that will be us. I can't make my brain get past Eileen as a baby. Nevermind a teenager having a conversation and using big words!



Sunday was Josh's first Father's Day. It was a fun one! We went to church- where all the kids performed songs they'd learned earlier in the week at Vacation Bible School. Adorable. Little girls with bows in their hair, tan little arms and feet, and the cutest dresses in the world. The little boys with their little button-down shirts and shorts and hair sticking up all over the place. My boss' son -he's 6-was one of the kiddos up there, and he was just concentrating so hard on the words and corresponding hand movements. Again, it's crazy to think that in just a couple of years Eileen will be up there doing that little show!

Then we came home and did some chores, and then hit the POOL! My most favorite place in the world. Aunt Sissy came and met us. As you can see from the pictures, Eileen had a blast using Aunt Sissy as her personal jungle gym. Check her out on her knees. Aunt Sissy didn't put her like that, Eileen got herself up like that all by herself. She actually was doing that all day. Trying SO HARD to get up. She gets so mad b.c most of our floors are hardwood so she just scoots all around when she's really trying to get some traction! But really, I will not be suprised if she's crawling by this weekend (Beanie and Grandpa will be here, so perhaps she'll give them a show!). And as you can see by this last pic, after some time in the pool and the sun, she was ready for a big ol' nap! She passed out the second Josh gave her the pacifier. That's how she sleeps, with her hands behind her head. Hilarious, is it not?

And then Sunday night Josh made his Rendevous ribs. D I V I N E. Oh my. They were just soo good. I could have eaten the whole rack! Can't wait to do that again!

We'll go to the doctor on Wednesday for her 9month check up. Nine Months. How'd that happen? I think this is the visit with no shots, just weight/height and general check-up. The doctor told us to wait until she's crawling before we start solids, but I'm betting she's close enough he'll tell us to start giving her pasta and cheese and easy stuff like that. I'll check back in later this week with her newest stats!

:)