Our Crazy Month of July - IN ONE BIG POST

Ok, I have not posted much this month because:

a) I'm too lazy
b) We have been really busy
c) It's summer!!!!!
d) I chopped off one of my fingers
e) All of the above

Ok, I didn't chop off my finger but I did do a number on it and it hurts to type.  But I am working through this and finally posting some of our fun summer activities.

For those of you who may be a bit squemish at the sight of blood the last two pictures may not be for you.  My mom will look closely my dad will faint dead away.

Nicholas' work had an outing to a Nationals Game so we joined him.  Eliza was most excited about the food.  She had her first hot dog, some cracker jacks, peanuts and popcorn. I think we made her a fan of baseball...even though she didn't watch the game at all.

 Later that month Eliza won tickets to another game so we got to go back with a friend.  Eliza and Ada had a lot of fun playing in the bleachers together.

Fourth of July started off with a Church activity that included a bike parade.  Eliza was so excited and was pretty sure that the parade was in honor of her. 

 

Everyone who saw her riding her bike without training wheels was amazed...until they saw there were no pedals.  But she can zoom on that thing.

Later that night we ended up in Fredericksburg to watch the fireworks.  It was really a great night.  We found a nice park with a live band playing patriatic songs.  Eliza marched the entire time.  It was sort of magical.

This is Eliza's chewing gum face...actually it's her "I-just-swallowed-gum Face"  She's learning.  When she chews she makes a really cute face like she is concentrating really hard on not swallowing it.

One big highlight was a visit from my brother and his family.  Damon and Jess and their kids, DJ, Ethan and Kate came for a very short weekend.  But we packed a lot in and had a lot of fun.  Eliza loved having so many fun people to play with.  Kate was a great friend and both DJ and Ethan were so sweet to Eliza. 

 Waiting for her cousins to come back was "hard work".  Eliza likes to say this whenever anything is slightly difficult.  I love her face.  It was really hot and being patient was hard work!

 Kate and Eliza played dress up.  I love the cowboy shirt!

We stopped by Annapolis so they could see the water one more time.

 

It was really hot...I mean really hot and the girls did not want to walk all over Mt. Vernon.  Luckily they didn't mind being snug with each other and figured out how to ride together in the stroller.

We have been getting out and swimming, going to parks, hanging out with friends.  Summer is so much fun.  Here are a few things we have done:

Catching tadpoles.  We didn't catch any.

It has been a HOT Summer so we have been to the pool quite a bit, but we have also loved having the little splash pool on our deck.  One day I filled it up with bubbles.

First Ice Cream Sandwich

She loves any little ride she finds.  I think it's funny she is in a sweater in the middle of 102 degrees.  We were heading to a store and she doesn't like being cold in the store so she brought a sweater.  Wonder where she gets that from ;)

We went to a farmer's market and picked out a watermelon.

This is a habit we are trying to break.  She sneaks into our bed every morning around 5 am.  Sometimes it's at 3.  I have been trying (not with success) to make her stay in her room until 7.  I need my sleep too and Miss Wiggly Legs kicks me all night at the foot of our bed.

Nature Center with some friends, including a snake and a turtle.  Eliza was the first in line to pet them.  No fear. 

And here is my finger.  I was cutting chicken.  Actually I was cutting the bag open with my very sharp knife...dumb.  I knew as soon as I felt it that I would be going to get stitches.  I reacted pretty quick and grabbed a paper towel and sat down and told Eliza I was hurt.  She said "ice helps!" and ran and grabbed me a pack of ice.  I told her to get my shoes and she grabbed one flip flop and a red high heel.  Try again, I said black shoes.  She got them.  I called Nicholas and we figured out how to get him home thanks to a great friend and neighbor who came to the rescue and took Eliza while we headed over to Urgent Care.  Four stitches.  They took them out yesterday.  Part of my finger is numb but I think that will come back.  It's not fun.

The doctor commented that she was impressed I had no blood on me.  And the necklace was put on me by Eliza before I left.  She felt that it was important to look nice even in an emergency.

So there is our July in a nutshell.  Hope I do a better job posting in August.