We've been spending lots of time at the park near our house. Ellison seems to be on a mission to meet every dog in the neighborhood and has even remembered some of their names when she sees them again. Whenever one comes by she stops whatever she is doing to "go say hi to that dog". She loves to play in the sand (so funny, because last year sand absolutely terrified her) and swing! She has been amazing me with how well she can climb. She doesn't really need help with any of the playground equipment anymore!
Kellen has found his feet and his voice over the past month. He giggles and squeals and makes all kinds of sounds. Ellison always says, "Kellen's talking to me!"
Kellen is always chewing on his hands or a toy, or trying to get his feet into his mouth. He tries to grab anything he can get his hands on to get it into in his mouth!
He rolls and scoots all over the place, turns himself in circles on the floor, and regularly manages to get his arms stuck in his crib rails despite the mesh bumpers. He also really loves to grab onto hair...ouch.
He started with his feet on the piano keys and ended up like this!
K Man is getting used to the exersaucer and likes being in the high chair or Bumbo so he can look around at what everyone is doing. He's definitely become more interactive over the past month or so!
(Ellison seems to like the exersaucer too...)
Ellison seems to be struggling a little with sharing the attention from Mommy and Daddy now that Kellen is sleeping less and playing more. She's been acting out a little more than she was for the first few months Kellen was around - more back talking and a lot less listening. We are trying to give her more one on one time with Mommy and Daddy. She went on a date to the zoo with Daddy last week and was apparently a very good girl. Then I took her to the pool at Hoyt Park over the weekend while Kellen was with Gramma and Papa and that didn't go quite as well. She's apparently terrified of water right now (she's scared of a lot of things at the moment). She screamed the whole time we were in the pool, which is only a couple inches deep. Kind of a bummer, I thought she would love it.
At Kopp's on her date with Mommy
I think we can say Ells is officially potty trained - she doesn't wear Pull-Ups at night anymore (she only did for a few weeks). Her only issue has been that she gets so into playing that she sometimes forgets that she needs to stop in the bathroom every few hours. But she hasn't had too many accidents. The whole thing has gone much smoother than I expected. E is excited because now she can start going to Sunday school this year instead of next year! She thinks she gets to take a bus there and carry a backpack, though...so she may end up slightly disappointed.
Wearing her crown and "Queen Elsa dress"
LOVES pony rides!
E started gymnastics a few weeks ago. She seems to really like "ma-nastics", as she calls it. She's a little scared of running on the tumble track, but she loves hanging from the rings! She has cried when it's time to leave every week.
We have been busy on the weekends over the past month - a family picnic, a bridal shower, a birthday party, our church picnic, State Fair, gymnastics...it seems like on the weekends that Jay and I are both off work, we aren't home at all. Hoping things slow down at some point because there's a lot that needs to get done around the house! I guess we have to get out and enjoy the weather while we can.
Me and my sister with our beautiful bride-to-be cousin, Allie
Church picnic
Children of the corn...?
Boyd Family picnic
Cousins (except Kellen) - Ellison, Isabella, Ethan, Logan, and Olivia
Ellison with her best friends - Piper, Janai and Leilani
1st time in a bounce house!
Other than all of that, we are making plans to start finishing part of the basement later this year. The kids need a playroom, and that oil tank that used to heat our house needs to vacate the premises! Jay's first garden has produced a TON of beans, some broccoli, and a good amount of peas so far. We are planning a weekend getaway to Door County for our 5th anniversary in October. And I think that about covers what is new with us! Enjoy some more pictures...
