Busy Bees

I thought life was going to be simpler with the summer months upon us, but I'm realizing that summers are anything but leisurely when you have kids! We have been on the go nearly every day with swimming lessons, Vacation Bible School, trips to the library, play dates, holiday events ... and we recently spent a couple days building a fire-pit area in our backyard. S'mores, please!

Abby Kate is growing so fast and the baby-ness is just about gone. :( She doesn't miss a thing and asks questions about everything. She likes to swim and ride her bike and exercise with us. She still loves her books and puzzles. I started reading her a couple chapter books to see how she would take to them. So far we've read James and the Giant Peach and Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. She loved them both and would ask me to read and read and read. But I think she loves movies above all else! She loves her little sister and can't wait until Avery is big enough to run around and play with her. (I can!)

Avery will be turning 1 next month. I can hardly believe it! She is crawling around everywhere - and with quickness! She's so fast. She's managed to eat a bite or two of Junah's food a couple times before I could get to her. Yuck! Her first two teeth (bottom front) have popped through and they don't seem to bother her. She's getting the hang of pulling up, but doesn't cruise much yet. She can definitely say the words "Mama" and "Dada" and knows who we are which just melts our hearts! She is cuddly and funny and sweet and smiley... we just love her to pieces!

Mike will be away a lot in the coming months before his actual deployment later this year. I'm really sad and dreading his absence. But the busier we keep ourselves, the easier it will be, I think, so I'm hoping our weeks continue to be filled with stuff to do. Please pray for Mike as he heads off the coast for his dets this month and next. And if anyone wants to come visit the girls and me in August, please, please do!