I’ll admit, we haven’t done a lot of “summer” things this year. With having the baby, we’ve been mostly home bodies – and haven’t spent a lot of time outdoors or anything…but in the last couple of weeks, we’ve tried to soak up some more summer…especially with the end of maternity leave and the re-joining of a daily routine.

We all went to the Waverly Pool this night, giving me a chance to take a few photos and hang out with Evan while Ellie and Nathan “swam”

What is my daughter’s deal with kissing everything?

This is probably my favorite picture of that night…I love the little beads of water on her back and her hair all up in knobbies…what a cutie girl…

Ellie, Evan, and I fed the ducks in Charles City with Grandma and Grandpa.

With this picture I just wanted to prove that Evan really was there…although not very happy about it.

A girl and her grandpa…

Eating popsicles on the deck. This was her first popsicle experience…we’re not sure she knew how to tackle it at first, and she was mighty sticky at the end!

This weekend…as a last hurrah to summer, we’re going to attempt camping…yes, all of us. We shall see how that ends up. Stacey lent us a tent that we’ll all fit in and Ellie has been begging to go to a “beach” so we’re going to see what we can do. Stay tuned to future posts to learn the outcome of the first camping adventure!

A few weeks ago, after giving Ellie a bath, we were in her room to get her into her jammies and all of a sudden she starts to go to the bathroom…stops herself…runs into the bathroom and goes potty. We were thrilled…this was the evidence we needed that she was in fact ready to start wearing underwear…and never turn back. We waited to start, however, until after the janesville/chicago trip. I didn’t think wet car seats and peeing in my sister’s house would be elements of a fantastic vacation…

We started hardcore potty training on the 2nd. This first night, it did not go well. She was exceptionally tired from a birthday party we had gone to that afternoon (and the non-nap she took on the way home). She had three accidents that night, including one on our neighbor’s steps. (They weren’t home…but i’m not sure that makes it better…I’m just hoping they didn’t come home, bend down to find out why their steps were wet and do something like touch it or smell it) The next day went much better…and the subsequent days after that too…she was really catching on! And minus the few accidents we’ve had since then, she is doing pretty well…

through this experience, my patience has been tested many times, and I am constantly afraid she’s going to pee in the van, or in a store (Oh, I’d be horrified), and have become familiar with more public restrooms that I had ever seen before. I now know which stores have them and which don’t, which parks have them and which don’t, and which parks clean their toilets, and sadly, which don’t.

I also have now started keeping tabs on which restrooms have automatic flushers…that petrify my daughter. There is no experience quite like holding your screaming two year old on the toilet at McDonald’s because you know she has to go, although she is letting you, and everyone else in the restaurant, know that she “doesn’t have to go” as loudly as her little lungs will allow.

I hesitate to say she is potty trained. It sounds so final…and after working with loads of three year olds in the past couple of years that were “potty trained” I have a whole new respect for the distinction…and the finality of it. But, we’re getting there – we’ve made more progress than I thought we would while I was home on maternity leave…and we’ve lived through it – so far…

This was Ellie’s 3rd trip to the Bremer County Fair…although I’m pretty sure she doesn’t remember the first two.

This kid loves the fair. She’s so darn excited about tractors, animals, and food that this is truly her cup of tea. I only wish the state fair was on our list this summer…she loved it last summer, but alas, it probably isn’t going to happen.

Some highlights from our time at the fair…

The kiddie carnival put on by 4H is a great thing!

Ellie wanted to climb in the duck pond. She didn’t really get the purpose of picking up the duck and handing it to someone…she just wanted to play. But she liked the prizes she got anyway.

Her first ink. I’m so proud. Only yesterday (a full week after we had washed it off), she pointed to her arm and asked where her cow was.

She sat so still to have her face painted. Why can’t I get her to sit this still when I’m doing her hair or cutting her nails?

Meeting up with her friends is always a highlight for our social little girl.

Ellie, Dad, and Thomas checking out the cows. They wanted to pet them…until we got to the petting zoo, and then Ellie would have nothing to do with the cow there.

A lot of you are probably wondering why I don’t post more pictures of the baby…well, because as cute as he is, all of the pictures look the same. This is Evan enjoying the fair…asleep as usual.

Her brave side came out for a little while…long enough for her to pet (and kiss) the bunnies and chicks. I’m sure the kissing part was sanitary. They disinfect the animals before bringing them to the fair right?

Our last stop of the evening…the dairy producers ice cream stand. Both Ellie and I like the “cookie part” that we got to put on top. As you can see, we put on a lot of cookie topping…

Months ago, my sister Laura and I planned for the kids and I to come visit her during my maternity leave. We thought it would be a great time to get in the shopping trip to the woodfield mall near chicago that we like to take once a year that was postponed from January due to inclement weather.

Little did we know the weather would seem like a blessing after this trip.

Not that it was all bad…

Mom, Dad, Ellie, Evan and I all went out (in two separate vans) on a Sunday, and Monday spent the day playing with cousins and grandma.

Tuesday, we headed to the mall. We had lunch at the rainforest cafe – all the kids were mezmerized by the sights and sounds…they were just in awe of it. Okay, I say all…but I don’t really think Evan cared all that much. I say he was in awe because he wasn’t crying…but he wasn’t sleeping either.

After the restaurant, things started to get a little punchy. Evan didn’t sleep – strange for him…Kieran was tired, and Ellie was bored and the stroller wasn’t doing it for her anymore. We did manage to make it through the mall…with very few purchases. I think Laura bought a pair of capri pants and I bought Ellie a cookie and a smoothie for myself. So, other than the few things we bought at IKEA before we hit the mall, it was kindof a bust.

The real kicker was the ride home. Evan went right to sleep – naturally…not sleeping all through the mall and wanting to be held now made him tired, and Ellie went to sleep not long after he did – which was also good because WOW…did she need it. Kieran, on the other hand, did not sleep…but was still so tired. She cried most of the way home – until we started singing to her. I busted out into a rendition of nearly every song I remembered from my preschool teaching days…and we ended on a chorus of 99 bottles of beer on the wall. We thought maybe the lyrics were inappropriate until we remembered that they are from Wisconsin, so in that case, they were acceptable. Perhaps it was the “take one down, pass it to grandma, mommy, etc…” parts that were inappropriate.

That night, I took Ellie to the mall in janesville (wisconsin…where my sister lives) and let her run off some steam. I think she needed it after sitting all day…

I love this last picture. The look on her face is just so mischevious.

It was a fun trip, one I’m glad we took, I just think sometimes we’re a little too ambitious for our own good.

Ahh…the janesville days parade. Now, we’ve been impressed with our small town’s celebration since we started attending. The fireworks are amazing…and we watch them from very near where they shoot them off. This year we were smart and took ear plugs…which not only help with the loudness of the fireworks, but also with blocking out the comments of those around you who may have had too much to drink by 9:30.

Ellie loves the parade…although this year she thought she was going to be in it…see the post “everybody loves a parade”…and that she’d get to throw stuff at people again. After explaining that she was going to pick up candy this time, she was excited…and off we went.

waiting for the start with grandpa.

The fire trucks petrified the poor girl and she stood frozen on the side of the street by her daddy. After they finally cleared out, she got more into the swing of the parade.

I had to include a photo of her sharing candy with the lady sitting next to me…it was a sweet gesture…this lady liked tootsie rolls, and so Ellie gave her the biggest one she found.

I think Ellie thought waving the flag furiously was the best part!

These fans crack me up –

Enjoying the spoils of her efforts…one green frootie at a time!