snippets of summer

The month of July has flown for us. Looking back, it's hard to say what's kept us so busy. Unpacking the boxes for the basement, keeping up with two kids, weekly playdates, errands, a trip to visit family... not one major thing, but an abundance of living life. Here are a handful of moments from the last month.

The Great Shoe Search
Morgan and I spent several minutes Thursday morning combing the house for my flip-flops. I was certain I left them under the table next to the couch. She watched me go out back, to my bedroom, by the coat closet and out to the living room again. Where could they be?

"Mommy! I hided them under your bed so Andrew wouldn't get them!"

How very thoughtful. Note to self: when looking for a misplaced item, be sure to check with Morgan first. She is the master of playing keep-away from Andrew these days. The biggest toy stash can usually be found under her bed, behind the closed door of her room.

When she's not busy hoarding toys, Morgan loves to play with Andrew. Of course, it all happens on her terms, but you can definitely feel the love. Strangely she is most welcoming of him when first waking from her nap. I'll open the door to greet her with Andrew in my arms and she pops right up as Andrew starts grinning and kicking to get down on her bed. They adore each other.

Part Kid, Part Canine
Andrew's curiosity for putting things in his mouth hasn't really subsided. Lately it feels as if he's part boy, part dog: chewing on foam balls, biting us, practically shredding our clothes. At the park last week, he was delighted by the taste and texture of woodchips. Lovely. His six pearly whites are getting a workout. And his love affair with chomping has put us on full-time watch of what goes in and out of his mouth. We're on guard!

From Crawling to Climbing

After figuring out the logistics of crawling, it didn't take long for Andrew to conquer other feats. First up? Standing in his crib. I was surprised to open his door at the end of nap time and see him vertical, greeting me with a smile. Later in the same afternoon, he figured out the step between our kitchen and living room. He hasn't mastered the descent, but is working on it every day. It won't be long before the flight of stairs to the basement becomes Andrew's newest obsession.

Backyard Buddies

We are spending many evenings after dinner playing in our mosquito-free backyard bubble (Scott has sprayed the yard with this awesome stuff to help us do more playing and less swatting). Morgan lives for her time on the swing. Andrew, like his uncle, is fascinated with grass.

Hard to believe tomorrow is the first of August. Summer is slipping away so quickly! Soon we'll be celebrating Andrew's first birthday, enjoying Labor Day weekend and sending Morgan off to her first day of preschool.  And blogging, I'm sure, each and every event.