Lake, Part 2

As I noted in my last lake post, the weather over Memorial Day wasn't stellar. So, we had to find other activities to occupy our time. Maybe it's because the kids are more relaxed at the lake (or the parents are!), or maybe everything is easier when you're sitting on a screened porch overlooking the water, but they seem to be a bit more laid back when we're at the lake; every little thing doesn't turn into an argument, time out is employed less frequently, and there are more shrieks of joy and fewer temper tantrums. So, here are a few more pictures of our "indoor" activities:

Julia in her "muscles" aka the best toddler water product ever made (by Puddle Jumpers, in case you care)

Lake, Part 1

We've been to the lake a couple of times this summer: once about mid-May and once over Memorial Day weekend. It's already Will's favorite place in the world. Each time we leave the lake, he immediately asks when we're coming back. He loves being in the water, swimming with his "muscles" on, throwing rocks in the lake, or just general lazing about. The water was a bit chilly the first time we went, but that didn't bother Will in the least. He kept telling everyone else, "You'll get used to it! You'll get used to it!"

Julia is developing a love for the lake as well. She wasn't too keen on swimming the first time we went (i.e., she was attached to me like a barnacle), but by the second time, she was much more interested in "swimming" around while shouting "kick, kick, kick!" She's also fascinated with throwing things in the lake, but of course, what child isn't?

At the lake, messes are somehow easier to deal with, so we do a lot of non-water activities, too, like painting, bubbles, play-doh, and eating watermelon on the dock. We also love to pull out the baby pool, which we could of course do at home, but like everything else--it's just more fun at the lake! Here are some pics of our recent visits:

Blowing Bubbles

Throwing Rocks

Safety first!

Summertime Treat

Girlie Thursdays: Phrase-ology

Julia has started talking so much more in the last few weeks, and I had forgotten how much I enjoy this stage. I love to watch her figuring things out, putting concepts together, and really starting to communicate--in her own ways. I love how her speech at this point is a mixed bag of words I understand and "words" that are just babble...but it all makes perfect sense to her.

Recently Julia has been making more phrases, and it's so funny what she's picked up on. When she sees me get out of the shower or notices that my hair is wet (or when we run through the rain), she always notes "All wet, Mama! All wet!" Zach has been traveling a good bit lately, so now anytime I ask Julia where Daddy is, she replies with "Dada trip" (except she misses her 'r' so it comes out as 'tip'). She loves to tell anyone, anywhere 'no'--she's always looking for someone to boss around. Will is a favorite target; I often hear her saying "No-NO Wah-wah!" She's also figured out that the boy across the street is younger than her (by a mere six months), and is on him like white on rice anytime we see him: "No, no, no, Whit!"

She's also beginning to figure out the possessive and loves to point out what belongs to whom: "Wah-wah cup," "Ju-ju milk," or "Mama shoe." Of course, like any toddler, she frequently just resorts to "MY snack!" or a screeched "MIIIIIIIIIIINE!" She has learned to be somewhat polite, though, and if I ask the kids to share, she'll tell Will, "My turn!" or "Ju-ju's turn!" Of course, if he doesn't respond quickly enough, she just tries to snatch whatever it is she was waiting on.

One of my favorite phrases that I hear A LOT from Julia is "Mama, POP!" Which means, 'stop'. If I attempt to dance or sing, she quickly chimes in with that refrain, "Mama, POP! Pop, Mama!" I love it that she's not even two, and already, I'm embarrassing her! I imagine this will continue for many more years.

Wednesday Will-isms

This weekend, a storm blew over this little set of cactus plants that Will was working on. He seemed a bit disappointed, so I tried to make it up to him by letting him know that we could get some new pots and plant something new. I told him, "Maybe we'll even get some seeds and grow our own vegetables!"

Will thought about this for a minute and concluded, "I don't want to grow vegetables...I want to grow hamburgers!"

I like the way he thinks.

Girlie Thursdays

Julia's learned a new trick: "Excuse Me". Except, the way that she says it, it sounds more like, "Muse Me!" And she says it in this tiny little voice. And it's the cutest thing ever. One part that's not so cute is the fact that she's taken to fake burping, just so she will have the opportunity to say "Muse Me!" She also loves to correct everyone else...if she hears a burp, she's quick to say "Muse Me Wah-wah" (Excuse me, Will) as a gentle reminder of manners. She's so helpful!

Wednesday Will-isms

While getting ready for school one day:
Will saw Zach without his shirt on and just had to comment: "Daddy! You are so furry! You are like a bear you are so furry. You even have hair in your armpits!" Will found this whole thing to be absolutely hilarious. I don't know why he hasn't commented on this before, because he's seen Zach without a shirt plenty of times. The funny thing is, Zach isn't even very hairy!
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While driving home from school one day:
"Mama, your car doesn't go as fast as Daddy's."
"Yes, Will, it can go as fast as Daddy's, I'm just not driving it as fast."
"That's cuz YOU know the rules, Mama."

Girlie Thursdays: She Did It!

Remember this post? Well, I certainly haven't been pushing the potty training thing, but rather just trying to be aware if Julia's interested. Many nights before or after bath she wants to sit on the potty, but then she gets up, having done nothing. Tonight was different...

She wanted to sit on the potty before bath, but then quickly got up and got into the bath. When her bath was almost over, though, she started insistently saying "Tee-tee! Tee-tee!" So, I got her out and put her back on the potty...a couple of minutes later, she gets up nonchalantly, like she always does...except this time, she had actually peed in the potty! I couldn't believe it--I got so excited trying to praise her that I scared her instead. But, after she got over being scared, she seemed proud of what she had done. Will was very cute, too, encouraging her and saying "Good job, Julia!"

Again, I have no real expectations that this will lead to anything in the near future--she probably won't do it again for months. And since "they're not allowed to potty train" in the class that Julia's currently in (don't ask--I don't know what that's about), I'm not really going to push it. But, it certainly would be nice if potty training happened sooner rather than later. I wouldn't know what to do with myself with no one in diapers. Guess we'd have to have a third baby, huh, Zach?