6 Months of Eliza!!

Took Eliza's 6 month pictures right before we headed to Utah for a few weeks.  She's still the sweetest most amazing little baby. Nothing new in that regard!

My little scrugg...

She really got the hang of sitting up by herself this month! 

She also loves playing with toys while sitting.  She's really started laughing a lot too.  Chase captured her giggling like crazy while watching George on the swing set outside.  A video I will treasure forever!  

Driving to Utah with Eliza (and George) was a nightmare! We had some good times but mostly it was tortuous for all involved.  We will NEVER do it again.  It was so bad, Eliza and I flew back to Texas while the rest of the fam drove the car back.  As much as we love her, no one wanted Eliza in the car.  

She was great in Utah though.  Lots of smiles and laughter for her grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. 

We brought our Rock n' Play with us but she seems to be getting too big for it these days.  She can almost rock right out of it!

Lots of snuggles from Aunt Cate and Uncle Chris at the Weber!

Adored everywhere we went.  

She even got "branded" by CC a few times.

The highlight of the trip was when Eliza met Eliza.  These two will always have that special little bond.  Elizas always do!

Jack gave E a black eye when we accidentally dropped a pill bottle on her eye.  She looks tough!

Hanging with Dad.  We love it when he doesn't have to work!!

I think Liza might have been hungry because she enjoys sucking on my chin and sucked my neck to the "hickey" degree.  We wanted to wait to do solids until after Utah, but watching E reach for food we were eating and sucking the life out of our fingers and chins, made us decide it was time to introduce some more food to the little scalawag!

I think she liked it!!  Sweet potatoes, bananas and rice cereal for the win!

While spending the day at Lagoon, she ate nearly an entire banana by sucking on it.  I guess this is her way of eating these days.  Like a vacuum!

While the rest of the family traveled by car back to Texas, E and I got to chill by ourselves in Utah for a few extra days and spend a little more time with family.  

Then we were off on our airplane.  She was a perfect little traveler.  I'm pretty sure if I could have strapped her like this to me in the car, it would have been very different.  She just loves to be snuggled!!

Lazy hazy crazy days

School's out!!  No more waking up at 6:45.  Honestly this spring semester we were in TOTAL survival mode.  We all "limped through the finish line" getting to June.  I stopped caring what the kids wore to school right around when Eliza was born 5 months ago. I'm amazed we made it to tell you the truth.  It's still a total blur to me!

I picked the kids up from school their last day on the scooter.  We had a fabulous time feeling the warm wind on our faces.  There's nothing quite like it.  If it weren't for the damn mosquitoes, I wouldn't mind the heat of summer at all.  The humidity keeps my lotion on the shelf and my fuzzy robe on the hook.  I love being warm and moisturized by the air.  It's the best!!

Summer haircuts!!

Symphonies on the green and naps at the pool!

Itsy bitsy teeny weeny bikinis!

Dips in the pool waiting for Dad to meet us after work with his swim trunks in tow!

Lots and lots of sass from Sadie.  The tween years are upon us!  She all of a sudden cares if her hair is combed and teeth are brushed.  I'd say we're moving in the right direction here!

Scooter rides to the pool!

Splashing in the kiddie pool while Dad mows the lawn. These three smiling faces make me so happy!!  I love it when they get along.  It's not very often so we must document it when we can!

George and his trucks!

Swimming in our very own Circle C water hole at slaughter creek.  All we need is a rope swing!

We had so much rain this year, the creek not only filled up, but made a pool!  We had so much fun exploring!!

The best part of lazy summer days is this!!

...and this!

(note the tiny game of footsy)

Sadie loooooves it when Eliza will snuggle with her.  It doesn't happen as much as it did when she was a newborn, so when they cuddle, Sadie asks if I'll take a picture!  

Gladly!!

Sidewalk chalk, climbing trees and playdough!  The epitome of summer if you ask me!

We had a few visitors too.  The Houston Cannons came down for a day visit and cousin Peter came for the weekend. Poor guy had to be around while they sprayed our cabinets white.  Pretty sure we took a year off his life after breathing all those paint fumes.  I didn't know it would be so bad, otherwise we wouldn't have advised he come.  I'm awfully glad he did though because there was NO WAY I could have the kids in there during the day, so Peter helped  me escape with the them to Kerby Lane for breakfast and movie theaters in the afternoon.  We love having "uncle Peter" around!!  

What we'll do for a little summer excitement. Dad was out of town so dressing up like a cow for a free meal was definitely in the cards.  

George's encounter with the massive cow was hilarious.  Sadie and Jack were in the bathroom so there were no buffers.  Just George and the cow.  He was a little worried at first but soon decided he could be trusted.

See, it's not ALL that bad when Dad's out of town.  

(Actually it is.  It REALLY is!!)

4th of July miniature golfing.  It was so blasted hot we barely made it to the last hole.  

Fireworks at Greyrock Golf course.   Lots of fun with our neighbors and their kids.

Anxiously waiting for the fireworks!

Liza was NOT a fan of the loud noises.

Sadie played A Child's Prayer on the piano with her teacher on the flute and Dad on the cello in sacrament meeting.  She was fabulous!!

George decided it was time to be potty trained. He was BY FAR the easiest kid to train.  No crazy stories to tell.  He just figured it out!  He doesn't like the mini seat though.  He'd rather almost fall into the big seat than sit on Lightning McQueen. Still wears a diaper at night but pretty good the rest of the day.  Only a few accidents.  He wants to be big like Sadie and Jack.  Hopefully Eliza will be this easy to train!

Right after Jack's birthday party pneumonia hit our house. There was always at least one sick person at home during the month of June.  First it was Sadie, then Jack, and finally little George.  Luckily Eliza was spared.  George was bad enough we had to get breathing treatments at the pediatrician's office.  

Poor little guy seemed to get the worst of it!

Then just as we were about to get in the car and drive to Utah, I started getting sick.  I thought I could kick it with some probiotics and sleep, but it knocked me over with 103 degree fevers and chills.  We kept pushing the trip back and I just couldn't get better.  Finally a trip to the emergency room and some antibiotics got me back on my feet.  I still had a pretty nasty cough but the fever had gone so we decided it was FINALLY time to go to Utah.  A week later than planned.  

That's not a shadow.  That's was 103 degree fevers look like!  Holy sweat!!

The silver lining of of the whole thing is getting nuked taquitos in bed!!