June news

June has come and gone, and boy was it a quick month! I will try to capture it in pictures, because otherwise I can't remember what we did! My mom came for a visit once the school year ended (thanks to the extra week tacked on due to SNOW days). We were all anxious for her to come, and it wasn't nearly long enough since she had to get back home so she could jet off to Finland with my aunt and my godmother.

We had a great visit with my mom, and one of the favorite things we did was go to the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. It was a first for all of us, but not the last- my mom bought me a membership so we can go all year long. It is a gorgeous place, they have a newly opened butterfly exhibit but the best thing by far is in the children's World of Wonder..... a "splash pad" which is pretty much a playground full of sprinklers. I am excited to go back because it is something I can do on hot days with both kids while Clayton is working.

Speaking of water, we have become regular faces at our complex pool. It is a nice small pool that rarely has more than 3 people in it. Elliot went for his first swim and loved it, no crying at all. Gabrielle is a regular fish in the water, and even "swims by herself" (really she uses two noodles and kicks all around the pool, but all on her own with one of us close by). Clayton and Gabby have been going together when it opens in the mid-morning (on days he works a late shift) and even have a new friend they play with there, a girl named Virginia who is 5.

Making it easier for Clay to get to work and the kids and I to be out at the same time, is the addition of a second car! I call it Clay's car, since I only get to drive it if he is here and I run to the store (no car seats in it). We got a 2003 Mazda 6. It is much nicer than I would expect for that 'old' of a car and it only has 46K miles on it- plus power everything.

Elliot had his two month check up. He weighed in at 13.4 lbs and 23.4 inches long. He is a big boy! He is a pretty happy boy, and loves to smile and even almost giggles! Except when I eat something like dairy, beans, onions, etc. then he has gas (but he has gas all the time).

One reason I haven't blogged is due to an injury. I had an accident with hot wax and spilled it all over my left hand and a few splatters on the right. After going to urgent care, I was left with a total of 5 fingers and the top of my left hand bandaged. 8 days later I still have my hand wrapped up but all the fingers are free!

Gabrielle is a big girl these days! She is pretty much potty trained! We are all very thrilled and excited about it, she loves to poop in the toilet now too! She wears a pull up to bed, but gets up between 1-6 times before falling asleep to go pee (sometimes I think it is a ploy to not go to sleep). She is however developing a little bit of an attitude, evidenced by this quote "Don't say those mean words. It makes me upset. I don't want you to tell me to put my shoes away!" I am trying to be strict, and not let her get away with it because I do not want it to become permanent. She is becoming a great artist though, and draws pictures of our "big face, big legs and toes."