July Newsletter & Slideshow

Below is the slideshow for July. The link to the newsletter is on the left. I don't know how many of you open the newsletter, so I have to include a few of my favorite things my kids have said or done this past month:

McKINLEY:
-McKinley says “I’m scary!” instead of “I’m scared!”
-McKinley is getting so excited about her birthday and she knows it’s in September. The other day she asked how old she was and mommy told her she was almost 3 years old. She replied “When I’m 3, then I can drive!” She is so anxious to drive and wear make-up already. We don’t know how we’re going to stave her off for another 13 years!
-The other day mommy was getting ready in the bathroom. McKinley wanted some of mommy’s lotion and mommy told her that she couldn’t have any. She kept pleading and mommy said “the answer is no.” McKinley looked straight at mommy and declared “Well, McKinley’s answer is YES!”
-McKinley heard jingle bells on something the other day and asked mommy “Where’s Christmas?”
-After her glass of water spilled mommy asked “Did you spill your drink McKinley?” She answered “No, mommy. It spilled itself.” (That was mommy’s fault for asking such a silly question)
-One day as mommy was putting McKinley down for a nap, she looked straight at mommy and said “Mommy, I promise I will never leave you. I promise, promise, promise. I will never leave you.” Then she smiled so big.
-McKinley was a bit grouchy one day when we got in the truck to go to the store. She yelled from the backseat in an accusing tone “Mommy – Ireland is looking out of MY window!”
-I think it’s so funny that McKinley calls flies “shoo-flies.” She naturally thinks that’s what they’re called because whenever they’re around we sing “Shoo fly – don’t bother me!”
-We are soooo proud of McKinley this month. She’s getting to be such a big girl! 3 times when mommy came back to the table after helping Ireland, McKinley had put her plate or bowl and utensil into the dishwasher without being asked. Way to go sweet pea!
-McKinley is such a good big sister. Sometimes, however, she seems to like to get Ireland in trouble. She will put something in front of her and as Ireland reaches for it, McKinley will yell “Mommy! Ireland is taking my ___!” or she will put her hand on Ireland’s & if Ireland even touches her, she will yell “Mommy! Ireland is hitting me!”
-McKinley likes to pretend sometimes that she is the mommy and that mommy is McKinley. She likes to count to 3 and put mommy in time-out.
-We asked McKinley what she wants for her birthday. She thought for a moment and then said “candles.” Smiling, we told her that could probably be arranged. “What else?” Mommy asked. She thought for another moment and said “a cake.” Wow. We should probably enjoy her enjoyment of simple things while they last.

IRELAND:
-Ireland was miserable on her birthday. Her pain was threefold: Canker sores ALL over her mouth – inside and out, cutting molars, and her gums were just so sensitive. If she bumped her mouth at all, her gums would bleed and bleed. It hurt to just look at her mouth, poor baby.
-Here’s the words Ireland Ireland has said this month: AGAIN, FISHIE, TIGER, THANK YOU, PEEK-A-BOO!, BALL -
Ireland has also signed: TIRED, WATER, BATH -Ireland loves to watch signing time and gets SO excited when it comes on. She moves her hands and tries to do the opening song with Rachel.
-Ireland has started folding arms for prayers. She grabs her forearm – good job Ireland!
-She LOVES stuffed animals – especially a stuffed tiger – and she says RAARRR!
-She has helped mommy to put utensils away from the dishwasher. She will hand mommy one and say “Thank you!” and then mommy will say “thank you!”
-We need to get it on video when daddy comes home. Ireland is just SOO excited - she just pants so fast, says DA, DA, DA! and practically RUNS to get to her daddy.
-Ireland has a hard time resisting electronics of any sort. Anything that has a button is free game – especially the BIG RED buttons such as those found on power strips – like to the computer or the TV or DVD player.
-Ireland had her 1-year-checkup with Dr. Daynes this month. Because she had hardly eaten anything in the week she had her cankers, she had lost a little weight – she was only 18.5 lbs, which is only the 10th percentile. Since then she has been making up for it, though, and we’re working on fattening up our little girl. She was tall, though – 80th percentile for height.
-Ireland has pretty much given up crawling – she is almost running now!