54 months

Just as we did with the first day of school back in September we took a picture to remember the day, when I went to compare the pictures I saw such a more grown up little girl, what a difference nine months makes.  I can't believe the year has flown by and school is over!  J had an awesome year at school and I am glad I chose the school I did for her. She had an amazing teacher (whom I hope she gets again for VPK) and grew by leaps and bounds. She really enjoyed the letter of the week and learning what things start with each letter, she knows what letter all of her friends names start with. Show & Share on Fridays was one of her favorites and she would have to start on Tuesday looking for the perfect thing to take on Friday (that corresponded with their letter of the week, some weeks the letter stumped mommy but daddy was quick to suggest something). She brought home lots of art projects, acorns, envelopes filled with her cutting, flowers, weeds and whatever else she could seem to think to bring home, her bag was full each day when I went to unload it. I have sorted through all her work, gave some away (some hit the circular file) and kept what I felt was a good display of her work through the year (I'm still trying to figure out how to archive all her stuff that I have from the last four years of school/daycare, the bin I have it in is getting full). The last day of school I let her take my small point and shoot camera to school and take pictures of her friends (and she had to take pictures of the TV since they were allowed to watch shows this one day). She thought she was so cool because she had a camera (and most of her friends were jealous) and was a little paparazzi! Her teacher loved the idea and let her snap away at all the silliness of the day. When we picked her up from school (we were headed to Miami) I enjoyed looking at the pictures she took, I think she ended up with about 75 and got a couple of good shots! I shared the pictures with the other moms from the class who though that idea the was great. I'm going to let her do this more often as long as the teacher is OK with it (maybe for special occasions and holidays). 

We spent Memorial Day in Miami hanging out with family, swimming and BBQing, seems to be what we do when we are there (as long as it is warm enough to swim). The girls thought it was funny to swim naked and pee in the grass, to be that young and carefree again! We went out for lunch to the french restaurant and went to the park with Grandma to feed the ducks and play. J loves to feed the ducks but gets mad when the big ones come up to her, she only likes the babies she says.

Daddy had to make a quick trip to Orlando for work so we tagged along with him to hit Disney once more before our passes blacked out for the summer (mommy was smart and had booked Fast Passes just in case we went). We left home around 4pm that day and got inside the park just after 6pm, the girls are getting much better with the car ride to Orlando and are starting to recognize landmarks along the way. The trip was so quick and it was so hot and crowded (why again did I want to go at the beginning of June?) that I don't remember much of what we did. I do remember riding Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh, we met up with some friends for dinner, met Cinderella and Rapunzel and then waited for the Electrical Parade, most of why we went to the park that night. While I sat and held our sidewalk spots daddy killed time and took the girls to see Tink and get some A/C! Our friends met up with us to watch the parade, the kids had ice cream and cookies, I pulled out Dollar Tree glow sticks for all four of them and they were good to go. No matter if it is your first, second or too many times to count seeing the parade it is always magical. I loved watching all the kids and adults faces, I think my favorite thing in all of Disney by far. We finally checked into our hotel around 11pm, showered and everyone went to bed.

Daddy had to work the next day so mommy soloed it to the MK by myself with the girls, I was a little worried how this would all play out, again it was hot and crowded but I think I managed pretty well. Since the girls have been to Disney a few times now I figured we didn't have to do or see everything, took things slow and did whatever had the shortest wait time and A/C. The girls love the shows and enjoyed seeing Belle, the Country Bears and Tikki Birds, we were grateful for some reprieve from the sun too. The hardest part of the day was lunchtime, waiting in line with two little ones for counter service and then trying to navigate them and our food to find a table, I finally asked for help thinking it was Disney and someone would be happy to help me out but I was wrong, if I ever take the girls alone again we are packing food, this was not a fun experience. Daddy met up with us around two, we saw the PhiharMagic, rode Buzz Lightyear and then decided it was too hot and to go ahead and head home. 24 hours of fun and heat was enough but watching their little faces each time is priceless and worth the challenges of the day.

J has picked up her swimming where she left off last summer, she is comfortable and fearless in the water. She used up C's last two lessons and worked on her arms, floating and rolling over with the teacher. Mommy has continued working with her and she is doing well with her big arms and is almost across the pool. I have also been trying to get her to breathe when she swims, isn't working out too well as she thinks she needs to pop her head up every two seconds and is going no where when she does. She has discovered she can swim under water like a mermaid, I'm just afraid of her boinking her head at the steps, next thing I know she will be doing somersaults. She can float for about 8-10 seconds if she concentrates and relaxes, the water tickles her ears so she likes to flip over much quicker. 

Cousin Love 2016 was a fun and exhausting week! J loved spending time at the beach, something we don't do when we live so close, building castles, looking for shells and swimming. She loved going out on the boat and looking for shells and sand dollars, I think at one point she was trying to carry 20-30 sand dollars in her little arms. She was fearless and waded through the water like a pro. She got to have a slumber party with her cousins one night (K spent one night with us here at our house) at the beach house and went with them to play mini golf, just like last year she was not great at the game but had a good time trying (and didn't wack anyone with a ball or club).

We celebrated Father's Day with a pancake breakfast for daddy at the girls request. Daddy watched some soccer, got in a nap and got a cool new hat (and purple shirt that J picked out). In the afternoon Nana and Pop Pop came over to BBQ, no swimming this day as we were all a little water logged from being in the pool and at the beach all week.

 

We went to the aquarium twice this month before our membership expired. When it gets cooler I will renew as the girls love it there and it is a perfect morning outing to keep them entertained. Nana was finally able to make a trip with us and the girls were so excited to she her "their aquarium" and all of "their animal friends". I am going to miss the chocolate chip cookie treat we get when we go, they are some good cookies! J loved showing Nana the otters (all three were out that day), Molly the giant squid (who is preserved) and the touch area, she always wants to touch a starfish, that day one wasn't close but the nice volunteer brought one over for her.

The girls are just girls are a hoot most of the time. I scream, yell, scold, laugh, praise, mimic, and console them many times a day. This summer and them being together so much is going to test me, I know I will be ready for August 29th when school starts!

Here are the pictures from the month.