56 months

The week of camp could not come soon enough for mommy! Hard to believe that the summer flew by as quickly as it did and we were in the end of July. This weeks camp theme was community helpers, J had a blast with her friends doing many fun activities. They learned about dentists and made their own toothpaste, they got to bring in a stuffed animal (it was Dumbo's lucky day) for a check-up at the pet clinic on the day they learned about veterinarians, they experimented with soap and learned how to keep germs away on doctor day, but the best part of camp was of course the Kona Ice truck and splash day! J had a blast a camp, I'm not sure why she didn't want to go the others weeks I had signed her up for.

J was a rock star at the dentist this visit, she even brought in her own princess sunglasses to wear! She hopped up on the chair like she was a pro and was excited to get her check-up. The visit started with x-rays and getting pictures of her teeth she did great and they were able to get all the panels they needed. She thought it was really cool to see her big teeth growing in under her baby teeth. She got her teeth cleaned, flossed and fluoride bubbles painted on. She kept the hygienist entertained with all the laughing and giggling she did! Then dentist came in and gave her a check, said all was good, confirmed that she has all of her adult teeth under her gums, and told her she was still a ways away from losing her first tooth, maybe when she is six. When she was done she got to pick a surprise from the treasure box and got a new Princess Belle toothbrush (mommy only buys Walmart generic ones so they get excited for character ones!). She was a good role model for her little sister.

We took a quick trip to Miami to celebrate B's first birthday. J was a little upset that she didn't get to help Aunt Boo make his cake (it was all she talked about for weeks) but was happy when we found some jobs for her to help with. Just like her sister I think her favorite part of the party was eating cup after cup of Aunt Boo's crack mix that was loaded with sugary stuff they don't normally get! We took a morning trip to Matheson to swim and play, although there wasn't much swimming, just mainly digging in sand and eating crack mix, we did find two hermit crabs that the girls were scared of! 

The girls stayed and hung out in Miami for a week with Grandma and Grandpa, mommy and daddy got a little break. They ate LOTS of BBQ, what else do we expect them to eat when they are there, all they wanted was Grandpa to make steakie for them, how can he say no. They swam when it wasn't raining, went to the movies to see the Secret Life of Pets and have McDonald's for lunch, went to the mall to ride the carousel and quarter rides (and talked Grandma into buying them new dresses and lip gloss), had lunch at the French Bistro, and played lots of Play-Doh at home. They spent a day with Aunt Boo, Uncle Mikey and B while they were there. They attempted to go to the Little Gym but it was only a hit for C, so what did they do, took them shopping at Target for a new outfit. J picked out a Peppa Pig shirt and some flowery shorts that she insisted matched, and then found a hat that she just had to have. When I went and picked them up she was so excited to show me the new outfit she was wearing, she looked like a hot mess!

A few days after the girls got back from Miami cousin B came to spend a few days with us while his school was closed. J was a super great helper while he was here. She loves her cousin, sometimes I think more than her sister, that's until he starts getting into her stuff, and he's getting to that age! We celebrated Nana's birthday with dinner out, went to the mall and played at the playplace and had pizza for lunch, and hung out at home and destroyed the playroom! J and B had quality bonding time in the morning, they were the early risers and had Mickey Mouse dates while C (aka Sleeping Beauty) slept in.

Her swimming is still continuing to improve. She continues to not want much help from me and to self teach herself. We were swimming one day at Nana's pool and all of a sudden she pushed of backwards from the steps and realized she could float (and kick on her back) by doing that. It then became a 20 minute game to see how many times she could do it and for how long she could float, I think we got to 10-12 seconds. She is also working on turning from her front to her back when she swims. If she would only listen to me and just tilt her chin a little more, she would float so much better! One day she will realize that mommy knows everything!

J loves to help me and a while back started helping me unload the dishwasher in the mornings, she is in charge of the silverware and is so excited that she can now reach the drawers without the stool. She also loves to help me cook but gets upset when C wants to help too, we try to sneak in some cooking time while C is still napping. Mac and cheese is her favorite to make and eat too (cupcakes are a close second)!

And the month couldn't go by without a trip to Disney, the summer is over and our passes are active again. I said after we went back in June that I wouldn't go again until it got a little cooler but found myself along with Nana and six other moms and their kids in the park at the end of August! It was SUPER hot but we made the best of it. We got their early, stayed late and packed a lot into one fun (but hot) day! Even though at times we were hot and miserable it was all worth it when the Electrical Parade started that night and I watch their little faces in amazement as the floats/characters passed us. We are really going to miss the parade when it leaves, hopefully they bring in something good and as "magical" to replace it. I know two little girls (and a big one) who will be very disappointed if they don't.

Here are the pictures from the month.