More "Tate-isms" and Avery Pictures

If she sees a bar, or two adult hands to grab, she will hang. I love the smile!

Trying something different with Avery's hair. It's a little mohawk-esque.

Look what Jammom bought Avery =) Tu-tu cute!

Last week Tate hopped out of the bath before I had his towel out. He grabbed the tiny hand towel that barely covered his waist and bum and reported, "I wear Avery's towel." He was even thoughtful enough to give it back to her when he finished. It just got my funny bone that he imagined that little thing could even fit around Avery, let alone him =)

Tate has been dressing himself more lately. It usually takes coaxing, but progress is good! Anyway, often clothes are backwards and/or inside out. So, I told him his polo shirt was backwards. His plaid shorts were also backwards and inside out, but that shirt was very obvious with the collar all up in his face and the top buttons on his back. He yells, "It's not backwards!" Uh, pretty sure I'm right on this one =)

Last week I had trouble sleeping and while I was up in the wee hours of the morning watching tv, I heard Tate go into our bed with Eric. He's a deep sleeper, so I thought I'd go cuddle/bug him in his sleep for something to do. To my surprise, he woke up and said, without opening his eyes, "Mom! I want to sleep. Pleeeaaaaase!". Then, he was zonked out again. I just wanted to document that Tate actually asked to sleep for once in his toddlerhood.

Also, last week I said, "Tate, you better go potty. You're doing the potty dance."
He says, "No! I don't do potty dance. I do table dance!"

Ta-Dah!!

I've discovered the joy of painting furniture this summer. It is slower work that I had hoped, but little by little, I'm loving our home more and more. This was a computer hutch bought off Craig's List and painted cream with a little antiquing. No glaze this time. When reassembled, things didn't fit right, and cousin Aaron saved the day! He cut off some of the bottom doors and made them fit. Thank you!! This experience reminded me of the lesson to buy good furniture in the first place. So, although, this is a little cheap and less than perfect, I do love it and it's a big improvement from our little computer desk without doors to cover our ugly monitor =) Eric paid the best compliment when he said that it really opens up the room. Up next...the barstools!

Siblings

We have so many PB and J eating pictures. It's when they're still and happy.

Lately, we've been hearing lots of "Avery, don't be sad! Be happy!" yelled by Tate. Usually when she's crying in the car, is when he'll angrily yell that at her, practically crying himself. Now, he's branched out to, "Avery! Don't be silly! Be happy!" Poor girl won't know what she's allowed to feel!

Last week, I held out Tate's shorts and Aves stepped right into them. I was surprised that they stayed up. He happens to have another pair just like the first, so they were twinners =) I chased them around with the camera for a few minutes and this is the best I got.

I said, "Give Avery a hug." He proceeded to hug/tackle and say, "I love you, Avery!" She totally didn't appreciate it.

Last Tuesday, I took Tate to Monkey Dooz, a special kid's haircut and party place. He got to sit in a jeep and watch Toy Story while the hair dresser cut his hair. Compared to his usual wails when we cut his hair, this was better. However, there was still crying and sad whimperings of "I don't like scissors!" while she patiently tried to give him a cut. But, he got a helium balloon at the end, so all is well. (Except when he lost it while coming into the house, and then it was the saddest moment of our lives. He's smiling with Avery's balloon in this picture.)

Summer Swimming (lotsa pics)

Here's a giant run of pictures in backwards order of today's lazing at the pool.




I like her cool shout-out to somebody here.



I had to include a picture of me to show that I was here, too. I'm just not a fan of pictures of myself , so it's faceless=) It could be any ole mama at the pool, really!
This made me laugh. Tiny little tutu-ed Avery just goes to the top of the slide and yells at the other kids, no matter how big they are. She didn't even go down the slide.
But she did pat the duck. For good luck?







This is my favorite picture (above).




Tate said, "I like my turtle". I'm glad.





We've come to Pendleton about once a week to visit grandma and pa, grandma-great, and to swim. This week we came twice since Bre and Lane were up from Portland. I've decided that August is the best time to swim here. The weather is hot enough, the pool has been heated from the sun for a couple months, and it seems like many people are traveling because the aquatic center isn't too busy. The kids discovered round floaties and supervision has become easier as a result =) I love watching Avery lounge and watch everybody. Tate is getting more confident in the water each year. Last year he was getting comfortable on the little duck and frog slides. This year he's backed off of them, perhaps he doesn't like the splash in his face at the end. But he still likes to send toys down them.

Today mom brought along her camera so we have lots of pictures! I find I don't do much with them unless I blog them while at her home and then they will eventually make it into the blog book and be had forever and ever =) So, that's my explanation for the onslaught of photos today. Seriously, there's about 30, so fun for me, but readers be warned...maybe boring for you =) But you should appreciate how well Avery's swim tutu holds up in the water. I'm impressed.

Cousin Laners

Here's Lane at 9 months and Aunt Bre. He's so perfectly round and squishy with a deep loud voice. He's a speedy army crawler, too!

Aaaaahhhhh!

Imagine Eric's surprise when he was peeking under the crack in Avery's door to see how she was sleeping earlier this evening...

and he saw a little Avery eye at the door base staring right back at him! They both screamed and then laughed from both sides of the door.

Windows

This is why I must clean my windows...

and at the same time wonder, "Why bother?".