One Sweet Summer

Summertime came and went in a hurry!

Anna Scott made the sweetest calendar at the end of last year.  The children used their hands to create pictures representing each month.  I thought I'd use it to add a little organization to my posts for the rest of the year.

Where shall we begin?  The month of May.  

We spent the first of many hours at the swimming pool with our beach babe.

We loved on sweet Caroline as she grew bigger, bigger, and bigger.

We enjoyed the outdoors.

...and enjoyed our pajama days as well.  

Anna Scott learned how to hit a forehand, backhand and serve.

She became pretty good at tennis, but not too shabby at basketball either.

On to June...

Caroline turned 100 days old on the day our William was born.

Anna Scott learned how to be a big sister and big cousin.  

She also learned so much during summer school days.

Then comes July.

We took brand new baby Will to the pool a few times.

Inside Out was the best movie of the summer!  We are hoping Santa brings a copy of this movie to our house this Christmas.

We celebrated the Fourth of July with family and friends.

Happy Birthday, America!

We took the kiddos on lots of walks around the neighborhood.

Anna Scott enjoyed vacation bible school.  

We took advantage of every photo op.  :)

Hello August!

Summer birthday parties are the best.  We loved Andrew's football party!

Grandaddy traveled to Guatemala, and we gave him lots of love before he left Birmingham.

Caroline turned 5 months old.  

Anna Scott decided it was time to start wearing make up, and she spent hours applying blush, eyeshadow and lipstick, over and over again.

She grew up more over this summer, both in physical appearance and personality, than any other time frame in her life thus far.  She really did become a true big girl, and as much as it broke my heart to lose that baby and toddler, I must admit, these are the BEST days. 

We celebrated Daddy's 34th birthday as a family of four.  I know a little girl who adores her daddy!

She should.  He is something truly special - everything a husband and father should be.  

Speaking of being a good parent, Anna Scott is a wonderful little mommy to her baby dolls.  She loves taking them for walks along with my baby and me.  :)

Will turned 6 weeks old...

...and grew to love his playground.

My Aunt Tracy was inducted into the Walker County Sports Hall of Fame.  Such a huge honor.  Much of our extended family were able to witness her induction, which was awesome.  Such a special evening! 

One August day, we were all visiting Mom and Dad at their house and decided to take the three kiddos to the pool.  On our way, Anna Scott was in the middle of the two babies (all in car seats) in the back seat of the car.  We had just pulled out of the driveway when Anna Scott said (out of nowhere), "So, I guess it's my job to take care of these babies and I don't want to."  Ha!

Nevertheless, she did a good job caring for them.  

Anna Scott started her last year at MBBC-ELC.  I can't even talk about the fact that she will start Kindergarten next year.  Really?  Already? 

I interrupt this stream of pictures to bring you an important announcement.  Scott and I did get a night or two to ourselves this summer!  Here we are before the Hope Gala.  Such a beautiful event for an awesome cause.

Birthday celebrations are always a must at our house.  Happy Birthday, Granmama!  We love you!

Anna Scott became quite the chef over the summer.  Nothing like cinnamon rolls on Saturday morning!

She also helped mommy sooooo much!  

Last, but not least, September.

On September 4th, Caroline turned 6 months old!  Anna Scott sat on her bed and sang the happy half-birthday song to Caroline.  

She kept getting about 1/4 of the way through the song and then laughing.  Then, she would say, "Wait just a second.  I just have to get the giggles out."  :)  Finally, after the 5th or 6th try, we made the perfect little sweet video to send to Caroline.  

Such a DIVA. (we are not supposed to stand on our bed)

Happy Half-Birthday our sweet Caroline!!!!

6 months old!

Our last Summer day at the pool was sad!  Anna Scott loved the pool this year.  She she hated to tell her mermaid that today was their last pool play date.

But, sweet kisses made it all better.

Will didn't seem to mind.  :)

Will did float in the pool for the first time on our last day.  He was almost 3 months old.

Anna Scott was into games over the summer.  Some of our favorites were candy land, guess who, frozen match game, princess board game, and spot it.  Anna Scott did a great job grasping the concept of and becoming quite good at guess who!  I love playing and laughing with her.  

Mama D celebrates her birthday in September, so we thought a Roll Tide cake was appropriate for her celebration, courtesy of Anna Scott.  

Oh, sweet sweet William.  As the summer went on, I came to realize what a GOOD baby this little guy is.  He went with the flow, never cried unless hungry or tired, and was always so pleasant.  The transition to two was made much easier by him being so easy and Anna Scott transitioning so well into the big sister role.  Two great kiddos.  I am thankful.  

One mid-September day, Will and I joined Anna Scott for a trip to the park.  As you can see, he was more than thrilled.

This is a day I will never forget.  You will think I am lying when I tell you this story, but it is true.  I promise.  Anna Scott had never swung by herself before (without me giving her a push every now and then), but on this day, she was determined.  She moved those legs back and forth and back and forth until she was swinging high and the rest was history.  It was easy for me!  Now all I had to do was sit back, relax, and enjoy the swinging.  I guess you believe me so far.  Well, the child enjoyed swinging by herself so much that she swang for 2.5 hours straight without stopping.  Did not stop once.  Not even to touch the ground for 1 minute.  Unbelievable.  I can't believe her hands weren't blistered from the chains. 

Will as my witness, two hours and thirty minutes!  :)

Come to find out, Anna Scott isn't the only one who loves to swing.  

Finally, and again I say FINALLY, on September 17th, it was time for our summer beach trip!  We usually go atleast twice, with one of the trips being in the early summer.  Needless to say, that didn't happen, and we were anticipating this trip with much excitement!

First things first...  we had to get our pedicures!

After packing everything we own our stuff, including this little beach babe, we were headed to the beach for an entire week!

Helloooooo white sand, rolling waves, sunny skies and no schedule!

Anna Scott was just happy to have made it to the beach safely with both of her babies.

It's hard to believe, but we took Anna Scott to the beach at 3 months old, which is the exact same age Will was on this trip.  So, I had to find Anna Scott's picture to share them side by side.  My beach babes.  Both at 3 months old.  Here comes the sun...

Needless to say, the beach trip was just awesome.  I mean, doesn't everyone's dream beach vacation consist of reapplying a four year old's sunscreen 10 times per day, getting covered in sand while building sandcastles, changing never ending diapers, and playing make believe in the pool?  But really, we had a great time!   :)

A really, really great time, despite the mean ole stomach bug that affected almost all of us at one point during the trip.  Anna Scott was sick for two days.  Bless her heart.  

Will got to see the ocean and put his toes in the sand for the first time.

A few random snapshots to end this awfully long and way overdue summertime post...

Random texts from Allison that include pictures like these just make my day.  

We love our GG!

Another year of dance begins! (and Anna Scott's right ballet shoe whiskers need to be cut)  ha!

We love BDT dance and Mrs. Joni!

I don't think I have mentioned how much Anna Scott enjoyed her trampoline this summer.  We have had the best time playing in and around the trampoline!  This girl can bounce with the best of them.

 Speaking of bouncing, sweet Will has grown so much since I last posted.  His bouncer is quickly becoming one of his favorite things.  How is he old enough to be in a bouncer?  Really....  how?  How did we bounce from Summertime to Christmastime this quickly?  I can't keep up.  However, in an attempt to do so, I will be catching you up on my precious baby boy next.  Stay tuned to My Fair Laney for his three, four, and five month posts, all wrapped into one!