Summer Update

This summer has been SO great! The older kids tried out a soccer camp (I was NOT going to pay for a whole season if it meant weeks of dragging them kicking and screaming), and we found out that Gabriel actually enjoys it! Lily does not. We all expected it to be the other way around, but I'm totally excited about this, because Lily wants to do dance again anyway, so they can both have their own thing. Gideon is becoming less and less of a baby and more and more of a kid. He loves to go swimming with all of us. He can't swim on his own like the others, but he loves trying to be independent with his floaties on.

We've gotten to play at parks, friends' houses, and the beach. We unfortunately missed two birthday parties due to fevers, but I was really impressed at how well my kids handled that bad news. We made sure to do fun things to make up for it after they got better.
Of course, the biggest news for this summer is that Jeff got a new job! No more being assigned to big wildfires for weeks on end, shorter shifts, better pay, and more opportunities to promote. AND his station is closer so the kids and I can actually visit sometimes. We're SO excited!

Here are just a few things I would like to remember...
Gideon is learning to talk, and I just love some of the things he says incorrectly. I know I should correct him for his sake, but it's just so darn cute. Here are a few examples...

yes - cur (I think it's supposed to be "of course")
muffin - puppin
Buzz (as in Lightyear) - Butt
Grinch (my boys just can't let go of Christmas any time of year) - Ginch (I also love how he says "oh no! oh no!" whenever he's about to appear in the movie)

thank you - tu tu 

When I say "I love you!" he says "too!"

Lily goes back and forth between wanting to stay little forever and being devastated that she's not a grown-up mom already. I'm fairly positive that the main reason for this is that she wants to be able to make the rules instead of follow them, but she's still generally very good at doing what is asked of her. She loves to sing and dance, and I just LOVE to watch her. She reminds me a lot of Boo from Monsters, Inc., especially every time she sings in the bathroom (which is every time she goes to the bathroom).

Gabriel has had a few difficult moments, but has mostly been an angel all summer! He has started really being into video games, so, in an effort to prepare him for having to do homework when he starts kindergarten, I have him do some work in a workbook before he can play his video games. He finished the challenging one I had for him, so until I go to the store he's using an easier one. One of the pages asked him to draw a family portrait, and this is what he drew...

Yes, Gideon is crawling for some reason, he included the dog, the cat, and the tortoise, and I have a tear on my face. I'll be honest, I didn't notice the tear. Gabriel pointed it out to me and explained that he drew it there because I'm sad that he's growing up so fast. Then he said, "But you know what that will never stop, Mom?" I know better than to think he would just tell me. He would just keep repeating the question forever until I asked what, so I asked right away. "That will never stop me loving you," he said.

You guys, I won't lie. I'm one of many many people who have a tendency to mostly only post about the good parts of life. I don't do it because I want anyone to think that my life is perfect or that I have it easy. I do it because these are the things I want to focus on. With moments like these, why would I want to waste my time dwelling on the negative? I love these kids so much. I am SO proud of everything they, and their Daddy, have accomplished this summer!

And with that, here's a few pictures that I don't think made it to Facebook...