**If you're a regular reader, I have updated Clara's 8 month bday with pics.
Now that I'm back in FL we're in our summer routine. I'm watching Julia (Tiffy & Steven's baby girl - almost 2 mo.) on Tuesdays and all 4 kids with Clara on Thursdays. She helped us out so much last year with Clara and wouldn't let us pay her, so I'm thrilled I'm able to return some help. I wasn't sure how managing all our 5 kids would be, but so far so good. Julia is such a great baby, as sweet as can be. She is a good communicator and tells me just what she needs, she is a great sleeper too. She is like Clara was and would prefer to sleep against me in the sling so it takes me back to those days which I can't believe are over, it's so great, it's a taste of what I miss already.
Other than running errands, catching up on the blog, cleaning the house and stupid chores, Clara and I have been playing, practicing sign language, reading, singing and dancing, standing, going to read alouds at the library and hanging out with friends. I love that I get to be with her every moment. I love my life right now. I'm the luckiest mommy to be home with her for summers. When I didn't know what I wanted to do when I went to college, I remembered how I loved that my mom had summers "off" (she still worked a ton) but remembered our time together. I knew I'd want to spend summers and holidays with my kids. I also loved going to work with her and thought about how cool it would be to take my kids to work with me while they were in elementary school. Almost 10 years later, I'm really thankful that was my thought process.
The sweet beautiful Julia Rebecka, just waking up, big yawn. She is such a happy baby.
I got to bust out all of Clara's "stations" she already outgrew. It's perfect.
Of course, Tiffany brought them matching outfits on their first day together. I think Julia had double and one size was perfect for Clara. We'll break it in for her and before we know it, Julia will be in a 9 month size! :( I had perfect bows to match and Tiffany made Clara some neat headbands so we were set.
Let me get that camera.
Can't turn it for some reason
Tiffy took a few quick pics before she left on our pretty new outside couch. We put Julia farther away from Clara in hopes she wouldn't grab, yea right!
She is so excited to play with all her cousins.
Mommy gave her a toy, we'll see how long that works.
A headband mommy made. Already too small.
I love this outfit that Lisa got her.
We went out to lunch in week 34 since Gabby is off to college. :((((( Yay for her, sad for us. We'll miss your beautiful face. She is going to love college!! We're so happy for your Gabs. She is here with mom and mimi. I love these ladies.
Our bunny.
One of Andre's projects while I was gone. New plants, stepping stones and mulch instead of dead grass. Looks great love. I love the stones. So this is one side of the house and the other side is the butterfly garden. I love my green thumb husband, everything is pretty.
Our girl after a swim in her robe. Seeing her in a robe cracks me up, not sure why. Butt cheeks!!
love those hot cross buns
my girls
We finally captured Clara's "I'm done" face when she refuses to open her mouth and eat. It's so funny because she thinks it's funny to keep her lips closed and she'll even smile with them closed. She'll go quite a long time without opening. I usually win and get a few more bites in because there are always just a few bites left.
Even when the spoon is pulled away, she will not be fooled.
Julia's cute self and outfit. Darn pics won't let me turn them.
pretty girl
My favorite hibiscus in the back yard. We have many, this one is brilliant.
Practicing my focus, you'll notice this one is the leaf.
This one the lizard. I'm getting the hang of this amazing camera, when I have 5 minutes to take a picture.
Butterfly garden. There are SO many butterflies in our yard thanks to this.
Another coconut palm Andre planted while I was in NY. No, it's not falling over, that's how they start to grow, it will pull itself up at a nice tilt eventually. Thanks to Andre, I know these things. ;)
Another fav
#1 fav - ;) Pig tails. Yes. Of course not even since she won't hold still. Still, too cute. Again, wanting to crawl, or just get from a to b.
She is trying so hard, and getting so flustered. Thanks to Jane's wonderful blanket I can keep her poor knees off the carpet and on a soft blanket.
Yaaaay!! Clapping.
My crazy girl.
I debated if I should post this. I do not like to see this little girl flustered. However, it's her. She can be stubborn and impatient. She wants to crawl, or move in anyway, SO bad. It won't be long.
Sweet Julia.
Clara is so happy to have her baby cousin over to play.
Oh, how I miss these days.
Brandi sent this of Elsa (can't flip it) She is getting TOOOOOO big already. It's only been 1.5 weeks! I hate the distance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Clara loves to have her head smashed against the top, usually its her entire face in the corner under the bumper. After I feed her the nightly bottle she drinks while singing her to sleep, I continue to rock her and stare at her, then I put her in her crib and stare at her some more. I love to watch her sleep. Probably because she is so calm and still and that's quite rare for this pumpkin.
hehe, big flower -- cute girl!
I packed up the girls to go meet up with the three boys at Tiffy's house. I don't know how someone with twins does it.
Clara and I setting up lunch for the boys while Julia sleeps.
Isaac hid under the table so I let him sneak out of it.
Tyler playing with his long lost pal.
The boys brushing up on some summer skills to prep for next year. They are both so smart and such good kids.
The girls.
Dawnie posted this on facebook. Does Clara look like me? Pah.
The Crews in the Keys
The girls asleep again. Julia is not suffocating, I promise.
Happy Julia.
Silly Julia
Gabby all moved in.
Taking the girls for a stroll.
my koo-koo bird
Pictures for daddy during the day.
This funny girl. Refuses to float on her back. Something she did just fine when we first put her in the pool. Andre taught her to "swim" to me under water and since then she wants nothing to do with being on her back so she refuses to float. We went a week straight with no swimming, playing, anything other than being on her back. She is stubborn. She knows what she wants, what she doesn't want, and that's that. Boy are we going to have our hands full with this full personality. She leaves her hat and sun glasses on though?!?! Crazy kid.
I rolled the dice and took all five kids to the park by myself. The boys are easy, it's these two chikas that could throw me for a loop. Julia slept the entire time, thank you my sweets. Clara was awake for the first 10 minutes or so then out like a light too! Three issues did arise:
1. I had Tyler pee on a tree (we were the ONLY ones there...or so I thought) and the grounds keeper came around the corner and told him not to pee on trees. I didn't want any of them out of my sight and remember Tiffany saying she didn't know what she was going to do with a girl who couldn't pee on trees so I knew I wasn't asking him to do something she didn't approve of. I figured if I asked him to pee on a tree and it was uncalled for then he'd react to it, he didn't think twice. But he did come right back (with Dylan, I didn't send him alone) and was very concerned that the guy said that. He wanted to go tell him I said it was okay.
2. I forgot how Tiffany showed me to put the stroller down and so I couldn't fold it up, thankfully it fit perfectly in the trunk open. Phew!
3. More deodorant, it was a hot day.
Needless to say, I'm glad we ventured out. I didn't want the boys to be stuck at home all day. The morning is when the girls are the easiest on me so we went for it. Goal! ;)
Oh and Isaac has mommy's brain. I asked them to stand next to the stroller for a picture and this playground idea was his, too bad I couldnt' get him to look. He is an out of the box, no shoes wearin kinda kid, I love it.
Clara falling asleep in the swing, unheard of.
Out.
While the girls slept I pushed Tyler and gave Isaac "under duckies" -- remember those? Dylan was already flyin high. Then a van of day care kids showed and were loud and crazy and all of us wanted to leave. They woke our girls. Rude.
The happy camper.
When Clara took her afternoon nap the boys swam. Tyler dressed himself which helps me so much but it wasn't until this picture that I noticed his shorts were on backwards. We spent 15 minutes looking for them. He wouldn't wear anything else. I think Clara may be like Tyler, he knows what he wants and that's that...as sweet as can be though. ;)
Julia and I sweat on each other in the hot shade while the boys swam. Next time I need to take my suit and an umbrella so I can get half in. I wasn't thinking.
Feeding Clara while looking over Isaac's workbook pages, he read to her while I checked his work. She listened intently.
While I fed Julia, Dylan decided to work on the floor to entertain Clara while working. I love these multi-tasking boys.
I love the birds eye view of her with a skirt and pig tails. I wonder if she will end up hating skirts/dresses/pig tails/pink. It's so funny not knowing. Sorry in advance my love if you're a Tomboy.
Tiffany let us borrow her jumper since the one we bought STINKS! This one rocks. I'm sure by the time Julia is ready to bounce Clara will want nothing to do with it.
I heart summer.
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