Look who's sitting up

Maren:

I am a proud big sissy! My baby bother can sit up all on his own now! I love sitting in the floor with him, playing with toys, singing him songs and dancing for him. He really smiles at me and loves to grab big handfuls of my hair! That really hurts but I LOVE the fact that I can make him so happy! 

This last weekend mommy spent lots of time cleaning around the house because next week we have lots of family coming. I was a big help of course but I still made time for some dress up in my beautiful Elsa dress!! I even accessorized with some sweet shades and hand bag!! 

Maddox: 

I am getting so big!! I can officially sit up on my own now!! Ok... I still get a little help from my boppy pillow, but I'm close! I am very proud of myself and I really like being able to look around and reach for my own toys. Sometimes I fall over on my face if I reach too far forward and it makes me grumpy but as soon as mommy props me back up again I am happy as can be. 

I am also sitting up really well in my bumbo seat now. Before, I would spit up every time mommy would put me in it because I wasn't strong enough to hold myself up. I eat all of my meals in it and spend lots of time hanging out with mommy and the doodie dog too! 

Field Trips and other festivities!

Maren:
This has been a fun filled week with lots of great activities!  I got to take a real field trip at school the other day and we visited the fish hatchery.  The most exciting thing to me was riding the bus with my favorite teacher Miss Amy and my good friend Jaycee... I kept telling mommy how much I wanted to do that again!  I really liked petting the fish and came home pretty stinky! 
Then, this last weekend my mommy and daddy took me to a Children's Festival in Jacksonville.  It was really hot that day but I had an absolute blast!  I made a macaroni necklace and lots of little crafts to bring home.  My favorite part was definitely watching all of the dance exhibits they had... I desperately wanted to get up on stage and dance with all of the beautiful ballerinas!  At the end of the day they played some music and let all of the kiddos and parents go up to dance.  I danced and danced and danced!  Mommy had to bribe me to get me to stop but the promise of mac-n-cheese at Red Robin was worth it! 

Maddox: (23 weeks)
I have definitely developed a great relationship with my big sissy.  When I am at school she checks on me to make sure I am doing okay and to make sure the girls are taking good care of me.  She spends lots of time at home playing with me and keeps me smiling constantly.  Sometimes she gets a bit close to my face and it makes me grumpy... but only because I can't see her beautiful smile! 
I went to the festival this weekend with everyone too.  I spent most of my time in my stroller checking out the scenery or snuggling in my mommy's arms. 

Happy Birthday America!

Maren:
This last weekend was the 4th of July... Independence Day!  I had a hard time saying that so mommy explained it to me in a way that I could understand... it's America's Birthday!  I was ecstatic!  I love a good birthday party!
To make it all more exciting, my Pica came to visit for the weekend.  His dog Winnie (I call her Pooh doggie) needed her teeth cleaned so we took her to the clinic one day for mommy to be her dentist.  My Pica spent a lot of time playing with me and teaching me new tricks.  He even taught me how to count my own ribs!
On Saturday, the 4th, we got up and got going early so we could go into a parade in Central Point.  We found a nice spot under a big tree since it was going to be really hot and settled in for the festivities.  The parade started with a fly over from an F-15 fighter jet... that was really amazing and REALLY loud!  I enjoyed the whole parade but I think my favorite was definitely the horses and all the candy I got!  Towards the end of the parade I had accumulated so much candy that, all on my own, I decided to hand it out to all of the kids around me!  I started walking around and giving one piece at a time to the rest of the kids... even those that had full bags of their own.  My mommy was so very proud!
After the parade and other festivities at the city park we went home for a nap.  When I got up we played in my swimming pool and set off our own fireworks. I was a bit afraid of them at first because of the loud noises they made but then figured out they weren't so bad (you can see the progression of my emotions in the pictures below!).  Then, to cap off the evening mommy made a really special treat called a "Root Beer Float"!  I have never had one of those before and it was "Wummy, Wummy, Wummy"!!! 

Maddox: (22 weeks)
I got to meet my Pica for the second time this weekend.  I was so small the first time I saw him that I don't really remember.  He thought I was adorable of course and was amazed at what I good baby I always am... he kept commenting about how I never cry.  Well, why would I?  I have an amazing family that gives me everything I need!  He really loved tickling me and making me giggle and I liked pulling his beard!
I probably wont remember my first 4th of July very much but I joined in on the festivities as much as possible.  Surprisingly I wasn't bothered at all by the loud noises and commotion... true to form, I just smiled or slept the whole time!