Vacation Bible School

Julia had fun at her first time being in a real vacation bible school.  She went with me two years ago and stayed in the nursery, but this year she went to Everywhere Fun Fair and got to do all the fun things - crafts (including a collage she names Night Party and a friendship bracelet for her friend from school Livie), games, music, storytime, and snacks (including a Zimbabwe hat that was a double-decker moon pie with an oreo cookie on top - needless to say she didn't eat lunch until about 2:30 that day).  Friday night was the program where the kids performed the songs they learned that week.  Julia enjoyed keeping the songs a secret until the performance.  I think she really enjoyed Njalo (means 'always' in Ndebele) and 'God loves a cheerful giver.'

I can't get the system to work uploading the other two videos, but here is one of them.

Fourth of July

We had a fun - even though a rainy - July 4th holiday at the country house.  We got to visit with Aunt Delba, Aunt Ruth, Mary Faye, Johnny Bruce, Tisha and Karson and Tanya and Jake.  Julia and Jake had fun playing outside during the few minutes it didn't rain.

summertime

Julia decided her pink greek yogurt pop was too cold, so she got out her mitten.  Smart, resourceful girl!

four months with David

David is doing well.  He is a happy and sociable baby, smiling and cooing at most anyone who smiles and talks to him.  He is holding his head up well, and working on upper body strength by sitting in the bumbo and exersaucers and lying across the boppy pillow (he doesn't like tummy time much - and won't put his arms out in front of himself - we attribute it to his extra large noggin).  He is reaching for and grabbing things.  He figured out how to make his swing go by kicking the poles himself.  He loves to grab and hold fabric, especially washcloth-like burpcloths.  He has also started sucking his toes and licking his feet.  We think he may be teething.  His weight is still going up slowly, but we've added back most everything (no nuts and shellfish) into mommy's diet with no noticeable reactions.

These pictures were closer to his actual 4 month birthday.  The onesies were appliqued by Nana and the diaper covers were made by her too.  Julia helped choose what the applique shapes would be.

princess ballerina camp

Julia had a wonderful time at princess ballerina camp last week at the Birmingham Ballet. They spent time having a ballet class learning a few ballet basics as well as craft, story and music time (based around Cinderella, Ariel, Pocahontas, and Aurora Sleeping Beauty).  My favorite was "sneaky mouse... let him look around... here comes the cat!"  Friday at the end of class there was a 'show-and-tell' performance.  Daddy and Nana got to see their very first ballet recital.  Aunt Andrea, Grammie, Poppy, and I saw another in a long series, but we were very excited to be at Julia's first one!  We were very proud of Julia's confidence during the performance.  She did a wonderful job learning the new things in just five classes, and she even got to go first when they did the dances across the floor one at a time.

 

fishing

Julia caught her first two fish  on June 22 when we had a belated Father's Day celebration with Poppy.  We of course chose the hottest day of the year so far, and went at 2 in the afternoon.  Julia was a trooper.  It helped that Grammie took her picking wild blackberries while Poppy was getting the bobber and the line unstuck from the tree - twice.  She enjoyed her ice pop and thinks her Barbie tackle box is awesome.   Poppy told her she had to kiss the fish like the fishermen on tv do, and after I told her not to do that, she blew the second fish a kiss.  And lastly, I couldn't help but add a picture of Peter falling asleep in the recliner.  He deserved a nap after taking care of David while we were at the pond, and I think it's a house rule that if you sit there you have to go to sleep.