15 Weeks & Summer Fun

Our big girl is 15 weeks!  Grey has had a VERY busy and fun week, full of summer fun!

Monday she swam (or napped poolside) at our friend's pool.  She didn't make it in the water since it was perfect napping weather!

Monday night she went to her first carnival!  For the first 30 minutes she was enthralled with the sights and sounds, then we just passed out in a comfy "heat coma". :)  (She has had lots of fun playdates with her friend Henry, who is 1.5 months old, lately!)

Tuesday she attended the Upward Bound end-of-year banquet, where Momma and her were matchy matchy.  (Sorry Grey...but by the time you read this, you'll likely have won the battle of no more dressing alike...so I am taking advantage of it while I can!) ;)

 ANDDDD yesterday (Wednesday), Grey experienced her first 4th of July!!  The 4th has ALWAYS been my favorite holiday, and I ADORED spending it as a family this year!  Grey's morning started out wonderfully, and she was so excited during the entire 4th of July parade!  She was mesmerized by the cool things to see, and laughed through the whole thing.  The loud trucks, horns and people didn't even scare her!

 Henry and Grey hung out in their "Republican" patriotic outfits. :)  lol

 Our sweet neighbors always have an amazing 4th of July get-together, so we stopped by and said hi for a little bit.  Then we joined a wonderful BBQ hosted by the Jones family in the evening.  By that time Grey was over the 4th's craziness (on top of having a rough reflux day), and ended up being quite a little fussy miss, understandably.  We decided it was in everyone's best interests to leave after the first firework exploded.  Enduring an extremely exhausting day, Grey was not a fan of the "bombs bursting in air"!  There's always next year...or the next...to learn to appreciate the beauty in fireworks. :)  However, after a calming bath, bottle and cuddles, Grey fell asleep for a long 8 hour night! 
This year was my favorite 4th of July!  It may not have included watching fireworks, but it included our own spunky "firework"!  I'd take that a million trillion times over any firework show. :)

Grey woke up for her 15 week birthday in the best cuddly mood.  I love this girl to pieces! 

 My favorite sound on earth are these giggles...

Speaking of giggles, Grey, you are laughing so often, and even laugh for people other than Momma and Daddy now!  Some other things are you doing this week:

• TODAY you started wearing size 2 diapers.  I am fighting back tears (literally) typing this.
• Continuing to teeth.  Your drooly kisses are the best though, so I am going to relish those while I can.
• Pulling your legs under you during tummy time.  It looks like you are about to get in the "rocking back and forth" position.  You'll be crawling before we know it!
• Strengthening your arms!  You are wanting to grab onto everything and pull yourself up.  
• Asserting your desires through 'words'.  Instead of screaming and crying to get our attention, you are starting to coo, 'na-na/ma-ma/da' and squeak at us.  :)
• Reaching for your feet.  You are not holding onto them yet, but you are trying.  I think this may be due to the fact that you are not very flexible (thank your Daddy for that)! ;)

Our love grows every minute for you.  You are SO fun to get to know!!  You make everything worth it.  Kissing your neck rolls and hearing you laugh [with your entire body] is medicine to my soul.  xo xo xo xo xo xo xo xo

A joyful heart is good medicine, Proverbs 17:22a

Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them." Psalm 126:2

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting. Job 8:21