Inspired...

I saw the movie Julie and Julia this afternoon, and it inspired me to start blogging again. I have done such a horrible job keeping up with Ben's milestones and what we have done this summer. Shame on me.
To sum it up:
He went from sitting still at the start of summer, to scooting and rolling in June, to crawling the middle of July. He did the "downward dog" yoga pose for the longest time. It was so cute. When he pulls up to stand, he rolls up over his toes instead of on the balls of his feet. He is pulling up and cruising all over. 27 pounds of pure sugar that is keeping Mama on her toes.
He is into EVERYTHING. He has tumped the dogs water bowl over...he know he isn't supposed to. He crawls over to it, looks at me with a grin then goes for it as I run at him screaming NO, NO. He broke a cake plate that we got when we got married this weekend. He also climbed up 5 steps when Chad and I were in the next room. Ryan yelled, Ben's going up the steps, and as Chad and I came running, he was on step 5. It wasn't cute funny this weekend...more like destructive and dangerous. My fault for not baby proofing sooner, but we did it this weekend.
He pattycaked for the first time with me yesterday (Aug 8). He just claps his hands together, but of course I think it is the cutest thing ever.
He has still got the cutest, fattest thighs that you just want to squeeze and eat...that goes for his cheeks, arms, tummy, and neck, too.
Kate and Ryan want to carry him around like he is a baby doll, which kind of ticks him off sometimes. I feel like all I say to them someday is "leave him alone," "put him down," "if you touch him again I will...(threat of the day),"...you get the picture. He loves his bro and sis...I just wish they could learn appropriate skills for sharing the space with him. It does come in handy when I need Kate to drag him away from the toilet or dog's water bowl.
Kate and Ryan have had a fun summer. Girl's trip with Kate and Nonnie to NYC...fun, fun, fun! Ryan and Ben stayed with Jojo, which was fun for them, too. Swim lessons for the both of them the first 2 weeks of summer...Ryan isn't swimming like a fish, but he's on the way. At least he will get in the pool and blow bubbles. I am not pushing it at all...he will do it when he is ready, and I don't have the energy. Kate is a fish. I am so proud of her. She loves the diving board, slide, going for rings, you name it. They also warmed up to the sea do at Nonnie's lake house this summer. Watch out Cedar Creek...Baird kids on the water. We took a fun trip to Georgetown to see my grandparents. I am 33 years old, and it is still one of my favorite things to do. I hope Chad and I are as fun as Gran and Bepe when we are grandparents. We ate lots of yummy food, did some fun touristy things like Innerspace Cavern and the Children's Museum, went for a swim at my aunts, rode on the "tractor" (really a riding lawnmower, but when you are 3, who can tell the difference?), went to church, did some antique shopping, rode the golf cart, went to the pet store, went to the feed store, and even got to go to a movie one night after the kids were asleep. Ben got into his share of trouble...he loved the big screen TV of course, we had to put up all the Quimper on the shelf in the den/kitchen, and he almost grabbed a scorpion. I had gone to put up some DVD's and papers he was playing with on the hearth, and when I picked them up I looked down and between where his hands were planted where I had lifted up the stuff was a scorpion. Thankfully, I grabbed him up before he could bat at it. He stayed home with Gran and Bepe while we took the big kids to innerspace. Funny thing we ran into some friends from Coppell there. Small world. Also have to note that was the highlight of the trip. As we drove into town and saw the sign, Chad and I said "hey, that might be fun," to which Kate cried back, "no, no, I don't want to go. There will be bears and bags." We should have let it die then and there, but no...we were going to do the cave. So we spend our $50, and take the kids...Kate is whining the whole time that she is hungry, tired, ready to go, and Chad carries a passed out Ryan for the whole tour. Seriously I thought I was smarter than this by now.
We have had fun at Jojo's pool, the Aquatic Center...I can't do all 3 by myself yet. I think that it will be a few couple of more summers before that happens. We did go to a friend's pool tonight...Ben LOVED splashing in the water. It just makes me so nervous, because he is so helpless in the water. Only when another adult is around will I get in the pool with him.
So...that is the cliff notes of our summer, and I don't know where it has gone. I love long days, Popsicles, the pool, flip flops, my kids white bottoms when they get naked to get in the tub, no schedule, trips to the library, and all the fun things that come with summer. I could use more than the 2 more weeks we have left. Kate is going to college...no, wait...just first grade, but I am kind of sad. First grade doesn't seem so big, but it is the mark that she is getting older. She still has her loose teeth. The front 4 have been lose since before school let out in May. I am not in a hurry for them to fall out. I now she will look different without her baby teeth. She always bites things to the side instead of straight on. I think that is making them hang on longer. Funny girl.