Meet Baxter

My in-laws, Mary and Tom, happened upon a series of fortunate events and have adopted a lovely new puppy named Baxter.  He is a 7 month old English Cream Golden Retriever and he is as sweet as can be!  We went over to meet him today and the girls fell in love with him!  We wore him out playing hide and go seek and chase and evidently his new favorite toys are the two that we brought him: Eagle Beagle and Snoopy.

Tom continues to call him Spencer, Kate continues to crack up incessantly when he humps my leg, although she doesn't really grasp what is happening just yet, and Baxter continues to absolutely adore Maya!  She is just his size!

We are all smitten with this adorable new addition!

Papaw and Mimi with Baxter - day 2!

The girls come right on in and lay on top of him.

He better get used to it!

Eagle Beagle and Snoopy.  We brought over two lovies that had
been in the girl's rooms so that they smelled like them.

Pawsitively worn out!

Ice Skating

I've been trying to use Thursday's as our days to have a little fun.  One time I surprised Kate with a little me and her time.  This time I surprised them both with an ice skating date.  Our wonderful babysitter, Carly, met us at the rink to give us an extra set of hands!  I figured that would give both girls a bit more skate time!

Kate has been talking about going ice skating for a while, but she was not as interested in skating this go round.  I think she thought she was just going to hop on the ice and skate.  Maya on the other hand got suited up and took off.  She loved it!

Perhaps next time this will be a date for just Maya and I!

She totally looks the part!

Checking out her blades!

Working on her balance!

Kate also looks the part!

A natural!

And when we were done she wanted to "do it myself".
Girls, you got this.

Walking to School

We live close enough to Kate's Elementary School that we can walk to and from school.  This has quickly become one of my favorite parts of the day.  I love the simplicity of it.  I love the peace and quiet in the morning despite the hustle and bustle of getting to school and work.  Somehow while we are walking there's a stillness around.  I love the adventures that Maya and I have after we drop Kate off and that the three of us have on the way home from school.  One time we saved a butterfly and one time we found a retaining wall to walk on.  Several times we've chased squirrels and had picnics and stopped at the library.  On hot days we've been loading everyone up in the stroller and running if we're in the sunshine and walking if we're in the shade.  And even though the boys on York who had a lemonade stand a week or so ago are definitely in school, we still look to see if maybe, just maybe, they have their lemonade stand set up.

I love that Kate is so excited about school and I love that Maya can relax in the stroller, if she wants, with her blanket and just take it all in.

I also love that once Kate is in school, Maya and I don't typically have a strict agenda.  We can take as little or as much time as we want to get home.  And we can wear what we want and be who we want.  Day in and day out.

Amen to these amazing days where imaginations still run wild and my kids are still free to just be.

On the way to school in the morning, Maya dressed
as Anna.

On the way to school to pick up, Maya dressed
as Ariel, but when I asked her to smile she turned
her head the opposite way...

And when at first I thought she was looking at
something else, when I went around to her side
she turned her whole body and smiled.
She wins.  Every time.

You know, just walking to school in dress up clothes and heels.

After the retaining wall, which I thought was fun, Maya just sat
in the middle of the sidewalk.  (She is still 3, mind you.)

She was clearly frustrated about something but I have yet to figure
out what it was...

August Favorites

Here is a collection of some of my favorites from August that haven't been featured in a full post!

Love these sister snuggles!

Kate had her Kindergarten Ice Cream Social
where she found her name on an owl, saw her
classroom, met her teacher and got some
ice cream!

Clearly Maya participated in all of the above as
well!

Seriously.  HOW DID SHE GET SO BIG?!

We spent on of our storms playing in the rain, which I remember
doing as a kiddo, and my kiddos loved it!  We played hide and seek,
ran around, and got soaking wet!  Then we went in and got warmed
up with a nice bath!

Love this little personality of hers!

We got wet again from the rain while walking into Costco and
the air conditioning hit us, like, woah!  So, the kids bundled
in the cart with a super soft blanket and stayed that way nearly
the whole adventure through the store.

Love her smile!

It's August and Kate insisted on writing a letter to Santa to ask
for a puppy so that the elves didn't waste their time making
her toys.  She has asked me every day since if she thinks
Santa has received her letter.  #soconsiderateofher
#butnopuppyforchristmas

Walking to school to pick up Kate and I never
want to forget the sweet view of that little pony
and my littlest love.

Kate did my hair so, naturally, I wanted to show
her how much I loved it.  So we went out for ice
cream!  (She wasn't keen on the photo bc her and
Maya were just pushing each other's buttons.)

We made snow from a science experiment and the kids LOVED it!

It felt like real snow!  In August!

I've since put it in the fridge for another play session!

Also, it was a mess.  This is nothing compared to
the end result...

Lunch time chillies!

And since Kate made a chilly/sad face, Maya does too!

Three year old Maya poses for Kate's school pick up!

My sleeping babes.  Love this.

Kate put together this sweet bouquet from picked flowers from
our yard and placed it next to her bed.  Love that she loves
fresh flowers!

Maya's 3 Year Well Visit

Today we took our sweet three year old into to our pediatrician's office for her well visit!  And Miss Maya is doing wonderfully!  She listened so well and followed all of the doctor's and PA's directions.  She's growing like a weed (28.2 lbs - 20th percentile for weight; and 36 3/4" height - 35th percentile for height).  Our doctor told us she likes to see kids Maya's age grow about 1-2 inches per year and little miss just grew 3 3/4" this past year!  She is doing just fine!

Maya had her eye test which she passed wonderfully and there were no shots on this visit! Of course, everyone got a sticker and a lollipop on the way out.  Best.Doctors.Visit.Ever.

We love our little three year old more than anything!

They both opted for braided pigtails this am and I couldn't NOT
take a picture!  Love these two!

She's on the tail end of naps, but I know she still needs them.
I'm selfishly holding on as long as I can but she's starting to
fight them hard.  Today we got a short one in which I may consider
trying more frequently!  And, once again, I just can't resist a
sleeping baby.

Lining up the trains before our visit!

Stepping on the big girl scale!

Height measurement!

Love her little straight legs and perfectly pointed toes!

Slightly unsure but still very brave!

Blood pressure time!  She's practiced this at home on all of us
thousands of times with her play doctor's kit!

Kisses from big sis!

So 3 year old Maya!

Kate stretches...

...and Maya stretches...

Looking for the smiley face!

She named all of the objects she had to find:
apple - apple
circle - "O"
rectangle - triangle
house - house
And I absolutely loved that she named them right per her description
every time!