June

June is almost over and I feel like I am living the phrase "the days are long, but the years are short."  I have heard several moms say this before and I believe it!  I want to soak these days up and record them before I forget!

We have been swimming, swimming, swimming!  We took swim lessons with the "Swim Nazi" Miss Lynn for 2 weeks straight in June.  The first two days every single child cried I believe.  It was rough, but Miss Lynn powered through.  She was used to it, and had our little angels swimming beautifully by the end!  I went ahead and signed John Burke up, because as I am learning his personality, he does not care to be outdone by his big brother in anything.  (Turner is potty trained OFFICIALLY now - we have been in big boy underwear solid for a month now so I feel secure announcing it.  So, John Burke insists on going on the potty at least twice a day.  Fine with me, but he will be in diapers until he can up that number!)

A pretty accurate picture of my 2 during lessons - Turner felt the need to reteach everything to Burke Burke during the lesson.  He is nice like that.  Luckily, Miss Lynn was all over it.

Anyway, I called Miss Lynn the night before the class to make sure she was up to teaching our little spirited crew of 8 children, ranging from 2 to 5.  She assured me that she felt certain in commanding the class and wouldn't waste her time or our money and if she couldn't get John Burke to do it, she would let him out after a few days.  Well, I am glad I sent him!  He and Turner can jump off of the diving board and swim to the side!  

John Burke and Turner about to jump off the diving board at Granny's in Panama City

And swimming to Pop Pop

Now, before I brag too much, they took about an hour to get "warmed up" to the board at Mom's today after not swimming all week, so I better get them out to practice.  These lessons were not cheap!  But, I am very very impressed with all that they learned and would HIGHLY recommend this teacher and style of swim lessons, though it is not for the faint of heart!  Let's just say the tears shed the first 2 or so days mostly stopped by day 3 and we were amazed at what all she could communicate with her no-nonsense approach!

In between swim lesson weeks, we headed down to the beach for the weekend of Father's Day.  

An Instagram view of sunset from Frank's condo in Panama City

Key point from the beach - Collins' first trip to Thomas Donuts

Pap played with us at the beach...while this lady pointed her toes and watched sweetly from her tent for a couple of hours

And then we played in the pool and had it almost all to ourselves!

The next day Heath and his dad and Jonathan played golf, and Kelly and I took the kids to play at Granny's pool.  It was Granny's first time to meet Collins, and she loved all the attention and love that Granny gave her!

And we had an added bonus when cousin Hannah and her family were there!! 

Aunt Laquetta and Granny with Turner, John Burke, Winston, Sam and Henry

This little lady is 5 months old now, and she has so far been very sweet and laid back.  She sleeps usually 10 or so hours in a row at night and pretty much hangs out in her car seat wherever we are going during the day!  But, she will let you know for sure when she is hungry.  She is babbling and laughing a lot, and thinks her hands are pretty neat.  She loves her bunny lovey but will have nothing to do with a paci - very different from her brothers!

When we have been at home and not in the water, we are very into super heroes.  This charge is led by Turner, and is humorous because he knows very little about actual super heroes besides their names but considers himself an expert.

But John Burke loves "Pider-man" too

John Burke still marvels in this little girl every morning.  I will walk by her (as I try to train her to fend for herself so I can shower, get ready without having to hold her) and say "Hey pretty girl."  He likes to  copy me "Hey pwetty giwl" and she just laps it up.  Most of the time she indulges him!

He is talking so much more, and I feel like it has been since his second birthday.  He has thinned out so much and really looks like a little boy so much more than a baby!  He is loving being a big boy, but I am glad he is still a sweet hugger and very sensitive.  I say that, but he can get a look in his eye and whack Turner if he pushes his little sensitive self too much.  He says  "Nuh Nuh hit. Me!" and today in the car he asked where my Mom was and I told him she was getting her hair done.  He leaned up and said "Gi Gi cute!"  He is a funny little bird and I want to remember how raspy his cute little voice is in this phase and the look on his face when Daddy walks in the door.  (This is getting long but while I am having these fond memories of him, I also need to mention that he picked up a styrofoam cup today, walked to the toilet, scooped up some water and drank it.  I won't be sad when those type of phases pass.  No shame.)

Turner has finally noticed Collins.  It just took a few months!  He asks to hold her all the time, brings her paci to her (not that she takes it), and loves to talk baby talk to her.  Since he is 3 and so past that himself! :) She rides next to him in the way back of the car, and he loves to lean over her sweet and say "Hey baby Collins!" and "Baby Sister!"  I love that they have taken so well to her, and that she already loves all the attention from her brothers.

Today he told me John Burke was his best friend.  Sweet, but he hasn't mastered the superlative yet - everything is his favorite or his best friend, but I didn't tell Burke Burke.  I rolled with it.  Daddy and Mommy are his best friends, York and Hughston and Brooks are his best friends.  The Veggie Tales theme song and the Thomas the Train intro music are his "favorite" songs - we are still grasping the concept.  And tonight he told Heath he loved him very a lot, and wanted to squeeze him.  Also, in an unrelated note, he likes to smell different people's cars and asks people frequently if he can.  He smelled our friend Emily's Altima the other day and said "Mmmm, delicious.  Mommy, your Jeep was stinky." Work in progress, but cute.

We are thankful for our lazy summer days of cookouts and play dates (and some lucky nursery drop-in days thrown in!!).  I love summer - even with these 100 plus degree days - and I am blessed to have my 3 amigos with me to spend the days!