The months of June and July have been scorchers! To help cool me down in this obscene heat, I got 
my second, and most noticeable, haircut ever. Since the last lady, a kids' stylist, did an awful job, Mom decided to take me to a grownup salon. The chair was really big, and I felt like such a big girl! Even the new stylist commented on the wreck left by the last stylist. She said to fix my bangs completely I'll need to let them grow a bit longer; I'll just have to work with what I got for now. After my grownup haircut, Mom, Ethan, and I met Parker, Grayson, and Mrs. Joanne at the Chill Hill, and I got to have ice cream for lunch; you heard me right, ice cream for lunch! The heat wave does have its perks.
Prior to the cut and just a day after I acquired my very own pair of safety scissors, I decided to give myself a little trim...at least I did it over the upstairs sink to minimize the mess for you, Mom. Now, I know: Scissors are only used to cut Mom-approved paper...Got it!
Ethan had a second in June as well: A second round of 4-month shots - poor guy. His first appointment got cancelled
since we both ended up sick a couple of days before, which necessitated a very lengthy and obnoxious visit to the pediatrician's office on a Saturday. Just look at those sick cheeks. I ended up having a viral throat infection, which made my awesome ballet performance the evening before even more impressive, and Ethan had an ear infection and a cold, which called for his first round of antibiotics. When our favorite pharmacist, Ms. Rebecca, 
filled his prescription, she also filled a prescription of 2 lollipops "to be taken immediately" for me. She really knows how to make a gal feel better fast! By the next day, I was back to good. It doesn't take this little body long to fight off nasty germs. It took Ethan a couple days to feel better, but he did very little complaining in the meantime. The following week, we finally made it to Ethan's ear re-check and vaccines appointment. I tried to make the appointment as 
pleasant and painless as possible, so I offered him my finger, a cuddly hug, and even a gentle pat on the butt, which sometimes calms him, but apparently, nothing can soothe quite like his thumb. As a master of distraction, I was able to keep him from getting too terribly upset, and we got out of there a.s.a.p. We did stay long enough to find out that he already weighs 15 lbs., 3 oz.; he is getting to be a chunky monkey, probably because he finally got to start on some solid foods.
Ethan's Food Log for June and July:
The way he is eating, we may as well start keeping one now because he is flying through the new food items:
- Whole Grain Cereal - Mom wasn't sure he was ready for real food, but the way he took down the whole first bowl of cereal, grabbed the spoon, and looked at her like 'where's the rest, lady?', she knew that she had been mistaken and that he was ready to dive in. Now, we just need to keep his thumb out of his mouth and his eyes off of the fish tank while he dines. We just can't help sharing lots of pictures from that very first food experience.
- Sweet Potato - His absolute favorite so far. Mom made what she thought would be several weeks' worth, and he ate it all in less than a week! He will literally fight you for the spoon when it comes to getting every last drop of sweet potatoes. Oh, and the bib is apparently a new fascination; he didn't use one before the introduction of real food.
- Avocado - He made his first yuck-face, and Mom had to mix it with sweet potatoes for a few days until he decided that he didn't mind it. It is not his favorite though, especially when mixed with zucchini! That was the first combo that he flat out refused to eat.
- Banana - This was my absolute favorite when I first started eating solids, but he wasn't sold for a while. It took him many tries to warm up to the yellow fruit, which really just becomes brown mush. Now, it is one of his staple morning fruits.
- Squash - He wasn't quite as enthusiastic about squash as he was about zucchini, but he ate it all without making any faces.
- Apples, Peaches, and Pears - Ethan really isn't sold on the sweeter fruits. You should see him; he really is a bit dramatic. He makes these horrific faces, and he even tried to gag himself when he first tried peaches; these faces put the avocado yuck-face to shame. I tried to explain to him the importance of fruits, vegetables, and all foods because of their necessary vitamins; it was a well-put speech that you can check out in the video. However, he still turns his nose up, at least until he realizes that Mom isn't going to offer him anything else, and then he chokes the fruits down with lots of distasteful expressions. A little "Buzzzzzz, Zoom!" into the mouth does help with the process.
Peach Reaction:
Olivia's Very Wise Fruit Explanation & Ethan's Very Dramatic Attempt to Barf:
- Peas - Peas are a pain to puree! It took him a minute to figure out peas since they are a little chunkier in consistency, but once he got used to the texture, he was totally down with the green peas!
- Green Beans - We got these incredible green beans from the Suwanee Farmer's Market. Unfortunately, Ethan was not impressed with our awesome find, and this was the first vegetable that he refused to finish. A week later, he is still baulking at the idea of the delicious green bean.
Ethan is an E-A-T-E-R! He has been so excited about real food, and whereas many babies push food out with their tongues as a reflex, he barely lets a drop escape...at least there's usually no mess to clean up when he is done. He is already eating more than double at each meal what I was eating when I was his age, and he rarely turns his nose up at anything. Mom usually has to go back to the fridge for seconds; he is going to eat us out of house and home! You can tell that he likes his food too because he is starting to chub up. No more Mr. Chicken Legs! Mom loves her new Baby Bullet system too; it is much easier than the blender and ice cube trays that she used to make all of my food when I was a baby, and the little twist top date cups are too cool! Ethan tries to help Mommy with the cooking, but he just can't seem to understand the purpose of the measuring cup. Thank you, Mrs. Laura, for the Baby Bullet! We are going to keep doling out the variety.
Because poor baby boy wasn't feeling so great on his actual 5-month birthday, we
waited a couple of days to take his official 5-month pictures. He looks so big in the 
basket now! I dressed myself for the occasion; every prince needs a princess; although, I still haven't figured out why he is called a prince and not a king. Little man still won't give Mom a big smile while sitting in the rocking chair; I think he is just trying to drive her nuts - Go, Ethan! However, he does smile and giggle a lot now, but as soon as he sees the camera, he goes deadpan. He is growing up so fast...
Ethan is such a cutie! He and I are two peas in a pod. I love him, love him, love him. I try and share everything with him, even things I shouldn't, and I am quite the doting sister. That being said, I can easily ignore him when he is fussy. I can be sitting right next time while he is screaming his head off, and I can totally tune him out. It drives Mom nuts! His little personality is becoming more and more 
apparent every day. He definitely likes attention, but he doesn't like to be constantly on the go, which is where things get a little difficult to appease the both of us. He prefers being at home with something in his mouth; although, it isn't usually his thumb these days. He has branched out, and 
Mr. Thumb is no longer his go-to guy. His exersaucer toys, his bathtub monkey, a measuring cup, my face, and even his own toes have made their way into his mouth on multiple occasions. He will even fall for the right plush toy or the traditional teething ring to soothe those gums. If he even looks as though he may 
begin to whine, for Kendigs do not whine as Dad says, I immediately retrieve a cool teether from the fridge. Desptite all the drooling and gnawing, no teeth have made their way through as of yet. Ethan does like his toys; however, he would take a burp cloth or blanket over any toy that he owns. If we are out, and he is being really fussy, Mom just has to hand him his 
stroller blanket, and it can keep him happy for 30 minutes. Besides just working on those teeth, Ethan is taking strides towards becoming a big boy. He is getting the hang of sitting up with assistance; although, he usually winds up slouched down, on his back, or stuck between the pillows. His legs still go a mile a minute, and he has even started scooting 
himself all the way off of his mat. One minute, he'll be hanging on his play mat, and the next, he'll be halfway across the room. It took Mom a few days to figure out how he was doing it. He is still mesmerized by ceiling fans, but he is even more mesmerized by me; his head whips around to follow me around the room, and trust me, I love to entertain. Everyone thinks that he is adorable and such an easygoing sweetheart, including our Godfather James. Ethan, Ethan, Ethan is super great!
Dance Party at the Loiseaus! The dads going out of town isn't so bad when their travel schedules overlap, for I've been able to have more weeknight dinners at Parker and Grayson's. We always start out as a wild gang, but by late evening, Parker is content to watch a movie with Ethan while Grayson and I tear through the playroom at full speed. You gotta love a man who is comfortable enough to indulge you in a little doll play. He does get boy crazy on me sometimes though, which usually ends in a somewhat painful love squeeze; I still love him back despite the 
love squeezes. Ms. Joanne says that Grayson talks about baby Ethan and me all the time! Ethan thinks that Grayson is the coolest, and Grayson is pretty much nuts about Ethan too; he sneaks away every once in a while to hang with "Baby Ethan", and somehow, Ethan always ends up with Grayson's toys. Sweet Grayson...he even carries a stuffed bear with him, which he named Baby Ethan. 
I am one lucky gal to have my best buddies, Grayson and Parker, around so much, but I
have been missing my old school friends a little. Fortunately, I've been running into a few of them around town. We saw Braden and his little sister Katherine at the last library read. I think Ethan enjoyed this library read the best so far since he was able to sit up in Mom's lap and kind of participate, if you consider sucking your thumb while looking around participating. Braden and I were more interested in talking and tickling each other than the actual read. Katherine is 2 months older than Ethan, but Ethan looks like he is about 4 months older; she is a dainty, little thing, 
and Ethan is not so dainty, which is good since he is guy. Later in the month, Mommy coordinated with Cole's mommy, and we got to spend the afternoon at Gary Pirkle Park together. As soon as I saw him, I ran towards him with arms outstretched like he was my long lost brother. It was so good to see him! Gary Pirkle is really the only park that is Ethan-friendly in this crazy heat since it is covered and has fans. Any park works for me though! I think Mommy and I are both missing school a bit!
We did brave the heat for an afternoon to attend the Mutts and More Festival at Fowler Park with the Goldsworthys. I think Opie was more excited than anyone to get out of the house. It was H-O-T, but the ice cream and stroller ride helped. We saw all kinds of crazy dogs: huge dogs, tiny dogs, dogs with pink ears, dogs with crazy outfits, adorable puppies, and a few scary looking dogs! I helped walk Opie, and 
he peed on everything within leash distance. Besides the ice cream and Ty Ty, the highlight of the festival was definitely the magnet that I picked out and got to buy all by myself. Oh, Tyler and I also quite enjoyed playing the poop police; I'll let you figure it out for yourself. The festival wasn't as exciting as Petapooloza, which we had to miss this year for the first time ever, but it sure did wear Opie, Ethan, and me out.
The dog days of summer brought an end to ballet for the season, which 
culminated in my final performance. I was amazing, if I do say so myself. I hit most of my marks with great enthusiasm! I may not be the most graceful of dancers, but I sure do have a good time on the stage. I was super excited that Grandma, Aunt Stephanie, Aunt Mallory, and Mrs. Sharon, along with Mom, Dad, and Ethan all came to watch me perform. Ethan must have enjoyed the show because he stayed awake for the 
entire two hours without even a peep, and it was well past his bedtime! I love the brotherly support. I made sure to show my appreciation by giving him a few minutes of my undivided attention after the show; my baby brother always gets my attention even with 
a whirlwind of craziness going on around us. His behavior and my performance were even more impressive considering we both ended up at the doctor's office the next day. I had a viral throat infection, and Ethan had an ear infection and a cold; Mom knew that Ethan had a 
little cough, but we didn't let on to how sick we were. It only became apparent during the final curtain call; Mom noticed that I looked like I had been crying, and when she got backstage to pick me up, Mrs. Joanne, who was the backstage Mom, told her that I had been complaining about my throat. It didn't show at all while I was dancing though; I am a 
consummate professional. Nothing that a rose from Aunt Mal, flowers from Mom and Dad, a whole bag of chocolates from Aunt Steph, and a "credit card", otherwise known as a Target gift card, from Grandma can't cure...at least for the evening. I can't wait for ballet to start back up in the fall, and this year, I will be starting tap too!
Although I had to say a momentary goodbye to dance for the summer, I was totally okay with it because this summer was filled with all kinds of sports, and we all know that I love to run around! During the months of June 
and July, I got to try my hand at soccer, tee ball, and swimming without wings. I started swim lessons at Swim Atlanta, and those instructors move fast! I kept up just fine though; in fact, every time my instructor asked for a volunteer to go first for anything, my hand immediately shot up. It did take a couple of lessons before I wasn't hesitant to jump off the edge without a helping hand. Now, all I do is jump off of the edge the whole time we are at the pool! Mom had to video from the parents' observation room, which is
why you can't hear my exuberance. I typically hung with the boys, and Mom is pretty sure she mostly paid for me to flirt poolside. Soccer was 
so much fun, and I cannot stop talking about my coach, Coach Carlos. I was the only girl on the soccer team, which actually helped me because the boys are crazy, and I am the only one who really listened to the coach. While they were wandering around 
aimlessly and trying to push each other down, I was doing exactly what the coach instructed. I even 
took some of the boys down in a few of the drills. While I was doing knee drills with Coach Carlos during the first practice, one little boy walked right up next to me and asked, "Are you a girl!?" I just ignored him. I did take quite a liking to one little boy named Logan; our friendship blossomed during a fight that he and I had over who 
won. Won what? It's not really important...nor am I sure. I love being one of the guys. I was always checking on the boys who would get upset during practice - there were several of them - and try to cheer them up. My main goal in any situation is to make friends, be in the middle of the action, and make sure everyone is okay. I really like soccer, but I love the 
running part the best! We started tee ball at the end of July, so I've only had two practices, but as I told Mom, "I like baseball even better!" Again, I am the only girl on the field, but I can hold my own. I was actually the only kid on the team who got the batter out before he reached first base 
during the fielding drill. My throwing needs a little work, but Mom did put me at a disadvantage when she unknowingly bought me a left-handed glove. We'll be getting a new one before the next practice. I can definitely see myself being a sporty gal. I am not at all intimidated by being the only girl; in fact, I seem to really enjoy it, and I can keep up with energy to spare as some of the boys drop in the heat. Poor Ethan has 
been a really good sport too! He is always there to cheer me on; even though, it is burning up outside, even by 10 a.m., and he has to eat his breakfast in the sweltering heat! Sometimes, he and Mom have to seek some shade down 
field, but they always head right back to watch me hit and catch. If they get really desperate, there is always a shady spot by the trashcan. At least there is a lot to watch around the field, like little Austin, Logan's brother, and all of the dogs. Thanks for putting up with my practices without any meltdowns, baby brother; "You are the best!"
The swim lessons must have paid off; even though, I only took 4 lessons because by the end of July, I was totally swimming without water wings. One day I said, "I don't want to wear these", so Dad let me take the wings off, and with just a little help, I swam to the wall. After that, 
it only took a couple more wall swims for me to get the hang of using my arms and legs and staying afloat. It did take a few more trips to the pool to learn how to come up for air midstroke, but I pretty much had it down the minute I decided that I wanted to have it down. Mom still makes me wear the wings when she is the only one with us at the pool, just for peace of mind. I have been practicing really hard in the 
bathtub too; I can hold my breath for quite a while. I like to put items on the bottom of the tub and go under to retrieve them; I even picked up an item off the bottom of the big pool in swim lessons! I am so beyond proud of myself; Mommy, Daddy, and Grandma are super impressed as well, which always helps to encourage me! It also helps that I absolutely LOVE the pool! I want to go all day, every day, which reminds Grandma of Mom when she was little. I love the slide almost as much as I love meeting new friends, or anyone who will 
even remotely acknowledge me; once you have even looked in my direction, you are instantly my new best friend. I much prefer the big pool, where I can jump off the side and really swim, to the kiddie pool, but now that I am 3, Mom forces me to hang on the 
stairs or in the kiddie pool during adult swim; that Mom, she is one tough cookie. Ethan wasn't sure about the water the first few times, but now, he seems to be a fan of the pool too. That being said, he is very stoic when we are out and about, so we really don't know what he likes versus what he just tolerates. It definitely wears him out though. Pool days are always the best days!
Speaking of things I like...
I like cookies, especially the chocolate dipped Oreos that Aunt Stephanie picks out...
I like balloons! There is nothing like waking up from nap to a surprise balloon party...
I LOVE time with Grandma...
future role as baby brother boss; in fact, I am already practicing on him as well, and he isn't always so willing to oblige. I spent an entire evening punishing my kids 
for misbehaving and running away. I kept telling them, "I always love you, kids, but I don't like when you don't listen and run away!" Mom's talks are obviously resonating with me. Oh, and my pretend mom is now pregnant with another brother for me since my real Mom won't honor my requests...
I like taking pictures of my favorite subject, my baby brother...
I really like writing in my Big Book of Boo Boos! My new favorite show is Doc
McStuffins, and she always diagnoses her stuffed animals with 
different ailments and then records said ailments in her Big Book of Boo Boos, so I made my own book. I am always diagnosing Mom, Dad, Opie, Grandma, and Ethan, who is my most loyal patient, with -osis this or -itis that. Then I write the sickness in my book so that I can keep track of all my medical discoveries. Ethan, however, seems to use this very serious medical time to do his ab work...
I like temporary tattoos because "I'm so cool"; I promise, Dad, no real ones for a really, really long time...
I got my first dental cleaning ever in June. I've been to the dentist before to get my
teeth checked and counted, but this time, I got to lay back in the chair, put on the cool glasses, and make my teeth 
sparkle. Boy, they sure did sparkle too! The dental hygienist said I was one of the best ever for a first cleaning. "I'm super brave because I'm not scared of anything!" Even the x-ray tech told Mom that she was able to get really good shots of my back teeth, which is rare for someone of my age because it is an uncomfortable process; most kids won't don't it, but I'm not 
most kids. Hey, I've been forced to smile uncomfortably for pictures my whole life, so this was a piece of cake! Unfortunately, the dentist did find two cavities. Mom was told that my teeth are uncommonly 
close together for a 3-year-old; in fact, some are even overlapping. I obviously get my teeth from Mom and Grandma; therefore, I get cavities much more easily, so I now have to floss every night. I am not looking forward to getting those cavities fixed! Looks like I won't be a fan of the dentist for long, but at least the initial experience went well.
June was a tough travel month for Daddy, so we were extra excited 
to celebrate him on Father's Day. Since he has been traveling so much, Dad just wanted to hang around here, relax, and smoke some brisket, so we made it happen. We let him sleep in, and then we headed down to Dutch Monkey 
Doughnuts to get Daddy some gourmet coffee and doughnuts. The place was nuts, and it took us 45 minutes to get doughnuts to go! I, however, was totally entertained watching them make the delicious pastries through the observation windows. In my opinion, the doughnuts were well-worth the wait. Dad has since returned, and probably will be returning again and again, for their bacon doughnut. 
The rest of the day 
consisted of lounging at home, lounging at the pool, and cooking a fabulous, man-style dinner. We also got Daddy some really nice wine, a coffee cup with pictures of his two favorite kiddos, the meat and chips to smoke, and a special frame for his office in celebration of his hard-earned FDA approval. Plus, Mommy set up an 8-person golf tournament on July 1st for Dad and some of his friends; Daddy loves golf, but he doesn't get to play as much as he would like. We tried to make Father's Day as perfect as possible because we have the perfect father! I made sure he knew how awesome we think he is by getting him a Best Daddy in the World sticker to wear all day long. We love you, Daddy!
A big "Congratulations!" goes out to Mr. and Mrs. Guy! Joe and Jeanna's beautiful wedding took place in the month of June, and I don't think that it would have been possible for a bride to look more stunning or a groom to look happier. Mom and Dad had absolutely the most fabulous time with all of their oldest and dearest friends, and I got to enjoy an evening with Grandma and our first ever nonrelated babysitter, Ms. Lauren, who took over for Grandma when she needed to leave. We are so very excited for you, Joe and Jeanna!
Speaking of celebratory occasions, Dad and Mom celebrated 10 years together on 
June 15th! I don't think either of them can believe that it has been 10 years or that they have created this family of ours in those 10 years. Daddy was out of town for the special day, but he made sure to make Mom feel really special with beautiful roses that he sent to the house. I, for one, am particularly happy that they met and fell in love so many years ago and that they are even more in love today.
One last note for June: My Mama is strict, and she makes me toe the line, but despite all of my eye rolls, noises of exasperation, and moments of attitude towards her, I will defend her to the end. One of Mommy's Diet Cokes exploded in Daddy's car, and when I asked what had happened as Dad and I were running errands one day, he told the story and added a, "Bad Mommy." Well, I told him! I said, "You don't talk about my Mommy that way ever again! Mommy is good! Don't you talk about my Mommy!" Daddy backed down really quickly, and then he told Mommy all about it. That Mommy and me, we may fight like cats and dogs but we got each other's backs!
A Quick July:It's still super hot around here, y'all, but we can make super hot work for a super fun July. Unfortunately, Ethan now prefers to take two naps in his crib at home. He is not a sleep-on-the-go kind of guy; therefore, we've been a little more housebound as of late. I have been assured that this is a short baby stage, but the time at home has definitely made Mom and I even more ready for school to start! To add to the excitement, I have been getting my uniforms and anxiously awaiting Open House on August 4th and then the first day at my new school on August 9th. Montessori at Vickery, get ready for Princess Olivia, for that is what I insist on being called these days. I am so excited!
Since I've got so much to do in preparation for the new school year, I will just give you a quick rundown of July.
We celebrated the 4th this year at the Goldsworthys', and Mom was not at all sad to 
give up the big July 4th party that we normally throw since our friends are creating kids faster than our house can keep up! Perhaps we will steal the party back next year when we are in our new, bigger home. This year, however, was perfect! The party was kid chaos combined with yummy food, scrumptious desserts, and a spectacular fireworks show, courtesy of Mr. DJ Goldsworthy. We all partied hard in our red, white, and blue, and some 
even partied until they literally dropped mid-meal. Ethan was again a bit overwhelmed, but he was able to enjoy the fun until about 7:30 when he hit a wall and just wanted to fall asleep. Luckily, he went down without a problem in Ty-Ty's room, 
and he didn't even stir during the fireworks. We know because Mrs. Alisha has a fancy video-monitor, so Mom got to literally watch Ethan the whole time; we learned that Ethan literally smacks himself to sleep - crazy boy. I'm not sure who enjoyed the fireworks show more, the moms and kiddos watching the fireworks or the crazy dads setting them off. Either way, it was a show worthy of great praise, and although some of my friends were non-too-pleased about the loud pops and beautiful colors, I thought it was perhaps the most amazing thing I had ever witnessed! We all enjoyed the sparklers and Pop-its as well! I am proud to be an American...and a friend of the Goldsworthys.
This month also included Mom and Dad's 7-year wedding anniversary. They got to have a nice date at their favorite new restaurant, Little Alley on Canton Street, while Ethan and I got to hang out with Grandma. There ain't no 7-year-itch going on in this house! With every anniversary, and a little dedication, understanding, compromise, communication, and work each year, Daddy and Mommy just find themselves even happier and even more in love, and this year, they even have the complete family to show for it. Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!
Continuing with the celebrations, Avery Lamb turned two in July, and I, for one, had a great time at her Elmo-themed birthday party. I got an Elmo tattoo; I pinned the nose on Elmo, and I even got to do a little coloring with some older
boys. Oh yeah! There were sandboxes and playhouses and tons of outdoor fun. It was a bit 
hot out for Ethan, but once he got inside, he had so much fun hanging with Molly Perignat. There was a hand-on-thigh moment, and Molly could not take her eyes off of older Ethan. She even tried to copy his foot-holding moves. He was definitely interested, but he kept getting distracted by the fan - men and their short attention spans. Molly took a liking to Ethan's frog rattle, and since it was pink, we let her take it home to enjoy. Molly is adorable, and Ethan is one lucky boy to be growing up with such a beautiful gal. After the outdoor festivities and some very red Elmo cupcakes, Avery, McKenzie, and I formed a band and entertained the masses. It was quite the Elmo party; Harper True would be jealous. Happy Birthday, sweet Avery!
Speaking of Harper True, I got to spend several, awesome days with her in July!
First, she headed up to the 'burbs one Friday to hang with me and swim at my pool. 
She loves the water, like someone else we all know. I'm not sure if we enjoyed the pool more or just the goggles. Other highlights from the day included some plasma car racing, water apparel dress up, beach towel picnicking, and doctor checkups; although, I think Harper was more of an optometrist. Harper made sure to pay some special attention to Ethan too; she was very into helping Grandma burp him. We are totally the three amigos.
Later in the month, Mom and I headed downtown to Harper's neck of the woods where I
got to have my first Fox Theater experience. Grandma, Mrs. Sharon, Aunt Steph, Harper, Mom, and I got to watch old Looney Tunes on the big screen at the Fox. I think the 
elders had forgotten how violent the old cartoons really are, for all of the characters were trying to kill each other left and right. I was not a big fan of Wiley and the Roadrunner; they are mean, mean, mean! Quite honestly, the darn-near-silent episodes lost my attention pretty quickly. Harper loved the music at the beginning of each tune, as well as the enthusiastic clapping at the end. Other than that, we were more interested in messing with each other; although, we did sit nicely on Grandma's lap. We gave the tunes about 45 minutes of our time before heading out to lunch. Lunch was even more exciting than the Fox, for Harper, Aunt Steph, and I ended up with a bird on 
our heads! We ate at a restaurant called R. Thomas, which has lots of different birds 
in cages outside. Well, old man R. Thomas, himself, came to our table, and without saying a word, he dropped a bird right in front of us. We got to pet the bird, very cautiously, and then without a word, he picked the bird up and stuck it right on my head! I freaked out and about lost it! There were tears, along with my flight response. 
He could have at least warned me! Harper sat as still as a statue until the bird on her head fluttered its wings, and then she about lost it too. Aunt Steph tried to be a good sport, but you could tell she was not down with the bird-on-head trick either. To distract from our newfound fear of birds, we headed to Harper's favorite park to play at the Splash Pad. Unfortunately, the Splash Pad was inexplicably closed on a blazing hot day, so we sweated it out on the playground until Mom and Aunt Steph were able to lure us away with the promise of a visit to the cupcake shop. It is never a dull day down in the ATL.
After the disappointment of Harper's splash park being closed, I finally made it to the Riverside Park for a splash pad experience. Minus slipping twice and heading my head once, the splash park was pretty cool; even Ethan enjoyed it for a bit. The splash park adventure took place 
during Dad's staycation; since he has to work so hard all the time and since a big summer vacation would be hard with little Ethan, Dad took a week off in July just to stay around town with us. We went out to lunches 
and to the pool and to Roswell's Alive after Five night and to the splash park, of course. Plus, we got in some great quality time around the house. During one of our lunches out, Ethan sat in a restaurant high chair for the first time. He liked it for about 5 minutes, and then he insisted on being held, but hey, it's the experience that counts. Two thumbs up for staycations!
During Daddy's staycation, Great Aunt Marsha, Great Uncle Ray, Haley, and Cameron came up to spend the day with Ethan and me. They even let Mom and Dad go out for a few hours on their own, so the rents were super happy. Haley did my make up, and she let me do hers; just for the record, we looked fab-u-lous! Cameron and I wrestled and had a ball. Ethan hung with Great Uncle Ray while I went out for yogurt with the rest of the Buice clan; Ethan can't have yogurt yet - poor guy. Then baby brother showed off his superior jumping skills in the jumperoo. We even ordered Japanese for dinner and watched The Lion King. I had a ball! Thank you, from all of us, Aunt Marsh, Uncle Ray, Haley, and Cameron!
We also had the Littles over for a movie night this month. Lyla got to cuddle up with Daddy and me while Madden manned the couch. We love Laura, Madden, and Lyla, and we are here for them, always, especially when they need us.
Then the other James came for a visit, also known as Godfather James' brother, Mr. Terry. They look identical if you ask me, so I just call him "Other James", and he is just as fun as the real James. They've got three little nephews, so they know how to bring the party kiddo-style.
July brought about an awesome surprise box from Gramma Eileen! Ethan and I got new clothes and a bean bag chair and big sunflower pillows and so much more! As I stated with great exuberance, "Everyone is going to think I am cool" in my new clothes. Surprise boxes in the mail always make me smile from ear to ear. Thank you, Gramma Eileen!
Speaking of things that make me smile from ear to ear, I discovered cotton candy this month. It melts in your mouth, which I think is just magical.
Dad and Mom have totally resorted to bribery in order to get me out of night diapers. Every time I wake up dry, I get a quarter, and after so many dry night diapers, I get
to go spend my quarters at the candy store; last time, I chose the aforementioned cotton candy. I've been totally potty trained for over a year and a half, but I just can't seem to kick the night habit. The doctor told Mom that it would just happen, but she is getting tired off waiting for it to just happen. I know I'm too grown up to where diapers - just look at that big girl in the picture; I've just got to figure out this wake up to pee thing. Hey, at least I wake up dry when I am bribed; however, I only wake up dry when I am bribed. This is totally going to be the breaking point that will send Mom to the funny farm.What is even better than cotton candy, or at least as good for the moment: The 2012 Summer Olympics in London! It was mine
and Ethan's 1st Summer Olympics. I got to watch most of the opening ceremony with Grandma while she was babysitting us; then Ethan and I watched part of them again the next day with Mom and Dad. Mom and 
I have been watching the sporting events throughout the day, and I've taken a liking to the diving and swimming events. I love to cheer for "the team always in red". "Go, USA!" At the start of each event, I always ask, "Which one is ours, Mom?". I even got to watch Michael Phelps swim. Mom explained to me that he has won 17, at the time, medals and that he is going for the most medals ever. I immediately ran upstairs, grabbed my big sister medal, wore it down, and said, "See, I have a medal for being the best big sister." Take that Michael Phelps; my medal is way more important than your 17 and counting!
On the same wavelength as medals and awards, I finished all of my summer reading by July 31st. My goal was to read 60 library books this summer, and I met my goal! We turned in my record of books, and the librarian let me pick out a book to take home; I chose "Yes Day". I also got a purple ring and a certificate, and I got to write my name on a gold medal and place it on the wall. I truly love to read! Ethan is even starting to take a distinct liking to books.
Other Ethan Fun Facts for the Month of July:
Our big boy is finally sitting up all on his own. Before getting really good at it, he did incur his first serious injury. Dad was supposed to be keeping a hold of him to make sure that he didn't topple over when I distracted Dad, and
Ethan decided to fall at that exact moment, hitting the edge of the fireplace. At first, he was inconsolable and had an indention in his forehead, which scared the bejesus out of Mom, so she called the afterhours line for our pediatrician and spoke with an urgent care nurse. After a lot of questions from the nurse and some outward swelling on Ethan's head, the nurse decided that we did not need to head to the ER. Plus, I was able to get him to laugh during their conversation, which 
meant he was okay. Still, Mom and Dad did have to wake him up every 4 hours during the night to get him to smile and interact so as to rule out a concussion. Thankfully, baby boy passed the test each time and just ended up with a war wound for a few days. Now, he is a pro at sitting up. He also tried out his jumperoo for the first time this month, and he was immediately a pro at it. It took me about a month to figure out how to work the jumperoo when I was little, but Ethan was jumping up and down like a wild man from the "first minute his toes hit the floor. Those super strong legs are quite handy, and he gets that thing going, especially when Mom or I chant, 
Go Ethan! Go Ethan!" It looks like we have another showoff in the family. In fact, he fake coughs now just to get an "Oh no, are you okay?" reaction from Mom. As far as firsts go, he also moved from the Bumbo to his highchair this month; he is such a big boy. As he gets bigger, he also gets more opinionated. He 
lets us all know what he wants to do and when. He hates going out to lunch, for sure, and when he wants food, he wants it right away! We know it too, for he has definitely found his voice. He is a loud, little guy! He even started shouting at me the other day whenever I jumped on Daddy. We aren't sure if he was voicing his desire to join in on the fun or his insistence for me to stay off his Daddy. Ethan thinks that I am the funniest 
person ever. I can always get him to laugh, and he laughs a whole lot more nowadays; although, he pretty much refuses to laugh for Daddy. I was able to get him to laugh really hard on video for the first time; check it out below. He really loves to give me big, wet kisses and grab onto my face and hair whenever either are in reach. Besides me as his favorite person, Ethan also acquired some new favorites this month. He loves his yellow fish disc, which he constantly chews on; this boy has a real thing for fish. 
He is also starting to love music, making it with his instruments and listening to me in concert, and books. His favorite song is still "The Wheels on the Bus", which can calm him down whenever he is fussy, and he has shown a distinct 
favoritism towards "That's Not My Puppy" and "Where's Spot". He likes to read with us in the evenings now, and I like to read to him during the day. I am trying to make him super smart, just like me! Ethan is definitely a part of the chaos these days! By the end of the day, he is always worn out and sometimes even a little milk drunk. 
Serious Laughs:
Livie Entertainment:6-Month Pictures - Halfway to That Birthday Cake
In fact, we have an exact comparison since Ethan got all of his stats in July at his 6-month doctor's appointment. At 6 months old, I weighed 17 lbs. 6 oz., and I was 26.2 inches long; Ethan weighs only 1 ounce more than I did, at 17 lbs. 7 oz., but he is more than
2 inches longer than I was! The nurse measured his length at 28.5 inches, and when the doctor came in, she said she needed to remeasure him because she thought that the nurse had measured incorrectly. Apparently, babies don't typically grow 3 full inches in two and a half months! However, the nurse was correct, and Ethan went from the 75th percentile to over the 90th percentile for height while his weight stayed below the 50th percentile. So, he is tall and skinny, and I was short and chunky; cute is cute either way. The doctor kept quoting developmental milestones for 9-month-olds and quickly correcting herself because his height made him look more like a 9-month-old to her. The nurse and doctor did comment several times on how cute and adorable and easygoing Ethan is, and, of course, his eyelashes got some recognition on their own. He met all of his milestones with ease; although, he is apparently not going to be a roller in general since he isn't rolling over much at this point. He passed his eye exam, and the physician even said that he paid better attention to the projections and was more cognizant than most babies at 6 months of age. He did not like it when she took the electrode off of his forehead though; in his defense, it left a terrible suction mark. While he watched the flashing screen, I picked out several 
stickers for him and stuck them on his shirt. I take good care of my baby bro and all of his sticker needs. The doctor did agree that it is quite interesting that he likes veggies more than fruits, and he even tried to gag himself when they gave him the oral vaccine that tastes just like sugar water. We obviously differ in that respect. He, again, cried terribly when he was given the shots, and I felt so bad for him. When Mom wasn't paying attention during checkout and in an effort to make him feel all better, I gently placed a sticker on his leg over the boo-boo left by that nasty needle. Unfortunately, Mom didn't notice the sticker until we got home; at which time, it didn't come off so easily. Yep, he cried hysterically all over again, and I felt even worse. I was just trying to be a good big sister. This monthly checkup stuff is for the birds! At least we know that our little man is perfect though. What is not so perfect anymore are our weekly trips to Publix, which used to be such an enjoyable part of our weekly routine. The grocery store has just gotten harder and harder for Mom with both of us crazy kids in tow, partly because she can't fit us both in the cart; although, she did try it once because I was being so wild, and I just looked like a sardine smushed in with all of the groceries. Part of the craziness stems from the fact that I am insane. I dance aimlessly around the aisles bumping into carts and throwing fairy dust on each passerby; don't ask. Mom has to grab me by the arm and warn me about 20 times throughout the shopping experience, and by the end, the warnings are more like threats on my life. Ethan refuses to sleep in the grocery store, and we know everyone there, which means, try as we might, shopping takes at least an hour and a half, so Ethan inevitably loses it about halfway through. Mom tried to let him sit in the cart for the first time, which was really exciting for about 30 minutes, but then it totally backfired when he wanted to lay his head down and couldn't. She was the crazy lady with a screaming baby on her hip and a dancing 3-year-old at her side trying to control a cart with one hand while following a list. Needless to say, we all left the store utterly exhausted, and Mom had the worst headache of her life. After that trip, she compared grocery shopping with two small kids to Chinese water torture, and that is when she gave in and moved her grocery shopping to Sunday afternoons, minus us. I shall miss you until we meet again my Publix peeps.
Well, I must end here, for the iPad is calling my name, as it does 24 hours a day. I now have to have a limit on how much TV I can watch and how much iPad I can play because I would play with the iPad all day, every day. Being a kid is so unfair.
Summer has been awesome, but bring on the cooler fall because Ethan and I are ready to cheer for some college football! Wait until he finds out about the rivalry in our household!
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