Siblings' Summer

This has been an exceptionally hot summer, so we've spent our days thinking of creative ways to stay cool inside.  One of the things that Porter requests almost daily is to go visit Zach and Jackie and baby Haley.

Both kids had a little under-the-weather spell, though, so we had to avoid baby Haley for awhile. Instead we started playing with ALL the baby dolls in the house (all named Haley) and no matter what, both kids end up fighting over one of the Haleys.

The kids want to play outside daily.  Here's a couple pictures of the kids playing "fishing."  Emma Rose was a fish and Porter had to catch her.

We went to a local water park one day - talk about a quick and easy way to wear Porter out.  He spent the ENTIRE time running around like a maniac, and Emma Rose watched him like a hawk, as always.

Emma Rose is crazy about her friend, Gavyn, who she gets to see at least once a week, if not more!

Emma Rose is FEARLESS in the water.  Several times, she dives in, head-first, and comes up choking up mouthfuls of water in peels of laughter.  She's such a little character. 

Two quick, hilarious stories about Miss Rosie:

1) When Porter was potty training, Emma Rose sat back and watched him every time.  One time she took me by the hand and went into the bathroom, lifted up her shirt, and put her belly up against the potty, standing just like her big brother (only half his height) smiling so proudly.

2) Also when training, Porter got 2 vitamins for going "#2" on the big boy potty, and Emma, his little shadow, always got 1.  Yesterday, after we finished getting Porter all cleaned up in the bathroom, Emma Rose made a bee-line to the pantry, opened the door, and pointed up to the vitamins.  She understands so much!

I have loved watching the kids grow a fondness for each other.  This is a picture that absolutely melts my heart - even if it only lasted for seconds:

Summer Blessings

So far summer has been a blast with the kids.  Porter is SUCH a boy, and goes 110 miles an hour with his tongue out - the Cowlitz tongue... Here are some pictures of the kids playing outside in our neighborhood, at the park, and at the pool.

Emma Rose LOVES the swing, and giggles every time  she is pushed to go higher.

Probably the best thing about this summer has been meeting their new baby cousin, Haley Madeline Leavitt.  Porter talks all the time about how sweet she is, and wants to re-read all the "Big Brother" and "Baby" books we read to him before Emma Rose was born.  Just this morning in the church nursery, he found and began cradling a little baby doll.  He told me that the baby had been in his tummy for a really long time, and then he went off, rocking the baby in his arms, saying, "Oh baby Haley, I love you."

Last night, the kids had so much fun at the 4-year-old party of their good friend, Sofia.  It was at a place called "My Gym" and they were free to run around wild.  Emma found herself dancing on the trampoline.  She LOVES to dance!

Emma Rose was exhausted after the party and was having some play time in her crib.  Porter decided that he needed to get in with her and sing her a song, "the song that Grandma always sings to Emma."  Love his rendition:

Needless to say, our summer has been full and blessed!

And then he was three...

I can not believe that Porter, my handsome, intelligent, sweet, willful and hilarious boy is 3!  He is so much fun and cracks me up on a daily basis with his toddler, spirit-of-an-old-man, 30-year-old-vocabulary perspective on life. He is able to reason and charm, and charm and reason himself right out of time-out he often does.  He also is starting to "talk back" and he does so in a way that makes me want to pull out my hair and laugh all at once.  "Mom, I just love you; you're beautiful," "I was just jokin' Mom," "It was just an accident," "Mom, are you kidding me right now," and "I know, it's just a disaster," are his recent quick responses to the time-out threats.  I love walking in on him creating scenes with his Thomas trains, or "reading" books to his sister.  I am so proud of my little man and love the numerous blessings that come with being his mommy.  

We didn't have a big huge party this year, but I did make sure that Porter felt very celebrated... To get ready for the birth-week, we started out with haircuts.  Emma Rose got her first ever haircut at 14 months of age.

Also, in preparation for the big 3, we started potty training.  After a solid 2 weeks, Porter is doing great!  But it did take lots of treats and outings, including Monkey Business, and the zoo!

We visited the new Elephant park on Porter's birthday.  The kids loved it.

That night we opened presents.

Porter was thrilled to get his new concrete truck!

He also was thrilled to eat his requested birthday dinner of grilled cheese and chocolate cake.

We spent lots of time at the pool the 2 days after Porter's birthday.  Emma Rose loves walking in the water and bathing in the sun, just like her mama!

We found a bunny as we were leaving the pool too! (top right-hand corner beneath the leaves...)

We had a little birthday party with the family the Saturday after Porter's birthday.  Man, did he LOVE hanging out with his cousins!

Cousin Caroline wore her glasses the ENTIRE party!

Porter's "working truck" cake!!!

Sunday was Father's Day, and Corey spent the morning in a water fight with Porter, and that evening we all went to celebrate with family at Patti & Gary Johnson's house.  Once again, the cousins had a blast playing together, and it was the perfect end to celebrating "being 3!"