Summer in Iowa aka: Memory Maker!

Hey Friends,
Yes we are still here and I'll be honest this one has been a story for the books. We were totally ready for  our departure to England and have been living with my parents since July 1st.
So, we have had a lot of Quality Time with family and friends and done lots of fun stuff in the mean time. Particularly so I don't go out of my mind. Truly this has been a summer to treasure with family and friends and here are the pictures to prove it.

1. Henry and Sydney have gotten over their FEAR of dogs because they were forced to live with my parents dog Lucky. Who has been a pain in my you know what! While we have lived here he has managed to eat a bag of marshmallows and a whole stick of butter and regularly drives me crazy..... But, we love him! Sydney says good morning to PUPPY everyday in the cutest little voice you could ever hear.

2. Speaking of Sydney she has reached and conquered many milestones this summer. She is done NURSING, we were still nursing 4 times a day until 14 months and then we quit all in one day and she did Marvelous! I had to give myself and my boobs :) a break before this next little Sister comes out!  Sydney is  MOBILE as in she is now walking and getting better everyday. Sydney is also only taking one nap in the afternoon, she could still probably take a morning one but we are having fun leaving the house in the morning so NO looking back! She is also quite the little chatter box. She can say lots of words and just like her brother she has a quite little sweet voice! Her favorite words are PUPPY, SHOES, SISSY.  She and Henry are starting to play together more and also starting to fight. But truly there are not enough words for me to describe how PRECIOUS it is to see them love each other. It really warms my heart!

3.  We have been able to spend about every family birthday with our families this summer. That has been super fun. We have gone out for dinner for most of these birthdays. Speaking of out to eat... we have concluded that eating out with small kids is quite the TASK!!!. I just need to remember that one day they will sit well and eat all by themselves and that day will come quickly. This still has not stopped us, and i do love not doing those dishes afterwards. :)

4. Henry is getting so big and i am seeing this little boy of mine slowly slipping out my hands into the Big Man he is going to become. (INSERT TEARS HERE). He is growing and growing and talking and talking and asking question after question. And while some days it does indeed press all of my patience buttons, most days it is quite sublime and lovely to watch him figure out the world around him.
He is a sweet, sensitive little man. He is loving life and loving LEGOS, ANIMALS, and lots of IMAGINATION games.
Here is a little funny Henry Summer Story:
 We all went to Adventureland this summer and for the first 1hour in a half we looked at all the rides, because Henry was a little tentative (to say the least). Then finally he started riding the rides and loved it. Except for he HATED the Frog Ride which is the equivalent of the Adult ride that shoots you up in the air. Anyway, he screamed the whole time. And to be honest, Andy and I just let him stay on. I mean it only lasted like 1 minute, so really it was no big deal. But, i will be honest, i was dying laughing, and Andy was standing right next to him...... yes, you may judge me as a bad mom. But, i don't know, it was so funny at the moment. Anyway, he was fine and kept telling us how brave he was and that he really did not like the FROG ride. I just always want to remember it.

I also got to take a fun little"Thank God I am not Nursing Trip" or get away with my mom, sister and brother. Just the 4 of us to Kansas City and spent the night with our cousins and then went outlet shopping and back home the next day. It was a quick trip, but so much fun, and really only possible because my husband is awesome and offered to give me a break for the day. What can I say, I married the most awesome man in the history of men! :) We of course took no pictures on this trip, which is a bummer! But, lets say we just did a lot of laughing!

 A couple of other noteworthy fun events:

1. I had a father/daughter date with my dad and we went to the Iowa State Fair to see Larry the Cable Guy. For whatever reason, i deleted the photos but have them on a different part of my computer. I just can't figure out how to load them here. Anyway, we had so much fun and it really was a highlight i think of my life. How many times do you go on dates just for fun with one of your parents now as an adult? It was really fun! And i will treasure it.

2. Andy, Henry, Sydney and I visited the Science Center and we also made it on the news. First off the kids loved the science center and all the activities, i will be honest, it sort of grosses me out to think of how they probably are the 1000000 kid to touch this toy/activity, and the germs on it. But, it was a fun morning and we got to see them tape the weather part of the news. My brother DVR'D it and we watch it a lot!

3. Baby #3 is getting big and moving lots and lots. I am getting bigger too ;) I have really been digging Peanut Butter and french toast. No wonder I am getting bigger!  I am not to worried. I will get back to normal eventually! I am 6 months prego and feel good. I like this stage because people look at you and know for sure you are pregnant and usually give you a smile or a nod that states "Go Momma, you Rock!" But, this time, it seems when I am with my other 2 kids people give me this look like "YOU ARE CRAZY" they see I have 2 kids and another one coming soon. It makes me wonder if they know something I don't! I have decided they don't.  :) That is unless they have the secret to SLEEPING and not worrying about random things like are the sheets on Henry or did he kick them off again. Maybe I need to go check at 1:30 AM, while I am up peeing anyway. I think that is a Mom thing and I can't shut that off or they would not have a Mom would they.

Well that's all for now chickies!