No school supplies or underwear this time!

Since I have been getting ribbed (in a good natured way) about my last 2 posts I will blog about other things. Our life has been pretty boring lately, just swimming and sleeping in :) It is hard to believe that in 3 short weeks the kids will be going back to school :(

Taylor leaves on Sunday for a week at her cousin's house in Nashville. She has never gone away before so this is a big step. I am going to miss her (she is very helpful) while she is gone but now she is going to have a great time! Her youngest 3 cousins from that family (ages 3, 5 and almost 8) are going to be spending the week at our house. We are doing a kid swap (though I think my SIL is actually going to get a vacation since her oldest 2 (ages almost 11 and 14) and Taylor is who she will have next week :) Just kidding Gabby :)

Caleb has graduated to swimming in the deep end (7 and 8 feet) of the pool with no help from an adult or floats of any kind! He jumps right in and swims like a fish. He can swim the length of the pool (it is close to 100 feet in length)! He is very proud of himself and so am I (not sure if I can swim the length of the pool)! And he can even dive down and retrieve items off the bottom of the pool (sounds like I am describing a dog here doesn't it:) Though he does this better in the 4-5 feet than the 7-8. Sometimes it takes him a couple of tries in the deep end :)

Madison is doing well with her potty training...we still have an occasional accident if we aren't close to a potty but that is normal. She also is occasionally wet in the mornings (the dr said that is normal). She has been hesitant in the pool this summer, rarely leaving the comfort of the steps/shallow end. That all changed on Wednesday. She started jumping in off the side with a floating on all by herself. She stands at the side and says "ready, set, go"! It is too cute. She will jump in minus the float if someone is in the pool (now I really gotta watch her, not that I didn't watch her before it was just easier when I knew she was going to be on the steps). She has also been struggling with temper tantrums....she has this very high-pitched squeal that almost bursts your eardrums :) Needless to say she has been spending a fair amount of time in her room in "time-out". This morning she was sent and when I checked on her 5 minutes later this is what I found....



She had made a bed for all her stuffed animals and dolls. She was very proud of herself :) Also please ignore the lovely hairdo she is sporting. She hadn't been up very long and I hadn't gotten around to putting a bow in her hair, normally I am better about doing that first thing so the poor child can see but for some reason hadn't this morning :)

Then later in the afternoon she had to "visit" her room again and for a little longer b/c she whacked Caleb with a plastic chair and this is what I found when I checked on her....





Yes, that is a paci you see in her mouth. We are working on getting rid of it but she is very attached to it :) It is the only "lovie" type item she has and I promise not to let her go to kindergarten with it :) She is only allowed to have it in her bed (though she tries to sneak it out of her room every now and then).