Summer Time (May-August 2012)

So we left off somewhere in May. Avery was about to have her first dance recital at the Galveston Opera with Jill Rauscher's School of Dance. They dance to a mixed song of "Where is Thumbkin?". We were all a little nervous that she wasn't going to dance or just stand up there and cry. Well...she did GREAT!!! She was a little hesitant at first, she was looking around for us, but then she just started dancing! I cried because I was so proud of my baby! I think she enjoyed being the star of "our" show. She got gifts, flowers, toys and everyone that loves her came to watch!

Avery at dress rehearsal...

Avery before the show...

The BIG performance...

Random dance class pics from May...

So once school and dance wrapped up for the year, we began to settle into our summer routine. This was a much needed break from the everyday schedules. If I worked, it was only for one or two days a week. By-ya (and occassionally Papa Spook) watched the kids. This gave Mommy some extra summer spending money and still allowed for some adult interactions. ;) The kids looked forward to spending time with each of them. Little Austin, even though still very little in size, has become such a big boy. And when I say boy...I mean BOY!!! Jumping, climbing, running, hopping, not listening (although I think that is more of a three year-old trait). He had what he considers his first big boo-boo. He fell in the driveway (when not listening, of course). He scraped his elbow, knee and ankle pretty bad. It left a nice scar on his elbow too. But with many tears, repetitive bleeding (because he kept scraping it over and over again) and lots of bandaids, he finally got over it. We have been spending a lot of time at the community pool, Jumping Jungle (moonwalk place), the beach and Palm Beach at Moody Gardens. The kids are finally to the age where I feel like I can take them places by myself and not have to worry so much about losing one. Here are some random pics from our summer...

My little chef

Played so hard...he passed out in his room!

At Schlitterbahn...

My silly kiddos...this is a typical day at our house!

We had a little mini vaca in Galveston with the Gonzalez family in June for Justin's birthday party at Schlitterbahn. We stayed at the Escapes. The kids had a blast with each other. At Schlitterbahn, Avery wanted to ride every ride and wasn't scared at all. Austin on the other hand, only wanted to ride the big tube ride, that we could all ride in together. Even on that ride...his laugh sounded like he was holding himself back from crying. He hated any ride that we were in an enclosed tube. The kids have a blast every time we go to Palm Beach at Moody Gardens. We got a season pass this year and we have definitely taken advantage of it. THe kids could hang out by the two kiddie slides all day. They go up and down a hundred times. At the beginning of the summer, Austin wouldn't go by himself. Either Justin, PawPaw or myself would have to go with him. He was terrified of the big water drop every time. Avery has proven herself to be very fearless. Which is a good and a bad thing!

In July, I took the kids to the circus for the first time with a bunch of friends! They had a blast. It kept their attention the whole time!

This was the best picture I could get of Austin at the circus...he is definitely in the uncooperative stage! ;)

Avery and Caitlyn...she couldn't wait to get Cotton Candy!!!

Here are some tidbits in the life of Avery...she still loves princess (especially Disney princess, more specifically Rapunzel), dress up, coloring, pretend playing (aka "Mommy Daddy"), dolls. Her favorite TV shows are Calliou, My Little Pony, and Strawberry Shortcake. Some of her favorite foods are: pepperoni pizza, chicken and rice, fruit stripes, sprinkle cookies, Bugles, Chex Mix, and goldfish.

Some of the things that come out of her mouth crack us up...she's says she wants to be Rapunzel when she grows up. She is constantly tattle telling on everything and everyone(Which is not so funny. Actually pretty annoying). She tries to talk like an adult and "mothers" kids that are smaller than her.

Avery is doing chores now...she makes her bed, does her morning routine things (brushes her hair and teeth with help, gets dressed, sets the dinner table. She has a chores chart in her room that we check of at the end of the day. If she does everything on the chart all week, she gets a $1. So far we haven't made it to the reward part...but we are working on it. ;)

This summer we try to incorporate some school stuff into our very busy summer. Avery can read a few words...her's and Austin's name, dog, and cat. She can write the word "cat" too. She can write each letter of the alphabet except "J" and "K". Not sure what her hold up is on those letters. She can recognize the numbers 1-10 too. She knows all her shapes and colors. Even an octagon and hexagon.

I know I have said this before in my blog...but Austin is a boy through and through. He definitely keeps us on our toes. We aren't constantly finding that kid jumping off something. It isn't a day if Austin doesn't come crying to me because he's hurt something. But he's such a sweet boy and wants to be Mommy's baby. We are in the process of turning his toddler/baby room into a big boy room. We bought the full mattress, bedding and curtains and the walls are painted.

These are some last few pics of Austin in his baby room...

This was the day that we brought the mattress home...

I'm sad that this is the last little bit of babyhood that I have to let go. It actually makes me very sad. One thing at is still in Austin's room, at was actually in Avery's room too, is the glider. I've rocked both my babies in that chair since the day we brought them home from the hospital. Not quite ready to let it go yet and neither is Austin. When u told him that we would have to take the glider out,Mathis was his response to me..." Mommy, my baby bed is still comfy. I don't need a big boy bed.". It melted my heart. So we made sure that he still had his glider...

Here are some pics from his big boy room from stage one. We are doing the room in a surf theme. So there isn't anything on the walls yet. But you get the idea. I'll post more pics when the room is complete.

He was sooooo proud!

He gives it 2 thumbs up!

Anytime anyone comes to the house who hasn't seen his bed...he tells them to close their eyes and he walks them in and shows them his room! He gets so excited everything! It's so cute! The other day we were getting ready for church and we were done a little early (which by the way NEVER happens). So we were sitting on the bottom of the stairs and Avery yells, "BUBBA!". Austin looks at Avery, dead serious, and says, "Don't call me Bubba!". Which he has never said. So I replied back to him, "What should we call you?". He replied back, dead serious once again, "Call me snake!". I obviously cracked up laughing. I had no idea where he had gotten that from. Soooo funny!

Some of Austin's favorites are: snacks, snacks and more snacks. This kid wants to eat all the time. Avery isnt any better, but Austin is the worst! He would literally get up for the dinner table and walk into the kitchen, open the pantry and ask for a snack. Same thing for in the mornings when he wakes up. The other morning, I was still sleeping in bed and Justin was getting ready. Apparently Austin had helped himself to animal cookies at 7:30am. Justin asked him what he was doing and he answered, "I'm having a snack!" Justin thought that I was too tired to get up and get him something that I just let him get cookies. So he didn't take them away and let him eat cookies! Like I would let my kid eat cookies in the morning? LOL!

So I got on a tangent, back to Austin's favorites...the color blue, playing on his train and with his cars, playing Mommy Daddy, doing the opposite of whatever we ask him to. (sad, but true!), ride his tricycle. Some of his favorite TV shows are: Calliou, Cars movie, and Dora the Explorer. Some of his foods are: chicken and rice, broccoli (which is crazy because he hated broccoli. Now he gets excited when I give it t him), circus animal cookies (aka sprinkle cookies), fruit strips, pretzels, pirates booty, fruit (strawberries and bananas).

We have spent a lot of time in Galveston. Either at the State Park atbthe beach with By-ya and Paw Paw or at Palm Beach. We got a season pass to Palm Beach this year and the kids have loved it! It was well worth it! A definite for next year too.

We got to spend some fun time cooking Italian food with MeMe last month. Heather made homemade tomato sauce and MeMe, the kids, and Im made meatballs and brachiole. Of course, the kids had to help somewhere, So they got to sprinkle in the cheese on the brachiole. They had to wear their aprons too. :)

So we haven't had a big vacation this summer like we usually do because we are going on the Disney Cruise out of Galveston in October. We have had this trip planned since May 2011. So it has been much anticipated, to say the least! Avery calls it the Princess ship. We have 36 days till we leave and I am in full force of planning. I think I'm just as excited as the kids! We received our tickets and luggage tags last week...that got the kids real excited too. We made a Mickey Mouse countdown chain that we will start on Thursday to count down the days till we leave.

The kids start school next week and are sooo ready to go back. Avery will be in Pre-K4 in Ms. Sandie's class and Austin will be in Pre-K3 in Ms. Pat's class. They will go three days a week this year instead on two. So that't the Syfert life in a nutshell through the summer. Can't wait to post on our cruise and back to school!