Our swimsuit model

My friend Kelly gave Maya this crazy adorable swimsuit.  Before heading to my aunt's to swim, the level of insane cuteness required a few pictures.

 

Collin giving his sister a kiss in an attempt to draw out a smile -

Seriously Mom, this is ridiculous, but I can't control my limbs to put an end to the camera clicking.

Stop the madness -

The ruffles are to drool for -

Smiles from our blue-eyed beauty.  Will the blue eyes last?  There are bets on both sides, but at two and a half months, they're still looking pretty blue -

Smiles and a tongue -

Rolls on the arms and legs - something unseen in Collin's baby pictures (or mine) -

She hung in there for a few more - 

I call Maya our pooping machine.  We normally change outfits once or twice everyday from a blowout.  In her first few weeks, she pooped on me every other day, once absolutely hosing me down when I mistakenly changed her diaper with her facing me.  But now that she's older, I trust her diaper-less for a few minutes to get that naked bootie in a shot -

Seersucker smiles

Cas took Collin to the circus on Saturday, and I had to snap some pictures of my handsome, coordinated guys when they returned.  Maya and I took our first outing to HEB.  Not quite as glamorous, but that's the season we're in, so I enjoyed a book and some sweet cuddle time with Maya when we were done shopping. 

 

I have no idea what I did with my camera - it was an unintentional, dizzying effect.  

Collin was a going on cotton candy fumes, but he managed to make eye contact and smile once.

 

Later that evening, Maya was in a super cuddly mood . . . which backfired at 5am, having allowed her to sleep way too much in the afternoon and evening.  Daddy and daughter -

Collin told Maya all about the circus when they took a bath together Saturday evening, assuring her that she could go when she was three.

Two on One at the Park

Collin knows his Grandma Libia and Lita visit on Wednesdays and asks throughout the week what day it is, anticipating their arrival.  Here's Maya with Lita -

On Friday morning, I was ready to get out of the house, but with Maya's schedule and a 1pm nanny interview, we couldn't go far.  I was excited to find a new park with a splash pad not too far away, and Collin went straight for the water!

When we got there at 10:30, Collin had the splash pad to himself, though it quickly filled with kids.

Once he was cooled off, we headed to the playground area for some new apparatuses.  We were thankful for the standing seesaw, since anything metal or plastic was too hot to sit on if it was in the sunlight.  Maya snoozed off and on in the stroller.

I got some fresh air, Maya was a pretty happy camper, and Collin had a great time at the park and topped the day off with a wonderfully long nap after playing hard in the heat.  So I considered my first park outing with two kids a success!  I did learn that though there were numerous photo opportunities at the park, I hardly took any shots because my hands were normally busy helping one of my kids.  Seems obvious in retrospect, but we'll see if this blog becomes more wordy and less photographic . . .

And one last random shot of something that entertains us daily at our house.  We call this bird a herring.  We are clueless if that's right, but we've convinced Collin.  This one and several of its friends like our backyard, especially our swamp of a pool. 

Shark Attack

We LOVE swimming at Aunt Debbie's pool, and invite ourselves over weekly since the only time I want to be outside until October is if I'm in a pool!

But we didn't love saying good-bye and good luck to our cousin Bryce's girlfriend, Radscha, who headed to Ft. Worth for medical school.  Collin giving her some shark towel love.

 And embracing the character with a shark attack for Jackson -

I am just crazy about this beauty - 

And she is crazy about her changing table, cooing and smiling every time we change her diaper.

The hair bows, the ruffles, the sweet delicate little outfit - I really just pinch myself that I am so lucky to have this little girl in our family!

July iphone download

We're out of the newborn fog and getting Collin to preschool before 11:30am - hooray!  I was sad for Collin, but wisely decided this was not the summer to enroll in any programs - so no swim lessons or gymnastics or scheduled activities.  Considering how hard it was to get out of the house before the p.m. hours the first few months, and considering he has no interest in putting his face in the water and hasn't once mentioned the gymnastics class we did for 6 months before Maya was born, I don't think Collin minds our low-key summer.  No activities mean all the more time to bond with his long-awaited little sister. 

 

Collin giving Maya one of countless kisses.  He was sick this weekend with a really high fever and after a warning, I told my boy with his 103 degree temperature that I would put him in time out if he tried to kiss his sister again - mom of the year!

Bruno getting in on the snuggle action.   The dogs do not comprehend that the really soft blankets and padded mats that we washed in our free-and-clear detergent for the infant aren't their doggie beds.  Makes the special detergent a little ironic considering Maya - like the rest of the family - is already one with Fergie hair!

Hair bow fail!

 

Collin inherited my curls, seen after a swim in cousin Nico's pool -

I think in my 12 weeks of maternity leave, Cas has traveled during 10 of them!  Which would have been horrendous had not my mom been off work.  So back at my parents' home, we captured Maya's first lizard sighting - my dad has taught Collin how to catch them by himself - but she didn't grasp the excitement.

Summer nights are playing in the water hose

Dressed up in an adorable hand-me-down for a casual pool party and dinner at our sweet neighbors' house.

And big enough for the bumbo . . . for a few minutes.  It's still an intense core and neck workout for our two-month-old, and she's concentrating so hard that Maya always comes out of the bumbo with a big drool spot on her shirt!

Nights without Cas are much more fun when my grandma comes for dinner!  It gives me an adult to talk to, and both my kids adore her!

Finally, my first attempt at a video upload.  The quality is horrible, but it represents a typical Collin moment - hilarious and disobedient at the same time.  This was his explanation for why he had pen mark on his stomach and pants when he woke up from his nap a few weeks ago.

In case you can't understand Collin, he assures us that the pen wrote on him by itself.  He thought about fighting the pen off with a sword but was worried it would draw on the sword and then draw all over everything else.  Now we just have to figure out how to encourage his great imagination while encouraging honesty!

Our first cousin's first birthday

Super Nico, Collin and Maya's only first cousin, celebrated his first birthday with a super hero party.  It was Maya's first time to meet some of the family, so she was busy visiting aunts, uncles and cousins, while Collin ran around like a super maniac hero!

Here are the super cousins, Collin and Nico.

Super Nico with Libero taking a flight around the room - 

And chasing Collin around the rug -

This is what happened to the birthday boy when his dad set him down -

Grandma Libia and Maya in matching turquoise -

Geared up in his custom Super Nico cape -

The family of three (for one more month, then we get another cousin!) - 

Nico had to wake up from his nap to attack the piñata and blow out his birthday candles, so he was a little sleepy for the second half of the party -

 

This was Collin's first piñata experience that he remembers, and when he heard it was filled with candy, he couldn't wait for the piñata breaking to begin!  He was as intense as could be with his powerful hits, but one of Nico's older cousins was the one to break it open.

The birthday boy got some help from his dad - 

Candy time - 

Our little hoarder -

Over-tired Nico was not amused as his pockets were stuffed with candy he can't yet eat -

Cas proudly displaying the spring he broke off the trampoline -

And one last shot of the birthday boy with Grandma Libia -

We had a great time celebrating Nico's first birthday and catching up with Cas' family!