Beach Families

This year's beach trip was great!

The ENTIRE Louis gang was able to make it this year- a first!

16 adults, 16 kids (with 1 due in December)

I think I took well over 1000 pictures.

I'll begin by posting pics of the cast of characters :)

Here we are!

PatPat had jokingly suggested we wear Rangers gear for our group picture...

 ... and then we did. :)

 Grandkids

PatPat and PawPaw

 

I didn't get a picture of the Buntings, so this will have to do. :(

Alex, Jim, Sam, Addie, and James.

(disregard Arden and Gwennie)

 

Ross, Jenny, Gabe, Arden, and Isabelle... striking their best Toddlers and Tiaras.

Kate, Brent, Ella, Thomas, and Alice

Walter, Megan (pregnant with baby boy #3), Jackson, and Dillan

Jack and Leigh

Mary Pat, Ryan, Evie, and Gwyneth

I tried to take a family picture every day

Before dinner one night

After the treasure hunt

At Fort Morgan

Last day at the beach

I never got a picture of the kids in their Easter threads so I figured I'd bring them.

It was the last night.

It was close to Simon's (early) bedtime, Henry had just woken from a marathon nap, no nap Margaret got pulled out of the ocean (it was a miracle she let me run a comb through her hair)....  I think they turned out pretty good.

Because it was early and the sun was bright, we sat in the shade of one of the houses... I like how the background turned out.

Tom didn't know what I had on when he got dressed :)

Toddlers and Tiaras was running strong the whole week

My favorite

the 4th

That morning we headed out to Arlington's 4th of July parade.

Growing up, Tom went with his family every year.

He wanted to take us since its our last year here. 

PatPat and PawPaw joined us.

We found a great shady spot at the beginning of the parade route. Score.

 

Henry's really into 2 (random) things right now:

Tubas

(He says the "rock n roll ones are red". I have never seen a red one, and I'm sure he hasn't either)

And police motorcycles.

So he was a very happy boy.

 

Not sure what Simon was so upset about... PawPaw was just trying to bond :)

Fun times.

 

That evening we had dinner at PawPaw and PatPat's.

Nothing says Fourth of July like a bomb pop!

Simon- 6 & 7 months

I kept putting off Simon's 6 month post, thinking I would get to it eventually.... well, here I am and I can't remember diddly squat about him at 6 months.

Let's see...

I did remember to take his pictures on time.

And I'm pretty sure he slept 11 straight hours for the 1st time that month... and that was a 1, maybe 2, time occurrence.

Tried really hard to drop the 4th nap, and when he did it made his bedtime really early, ~6 pm.

He started solids. Tasted rice and oatmeal cereal, sweet potatoes, peas, apple sauce, carrots, avocado, and bananas.... and liked them all... good eater.

Ate about 2 meals a day.

Sat by himself.

Huh, I guess I did remember some things.

Well child visit

27 1/2 inches

19 pounds

7 months...

2 bottom teeth appeared. Unfortunately, not at the same time. It was rough.

He started this awful grunt and arching back routine and would wake up screaming at night. I'm guessing it was from the teething ??? It has since disappeared and he's much happier.

Only food I've added to his menu is butternut squash.

3 meals a day.

Says "beh" and "gah"

Keeping the 3 naps.

By the end of this month (once we got back from the beach), I'm no longer feeding him at night and he goes between 6:30ish pm and I roll out of bed at 6am.

Wakes up a lot happier these days.

Gets up on hands and knees and rocks... but can't figure out the crawling thing, much to his dismay.

Does a real good plank.

Scoots backwards and swivels to get what he wants.

Trying to drink water from a sippy cup.

 I took these pictures right before naptime... I should have known better.

Whenever you hand him a stuffed animal when he's tired, he immediately sucks on his thumb.

Had a hard time getting "comfortable". :) 

 Took the lovey away so he would sit still.

Tried to get a pic of him on his hands and knees, but he was finished.

Arboretum

One day at the end of June, we met our friends at the Arboretum.

I usually avoid the Arboretum in the summer, but it was supposed to be in the lower 90s. Too bad the humidity almost sufficated us!

I was excited to see the Chihuly exhibit.

Climbing around waiting on our friends. 

 Brinley, Ava, and MG



We brought the kids' swimsuits so they could cool off in the frog fountains. 

 And had a picnic lunch.



 Eating grass will give you a grass 'stache.



 Simon and Connor ...

...and their little bud, Cason- who they can't wait to meet in October!

At one point there was a perfect storm- Henry whining, MG not quite making it to the potty, and Simon's exhausted self screaming his head off, but we survived and enjoyed our time with our friends.