Haboob
We had our first Haboob (sand storm) of the season a few weeks ago. It is so cool to watch the storm come in. We don't really have sand swirling like the YouTube videos show, but it gets windy and rainy and the sky has clouds filled with sand. One of my favorite memories is from last year during our first Haboob (we had been in Phoenix for a few weeks) when Derek laughed hysterically at the word Haboob. Good times!

Derek and Baseball
Derek absolutely LOVES baseball. Every Sunday after church when Matt picks up Derek from childcare, they play catch in our church's courtyard. Daddy plays catcher and Derek plays pitcher. Derek also LOVES watching baseball on TV with Matt. He talks about the positions and goes through their roles. "Pitcher throw ball. Catcher catch ball. Throw ball to pitcher." Last weekend Matt bought Derek his first bat and ball. Matt made home plate and we have been playing baseball in the house ever since. Another great activity during the hot summer months! Its so cute to see how excited Derek gets about the sport. He has quite an arm. I think we have an athlete on our hands!!

Rylie 4 Month Update

This month has been so fun as Rylie's personality is really starting to show. Her well-check stats are weight: 12 lbs 8 oz (20%) and height: 25" (73%). Rylie continues to gain a pound per month, but this month she shot up in height. We love to make her smile and laugh. She is so observant and likes to be carried facing out so she can watch everything that is going on. Rylie loves to watch her brother. I love running errands with just Rylie (It seems so easy to be out with just one kid.) Rylie loves it when I sing to her and she smiles at me. Often she will "sing" back to me. When we drive with the music playing Rylie "sings" along. Its so sweet. Rylie loves taking a bath, especially with her big brother. She doesn't sit still in her bath seat, wiggling with excitement. Rylie rolls from back to front with ease. She pulls her knees into to chest when she is on her belly.  Rylie continues to take 3 naps a day, but her night time sleep has not been consistent like the 9 hour stretches she was doing last month. I am hoping that the inconsistent night sleep is because of teething.

I LOVE her big blue eyes and chubby cheeks!

She is such a happy baby! I love to see her smile and hear her giggle. She is ticklish and its so fun to make her laugh.

Rylie is sitting in the Bumbo for longer periods of time, even during meals. She loves to watch everything that is going on.

We have been putting her in the exer-saucer and she is enjoying it 

(especially since she can see what is going on).

 I love how she curls her toes up.

 Sophie is her favorite toy!! (Derek loved it too.)

 Rylie is sleeping on her belly now. She still moves all over the crib during her sleep.

 She does a great job of holding her toys.

Derek continues to be a super big brother. He gives Rylie hugs and kisses. He does not like to hear her cry and sings the "ABCs" when she starts to cry. He talks to her monitor when we can hear her crying to put herself to sleep. Derek tries to get her to smile too. He tells her the colors of her toys and shares his toys with her. This month he showed that he was protective of her for the first time. A friend of mine came up to the stroller to see Rylie and he came right over to the stroller and said my Rylie. He wanted to make sure that she knew Rylie was his sister. My heart melted!!

Derek sharing his toys with Rylie.

She has found her toes!!

Daddy and Mommy LOVE their baby girl!

 

Derek and Daddy Adventure
Matt took Derek out to dinner and then to our church's summer water bash. Derek had a blast!!

 Where is Derek?

popsicle break

 water slides

 Happy 4th of July!

(It sure is hard to get a picture of the kids where both are sitting still and looking!!)

We had a great relaxing day as a family. We woke up to AMAZING weather in low 80's and cloudy. It even rained most of the morning!! (So rare to have temps below 100 degrees at this point in the summer.)

Early morning snuggles with Rylie 

 Matt took Derek to get Dunkin Donuts for breakfast

After breakfast, I took Derek for a bike ride. 

(He is getting so confident on his bike.)

 We came home and jumped in the pool to cool off

 We grilled sausage for lunch and ate OUTSIDE in the rain! 

Then made pumpkin bread after Derek's nap.

Rylie's 1st Time in the Pool
We finally took Rylie in the pool for her first time. Most afternoons one of us will take Derek in the pool and often Rylie's feet get dipped in the water, but this was her first time actually in the water. We didn't get a picture of it because Derek was so excited to get in the water with his sister! Rylie didn't seem to mind the water at all. We love using our pool in the afternoon because (around 5pm) our neighbor's tree totally blocks the sun so we don't have to worry about sunscreen. Plus its plenty hot outside (100 plus degrees, but ZERO humidity) and our water temperature is about 80, that when we get out of the pool we actually feel cold! Ha...go figure!

Here are pictures from Derek's first time in the pool & ocean (4 months old) when we went to Maui.