Hot Summer Days=Inside Activities

Like coloring...

or sidewalk chalk on newspaper...

or painting with a brush for the first time.

This little guy stays entertained in his activity gym...

but why play when you can just lounge?

It is so hot and humid here that if we do anything outside it has to include water. Or we just opt to stay indoors and get very creative with activities. You do what you gotta do to keep the kids entertained. Fall, please hurry up I'm running out of ideas!!

Random

Olivia loves her Wil. And that is exactly what she calls him too, "my Wil". She knew she was going to get to see him the other day so she kept asking about him. The morning of the day she was going to go swimming with him she kept asking me about him and where he was. I said that I didn't know but I would think he was at his house. She said "I'm gonna go look out the window and see if I see him". The day before she also asked Lilly, the dog, to go get him for her and also thought her Wil might want to try the sucker she had that afternoon. This silly girl LOVES her Wil.

Cute guy in some jammies his big sister also wore.

This is how we wake up in the Collins household, veeerrrrryyyyy slowly.

His Lovie=His BFF

Thankfully, both of our children have grown a strong attachment to their lovies. I sorta encouraged this attachment just so they could find comfort in something in the middle of the night, etc. and not cry out for me. Of course, I do hope that they grow out of it at some point but for now it's a-ok. Olivia has a lamb, giraffe and bear that she LOVES and sleeps with at night. I wasn't sure if Ford was going to be equally as fond of them but he has proved me wrong. He loves them just as much as his big sister.

I mean, why not? They're cute, soft and oh, so cuddly!

Happy Happy Day

Today is Hays' 31st birthday (but who's counting these days, right)! We are so thankful for him in this household. I really don't know what we would do without him. I know a little girl that would have a very boring life. He brings so  much joy, laughter, playfulness and love to our lives.

We love you more than you'll ever know!!!

Just Some Firsts

With 2 growing children in our household we have a lot of "firsts" going on.

The other night Ford and Olivia took a bath together for the first time. Once again, the bigger of the two is quite thrilled and the smaller of the two is wondering what he has gotten himself into. Olivia was beside herself excited to have a partner in crime in the bath tub with her because, let me tell you, she commits LOTS of questionable acts during that short period of time. Not kidding.

This little guy tried his taste buds at sweet potatoes for the first time. Although, it did go better than the cereal I still wouldn't call it a success. We have our fingers crossed that he will become a tad more successful in the next few weeks.

And, a couple of more pictures of the cutie pies for good measure.

Today, you get a sideways picture. Yep, blogger can be pretty silly sometimes but I had to post the sibling picture anyway.

First time for the chunk to be on his beautiful blanket my Aunt Cindy made. I think he thought it was so soft and cuddly. I mean, look how happy he is (of course, he's about that happy 95% of the time).

Hays' Mini-Me

Both of these pictures were taken around the same age, 4 months.

Hays

Ford

I guess we all know where my adorable baby gets his looks.

Girls Beach Trip Plus Four

The girls (Me, mom, my sister and Aunt Cindy) started taking an annual beach trip to the Collins condo when we first got married. Well, now that my sister and I both have kids we have added 3 boys and another girl to the trip. I guess technically it can't be called the "girls" beach trip anymore. I can't say that this trip is as relaxing as it used to be but I can say that we have an equal amount of fun as we did back in the day.

These kids kept us on our toes the entire time. Let's just say that there was an 8:30 mandatory bedtime for EVERYBODY.

Nano had her arms full about 99.9% of the time (even while she was sleeping). That's what you call a good Nano.

Our annual ritual is to bury Kai in the sand, the kid LOVES to be buried.

He's soaking it all in and learning the ropes from the older three. Boy, next year should be very interesting.

Can't go to the pool without a break for sno-cones.

Chillaxin.

Nano and her girl.

Our BIG baby, Dalton had to try out Ford's bed.

Sleeping with momma after the early morning feeding. #anythinggoesonvacation

Aunt Cindy wasn't able to make it this year and boy, did we miss her! You'll have to come next year so the kids don't have us outnumbered! We missed you terribly.