Summer Fun

We had a busy week the other week (June 18)!  Grayson's friends, Shelby and Harley, spent 4 days with us while their regular babysitter was on vacation.  Grayson was excited to wake up each morning and see them there and being able to spend the whole day with them.  It was a busy week with 4 kiddos in tow, but they did well getting along.  By Thursday, Grayson and Shelby (who is 2 as well) were starting to pick on one another, but they all did a fairly good job of listening and following directions for me.  Will had that Monday off due to Father's Day so he put the kids to work washing the cars. :)  It was only a matter of time before they all were soaked!  

They soon became bored with washing the cars so we made up some sidewalk paint and they painted the driveway while Will and I finished up the cars.  I'm not too sure if Shelby did more painting on the driveway or herself though!  It was definitely bath time for them all before lunch!

Ryley hanging out in the shade while the big kids paint

 It was a sunny week so we had the pool set up outside and they kids played off and on in it.  I learned that week that Grayson and Shelby can't be left alone with water for more than a few minutes!  The first day they swam, I was getting lunch ready and next thing I hear is Harley telling me they were throwing flowers in the pool.  I look to find Grayson picking petals off my flowers, while Shelby grabbed a flower bunch by the stems and yanked them out of the pot.  Then another day I set Ryley out in the shade away from the pool.  I inform them all not to get Ryley wet.  While my back was turned watering the garden...once again I find Grayson and Shelby taking cups of water and dumping them all over Ryley.  Ryley didn't seem to care in the slightest!  I have learned that next time I babysit Shelby, Grayson and Shelby feed off one another so if one  person has a "brilliant idea" the other follows! :)

That Thursday we headed out to the blackberry patch with our friend Addison and her mommy, Ashley.  The kids did a great job of picking blackberries and most did well picking only the purple ones. :)  Even though they're little, having 3 kiddos picking berries with me, getting 6 lbs of berries picked went pretty fast! I had enough to make jam and then freeze the rest that afternoon!  Shelby and Harley got to take a jar of jam home along with a bag of berries as their payment.  :)

Ashley and Addie picking berries

Grayson showing Addie his purple blackberry

Harley had gotten her hair stuck on the thorns right before this so Grayson and Shelby thought it was funny and wanted to try it themselves.

 Ryley has been busy chewing on everything in sight and LOVES to wiggle and stand up.  He's still being stubborn about rolling though!  

He may love to chew on toys and anything he can get his hands on... but when it comes to putting actual food in his mouth he is not a fan!  Here are pics of his first time eating food.  We started with Rice cereal.  No matter the consistency... he hated it and gagged every time!  Then I tried avocado.  Both mashed and slices for him to grab and chew on.  Still no luck.  Tonight I tried banana..... same results!  Will likes to say this kid will be stubborn and only want breast milk till he's 10!  We'll keep trying different foods and ways of introducing them and hopefully by the time he's 1 he'll start eating solids!  :)

If our week wasn't busy enough.... that Saturday was Grayson's friend, Gracie's, 2nd birthday.  We went to her house for a small party.  She had a bouncy house set up that Grayson was not wanting to go in at first.  Every time he has seen one over the last 9 months he screams if I try to get him on it.  However, something changed in him that day!  He asked for Daddy to go with him at first.  Will jumped for a couple minutes then left and Grayson just kept playing away!  He now LOVES jump houses and inflatables!  Thank you Gracie for helping him get over his fear of them! :)  

Gracie

Ryley and his buddy Tanner (Gracie's brother)

It was funny to watch Grayson and Gracie eat their cakes.  Both only wanted the frosting and sprinkles... then they were done :)  

It was a busy week, but lots of fun!  While I thought that week was hot... I never imagined the heat we have gotten now!  It's now almost too hot to even play in his pool outside!  Good thing he likes the inflatables since there's an indoor jump place down the road that we may escape to during this hot summer!  More pictures from this last week are yet to be downloaded onto the computer so stay tuned for more pictures of our summer fun!