Don't blink....

...because it's just all going to fast. We are trying to enjoy the summer, but it's going by so quickly (as it always does, I suppose). I am completely in denial that it is August already! Lots of new "tricks" for the kids, so I'll give a full report:

Madeline

• Her new favorite phrase is "I can do it all by myself." (Well, maybe that's not so new for her, but we sure are hearing it alot.) In fact, she refused to let me into the bathroom stall with her at the grocery store today, which was the first time that has happened. She even physically locked me out! I love her independence, but it's not a pretty sight when she gets frustrated because she can't do it herself.
• That being said, it should be no surprise that she is so content these days doing very intense, independent activities. Coloring and 50-piece puzzles are her latest passion. She has gotten really great at coloring between the lines in her coloring books, but I've had more fun looking at the pictures she is drawing - people, flowers, rainbows, sun, etc. I should put those all in quotes, because they require a great deal of interpretation to identify them. But, it's so fun to see her little thoughts on paper!
• She is also starting to show more and more interest in her letters. All of her drawings have the letters M and A drawn on them. Too bad we gave her such a long name. The rest of the letters probably have a way to go.

Henry

• Henry cut his first tooth in a relatively uneventlful manner. A couple of evenings with some tylenol was all it took. His gum lines look really lumpy, so it's probably a matter of time before he's no longer a unitooth.
• He is obsessed with pulling himself up to standing and crawling the stairs. His baby ways are slowly disappearing.
• In addition to that, he's getting less and less patient with baby food. He's much happier to be feeding himself, and, like his sister, mandarin oranges, crackers, and green beans are favorites.
• We're starting to introduce baby signs, but so far he's a master at peek-a-boo, waving goodbye, blowing kisses, and raising his hands "so big." And Nathan swears he got two, wet, deliberate open-mouthed kisses today, so that's pretty sweet.