It's Been A....

 Jazz Fest Jamming....

 Mother's Day Lunching... 

Memorial Day Celebrating ...

  Birthday Dinner-ing...

House Selling (well, trying too sell, anyway)...

New Car Getting...

 Zoo Going... 

  Grandparents Visiting... 

 Shower Throwing...

 Hundreds of Books Reading...

 Pink Cow Meeting...

Giraffe Pool Playing...

More Pool Play-Dating...

  Nephew's First Birthday Attending (Uncle Tim needs to work on his pic taking skills)...

Beach Tripping...

Best Friend (and her son) Seeing (FINALLY!)...

...kind of Summer! This is why we have been noticeably absent in the blogosphere. We have just been having SO much fun. We have been simply enjoying every sweet moment as a family of three and that has kept me too busy to blog about it all. You see, we probably won't be a family of three forever. And I don't know God's plans. It could be our last summer as the Three Musketeers, or we could have 5 more (summers, not babies, don't get crazy!) You just never know. So, I have been spending more time just living my beautiful life with these two loves than blogging about it. 

Quick Update on Leighton: We are soon to go to her 18 month appointment. But, at 15 months she was 23 lbs 5 ounces (60th percentile) and 32 inches long (90th percentile). Our doctor made the comment that I can stop worrying about her weight/height from being a preemie because she had not only caught up but had now surpassed many other babies her age. Sigh of relief. At 17 months our smart girl is saying almost 40 words, can follow all of my commands (i.e. "Go get mommy a book." or "Take that to daddy." etc.) She talks in "Leighton Language" 24/7. She loves to walk backwards, in circles, sideways, she's so silly. She loves to help me close doors, rub lotion on my legs, empty the washing machine/dishwasher (sans the knives, of course) throw away trash, and many other things around the house. She loves babies. More specifically, she loves to soothe them when they are crying and give them their paci. She is still a good eater. She still loves animals more than anything and calls all animals "doggy." And when you ask her what the doggy says she interrupts you and loudly says "woof." It is hilarious and keeps us in stitches. She finally has enough hair to wear a bow and is relatively good about keeping them in. Truthfully, I think it makes her look too big, so I only put them in occasionally. It makes me sad. She loves to be in the water. She laughs all the time, such a happy baby. She loves to dance, she does this shoulder dance all of the time with this sassy look on her face...I have no idea where she got that personality ;) Her favorite songs are "Old Macdonald" (she sings the eieio part), Patty Cake (which she doesn't sing but knows all of the motions too), and Itsy Bitsy Spider (she does the moves just not in the right order and tries to sing the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" part. She loves giving sugar and kisses. She LOVES books, which makes my heart sing!! If I am doing something around the house and she leaves the room, I always know where to find her. Sitting down in her room "reading" her books. (Which is what she was doing in that picture up top.) She is getting more interested in her toys now. Her favorite? Her laptop. She is always "talking on the phone." Everything is a phone, a banana, her hand, her sippy cup. She just goes on and on in her own little language and says "Hey" every few words. She loves to help us put away her bath tub toys when it's time to get out. She has NO fear. At the beach she bolted right in to the ocean and let a wave crash in to her and loved it. At he zoo, they had a petting and feeding area and she walked right up to a ram and fed him and pet him and even tried to pull on his horns! We have our hands full, that's for sure! 

Well, it's time for me to go enjoy the rest of my summer with my two favorite people. And throw another shower. And stand by one of my dearest friends as her Matron of Honor. And go to another baby's birthday party. It's been a busy but amazing Summer, friends. Since I didn't have a chance to write anything insightful, I leave you with some FANTASTIC reads below to fill up the time you thought you'd spend reading one of my really long winded posts. Seriously, read them. Good stuff. Happy Summer! 

This one made me weep. Uncontrollably. On my bathroom floor. True story. If you know me at all you know how close adoption is to my heart.

Ouch. This one hurt a little. But so much truth. For me specifically, the part about wanting to give up on friendships that are all give and no get. And, ahem, losing my patience with a very strong willed toddler.

Welcome. Every church needs this. Seriously.