July

We decided to celebrate M's 2nd birthday early this year which as I will explain later will prove to have been a wise decision. She had a great time, except, she got scared when everyone sang Happy Birthday to her, and wouldn't blow out her candles. Pop Pop came to her rescue and helped her blow them out. It was so much fun celebrating with family and friends.

We had a great time playing at pools. Our good friends let us join them at the one in their neighborhood. Thanks!

The weekend of the 24th we celebrated my dad's and brother's birthday (the 26th and 27th). Since my dad helped M blow out her candles she thought she would return the favor and help him this time. Happy Birthday! You both are so wonderful!

Well here is where life begins to get interesting for us. We were scheduled for an induction the next morning (the 25th) due to an hereditary condition I have, but that was postponed because we did not feel that it was quite time yet to the next Monday (Aug. 1). I went in to my doctor's appointment on the 26th and found certain things to be just so and it was moved again to that Thursday the 28th.
We were concerned about another long labor (M was 31 hours), but our nurse that morning signed the board in this manner so we were optimistic:

Thank you so much to all who have been praying for a less strenuous labor and a healthy delivery. The Lord answered it in it being only 7 hours from when they started the medicine to finish, and E is very healthy.

M loves her little sister and wants to be a big help. I am just glad they were not born on the same day. M turned 2 on the 29th. Unfortunately we weren't able to make it such a big deal due to her doctor's appointment and that I was still in the hospital. J did get her the 2 roses and she loved them even more so than last year.

And yes, I am amazed at the blonde and brunette hair.

Oh did I mention M fractured her elbow?

Thankfully for the first week my mom was here for the first part and then Jeremy's mom came for the 2nd half. The cast hasn't slowed her down at all!

E got her first bath this Sunday.

I miss having all the one on one time with M. I am trying to gain some of it back by doing some activities with her. This week M matched magnet numbers to the numbers on each elephant. I got this and the one in the next picture from Confessions of a Homeschooler.

 I had some glass stones and had her place them in each circle as part of our study this week of the letter E. It was hard for her because she wanted to use her right hand but the cast would knock some of the ones she had already placed out of their circle.