Ryan and Casey plus 2

Well its not technically summer but all the fun activities we do in the summer have begun!!  It is so fun to experience all of these through the eyes of a three year old, so much joy! We went to the Blue Ash Memorial Day Parade and had a great time!  I've never been to a parade other then for the Fourth of July so I was excited to see something different.  We found a spot in the shade, yay for that, and loved watching all the fun cars and trucks drive past us!  I don't think we have enough room for all of the candy Whitney brought home with her! Her favorite part of that day was probably going swimming in the neighborhood pool after her nap....that's her special time with Daddy and its so cute!

This isn't much of a story but rather one of those moments that I know I will want to remember, especially when Whitney is a teenager ...... :) We had a cookout with friends and while I was inside cleaning up, I thought Whitney was inside changing out of her bathing suit and going to the bathroom.  Little did I know that she did strip out of her wet clothes but then ran back outside to help Daddy empty the baby pool into the yard and flower beds!  I remember peeking out and thinking....what in the world????? I guess my rule about wearing shoes and clothes outside was tossed aside for this special occasion!!!!

We made it!!   Although it was touch and go at times she now loves preschool and is sad that it isn't on her calendar this week. The last two weeks of preschool were tear free and she played well with the other kids the whole time!!  Starting this journey in January was a little scary because she didn't take to it very well, but she accomplished what I had hoped for......growing to love going to school!   I know going back in the fall with a new classroom, new teachers, and not to mention a new baby sister, will not be a cake walk but I am happy that she has positive memories from this year to take with her! YAY :)

I have decided to take advantage of the time I have before baby number 2 comes and get the most out of out Kings Island and Zoo passes.  So far this month we have been to the zoo and KI every week!!  The weather is great for it (maybe even a little on the cool side:) and the crowds have been small! Whitney is a PRO at the rides now.  She even started going up into the line without me!  I obviously wouldn't let her wait in a long line alone but she just walks right through the gates and gets herself onto to ride!  I remember last year at the festivals we attended when she was so nervous but now she just runs on them over and over again.  This time her favorite was the bumper cars.  I was laughing hysterically as she tried the first time because she just turned in circles for the entire three minutes!!!  But after her sixth consecutive time riding it she got really good and was bumping into other cars left and right!   Her other favori...

We had a new swing set installed this past weekend and Whitney is very pleased!!  The poor guys had to put the swing set together in the pouring rain and wouldn't you know that once they were finished it didn't rain again!!!   Its the perfect size for our backyard and Whit has already logged some fun filled time on it...rain or shine haha:)

Friday was the Mother's Day Fiesta at Whitney's preschool and I was super excited.  Being a kindergarten teacher, I made crafts with the kids to bring home to their moms but never participated in a special program like this!  She kept telling me she had secrets and couldn't wait to share. When she walked in it was priceless to see her face (all of the kids did the same precious thing) light up when she spotted me! They came in and situated themselves in front of their moms and began to sing right away.  The first song was a Spanish one called Buenos Dias, which she was been practicing at home for awhile now!  Then they sang, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Skinna Marinky Dinky Dink, and danced to a fiesta song with their maracas.  I wondered what Whitney would be like because there are some kids that belt out songs at home but when they get in a crowd, they shut down.  NOPE not Whit.  I should have known because she was so goofy and into at dance...

Before we left for Georgia, we got to work on the baby room and painted it, dark purple on the bottom and a light purple on the top.  When we were gone on our trip, Jenny Bishop came over to paint a mural for us!!  She painted the mural in Whit's room too! My idea for this room was to be simple.  Maybe its the fact that my house is overflowing with kid toys and stuff, whatever it is...I wanted simplicity.  Only white paint on the walls and just a few flowers.  I chose a dandelion flower that was blowing away leading into our quote.  On the other side of the room above her crib will be three canvases.  The middle one is blank now because we cannot settle on a name haha:)  Hopefully soon!

With above average temperatures last week I was feeling the heat and swelling like crazy.  Kind of made me weary of the upcoming hot days as I continue to progress along with this pregnancy.  Whew, most people are out there loving these temperatures and want no more chilly air.....well lets just say that I had to turn the air conditioner on to get through it! haha! Even though I wanted to stay inside where it was cooler, I knew we had to get out and enjoy it because really it wasn't that hot!!! (i know i know) We went to the park, to the zoo and even got out her pool/water table on the day it reached 85 degrees.  Funny to think back to the first year she got her pool/water table and how much she has grown since then.  Her imagination is impressive and it was nice to sit outside with the cold water on my toes while she played happily in the water!