The month of July was devoted to playing outside and trying new experiences in our house!  We played with bubbles, we painted, we played A-L-O-T in the yard, we played with the baby in the mirror, we played with our lovely grandparents, we watched trains, and did I mention we played?  This month I have 20 photos from the highlights of our lovely month.  I hope you enjoy the glimpse into our daily lives.

Jamie and Atty made several trips up to see me for lunches.  I loved it.  It was always a surprise and we would all eat lunch together.  She is so amazing.  She is starting to walk this month, she is officially sleeping through the night, and drinking whole milk.  And she will finally say "Mama" when I'm around.  Yay!  She has been saying "Mama" for months, but never to me or when I am around (or on the phone).  She's a bit rotten.  She loves music and dancing and has become a huge Sofia the First fan (as well as Jake and the Neverland Pirates).

We got a visit in to Grandma and Grandpa Bobb to celebrate the Fourth of July.  Since it was an afternoon event, we weren't sure when she might take a nap.  So we brought all of her naptime necessities, including the fuzzy pillow and catepillar - which she had to show off to Grandma!


Jamie found this cute set of plastic bowling pins and bowling ball at Walmart after Atty enjoyed knocking the sensory bottles over.  Except, I think they weren't a very good idea....she loves to hit people in the head with the bowling pins.  But she does have a blast with them.  She can use them to make music and drum on her various containers (that her toys are suppose to be in!) and she likes to chew them on.  She doesn't really use the ball to knock them over, but she will gladly knock them over all by herself if you will set them up (over and over and over and over again!).


And BUBBLES!  We weren't sure how she would do with bubbles so we just got a small bottle...Then we went through the small bottle in about thirty minutes as she giggled and laughed and tried to pop them.  So we went ahead and bought a bubble gun, as well as a bubble wand (for big bubbles).  She giggles hysterically when they pop on her and loves to try and catch them!


We also bought a set of "colored" bubbles, which is like bubble paint for lack of a better description.  I began by just blowing the bubbles, but she wasn't very interested in them (and you can't tell they have color until you pop them).  So then I got out her big pad of paper and starting blowing the bubbles on it and she went crazy for it.  She smeared the bubble paint, she popped the bubbles, she tried to eat the paper (big surprise there), and we just had a blast with them.  And surprisingly, the bubble paint that got on her skin came right off when we were done with no staining.


We also discovered birds and trees and how cats climb trees this month.  Each of those things has a story itself!  One afternoon, Jamie and Atty were playing in the yard, and the hummingbird that has taken up residence decided that she was a super sweet berry (she was wearing all red) and poked her five or six times.  She was not pleased.  Atty also discovered trees and leaves, because I have been making her touch things whenever we see something new.  She is not a fan of new things, and is a bit fearful of touching things sometimes.  So we've been practicing touching leaves when they happen to be close by.  Finally, Atty chased Athens up the tree one afternoon and then wouldn't let her come back down!  She kept pointing to the tree and saying "At!" (Cat).  Nonetheless, these experiences have Atty looking up and paying attention to what might be up in the sky.

Atty loved playing with her big ball in the yard.  She would chase it all the way to the fence, and then bring it back to you.  She bounced on it, she flopped on it, she tried to eat it.  It was hilarious.  She even picked out this specific ball (it was clear and had yellow and pink flecks of color).  Unfortunately, it went flat.  Bad ball!  And is not reinflatable.  So we need to get her a new one.


We have made it an evening tradition of going to Culver's to get the flavor of the day ice cream and then sitting down by the river and enjoying our yummy ice cream.  Typically, this has been an attempt to get Atty to go to sleep (normally on the weekends).  And so, Atty tasted chocolate (hence the chocolate mustache) for the first time this month.  But shhh - don't tell :)


Atty loves watching the trains go by.  She is utterly fascinated.  No matter what is going on or what she is doing, she stops to watch the train.  Sometimes they are too loud and scare her, but she keeps on watching them.


In anticipation for our vacation at the end of the August, we finally bought a mirror so that we can see her in the back seat.  Oh My God.  We should have done this so much sooner!  When Jamie put in the mirror, she kept trying to grab it and kept saying "Bebe".  She loves being able to see the baby in the mirror all the time now!


Chasing the cats around the yard continues to be a favorite activity.  Except, now the cats have to be much more creative in how they escape from her!



At the beginning of the month, we were just able to stand up without pulling ourselves up.  Now, at the end of the month, she can take steps all by herself.  Her current record is 17!  I can't believe how fast she is growing up!


And teeth!  Oh how I cannot wait until this teeth stuff is over!  At the beginning of the month, we had four new ones coming in, and now it looks like we have two more in the back coming in.  Ugh.  We have gone through two tubes of Orajel.  Poor girlie.


Now that Atty has transitioned to whole milk, I finally got to drink my summer time Sangria!  Jamie and I drank almost a whole bottle on a Friday night after I got off work.  It was so sweet, he made me dinner and then ran me a nice bath.  Very relaxing!


Grandpa Kershaw has been helping us with this walking thing!  He has so much fun with her!  They spend every morning eating breakfast together, while he reads the paper.


Thanks to Grandpa Kershaw, the playpen has become an acceptable place for independent play again!  After breakfast, Atty plays in the playpen until it is time for her morning nap.  This is a huge help to Mama when I'm trying to clean up after meals, as well!


Atty even managed to get Grandma Kershaw outside for playtime!  Since I spent most of last week on third shift, Atty has gotten used to Grandma time.  And she demands Grandma play with her and hold her and pick her up, if she hasn't spent enough time with her that day!

So that's our month in review!  I hope you enjoy this little update on our little darling munchkin!  Hopefully, I will get to scrapbook some of these photos and stories in September.  This month will be devoted to completing her baby book before she turns ONE at the end of August!  Stay tuned for all kinds of baby book (and themed book) creations this month.