Funny Friday

Me (while helping Mag wash her hair): "boy kiddo, you sure have a lot of knots in your hair"

Mag: "I know mom, but I have HAIR BALL shampoo"

me: "what"

Mag(holding up the shampoo bottle): "SEE, HAIR BALL shampoo...mom, YOU bought it"

ohhhhh, boy...this kid! She cracks me up!!

Hope you laughed, because goodness I did!! We hope you all have a great weekend!!!

July Rewind

As promised, I am trying very hard at blogging more and showing you a little more of what we've been up to this month.  We got to go home to Erie for the first time in FOUR years for the 4th of July this year.  Don't ya know, there were NO fireworks in Erie though this year...just our luck.  

We LOVE going downtown Pittsburgh and watching them from the North Shore, so no fireworks was a HUGE bummer for us.  Last year the kids and I sat right on the walk in front of the barges in the shadow of Heinz Field, right where the boats drop you off for Steeler Games.  It was soooo exciting for Fionn and Maggie.  It was actually our first trip (almost) as a whole family to see the fireworks here in Pittsburgh.  Daddy didn't quite make it back to us in time last year to see the fireworks...he got cut off when they started half way back to us, but that's another story for another day.

Okay back to this year...

Home.  We stayed with Mema and Pop-pop, I had a few sessions, but our big plan was Aunt Shelli's 4th of July picnic.  THAT is what we miss most living here in the burgh.  The family picnics and birthday parties where the kids play and the parents get to catch up!

The kids had a great time playing in the pools, sandbox and on the swing sets while we all had the chance to visit!
Maggie was bound and determined to get across these monkey bars.  Fionn didn't quite care that he didn't have swim trunks, he jumped right in the pool!

Somehow I didn't get a shot of the Bolte Boys and from the looks of this next picture, Fionn caught the pool right at a time when the big kids took a break!

Cate was busy being handed around to family we don't get to see that often, and I won't lie...I barely held her during the picnic!

Hope loved hanging out on the blanket watching those crazy brothers of hers play!  She had the cutest little 4th of July outfit on!

Imagine that, Fionn and Mikey found their way to the cupcakes!  LOL.  These two are so adorable together!  They def. keep us all hopping when we get to go home (right Mema?) 

Norah was writing her name with her sparkler! 
See those fireworks going off over there to the right?  They weren't the only ones.  The city may not have provided the fireworks, but the city sky was filled with them!  Look at that smile!!

Thanks for all the fun Erie friends!  It was a BLAST (hahaaaaa) getting to hang out with all of you!!

Dear Cate...month 3

Dear darling Cate, last Friday you turned THREE months! I know, already, it amazes me too!  You are such a HAPPY little girl!  I am so happy to be YOUR mommy.  God surely broke the cute mold when he made you!  I mean, I was sure that there could not possibly anyone as adorable as your brother and sister until you were born...now I know for sure that there can NOT be any more cute genes left out there!  Your mommy and daddy are so lucky!

You love your big brother and sister, but really only have eyes for your daddy!  Just tonight he came from work, and as soon as you saw him, your little face just lit up and you smiled from ear to ear.

You love to "talk" to us as of late and have really started "cooing" and are starting to make more and more noises.  You have also started to roll over already (you absolutely amaze me!)  For a little girl who was born a whole month early, you are ready to take on the world!  

You have also started sleeping through the night (most nights) and now drink 6-8 oz. every 4-5 hours.  You do NOT like to hear your brother upset and will cry now just because you hear Fionn crying.  You LOVE to give your big sister a hard time, but you adore her at the same time.(you already have this little sister thing down pat)

Basically, my darling girl, you are the apple of our eye and we have no idea how we ever functioned without you.  We are so excited to see you grow, but wish that time would SLOW down just a tiny little bit! 

xoxoxoxo

-Mommy

ps. for the grandmas out there...here are a few more pictures of our little beauty!

Cate's newest trick, she loves making bubbles!

Cate is THREE months already

I'll post a bigger post later, but here is a teaser of Cate's 3 month pictures!

Wordless Wednesday

Summertime

Oh my goodness, I see a trend in the month of July on my blog.  Not many posts at all.  I guess that means we are too busy LIVING to stop and write everything down...So here is where we have been, it's been QUITE the summer!  You all know about our vacation, and our love of the zoo and all things water so here a little more of what we have been up to (in pictures, of course)

Let's start where we left off: Idlewild

Maggie loved these logs in the parking lot of Idlewild while we were getting everything ready to go IN to Idlewild.  It was another HOT and humid day, but at least it was sunny and the sky was blue this time, so that didn't seem to bother us, esp. not after the 3 days we spent in Phili!  We had a plan for Idlewild; Storybook Forest, kiddie rides, Soak Zone and then more rides...it was so hot that after Storybook Forest and our scary trip up the nets it was time for the WATER.   

Below are the pictures of our adventure on our trek through Storybook Forest and Soak Zone.  Cate did great, slept most of the time, liked the water, and then proceeded to hold her head up and look around the park until we left.  She seems to be reaching milestones quickly, and honestly, I just wish time would SLOW DOWN.  We know she's our last child and it's crazy to see how quickly she is figuring things out!  

On that note, back to Idlewood!  Enjoy!

Do Good Day

Last Wednesday was a fun day.  American Eagle's new store (77kids) was getting ready to open the next day out in Robinson so they hosted a "Do Good Day"  There was a group of other mommy bloggers over on the North Shore with goodies(and coupons) for the kiddos.  We drove down to check it out, and were blown away.  Both she and Fionn got bags filled with goodies with a "mission" inside...

They both had different Missions and we are excited to do both!  Maggie's mission is to write notes of thanks and to send them to "Thank a Veteran" in California.  Fionn's envelope had a bunch of blank paper addressed to a Senior high rise in the area.  He's supposed to color or paint on all the paper and then we'll send it off to hopefully brighten someone's day.  Seriously, how AWESOME is that?!!!?  We're sooo excited to do our missions.

 After we got our Missions we took a walk on the North Shore.  We stopped and visited the Fred Rogers Memorial on the North Shore while waiting for our next event!  Last Wednesday was the Sea to Shining Sea Bike Ride stopped here in Pittsburgh.  We had originally planned to go cheer them on at Maggie's school, but there was no way we could make it back in time after our trip downtown.  Luckily they were riding TO the North Shore and we're planning a stop there so we were in the right place at the right time (for once)
We still had a little time before they got there, so we continued our walk and even had lunch at Bettis Grill 36 (it was YUMMY)

Fionn enjoyed sitting and watching all the boats go by on the river, and Maggie enjoyed the cool breeze that we caught while down next to the rivers!  Cate decided she was done with riding in the newborn pouch in her stroller and decided she wanted to be a big girl and sit up instead.

yeah, she's adorable...we know.  She has us wrapped right around those little fingers.  As I type this she's laying on my chest sleeping. Every time I put her down she wakes up crying.  *sigh*  One day she'll sleep on her own right??

okay, I was distracted.  Back to the post (I can ramble all day about Cate)

After our lunch we went over and lined up, the riders were almost to the North Shore! 

We started waving our flags and cheering as they came around the bend in front of Heinz Field. Maggie was amazed by them, and Fionn waved that little flag like no one's business! This amazing group started their bike ride in San Francisco and will end it in Virginia Beach THIS week. I can't even imagine how difficult this ride was, if you get a chance please click on the link above to learn more about these brave veterans.  They are an amazing inspiration and true heroes.

We had a great day family day last Wednesday and were so happy that we could take our kids to see such an amazing event.  

It's been a great summer and we have been so busy.  I came back from Maternity Leave and have been swamped ever since.  I am NOT complaining at all, and love the work, but it def. puts a cramp in my blogging!  More soon, I promise!