July 2011

You were such big girls by July, and you started to develop your little personalities.  You were strong enough that we could put you in your Bumbos, exersaucer and jumparoos.  You were still a little short for the exersaucer and jumparoo, but we put a blanket under your feet, and you loved staring at all of the toys.  By the end of the month you were starting to reach for them as well.

Your Aunt Hui-Pin and cousins Matthew, Joshua, and Ashley came to visit you for the 4th of July.  They loved you, and everytime one of you would smile, Ashley would say, "she likes me!".

We took them to Summerfest, which is a big music festival that takes place every summer.

We took you to the playground at the park for the first time, but you were still too small to play on any of the equipment.  I'm really looking forward to taking you there next summer.



We spent the 4th of July enjying time as a family.  We didn't let you watch t.v. yet, but Daddy turned the fireworks on the t.v. so you could enjoy them together.  We were afraid that bringing you to see them would scare you, so we'll leave that one until you're a little older.  You were my little firecrackers this year, and that was enough for me.



Daddy started his leave in July, so we got to spend three weeks together.  Snuggling with the two of you was one of our favorite pass times.  You seemed to like it too!

We were still taking lots of pictures.  It didn't seem possible, but you just kept getting cuter and cuter.

You got even stronger and better at tummy time.

We started trying to wean you off of your swaddles.  Tannah, you didn't have a problem with it, but Harper, you still needed to be swaddled.  At night I would nurse you both and Daddy and I would rock you to sleep.  Tannah, we could put you in your crib and you would sleep for a few hours at a time.  Harper, we spent hours trying to get you to go to sleep.  We would rock you until we were sure you were completly out, but within ten minutes of putting you down you would be awake.  This would go on for 2-3 hours until we finally got you to sleep for a few hours.  You were a baby that liked her nighttime snuggles.

We took a family trip to Michigan, and you both got to help Grandma cook.

We also took you to the beach for the first time.  We dipped your little toes in Lake Michigan, and you did not like it at all!  The water was pretty warm as far as Lake Michigan goes, but it was still too cold for the two of you.   We also tried a lake with warmer water, and Harper enjoyed sitting in the water watching all of the kids playing.  Tannah, you wanted nothing to do with being wet.  You both enjoyed laying on the beach under an umbrella once we got you dried off.

July marked the end of my maternity leave, and I was so sad that I wasn't going to get to spend my days with you anymore.  I loved that time we spent together so much.  It was hard work, but getting to spend those first few months home, taking care of you, was so amazing.  I'm lucky I have a job that allowed me to do that.