Recent Fun :)

The kids have been having a lot of fun over the past few days. The weather is HOT, but that is good for some outdoor games. For example, Andrea discovered the fun of jumping through a backyard sprinkler on a sunny, 95-degree day!

On the same day, when Kevin woke up from his nap, he wandered into Andrea's room and found the cardboard-box-hideout she had decorated for them. He was actually playing hide-and-seek with me!

"Mommy, come an' find me!"

***

We decided to get Andrea and Kevin a trampoline for their birthday. Daddy put it up on Sunday afternoon, dodging between thunderstorms! It took him all afternoon and evening, but we wanted it ready for the party next weekend, and he didn't have any other nights open to put it together. I peeked out the window and caught Daddy resting after all his hard work.

Since it was almost bedtime when Daddy finished his work (and it was wet outside), we didn't show the kids what was going on in the backyard. It wasn't until the next afternoon that the weather was nice enough for me to reveal their present. Brigitte was over, too, which made it that much more special for Andrea--having a friend to share the fun!

Kevin didn't want to go on it at first, and I didn't force the issue, considering he's still in a cast. He had fun crawling underneath it.

For the most part, Kevin and Ryan sat back and enjoyed watching the girls bouncing around and trying out new moves on the trampoline. Kevin was especially happy when I brought out some candy to cheer him up (he'd been requesting candy for a few days!).

It wasn't long before Andrea was ready for a water (and candy) break. Look at these red cheeks! She always get so hot when she's playing outside, but she's also having a great time!

When the girls were ready to go on the trampoline again, Kevin wanted to join the fun. He mostly held onto the mesh enclosure and did some little bounces, so I figured it wouldn't harm his elbow. He loved it! He was running around the trampoline singing "Ring Around the Rosie!"

Check out Brigitte: she's a pro! Andrea was so impressed with all the tricks Brigitte could do on the trampoline.

AIRTIME!

CARTWHEELS!

The next day, Kevin started bouncing with his face squished against the mesh enclosure, and laughing like crazy. It made his face look all jiggly and contorted every time he bounced. It was hilarious! Of course, he ended up getting a big scrape/rug burn mark on his nose, but he didn't even notice it!

***

Right now, Ryan's favourite entertainment is people. He has other enjoyments, like playing on the floor, grabbing toys which are out of reach with his toes, playing with his feet, and rolling from side to side. He's also starting to smile and giggle at characters on TV--especially Mickey Mouse on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Still, his favourite entertainers right now are Mommy, Daddy, and especially Andrea! She has caught on that he enjoys her attention, and will laugh at pretty much anything she does. He gets attention from her, and she gets attention from him, so it's a win-win situation. She's always trying to come up with new ways to make Ryan laugh. The other day, it was the simple act of pulling his flower toy off the bouncy chair and saying, "It's off!" that was making him laugh.

***

Andrea, ever the star of the show, also likes to have "bands" for us. A few days ago, she got out her drum and performed a couple cute and interesting renditions of songs we frequently hear on our mix CD in the car: "Jump Around," "What I Like About You," and "Taking Care of Business."