Today is my birthday. We all slept in till 8- glorious!! Dan & Avery made chocolate chip pancakes- such a treat. Dan make his famous pancakes only a few times a year. The kids and I went to get a birthday smoothie before checking out the little farmers market. While Avery was in her swim lesson Sawyer and I went for a birthday run. It felt good to run again- it’s been too long.
Dan and I went out to dinner- just Dan and I!! Not sure when the last time just Dan and I had dinner in a restaurant. It was grand!! We had time to spare so we walked around the mall and got ice cream. It was so relaxing!!
Thanks for the phone calls, emails, texts and fb messages I got today. They were all appreciated. It makes getting older that much better!!
Thanks to NAS and the Stocks who took care of our hoodlums while we enjoyed a night out.
Elvira came out to visit this afternoon. Avery has an “alter ego” that comes out every so often… we call her Elvira!
“Avery is gone now, she’ll be back later…” Elvira
I was teaching a few private lessons this afternoon. Having Elvira there was horrible! She was splashing Sawyer in the face (he hates that), splashing everyone (including the people that were dressed on the pool deck). She kept “racing” the kids in the lessons. She had to get out three times for a time-out, by the third time I told her to just get her towel. Then she started throwing her towel around, dragging it on the ground… then throwing it on Sawyer. Shower was worse… she was splashing all over, spraying Sawyer in the face (again), refused to rinse her hair, wash her body, then to get out!
Elvira, please do NOT come around here again. We don’t like you!!
Dan & Avery are going to Comi-Con. Most people dress up at Comi-Con, so we asked Avery who she wanted to dress up as… her choice was Katara. Who? I had no clue who that even was, so I had to look it up.
Katara
I can sew a straight line, but I’ve never sewed anything more than a baby blanket (straight lines!). I was up for the challenge. Avery and I bought the material together.
Here is what the costume ended up looking like. Avery loves it- the most important thing!
Katara
We ventured out the Pushem Pullem Parade in downtown Ventura. It was a cloudy and misty morning, we brought sweatshirts with us. The sun ended peeking out behind all those clouds and we had a fabulous time. Avery was on her scooter and Sawyer was in his pushcar.
Cam Fam 4/7/10
Avery really enjoys her scooter so much. She did a great job not getting too far ahead of us, she didn’t run into anyone and picked up a lot of candy on her way down! She picked up so much candy that at the end of the parade route she began handing out/throwing candy too- she thought that was really fun.
scooter girl
Sawyer loved the parade too. He sat in the pushcar while Dan pushed him. He was happy waving and smiling at all the people. Having a few pretzels and a lollipop helped out!!
Sawyer (& Zay) loved the drive down the hill
Avery & Sawyer- all American kids
After the parade we walked around the street fair for a few blocks, then had lunch. After we rested we went to the Strykers for a BBQ and a good time. We walked down to Ventura College for the fireworks. All in all it was a great day, we had a lot of fun, it was memorable.
Sawyer’s “dedication” was last Sunday, along with a few other kids. We are committing to raising our son with “Christian nurturing” and Bible based teachings with the help of our church family. It was a special time for us as a family. I’m glad Avery was with us for this event. She & Sawyer were very patient waiting his turn.
Dedication is not like a baptism, we feel that being baptized is a conscious decision that you make when you are older and really understand what it means.
Waiting his turn!
laying hands on Sawyer
Family pic
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The pool here in our condo complex is heated! We’ve been going swimming 3 or 4 times a week. We have to go while we can!!
She loves jumping off Dan's shoulders
Avery loves to swim. Thankfully she is “water safe” so we just let her go in as soon as we get in the gate- first one in and last one out.
Hanging poolside.
Sawyer on the other hand is a little more cautious. Since we’ve been going swimming so often (3 weeks now), he’s gotten way more comfortable in the water and is enjoying it more- which allows us to enjoy it more too!
At first he just hung out by the steps, maybe getting his toes wet, he has slowly but surely gotten more and more wet with each trip to the pool. Today he jumped in on his own (no prompting), swam with Dan, blew bubbles, splashed, and even went under water (ok, maybe with a little prompting!). He was so funny- shivering to no end, purple lips, but didn’t want to get out.
He jumped in!
So proud of Sawyer for, at least he’s trying to be our little water baby. Hopefully by the end of the summer he’ll be even more comfortable in the water, and we can truly call him a “water baby.”
A family affair. Minnie came to the pool too!
Using her star chart, Avery earned an easel. I found it NEW at a garage sale for $5. I couldn’t pass that up. Avery was really excited when I showed it to her and was diligent in earning and counting her stars so we could put it together. It took her just over a week to earn it.
working on her artwork
She didn’t realize that it had a chalkboard on one side and a dry erase board on the other. She was stoked when she figured that out. The first thing she wanted to work with was her colored pencils.
She decided to draw a series of buildings.
apartment building
This is our home.
Repunzel in her towers
She did a picture or our garage, a castle and a tower too.
Sawyer likes the new easel too!!
Sawyer and I had the opportunity to go visit Fire Station #5. It was great!! It was a small group of kids and parents. We got to tour the whole station- all 3 floors. Sawyer more interested in the workout equipment than the firetrucks!!
Sawyer is ready for the rest of his uniform.
Sawyer & I by the firetruck- it was huge!!
Sawyer thought he was so funny putting his sticker on the firetruck. At least he makes himself laugh!
Thank you Lark & Evan for going with us. Thanks you Melissa B for organizing. We had fun!!
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Sawyer Timothy Cameron
Yikes! Sawyer is 22 months today!! I can’t believe it, 2 is right around the corner- better start planning that party!!
Sawyer is eating fruit like no tomorrow. Right now he is loving purple grapes, watermelon & blueberries. Now that we have a fridge again, he’s back to eating lots of eggs & yogurt too.
Sawyer is doing WAY better being able to entertain himself while I’m getting stuff done. He’s even started to watch a little TV now. He loves playing outside with Avery- she scooters, he plays with chalk and bubbles OR they play in the water table OR just have a picnic.
We’ve been going swimming a lot already. He has little interest in swimming right now. He loves to play on the first step, but that’s about all. I do make him get in every time we go, and he basically screams the whole time! Hopefully he’ll mellow out soon and start to enjoy it. I think it’s the temp of the water because in Panama he was doing great and in the bath he blows bubbles, lays on his front & back comfortably…
Tonight he ate sun dried tomatoes for the first time. He liked them!
I may sound old, but man TIME FLIES!!
