Kinard Family Chronicles: 4th of July Weekend 2013

Our 4th of July weekend was filled with many memories...some happy and some sad. The girls and I made many happy memories at home and at the pool, while Daddy made some sad memories when he had to make a last minute trip to Florida for his Uncle Mike's funeral.

The girls missed Daddy while he was gone, so we spent a lot of time making him a "Daddy We Missed You" bag full of the girls own personal creations. They sure can fill a bag up with artwork in just a few days! We spent every day at the pool where Hailey finished another successful week of swim lessons with Mrs. Laura and we even managed to squeeze in a couple playdates there too. Then we ended our nights playing dolls, dress up, throwing birthday parties for baby dolls and snuggling on the couch.

I contemplated lugging my 2 year old, 4 year old and 7 month pregnant belly around town by myself to try to find some fireworks to watch on the 4th.... But, instead we settled for snacks on the couch while watching the Macy's fireworks on TV. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that Doug and I watched those same fireworks from his office window at Goldman Sachs a few summers ago...sigh...every now and then I a "child-free" memory sneaks into my brain and I long for those carefree romantic times...and then someone starts fighting/yelling/crying or someone hits me with a ball/babydoll/princess wand and I snap back to my much noisier, smellier, stickier, reality. And I couldn't be happier.

Once Daddy came home, we took a trip to Gigi and Babu's so Mommy and Daddy could have a quiet dinner together and then came home to surprise Daddy with his bag of art from his girls. Today, Sunday, has been one our favorite days yet! We spent the whole day doing things as a family (that means no work for Daddy and no housework/errands for Mommy!) It was truly a day of rest. We woke up and went to Sunday school, then spent a few hours swimming and having lunch at the pool. We all took long naps this afternoon and finished the day relaxing and spending time with our girls and ended the night with a few games of musical chairs in the playroom.

I can't believe that we'll have another little girl to dress up in red white and blue next year! We're so thankful for the memories made this weekend and we're feeling truly blessed to have each other.

Our little firecrackers on the 4th of July.

Lazy morning pics from our weekend.

The girls were very interested in watching the landscapers give the bushes "haircuts!"

Sisterly snuggles on the couch.

Early morning beauty shop.

Pool pictures from our 4th of July weekend.

Ready for a trip to the pool over 4th of July weekend.

Proud of herself after her swim lesson with Mrs. Laura!

Giving baby a bath is one of Lulu's favorite pool activities!

Hailey had so much fun swimming with her friend Virginia!

Lunch at the pool tastes much better when you eat it in a fort!

Typical pool pic. Bug swimming like a fish in the pool while Lulu is busy "painting" the ground.

Swim lessons with Mrs. Laura.
This amazing woman is a miracle worker! I don't know how she did it, but in just a week she's managed to erase the fear Hailey had about the pool because of her traumatic swim lessons last year. Now Hailey is swimming in the water by herself, jumping and attempting to dive into the pool and she's even going down the water slide!! I am beyond impressed. At the beginning of the summer, my goal was to just have her go under the water by summer's end! You better believe I'm signing Lainey up next year as soon as registration opens!