4th of July and more!

After returning from our trip to San Francisco, we had one quick night at home before we were off to the lake for the July 4th Holiday. Just enough time to do laundry and repack our suitcase! We spent the night of the 4th and the 5th with the Kennedys at Lake Tillery. We had not seen them since Memorial Day weekend, and it was great to be together again. The weather on the 4th was kinda crummy. After the annual parade, there were thunderstorms the rest of the afternoon and evening. While the littlest ones took naps, we sat on the back porch and watched the rain come down. The weather was better on the 5th, and we went on a couple of boat rides and floated and splashed around in the water off the dock. Emmy wasn't very confident 'swimming' on her own. Even with a lifejacket or a puddle-jumper on, she didn't venture out of arm's reach of an adult. I'm hoping that we can get in more practice this summer so that she can become comfortable in the water. We came home from the lake on Saturday the 6th, and it was nice to be back at church on Sunday morning. With all of our travels, it has been good to settle back into a routine...and our own beds! 

During our days at home in Kernersville, we have been filling our summer with lots of fun adventures, like pool days at the YMCA...

...boat rides with the Williamses at Belews Lake...

...the Greensboro Science Center...

...park play dates with friends and a morning movie with the cousins. 

 

 

Our typical summer day begins when Emmy wakes up around 7AM or 7:30AM. I will either go workout before then (and before Boomer has to leave for work) or I will weave it into the morning, using the childcare that the YMCA provides. Our morning adventures, whether the park, a movie, or the pool, usually lead in to lunch. I'll pack lunch so that we can eat wherever we are before heading home. Along with a peanut butter sandwich, Emmy is loving all the summer fruits like cantaloupe, strawberries, blueberries, and watermelon. Nap time is usually any time between 1PM and 4PM. A few days this week, Emmy didn't actually fall asleep at all, little stinker! Instead, she has played in her crib, singing and playing make-believe with her babies, her pillow, and her blanket. Sometimes during naptime, Mommy naps, too! Or I'll sit out on the back patio and read with the video monitor close by. After nap time, we will usually play with things from the toybox or color. Emmy gets so excited when she hears the garage door announcing that Daddy is home. After dinner, they have some fun play time before bed. On a few evenings this week, I have tried to plan some summer outings for Boomer after he gets off work so that he too can enjoy adventures with his girls. One night this week, we had a picnic on the Quad at Wake. On another night, we met Daddy at Kermit's Hot Dog House, an old-fashioned drive-in restaurant in Winston. Emmy got a special sweet treat after eating her dinner. 

One other big thing this week was seeing Baby Kennedy #2 again! Usually the anatomy ultrasound is at 20 weeks, but because of our travels, I am one week farther along at 21 weeks. It was extra special that Boomer and Emmy could come along to the appointment. Everything looked good with the baby's heart, limb, and brain development - praise the Lord! The baby is already measuring 1 lb 1 oz with a heartbeat of 154. We have decided to again wait to find out the gender, so that big part of the anatomy ultrasound is still a mystery - much to the disappointment of our family and friends! For the first time with this pregnancy, I had to have an internal ultrasound to check for a "low lying placenta." To the best of my understanding (and without Googling it!), it was explained to me that there is supposed to be some space between the cervix and placenta, so that the placenta does not come out before the baby during delivery. Right now there is not much space between the two, so the doctor will continue to monitor it with another ultrasound in two months. This type of issue is normally resolved naturally as the womb grows and things start to spread out on their own. The worst case scenario would be a C-section delivery, but again, it is likely to be resolved by my next ultrasound in September. That is my prayer. On the plus side, I'll get to see BK2 again before November. I am so thankful that everything else looked good at the ultrasound. 

In preparation for Baby Kennedy #2, we completed a major to-do item for the nursery. Or perhaps I should say GRAMMY completed a major item: painting! During one morning that Emmy and I were off on an adventure, my mom started to work on the room, and then during Emmy's nap time, I jumped in to help finish. It was a full day of edging, trimming, taping, painting, and cleaning. We are using the same gray color that is currently in Emmy's room. The plan is to switch the yellow out of her room for a deep red/cranberry, and then the baby's room will have the yellow and gray theme that is now in Emmy's. Thank you, Grammy, for your help! The very next day, Grammy and Grandpa brought over the crib that Megan used with Maddox. The room is really starting to take shape and is beginning to look like a nursery!