We had a great summer as a family of 5! It was nice Camille settled into being a nice baby as summer officially started. Those first 8 weeks are no fun with a new Taylor baby! We were busy as usual and took Camille right along on our adventures.
- Oliver did a peanut challenge test at the allergist and was cleared for peanuts! Yay!! So no he has grown out of milk, peanut, and shellfish. He is still allergic definitely to cashew and pistachio and likely other tree nuts. But his progress is great!
- Gabrielle finished kindergarten and is on her way to 1st grade. Hard to believe. She actually had a rough day the last day; she was so excited about being out for the summer, but was quite teary after we got home as she knew she wouldn't have Mrs. Bartolacci anymore. Bittersweet. She ended kindergarten at the top of her class and had already mastered the 1st grade sight word list. Gabrielle went on a field trip to Impressions 5 and had field day at school.
- The kids went morel mushroom hunting with Nick and Billie and had a great time. Oliver "found" mushrooms that Nick encouraged him to see. Gabrielle actually found a giant "honey hole" group of mushrooms!
- Oliver participated in his first class; a toddler sports class at our gym. We though he would like it but he had some issues.....the second class he didn't want to participate in so Nick just brought him home (crying of course) and made him sit in his room. By the last class, Oliver was enjoying it but the session was over. Now he asked about it but they haven't offered it since then. Of course.
- We went to the lake for Memorial Day. It was fun, but hard with Camille who was still in her cranky phase. The kids had fun. Oliver loves the water now and really loves the boat and jet ski. Gabrielle learned to swim with no floaties this summer. We put our foot down and just made her learn one day. Just like we thought, she figured it out in no time. She can also jump off the diving board! Oliver also loved tubing with Isaiah this year.
- Gabrielle participated in a cheer camp and the Junior Oriole's Cheer group this year. She really wanted to try cheer, so we agreed. She wasn't a fan of the experience so I think her cheer career is over. She got to walk in the parade with her cheer group and cheered at a powder puff game and a 5th grade game at the high school.
- Gabrielle had her 4th dance recital this summer! She was in two shows and 3 dances; two ballet and hip hop. Her hip hop performance was amazing! She did so great, her grandparents were really impressed. She also got a special award from her teachers for "Biggest Ballet Smile" for her work in ballet.
- We went to a Lugnuts game this Spring. We got a babysitter for Camille and the 4 of us went. Kids weren't overly entertained, but it was a fun experience.
- Oliver got his first big boy bike after the tricycle this year. It was a special day and we all went to the store just for him to get his bike. He's great at riding it and loves it! He goes so fast, skids to stops, and can ride standing up.
- Oliver also went on his first field trip this summer. Now that he is in preschool, they ride the Eatran bus to the park one day a week for a library program. They eat lunch there and do activities....he loved it!
- We all went to Hawk Island this summer. We played at the park first and Oliver loved the tire swing! He was riding on it forever and always asking for more and faster. We finally stopped him.....and he puked all over. I have never seen his face and lips so white. Luckily, it was just motion sickness and we were able to go to the splash pad for a good afternoon.
- Oliver also got to go on a special man date with Nick, Nick took him to the monster truck show at the fair.
- We got a babysitter and all went to the fair again this year. Gabrielle AND Oliver rode with me on the big tilt-a-whirl. This was the first real year Gabs was "too big" for the kiddie rides and we had to talk her into going on them with her brother.
- It is so fun because now we can play Monopoly and Uno with Oliver and Gabby.
- Oliver got to go to Vacation Bible school with the big kids this year and LOVED it!
- Gabrielle attended dance team tryouts - it was 4 days of technique and choreography. She was in the 4.5-6 year old group since she was still 6. She made the team and was placed in the pre-petite jazz group with 7 other 7-9 year olds! They are dancing to Pretty Little Angel Eyes and it is so cute. Gabs is taking 4 classes this year; competition jazz, recreation jazz, ballet, and hip hop.
- We went to Boulder Ride animal park (like a really nice, wild zoo) in Grand Rapids.
- Gabrielle got the all clear to stop patching and see how her eyes react! She was so excited!!! She is up to a +8 and +7 in glasses.
- We went to the Ledges in Grand Ledge to hike. It was just me and the 3 kids, but Camille did well in her front pack and none of the kids fell off the giant rocks, so it was a good day!
- The kids had a busy summer of rescuing frogs, bunnies, and mice from our window wells outside. Every day there seemed to be about 20 frogs down there the kids would go catch and rescue.
- Oliver loved playing in his own mud pit with monster trucks this summer.
