Matt and Kristin: Slides, Swimming, and the Zoo

My mom bought us these slides last summer, and they have been such a great investment. They have held up well, and they have brought hours of entertainment to Matisyn and the kids that come and play with us. My sister in law had surgery last Tuesday so we had a slumber party with her girls. I had five girls, three 6 year olds, my three year old, and my baby girl. They spent most the day running around on the slides with the Pepper boys and jumping on the trampoline. We also had an infestation of grasshoppers. They were everywhere, and the kids had a blast chasing them around and trying to catch them. My niece Madilynn was even better than the boys at catching them! Then the other day we had the slides out again and there were about 12 kids running around on them. Jana had a bunch of kids she was watching, plus Lacey and Maili came over, and Jana's sister with her three kids. It was pretty fun to watch all the kids having so much fun on them, and burning out their energy! Matisyn takes great naps on the days we play outside!

Madilynn catching grasshoppers

We also got to enjoy some time at the pool this weekend. Lucky for us we had some good helpers like Grandma to take care of Emilyn so we could have some good time with Matisyn. Yesterday we had the pool to ourselves for a little bit, and Matisyn swam all over the place with us while Emilyn slept on the grass.

Pretending to be mermaids together

Here's my little mermaid performing on the diving board

Matisyn Quotes:
"Listen to my voice when I tell you to go left and then straight." This was after being told by the parking attendant to go right, then right, then take another right! She also was helpful in finding a parking spot. "I'll use my hands as magnifying glasses to find a spot."

After going to the zoo, "I had totally, much fun!"

I told Matisyn to spit out her gum and she said, "But I want to swallow it in my tummy for seven years." I told her that one lately! Then I said well I still need you to spit it out and she said, "But I need the protein!"

I always call Matisyn the big girl helper, and apparently she is starting to think that having Emilyn's job would be better. She told me, "I'll be Baby Emiwyn, and she can be the big helper."

"I guess I need balance." Said after falling and stumbing on her high heels.

"I'm not cute, I'm just beautiful, and wonderful and pretty."

Emilyn is getting so advanced! She is starting to reach for toys and she can even grab for them and hit them sometimes. She is loving looking at toys, but our happy faces are still her favorite. She likes laying under her mobile and batting at toys in her little bumbo seat and on her bouncy chair. She is getting more control of her arms and legs, but is still great at just pumping them and squirrling all over the place!

We have had a zoo pass the last couple of years and have loved getting to go and not feel guilty only spending a little while there. Our pass runs out this month so we decided to visit the animals again before it did. Matisyn is in her element with them, she just can't get enough. She was actually very good the whole day, but she did have a breakdown over Daddy disturbing her baby. She was pretty exhausted and hungry, plus she takes her babies very seriously! Her baby was a bag of nuts, named Baby Nuts of course, and Daddy moved Baby Nuts out of the stroller she was pushing around to make room for Matisyn to sit down. Apparently that was not ok because Matisyn fell on the ground crying and said, "Baby Nuts was buckled in her seat." Poor Baby Nuts!