3yrs 7months

 Goodbye summer, hello fall! I got my fracture boot off on Aug 28th so now I feel like summer can begin. Josie and I have been swimming a few times and she can now play in the big pool not just have me stand there and hold her. We have underwater tea parties, she gets on my back for underwater dolphin rides, we go under water to touch the bottom with our hand or sit on the bottom, she lets me throw her in the air. A big highlight is she jumped off the diving board one evening 3x when hardly anyone was in the pool. Sure I was there to catch her when she jumped off and helped her swim to the side but I was impressed. The first time she got to the end of the board and said she was scared. I told her it was ok to go back but then she jumped right in and wanted to do it again. She was so brave. I'm so proud of what a little swimmer she's become.

 I guess our girl is growing up. She was putting her shoes on the wrong feet and I pointed it out to her and she said, "Mom, why do you keep telling me what to do? I already know everything." Last night she woke up to go potty and her bladder was quite full. When she finished she said "it sounded just like Peter's music". I asked if she meant Peter and the Wolf and she said, "Yes, it always sounds like Peter and the Wolf when I go pee pee."

Josie wrote a card for Shuli and here's her first good lookin' "s". After this one she went back to making a dot for her "s"

Josie had fun this past month playing with cousin Sophia. She was visiting from Spain with her mom Lori and they spent the summer at Bill and Gaylynne's. Unfortunately she broke her arm falling from the monkey bars but it didn't stop her.

 Singing into their mics

 Video of dress-up

Playing together at Jody and John's when we celebrated Shirley's bday.

 Playing on Uncle/Grandpa Bill when we were at Jody and John's for Sophia's 5th bday pool party.

Josie and I picked our home-grown basil and then she and Eric made some delicious pesto.

 Eric made a bed for the yurt and Josie is helping him put it together. Our neighbor's mom will be staying for a couple months.

 Video of Kaira and Josie listening to The Three Bears read by Oliver and Miller

Saying goodbye to Evan before he headed off to North Park Univ in Chicago.

Swim lessons

Video of lesson with teacher Michael

Video of cousin Kirsten subbing Josie's swim lesson.

On our way to Gahaus' house she wanted to wear Aunt Mil's purple poncho.

 Preschool playdate at PCC one Saturday. The theme was water.

 Red hand-me-down skirt from Katie with thrift store Canada shirt to celebrate her Canadian roots. Josie showing off her earrings and wearing Katie hand-me-down dress that originally was cousin Courtney's from Chicago. We love our 2nd-hand clothes.

After our Sunday evening services a yummy taco truck and ice cream truck awaited in the parking lot. Josie with her friends Glory and Tea.

Concert for kids at PBC. Kaira and Brigit joined us.

 

 Video of concert

 

 Josie did her first 100 piece puzzle. She needed a little help but did a great job completing it over two days.

Labor Day weekend

 Josie went to Pump It Up on Friday with neighbors Kaira and Adrianna. They both start school next Friday in the mornings but will have their afternoons free for play dates.

  

Video of the 3 girls sliding

 On Friday afternoon we went to the post office downtown and cooled off with a little Rainbow sherbet. After changing out of her sherbet spilled shirt Josie tried on a pair of overalls from Uncle Bill and Aunt Gaylynne.

 Friday evening was open swim at King's Swim Academy. Eric and Josie swimming side by side. Teacher Michael helping her put on flippers.

 

On Saturday afternoon we went to the 50th annual Kings Mountain Art Fair on Skyline Blvd. It was really cool. All the booths we set up among the trees. Of course Josie's favorite part was getting popcorn and visiting the kids area to make a craft and to have a rainbow painted on her arm. We did make a purchase of a cool broom to use at the hut. An adult size version of the one Josie is using in the pic. Love her skirt she's wearing that's a hand-me-down from cousin Sophia.