Our Blogging Debut

So it has finally happened- I am now officially an internet blogger! Many of my friends had "converted" to the blog, but I held fast to my mass email routine, thinking that creating a blog would be too confusing and difficult. Well I am here to tell you that it is really easy! Hopefully you will all enjoy the new format and I will continue to send out an email when I post a new topic so you know when to come back and look. And yes, the background is pink, I need to be able to be girly somewhere!

We recently had Jeremy's parents out for a week long visit. The boys revelled in all of the attention they got from their grandparents and we did a lot of fun activities. We went to Frying Pan Park- a working petting farm, Great Falls park- where there are great views of the waterfalls on the Potomac, Luray Caverns- the biggest caverns on the east coast, and Skyline Drive- a long scenic roadway in the mountains where we got up close and personal with a momma black bear and her cub! We also took a drive to Lancaster, PA where there are a lot of amish farms. There we went on a buggy tour, to the farmers market, and to a family style dining restaurant that Jeremy and I love. Jeremy and his dad took Cameron one night to a Nationals game, which from what I hear, Cameron would have preferred to ride the metro the whole night. It was great to be able to enjoy these sites with those we love and spend some quality time. Cameron's favorite part of their visit were the "leg-locks" that Grandpa Johnson gave him and for days he lamented the fact that they were gone. We hope to be able to see them again very soon.

In my last email, I told you how frustrated I was that Cameron was having so much difficulty learning to swim. I kept enrolling him in more and more lessons, to little avail, he just wasn't progressing very much. Well, I can now eat my words. Yesterday, my sister Becky and her family came over and we spent the afternoon at the pool. My sister taught Cameron how to swim in less than 30 minutes... He can almost swim halfway across the width of the pool now which is a HUGE accomplishment for him and he loved every minute of it! I told her I ought to write her a big check for doing what his instructors, and mother for that matter, couldn't. I am beaming with pride. Cameron has also started trying to spell everything recently. He practices writing words and trying to sound them out and does amazingly well. He still has another year until he starts kindergarden, but I think he will be very ready for it. Seeing him reach these milestones are what parenthood is all about. Sometimes I think I am way more excited than he is.

Gavin has become a real joy to be around. I think he has loosened up a bit and quit being so uptight. He is more snuggly and smiley and he makes us laugh so hard. He has started imitating words we say in his own little "accent" and loves to get recognition for the words he knows. He will say "Mommy, Mommy!" repeatedly until I reply and then point and say the word he is pointing at. His favorite are the big mack trucks, so in the car there is little peace and quiet as he points out each and every one. It sure is cute though. As much as Cameron loves the pool, Gavin hates it. He is content to be in the baby pool or the blow up one we have at home, but after about 10 minutes he loses interest and don't even try to take him into the real pool, he does not want any part of it. I know it's just a phase, but I feel bad for Cameron when just the three of us go, because we don't stay long and he has to stay with us in the baby pool. Poor kid.