The New Bike

When Scott and I were out for our anniversary, we went to dinner and did some shopping. Our last stop was Target (are you thinking, seriously Target on your anniversary date...just remember I don't get to leave the house without children very often, so this shopping time was a luxury). Juliana had outgrown her tricycle and I had been thinking about buying a bike, so it wasn't completely an impulse when we passed the bikes and I announced that we were buying one...plus it is purple and pink.

We decided that she should earn the bike. Scott found a stack of 8 carnival tickets and we agreed that she would earn a ticket when she was mostly good that day (perfectly good and the bike would still be in the box). The first day we told her about the tickets and that there would be a surprise when she collected all 8. She was so good and very excited to collect her 1st ticket. The next day she was soooo bad and therefore no ticket; and she told me she would rather be bad than have a ticket...she would just get her 2nd ticket the next day. Each day she got a ticket she would tell me how many she had and how many she needed to add up to 8. When she earned her last ticket I told her that her surprise was a bike.

Juliana - A bike!!! Is it a Dora bike?

Me: No, even better, it's purple and pink.

Juliana: Is it a purple and pink Dora bike?

Thursday after school her bike was assembled and waiting. She counted her 8 tickets out and hopped on her bike. She is still getting the hang of peddling and driving straight at the same time. She has her fist bike related scraped knee from an over-steering fall.

Enjoying Summer

Juliana spent some time out of the sandbox on Saturday to swim. This is her 3rd summer using the sprinkle pool and she still loves it. (Photo credit: G-Daddy Photography)

And Sometimes She Helps Out

One evening last week, I was about to give the boys a bath and Juliana announced that she wanted to help. I wondered if she would actually be a help, but decided it was a good idea to involve her. She ran to get the bathtub and bring it into the kitchen and then went to get the changing pad and put it up on the kitchen counter. The bathtub has a sling that completely supports the boys so they are very secure.

We started with Wyatt and she carefully washed his arms and legs with the washcloth - I told her I would wash his face and head. When we were done washing Wyatt she rubbed the lotion on and helped me dress him.

Then it was time for Ruslan's bath, she took a break to model the lion towel and then wore it througn part of the bath. She did a good job of washing Ruslan except that she did want to wash his face as well (you can see his surprise in the picture with his arms flying about). By then time he was washed, she was done helping and had run off to play. But she actually was a big help. I hope this is the beginning of her being more helpful rather than the norm of just making a mess...

Juliana and Ruslan

Now that the boys are more interactive, Juliana enjoys playing with them. She gets so excited when she smiles at one of them and they smile back. Ruslan is much quicker to smile and laugh than Wyatt (he has to stare at you for a few minutes first) and Juliana loves that when she sticks her tongue, he does the same in return. On this morning he had just eaten so he was very happy. Juliana had just come downstairs and when she hopped up next to him, she was greeted with a huge smile. The two of them smiled, laughed and stuck their tongues out until Juliana got bored (it takes Ruslan a long time to get bored of this game).

When I Grow Up

J: Mommy when I grow up I am going to be a princess. I will be Princess Belle.

M: Oh, so when we go to Disney World you want to want to get a Belle costume.

J: No, I will still be little then so I will be Cinderella

I'm not sure what this means, but apparently Belle is a more mature princess.

Random Happenings

I love Juliana's summer childcare program. It is at the same school she attends during the year so she is around familiar teachers and kids. But the best part is how much they play outside which is what summer should be all about for children. They have creative time to draw and color and play with toys, but spend the majority of the day outside. On hot days, they set-up pools and sprinklers and play in the water. But Juliana's current favorite thing at the school is the sandbox - apparently she spends entire days in it. I'm glad that she loves it so much, but I don't love that she comes home with sand in her hair and we can never get it all out and the bathtub has a sandy residue each night...sand caught in the bath toys, washcloths, shoes, clothes, bath mat... I do not love sand in my house.

My mom bought some size 4 shirts from Target this past week for Juliana. 4, not 4T, size 4 as in the department where you buy clothes for older children...how did this happen?

Recently Juliana has been fascinated by rocks; not just any rocks - small, round, smooth rocks. She comes home from school with a new one almost everyday and sneaks as many as possible into her room (they are really fun to step on when walking down the hall in the dark, in the middle of the night to feed a baby). At a softball game this past weekend, she spent the entire time looking through the dirt for small rocks and found some she was quite proud to show everyone.

One morning last week:
J: Is it my wake-up time?
M: Yes, time to get up
J: ok, then it is also my rock's wake-up time, and my rock is thirsty, let's get a cup of water for it
M: Rocks don't drink out of cups, they are supposed to live outside and they get all of their water from the rain
Juliana proceeded downstairs and outside and left her rock to live in the basil and parsley pot. Tuesday night she went outside, found her rock and announced that it had gotten bigger from the rain.

Last Night
M: I think these PJs are getting too small for you
J: Actually Mommy, I'm getting bigger and the PJs are staying the same size

This Morning
J: I don't like when it storms
M: The rain waters the plants and helps them grow
J: rain, rain, go away, come again no other day...and people can water their own plants

4th of July Festivites

Juliana had a busy holiday weekend. It started with the annual 3rd of July party at Aunt Natalae's house in a new holiday dress.


Saturday, Daddy took her to Forest Hills 63rd Annual Community Day (one of the many things we love about Forest Hills). She fed goats at the petting zoo, rode a pony for the first time, played in the park, and rode the train ride.

She took a long nap in the afternoon so she could stay up late. G took her to the Monroeville fireworks.