Keeping up with the Kiddos: Summer Fun

Summer is winding down here in Ohio, and we've enjoyed the first taste of chilly fall days this past week. We've had lots of adventures since our last post in June, and our bab(ies!!) keep growing at an alarming rate!

Baby #2 is over halfway done baking and we can't wait to meet her in a few short months! I know that the time between now and Christmas is going to FLY BY! We have started prepping for her arrival--stocking up on warm sleepers, shopping for Elia's big girl bedding, and working hard on picking a name for our sweet girl. Soon we will need to get Elia's new room painted and prepped so she can adjust before the big surprise comes home to stay! :)

So many sleepers for baby!!!

Elia spent her last summer as an only child going to the beach, learning a ton of new words, and spending great time with her extended family! We've been able to have lots of fun guests over to our home now that it's fairly put together.

In early July we took a trip to Hocking Hills with Jake, Alyssa and Baby Ella! We stayed in a micro-cabin and got cozy! The girls did great and we had a wonderful time with those dear friends. Despite Alyssa and I both being pregnant, we still hiked! I'm pretty sure Jake and Bryan had it worse with 20lb+ babies strapped to their backs!

We saw some awesome waterfalls at Hocking Hills!

At the end of July we traveled down to OBX to vacation with the Josephs in Duck. Elia is LOVING the beach these days! The sand was endlessly entertaining and the ocean got a lot less scary by the end of the week! It was a great time with family as Oma and Opa also got to visit a couple times throughout the week. While we could do without the crazy long car ride, we appreciate carrying on the OBX tradition with the next generation!

Kayaking with Daddy!

Showing off the baby bump in front of some gorgeous flowers!

Nugget gets brave near the ocean!

Sun tans and pigtails!

We had just a day to get laundry done and repack before Bryan headed off to China in August! This was such a neat opportunity for him to go through Timken, and he really enjoyed the experience. While he was gone, Elia and I headed to PA for some time in Carlisle visiting old friends and seeing Oma and Opa! Or shall I say Oma and "Apple," because try as we might, Elia was determined to call him that all week.

Eating a perfect Nugget-sized cone with Oma and Apple!

Coming back home has been pretty relaxing. We've had some great times in our backyard playing with Nugget's water table, going to nearby parks, and playing with friends. Elia's learned a lot of new words lately including, "is it hot?" "hat," "Mia (what she calls her friend Amelia)" "home," "dog," and many more! Unfortunately, the favorite word this week is "NO!!!!"...we are working on that. Next week we will be back down at the beach for some quality time with the Kauffman side, as well as a fun visit in D.C. with Zachary and Hannah along the way. School might have ended summer for most people around here, but we plan to soak up the last of the warm weather before Ohio's long winter sets in!