Independence!!

I can't think of any non-cliche ways to comment on being blessed to live in America. So just know I'm happy about it. :) Except the fireworks around me keep scaring me.

We had a lovely time with family at my in-laws' house. We swam in the pool a bit, played in the house and the yard, and had a yummy yummy dinner. Bubby repeatedly jumped out of my hold in the pool proclaiming that he wanted to swim. Thankfully he had floaties on and couldn't get too far from me.

The cousins all had a great time today. They really love being together. I love that they get to be together.

Baby Bear had a rough patch, severely fighting her nap. I think it was a combo of the excitement she thought she'd miss and the excitement she had last night. She was a little off.

We came home after dinner to get to bed. They took a nap on the way home.

Oh, and as we left, Popo had a wipeout on the sidewalk (AGAIN), so he was a cripple because of his bandaid from then on. It's so funny how they think a bandaid is a cast. Once we got home, he proudly proclaimed his accomplishments with a grin, despite his disability. "I walked far!" (across the living room)... "I walked up stairs!" (holding the wall with both hands the whole way).

Mixed in with the lovely times and memories was also a lot of stress. I got pretty stressed out, causing depression, this morning. I am truly exhausted with trying to keep up with the boys'... uh, rambunctiousness. They are into everything, and being very disobedient. To wear me down even more, I'm working on my potty training routine. This involves making scheduled trips to the potty, which sometimes involves arguments about them not wanting to go. And they're going so much in their pullups now, there's barely anything left to do on the potty.

Anyway, I was a mess. I actually didn't feel up to hanging out with everyone, but I knew it would just be much worse if I kept us at home.

Everyone helped me out so much at the house. I had a good time, but eventually had a little breakdown when asked how I was. You'd think people would learn by now that if you ask me that, I will tell you how I am, and if it's not good, I will almost definitely cry! :) I'm blessed to have family that is so much better at helping me out than I am at helping anyone out.

I'm going to go get everything ready for church now. I'm serving in the boys' classroom, so I'll need my rest.

Uncle Steve reading to the boys, and Baby Bear's first Independence Day!

Baby Bear's first minutes in her new Bumbo, then her last few... Mmm, crunchy!