Jetta's Pool.....

Jetta got her very own pool for Christmas, but for obvious reasons we had to wait until summer to fill it up and use it. However, as I've mentioned in several of the last posts, it has been super hot this summer, but with that we had alot of rain, so we had to wait for that to pass before we could really fill it up. So, about a month ago, Shannon set it up on the deck and filled it up. Jetta was very excited, but we had to wait for 24 hours to let it warm up. She just didn't understand.

Shannon's aunt has a pool and his cousin Amy takes her in it quite often. So, I think she was confused why she had to wait to go in it. So, after waiting for 24 hours, it was ready to go. Needless to say, since the temps were so warm, the water was more than ready to go. There have been several times where we have had to actually add cold water to cool it off.

She got her suit on and in she went. She really loved it. We take some of her bath toys in and she thinks she's in heaven. She plays in it till her fingers and feets are all wrinkly and we tell her she has to get out. We take her out as often as we can handle the heat. However, can't say Shannon hasn't climbed in with her before.

The pool has definitely been a good gift from Grandma....thanks. I'm gonna attach a few pics. We keep hoping to get her into swim lessons, but with cousin Amy working with her and taking her in as much as she does, not sure that we really need to. She also has been going in with our friends Gaylan and Amy, as they recently got a pool also. So, with all them working with her, maybe she'll learn with all their help. She definitely loves going in and is not afraid, so I guess its a start...thanks to all of you for working with her.

2nd Annual Guangdong Renuion...

On July 17th we traveled to Peoria for our 2nd annual Guangdong reunion with the girls. Abby thank you for being such a great host. All but one of the families were able to travel to join us this year. They already had planned their family vacation prior to our planning our annual reunion, so we are hopeful they are able to join us next year.

It was great to see everyone and to see just how much all the girls have grown and changed since we brought them home. All of them are walking and most of them are talking. The few that aren't, are understanding very well and are getting close. It was great to see the progress they have all made. I look forward to the continued reunions and to the continued progress they make and watching them all grow.

I will attach several pictures of the day. Several of the group and a few of each of the girls.

4th of July....

This year we didn't do much as it was super hot. As that seems to be the case much of the time the past few months. However, we did manage to get out a bit and do a few things.

On the 3rd we met up with our friends Dora and Jason. We went into St Louis and had dinner. After dinner we went over to Dora's work. She works directly down from the river, which is where the shoot off the fireworks nightly. Her work allows for them to go up into their building and onto their balconies and watch the fireworks from there. It is definetly one of the better places to watch them. You are up high, above most of the other buildings downtown and can see them perfectly. Also, being up that high, there is a very nice breeze and therefore is was much cooler, had we been down street level.

This was Jetta's first time watching fireworks, so we were excited to see how she would react. She was pretty excited. However, since it was nearly 9:30, she was fading fast. She did, however make it through them, but was more than ready to head home once they were over. We were very glad we got to watch them with Dora and Jason and that they took us with them to watch them from her building.

We had thought about taking Jetta again on the 4th to the little town down the road. However, it was so hot and again, with it being so late, didn't want to keep her up late another night. She did tell several people we saw over the next couple days how she saw "fireworks". So, I guess she enjoyed them.

I'm gonna attach a couple pictures we took on the front step of her in her 4th of July outfit...looking all festive. I think she looks rather cute if I do say so myself.

Father's Day.....

This year Jetta took Shannon to the circus for Father's Day. A company, that I believe is called Circus Flora. They come to St. Louis each year. They have a one ring circus and were going to be here on Father's Day and I thought it might be a neat outting for the family.

It was Jetta's first circus and wasn't sure how she would react. When we got there we could see the big top and it was pretty neat, brought back alot of childhood memories (and smells). As a child, I got to go see the Shriner's circus many times. It was always a good time. The day was particularly hot, as this was just the beginning of what was going to be the beginning of months of hot weather. However, we were told that the tent had air piped into it, so we figured we didn't have anything to worry about.

As we made our way up to the big top, there was a pony ride, so we let Jetta atake spin. She seemed to enjoy herself. She wasn't quite sure what to think. She always wants to ride the "horsey" at Walmart, so we thought, well, here you go, here's the real deal. I guess, based on her expresssion, we'll stick the the Walmart "horsey" for now. Which, honestly, I'm okay with, that "horsey" is much cheaper and by far less stinky! I'll attach and picture, so you can see for yourself.

We finally made our way inside. The ring was small and we were right down next to the actual ring. She seemed excited. Once the show started, she was excited, but as things got going and the show got started and the horses started coming in and they were whipping the ground, she wanted nothing to do with that and she was climbing up me and clinging to me for dear life. Needless to say, with the heat outside and regardless of the "piped" in air, it was hot. We stuck around for the first act, which was about an hour.

This act included puppies, which she loved, horses and some chickens. We had hoped for an elephant, but there wasn't one. Since there wasn't gonna be one and with it being so hot, we opted to go. All in all, I think it was a success, but think we will wait till she's a little older and for indoor circus to go again.

I'll attach a couple of other pics, hope you enjoy them.

Jetta's first festival....

Yesterday we took Jetta to her first festival. Each year Highland has two festivals, one in the early summer, the Schweitzerfest and one in the fall, the Kirchenfest. In case you can't tell by the names, Highland has a large German influence. However, yesterday, we didn't see much of that, as the most of what we saw was a large rain influence. Despite that, we still had a great day.

We met several of our fellow Little Gym parents and Jetta's little friends. The plan was to watch the parade, eat dinner and let the kids ride some rides. Well, that still took place, but not without alot of rain, soaked clothes and soggy shoes. However, the kids didn't seem to mind. When we first arrived the tornado siren was going off, but we all waited it out and the parade got started about 30 mins late. Jetta wasn't a fan of the parade, well not the beginning anyway because it included all the fire trucks and ambulances. As they went by and blew the sirens she wasn't a fan. I kind of figured it would scare her and it surely did. As the parade went on and the trucks passed by, she started to warm up to the idea, but then the rain started to come down again. We all headed back to our cars to wait it out, at this point feeling more like ducks than humans, but still enjoying the day.

Once the parade was over and we could make our way across the parade route, we all headed out for dinner. We had hoped to go to our favorite Chinese restaurant, but they were closed. So, we had to make another choice. We ended up with pizza, but don't think the kids were disappointed. Finally, a bit dried out and our belly's full, we headed over to the festival. One of our friends had to leave, so it left just Jetta and Nathan.

We decided we would let them ride a couple of the rides that were small enough for them. There was a car ride and a small ferris wheel. We weren't sure what they'd think of them, but we put them in the car ride together and they loved it. They rode it several times, once in a car and the second time in the fire engine. I'm going to attach some pictures from both times. They look so cute - their first car date together! Then we took them over to the ferris wheel. I wasn't so sure how Jetta would do, but to my surprise she climbed right up into the seat, turned around and away they went. They had a great time and she was smiles the whole time. I'm going to also attach pictures from that ride.

It was great to see them have such a great time. However, it almost brought tears to my eyes, to see Jetta just climb right up in there, such a big girl, so grown up. My little girl is getting so big - already. People always say how fast they grow up and now that I'm living it, it's so true. She is growing up way to fast, much faster that I want her to. However, I'm so glad that I get to share these things with her, that she is so happy, willing to try these things. She is just so sweet, she is always so loving, willing to share with her little friends, give them hugs, etc. I'm so lucky to have such a sweet, loving little girl.

Hope you enjoy the pictures.