Like A Sponge With Her New Experiences!

Bruce will be having a "do over" on his back surgery - by a different doctor,

I might add - and we have been trying to do some fun

things because we do not know exactly

how long he will have very serious restrictions.

This was the day Ro had her first experience swinging.

As with most new things, she shows no fear.

Posing for a picture....




Relaxing and enjoying the breeze.

Notice in most of these pictures, she only has

one hand holding on.

This is a rug Kay got Royanne before she was born.

Kind of like a bear skin rug for a bare picture.

Bruce thought if we added a few return air vents in the living room -

on the other side of the wall is the hall with the main return air vent and the A/C unit -

we might get better air flow in the living room and office.

(This 100 degree weather already is just too much!)

Royanne wasn't even dressed yet but she decided she needed

to help. She had to touch the sheetrock and

retrieved a piece of nasty, ancient fuzz from within.

This is Royanne not being allowed to hold the screws.

She got happy again when she was able to

touch the finished product.

As one lady at church put it,

"Royanne knows what she wants and will not stop until she

reaches her goal...not a bad trait!"

I totally agree!

Although Royanne has 2 (count 'em, t-w-o)

old cell phones, she prefers mine because it has a

working light on the front.

Sometimes I have to call it so I

can find it!

A few weekends ago, Heather and Chris had a financial

meeting in Austin, and they let us keep Connor for the day.

He and Ro had a big time playing in the living room before we took off

for McDonald's (playscape) and then on to see Abby &

Liam (playscape). We were going to go to the zoo in Oak Hill,

but Bruce's back wasn't up to it.

Connor, (climbing up the ladder) Abby and Liam had a great time on the

playscape in the back yard. Abby said it was her job to be sure

Connor had a nice visit.

Royanne discovered Abby's old playscape and spent

a lot of time with the door. At home, she makes the

rounds and closes all the doors.

She is standing with no problem these days and can walk 10-12 steps

just like a pro!

You've seen prior pictures of Royanne getting into cabinets and drawers...

MEDDLING!

She has a drawer in our bedroom and 2 shelves she can empty until her

heart is content. In her room, she can toss things from her bottom dresser

drawer. In the office, there are 2 shelves with phone books she can knock out, no biggie.

She really enjoys putting everything she can on the floor!

Well, she tried to do this in the kitchen and because she cannot discern

what she can and can't empty and plow through, we had to

install some interference on the cabinet doors.

Hardbacked cookbooks and electric skillets aren't too friendly on the footsies.

As usual, she had to help.

This was taken on a corner in mom and Kay's neighborhood.

This is at the park in their neighborhood. She loved the

cool grass.

While at the park one day, Royanne enjoyed an icecream

break. I do believe she loves it as much as I do.

First bite of a strawberry!

Sharing a radish with dad.

She loves a ripe, fresh peach!

Janigold apples are great!

This must be a Granny Smith selection.

"It's rather large, but I think I can

get it all off the peeling!"

Carrots she hijacked from the grocery bag!

"So, this is a pear, eh?"

New Friend

Congratulations to Shawn, Britney and little Adeline on the birth of Emma!

Welcome littler Emma!

Inside and Outside: both are fun!

This year the Simpson family reunion was in May. We also used the time together to have a memorial service for my Great Uncle Jack, who recently died. A lot of cousins and great aunts hadn't seen Royanne before. She was in a great mood and was pretty social even though she was overwhelmed with new faces. She took to cousin Jerry and he blew bubbles for her entertainment.

She was fascinated. They blow around better outside than they do in the bath tub.

We ran (drove) down to a consignment store in Oak Hill to get Royanne a pair of long pants because she really wanted to crawl around on the driveway. Who knew you'd need sweat pants when it was 90 degrees?!

Abby filled the pool with water and Royanne was all for it. Abby was wearing a dress, but no matter!

Cousins having fun!

Brenda's little girl wasn't sure she wanted to get in the pool. Too cold, I think.

How many kids can a small wading pool hold?

One baby in, one baby still out.

The girls had so much fun. Royanne was hysterical!

When we got back from the family reunion, there was still some ice in the cooler that was used for making tea. Ro realized it was in there and spent a good part of the evening crawling back and forth to the cooler eating ice. The ice was just the right size for her tiny hands.

The camera ran out of battery and I wasn't able to take pictures throughout the entire time that she continued to eat ice from the cooler. She was red and very cold half way up her arm. She is an ice lover! Occasionally Bruce will put some ice in the blender and she has it for a snack!

Doing her part to help.

Royanne really loves to empty the laundry baskets just about as fast as I can fill them. She empties shelves and drawers also. Since she loves it so, there are certain shelves and drawers she is allowed to empty. She loves to see stuff all over the floor!

"How do I get this to open?"

"I am not up to anything!"

"This cabinet is too full of dishes to get in....."

We emptied and cleaned the cabinet under the sink for her to open and close. She decided she needed to get in it.

But she wasn't sure how to get out.....

She is really getting into things! We thought we had the cat food hidden...wrong!

She can empty a drawer and her toy bins in 2 seconds flat!

She's testing out her new body moves. I think sometimes she amazes herself.

What amazes me about her is how smart she is! She recognizes many words. For example, when we say "Where are the doggies?" she looks to the sliding glass door that leads to the back yard.

I ask her, "You want a bottle, yeah?" Recently she'll say "YEAH!"

I am not joking! She does it all the time!

She can say MOMMA but she doesn't call me momma, she just repeats it (when it suits her and never when I want to show someone, like Mimi or Great Grandma!)

If you say "Kitty" she'll look around for them.

She knows what bath means.

She can wave bye-bye the right way now and knows the hands gestures to patty-cake.

I taught her to put her hand out like the Queen of England when I say "KISS!"

It is soooooooooo cute, you can't help but kiss her extended sweet little hand!

She is so much fun!

Here she is waving!

On a recent trip to the park, Royanne really enjoyed the cool, soft grass.

Ro was very curious when she saw Bruce shaving, so he fixed her up.

FIRST SLEEP OVER WITH MIMI

This week we took Royanne to Old Settlers Park in an almost vain search for Bluebonnets.

This year they are sparse due to low rainfall.

She is such a good little cookie! In this picture she

was cracking up and was really being just plain hysterical.

The main reason for this entry is to report she went home to spend the night with her Mimi this afternoon! There I was, taking a break from mowing the grass......

Bruce was on the deck keeping Ro entertained.....

and we heard a "Knock, knock! Anyone home?"

and there was mom!

She told me why she was here and for a moment I wasn't sure I wanted

to let her go, but Abby and Liam have really

been looking forward to having her over for the night.

So, I packed play clothes & pjs & church clothes & dinner & breakfast & lunch & bottles & formula & snacks.....and 30 minutes later she was ready to go.

I wonder if she'll miss me?........................

PICKLE LOVERS ANNONYMOUS

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickles &

gave them to Royanne!

"Green beans are fine for babies.....but I have graduated

to the finer things in life............

My daddy introduced me to PICKLES!"

" I can eat 'em from both ends, I'm not picky!"

"This one looks especially sour,
so it's my favorite!"




"BEST MAID, Vlassic, I ain't picky!"




"Divine!"





"This really use-ta to be a cucumber?"