New Infatuation

Now she is in love with drinking from the hose....so much so that

Bruce bought a new sprayer (might be cleaner?)

and a new hose, which we needed anyway.

Discovering Limitations

Sometimes Royanne plays safely and "normally".

She really likes the playscape and can go up the slide as

easily as she can go down.

One day I had put her truck on the hearth because it
was in the way of her running and playing and going up and
down the slide, only to find that she climbed it and was
balancing perfectly!




Then there are the times she stands up on her
couch...........

Or what about the time she grunted and finally made it

up & in the hole of the playscape, ......

only to flail her legs and cry out in frustration!
(she eventually rescued herself)

Another day on the truck, this time clapping!

Sitting on the hearth, no biggie.....

Because there is a long pillow between the slide and

the hearth, she stands there and contemplates jumping

and finally gives in and does so. I have never gotten a

picture because I am ready to catch her if something

goes amiss!

This day she was going up and down the treadmill,

practicing her step/stairs skills......

But she did it with a cup of ice, one handed,

an added talent, doncha know!!

I don't think she thinks she has any limitations!

Checkin' Out The Hotel

Last week we went out of town. We stayed at a hotel.

Royanne had her eye

on investigating everything she could in the

first five minutes, I kid you not! She zipped

around the room like lightning. She and her dad were

finishing up an ice cream sandwich and I didn't even

have a moment to clean her face, I just grabbed

the camera!

First thing she noticed was the telephone. How she knew it

was a telephone, I do not know, for no one has cords

on their phones anymore, if in deed they even have a phone that

isn't a cell.

Bruce had to hold the button down so we didn't alert

the front office to the fact their phone was now a toy.

She was satisfied with it being a phone with a cord, until I

threw out her nerf ball, to distract her. YEAH, RIGHT!

That's when she decided to take the phone with her.

It wouldn't reach the ball, so she had to turn it

loose.....

that's when Bruce decided to remove it

from the cord........

......and make playing with it easier on everyone. We had to

reach behind the bed and unplug the phone, or else maybe

it would show it was off the hook.

Then she drug it behind her, all the while saying

"HI!! HI!!"



Then she started pushing buttons but she got
mad because it didn't make any noise, so
she left it for



the curtains where she could look out and then back
off & away and repeat and giggle.









Then she saw the bathroom area where I had taken
a few items from the diaper bag, and she ran in there
to unload and dismantle.






Then she went in the bathroom and grabbed the
shampoo and ran in the corner by the bed and
tried to open it and got mad so then she went
back to the telephone!!






Just when I thought she was ready to settle down,
she found some paper and a pen .........

"Helping Daddy" OR "Addicted to our Appliances"

We had Lisa and Mark over last month and as I was fixing the tea,

we were discussing our ice machine and Mark asked us if

we were "ice snobs"........ I guess we are!

I was telling him sometimes we take a cooler with

us when we go places, like to Kay's, with our OWN ICE!!

We leave it in the car. (Then we sneak

out and fill our cups). When you are

used to ice made with filtered water, especially around

here with all the lime, it is real hard to accept ice that

might, just accidentally, taste not so fresh

(or maybe like the fridge, maybe not!)

So, last year when the compressor went out, we were

buying a bag of ice per day, which was why we got it

to begin with...we make iced tea by the glass around here,

and it takes a lot of ice, all that boiling

water!!! Finally we got it repaired. ($$$).

It eventually paid for itself.

Well, it went out again but it wasn't the compressor, so Bruce

and his assistant gave it a looksie.

Royanne loves to chew the ice, ours is small enough (safe), and she

was very interested in what Bruce was doing.

(She is in the right family; ice crunching is a family trait!)

Here you can barely see the small drill Bruce used to

remove the protective cover. She really liked that tool!

Getting Ready To Go

Royanne loves baths and the swimming pool....
and the water hose..... and the kitchen sink.....

she loves water, plain and simple!

She uses a big cup I have to rinse her
hair and she pours it on her chest, over and over,

when she's in the bathtub.

She's pretty good at it.

This is a little dog toy that made its way to the tub.


This is a duck from Julie that squirts and she tries to
catch it in her mouth.

After her bath she had scattered toys all over the place

while I tried to get her clothes together. Here she is

trying to give a cow a bottle.

30 seconds is all it takes!
A GRAND MESS!

Finally ready to go!

Corn on the Cob Lover

"This might be easier if I bend over...."

Yum-O!



Delicious! Fun!

WOW! Corn on the cob - she loves it &

it keeps her busy when we aren't quite finished with

our meal.

I got one for he from a buffet the other day when we were at a

restaurant and rubbed it between a bunch of napkins because

it was so hot and drippin', and there was a woman

that was really looking at me strangely.

But a cob of corn can really keep her patience

level up and the noise level - from her - down.

No Help Needed

When Royanne first got her playscape,

she really didn't need any help with anything.

She has played on one similar at church. That's all

she needed.

She went right through the door and

to the raised area.

Since her fav thing right now is climbing,

she climbed right up.

She got her bearings

and stood right up.

She put her legs out straight after a bit of grunting

and groaning. One foot was caught where the

slide and archway meet.

She didn't go down very fast - bare leg

hindrance.

Look at those future dancer's legs!

As soon as she got off of the slide, she saw the remote,

and forgot all about what she was doing.

Book by Karen Kingsbury

Mimi checked this book out of the church library. The title caught my

attention and I asked to borrow it. It really makes one emotional!

Below are the words from Karen Kingsbury's book............................

LET ME HOLD YOU LONGER Karen Kingsbury

Long ago you came to me.,
a miracle of firsts;
First smiles and teeth and baby steps,
a sunbeam on the burst.
But one day you will move away
and leave to me your past,
And I will be left thinking of
a lifetime of your lasts…

The last time that I held a bottle
to your baby lips.
The last time I lifted you
and held you on my hip.
The last night when you woke up crying,
needing to be walked,
When last you crawled up with your blanket,
wanting to be rocked.

The last time when you ran to me,
still small enough to hold.
The last time that you said you’d marry
me when you grew old.
Precious, simple moments and
bright flashes from your past—
Would I have held on longer if
I’d known they were your last?

Our last adventure in the park,
your final midday nap.
The last time when you wore your favorite
faded baseball cap.
Your last few hours of kindergarten,
those last days of first grade,
Your last at bat in Little League,
last colored picture made.

I never said good-bye to all
your yesterdays long passed.
So what about tomorrow—
will I recognize your lasts?
The last time that you catch a frog
in that old backyard pond.
The last time that you run barefoot
across our fresh-cut lawn.
Silly, scattered images
will represent your past.
I keep on taking pictures,
never quite sure of your lasts…..

The last time that I comb your hair
or stop a pillow fight.
The last time that I pray with you
and tuck you in at night.
The last time when we cuddle
with a book, just me and you.
The last time you jump in our bed
and sleep between us two.

The last piano lesson,
last vacation to the lake.
Your last few weeks of middle school,
last soccer goal you make.
I look ahead and dream of days
that haven’t come to pass.
But as I do, I sometimes miss
today’s sweet precious lasts…

The last time that I help you with
a math or spelling test.
The last time when I shout that yes,
your room is still a mess.
The last time that you need me for
a ride from here to there.
The last time that you spend the night
with your old tattered bear.

My life keeps moving faster,
stealing precious days that pass.
I want to hold on longer---
want to recognize your lasts…

The last time that you need my help
with the details of a dance.
The last time that you ask me for
advice about romance.
The last time that you talk to me
about your hopes and dreams.
The last time that you wear a jersey
for your high school team.

I’ve watched you grow and barely noticed
seasons as they pass.
If I could freeze the hands of time,
I’d hold on to your lasts.

For come some bright fall morning,
you’ll be going far away.
College life will beckon
in a brilliant sort of way.
One last hug, one last good-bye,
one quick and hurried kiss.
One last time to understand
just how much you’ll be missed.
I’ll watch you leave and think how fast
our time together passed.

Let me hold on longer, God,
to every precious last.

Cousin Fun

Ro Ro inherited Abby's playscape, which she and Liam haven't

used in a year or two......but they sure had fun on it

with Royanne when they visited the other day.

We set it up in the living room so Royanne didn't have

to endure the 98-ish degree weather to play.

Royanne's big cousin Bonner is in her Family Face Photo Album, so she

"knew" him, but she knew she didn't "know" him.

Know what I mean?

After whispering some sweet nothings, and flying

her around like an airplane, they became fast friends.

Liam tried to steal her away from his big brother.

Royanne and Abby played on Abby & Liam's new
big kid playscape. Ro really likes to swing.



Later on, Liam came over to play also. Mimi
is the pusher.

At the pool in Georgetown, the last week it was open.

Mimi brought Abby and Liam over for a spell.

Relaxing after the pool play.

Strawberry snack after swimming.

At the local water park with Aunt Kay, Abby & Liam.

Look at Abby jumping!

"I just need a bit more sunscreen."

Silly Liam!

Royanne picked up some other little

kid's discarded bucket.

........ And water gun.

This is Liam insisting Royanne needs to come with him.

He sure loves her and he is so good with her!

Running through the water is very cooling,

you can barely tell it is 100 degrees!