no rest for the wicked

We are buzzin' around like bees here. It appears we won't be slowing down again until mid August! This week, we are getting ready for our big trip and making sure we have everything - making piles, buying dresses (thanks mom!), tanning, buying swimsuits (thanks Mark!), doing laundry, packing, buying more luggage...
Yesterday we took Morgan back to the doctor for her height and weight check. At 20.5 pounds and 30.5 inches, apparently her doctor thinks she is back on track (up half a pound and two inches in four weeks). I wasn't worried before, just peeved at their lack of consistency in measuring her. How can they track accurate growth patterns if they are using different methods every time? I'll keep my mouth shut for now, but if the doc acts concerned again in September, I'll bring it up.

On Morgan's daily worksheet at school, they have 5 mood markers the teachers can check off: active, quiet, inquisitive, talkative, and happy. For the first time last week, talkative was checked on her list. She really has started to talk, a lot. In the last couple weeks she's been quite verbal and clear in what she is saying. Besides ma-ma and da-da (almost always da-da, this girl loves her daddy), we are hearing a lot of "mill" (milk), "bowl" (ball with an English accent), "bubba" (bubbles), "bye-bye" (to Auntie K last weekend), "ruf-ruf" (any animal, but mostly dogs and deer!) and her new favorite, "uh-oh". It used to be "uh-uh" after something fell on the floor, but she's definitely got it down now. She's been waking early in the morning this week, gabbing to herself. Then she either starts calling "da-da" or tosses her pacifier and noo-noo out the crib and repeats "uh-oh". It's so so cute. A great way to wake up in the morning.
Morgan is doing a lot of big girl things too. She is learning to use light switches and loves pressing the garage door opener to open or close the door. She is practicing using utensils and is starting to climb on furniture and up the stairs on the back patio. I gasped to myself and let out a little uh-oh when I saw her hike up her knee and grab onto the couch last week to get up on the seat with Mark. Oh boy.

We spent the long 4th of July holiday weekend hanging out with friends and family. On Friday we did a little shopping in the morning and visited Morgan's BFF Lola and her parents in the afternoon. Turns out the 4 of us (well, 6 of us) have a lot in common. Plus they live less than 2 miles away. There was plenty of beer drinking (Lola!) and sand eating (Morgan!) before we said our goodbyes and head out to Royal Oak. Later we enjoyed dinner at The Original Pancake House where I impatiently scarfed down (almost) their Big Apple Supreme (yup, supreme = a scoop of cinnamon ice cream on top of a baked pancake about the size of an apple pie) I love breakfast (and ice cream) for dinner. I am such a good example for my daughter. HA! Don't worry, Morgan had her own little silver dollar pancakes and sausage to chow down on.

On Saturday morning we went to the farmers market in downtown Farmington and got bagels at Big Apple Bagel. Morgan goes nuts whenever she sees a dog and on Saturday there was no shortage of them around the market. She LOVES dogs and squeals with delight when she sees them. We are trying to teach her to ask before touching a strangers dog and to pet them gently, though she likely doesn't get that yet. It's pretty cute to watch her interact with them and giggle when they lick her face. The bigger the better too. She seems to be drawn to the dogs that are much larger than her, not the little toy dogs that are just her size. We still have no plans to get a dog, not until she is old enough to ask for one. But at this rate, I think she's going to want one!
In the spirit of Independence Day, we lit some sparklers for Morgan to watch. She was intrigued as Mark waved them in the air...for about 3 seconds...and then she was running off to check out the next big thing that caught her eye. Her attention span is about as long as mine. She is easily impressed, and easily bored.

On Sunday we spent a lot of time outside. Morgan played in the yard while we tried killing weeds and trimming overgrown shrubs. Kristin and Troy came over in the afternoon and we made burgers and hung out while Morgan splashed in the pool. T-minus 6 days and counting until they are newlyweds. I am so looking forward to this trip!Tonight, Mark is going to the Tigers game while Morgan and I bust a move on this packing business. But first I have to get through this dreadfully slow day.