Swimming with Mommy and Daddy!

Unfortunately daddy has to work every day during the week....even in the summer!! Too bad he isn't a teacher!! He doesn't get to be a part of all the summer fun, so today we got him out of the house and into the pool. We had a great family day! I love my sweet family!!

Jumping to mommy!

Mommy and Maci

Daddy and Maci!

More jumping...this was her favorite thing to do!

This was her second favorite! Daddy is way more fun than just mommy!!

Learning to Swim

I think I have bought every floatation device out there for Maci. I have tried everything to get her to learn to swim or at least float so that she isn't attatched to me in the water. She has been so scared to let go of me, and it makes swimming with Maci not much fun! But today....it wasn't a new floatation device that taught Maci to swim...it was peer pressure!! We went swimming wtih Katie Beth and Katie can zoom all around the pool. Maci FINALLY decided she was brave enough to try what Katie was doing, so she tried swimming to Rachel with me holding her instead of her holding me. Then she got a little braver and swam back to me without Rachel holding on to her (we were only about 2 ft. apart. ) Finally she was ready...she took off all on her own! I am so proud of her and can't wait to go swimming again!!

testing out the water....from the steps

in the boat with katie beth

finally swimming

look at me!!

katie is trying to help her along

best buds!!

Summer Preschool!

Maci is such a big girl now! This summer she has been attending preschool! She loves it and it gives her a chance to learn to play well with others! I hope that is what she is doing, anyways! She wakes up on school morning so excited to go. She always tells me on the way that Maci doesn't need to take a nap! Nap time is not her favorite, but she is getting better at that. She cried at the beginning, but then would sleep for maybe 30 minutes. Yesterday, she napped for an hour and a half at school which was great! It was water play day yesterday! She had a blast playing in the water with her friends! Here are a few pictures from school!

Maci with her cute backpack and lunchbox!

Water Play!

In the sprinklers!

Potty Training.....

I wanted to share my trick for potty training for any of you who are going through this battle. Maci is so stubborn and has not wanted to potty train...she will be 3 in September and it is way past time. So, I decided that I would let her run around with out a diaper, panties, or a pull up. She has only had one accident while she is doing this!! I am 100% convinved that pullups DO NOT work!! She is by no means fully potty trained, but we have made a breakthrough. Now, if I could just figure out how to get her to potty while we are out in public!!

"I gotta go, mommy"

Waiting patiently

Reading a book while I wait

Getting my toilet paper so I can wipe!

Washing my hands with warm water and soap

YAY!! I get a sticker on my chart

I'm a BIG GIRL now!! I can wear BIG GIRL PANTIES!!

Maci and Ellie's Slumber Party

This was the first time that Ellie and Maci have ever spent the night together!! I think it is Ellie's first official sleepover. We were a little worried that she would cry when it was bedtime, but she did great! She even wanted to sleep in Maci's big girl bed!! Here are some pics of their sleepover!

Here are the girls eating dinner together. Neither one wanted to sit in the booster chair.

Getting ready for bed!!



Snuggling together....Maci did not sleep here!! They would have never gone to sleep!

Getting ready to go to the library! I bought them coordinating outfits...I know...I am cheesy!

Walking in to the library!

Having fun dancing during the music concert at the library!


At the music concert at the library!

Dancing at the library! This lady was playing a turkey baster with water in it. It was very neat! She could even play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!

Katie Beth came home from the library with us, and then they all played with playdough!

Then it was time to rest on the couch and watch a movie!!

WHAT A FUN DAY!! I NEED A NAP NOW!!!

Maci and Max

The newest news in our family is that we have a new addition!! His name is Max and he is oh so cute! So let me fill you in on what happened...how did the family that would never have a pet because it was too much responsibility, end up with this very expensive kitty!! REWIND way back to my childhood....we could never have a cat because my dear sister was allergic, but we had dogs which I loved and begged for but then did not want to take care of. I always thought it would be fun to have a cat and loved going to my parent's friends house to play with their cats. I guess you always want what you can't have....well when Brad and I got married we decided to get a dog...which by the way was the BEST dog ever and she came from the pound....But living in Fairview and working long hours was not a good situation for the dog so she went to live with my brother. So the idea of a pet was out of the question because Maci came along 9 months after we gave the dog, Marlee, to my brother.....ok fast forward to last week. My brother's girlfriend rescued a little kitty outside of her work and I got to thinking it would be nice to take in the kitty and Maci would love to have a pet. Well...Brad said no way!! So that was the end of that. Well, last Tuesday, a friend from church sent out a text saying she had found a kitty that needed a home. So I thought, "what the heck." We need a pet...Father's Day is coming up...Brad would love that present....I know what you are thinking.. "Kristen, didn't he just say no to a kitty last week?" Well, that didn't really cross my mind until later. I went to petco and bought all the essentials, and then Maci and I were on our way to pick up the kitty and he was sooo sweet and so good with Maci...I just couldn't say no. Then I took Max (the kitty) to meet his new daddy. Brad was getting his hair cut and I decided to surprise him! Well, he was surprised alright...to the point that he didn't even want to talk to me about it....Here is the part that I realized I might have messed up. I left the hair place and started calling everyone I knew to see if they would take the cat. It looked like I would be taking him to the humane shelter the next morning. No one was looking for a kitty on this particular day. So, I call and tell Brad I am sorry and that I shouldn't have done that. It was a moment of pure insanity. Maci was crying because she wanted him to "live in my house." I am trying to feed the kitty when Brad comes home. He says he is going outside to look at a huge crack in the driveway, so I follow him out. Which was an excuse to get me to see what was in his car. There in his trunk are all the essentials for a kitty..HE SAYS WE CAN KEEP HIM!!!! He says he wants to go on an adventure with me and oh what an adventure it has been. We took him to the vet on Friday only to find out he needs stitches from an injury he had when we got him. Then they test him and he has worms....ear mites...and on top of all that he has to wear a cone thing on his head to keep him from tearing out the stitches. Brad has made an excellent kitty doctor and daddy. He LOVES Max now! He gives him all the medicine, cleans the litter box, and even lets him sleep on his head. So it wasn't love at first sight, but I am thankful it was love at second sight and so is Maci. She loves her new kitty!! Check out the video of her having a tea party with Max!

This is all new to me!!

So this is all very new to me....not even sure if I will be able to continue this. I'm not even sure I know what a blog is. But here goes nothing!! I decided to start a DiPasquale blog because it seems to be the new "scrapbook." I am sooooo far behind on the first scrapbook I started for Brad and I after we got married and now I am a year behind in Maci's scrapbook. So...for the time being I am going to try blogging in hopes of recording some memories. So just think of this as my virtual scrapbook. Hopefully this will help you keep track of what is going on in the DiPasquale household...at least for the summer while I am off work and have time to write to you!