July 4th

The week preceding the holiday weekend was a busy one full of beach trips and boo-boos. It seems every other day Avonlea Jane is tripping or falling and scraping a knee or bruising her face.

Avonlea Jane showing off one of her newest boo-boos, this one actually caused by antagonizing Mabel. Avonlea Jane was eager to call Daddy and tell him, "No! Mabel bad. Boo-boo!" Ordinarily, Mabel and Avonlea Jane get along really well. In fact, if one of us does something to make Avonlea Jane upset, we normally have to call off her guard-cat.

Avonlea Jane quickly recovered from her boo-boo when we headed to the beach in Marblehead with Violet.

Avonlea Jane found a hole dug by some other kids.

While the air temperature was in the 90s, the water temperature was 50 degrees this day. That didn't stop Avonlea Jane from running into the waves up to her shoulders or me from getting in nearly to my waist (which would have been a better idea if I had been in a swimsuit).

We went back to the Marblehead beach a couple days later with Daddy to cool off after dinner.

Avonlea Jane pointing and signing to all of the seagulls flying overhead. "Birds!"

Pouring sand on Daddy's feet



It was a little colder in the evening, so Avonlea Jane didn't get more than her feet wet.

Friday night, we went to the Willows to celebrate our neighbor Karen's birthday. Here, Avonlea Jane is watching our neighbor Mark feed the seagulls.

Birdwatching

David playing Karen in a birthday air hockey game

Saturday, we went to a Canada Day barbecue. Here is Avonlea Jane getting the party started.

Mommy and baby were both in gingham dresses, but this was the best photo we could get, as Avonlea Jane adamantly didn't not want to be photographed this day.

Playing in the baby pool

Showing off her Canadian tattoo prize

For July 4th, we spent the afternoon and evening on the roof deck of friends in Salem. It was another day when Avonlea Jane didn't feel like being photographed or keeping in a hair bow, which was unfortunate because she was in the cutest sailor suit.

Kids with food in their hands quickly make canine friends.

The fourth-story deck was high enough that we could see Beverly's, Marblehead's, and Salem's fireworks.

Avonlea Jane finally agreed to having a photo taken, in Daddy's sailor hat no less.

Avonlea Jane was able to stay awake until the fireworks, which she really enjoyed. She referred to them as "Boom colors!"