Independence Day...

I'll say.....here is what lil miss independent Ella Mae decided she wanted to do on the 4th of July......

Right before sliding ....

SPLASH!!

Yep...that's our crazy lil' lady swimming with NO FLOATIES!!  She decided after watchin' her big boy buddies Mason and Riley swim for a bit.( she also decided to pee in the grass..)  She outright declared "I'm gonna do it by myself"....and did she ever...seriously...She flung those arm floaties off so fast and only hesitated for a second before barrelin' down that slide and into the water.  She swam for 6 hours straight...perfecting her paddle with each turn.  Of course Daddy was a little more inclined to let her struggle on her own (right beside her of course)...but you know a mama's instinct...on mama's watch she got the "ol' booty hold"....until she scolded me and I had to stop hovering like bees to a honeycomb.  By the end of the day daddy was throwing her from the side of the pool up into the air...and she would swim to the side.  Watch out for this one world!  She was even paddling in her sleep that night talking about the "hot tub".....I have decided we need a pool though cuz the next day she slept until almost noon...Ha!!

                                                                   And this one...

Don't mind me mommy...I'm just co-chillin' with some friends at the pool!!

Doobs was just spreadin that sweet joyful smile to everyone...perfectly content doin' her own thang...with her own peeps.  She's able to cruise to a different "scene" though now when she is ready...

Later ladies!!

Sometimes I worry that I don't do enough...I think it's a mom thing...and then I have days like this..when my lil' ladies are creating their own memories...being independent lil people....and I love what I see.  I see them making good decisions and putting smiles on other people's faces...deciding for themselves what they want.  It is scary and awesome all at the same time...I am so extremely lucky to have such strong, wonderfully perfect and independent ladies. No doubt Ruby Doobs is taking a lesson or two from her big sis, but that's ok cuz she's pretty darn cool...... 

The hubby walked in on Doobers in Ella Mae's room the other day and found this...

.
It seems like a small thing...but she totally got up into this chair by herself...her feet don't even touch the floor when she is sitting in it...and of course she had to look cool doing it with the shades and all!!  She has been wanting to climb things like crazy...so we have been creating obstacle courses for her all over the house.  This one is a thrill seeker just like her sis...flinging herself all over the place.  I imagine them deciding to skydive for graduation together or hike Mt Kilimanjaro for a 21st birthday or something (I think I just grew a new grey hair)..but for now...I have them contained...

                      Luvin Life Peeps!!  Hope everyone had a great Independence Day!!