The Mercado Milestones: A Summer to Remember!

A long, picture-filled post. My sisters & I were able to spend some nice quality time together after Levi's bris. Jackie stayed until July 3rd, and Steph and the kids were here through the 10th- 3 full weeks!!! Jackie was the perfect 'Nanny' and was truly amazing. I'm not sure we would have survived without her and I'm so glad we were all together for so long.

It was a CRAZY 3 weeks with so many kids in our cozy little house, but it was wonderful making all the memories together. Wonderful, and exhausting. We were even able to travel together in the minivan- 3 big kids in the back seat in carseats, 2 babies in infant carriers in the 2nd row, and me & Steph in the front seats (Jackie had left at this point)....and it made for a very wild ride.

For my own records, I wanted to record what we did each day- pictures are below.
6/26- Steph's birthday and Levi's bris
6/27- playtime outside
6/28- my birthday, Easton museum
6/29- playtime outside, Steph's family went on a road trip
6/30- playtime outside
7/1- goose poop beach
7/2- blueberry picking, Jackie took off to the outlet mall for some R&R!
7/3- WW1 park
7/4- Chilis & Felix's birthday
7/5- professional pictures taken at the mall
7/6- friends came over to play in the pool
7/7- Steph went to visit friends, I took my two kids on a 1.5 hour walk in 100deg. weather and almost died!!!
7/8- Providence Children's museum
7/9- Patriot Place
Phew!!!!! We did stuff nonstop and it was exhausting!

Mr.Levi, fresh and clean after a bath.

We spent many, many days playing outside in the backyard. The kids especially loved dancing in the shed, or as Emma calls it, "the other house". Thank goodness for our backyard and beautiful summer days- otherwise, we would have had some LONG days cooped up inside with 5 kids under the age of 6!

Click on these photo collages TWICE to see the pictures larger.

Our first trip out of the house for an adventure with all the kids.....and Mamare! It was also my 30th birthday, and we celebrated in style at the Easton Children's Museum. Followed by wings & ribs for dinner with the whole family.

We spent one day at the beach near our house, now nicknamed "goose poop beach", but still fun!

WW1 Zoo. Emma showed her cousins how to be brave and feed the animals carrots before we played in the playground. This was also my first day drinking coffee! My two sisters convinced me it was a 'must-have' to help get through the day. Those Starbucks frap's are certainly delicious, but I have no plans to make it a habit......

My 4th of July Babies. We spent the 4th just relaxing outside with the kids, a nice lunch at Chilis (hahahahaha, 2 adults and 5 kids- adventurous and messy), and then celebrated Felix's birthday with cupcakes for the kids, a nice steak dinner cooked by Steph, and of course, ice cream cake!

Emma & Levi

Providence Children's Museum

Bubble show & soccer lessons at Patriot Place!

Each day started off with a relaxing morning until one of the kids began to whine for a certain breakfast or specific color cup they wanted, usually followed by some sort of a tantrum...and it was usually Emma. Emma also started some bad habits- and became fond of hitting her cousin Ava. I have no idea why or how this started, but quite often we would have to pull Emma off her cousin....it was pretty bad, and thank goodness she has stopped that nonsense!!!!!

Blueberry picking at Ward's Berry Farm....

This picture says it all..... carrying a hot and crying Levi in my sling and a whiney Emma on my hip- who was trying to console Levi, but dropped all her blueberries on the floor, and began crying herself. Not to mention, I was getting attacked by all of the prickly vines!