The Hatz Family: Summer 2015

Summer 2015 has come to an end. I cannot believe that Carter is starting first grade tomorrow!! I feel like it was just yesterday that I was telling Carter I couldn't believe he was done with kindergarten and he said to me, 'mom, we will have all summer together!' And just like that our time together is over. We had a great summer and are looking forward to adjusting to our new routine.

I just wanted to capture some things I want to remember about summer of 2015....

Brea Jean! Of course the birth of our third child is the best thing that happened to us this summer! It was really nice to have some summer time before she was born. I could soak up my first two kiddos before she entered the mix. Equally as nice, that she came early so that I could enjoy her for 9 weeks before heading back to school.

Carter loved no sleeve shirts and didn't want to wear anything else.

Carter learns to dive! He was finally brave enough to attempt a dive. He got it despite opposing advice from Matt and I. I kept telling him to just put his hands over his head, lean over and fall in. Let gravity do the work (also known as the 'right' advice). Matt kept telling him to jump out, which resulted in a few belly flops (this is also known as the 'wrong' advice) :). Anyway, I told Carter this day to not listening to his dad after he belly flopped. He said through tears, 'dad just wants me to be a bad diver!' HA!

Isla learns to jump off the side of the pool!! Isla has always been a little fish and was never afraid to put her face in the water. However, she would never jump of the side of the pool. She preferred to sit down and hop in. Then one day, she just jumped and has been doing it ever since. We have had to coach her to jump out because she was a little to close to the edge for our comfort.

Isla swimming without her wings!! I love Isla's puddle jumpers because they allowed her to be independent in the water without me worrying about her. I, obviously, still watched her while she was in the pool. But it was really nice to not have to be in the water with her this summer. Especially since I was generally sitting out under the shade with Miss Brea. Anyway, one night she was taking her wings on and off and debating whether to sit out or be in the pool. Since Brea was sleeping, I decided to get in the shallow end with Isla without her wings. She can touch on her tippy toes in the 3 feet and did a great job swimming! The trick became making her put her wings back on :)

Isla being such an amazing big sister! She showed no jealousy towards Baby Brea and just showers her with affection.

She loves to kiss her and hug her. She also comforts Brea when she is crying.

'Brea no cry. I'm here'

Carter being a good big brother to Isla and teaching her how to pedal her bike ~ Isla learns to ride her bike. Isla did end up getting a fancy new bike from her daddy but she learned on an older bike given to us from our neighbors. She was a little short for the size of the bike but with a push and advice from Carter she totally got it!

Carter the negotiator...Carter learned the art of negotiating this summer. And I have to be honest it was totally frustrating. I would tell him to do something and he would try to negotiate his way out of it. Or provide a tit for tat solution. There were a few times where I just had to let him know that I am the mom and what I say goes!! He could be such a stinker!

He could be really sweet too...