What do the Dugans do on a LONG weekend?

You travel to Nana and Pap's house and spend your first day playing with your cousins. Lauren's first wagon ride was a hit!

You smile and giggle with your silly Aunt Libby! We really missed her on Saturday at the party!

You camp out on a thick pile of blankets in Nana and Pap's garage to stay out of the hot sun at the family party and let everyone ooh and aah about how much you've grown and how big you are now and how they can't believe you're really 8 months old already. You smile and coo and wave and act totally sweet to everyone, as long as they don't try to touch you. And you totally rock the cool little skirt with this outfit and make it one of Mommy's new favorites on you!

You help Daddy and Noah churn some homemade ice cream like a big boy...

And then gobble it up as if to prove you have Richard blood!


You enjoy a "shower" in the summer rain...without your shirt on (of course) and giggle like you've never had such fun in all your life. You try to catch as many raindrops on your tongue as possible.

And then...if you're Lauren...you learn how to do a whole bunch of things at once to celebrate your 8 month birthday.

Over the long weekend, she has learned to crawl (4-5 crawling steps at one time before she falls to her belly to scoot the rest of the way to what she wants) and has perfected sitting up from a laying down position. To make matters more interesting, she can also now do this...

She starts on her knees.


Gets those arms to a good gripping point...



And up she goes!

And then, we try to climb everything. She's only been pulling up to stand for a day or so, and now she's not even content to do that anymore. She's already trying to figure out how to go up and over just about everything. This monkey is going to keep us on our toes for sure!