Outdoor Fun

As the weather is gradually getting warming and warmer, we're trying to spend more time, "Oweside".  You love the outdoors and you get that honestly from Mommy and Daddy.  Before I found out I was pregnant with you, we went skiing in Colorado and during my pregnancy, we went camping, hiking, and stayed in a cabin.  The day we brought you home from the hospital, we sat outside for hours with you.  It is more challenging the older you get, keeping you entertained and out of danger, but you keep us on our toes for sure!  Although it appears dreary in the pictures below, it was actually pretty nice.

Playing with your soccer ball that she got before you were even born!

Determined to figure out how to use the Chuck-It.  I don't blame you, Stetson's tennis ball is disgusting.

Maybe if I do it this way...

Got it!!

Curls!

You played with the downspout and gutter for some time.  I would love to know what you were thinking.

It's the simple things in life, like sitting in the dirt.

Marching away from Daddy.

March 9, 2010

Let the Games Begin!

Softball season has officially started for Daddy!  Once again, he's playing at the local park, and on the church league which makes for a busy schedule, however, we have so much fun going to his games and cheering him on.  This season will be a new experience for all of us.  Gone are the days of you sitting in your stroller content with puffs or falling fast asleep.  You're all about walking running everywhere, playing in the dirt, and people watching. 

I can't believe how brown your eyes look.  You have crazy eyes, some days they look really green, others brown, and rarely, but occasionally blue.  And see your little hand in your pocket?  So cute.

And this it what you did most of the night-climbed in and out of your stroller.  If you don't become some sort of rock climber when you grow up, we'll be very surprised.

Busted!  In the middle of singing, "Crinkle, crinkle liddle dar".

You were so confused looking for Daddy.  Everyone in the same jersey really threw you off.

March 8, 2010

Uncle Matt and Play Dates

Uncle Matt came home for a weekend so we packed our bags and headed up to spend some time with him.  You weren't feeling good and had been feeling crummy for several weeks, so it was nice to have a few extra hands around to keep you entertained and happy.  Luckily, we had a nice Saturday, so you and Uncle Matt went on a rock hunt in Gram and Pawpa's backyard.  A true explorer wears a "packpack" hence your's.

My baby brother is so patient with you.  When I was at my whit's end trying to keep you happy, he took you outside so you two could hang out.  We miss him when he's not around.

Finding rocks in the wall. 

While I was on my spring break from KSU, your friend, Ashley, came over to play.  Ashley was born on Christmas Eve in 2008 to our dear friend's Keith and Hollie-what a neat Christmas present!  You were so excited to have a friend over our house for once.  You're usually the guest, so you had to show Ashley the ropes around our house.

Ashley loved watching the dogs from the door.  She would squeal and scream when they came to see her.  You on the other hand couldn't be bothered by your 4 legged brothers.

How funny is this?  Ashley was so excited to be sitting with you and you look like you're telling me to hold on.  You walked around with that phone all afternoon pretending to dial people and talk to them!

So, we might have to start teaching you about "personal space"!  uYo didn't want Ashley to leave, so you sat in her lap.  Ashley wasn't too sure about all of this.

March 6th and 8th, 2010

18 Months=A Year in a Half?!

How is this even possible?

Then-March 2, 2009

Now-March 6, 2010

I just can't believe how fast this whole parenting experience is going.  Our baby girl is no longer a baby by any means and breaks my heart in one way and gets me so excited in another.  I'm not going to lie, this past month has been super stinky on all counts.  At 3:30 a.m. on Super Bowl Sunday, Daddy and I woke up to you whimpering over the monitor.  I usually give you 7-10 minutes to fall back asleep, because it's usually always because you can't find your pacifier in your sleep.  Well, you were still upset after the time crept by, so I went to check on you.  As I walked into your room, I smelled it-throw up-not spit up, but actual big people puke.  Poor baby had gotten sick, and was sitting in the very back corner of your crib with your hands out.  As soon as I entered your room, you said, "Yuck, momma, yuck."  And it was everywhere, in your her hair, on your hands, all over your stuffed dog, your sheets, your bumpers...just everywhere.  I attempted to wake Daddy several times, but I have learned he can sleep through a bomb.  After we got you all cleaned up, I spent the next 7 hours with you trying to sleep on my chest, but you would wake up every 30 minutes on the dot gagging.  We were able to get to the bathroom every time but once.  Oh how I despise throw up.  And it didn't help that I got the dreaded bug 2 days later.  Gross, gross, gross.  Thankfully, Daddy never got it and we were all well for almost 2 weeks and that's when you got a nasty cold, along with cutting 4 new teeth all while 2 have been trying to come down for weeks.  And now I have whatever you had.  I'm just tired of being sick and tired.  You have been extremely irritable which has been so difficult because you don't want to do anything and has been extremely fussy, but we can't blame you and we do feel terrible for you.  It's frustrating, because you try to tell us what's wrong, but we just can't understand you sometimes and this brings on the temper tantrums.  Hopefully, once I get over this current crud, we'll all stay well for awhile...I hope!  In other news, you are talking/singing up a storm!  It's so funny to listen to you when you don't think anyone can hear you.  You just jabber away talking about anything and everything.  And you will repeat ANYTHING you say, so watch out!
 My current favorites are when you sing, "Crinkle, crinkle lidle dar".  You walk around singing this, bobbing your head and it's absolutely hysterical.  Which brings me to this, you refer to stars and Crinkles.
You will repeat the letters of your name after we say them to you and then when we get to "i" you scream, "EEEEEEE" then clap you5 hands with pure delight. 
We started counting to 10 with you, having you repeat the numbers after us, and you will now randomly count to 4 all by yourself.  To hear you say "2" is so cute, it comes out, "teeeeyou" such a southern gal!
You have become extremely independent which has caused some issues.  You insist on feeding yourself and miss your mouth quiet a bit.  I know you have to learn, but I'm just not ready for all of this!  The other day, you were eating your "cancake"=pancake, and when Daddy and I turned around, you had the empty plate full of syrup ON your head.  You will exclaim, "ALLLL DONNNNNE" when you think you're finished, but hadn't eaten hardly a thing on your plate, so this usually leads to the counting and you will begin eating again.  You have learned not only what "no" means, but also how to use it.  We're quickly learning "yes"!  When you see a picture of yourself, you refer to it as Kenzie-and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that!  You, my child, have absolutely no fear!  You will climb on anything and everything including to the top rung of Daddy's ladder and then will carefully climb back down.  You love are obsessed with Dora and Diego.  And you're learning so much from both of them.  You like to wear your "papack" like Dora and love to find Swiper.  You're getting really good at naming animals.  You say, moo cow, bobos for the bobo monkeys from Diego, pig, and of course dog and kitty.  You have a crazy memory.  For example:  Daddy tiled the guest bathroom in early January.  When it was all set, you and he went around tapping the pieces to make sure they were in place.  You two only did this that one day, yet just a few weeks ago, you walked into the bathroom and started tapping the tile.  Another one, is: you know the differnce between Daddy's dad, Papa, and my step dad, Pawpa and you say it each way with them.  You refer to Daddy and I as, Dadddddy and Mommy and it melts my heart every time I hear you say those words.
One night, Daddy had your sippy cup in his hand, you walked over to him, said, "peeeeeese?"=please, and then as you walking away, said, "tan too, daddddy."  I'm pretty sure both Daddy and I got huge lumps in our throats.  

Exploring with your papack in Gram and Pawpa's backyard.  You found a rock and carried it around all afternoon.

Showing Uncle Matt all the fun things outside.

March 6, 2010

Finally, nice weather!

We've had a harsh winter compared to years past.  One day it snows and the next, it's warm...it's the strangest thing and brings unwelcomed crud to our house!  A few weekends ago, it was absolutely beautiful so we took full advantage of the park that's right outside of our neighborhood.  Unfortunately, we didn't realize that you weren't feeling well, and it shows in the pictures.  We thought we were doing you, and us, a good thing by taking you to to the park, but when you woke from nap,  you had a 102 fever!  You did, however, act completely normal and ate your supper as usual.  We gave you some medicine and laid you down for bed.  We woke you back up at 11 p.m. to give you another dose of medicine and your fever was climbing even higher.  Daddy immediately stripped you down to your diaper, and Mommy quickly frantically called Children's Healthcare.  The nurse was extremely helpful and since she could hear you in the background talking to Daddy, she thought it was safe to stay home with you.  I was a nervous wreck all night, and I may or may not have woken up and slept out on the couch with you.  I just couldn't stand the thought of you feeling so crudy and sleeping in your bedroom all by yourself.  Your fever came and went all week and never got any higher than 101 after that crazy night.

Very unsure of the slide at first.

Such a big girl!

I like this slide!

Little dare devil

Watching all the big kids run around.

I promise, you didn't look this  bad when we left the house!  Poor baby.

February 28, 2010

Silly Mackenzie

You have become very independent lately and here are a few pictures to prove it.  You insisted on taking your shirt off all by yourself one night, but your coconut of a head wouldn't allow you to do it as quickly as you wanted.

Look mommy, I have my shirt on my head!

Ok, I don't think this is very funny anymore.  Can I get a little help, please?

Tada!

February 21, 2010