Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Happy Father's Day to Eric, my Dad and my Father-in-law!







Eric you are a truly great Dad, friend, husband and all-out good person. So glad to be able to have you be my partner in life. Kaylee and Levi have such a ball playing around with you daily, you are so involved in their lives, I cannot thank you enough for all of that. Life with kids, while not always a peice of cake, is more enjoyable as I travel the path with you, honey. I love you!

Dad, you have influenced me much in life and still do. You are positive, you listen, you are affectionate. I feel lucky to have you as my Dad. I have learned so much from you, including some professionally but much more in our family life - how to be a good person, a  good friend, how to keep your chin up while something doesn't work out...Now Kaylee and Levi have you for a grandpa and they love you so much and have such a good time with you.

Dennis, you are an great father to Eric and are now grandfather to  5 grandchildren! You are a great advisor to all those around you, I feel blessed to have such nice in-laws. Our kids love to spend time with you! Thanks also for all these great memories you provide us through your photography skills!

Tuesday, June 12, 2012


There seem to be some big moments going on with our kids and their development! Yesterday Kaylee asked about how she would need to deliver a baby and how the baby comes out. It was easy when Levi was born to show her my incision and say that that’s how Levi came out. But she says yesterday, I don’t want them to cut me and we had to explain that that is not the norm and how babies usually, and she, are born. She was afterwards like, “I’m scared I don’t ever want to have a baby.” And then we said, “That’s okay if you don’t but when you get to be grown-up you might change your mind.”  Also in the same conversation (at the dinner table, no less) she asks about dinosaurs and how they were born and how they died and if we see them at the zoo would they scare her. She heard about them evolving from fish, and the ice age and had a lot of questions. It was amazing to track on her thinking and ability to grasp these super conceptual ideas. She asked about how people came to be. Oh my gosh! I didn’t think these conversations were coming so soon!



She is also starting to understand people’s feelings other than her own a bit more and if you get sick or hurt she will comfort you. When asked to help and she doesn’t, she’s becoming to understand my exasperation and respond to it to help out. I’ve been trying to teach her and tell her now to notice how her brother feels so that she isn’t in his face so much (literally) so he doesn’t hit her and pull her hair (and pretend to eat if afterwards).



Also Levi this morning…he walks into my room and wipe his tired eyes and says, “I can’t poop” and said “Do you want to go potty?” Again, “I need to poop.” I brought him there and he sat down, he filled his arms with his duckies with help from me saying, “I can’t reach it.” Then every time he dropped one he’d say, “Thank you MomMom” when I handed them back. So he pooped on the potty and got a tattoo reward, running over to Eric, “Daddy! I got a monkey!” He is saying so much, and in sentences and communicating! I can’t believe how much he is saying and how good he has been at the potty. I am proud of my little buddy!



Levi has been getting a lot of timeouts for unacceptable behavior and so has Kaylee. I think they are improving though neither one was really very bad. We are not experiencing the 2 year full-fledge tantrums as of yet – and I’m not looking forward to it and we are prepping him for the discipline that goes along with it. He kind of is a kid that seems to go with the flow more than Kaylee did.  I’m hoping so enough bedtime will improve too esp for Levi who ramps himself up before bed, taking nearly an hour to actually fall asleep. He has been enjoying “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” and says “ghost!” during it. I think he thinks that “ghost” means scary and he thinks there something ominous about the letters all crashing down “Boom!” out of the tree.



Kaylee has also now graduated out of her booster chair. She also had gained 2 pounds since her 4 year appt to be 32 lbs at the doctor’s office last week.  I believe when Levi was at the doctor 2 weeks ago he was 27 lb 6 oz.  So Kaylee’s gaining at bit on Levi, there only used to be a 2 lb difference. Glad to see her gaining more, she needs to!

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Sickies!

So when Eric got home he had the terrible fLu and fast-forward a week, Kaylee and I caught it. Luckily it hit hard and fast, less than 24 hours we are eating better and on our feet again, but that was no fun. Hope Levi doesn't get it, we're crossing our fingers and washing our hands!kaylee has gotten a lot easier to take care of during the flu as she can go get a bucket or run to the toilet. That's a blessing for a parent when they can manage that. Proud of my big, brave girl. Eric's out swimming in the pool with kaylee and the neighbors girls and I'm waiting upstairs for if Levi wakes up...we have not done too much this weekend due to sickness but that's really nice sometimes. Eric and I got to have drinks on the patio while they slept on this gloriously sunny day, so it's a good weekend! Hope you had a great weekend too!

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Drawings of Kaylee and Levi by Aunt B. - aren't those cute?!


Becky you are so talented, thanks for taking the time to do these! If I can figure it out we can get the animated versions up here!

Monday, June 4, 2012

Summer Fun - at the pool and the childrens festival






Kaylee and Levi have had a great weekend. We have been trying to do a lot of fun things to distract from Eric being out of town on business. Sat we spent the whole day at the pool with Aunt B and her boyfriend, and then later on two families from the neighborhood came over to swim (it was cold but they enjoyed the hot tub and then jumping in to the pool and back and forth…) We had a very nice lunch on the patio and then the neighbors had us over for dinner at night. I had the kids in bed by 10 – opps! At least they had looooong naps!

Then Sunday we went to the Children’s festival. Thanks so much to my parents who helped out a ton with the kiddos and gave them a good time at the festival. I couldn't have done it without them. I was able to sit and watch the block party performance with Kaylee whilst Levi who was antsy played with chalk with my parents. It  was so nice to be able to enjoy it. Thank you Mom and Dad!

They had so many fun things to do that we were able to experience at the festival:
Blocks for the childrens museum for climbing and ball fun
Butterfly garden
A dancing troupe dancing on blocks (huge foam ones)
They met Curious George
They ate from a Mac and Cheese truck – much to Kaylee’s adoration!
They had popsicles – yum
Played with hula hoops and ran around with flags
Saw a Native American pow wow dance
Got their hair done - were only able to enjoy the powwow by taking turns standing in line - thanks again Mom and Dad!!! Kaylee's favorite part was definately having her hair done and waiting in line that long would not have been fun for anyone! She still has her hair done 2 days later!!! :)
Got their faces painted
Kaylee got a henna tattoo at an Indian stand

All for free! Can you believe it?

Can’t wait for Eric to get home today. The kids are excited because I have a late meeting and they are getting picked up by the neighbor and their best friends. They can’t wait – the whole crew loves the novelty of it!

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on daddy's head!

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Floor Play

Kaylee had a little lamb...

Kaylee had a little lamb...

Kaylee in her PJ's

Kaylee in her PJ's

Nuckies are so fun

Nuckies are so fun

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Sweet Pea

halloween costume

halloween costume

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