I like to move it, move it!

Kyley is definitely growing up, and she is growing up fast.  So, at times it may seem like I take pictures of nothing or everything...whichever way you look at it.  However, I do not want to miss a beat because I know that time goes so fast.  

Since she has become mobile she is always on the move.  There is never a dull moment in our house.  Kyley wants to be crawling, climbing, walking, riding, moving and talking all the time.  I know that everyone said I will regret wanting her to be mobile, but I truly do not.  Of course she is in to everything and that keeps me moving too, but it is so much fun to watch even more of her little personality unfold during this huge step in her development.  Plus, we did have a bit longer than normal to prepare I guess.  

Kyley has a new found respect for her walker.  And, no she does not use it always on her tip toes, and we do not leave her in it all day.  Why would we purposely hinder her development.  However, she does love to fly through the house, ramming into cupboards, tables, walls, doors...whatever comes into sight.  She also is very adventurous and curious, so she gets herself in a bind once in awhile.  One of the cutest things she does in this walker (which she by the way BEGS to get in so how do we say no) is immediately walks it over to the front window, and she sits and eats her cheerios and looks outside. 

Kyley loves to cruise around any and every piece of furniture.  It makes us smile to see her being able to do this as there was a time about a year ago that we really wondered if this were going to be possible.  She likes to stand and play, dance, and talk...her vocabulary has expanded drastically with "bye-bye", "book", "go car", "brush", "bath", and a whole list of words that maybe only mommy and daddy really can understand:)!

We didn't do a whole lot of anything this week, and yes I will say it again because of the heat.  Kyley and mommy managed to have to go to the grocery store almost every day, so we did get out for a breathe of hot air.  Either way she must have caught a "tummy bug" during one of these outings.  So, we have had a few tired, not so fun diaper days with a decreased appetite, but outside of those symptoms...you would never know.  Nothing slows this little one down...she is always on the move.

Someday they will realize how lucky they really are...

Coming from a large family of motivated siblings from Nebraska, it is a blessing to me that we have my brother, Greg and his family so close here in Wichita.  Our careers, choices and families have taken most of us further away from each other than we would like at times, so we are enjoying the fact that we have them here.  We try to spend as much time getting Kyley and Calyn together as we can while we have the opportunity, but it is never easy with every one's continually demanding schedules...but we do our best.  We hope someday they are able to look back at these pictures and realize how lucky they are to have each other.  And, we hope at that point they are more like sisters than just friends.

We have come to realize that there are going to be many tears shed, battles fought, smiles made and hugs and kisses given with these two.  They are more and more interested in each other the older they get.  Calyn is much more mobile than Kyley, and she just doesn't quite understand why Kyley isn't walking too...in fact, Calyn was getting mad and trying to pick her up.

 

  Kyley actually was working very hard at pulling up and standing over at Calyn's house this weekend.  Their fireplace ledge is just the right height for her, so Kyley was really learning how to pull up. 

However, we didn't realize she was teaching Calyn a bad, new trick of climbing on to the ledge...along with playing with the DVR box and tv speaker!   What will we do with these girls..????  This is just the beginning and this is just a glimpse at the trouble and fun they will get into and have!

We are having a "Summer is Never Going to End Party"

Yes, I am once again using a line from her favorite show on Nick, Jr. "Miss Spider's Sunnypatch Friends".  Seriously, we have the episodes memorized especially now that we have spent so much time indoors due to the never-ending heat wave.  Every morning when I wake up I drink my coffee and watch the weather channel before Kyley gets up.  And, every day for over the last month it has this bright red warning across the bottom of the screen that says excessive heat warning.  They have even so much as covered a few days or even a week in the warning anymore rather than a daily warning.  I guess they are at least not setting us up for disappointment. 

Well, Kyley is definitely getting a lot of practice crawling on these long days inside.  She maneuvers through the house like a little worm or bear whichever she decides to crawl like on that given day.  Her "technique" is not necessarily always a standard crawl.  In fact, I am pretty sure she is already trying to walk.  All she wants to do is stand up and play...which requires 100% attention or we have injuries.

This leads me to my next comment...they really need to warn parents about the dangers of mobility.  I guess I was not prepared for the constant bumps and bruises that come with learning to crawl and walk.  Of course I know she is okay if it is not followed by excessive crying, vomit, sleep, etc., but it does not make it any easier to see your baby get hurt.  I really think Kyley has inherited my clumsiness and would benefit from a helmet at times.  Oh well, I know it is a learning process, but she is not learning very fast that her head will smack into things before her hands and feet get there.

Kyley and I are really into a daily routine of reading, playing, snuggling, and a quick errand running.  I figure we need to get out of the house at least once a day, but unfortunately for her daddy it ends up being a shopping errand:)!  Anyway, I try to alternate the toys and books she plays with daily so she doesn't get bored, we are learning nursery rhymes and games, practicing walking, singing and she is looking cute doing it.  Every day is a party at our house....a "Summer is Never Going to End Party"...a miserable, hot summer!!! 

Yes Kyley has a babysitter...

I know that everyone was unsure of whether we would ever find a real babysitter.  It wasn't that we wouldn't find anyone that would want to watch Kyley, but it was more whether we would trust anyone with her after all we have been through.  Well, we are not as "overprotective" as everyone thinks.  Yes, we have had adult sitters and friends, but in my mind a real babysitter is a responsible, mature teenage girl or boy that can babysit her for the next few years to come (until they are off to college hopefully) on weeknights, weekends and during the summer.  In fact, we have had several in mind, but our neighbor and friend's daughter, Madi, is officially Kyley's first sitter.  Kyley absolutely LOVES her!  She shows off and keeps Madi busy playing the entire time.  It is so cute when Madi leaves, we watch her walking away and Kyley yells at her until she can no longer see her out the door window.  Right now Madi just comes to help out when I need an extra set of hands so that I can get some work done at home.  It is so good for Kyley and I, and we are so excited to have Madi as her "sitter" and friend!

All Things Girlie

So, I am sure I am not the only one that is sucked in by all things girlie...am I?  I really have a tough time getting out of a store without buying at minimum a new little outfit for Kyley.   She seriously has more clothes than I do...well close anyway.  I am not sure that her daddy truly understands the extent to which he is in trouble with the two of us.  The shopping bond is already forming since we cannot do anything outside of the house due to the heat other than shop:)!  Anyway, during our most recent shopping outings we have ended up with more girlie purchases for Kyley...not just clothes.  I will defend myself a bit and point out that she had a few birthday gifts to exchange and these were replacement gifts. 

Doesn't every girl need her own suitcase?  She may need to go stay with one of her aunties, uncles and cousins really soon.  And, she has to be fashionable!  On top of the suitcase being a travel necessity...it doubles as a toy because she even fits inside of it.

Every princess should have her throne too!  And, the suitcase and chair match which really makes sense.  In all reality she will use both the chair and suitcase a lot.  We tend to make several trips to Nebraska every year, and we have trips to Arkansas and Iowa planned in the next few months.  Kyley is also a bit of a tv hound, so it is perfect for her to sit in and watch her shows.  Plus, she looks too darn cute in it!  Either way we have a hard time passing up all these girlie things, so it is what it is and daddy better hope the weather cools off soon!!

And she is....mobile

Look out everyone...Kyley is officially mobile!!!  Yep, we are not telling you a joke...she started crawling over the weekend...and she has not turned back yet!  I think she finally decided that there were so many fun things to explore, and she wanted a piece of them.  And, she is getting her hands on anything and everything she wants...some things we were not quite prepared for her to figure out.  Quite honestly, I do not think we ever even thought about her getting into some of them.  

 Kyley's first major discovery was the floor air vents.  She loves them.  She lays on them, runs her fingers across them, and she has even pulled one of them out.  And, she has to check out the wall outlets every time too...thankfully we had already child proofed those!

Kyley needs some knee pads and a helmet.  This crawling thing can really beat a person up;)!  She is already following mommy into the kitchen.  So her little knees are always red from the wood floors, and she already has a few bruises on them.  Kyley does not miss a thing.  She opens cupboards, pulls down towels...you name it she finds it.  With that being said her head takes a beating because she doesn't realize it is in the way when she is opening things or trying to move right through them!  It usually doesn't even phase her...it is mommy that has to get used to that.  If she cries it is only for a second and then off she goes...on to bigger and better things.

 Watch out world...here she comes!!!

Singing while your Swinging

Okay...so of course Kyley was not singing and swinging.  But, I couldn't help but quote a line from a song in one of her favorite shows "Ms. Spider's Sunnypatch Friends".  Plus, if she could sing I bet she would have been singing based on how much fun she was having.  Kyley got this swing for her 1st birthday.  We put it up under our deck, and she couldn't love it more.  She yells in excitement every time she swings (which has only been a few times since her daddy just got it hung...don't tell him I said that).  Granted we have not been able to play outside much either the last month due to the heat.  She will be able to enjoy it for quite some time...especially since the weight limit is 50 lbs.  Even though she weighed over 19 lbs over the weekend when we weighed her, Kyley has plenty of time based on her weight:)! 

Thank you to Little Tikes for yet another amazing invention, and thank you to all of our family for the amazing birthday gifts.  Kyley and mommy have so many fun things to do inside and out.  If you wonder where we are when the weather gets nice, I am sure you will find us out back singing and swinging!

An Avocado's Nightmare

Kyley has been eating a wide variety of solid/table foods for quite some time now.   She loves eating just like her mommy and daddy.  However, she also has her favorites like them too.  Kyley could eat a few of those favorites every day or meal if we let her.  In fact, we do let her eat one of them almost daily...avocado.  

The poor avocado loses the battle every time.  I am not sure what is so special about the avocado that can make such a mess.  It ends up in her hair, ears, nose, everywhere.  Kyley can eat 1/2 of an avocado in less than 5 minutes, and I am sure she would eat an entire one if we let her.  We figure it cannot hurt her with the healthy fats, oil and extra calories for our growing girl.  Heck...she has a taste for fine foods already...mommy loves avocados too! 

She even looks like she has been through a battle when it is all said and done.  And, she looks pretty pleased with herself, or maybe she is just happy to have a full tummy again?

Life in the fast lane

Kyley has been busy lately being mommy's helper, so we have been out running some errands.  Well, she made it very clear last week that she is not very impressed with getting in and out of her car seat and the car in the 100 degree temps we have been having.  So, I bartered with her and let her drive the car for a bit before we got back in.  She makes me laugh every time she "drives."  One would think she has "road rage" and is yelling at the other cars on the road.  I really think she was just telling them all how mad she was at her mommy and her car seat.

I have said it many times before that Kyley likes to be on the move and likes to go fast.  Well, it is not so easy or safe for that matter to go fast in her new wagon, but she definitely loves walking in this fashion rather than having me push her in the stroller.  Great Aunt Dale got this "souped-up" wagon for Kyley for her 1st birthday.  It is fully loaded with a beverage cooler under the seat, a food cooler attached to the side, drink holders, seat belts, an umbrella, and it converts to a bench for picnic time!  Well, Kyley absolutely loves the wagon like she does her pink buggy...she refuses to get out.  After 45 minutes of walking around the block in the stifling early morning heat and trying to bribe her with every thing I could thing of, we were able to get back in to the air conditioning for a much needed break before the temperatures once again hit 100.  I think I know what I will be spending most of my mornings doing!!

 

More Miscellaneous Summer Fun!

Well, today is a miscellaneous Summer fun post because all of the pictures are randomly gathered from my phone and camera over the past few weeks.  However, they are too fun to not share!  As you can see Kyley is still wearing short sleeved pj's, and again whether it is coincidence or not...she is still sleeping through the night!  I think we will keep wearing the short sleeved pj's especially since it has been so hot anyway.

A few weeks ago our friends, Jeff & Sarah, were back from Geneva, Switzerland.  It was the first time that they got to meet Kyley due to a few factors #1 they live in another country, #2 someone was always sick during the last year when they were able to visit, and #3 the NICU was closed when they came to visit Kyley in the hospital.  Well, they were instant friends, and we cannot wait to see them again when they are back for their wedding in October!

That same week mommy and daddy had a work event to attend, so Kyley went to play at her friend, Piper's house (and her mom, Jen was there too;))!  She had so much fun.  Kyley ate like a big girl...odd little point of interest...that is Piper's bib from when she was a baby and Kyley has the exact same one!  Mommy used to take care of Piper when she was little too, so it is fun to see them together now.  Anyway, they played with all of Piper's toys and on the swing set which was an instant hit.  Kyley did not even notice we had left until we came to pick her up a few hours later.  We know where we will be taking her from now on;!

Kyley is growing up so fast.  She really thinks she is a big girl, and she loves to stand up next to the table and play.  If you put her cheerios, car, or really any movable toy up there she will stand and play forever.  Kyley does forget, however, that if she lets go she will fall.  Eventually she will learn to hold on or stand on her own.  She also stills loves playing with balls.  In fact, "ball" is her newest word that she has added to her vocabulary.  It is so cute to hear her say it.  She also says "mama," "dada," "baby," "uh-oh," "whoa,""bottle," and we are pretty sure she is saying "beer" (thanks to her daddy) amongst a few other words!  I am afraid we better watch out when this one starts talking...just as with walking...she will never stop!