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!

Visitors and Visitors and Visitors Oh My!

We had a pretty eventful 4th of July holiday weekend this past weekend.  Not only did we have Cousin Calyn's 1st Birthday party on Saturday and the holiday of course, but we had tons of visitors in town.  The Browns came from Little Rock for the weekend and stayed with us.  We were also lucky to have Grandpa Des come from Nebraska to stay with us for the entire weekend.  Uncle Mike and Aunt Mallory drove in from South Dakota for the party, and they came to visit us several times.  We also got to see Uncle Jim, Aunt Nola, Cousin Stella, G & G Barb & Barney who all drove in from Nebraska for Calyn's birthday.  And, we of course go to spend time with Uncle Greg, Aunt Emily and Cousin Calyn who we don't get to see enough living so close.  It was a VERY busy, yet fun-filled weekend.

We seemed to either always be on the run to an air conditioned restaurant or anything we could think of to beat the heat.  Mother Nature did us no favors this year as we moved from a cool Spring to a VERY HOT summer.  The temperatures have stayed right around 100 for quite some time now, and it makes outdoor activities really difficult with little ones!  However, we were able to sneak in a fun boat ride with Grandpa Des and the Browns, a pool day at the Millers, Calyn's 1st birthday party, fireworks on the boat, fireworks at our house, many good dinners and play time. 

Saturday, July 2nd, was Calyn's birthday and party.  Despite the fact that it was miserably hot, we had such a fun time!  Calyn had a pool and other outdoor activities but paired with the over tired factor and heat, Kyley did not get in the water.  However, she did enjoy the company of all of the family and Calyn's friends at Calyn's Grandma & Grandpa Higgins house.  Calyn loved her cake and all of her gifts.   We will have so much fun celebrating with her over the years.  I know we have said it before, but we are so lucky to live so close.

Sunday, we spent the day at the Miller's pool with the old crew (Kubik's, Brown's, Miller's and Ewy's) and then finished up with fireworks at our house.  We were not sure what Kyley would think of them, and we were very surprised to learn that she really liked them.  She would just sit and stare at the lights, and when they made sound she would stare even more...a few startles and hands on the head in response to the loud ones.  But, she did not shed any tears or look away...in fact she was looking around people and objects to see them.

The 4th of July holds a special place in our hearts for reasons outside of the obvious.  Last year Kyley was released from the NICU on the 4th and allowed to come home with us.  Her Cousin Calyn also went home from the hospital that day.  It was such an exciting day...a bit nerve-wracking though too.  What a homecoming, right?  Well, she celebrated in true fashion this year with lots of family and friends, on the boat and a neighborhood fireworks show that you cannot beat!  We are so VERY blessed. 

Thankfully the weekend did not fly by (unlike most these days), and we really got to enjoy our visitors and friends as much as possible.  We hope to celebrate every 4th of July as we did this one!

Learning to Crawl

Surprise, Surprise...I am behind again in my posts, but that is what happens when you have a busy summer of activities and company...making up for last summer when we stayed home all the time to get the little one healthy.

On a lighter note Ms. Kyley is learning to crawl, and I mean it for real this time (I am sure I have said that before).  We are not crying wolf...I promise she is really going to take off anyday now.  She has been taking a few "steps" or whatever you call them when they are crawling.  The minute we put her on the floor she is up on all fours ready to move.  Kyley definitely gets where she wants to much easier these days, and in no time she will be getting every where we DON'T want her:)!  

I think everyone is excited to see her moving.  Even Uncle Greg enlisted his help over the weekend.  He just wants us to see what it is like to have a mobile child since Calyn has been walking for 3 months lol!  Kyley is just doing things in Kyley fashion at her own pace...before long she will be moving a 100 mph, and we will never get her to stop.  Look out Wichita here she comes!