Our New Place

Blake and I have started going to the library! We went Monday night to return the books from our first trip and to pick up a few more. Blake's really into monsters and ghosts, so I promised him I would get him "Where the Wild Things Are", which he was obsessed with! He calls it "The Wild Ones". We didn't have much time at the library, but we found several new books to read--Blake could not wait to read "Where the Wild Things Are", so we sat down and read it right there at the library before we left. I would like to mention I don't normally let my child walk around in a caped pair of Batman PJ's, but it was pajama day at his school, so....yeah...I didn't feel like re-dressing him. Anyway, we had a really good time together going to the library and then picked up some sundaes at DQ on the way home.

4 Month Stats

Kendall went to the doctor for her 4 month (yes, it's already been 4 whole months!!!) check up on Tuesday. She's doing well and growing...well, slowly, but surely! I guess I'm just used to Blake--he was a big kid (still is!). So, she's 13lbs 13ozs and 24 inches (exactly 2 feet tall!). She's up almost 2 pounds from before and 2 inches. I need to pull out Blake's baby book and post his stats alongside hers, it's quite a difference!!!! She got three shots, which she was very angry about--she cried real tears, then stopped for a minute and cried some more. She's definitely a girl--so dramatic! I call her my drama queen! She's the smiliest baby! She wakes up smiling (I'm not always smiling when she has nights like last night---in bed at 9, up at 10, back down, up at 12:30, back down quickly, up at 3 to eat, back down at 3:30, BACK up at 5 to eat, back down at 5:20 then I had to get up at 6:20...I'm exhuasted!) and smiles and laughs all day long! She loves people--she doesn't care who holds her, as long as someone does. She's still going to daycare just three days a week, which is working out pretty well. Blake was going part time, but will start back full time next week. I think he's bored with me all day since I have to work when I'm home. I also started back working at Pottery Barn Kids last weekend. They're only scheduling me for 4 hour shifts on Saturdays, so not too bad. I have so many things I still want to buy--I just can't quit! We'll see how long it lasts, though....I do want to start nursing classes again somewhat soon. Anywhoo....I'm blabbering.

Yyyuuummm....ffffoooooooddddddd

And so the food saga began....yyuumm...Kendall wants some eggs too, Daddy!


Kendall tried her first bites of food last night! I gave her some cereal mixed with milk. She wasn't so sure about it, but she wasn't completely opposed to it, either. She didn't really open her mouth, I just had to get the spoon in there whenever I could. She ate a good amount of the portion we fixed for her. I don't know if it was a coincidence or what, but after eating that cereal before bedtime, she slept soundly the entire night! She went to bed at 9pm and woke up at 5am, not a peep from her at all! Normally she goes to bed at 9 and is up like every stinking hour (I'm exaggerating a little bit, but it feels like it!!). I have to just pop the pacifier back in her mouth and she's good, but geez...talk about not feeling very rested when I wake up in the morning! We're not really going to feed her cereal all of the time or anything, but we thought we might practice the feeding technique for when it's really necessary for her to eat baby food in a few months. Oh, and, yes, I do need a high chair--lol! We borrowed one when Blake was a baby and I didn't register for one this time around, so I guess we'll eventually get one because her on my lap isn't the best situation for spoon-feeding!!!!

Of All The Luck...

My first time going out since Kendall's birth and this is my punishment....sigh....my company had a happy hour in celebration of a good year so far at a bar downtown. I went for a few hours, had a few drinks and a lot of fun, went home, got in bed....When I got up this morning and went down to the garage to go to work, I noticed this beauty. This is my second hit and run! Someone hit my car last year and broke out the tail light (which I still have not gotten fixed). I just priced the bumper (cause it's plastic and you can't fix it, you just have to replace it) and it's $310 just for the part! Not to mention the labor and paint...sigh...I have bad luck, I really do. I was so proud of the parking spot I got and how it only took one try for me to parallel in....wish I would have parked a little further away!!!!!!!!

House-iversary

July 19th marked our 4 year house-iversary! That day four years ago, we closed on our very first home! We were anxiously awaiting Blake's arrival and were scurring to get settled before his much anticipated birth! We bought our house a very special gift this year....new Brazilian Redwood flooring! I was hoping to post once we had it laid, but it's taking longer than anticipated to find someone to do the work. We actually ordered the wood back at the end of April and it just came in last weekend!!!!! It will go throughout the entire first floor of the house. We hope to have it laid in the next few weeks, so stay tuned!

PS I have been trying for about an hour and a half to get videos to upload, but no luck...I don't know what the deal is. I tried to put up a basketball video again as well as a video of Blake brake dancing...no luck! Sigh...Blogger irritates me sometimes!!!

Aaawww...Baby Blake! He wanted to be swaddled like Kendall likes to be!

She finally discovered that there are things hanging down from the bar over her bouncy chair. And she had to touch them both at the same time!

Blake's friend Adam and his mom and dad went to the pool with us a couple of weeks ago for the afternoon. It was fun! This was our first time at this pool and they had a really big kid pool that the boys really enjoyed! Kendall even got in and floated--I wish I had some pics of that, but obviously I can't take pictures and be in the water! Bryce's mom came with us and helped me with the kiddos since I'm out numbered now! It was a fun afternoon!

Gatti Town

Bowling!
And here's what Kendall did at Gatti Town!
Blake loves spooky stuff, so this game was perfect for him!

This thing went up in the air and bounced.....I don't know how to explain it...I have a video, but it's sort of boring. Anyway...yeah...like the random arm?

We went to Gatti Town with Bryce's mom last weekend and had some pizza and played some games (Gatti Town is sort of like Chuckee Cheese's, but their pizza is actually good and it's a buffet). It was fun! Monday's mom's eat free, so we need to go there on a Monday one of these weeks!

This Just In....

Watch out folks, we officially have a roller! Bryce laid Kendall on her activity mat on her tummy this evening and I got down there to take a picture of her because she was holding her head so high when all of a sudden, she just rolled from her tummy to her back as if she's been doing it her entire life! We put her on her tummy two more times just to make sure it wasn't some sort of fluke and sure enough, she rolled two more times!!!! I was so excited I got her first roll on film, though! How lucky was that!?! She's just getting so big!!! Such a sweet, happy girl...I tell ya, it's a lot more enjoyable the second time around...You're not so stressed because you know a little more about what you're doing, so you're able to relax and enjoy your little one!

I can just sit for hours and take pictures of this one!

Blake fell asleep in his closet...haha...I'll love showing this one to his girlfriends in the future--dinosaur undies and all!

Happy 4th of July!

Me and Kendall
Blake and Joaquin shooting fireworks--Blake's first time!
Bryce and Kendall cautiously onlooking!
Matthew, Hollee, Blake, Kendall and me
La familia!

Our 4th of July was a good one--not quite as fun as when we're in Lansing...we'll make it back there one of these years! I love the 4th with my dad!!!! Anyway, we went to a small BBQ with our friends Joaquin and Serena and then at dusk we went to my office to watch fireworks from our fifth floor terrace--we have the perfect view from there and this was our second year to do this. The boys, of course, had a fun time--even the big boys (the men) had a good time at the office! All in all it was a fun day!

Why do all the fun toys have to make so much NOISE!?!

We got Kendall's Jumperoo out this past weekend. Oh, boy, she loves this thing! Everytime she moves, part of it lights up and plays music. It's really cute! I thought she'd be too little for it, but she's totally in love with it!

Deep concentration
So, we were at Target the other day "looking" at the toys when Blake came running over to us saying he wanted the "Oh Smashes". We're like...uuhhh, huh? And he points to these green Hulk hands that make noise. Apparently he saw the commercial and remembered them from tv...This is the first time he's ever done that! So...he had to be good all week to earn the Oh Smashes and now he has them...and let me just tell you how annoying they are! Oh, yeah, SUPER ANNOYING!!!!!!!!!! I'm not really fond of the idea of these things anyway, but they talk everytime they hit something. So, Blake will smash them together and one of them will say "you're making me aaannngggrrrryyyyyy!!!!" Thank goodness only one talks and they don't talk back and forth...not sure I could handle that. But, yeah...annoying....

Can this really be comfortable? This is the only way this kid will go to sleep--all swaddled up! Thank goodness for the swaddle blankets! The only time she'll really take a pacifier is when she's trying to go to sleep..She must be swaddled with a paci. Looks uncomfortable to me, but she loves it! Oh, I should probably say she doesn't usually take a nap in her bouncy chair, but I was desperate!

Happy Birthday!

Ryan and me
Aunt Sandy and Kendall

My cousin Ryan and I share a birthday and it just so happened to be a couple of weeks ago. My grandparents came down last week to celebrate, so we had a little dinner at my house to celebrate! Ryan is 8 years younger than me--he celebrated his 21st birthday this year!!!! I'm just glad he finally grew out of having to have parties at Chuckie Cheese's!!!!! Happy birthday to Ryan and me!

Dress Up

Kendall and I played dress up on her three-month birthday--I was trying to get a good picture of her for her first year frame. She's sort of come alive in the past couple of weeks--She bats at her toys, talks ALL OF THE TIME (it's the cutest thing! Her teacher at daycare told me she always has a lot to say to her and the other babies), drools non-stop, pays attention to her toys that light up and play music. She's just starting to phase out of that newborn stage and into the baby stage--you know what I mean? She's sssooo smiley, too! She laughs and smiles all of the time. She's just a happy girl! She doesn't cry often, except when she's hungry or overly tired. She's getting big!!!! The fun is just beginning!

First Class Olympics

Blake in the obstacle course
Blake and his friend Adam
Getting his gold medal
Blake's class

Blake's school had the Olympics the other day. It was on one of the days Blake stays home with me, so I took an early lunch and took him over to school for an hour. It was really cute! It was also fun to see Blake interact with his friends!

Our Trip to Kansas

"Tie my shoes Uncle Aaron" Ha Ha
Lol...Blake put this hat on Grampy
Fishing at Lost 80
His first fishing trip!!!!
Mommy and Kendall

I know it's been over a month since we were there, but I like to be fashionably late, ok?! We got to see a lot of special people and do a lot of fun things! I'm so glad Mimi and Papa helped us get up North so that Kendall could meet all of the people that mean so much to us who are so darn far away!!!! It wasn't easy taking care of a nine week old baby and a thrre year old by myself for two weeks, but I managed somehow!

Oh my gosh! He let me take a nice picture of him!!! It'll be the only one Kendall will ever have with him!!!

Rain Forest Cafe
He used to be scared of this alligator
Nice tongue shot
Joe, Kendall and my mom