Where do you learn these things?

 Its amazing how much our little girls learn every day.  Kinsley, being almost three, loves to try out new words and phrases as soon as she hears them.  Yesterday, she pointed out that she had only colored on one side of her paper, and then said "I'm so disappointed."  And when she doesn't get something right away, or Sister isn't sharing, she says, "Fine, then I not play with you any more!"  (She usually comes back pretty quick.) She still talks in her own language too and sometimes all Myla and I can do is look at each other and shrug our shoulders.  Sometimes, she is playing in her own Kinsley world and chatters away between two babies, or her baby will talk to her.  She has quite the little imagination!

Myla loves kindergarten and is "performing at grade level" says the report card.  She never tells us much about what she's learned in school, until the most random times.  Or she loves the show Wild Kratts and can spout off things about random animals you never knew.  We got a pass to the museum for Christmas and have been three times in January because Myla is soaking it all in.  We learned about our bodies last time we were there and she will sometimes randomly tell you about your heart or bacteria or something crazy smart.  I think she'll do just fine in first grade - of which she's already counting the days.  Well, sort of...

Going, Going...

Where has 2013 gone!?  I know.. it wasn't well documented here, that's for sure.  I make a resolution now to blog more and better in 2014.  Until then...

Happy New Year!

Sitting

With the wild warm and cold weather, we have been looking for things that will keep us occupied.  Lately, that has consisted of tea parties, vacations, and general super-hero saving.  Our girls are not typically the sit down kind of gals, unless the tv or a movie is on.  So when they do sit, its usually in pretty cute ways.  Kinsley is still trying hard to catch her big sister and has grown an inch and a half since February.  She has also – and much more importantly in her little sister mind I’m sure – moved to a big girl bed.  Its been surprisingly easy for her.  She’s been sleeping well and since she’s gotten a pillow (because, you know, big sister has a pillow), she stays pretty much in one direction.  We’ve also been trying the potty a little bit more and yesterday, she went two times.  Our beloved Gov’ner is taking a much deserved vacation next week and we will focus a lot on that.

Myla is growing more in her little mind than on the growth charts, which is just fine.  She can tell you things about all sorts of animals and decided the other day that she wants to be a peregrine falcon or a honey badger for Halloween.  Today, on the way home, she asked me if ghosts had hands.  We decided that they must because how could they get their heads back on if they fell off!  Her one big girl tooth is starting to pop up just in time for its neighbor to be wiggly.  She’s pretty funny about it, she doesn’t want the new to fall out because she then she couldn’t eat!  But she hasn’t had any problem eating lately – I’m sure she’s getting ready to grow six inches!

The Easter Bunny Cameth

And his arrival was quite the to-do around this house!  Myla has been telling us for weeks that Easter is her “favorite” holiday and she couldn’t wait for Easter egg hunts.  She was so excited to go and pick out fabrics for her pretty Easter dress – and was very bummed when she found out she had to wait two weeks for my mother to make them!  But everything was right with the world when this morning came and she got to put it on – complete with Easter bonnet.

The girls got to do three – count ‘em, THREE – Easter egg hunts.  One at home, one at my parents and one at Auntie Karen’s house.  Kinsley was in awe every time she found another one of her eggs – her little eyes lit up and she would say “wow!” and throw it in her basket.  Then the best part came when she got to open them – and what a bounty!  Animal crackers, necklaces, pennies and gummies were in her little eggs, not to mention the one or two eggs with chocolate candies and jelly beans.

Myla is very good at finding things (I credit the I spy books) and had no problems finding all her eggs.  She was off like a flash at all the egg hunts and threw them in her basket as fast as she could.  Next year, the Easter bunny is going to have to be a bit craftier about where he hides her eggs.  She loved it and was a little sad when there weren’t any more to find – for her or Kinsley or cousins.  In fact, when we got home from the day of festivities, she took her eggs and hid them all again, just so she could find them one more time.

And when the fun was over and it was determined the birds wouldn’t want to find eggs at night, the girls took a little time to rest and blow some bubbles.

Ides of March

I’m so sorry that we let the ENTIRE month of February go without a post.  It certainly wasn’t my intent – the computer gremlins took over and rendered us incapable of updating.  But I will make up with it now – a picture guide to the last six weeks!

The month of February began innocently enough -  you know, throwing all the toys out of the cupboard because I have a much better use for it!

Myla surprised her daddy one morning by coming downstairs and saying “I have a wiggly tooth daddy!” That afternoon it was off to the craft store to make a door for the tooth fairy to come through to leave her treasures.

We went to the Winter Festival in Evergreen where we got to make snow angels, walk on the ice and build snowmen.  Quite a fit was thrown when it was time to leave it was so much fun.

Myla has been learning her letters and numbers at school and can now count to 100.  She’s helped her daddy plant a garden and loves to count the sprouts that have grown – 13, three tomatoes and 10 carrots.  She is very into dancing and loves to curtsy after each performance.

Kinsley turned two!  Holy cow if I wasn’t prepared for that one!  Her check up was perfect – 28 pounds 12 ounces and 33 inches tall.  The doctor said she’ll be 5’ 5” or 5’ 6” at this rate.  And she’s so happy and fun to be around!  We went to the aquarium for lunch and the exhibits and she had so much fun.  She loves to tell Myla that she’s two!

We had a “blizzard” in which the girls got to go outside and stomp in some snow.  Kinsley wasn’t sure at first and needed Myla’s hand to help her navigate the snow.  After a while, Myla decided to clear a path for Kinsley to walk on.  The wind was blowing hard so they didn’t stay out long, but they had a great time while they were out there!

Today, after weeks of saying every morning, “its pretty wiggly!” Myla’s tooth fell out.  She was just eating a pretzel and she said, rather matter of factly, “mommy, daddy, my tooth just felled out.”  We can’t find it – its either in her car seat or her tummy, but she wrote the tooth fairy a note, so it will be okay. 

And that brings you up to date!  The girls are keeping us busy and we are now preparing for spring – Easter and bike rides and fun outside.  This time, there will be no computer gremlins to keep us from updating you!

Memories

When I was growing up, me and my sister used to go on “dates with Dad.”  They were special times and I have some very special memories from them.  In fact, my sister and I still go on dates with our dad.  So, when we first found out – many moons ago now – that we were having a girl in Myla, it was something that I wanted Johnny and her to do as well.  For Christmas this year, my parents got Johnny two tickets to the Sacramento Kings vs the Denver Nuggets basketball game.  At first, he had thought to take his brother or my brother or even me (even though the sport of basketball escapes me completely).  Things came up and Johnny mentioned out loud “who am I going to take to the basketball game?” and Myla said, “what about me daddy?”  And so off they went.  Myla had a great time mostly watching everything else but the game, but she told me her favorite thing was Rocky and being there with daddy.  My hope exactly.

Kinsley is learning more every day, but it’s the changes in her imagination that amaze me.  She has taken up a little game – she will put on a hat, scarf, sometimes sunglasses, and a bag of some sort and she will wave goodbye and blow you kisses, tell you something and off she goes.  She walks around the house “circle” and then comes back, takes it all off, and runs to hug you like she hasn’t seen you in days.  And then, it all goes back on and she starts over.  She is still talking in some strange baby language, but is picking up a new word all the time.  And reading – this girl has discovered that to sit and listen to a whole book – of a reasonable size – is the best thing and that you can finish a book and find a new one to read.  It’s a refreshing change from reading the same book over and over, although she still has her favorites.  Of course, her absolute favorite thing is to sit next to Myla and read books together.  I hope she remembers that as she grows up.

Off days

We haven’t had many days off lately as a family, when we don’t have to go “do” anything.  (This last vacation doesn’t count – it was vacation!)  But today we got to just hang out and have a good time.  The girls had gotten gift cards to the book store and it just so happened that the book store was also giving away buy-one-get-one cookies.  So we went to lunch and then spent a good long time playing and reading and deciding which books to bring home.  Each of them got four books that were all pretty random, and “read” them all the way home. 

We spent the rest of the afternoon running around the house and playing in the basement.  It was especially good for Myla, who has been having a really hard time with her daddy working his weird hours.  She’s had meltdowns more than one night because he had to work or couldn’t put her to bed.  She’s very much a daddy’s girl and so to spend the day with him was a good thing.  We enjoyed the sunshine and took a little walk and the girls held hands and giggled.  And now we look forward to the next time!

Rule of Twos

We have two very individual girls but there is no escaping the sibling rivalry that they sometimes have.  If Kinsley has a bouncy ball, Myla wants one.  If Myla has a set of keys, Kinsley needs some.  Its become a little predictable, but there are some things that we have not yet figured out how to have two of (time with play-doh comes to mind).  But every-once-in-a-while, we have gotten a glimpse of how good of friends they are going to grow up to be.  Tonight was a good example – I was sure that Myla had grown six inches and so I thought tonight would be a good time to measure her.  (She’s actually grown half an inch in four months to 38 1/2”.)  As she stood there against the wall, Kinsley watched in her new favorite pose – arms crossed and a finger on her chin – and then when Myla was done, she said “me too!”  Myla helped me keep her still enough to measure and find she too has grown – three quarters of a inch to 33 1/2”.  When Kinsley was done, Myla said “good job Kinsley” and Kinsley ran to give her a hug and Myla gave her a little kiss on the head.  Yep… do it together and you’ll never be alone. 

2013 – off like a shot!

Sorry we let 2012 go without an update… Johnny and I both took vacation starting from December 21st and we just didn’t have time to blog!  We had a fantastic Christmas and the girls were truly spoiled.  We spent the 10 days of vacation playing with shopping carts and baby strollers and princess castles and suitcases and baby dolls and puzzles.  The girls spent two days straight in their pajamas until we forced them to an indoor play ground.  It was awesome – and a much needed break for us to spend with our girls.  The girls were ready to get rid of us by the 3rd though. 

Myla begins the second semester of “school” tomorrow and is having a really good time with her teachers and her class.  I went with her on a field trip to the Nutcracker and she was pointing out all of her friends to me.  She never really tells me what she learns in school, but sometimes can tell me exactly what her friends were wearing.  She’s a girlie-girl.  She loves using her imagination and is usually very sweet about letting her sister tag along.  She’s taken to playing up in her room when she wants to be alone though and will barricade the doors with her big stuffed animals, even though Kinsley hasn’t figured out door knobs yet.

Kinsley is growing way to fast and still talks up a storm.  She’s really getting some words down though and sometimes we can actually understand what she is saying.  She loves to read  - LOVES it – and sometimes will bring a book all around the house with her.  She also loves hats and prefers baseball caps on backwards.  She’s very helpful at setting the table and calling for Myla when dinner is ready and is awesome at knowing just when to annoy her big sister.  Kinsley is very sweet though and will usually grab our arm or face to give us kisses and loves to give hugs too.  She is learning a lot every day – its very fun to watch.

Johnny spent a week in Telluride in December and is currently in Breckenridge.  The girls and I make the most of it while he is gone and today we got to spend most of the day with my parents and then after dinner, the girls spent the rest of the night playing with each other until it was time to read in bed.  They had spent a lot of time up and down from our bed and all across the floor with flowers and hats and jackets.  They like to go on “adventures” and clock in a lot days as the sun goes up and down a lot in their little worlds.  Now, I know that time flies, but let’s not let it happen too fast!

The most fun part

You know how they always say, "you get them a toy, they play with the box."  We've noticed that on a number of occasions (I've got a few pictures in my stash to prove it) and we've always been amazed at what these imaginative girls come up with.  Its become harder as Kinsley grows to make them both happy - you know, the she's-got-it-and-I-want-it syndrome.  (Actually, Kinsley just says "me too" and we know what that means.)  Its always fun to see them playing together too.  Just last night, Johnny and I had the pleasure of watching the "Myla and Kinsley Show" in the basement.  We were laughing so hard - it was just too darn cute - Kinsley would pop out of the tent when Myla would say "and here's Kinsley!" and she would wave and clap.  Then Myla would come across the stage and take a bow.  It was great entertainment.

And so, in honor of our 301st(!?) post on our little blog here, please allow yourself a moment to remember enjoying being a kid and playing with the box.

Lots to be thankful for

Another year, another Thanksgiving, another “holy cow, the girls are so big” moment.  We’ve had so many things that to list all the things we are thankful for would take up a lot of your computer screen.  So instead of the boring old parent thankful things (you know, good doctors that take care of little broken arms, great teachers that teach your little ones how to be great people, awesome grandparents that love you and your little girls unconditionally, so on and so on), here are some things that Myla and Kinsley are thankful for:

Myla is thankful for Christmas trees and princess dresses and Christmas lights and footie jammies.

Kinsley is thankful for baby dolls and milk cups and blueberries and pennies found on the floor.

Happy Thanksgiving!  We hope you have too many things to count to be thankful for!

Hey, even princesses need to do their homework!

Another reason to love Colorado

Yesterday was a perfect 60 degree day in our fair state and a rare day when Johnny didn’t have to be in to work early.  So we took advantage of the sunshine and ventured out to the zoo.  (Do you know, we got the family pass for Christmas last year and this is the first time we’ve been as a family?  Crazy huh?)  There weren’t a ton of people there and the girls really enjoyed walking around at their own pace.  I took Myla into the the lorikeet area where she got to feed the birds and was very brave once she saw how it all worked.

We also got to ride on the merry-go-round and Kinsley got to give a mermaid toy to the penguins.  (Well, not exactly on purpose and not without a few tears.)  There was also a lot of speculation around the Christmas lights that we saw all around the zoo.  I have a feeling that we’ll be going back there in the night soon.  We grabbed a large bag of popcorn on our way out of the zoo and nibbled all the way home.

So, basically, it was a perfect day.

Catch up

So, I’ve been a little slow getting some updates on here with colds and Halloween and well, life.  But I think I’m all caught up now!

Goodbye Cast!

Kinsley got her cast off on the third and never looked back.  I don’t know if she knew why her arm was in a cast, but I think she knew it was better once they took it off.  They took the cast off and then had to take an x-ray to make sure the bone had healed, so they left us for a minute.  She looked at the pins in her arms, pointed to the door and said something like, “okay, lets go!”  They did take the x-ray and were very pleased at the amount of new bone growth and happy that it had healed just about perfectly, so the pins came out.  Kinsley watched them do it – mom did not – and didn’t even really fuss.  In fact, the nurse that was observing commented that Kinsley didn’t even cry.  It took her a couple of days to remember that it wasn’t locked in one position any more and she could use it now.  She still prefers her left hand to do things, but has started to get her right arm moving around.  Basically, its like it never happened except for the scab where they pulled the pins out.  And her mom might be a little more hovering on the playground for the moment.

Boo!

This year, the girls were recovering from a cold on Halloween, but they were not going to let that stop them from going trick or treating.  Mermaid Myla was so excited that all day she kept changing her mind about who she was going to take with her.  When the time finally came, she just wanted to go and was off like a shot.  I had to remind her more than once to wait up for Lizard Kinsley (she was supposed to be a turtle, but never wanted to put on her shell).  Kinsley had the best time when people would let her take candy to put in her basket and got a little confused when they put one in her basket for her.  By the end of it though, she had discovered that she could hang her basket on her cast and pick more candy with the good hand.  She was happy with that.

Myla was very good about saying trick-or-treat and thank you at each house, but I think she was a little confused at the houses that were dark.  Why would someone not trick-or-treat?  She made a good haul though and loved being a mermaid all day.  I didn’t see any other ones out there – a snow white and a belle – but no mermaids.  She even let me put some red glitter in her hair in the morning, but it was all out by candy time.  Again this year, she loved helping hand out candy and even did it at the Baker’s house – a stop we have to make on Halloween so they can ooo and ahh over the cute little girls.  Which of course they are!

Myla turns 5!

Our tiny little girl turned five in October and was so happy to be so.  We had a little mermaid party with a couple of her friends on one of the fantastic Saturdays that was sunny and warm and then she got a little early birthday present from us – another bike to keep at our house.  She was pretty excited to ride it, even though she acted like she’d never been on a two-wheeler before.  By the end of the ride, she was pretty confident except for the dips in the sidewalk.  She’ll get the hang of it in the spring I’m sure – or this winter if the weather stays this warm.

The party continued through the week and we carved pumpkins with the family on the next Sunday.  She was like me in not wanting to put her hands inside the pumpkin, but she loved watching and was very excited to see the faces.  Myla got all sorts of cute dresses to wear, a tea set, nail polish pens, Cabbage Patch doll and a doll house as big as she is.  I think that everything has been played with extensively and she could not be more excited to be five.

She’s so big – the doctor clocked her in at 29.5 pounds and 38.5 inches.  And she thoroughly impressed her with her language skills and happiness.  Its amazing to think that it was five years ago.  Five years.  My sister told me that she remembers the World Series was on the night Myla was born and here it is on again on her birthday.  I remember not being able to see it very well – I didn’t have my glasses – and I was probably pretty out of it.  This year I didn’t see it very well because I had tears in my eyes – how can she be five!

Sling, what sling?

Oh this?  Its just covering up the broken arm.  Oh, I didn’t tell you about that either?  Huh, well let me explain…

Kinsley was chasing her sister on the playground over the bouncy bridge that connects two platforms.  After seven or eight times over it, somehow she fell on the last time.  This is one tough girl – she didn’t even cry on her last shots – so she just got in the car and fell asleep.  It wasn’t until about 45 minutes later that she woke up and said “hey, my arm hurts.”  Off we went to the doctor, who then sent us to the emergency room for x-rays, who then scheduled us for surgery on Friday.

It was a long day, but at about 3:30 they took her in for two pins and a stylish purple cast.  The break is right at her elbow, where the top bone in your arm meets the joint and so they felt that it was important for her future mobility that the surgery be done.  They didn’t have to make an incision, just stuck the two pins in her bone but they stick out just a little, then the cast wraps over it.  In about three weeks, we go in for another x-ray, and if all is good, off comes the cast and out come the pins. 

We had a rough night on Friday, but last night was a little better.  She’s starting to used to her arm not being exactly the same  - eating takes on a new twist - and has even been holding a few toys in those exposed fingers.  With any luck, tonight she’ll simply lay down and sleep…

Growing up

Myla got an early birthday present in the form of a big girl bike and she LOVES it.  She struggles a little with the turning on it, but I think she did that with her trike too.  She loves to get going on it and will yell out “look at me!”  Its really fun to see her speed off.  She does that with her stories about her day too – just speeds off about what she’s done or learned.  Some days it’s a few days after the fact, but that doesn’t really matter in Myla-time I guess.  Its hard to believe that she’s almost five – crazy in fact.  How could time have gone so fast!?

Kinsley is keeping pace with her sister and grows as much as Myla does.  We clocked them both at growing an inch and 1/2 in three months.  She still talks a lot about something that we don’t fully understand, but she’s definitely getting some words down – me too, no way, balloon, ball, and a number of animal sounds as well.  She loves to fold her arms or she’ll huff and put her hands on her hips.  She is an opinionated little girl, but also very happy and will laugh when we are giving her something that she wants to eat, its so cute.  Her latest thing is to lean against something and cross her little feet at the ankles and talk to you.  About something or other.

And so, in my humble opinion, I submit that they are growing to fast and need to stop now.  Myla tells me that they can’t stop because they have to be as big as me and Johnny.  Good thing I’m not very tall…

Winding down

You know how sometimes you just wish that you were a kid again and there were no worries, just a pool on the deck, a slide, some water and an uncommonly warm September day?  Myla and Kinsley have been making up a lot of games together lately – sometimes it involves running across the room and diving into a pile of pillows, or chasing each other through the tent and tunnel in the basement, or putting their babies to sleep in the fort that they built in the family room.  They really are pretty good friends.

They also take pretty good care of each other.  Myla will tell Kinsley that “you have to eat your dinner if you want a cookie” and Kinsley will yell “abah ato bu bu a ooo!” (which I roughly translate to “come upstairs and brush your teeth!”  They make each other laugh, or stay awake in the car and yes, cry.  But they are always looking out for each other.  Kinsley gets worried when Myla goes to school and is very excited to see her when she picks her up.  Myla will ask first thing in the morning when I wake her up “where’s Kinsley?” and sometimes will rush to put on her clothes to go wake up little sister.

As the summer winds down and we start to take stock of the memories we made, I think that it’s the moments when they are playing together that I will treasure the most.  The ones when Kinsley will take Myla her water cup first after playing outside or Myla will run to the slide on the playground and say “c’mon Kinsley!”  I will remember the bouncy castle and the swimming pool and the wagon rides.  And I will look forward to the leaf jumping and crunching, the snowman making, the…

One project down!

This weekend was one we’ve been waiting for all summer.  Johnny has been working hard on the sprinkler system for our all dirt backyard.

We had already moved the big piles of rocks earlier this year and planted a cute little tree in the hopes of shade someday.  And now that we had it leveled and prepped, sprinklered and ready, it was grass time.

It took a couple of hours but we got it all down.  Myla was a big helper in rolling it all down and Kinsley was a big helper by napping.  :)  And after it was down, we did what any self-respecting sod layer would do -

We ran through the sprinklers.