Summer is here!

A few weeks ago, when it was 80 degrees, Johnny said, "we need a kiddy pool." Myla thought that was a great idea. And so, when one went on sale, we got one. As soon as we did, it rained. Yesterday, it got back up to 75 and Johnny said "I'm setting up the kiddy pool." And today, when the backyard thermometer said it was 95 (probably not), Myla and Johnny had the inaugural pool party. Let me tell you, this pool is cool. It has a slide, a waterfall (when you hook it up to the hose) and it came with inflatable toys. But what do you need all that for when you have all this water to splash daddy with!?

The water was still a little cold and she came inside shaking when she was done but she had a great time. She did eventually go down the little slide and only ended up with her face in the water once. As she gets more used to it and the water really warms up, she'll be hard to keep out of it. But she's been asking all winter to go swimming, so to have the pool at our disposal will be great. And I think it will help her get more used to the big pool at A2's house.

In other words, its shaping up to be a fun - and wet - summer!

A Wear-You-Out Day

Myla has been... shall we say... adverse to sleeping all night long for the past few nights. She prefers it in shifts, five hours here, three hour break, five hours more. Well, that just will not fly. So today, after she woke up at 10:15, we did everything in our parental power to wear her out. It was a balmy 88 degrees with some good wind, but we were not going to let that deter us!

We started with a trip to the store where we got every toddler's dream - bubbles. The wind was very helpful in that respect. We watered flowers, we took the dog for a walk and looked for ducks in the canal. Myla and Daddy had some special time at the playground and the pet store. (Its like a cheap zoo, she can see puppies, kitties, fish and frogs and we don't have to pay anything. Its brilliant!) After some dinner and ice cream (thanks MamMam for the coupon for a free one!), we hit the highlight of the day - the Englewood City Center fountain.

It took her a little while to warm up to the idea, but once she did, there was no stopping her. It bubbled right up next to her, she put her hand in the stream, we played chase under the arches of water. Her sweet little laugh rang out when she splashed herself and her daddy. She was a sloppy mess when we were done, but man did she love it. Half way home, she started giggling from the thought of it.

Now, I don't know about her, but I'm tired. Here's to a good nights rest... hopefully.

A Yellow Train

Today, Johnny was sleeping. Myla was not. And so, rather than run around screaming and waking up daddy (Myla screaming, not me), we headed out to explore this city we are third and fourth generations of, respectfully. We grabbed some snacks and headed down to Confluence Park. Myla loved to watch the waterfall, even if it was loud. She wouldn't get too close though, or go over the grate where you can see the water below you, but she was perfectly happy to point from afar.

We walked around a little bit and found some statues of three bears, which from that moment on became Myla's new friends. She would bring them rocks from the other sections of the walking path and give them soft touches. She wasn't even too afraid of mommy bear, which when you walked from the other direction became daddy bear. Perspective I guess.

And then, when there was only kids to keep her entertained, the Platte Valley Trolley came to whisk us away down the river. She was so excited to hold on to her ticket and to feel the wind blowing her hair. They showed us some neat things, like swallows nests that are built onto an old bridge. (Side note here, did you know that swallows come back to the same nest every year!? How do they know...) It was fun to watch her eyes light up when we got moving and her little voice say "we riding the train mommy!"

And on the way home, she fell asleep.

Myla-isms

Look at those bell bottoms!! And that long hair! She's becoming such a big-little-girl anymore. She says the cutest and most grown up things, like, "it's good to see you!" "you have a good time?" "you have fun today?" A lot of things that her parents and Nonnie say to her apparenlty. It's so cute when she says it though. One of her favorite things to do is yell at the cat. "Snickers! Get down!"

Recently, her Nonnie brought home a big dishwasher box for Myla and Haley Jo to play in and even made a window and door. They love it! Her imagination is really amazing!

The other day Kara and Myla were at Target and found a cool child size patio chair for Myla. She had to sit in the chair, in the cart with her feet up on the edge of the cart while Mom pushed her around for the duration of the shopping trip like that. I can't wait for summer when we can lounge together in the kiddie pool in the backyard! that will be sweet!

So, Myla's been tentatively pottie training at home and we got her some pull up diapers. Well, they were too close to the crib, we found her with both legs through one leg hole of a pull up, up to her knees. We just had to laugh. Never knew how much fun being a parent would be.

March for Babies

On Saturday, my mom, my sister, my aunt, Myla and I all put on our walking shoes and did the 2010 March for Babies. It was cold, it threatened to rain (and maybe did sprinkle a little bit) but it was all worth it. Myla was awesome and stayed snuggled in her stroller for most of the walk, but didn't fail to collect some goodies from the sponsors along the way. With a little help from Mam-Mam and A2.

We were told that the family teams from the Denver walk raised $1 million. That was a new record they said. We felt proud to be part of it too. I told my sister at the beginning of the walk that something was wrong with me because I was getting all emotional. But it was more than just walking - it was doing it for Myla. And at the end, our little miracle walked across the finish line. Fitting I thought.

Thank you to all that sponsored our little family team and that have done so much for us in the two and a half years since we started this little blog and this little family. Thank you for loving our Myla. And thank you for all you do for little babies everywhere in your own little ways!

Myla, Mommy and Mam-Mam after the crossing the finish line.

Planting time

Myla loves to be outside doing anything. Every time we go outside to go to the car, she has to go see the daffodils. Or we have a ceramic cat by the front tree that she has to say hi to. And if we can't stay out front, we have to go out back. She's helped her dad transplant some grass, play in the mud and throw the ball for Haley dog. She comes in with dirty hands and dirtier shoes, but man does she sleep well at night.

Yesterday after I got off work, we went and had a picnic at Myla's favorite park. She did really well actually eating before she couldn't take it anymore and had to go swing. (That's what she said too - "I need to swing!" Well, if you NEED to, that's a whole lot different.) It was good practice for the summer when we have family dinners outside. And she had fun watching the other kids too - even if they were crazy boys playing chase that she had no interest in joining. She just kind of looked at them and got out of the way. As long as they didn't get in the way of her sliding, it was cool.

Discharged!

Another one bites the dust... Myla's check-in with the speech therapist could not have gone better. She was a little shy and didn't talk as much as, say, the ride home from her Nonni's house, but what she did say was enough to make the therapist say this - and I quote - "Adjusted or unadjusted, her language skills are precocious." She also suggested we seriously check out highly gifted and talented programs in the local schools. (And not to worry about the "L" sound, you don't have to have that until you're 7.) Yeah, Myla rocks.

And so we say goodbye to the early intervention program and a jovial "Hello!" to spring and 70 degree days!