Sunday, September 2, 2012
Guess who knows how to ride a bicycle!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Santa Claus Has Skills and Other Things
Yesterday, we watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas and as the Grinch was going back up the chimney, Audrey asked me how Santa got back up the chimney. I told her that going down was the easy part, but getting back up must be more difficult. She said very matter-of-factly, "Santa has skills." =)
Separately, Audrey now knows how to tie her shoes. I am so proud of her! I intentionally bought her new school shoes with laces instead of velcro so that she would learn to tie. She hasn't actually worn the shoes yet (saving them for the first day of school), but she put them on last week to practice tying. We went through it about three times with me still pretty heavily involved in the process. Today, she put them on again and I tried to show her. She said, "No, no, Mommy, I can do it." And she did. Amazing!
On Monday, we went to Sesame Street in Pennsylvania. We stopped to see Iain's Aunt Siz on the way (the Grinch movie is courtesy of her; thanks, Aunt Siz! =) ). We had a great time, as always, and Kai would walk toward her and throw himself on her. He does this with us regularly but I've never seen him do it with anyone else. Very cute!
We had a great time at Sesame Place, but the rides were closed a couple of time due to crazy thunderstorms that would roll through and then disappear as quickly as they arrived. Here are a few pix.
Kai pushing the girls; he's very strong
Kai was happy until the horse started moving
We meet the Count!
The girls' favorite ride of the day
Kai's fave part of the day: the kids' pool
Leaving the park; it was a bit wet
From tonight, just before getting ready for bed
Separately, Audrey now knows how to tie her shoes. I am so proud of her! I intentionally bought her new school shoes with laces instead of velcro so that she would learn to tie. She hasn't actually worn the shoes yet (saving them for the first day of school), but she put them on last week to practice tying. We went through it about three times with me still pretty heavily involved in the process. Today, she put them on again and I tried to show her. She said, "No, no, Mommy, I can do it." And she did. Amazing!
On Monday, we went to Sesame Street in Pennsylvania. We stopped to see Iain's Aunt Siz on the way (the Grinch movie is courtesy of her; thanks, Aunt Siz! =) ). We had a great time, as always, and Kai would walk toward her and throw himself on her. He does this with us regularly but I've never seen him do it with anyone else. Very cute!
We had a great time at Sesame Place, but the rides were closed a couple of time due to crazy thunderstorms that would roll through and then disappear as quickly as they arrived. Here are a few pix.
Kai pushing the girls; he's very strong
Kai was happy until the horse started moving
We meet the Count!
The girls' favorite ride of the day
Kai's fave part of the day: the kids' pool
Leaving the park; it was a bit wet
From tonight, just before getting ready for bedSunday, August 19, 2012
Yesterday
Days honestly don't get much better than yesterday.
We started the morning at Audrey's soccer class, where she kicked her first ever goal during the mini-scrimmage at the end. She didn't like when everyone clapped for her, but I think now she's feeling pretty proud of herself.
We got home and Aunt Alicia and Uncle John had a little Skype-birthday-party for Avery, which she loved.
We ate lunch in a very haphazard way while Kai was sleeping (Iain and Audrey on the floor, working on Audrey's Dora-my-first-sewing-project, Avery running around pretending she was the tooth fairy and delivering notes and pennies to everyone).
When Kai woke up from his nap around 1, we left the house and did not re-enter a building until 7:30 last night (and only then because we really had to give the kids baths and get them in bed). It was in the high 70s yesterday with a warm breeze and the kind of day where you don't ever want to think about going inside.
We started by taking Avery's new fishing pole down to the stream next to our house with some bread and a bucket. We fished and waded in the water and chased Kai and clambored down banks to get our hook unstuck and washed off muddy news from climbing back up the muddy bank for about an hour. We didn't catch anything, had tons of fun, and decided to try another stream between home and the birthday party we were headed to later in the afternoon.
We drove past a little road, turned down, and found this beautiful stream down in the bottom of a deep ravine. It felt like we were long-gone from civilization, although we were only 1/4 mile or less from DC's urban sprawl. A little more fishing (no catching of fish), some scrambling across rocks, waiting for bugs to fall down the little waterfall (Avery was especially interested in not leaving until she saw the bugs go overboard, which unfortunately never happened), and more chasing of Kai. He can't stand to be held and doesn't really care that the only thing he has to crawl on are slippery rocks or mud. =)
We were there for another hour then headed to the birthday party, which was at a park. Very low-key, plenty of food, super playground (as an aside, I am an expert on all things playground these days, so when I say "super" playground, you should take my word for it ... big enough for Audrey and Avery to have fun, small enough that Kai also can have fun and will not immediately seriously injure himself, I can see all 3 of them at the same time, shady, close to clean bathrooms,...). Anyway, we had dinner, saw some friends, and just played. Outside. In the beautiful outside. Kai also thinks he's now big enough to go down a slide by himself. He was helped into thinking this the first time when he sat down at the top of the slide (which he's done before, but in the past has then turned around). Yesterday, when he sat down, Avery was behind him and just pushed him down and yelled "Yay, Kai! Mommy, did you see Kai slide by his self?!" She was so proud (I was terrified) and although I was watching the whole thing go down from about 4 feet away, there was nothing I could do about it (maybe I should reconsider my designation of this as a "super" playground). =) Anyway, he laughed the whole way down, ended unharmed, and the next time he got himself to the top of the playground (this time to the very top where the tall twisty slide was), he sat down and just scooted himself more and more until he slid down. Iain was there, watching closely and then grabbed his arm as he started sliding. Kai thinks this is great fun, but I'm a little worried about Monday when Iain is not with us to be his personal chaperone and I don't have long enough arms to rescue Kai from the slide, Avery from the climbing net, and Audrey from the monkey bars at the same time. =)
We finally got home around 7, but as noted above, no one wanted to go inside. So we got out the bikes and took a walk. Kai was going for a walk anyway ... he's turning into a little runaway ... so we needed to catch him. =)
Headed to the stream
Finding a leaf
Leaving town
Audrey fishing
Avery getting ready
Avery's first catch -- a heart-shaped leaf!
We started the morning at Audrey's soccer class, where she kicked her first ever goal during the mini-scrimmage at the end. She didn't like when everyone clapped for her, but I think now she's feeling pretty proud of herself.
We got home and Aunt Alicia and Uncle John had a little Skype-birthday-party for Avery, which she loved.
We ate lunch in a very haphazard way while Kai was sleeping (Iain and Audrey on the floor, working on Audrey's Dora-my-first-sewing-project, Avery running around pretending she was the tooth fairy and delivering notes and pennies to everyone).
When Kai woke up from his nap around 1, we left the house and did not re-enter a building until 7:30 last night (and only then because we really had to give the kids baths and get them in bed). It was in the high 70s yesterday with a warm breeze and the kind of day where you don't ever want to think about going inside.
We started by taking Avery's new fishing pole down to the stream next to our house with some bread and a bucket. We fished and waded in the water and chased Kai and clambored down banks to get our hook unstuck and washed off muddy news from climbing back up the muddy bank for about an hour. We didn't catch anything, had tons of fun, and decided to try another stream between home and the birthday party we were headed to later in the afternoon.
We drove past a little road, turned down, and found this beautiful stream down in the bottom of a deep ravine. It felt like we were long-gone from civilization, although we were only 1/4 mile or less from DC's urban sprawl. A little more fishing (no catching of fish), some scrambling across rocks, waiting for bugs to fall down the little waterfall (Avery was especially interested in not leaving until she saw the bugs go overboard, which unfortunately never happened), and more chasing of Kai. He can't stand to be held and doesn't really care that the only thing he has to crawl on are slippery rocks or mud. =)
We were there for another hour then headed to the birthday party, which was at a park. Very low-key, plenty of food, super playground (as an aside, I am an expert on all things playground these days, so when I say "super" playground, you should take my word for it ... big enough for Audrey and Avery to have fun, small enough that Kai also can have fun and will not immediately seriously injure himself, I can see all 3 of them at the same time, shady, close to clean bathrooms,...). Anyway, we had dinner, saw some friends, and just played. Outside. In the beautiful outside. Kai also thinks he's now big enough to go down a slide by himself. He was helped into thinking this the first time when he sat down at the top of the slide (which he's done before, but in the past has then turned around). Yesterday, when he sat down, Avery was behind him and just pushed him down and yelled "Yay, Kai! Mommy, did you see Kai slide by his self?!" She was so proud (I was terrified) and although I was watching the whole thing go down from about 4 feet away, there was nothing I could do about it (maybe I should reconsider my designation of this as a "super" playground). =) Anyway, he laughed the whole way down, ended unharmed, and the next time he got himself to the top of the playground (this time to the very top where the tall twisty slide was), he sat down and just scooted himself more and more until he slid down. Iain was there, watching closely and then grabbed his arm as he started sliding. Kai thinks this is great fun, but I'm a little worried about Monday when Iain is not with us to be his personal chaperone and I don't have long enough arms to rescue Kai from the slide, Avery from the climbing net, and Audrey from the monkey bars at the same time. =)
We finally got home around 7, but as noted above, no one wanted to go inside. So we got out the bikes and took a walk. Kai was going for a walk anyway ... he's turning into a little runaway ... so we needed to catch him. =)
Headed to the stream
Finding a leaf
Leaving town
Audrey fishing
Avery getting ready
Avery's first catch -- a heart-shaped leaf!Saturday, August 18, 2012
2 random things
Kai LOVES to turn lights on and off. I had forgotten this stage and it's so cute. He also loves to turn off the master switch on the power strip of the computer at church (I help with the finance stuff there). He is silent and fast. This was cute the first time. Not as much anymore. =)
Audrey cannot wait to lose her first tooth. She keeps asking me when it will fall out. None are even loose yet, so I think we have a while.
Audrey cannot wait to lose her first tooth. She keeps asking me when it will fall out. None are even loose yet, so I think we have a while.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
McDonalds and Starbucks
If you know me well, you can probably guess which of these two my children know better. McDonald's is still a treat to them, but they have been there way more times than they have a Starbucks. With that in mind, two funny and separate quotes from today.
As we are driving past a well-known coffee establishment, Audrey says, "Look, Mommy, a Buckstar!" :)
At the grocery store today, we were in the ice-cream aisle and Avery shouted, "Oooh, Mommy, let's get that ice-cream that's brown, white and pink." I told them it was called neapolitan and had 3 flavors. Fast forward to tonight and I told them we would have ice-cream after they put away their folded laundry. As they were coming down the stairs, I heard Avery tell Audrey, "The ice-cream we're having isn't just TWO flavors. It's actually called a McDouble and has THREE flavors!"
As we are driving past a well-known coffee establishment, Audrey says, "Look, Mommy, a Buckstar!" :)
At the grocery store today, we were in the ice-cream aisle and Avery shouted, "Oooh, Mommy, let's get that ice-cream that's brown, white and pink." I told them it was called neapolitan and had 3 flavors. Fast forward to tonight and I told them we would have ice-cream after they put away their folded laundry. As they were coming down the stairs, I heard Avery tell Audrey, "The ice-cream we're having isn't just TWO flavors. It's actually called a McDouble and has THREE flavors!"
Avery is 4!
Yesterday was Avery's birthday. Originally she wanted to have a party at home with just family but a few days ago, decided she wanted to go to Chuck E. Cheese's with our next-door neighbor, Anders, and another friend, Ruby. She had a super time (Anders and Ruby were there with their dads, and I think the 3 dads may have had just as much fun!). =)
She told me earlier in the day that she didn't "want to see the man that lives there." So when it was cake time and they announced that Chuck E. was coming out, she hid under the table. She wouldn't come out until we asked the party hostess to have Chuck E. change his plans and not come to her party. =) FYI, Wednesday night is an awesome time to go to Chuck E. Cheese ... there's pretty much no one else there!
She and Audrey got to go inside the ticket-blaster and grab tickets. They had tons of fun!
Avery is such a sweet girl with tons of spunk. It is impossible to be in a room with her for 5 minutes and not smile at something she says or does. She told me a joke yesterday: "Mommy, why did the elephant sit at the table?" "I don't, know, why?" "Because he was hungry!!" Peals of laughter from her followed, and the whole thing just cracked me up.
She's very proud to be 4 and when I told her that she was going to turn 4 in the middle of the night (she was born around 1am), she couldn't believe it. She was so ecstatic.
Here are a few pix from last night (the girls decorated the cake; Avery's request was a "B" in the middle (for birthday, in case you're wondering like I was) surrounded by circles):
She told me earlier in the day that she didn't "want to see the man that lives there." So when it was cake time and they announced that Chuck E. was coming out, she hid under the table. She wouldn't come out until we asked the party hostess to have Chuck E. change his plans and not come to her party. =) FYI, Wednesday night is an awesome time to go to Chuck E. Cheese ... there's pretty much no one else there!
She and Audrey got to go inside the ticket-blaster and grab tickets. They had tons of fun!
Avery is such a sweet girl with tons of spunk. It is impossible to be in a room with her for 5 minutes and not smile at something she says or does. She told me a joke yesterday: "Mommy, why did the elephant sit at the table?" "I don't, know, why?" "Because he was hungry!!" Peals of laughter from her followed, and the whole thing just cracked me up.
She's very proud to be 4 and when I told her that she was going to turn 4 in the middle of the night (she was born around 1am), she couldn't believe it. She was so ecstatic.
Here are a few pix from last night (the girls decorated the cake; Avery's request was a "B" in the middle (for birthday, in case you're wondering like I was) surrounded by circles):
Monday, August 13, 2012
Some pictures
I know. No pictures for 2 months. I do have some, split between 2 cameras and 2 other videocameras. In the last 2 months, the kids and Iain have been to Grandma and Grandpa's for a visit, my mom and I went to Alaska, we've had a month-long houseguest (a college girl from our church), John & Alicia came to visit, we've set-up and torn down our backyard pool, been to about a zillion parks, thrown a surprise birthday party for Iain, and had tons of fun. Here are a few pix from one of the cameras (I will have to go locate the other 3)...
(this is not our guinea pig ... only babysitting)!
(this is not our guinea pig ... only babysitting)!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)