Little me's?

I love my two kiddos.  But I'm realizing that they are more like me than I maybe have realized.

For example, Grace did something the other day while we were at a restaurant that made me so proud of her.  While taking her to the bathroom, she washed and dried her hands.  Then, she proceeded to take a paper towel, put it in her hand, and carefully open the door, careful not to touch the handle with her hand. 

I did not ask her to do it like that.  She just knew that's how you do it!  Silly that I was proud of it, maybe.  But it's very awesome to see her growing up like that!

And then she was at the grocery store with us.  We only needed a couple things so we said she could just get a little cart instead of us getting a big one.  Before doing anything else, she went over, got the sanitizing wipes, and wiped down her little cart before being ready. 

She really knows the way into my heart...:)

And Kyler is really showing me who he is these last couple of days.  Grace is at Grandpa and Grandma's for a couple days and that has given me a chance to just be with Kyler, which I never really ever do.  He is really surprising me!

Yesterday I was cutting coupons and he climbed up on a chair at the dining room table and watched me for a bit.  When he was bored, he climbed back down and then PUSHED IN HIS CHAIR before going to play with some toys.  What?  Did my 16 month old really do that?  Yes, he made it quite an elaborate point actually since he jammed it in.

And then today we had a granola bar as a morning snack.  He grabbed the wrapper, without me asking or saying anything, and went over the the kitchen trash, opened the lid and threw it away.  What???  Why didn't I know he knew how to do this?  Probably because Grace is my helper and does everything for me.  Hmm, he really is paying attention I guess.

And Kyler has started talking a bit these last two days!  What????  He doesn't talk.  Or maybe he just doesn't talk when Grace is around.  After all, he can't get a word in edgewise.  She never stops talking or narrating every second of her life!

I am starting to realize that maybe he's a little more mature than I had thought.  He's not really a baby anymore, even though it's hard for me to think of him as anything but!

 I just love this picture, showing the loving, kind heart Kyler has...

And the crazy duo a couple weeks ago pooling it up! 

KC Vacation 2012

So this year we went to Kansas City for our yearly family vacation.  We didn't want to go too far since the kids are still so little and this was our first vacation with two kids!

We stayed at the Hampton in Lee's Summit.  Very, very nice place and I was so happy with the amenities and cleanliness!

Plus, it had a pool (indoors) so the kids were loving it too!

We got there on Wednesday, July 18th (Dustin's birthday!) and just spent some time in Lee's Summit and went out to do some shopping.  We then went to Fiorella's Jack Stacks for some KC barbecue, which we were really looking forward to. 

Sadly, it was only okay.  Apparently, unbeknownst to me, KC barbecue is sauced based.  Yuck.  I'm used to a nice, dry rub meat that gives it flavor.  Instead, the burnt ends I had tasted more like completely bland, unflavored meat doused in sauce, hoping to make it taste good.  No thanks!

The next morning we headed over to Overland Park, KS to the Deanna Rose Farmstead.  It was already close to 100 degrees at 10am so it was MISERABLE!  It's so sad because this was far and away the best thing we did while in KC.  I wish we could've spent more time there since it was so fun but it was just miserable outside in the heat.

A few highlights from Deanna Rose: 

Feeding the geese

Grace riding a pony by herself!

Feeding the goats from a bottle

Riding tractor tricycles 

Panning for gold and other treasures 

Our only picture of the whole vacation as our family of four!

Can you see how red we are and miserable looking--so hot!

Climbing a fence to check out the horses

On the wagon ride 

Kyler relocated rocks while we waited for Dustin and Grace on the wagon ride

With the horses that pulled the wagon 

We ended up at Crown Center the next day to go to....

LEGOLAND!

Which actually was a bust.  Super expensive and really not that cool.

They had a little room with some cool stuff they had built from legos.

And this fun ride that you would go around and around and if you pedaled hard enough, it would raise you high up in the air.  Grace and Dustin...

And the kids on an elephant and giraffe made from legos. 

Mom and Grace taking a turn on the ride.

Really, the ride was the best part.  We were disappointed with how small it was and how little there was to do.  Maybe if they kids were a few years older it might have been a little more fun for them.

We ended up doing a few other things, but sometimes cameras weren't allowed or we just shopped.  There was lots to see but it just seemed to take so long to get anywhere and do anything.  We did swim every night in the pool at the hotel, which the kids just loved!  We went to bed way too late, ate too much, and had some good family time!

4th of July

Happy belated 4th of July!

We had such a fun couple of days celebrating, despite the 100+ degree heat! 

We did our fireworks Tuesday night, the 3rd.  Kyler didn't care much for all of it, but he did love walking around with the parachute from one of them.  (Note his red cheeks--how stinking hot it was out!)

Grace, who is scared of EVERYTHING and hates noise, actually really loved doing her sparklers this year!  She used ear plugs (and still covered her ears all night) so she was actually tolerable to be around instead of whining the whole time.

It was so hot....and the camera flash is super bright, so I look real nice here....:)  This is how Kyler sat, even through all the loud stuff.  He was not phased a bit.  Notice Grace beside me with her hands over her ears (with her earplugs still in). 

The next day we finally found some sweet corn and it was awesome!  This was Kyler's first real experience with field fresh sweet corn on the cob!  He knew what to do right away and just went to town, no explanation needed.  He cleaned this half ear and half another with no help.  He was loving it!

And Grace...

After supper we went out and had a fun water balloon fight!  It felt so good since it was still SO HOT!  The kids had fun and didn't mind getting super wet!

And I took a few pictures of the fireworks behind our house that night.  Here is a great one!

They were loud and pretty, but I spent two hours the next day cleaning up all the debris that blew in our yard from all the fireworks around our neighborhood, none of which was ours.  Filled two Target bags full of stuff.  I like the pretty, but it sucks when I have to do that every year!  Soon at least I'll have helpers to do it for with me!

Random

I decided to straighten Grace's hair one night after she got out of the pool since it was wet....

I have never seen her with straight hair before!  Kind of weird...

And grown up looking!

And by the way, if you're a bird--stay away!  We are a death trap here for birds.  Right after we cleaned the pool....this happened.  Poor baby died....

Kyler 15 months

Say what????  Kyler's 15 months?  Not possible....

Oh, but it is!  After having to deal with a doctor appointment that didn't happen due to them running over an hour late and me needing to be somewhere....we finally got Kyler's 15 month appointment done!

Stats:

Height:  32.5 inches (88th percentile)

Weight:  27 lbs 14 oz (96th percentile)

Head:  19 3/8 inches (95-98th percentile)

Yeah, Kyler, you're still a big guy.  And you're getting taller!  Like, you kind of match now, height and weight!  Hoping for a good, strong football player!!!

Kyler, you are so silly....

But when you're not being silly, you're being sweet.  You are often seen walking around the house with your thumb in your mouth and holding your blanket.

At 15 months, you are a stinker too.  You know how to get under Grace's skin and you definitely do!  You know that you can bite her or pull her hair or pinch her skin to make her scream.  You also know that Mommy will yell at Grace automatically if I hear you crying...:)

You are a climber!  You figured out how to push things up to tall objects.  You climb on the chairs (and table!) all the time and you tried to climb up my kitchen cabinets already too.  You are naughty and ornery and I can't quite seem to keep up with you anymore.  You also think it's hilaious to run away and laugh when out in public.  Which makes me THAT.MOM.  Not cool, little boy, not cool.

You also started learning how to give kisses.  You kiss daddy more than mommy, and I think you purposely withhold from me because you are a turd.  And sometimes when you don't feel like taking your thumb out of your mouth, you just lean forward and try to kiss with the thumb in and all.

You hate having your diaper changed, mainly because you have to lay down and stay still.  You would live outdoors if we let you.  You love animals and love your dog, Mack.  You are an active little guy who will try anything once (or twice if it didn't hurt that bad the first time).

Kyler, you are such a sweet little boy!  You are so independent but you still love to cuddle with mommy.  We read the same three books every night and sing the Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes song, which you love!  You know how to flash me a smile when you are in trouble as you think it will always magically get you out of trouble.  Apparently, it has worked in the past...:)  And you HATE being told no.  To you, it's the worst thing in the world and terribly hurts your feelings.

Stop growing up little man!!!  Love you so much!