The beach

I have been curious how Kendall would handle the beach this year so we packed up some things and made our way to the Isle of Palms with grandma and grandpa.  What an adventure!

Kendall was all about playing in the sand and loved having her bucket filled with water. However, getting in the water was a different story.  I tried once and so did grandma but it wasn’t her favorite thing.  Maybe, when we try again she’ll have warmed up. Ethan slept for the first few hours of his first trip to the beach but then joined us for some fun.  He didn’t mind the water or the sand between his baby toes.  A wave caught him off guard but he just sat there and watched as the water trickled over his little legs.  Such a content little boy! I do believe Kendall’s favorite part was smashing sand castles with grandpa.  We made sure the people who built it were gone and she went to town.  Silly girl! We had a terrific time.  Thank you to my parents for making this a fun, enjoyable experience for all.Until next time, beach.  Thanks for the fun in the sun!                                                                                      (Please overlook the quality of all the phone pictures).

Being silly!

We were playing in the playroom today and Kendall wanted to take a picture.  She loves for me to take pictures of her and Ethan with my phone.  I put the camera function in reverse so we both could see the screen and started snapping away.  I told her to make silly faces and this is the best she would do.  She was too busy trying to figure out why she could see herself. Ethan was making some of the sweetest noises that I wish I would have recorded but all I remembered to get were these chubby cheeks!  I love these two so very much!

Happy Easter!

Palm Sunday

Wow! What a difference a year makes.  We celebrated Palm Sunday like we did last year, with family and an egg hunt.  Ryan had to travel to North Carolina for work so he missed the egg hunt again.  During the church service, Kendall, Emory and Sullivan were part of the group of children that helped to carry palm branches to the front of the church.  Kendall held Lindy’s hand and followed the rest of the crowd.  She wasn’t sure what to think but didn’t make a peep.  Way to go big girl!Sullivan helped Kendall with the egg hunting when the eggs were hidden extra good or in hard to reach places.  Thanks Sullivan!  Kendall had a blast finding eggs and was so proud of each and every egg in her basket. I think Sullivan counted twenty one eggs in Kendall’s basket. Look at that happy girl and her cousins. Love Ethan’s face.  Looks like he’s checking out Kendall’s sucker.    My face is a little hidden but I love this picture of my and my first born!

Happy St. Patricks Day

We met some friends at a local block party for the third year in a row. It is family friendly and there is always a crowd.  Ethan fell asleep on the way and stayed asleep until we got home.  Ahh, the life of a baby.  Kendall wasn’t too sure about the crowd and wanted to be held quite a bit. We found a place in the shade, since it was 82 degrees, and watched some of the festivities.  She warmed up to the crowd the longer we were there although we only stayed an hour.  Ryan wasn’t feeling good and Kendall was getting antsy.  We did enjoy it for the time we were there. Faces of a two year old who sees her face in the iPhone camera. Love it! It’s funny how in the reverse camera mode on the iPhone, you think you’re getting a good picture until you see the real thing.  Oh well, at least we tried. LOL! It was such a beautiful day so I decided to take Kendall and Ethan for some ice cream and to the park while Ryan rested.  Kendall has only really had ice cream at birthday parties so I wasn’t too sure how she would do with a scoop of her own.  I ordered her some strawberry and I pigged out on mint oreo and chocolate chip cookie dough on a waffle cone (it was delicious)!  Kendall did great, didn’t even make a mess, until she wanted mine.  There was a few bites left in her cup when she offered me her spoon and said, “here mommy, you have this one” and then reached for my cone and said, “I lick it?” How could I say no, she wanted to share.  I didn’t feel so guilty with my order after my 2 year old ate half of it.I helped Kendall with the drips from the cone but otherwise she ate every bit of what you see here. This girl will eat anything sweet.  She looks so big eating the cone.When we were done with ice cream, we headed to Middleton Park for more outside fun.  We spent most of our time on the swing but did make it down the slide a few times.  I love watching Kendall at the park.  She definitely has no fear! 

Our FIRST gingerbread house

Oh, what fun did we have!! It was the first time for me making the house and Kendall even seeing one.  I didn’t exactly read the directions all the way through so I think these four gingerbread walls must have fell down and were put back together at least five times. Duh, you have to wait for it to dry before you try to decorate.  I will definitely remember this for the next time.  Kendall enjoyed playing with the candy and did add her personal touches.  I can’t wait to make one next year.  I’ll have four hands to help me!Notice the mouth full of candy (sorry for the grainy iPhone picture).And our final product…

Uh oh, Cheerio!

Soooo, today, I asked my helper to carry in the Cheerio box (yes, the packaging was already open) so that I could carry in two grocery bags and my empty lunch box.  Well, I barely had the bags up on the counter and I hear, “Mommy, help! Mommy, help!” Kendall wanted some Cheerios and was trying to open the box.  I’d say she didn’t need any help, wouldn’t you?

Here fishy, fishy

I decided last night, that tomorrow was as good of a time as any to take Kendall to the aquarium for her second visit.  We met up with Aunt Mollie and Sullivan and Emory.  The last time we went she was such a baby and not really aware of what she was seeing.  This time was completely different.  She explored each exhibit and could even name some of the animals that we saw. “Fishy,” “sna(ke)” (which she touched poked), “shar(k)” and she even gave her best at octopus which was more like ah-pu. Too cute!We stopped at the exhibit with stingrays, crabs, horse shoe crabs and a few other swimmy creatures. Kendall and Emory enjoyed watching the blue crab walk sideways. Sweet girls! “Ah-pu” pictures with Sullivan! Kendall was impressed with so many things but I loved seeing her just stare as the fish swam near her.  These pictures are of some of my favorite tanks at the aquarium, especially the middle one. Some aquarium residents And just because you can’t go to the aquarium without taking these pictures.  Kendall would not sit next to the frog for the picture I really wanted.  I think someone had a really good time.  Can’t wait for the next trip!

A summer morning

Kendall and I met Stryker, Rachel and Dan at Middleton Park this morning for a fundraising event.  There was a clown, a jump castle, a water slide, a DJ and Kendall’s new favorite, snow cones.  She and I split two of them, although the first one she wasn’t too sure about.  When it was time for the second, she stood right next to me until it was all gone. Such a treat for a steamy summer day. (please excuse the scrape between her eyes, the toy won but she’s fine).  Kendall tried the jump castle but it wasn’t long enough for me to get a picture.  She was quick! Rachel got a new camera recently and this is a picture she took today. I love it!Stryker had a blast on the water slide, with a little help from his daddy.We braved the heat as long as we could and then headed home for some lunch and the A/C.  Thanks for the fun play date, Gehlken’s.  Can’t wait for the next one!

Random pictures

I seem to always have my phone with me and hardly ever my camera when we are just hanging around the house.  These are some of our recent times with lil’ miss that I had to share.  I didn’t take enough to make a post in any of the situations so I just put them all together.  Enjoy!

Kendall loves to play with my sunglasses! She’ll keep these on, if she can balance them on her nose, but won’t leave hers on for one minute.We played outside after dinner, ate a freezer pop, saw an air-mean (airplane) and then….…played with the water hose for the first time.  She liked the hose better when she could whip it around versus having the sprinkler attached to it.  I LOVE this first picture of my sweet girl.  She looks so natural and peaceful, so delicate. I just love it! This was Kendall’s second time at the beach but the first where she could explore it.  It was very windy and the water was a bit chilly.  She didn’t care for the water too much, this time but was all about the sand and seashells. Hopefully, when we go back again it won’t be as windy and the water will warm up a bit.Yes, I know I’m slack and didn’t do a Mother’s day post and I have no good reason for not doing one. I did get some sweet pictures from my special day with my baby girl.  Words can not express how thankful I am to be this her mommy.  She makes my day, everyday and keeps my heart strong. I just love her!

Monkey Joe’s

Kendall and I headed to Monkey Joe’s for the Charleston Mommies fundraiser and it was our first time seeing what it was all about.  Monkey Joe’s  is a large inside open area filled with jump castles and a game room.  It took Kendall about an hour of running around and warming up to the place to actually want to get in a jump castle.  When she did, man, did she have fun.  I had to go in with her because of her age and I could barely keep up.  She had a blast!This was Kendall’s first jump all by herself.

I tried to capture a still moment before we went down the slide and as you can see she wasn’t having any part of it.  She was ready to slide, over and over and over again. Here we are going down one of the slides. Kendall is on the right of the screen and please excuse the screaming girl that comes down behind us. 

The gigantic, air filled Monkey Joe initially caught Kendall’s eye and she took my finger to bring me to him multiple times.  Well, when the real Monkey Joe made his appearance, Kendall couldn’t get enough of him.  She made her way through the circle of kids and hugged on Monkey Joe’s legs as many times as she could.  I am thankful she is not afraid of these dressed up characters.  It makes me smile to see her like them so much. She’s such a sweet girl!