"hi"

Khloe's big moment this week ... she can wave 'hi'.  She has been saying "hi" for a couple of weeks.  She mimics my sound when I say 'hi', and she uses it when she waves her hand ... at herself.  She has waved before, but this week she started going crazy.  She will wave and wave and say "hi" all around the house.  Colton says it to her a lot, so maybe that's why she's suddenly really into doing it.  I even got it on video.  Mind you, she's 8 months, so it's not the most clear "hi".  But I think you can hear it.  We're counting it as a word, along with Da-da and Ma-ma.  Three words so far!

She is definitely growing older.  I find her all over the house now.  She is quick, too!  She moves along the ground like a snake, and she gets where she needs to go very quickly!  She can pull up in her crib to her knees.  It won't be long until she pulls up to a stand.  Once she does that, I don't think it will be long until she's walking.  She wants to keep up with brother ... and me when I leave the room!  One evening this week, Khloe proved that her hair is growing!  I took her head band off, and I saw this crazy hair--okay, it's not as crazy as it could be, if she had longer hair, but it's her first silly hair pictures!  I love it.

Look closely!

Classic Khloe--always trying to put things into her mouth to chew on them ... this time, it was an attempt to eat the camera.

Last weekend, we were excited to find something that we have been missing since our last trips over seas to Asia!  Lychees!!!!  We found them at our local Asian market.  Billy has been craving these ... so we were happy to have them.

Delicious (and expensive) lychees!

This week has been a good one!  We were so happy to have a week of sunshine!  I was so thankful for the sunny days ... we went to the water park Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday!  I think Colton and Khloe were both happy to be outside.  Cole ran and jumped and splashed.  He cried every day when we left the water park.  I know that he was having a great time. Khloe has started to want to be more mobile in the water.  It makes being there a bit tougher.  She still doesn't traditionally crawl, so her head is down closer to the water.  She wants to scoot around on her belly--which ruins her swimming suit and gets her face too close to the water.  If she was up on her hands and knees, I wouldn't mind too much.  She rocks back and forth up like that, but she still hasn't taken off, yet.  

Last Sabbath at the water park ... finally a break from the rain!

Tuesday water park time ... so thankful for that sunshine!

Wednesday ... headed to the water park with three kids in tow.  Enjoyed a day with our friend, Mason.

Unfortunately, my friend, Gwendy, had one of her cousins pass away this past weekend.  She wanted to head up to Canada for the funeral.  She was supposed to go to Chicago this current weekend with her family.  She decided to meet them in Chicago after she attended the funeral.  She took her youngest, Carson, with her, but she needed someone to watch Mason while her husband, Brian, worked all day Wednesday and Thursday morning.  I offered to help them out.  It was no problem at all.  The boys played very nicely.  Mason hasn't spent an entire day away from  Mommy and Daddy  before, so he was a little sad.  He missed having at least one of them there with him.  But he did really well at the water park.  I guess that helped to take his mind off of the fact that Mommy and Daddy weren't around.  

The next morning (Thursday), I took the kids to Nanny's Zoo with my MOMs Club.  Mason was still sad about not having  Mommy and Daddy  around, but he did well at the zoo.  He was kind of in a daze--almost a shell of himself.  He just wanted to sit and have a snack.  But eventually, I got him to see a few animals before we left. It was fun to have another kid around to play with Colton.  Some of the moms asked me if that turned me off from having another kid.  It was much more difficult, but then again, I had 2 two year-olds ... if I had another kid, I would have three kids of varying ages.  Also, one of them wasn't mine, so there are times when there is nothing I can do to stop the sadness or the crying, because they don't want me!  I think that would be different with having three of your own kids.  It wasn't that bad, really.  Like people have told me ... two is very different from one, but after that ... it's just more of the same!

Taking the kids to Nanny's Zoo.

Colton LOVED the ducklings.  He enjoyed holding them.  Every time he put one down, he wanted to pick another one up!

He's got another one!

They brought out a Red Tailed Boa.  It was pretty big.  The lady said it could eat a small child ... but this one refuses to eat anything that is alive, so it eats frozen giant rats.  (ICK!)

This is a ball python.  Colton got to touch it.  The lady said he could put it around his neck, but he wasn't up for that!

I finally managed to get Mason to check out an animal.  He decided that he wanted to touch the snake, too.

Both boys checked out the white bunny.

He wanted to hold the ducklings, but when I put it in his hands, he dropped them.  He wanted to hold them but when it came down to it ... he did not want to touch them! :) Ha!  So, he agreed to half hold it with me. 

Last Sunday,  my MOMs Club had their end of the year Mom Celebration.  This is one day a year when the Moms leave their kids at home with the Dads and have a night out.  We went to get a pedicure and then had dinner at Cantina Laredo (a mexican restaurant).  It was so much fun!  I got a Tropical Spa Pedicure. I usually just get the basic pedicure, so it was fun to have a special one.  They used tropical fruit on my legs and feet then they rubbed my legs with hot rocks.  It was really nice!  I decided to get a color tip french tip ... several Moms heard my idea and got them, too.  I think it's fun for the summer! It was so nice to have a fun dinner out with a bunch of great ladies. I'm so thankful that Billy watched the kids and put them to bed for me.  What a treat!

Getting a pedicure with MOMs Club ... me and Gwendy.

My color tip french tip toes.

Super yummy guacamole at Cantina Laredo!

Little Boy got his hair cut this week.  After Nanny's Zoo on Thursday, I knew he had to get his hair cut.  It was so hot outside, and his little cheeks get so red when he's hot (just like his Mommy).  I knew I needed to cut Billy's hair anyway, so I got the clippers out and cut Colton's hair first before I did Billys.  Now both boys have fresh summer cuts.  Colton did such a great job!  He sat still and watched Dino Dan (a cartoon about dinosaurs) while I used the clippers on his head and scissors around his ears and neck and face. He got a treat of grapes for being such a good boy!

Big smile for a big haircut.

With his hair like this, they look even more alike!

I'm so excited!!!! On Wednesday, I found a double umbrella stroller for a good price on craigslist.  I contacted the lady immediately, and I drove to buy it!  It was a little bit of a drive from our house ... Pinellas Park ... which is nearly to the beach, but it was worth it.  I will need an umbrella-type stroller (because they are more compact and fold nicely) for both of my kids for our trips this summer.  I really wanted one when we went to St. Thomas, but with Billy along, too ... it wasn't too bad having Colton running free!  Now,  I will be able to take both kids around this summer without a worry.  

It's my favorite color, too!  There are, also, seat covers that I can change the color with to navy blue ... the seat covers are nice--that way I can pop them in the washer if anything gets on them.

side view

This week, I found Khloe under the high chair.  I have a ton of pictures (that need to be rescued from our broken computer) of Colton doing the same thing!  In fact, you'll see in the second picture that they both needed to be under it ... at the same time.  I guess it's a fun place to play!

Just hanging out under the high chair.

Both kids having a good time!

We love to read in our house.  Colton could read a million books a day!  (Or one book a million times!) Here are a few pictures of us reading.  Khloe ... she's getting better ... but mostly, she just wants to eat the books ... or turn the pages as fast as she can.

Daddy reading with Colton.

My favorite time of the day ... reading a book with Khloe in the rocking chair.

Colton funnies:

Colton really likes to clean his ears.  I don't know what the draw is, but he is always grabbing a Q-Tip and cleaning away.  This week, he came up to me, and said, "Mom, I'm just cleaning my ears." Then he turns to look at me, and I see this:

I love that smile!

After he went potty one day this week, he looked at me and said, "I just want to run around in my undies a little bit."


Colton was being super silly on Thursday.  He was full of energy after his nap, and I found him running around like this yelling, "Somebody, Everybody!" Over and over again.  It was pretty funny!  So, I got it on video, because I have no idea where all of this energy came from.

I think Colton is used to hearing us ask him a ton of questions.  Billy and I both ask him a million questions a day ... we want to spark conversation or teach him something or maybe even see what his answers might be to see if he's learned what we have been teaching him.  Anyway, now he asks us a ton of questions ... but you can tell it's in the way that we ask ... he uses our voice inflection, too.  "Is that a snake?" "Can I eat that?" "Are those my shoes?" "Is this my toy?", etc.  I think sometimes he's just checking to see if we know the right answers, because if you answer wrong, he will correct you.  He's becoming a little teacher. I guess that will help me to teach Khloe about things!

rain, rain ... go away!

I'll be the first to say that I absolutely love a rainy day--every now and again.  I love to wake up to a dark house and the sound of rain falling.  I love thunder ... and I love the smell of rain.  But we have had four straight days of nothing but rain!  With a two year-old and an 8 month-old, I need to be at the park ... or the water park for that matter.  I need to let Colton run around the patio or front yard.  The first day wasn't so bad ... we made a fort.  Colton enjoyed playing under there ... he announced to me that he would not be sleeping there.  When I told him that it was just for playing, he seemed more okay with the idea of a "tent", as he kept calling it.

Colton enjoying his "tent" fort!

It's hard to get a good picture when Colton can't stop talking to Khloe.  He loves his sister!

The fort!

But after the second and especially the third days, I was going crazy!  It's not that it's just cloudy ... the rain is actually coming down all of the time.  If Colton was older, I would let him play in it ... but I foresee some sickness, if I let a 2 year-old do that!  The kids even took over a three hour nap on Thursday!  I think the rainy, dark house made them extra sleepy!

Had to wake the kid up!

So ... we have read a million books, colored, played with play-doh, watched cartoons, played football, played kickball, chased each other around and around, played hide-and-seek, and finally today, Colton painted a bird house.

Having a great time!

Love that face!

Taking his time.

All done!  He had a great time!

He did a great job!

Great rainy day project!

He's rather particular about things.  Colton likes things to be a certain way.  He doesn't like to be too messy or have things too messed up.  He will cry if Khloe messes with his train tracks and pulls them a part.  He doesn't like them to be out of place, and if they get that way, he wants me or Billy to fix it right away.  So, as he painted his bird house today, he painted the color of his choice on each side and wanted it to cover all parts of the wood.  He chose every color on the bird house (and consequently, he used every color in the palette that I bought).  I think it was a fun activity on another rainy day.

This morning, we did go to a MOMs Club event.  It was a tour of one of our favorite ice cream shops--Bruster's.  First, they showed us around the main room where they make shakes, waffle cones/bowls, and ice cream cakes.  Then they took us to the back of the store where they make each flavor of ice cream there in the store.  The guy made a chocolate chip ice cream while we all watched.  It was fun.  The kids even got to go inside of their special refrigerator.  Colton thought it was nice inside (probably because it's been so humid and hot lately).  After we made the ice cream, everyone got to take sample spoons and taste each and every flavor of ice cream as many times as we wanted to!  Colton and I tried every flavor.  It was tasty!  Then the kids could pick whatever flavor they liked and make a sundae.  Colton liked the gummy worms on top of the ice cream the best!  It was a fun break ... at least it didn't rain this morning ... but it was pouring by the time we got home from the tour--and it rained the rest of the day.

At Bruster's Ice Cream on our tour.

Ready to make ice cream with Landon and Mason.

The ice cream maker--we made chocolate chip ice cream.

Khloe was a very popular item on the tour.  The kids gathered around her and talked to her.

Finally enjoying some ice cream after the tour.  Delish!

It's the second plague here at our house.  With all of this rain, I have been waking up to the croaking of frogs--and they are loud--in the morning.  Then last night, I was headed to bed when I saw it ... probably 30 frogs on our front porch.  They are of the tree frog variety, and they are on our windows, doors, side of the house, ceiling of the front porch area, lights, driveway, porch, etc.  I guess they are attracted to the light and probably brought out by the rain ... but it is creepy!  Luckily, I'm not scared of amphibians (or reptiles) ... or I would be freaking out!  As I type, they are out there again ... attacking our house with their suction cup feet.  Ribbit, ribbit!

Khloe is getting around so easily ... she just bolts around.  It's crazy how she moves through the house.  She goes wherever she wants to go ... usually somewhere I've just been.  She pops up on her hands and knees ... rocks a bit, but then she just drops down to her tummy and scoots around still.  She is pulling up so much, though, that I moved her crib down to the second to last spot on the rail, so she won't accidentally fall overboard.  Now, I can sleep easier knowing she can't get out.  One morning this week, I woke up to find her monitor in her room on the floor.  She had grabbed the cord and yanked it down off of the ledge next to her bed.  So I had to move it further out of her reach.  Her newest thing is that she throws her pacifier out of the crib.  I find it on the floor after every nap and every morning.  I'm guessing in a couple of months (or earlier) she won't be using that anymore.  She is chewing on EVERYTHING.  Her top right tooth is at the surface, it is just waiting to break through.  Poor girl ... she is ready for it to come in.  She gnaws on her hand, drooling, gnaws on anything she can get her hands on ... drooling!  It's quite a mess.  I swear she is saying two words now ... "Da-da" (which she says all of the time!) ... and "hi".  Today, she even waved to herself.  I laugh, because I remember that's what Mei Mei used to do!  It cracks me up.  She looks at her hand like what is THAT!?! and waves to herself.  I love to hear her say "hi" ... and last Sabbath, she said "ma-ma-ma-ma-ma", so she is finally getting closer to "Ma-ma".  

Pulling up on her crib ... she is ready to wake up!

This Sunday, we are going to visit with some of my friends from when I worked in Minnesota at MCA.  I am excited to see them!  I haven't seen them in nearly 7 years!  They had a little boy a year ago, so I'm excited to meet him and have them meet my kids.  It will be fun!  After that, I have our MOMs Club end-of-the-year event.  We are getting pedicures and having dinner out without the kids.  I guess since we take the kids to all of our events, we get one night to go out with just the moms.  Sounds like fun!  I'm excited.

A few Colton funnies from the week:

He got up from his nap on Thursday, and he gave me a frowny look.  He said, "Mommy, I'm a Wild Boy!" I said, "Is that your Wild Boy face?" And he said, "Yeah, I'm your WILD BOY!"

I asked him this week if he would throw something away for me.  He answered, "Of course!"

When I hold Khloe, he says, "Mommy, Khloe wants to crawl around down there!" And he points to the floor.  When I say, "Why?"  He says, "She just does.  She wants to crawl around. Put. her. down!" Then he will cuddle up to me or ask me to read him a book.  I guess he will tell me what she would rather be doing, if he wants my attention.

We were looking at a book about the sea this week.  When I asked him what one of the animals were, he said, "That's a whale shark.  Oh man, I LOVE whale sharks!"