Thursday, August 27, 2009

Kiki


McKinley has grown up so fast this year! Just in the last week she has started walking all the time instead of crawling. It's like she suddenly turned into a toddler! We had so much going on this year that I'm not sure I really noticed just how much she was growing until now. Some aspects of her personality were apparent from birth, but some she is just showing to us now:
  • She seems a bit finicky about her sleep. Until about 7 months old, she would only take 30 minute naps. I don't know if that was just how she operates, of if her loud 3-year-old boy is a factor. Once we moved into the new house and her bedroom became a bit more secluded, she started napping better. I myself am obsessed with sleep and cannot fathom why a child would voluntarely NOT sleep when she could be getting the recommended 12-16 hours a day.

  • Kinley is not a fish. She does not enjoy a bath, a splash in the kiddie pool or a dip in the waterhole. Once we went to a local pool and she actually enjoyed herself. That scenario hasn't repeated itself.

  • McKinley is a thrill-seeker. She loves to be dipped and "tossed" on pillows. She loves to bounce. She is very cute bopping around on the couch, until Finn starts jumping too and I have to kick them both off.

  • Kiki is very easy to entertain. She just piddles around the house, playing with toys, looking at books. She loves to watch her brother.

  • Feeding one-year-olds is so EASY! Kinley eats almost everything I scoop in her mouth. I'm just waiting for the revolt to begin. Her favs: Boca Burgers, bananas, graham crackers, melons.

  • Kinley has a bit of a reserved nature sometimes (she IS a virgo), but she is generally friendly. I think she sort of likes being in the middle of a lot of people.

I always thought that the first year of life for a girl was going to be a lot different than for a boy. It was different, but due to personality, not gender. I think having 2 kids and seeing how they differ personality-wise, weighed heavy for the "nature" debate. Over the last year, I have had to let go of a lot of my control issues to adapt to the little people I now live with. The most important thing that having 2 kids has taught me is to just let things go, and try to enjoy yourself!

Out to Lunch

I took a short vacation to Florida to visit my grandparents this week ALL BY MYSELF! Of course, I missed the fam as soon as I stepped on the plane, but it was nice to travel alone. I love to be in airports, so wandering around alone was a special treat. Anyway, now I am back and Scott has the reast of the week off, so we spent a great day at Turner Falls. Finn loved splashing around the springs, but Kinley did NOT. She just isn't much of a water baby! Turner Falls has a few replica "castles" that were built in the 1930s. We asked Finn who he thought lived in them and he said, "Probably Yoda." (Star Wars is his new favorite movie). Then he made us go into each room, looking for him. I told him Yoda was probably out to lunch.



Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Finn 3.0





August is a huge month in our house. Both of the kids have their birthdays this month. Finn is first, of course (as he is in everything). I suppose this means that we officially got through the Terrible Twos! In retrospect, Finn probably had a tougher year than we did. He gained a new sister and a new house! He really handled it all very well though. Here's a list of what Finn has shown me in the last year:

  • He's an amazing big brother. Of course, he frequently pushes, bites, kicks, hits and yells at his sister without reason, but he's really working on controlling his competitive impulses. He's probably said "Can you please move Kinley (or "Quinney" as he says)" more often than he just pushes her out of the way now. And I will never forget that the first time he met her he gently gave her a kiss on the head instead of freaking out. He's certainly a loving guy.

  • My son is so strong willed! He is no pushover. If he doesn't want to do something, he will let you know. And no amount of begging, bargaining or chocolate will change his mind.

  • Finn has a stomach the size of a peanut. Two bites and he is good for the day. I always say he is a picky eater, but he's just a non-eater (a "breath-arian" as my mom says).

  • I realize how lame it is to label someone at this age, but Finn will either be a techie or a hairdresser (If we continue with the daily viewings of Mamma Mia, it will be leaning heavily toward hairdresser).

  • Finn has an amazing capacity for repeating the things I say and do. I really need to watch myself because before I know it, "What's the problem?" will be turning into swear words.

Most of all, I have realized that hard work does pay off. Finn is turning out to be a polite, sweet, fun little boy, which is how I'm trying to raise him. Like I said, he is picking up on all the things I say and do, and so much of it is really positive. Increasingly, instead of throwing a tantrum, he ask me to "stop doing that please" (although sometimes he just tries to send ME to MY room). I know I don't always set the best example for him, so every polite act of his just goes to show what a great little guy he is. I try to teach him about positivity and kindness, but I probably learn more than I teach! Anyway, happy birthday Finn!

Spray Park and Other Summertime Fun


The spray parks will be closing soon! So sad. They really are so much fun. You can get wet, but without all the hassle of a swimming pool! We went to one today and had a great time. I even met the nicest grandmother with her little one-year-old granddaughter. It just goes to show how you can meet amazing people when you open up a little.
Here's Kiki doing her crab walk around the park. She hates to rough up her knees! Finn loves the water! He could spend all day in it.Otherwise, we've been doing a whole lot of nothing lately. I feel like I wait all year for summer to come around, but when it does, the heat is so bad and the bugs are so big that we just stay inside. I'm dying to go to the zoo, but not in 100 degree weather. For the last few weeks, we've just been hanging out inside, watching Mamma Mia. I do occasionally take Finn for bike rides however. He pretends he's on some sort of adventure when he's back there. Very cute. The bike trailer is supposed to fit 2, but I'm not sure if I put Kiki back there if both will come out alive.

Baby Shower

I hosted a baby shower for my friend Nicolette this weekend. It was a lot of fun to hang out with the girls. She is due any day now, but I hope she holds out for the 14th so he'll share a birthday with Finn! (I don't know why I'm so eager to have people share birthdays)
The mommy of honor: Diaper cake and food:

Gifts!



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