We will survive...

Well today we had a great day and a really shitty one, all in one! We started off the day at a Brewers Block party. We got a couple Brewers signatures. Kaiya and Mommy might be in the west allis paper on thursday too! Kaiya had a blast and was SO good at it.

She got to go down a big slide with mommy and I THINK I had a fun time! The slide was VERY fast!! mommy was scared she was gonna kill Kaiya at the end, like we would just run into the wall - but at the end when the tarp ran out, we stopped very quickly.

Then we got home and got some very bad news - Josh received a letter, yes a letter in the mail stating he was laid off from MPS. WOW, a HUGE shock. I'm not sure how Josh is doing with the news, he doesn't show emotion well - me on the other hand, I spent a lot of the day crying. We will be ok, we have to make some changes to budget for awhile but we will survive, in fact it might even bring us closer as a family. He may be recalled as a teacher but we aren't sure when that will even happen. My first thought was sell the house and get out of Milwakee - but we'll see - we aren't making any big changes right away...need to not do anything on being upset emotionally.

Landscaping/Remodeling

We've been in our house for about 3-4 years now and are slowly starting to make improvements to it. We've installed laminate floors in the living room, that was WAY over due and I LOVE the new floors (especially now with a new puppy!!). We also installed all new windows to make our house much more energy efficient and allow us to open windows using one hand vs. force!

This year our goal is some sort of landscaping and possible a remodel of the downstairs laundry room and adding an egress window into a very nice room in the basement. The owners before us did NOTHING outside, and I don't have much of a green thumb....so its been a slow process. We are going to try to do some bushes/trees out front, I'll TRY to keep you updated on the progreess. So far Josh started to take these stones we had all around our house and put them out front to form a border - one way to save money - reuse!!

Next step, top soil delivered and installed and then bark and shrubs. Stay tuned!

May zoo trip

Not that going to the zoo has ever NOT been fun, but with Kaiya getting older, it is becoming even more fun going to the zoo. She recognizes animals and is learning the sounds they make.

She signs elephant, birds, loves the giraffes, growls at the bears, lions, and anything that looks like a bear/lion and can make monkey sounds.

Our new thing was feeding the goats - she did this earlier in the week with a friend so we decided to try it with her and she loved it!! She is not afraid of any animal (which can be good and bad).

Daddy had to take her over to the petting station, as they had a snake out. Mommy is TERRIFIED of snakes, but I didn't want to let her know that - so daddy took her over. She was fearless, even grabbed onto it (she doesn't know what a snake is yet....but hopefully she doesn't lose her fearlesenss, just keeps it in check and is safe around animals).

Family Dells Trip

A couple weeks ago Josh, Kaiya and I headed to the dells. Part of our trip was spent with Josh's softball girls at the Kalahari and then they left and the family spent one more night at the wilderness. We had a BLAST and will definitely be going back. Kaiya LOVED being with the girls, they kept her entertained and loved playing with her.

When we got to the Kalahari on Friday, there were cookies you could decorate in the lobby - so we decorated some very yummy sugar cookies. We also got to look at the lion cubs they have for you to take pictures with - to Kaiya they were 'doggies'. She got to touch one on Saturday, and loved it, they were very soft!

Kaiya and Mommy at the Kalahari

Hugging the rhino

Kaiya and daddy at the Kalahari

At the wilderness we got a two room suite, it was the best money ever spent! Kaiya had a room to sleep in and Josh and I could watch tv without bothering her. She has never slept so good, we wore her out every day!!

Of course we had to take the wagon ride at the Wilderness, as mommy LOVES horses!!

Kaiya wasn't too sure about the big doggies at first, but she warmed up to them a little bit....

While on our wagon ride, the driver spotted a baby deer laying in the woods!!! SO CUTE!!

After one more trip to the water park, we headed home sunday and she was passed out!! We had a great time and cannot wait to take another family trip!

First Hair cut (more a hair trim)

Kaiya doesn't have a TON of hair on her head, which is kinda surprising to me, so she hasn't needed a full out hair cut yet. However, as I have been told, in order to help the hair grow, so that's what we've done...taken her in for her first hair trim. I also was told that girls hair grows slower....so weird! Anyway, she did really well, of course why woudln't you sit nice when Toy Story is playing on the TV and you are sitting in a pink jeep!

And just like that, we are done! Sporting my new pony tail! Now hopefully my hair will grow!!

Easter 2010

We had a great Easter this past year. The Easter Bunny came to two houses for Kaiya this year again! However this year we didn't go sit on his lap this year as Kaiya has a big fear of mascots at the moment.

Basket #1



Basket #2

We went on an Easter Egg Hunt this year - it wasn't really a 'hunt' though. All the eggs were in plain sight. Kaiya had a BLAST! Although the weather didn't cooperate, cold and rainy - she absolutely LOVED it.

Doctor Visits, a girly girl and fun world

Well, it was bound to come sooner or later - tonight we had to fill our first prescription for Kaiya. But I have to say at 19 months, I think we have done well!!

She has pink eye in her right eye. It came on VERY quickly and I'm worried it is spreading to her left eye as before she went to bed it had some discharge too. We think she got it at the YMCA where she goes to play with kids when mommy/daddy workout. On Friday there was a sign up stating a case was reported on Tuesday... We are hoping Mommy and Daddy don't get it, but I won't be surprised if we do!!



And NO, Mommy or Daddy didn't beat her up!!



This is our new look, little pig tails! We think she looks adorable!! What do you think!? Now she actually is starting to look like a girl!

Fun world! Mommy and Kaiya took a trip to Fun World in Germantown recently. They have games for kids/adults to play - kinda like a chuck e. cheese. They also have a mini bounce area for toddlers and a large and small indoor play area. Kaiya had a good time, not as fun as Big Backyard though. She wasn't too comfortable in the bounce house, falling down a lot.

She wanted to play on the big kids play house - so mommy went up with her - we had fun going down the slides together!

Independent is my name...

Independent is Kaiya's new name - she has turned 18 months and all of a sudden she can do everything on her own! She doesn't like to be carried much anymore, likes to walk in the parking lot and into stores. She doesn't need help putting shoes on, gets mad if you try. She doesn't need help feeding herself, even is getting upset if her food is cut up while we eat full pieces of things.

She picks up on things SO quickly and LOVES, LOVES, LOVES helping. If you say, "Kai, can you help me do this..." she gets the BIGGEST smile on her face. Loves putting clothes in the hamper, loves putting shoes in the closet, loves emptying the dishwasher, loves putting clothes in and taking them out of the washer/dryer. She just wants to be doing what we are doing. Its very fun to watch her pick up on things so quickly - we don't even show her how, she just watches us and picks up on it (this is good and bad!!!).

Climbing is the latest thing, I mean, she has been climing on things for awhile but now its getting a little bit out of control! Moreso, I'm scared she is gonna fall and hurt herself. Tonight I was watching dishes and came into the living room and there she was in her high chair...but Josh, nor I put her in it. So of course I had to see what she did so I took her out and let her climb back in and I was amazed! So then of course I had to get it on tape so I took her out and let her do it again!! And now I don't want her to do it anymore!! I think it might be time for her to move to a booster seat or something at our table....or a different kind of chair...

Thankfully, knocking very hard on wood, she hasn't climbed out of her crib yet...and I'm HOPING this doesn't happen for a VERY long time, I like that I can put her in it and not have to worry about her getting out!!

So wait for the next adventure, what our little dare devil will be doing tomorrow....

18 month visit

Kaiya had her 18 month doctor appointment today. All is well - growing as she should. She jumped up a bit in height percentage which is good, she won't be short and fat! lol Her current 'stats' are 32 1/2" tall (75%), 22lb 12 1/2 oz (25%) and head is 47 3/4 (80%). The doctor said she looks great and is progressing as she should, absolutely NO concerns! That makes a mom VERY happy. I have cried some tears today knowing she is 18 months, makes me sad to know she is growing up so quickly!!!

The doctor gave us some info on potty training, but also said she is probably still too little so don't push anything. We have bought a potty chair for her, she does sit on it but she also enjoys putting stuff in it including her foot. So right now it just sits in the bathroom and she is getting used to it. No pressure right now, she isn't ready.

Kai is exhibiting all the typical characteristics of an 18 month old troublemaker. She is big into hitting if she doesn't get her way - she packs a hard punch too!! If you tell her no, or take her away from something she wants she will throw herself on the ground and throw a mini tantrum. The doc today told me just wait until she is 3 and you want her back to 18 month and throwing a little tantrum vs. a big one!! So we try to ignore or distract her when she gets into her fits.

We are also attempting to wean her of her pacifier except at naps and bed time. She would get it sometimes while around the house (but rarely) and in the car. I was told it has to be gone by 24 months but I don't like kids WALKING with pacifiers in their mouths - so it needs to go away except she can still have it for sleeping. We are doing OK with it, at times there are fits cause she sees it and wants it - but we try our best to distract and not give in!!

She got her first fat lip Wednesday evening - the first of many big owies I can only imagine. She was trying to walk up the basement stairs and Rocco couldn't wait and sprinted up the steps and hit her - causing her bottom teeth to jab into her top lip :( Pictures below - so with the short bang cut I gave her and the fat lip - my daughter now looks like a boy! Wonderful!!

Kaiya Jo Update

Alright, so I know I have slacked BIG time on our blog recently. Holidays are fun but very stressful!! I'll try to get back on track.

Kaiya is doing great, she is almost 18 months old and just a bundle of joy!! She is so observant, it just amazes me. Josh and I can do things, just everyday things that we aren't specifically showing to Kaiya and the next thing we know, she is mimmicing them. Just tonight the things I can point out. Josh and I were trying to move her HUGE dresser, so Josh was pushing it - next thing we know Kaiya is next to the dresser pushing and grunting like daddy did. TOO FUNNY. Or - she LOVES to unload the dishwasher with us (I told Josh tonight we need to get it on video so when she is older and says how much she hates doing it we can show her that at 18 months she LOVED helping mommy and daddy! His response was if we get it on tape she will demand back pay for all the help she did without an allowance!!) So tonight, after she got all the tupperware out of the dishwasher, she pushed the drawer back in, closed the dishwasher and then started to push the buttons on it as if to start it - and even went to the start button to push. Josh and I just stared in amazement, NEVER have we showed her how to do it, just saw us and figured out that was the next step!! One more example, I was dusting earlier - tonight Kai grabbed my rag I didn't put away and started dusting things as well.

She is such a little helper. She LOVES helping us whenver she can, unloading groceries is one of her favorites. She is a great gopher too - if we need to pass stuff to each other in different rooms Kai is up for the challenge! Can give her something and say, go give this to daddy or mommy and she is off! We can tell her to do things like to go put shoes away, or clothes in the hamper, or get my a book from under the chair, or go get her giraffe, or shoes, or milk, etc (pretty much ANYTHING) and she will do as we ask. I just am amazed at how much she understands.

I was just telling Tiffany how I was worried about Kaiya because other friends tell me how many words their 18 or so month olds know and I was saying that Kaiya didn't know many. However, I then sat down and wrote down all her words she knows AND signs and I felt MUCH better, as she is doing better than I thought!

Words she says: Bob, Doggie, Hungry, mommy, daddy, kitty, meow, woof, up, stop, tickle tickle

Signs she knows: bath, more, thank you, please, water, milk, elephant, eat, juice, bird

Body parts she points to: hair, tummy, toes, mouth, eyes, nose, ears, head

Actions she knows: kick in the water, splash hands in the water, blow bubbles in the water, clap hands, high five, touch down!, hugs and kisses when asked - and I'm sure I'm forgetting some - Josh is currently working on pound with her :)

She feeds herself now with spoons and forks, infact if you try to help her she pitches a fit! She is trying to put her own shoes on, usually can't get them but she tries. She does get her own slippers on and loves putting her hat on herself. She likes drinking water from a normal cup, we usually just put a little in as a lot does end up on her but she does get a good amount in her mouth too.

We bought her a potty - and really all we are doing right now is letting her sit on it while we go potty (more so mommy than daddy) and just get used to it and see it. There is no formal training going on.

She is constantly into everything - she LOVES to climb, climbs on our bay window all the time - even moves her chair over to the window to climb up on it. Will climb on our dinning room chairs or pull herself up onto our corner table/bench in the kitchen. She has NO fear. Here is her standing on her tippie toes on top of a heater exchange pulling herself up on the window to see mommy coming home.

She is a VERY independent little girl and is starting to test mommy and daddy's patience. If you tell her no or take something away from her, she lets you know she isn't happy. Will fall on the floor and start crying. I try not to laugh or smile because its cute - right now - until she does it in a store!! 18 months and throwing mini tantrums already - YIKES!!! We are gonna be in for a long 'terrible twos' considering they have started already!

But all in all she is a great child, we can go anywhere with her and she is very relaxed and just goes with the flow.