Christmas, Take 2 and 3

OK, so Christmas morning dawned like every other. Kaylee is too young to understand the concept of Santa, so she slept in (which Mommy and Daddy did NOT mind I assure you.)
We dressed Kaylee up in her Christmas dress which I think is just adorable.
Then we showed Kaylee her first of many new toys: her play kitchen. She quickly got to work cooking up some breakfast...

"What was that you said you wanted Daddy?" she called out."Oh, that's right, eggs! I am making Daddy eggs for breakfast," she recalled as she resumed her stirring.
She got some fruit out of her new fridge to garnish Daddy's breakfast. Mmmmmm plastic food!
Then it was time to put Kaylee in her fancy (and matching) coat and hat and head over to Grammy and Grampy's house.

She got lots of gifts at Grammy and Grampy's house too, and believe it or not this is the only picture that came out any good from all day yesterday. So many people were taking pictures that I just kind of forgot to take even more. So hopefully Auntie Jacqueline will email me some of the pictures she took so I can round out my collection.

On Christmas Eve day; Grammy, Grampy and Auntie Diana came up to our house and we finally got to do some outside sledding. As you can see, Kaylee had a blast going down the small hill in our backyard...look at that smile!

Here's another action shot. Daddy and Grampy did all the work pulling her up the hill (which slight as it is, was still a pain in about 10 inches of well packed snow) and Kaylee enjoyed the spoils.

Here's the last sledding shot, a cute one of Daddy and Kaylee.

Later that afternoon Emily and her parents came over so the girls could exchange their gifts. But first they had lots of fun together in Kaylee's new tunnel!

Then it was down to business...presents! Much fun was had by both girls and time just flew until it was basically time for both girls to go to bed. What a great Christmas Eve celebration!
Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, Kaylee sure did!

Christmas, Take 1 ... and then some

Alright, here's a bunch of pics from the last 10 days or so. Yesterday we packed up and went down to Connecticut to spend some holiday time with Daddy's family. When Kaylee arrived at Grandma's house it was time for a Teddy Bear Tea Party. Kaylee wasn't quite sure what she thought about this and unfortunately a dish or two was broken. Perhaps next year she'll be more in tune with what to do at a tea party and be less like a bull in a china shop.
But at least we've taught her to do her part and clean up her messes. Apparently she likes brooms just as well as swiffers.
Well after Kaylee cleaned up it was time for some presents. Daddy got a RC Truck, which is more for Kaylee and the dogs than him. Here's Auntie Abbie helping her chase it down.
Speaking of Auntie Abbie and (sorta) Uncle Josh(?); they bought her a very fun tunnel that Kaylee wasted no time going back and forth through. Then she went in one end and stood up, lifting one end of the tunnel off the ground...hence the weirdness of this photo.
Auntie Abbie also got her a My Little Pony (one of her favorite childhood toys as I understand it) and Kaylee really seemed to like it too. No one needed to show her how to brush her pony's tail and mane.
Grandma got her a Radio Flyer Fire Truck which Kaylee had a blast riding around on. She needs to grow just another inch or so before she can easily mount and dismount this ride-on toy. The ladders in the back kept tripping her up, but that didn't stop the fun.

Grandma also got her a sled, which since we forgot Kaylee's snow boots became an indoor toy, at least for the day...
Also present were G-Pa nad Ba. G-Pa is working hard on a swingset for Kaylee, which will hopefully appear in the summer time, he's very excited about some of the design ideas, a bit over my head, but we'll see soon enough. Ba soaked up as much Kaylee time as he could as well, but unfortunately now that Kaylee is (lets use the word) mobile; she's not one to sit still for too long, so he had to take short little visits with her.
Last Tuesday, we had playgroup at Henry's house. Kaylee, Henry and Emily had lots of fun playing around.
They watched the Wiggles, played in the playhouse, played with trains and read some books, phew, what a morning!
Last Saturday, 'Uncle' Ben and 'Auntie' Danielle came over for our holiday celebration together. Here's Kaylee opening her earliest Christmas present.

"Thanks 'Uncle' Ben for this cool green Care-Bear, but what I really want is your new cell phone."
Even 'Auntie' Danielle smiled for the camera for a change.
And a smile from everyone! Yay for actually remembering to take pictures!
I had to share this picture with you too. The image is slightly spoiled by the oatmeal dribbling out of her mouth but I love the little smile.
Well there's my update. Merry Christmahannukwanzikah!

Kaylee meets Santa

Today, I took Kaylee to the mall to meet Santa Claus. As we predicted, she wasn't all that thrilled at the idea of sitting on some stranger's lap...but she held together pretty well considering the level of stranger anxiety she's been having lately. I love the Santa our mall has. He's the real deal, no fake beard or anything...and he's really sweet.
Even Kaylee wanted to check out that beard as white as snow.
Then she thought she'd about had enough.
But wait, we wanted a picture with our friend, Emily and Santa too. And boy, if you thought Kaylee was upset at the prospect of being in a stranger's lap...check out Emily's reaction.
These will make a great scrapbook page and years from now it'll all be a big joke, and for now its just a funny picture.
Merry Hannukah and Happy Christmas!

a Kaylee sized workout

OK, I admit it, I've been lax. But its not in posting...its in taking the pictures themselves. I have been doing so much scrapbooking and so many other little picture projects...that taking more pictures has just not been a high priority. So I took some today...just to show you our lil' one is still doing fantastic. Here's Kaylee showing off her stylin' turtleneck with ruffle sleeves.
I caught her lying down between the coffee table and the couch...was she trying to get away from the camera?
And then it was time for Daddy's work-out. Jump up and down with Kaylee in your arms until your exhausted...that shouldn't take too long with our 28 pound little monkey.
Kaylee seems to really like this workout!

"Again, again, again," she says.
Daddy seems to have liked the workout as well.
Oh, and last Sunday, our friends Bailey and mom, Shana came over for lunch. I managed to take a couple of pictures of Kaylee and Bailey...and for once, they are not in their strollers!
Bailey had fun with Kaylee's toys and Kaylee didn't seem to mind sharing them either.
That's all I've got for now. Pictures with Santa should happen within the next week or so and maybe the Christmas spirit will inspire me to take more pictures!

boat, yes. water, no.

Wednesday is my morning to work in the gym's childcare room. Its a long morning for Kaylee and sometimes I do feel bad, but I think in the end its definately worth it; especially on days where she has lots of fun there. Yesterday, she dragged out the tugboat to take a nice relaxing sail around the classroom...
She had fun, took in the sights. She particularly liked Coloring Book Island and The Library Canal. Boy the whole room looks different when you see it from a boat.
Uh-oh...what's that, a seamonster?
For a moment it looks like our little seafarer might be in trouble!
Then Kaylee remembered she had a boat to use as a weapon and made short work of that seamonster.
What an exciting adventure!

Thanksgiving means family (and a few more pics)

OK, its been almost 2 weeks, so lets get cracking!
Today we traveled to Grammy and Grampy's house, since we didn't get to see that side of the family on Thanksgiving...Kaylee arrived looking all dapper and cheery.
She made a few phone calls, to Great-Grandma Mitzi and perhaps Hong Kong.
And then Grammy and Grampy decided it was time for Kaylee to start earning her keep; so they put her to work.
Kaylee didn't complain, she is very industrious after all.
She even gives cleaning service with a smile.
After the floor was swept to her satisfaction Kaylee wanted to take in some culture, so she decided to find out if she was a piano prodigy.

Maybe not! But it was fun anyway.
I insisted on a photo shoot with Aunties Diana and Jacqueline as I have very few (if any) good pics of them with their niece. But I managed to get a few today that should last a little while, especially if I can wrangle a few more on Christmas.
Here's Kaylee with Auntie Diana.
And now with Auntie Jacqueline--hmmm, Jackie has her coat on her, was she in a hurry to get out?
I even managed a couple of shots of Kaylee with both aunties.

And a goofy one!
Here's Kaylee in her Thanksgiving finest! Isn't she oh so chic with her leopard print?! It's all the rage this year according to Modern Baby Magazine.
Thanksgiving day is with Daddy's side of the family and G-Pa Ron wasted no time snatching some Kaylee-time.
Kaylee got to meet her newest cousin as well, just a few months younger than her is James.
And here are a few pictures from playgroup held the Tuesday before Thanksgiving:

Here's Madison.

Here's Isabella (or just Bella). (Missing in photos are Emily and Henry)
Kaylee got to play with a tunnel that day, she had lots of fun trying to figure which was up in that thing.
But she managed to get out eventually, smart cookie that she is.
So that's my latest update. I promise I'll get back to taking more pictures and posting more promptly--well, I promise I'll try anyway! Happy Thanksgiving!