long overdue

Alright, hi everyone. I realize its been a while since my last post and I apologize. However, I am exhausted, and not feeling very witty, so here are some pictures taken over the last couple of weeks, with minimal anecdotes to go with them. Please keep in mind, we'll have our new addition in a week and a half, so there will be even less posting then...although hopefully more content when I do post!
Today we went to the Discovery Stop. We'd never been but lots of people had recommended it. It is very similar to the MET except bigger and cleaner and generally less hectic. Kaylee really loved the climbing structure.
She had fun in the kitchen too, she made Mommy some lunch. Grilled Cheese please!
And of course, she road on the tractor. I actually have a lot more pictures, but these are the best 3 and I just really want to lay down myself for a while before Kaylee wakes up from her nap.
Auntie Yinnie and Uncle Mike visited this past week, and they stayed with us last night. Kaylee had a blast getting to know her great Aunt and Uncle.
I didn't snap that many photos though...but photographic evidence was obtained at least.
Yinnie was very excited that Kaylee eventually warmed up to her. Although Kaylee, once again, showed her affinity to the men in her life when she crawled up next to Uncle Mike and said, "Hi sweetie!"

On Sunday, we went to the newly renovated Humphrey Park with Bailey and Sam. The girls hadn't seen each other in a while, so they had a lot of fun catching up underneath the slide.
Are these stools, drums or plates? No one knows.
Awwwwww Bailey got a big hug from Kaylee. They missed seeing each other.
There's a new fountain/water park part of Humphrey and we ran into our friend Sophie there. Here's a pic across the park and through the fountain.
Kaylee is not a big fan of the water spraying in her face...but got a little braver when Daddy was around.

And she showed her stability and balance control on the slider.
On Saturday morning, we went blueberry picking at a local farm.
She did really well for about 20 minutes picking her own berries and in general having fun. Not bad for a sub-2-year-old if you ask me. Kaylee did awesome with her "Blueberries for Sal" imitation. Kerplink, Kerplank, Kerplunk!She even managed to not dump all the berries she picked back onto the ground.

And Mommy had plenty of berries to can for the winter...erm, I mean make blueberry muffins with.
Then Saturday afternoon it was down to Grammy and Grampy's for a big ol' family barbecue.

Yinnie hadn't quite won Kaylee's affection yet, but we were getting there.
Kaylee is always all smiles for Daddy.
She was the table's main entertainment, and although none of us were really sure what story she was going on and on (and on) about...it sure was funny!
Here's the whole gang, except Auntie Yinnie who apparently managed to hide behind Daddy's big head!

This was taken last Monday morning, pre-hairdo. Despite the hair in the eyes, I like the picture.
Then it was off to our friend Henry's house for a play date.
Gee, Henry sure is nice to share all of his toys with Kaylee.
So in gratitude, Kaylee gave him a hug from behind. He didn't seem to mind though.
And that is that. I had an ultrasound last week and actually got some pretty cool 3-D images on CD of the new baby about to come into our family. She has Kaylee's nose and lips...it is so weird that I can know that already!

the MET and some finger painting!

Its been a crappy couple of days outside, so Kaylee and I have been looking for indoor activities. We went back to one of our old favorite stomping grounds today: the children's museum. There's a new barn exhibit that Kaylee likes...here she was gathering eggs for the market.
I took the shot a little further out too...so you could see the big old silo/barn thing.
I am not sure what this expression means, perhaps the chickens were not as eager to part with their eggs as Kaylee thought they should be?
And of course, one of Kaylee's favorite exhibits is the dino pit.
Perhaps a budding paleontologist?
And in the toddler area, Kaylee always has fun on the rocking horse.

She's quite skilled at this by now.
Kaylee played with the train set too...which was usually something she bypassed on prior trips.
But today, it was apparently fun.
And last but not least, Kaylee had a lot of fun going up and down the jungle ramp. All in all, not so bad for a chilly, rainy summer day!
On Monday, Mommy discovered a recipe for shaving cream finger pain that she just had to let Kaylee try.

Kaylee dug right in, and had a blast...good thing the main ingredient in shaving cream is soap...made for a very easy clean-up!
"I rule at this," Kaylee proclaimed. "Adore me and my messiness!"
And how could we not? Even with all that greenish/bluish shaving cream/finger paint...she's still the cutest thing we've ever seen.
And that, as they say, is that...again!

The Maine Event 2008

So every year, on the last weekend of July, a large part of Daddy's family gathers on the island up in Maine to have a casual family reunion. Here is Daddy leading Kaylee up the big hill to meet and/or greet her cousins.

Kaylee really liked the decorations on the back of cousin Peter's house.

"How very Maine-like," Kaylee thinks.

She really was quite fascinated.

Then it was time to lounge in the hammock for a while with Daddy.

And then it was time to eat some dinner...because this particular family reunion was also a celebration of a cousin's recent marriage. So the eats were particularly good.
And then...well it was time to dance. We were shocked at how much Kaylee liked dancing. She is normally an observer...but this time she was a mover and a shaker. First she danced with cousin CJ.
She really kept the dance floor going, I mean who could resist dancing with this lil cutie?
We be jammin!
Well, ok, perhaps her moves could use some refining...but, she sure was having fun.
Lots of her little cousins wanted to include her.
But her favorite dance partner definitely seemed to be Margaret.
Then, it was time to head home. While Mommy and Daddy scrambled to pack everything up and find the puppies...Kaylee did some doodling.

She had a great a time...exploring, eating, dancing and doodling...what more could a toddler want? And that's it for July!