a visit to NY

This past weekend, we drove 4+ hours to Chuck and Buddy's house in the "country" also known as mid-state NY. While we love visiting them at their NYC place, the atmosphere and peace of their country home is always welcome. Here's a little view from their screened-in room. Petra and Loofy got to catch up with their cousin Lola; Petra was aloof as usual, but Loofy loved showing off that he could get to the ball faster than poor Lola who even if she could have raced Loofy would have politely stepped aside for the comfort of her guest.
They loved the yard and all the time they got to spend outside. I wrangled them onto the stone patio for a quick picture, but as usual couldn't get them both to look at the camera at the same time.
Kaylee really liked the amenities as well. On Saturday morning, it was already getting pretty hot, so she took a dip in the pool with Mommy and her new water toy, a birthday present from her uncles.She loved swimming around with Mommy and Daddy in the refreshing water.She even went on a little floaty boat ride all around the pool...which is Olympic length so quite a journey!

Later that afternoon, we went to a friend of Chuck and Buddy's house with lots of kids, another pool and lots of pool toys! Check out the giant water see-saw.Kaylee took it all in stride...look at my water diva!Playing it cool, she went around the pool with Daddy a few times, took in the sites. She borrowed another floatie toy, just to see if she liked it any better. She does love doggies after all.Mostly she just liked relaxing in the water with her family.Doesn't she look relaxed, even with the giant two-headed lizard looming in the back!On Sunday morning, Kaylee played with her toys while waiting for her uncles to wake up.We told her we would have to leave in a while... I don't think she wanted to leave...
But we promised her we would take lots of pictures...and so we did, starting with a cute one of Kaylee and Daddy. And she posed with her uncle Buddy!

Look a smile!And with both of her uncles at once.Here's a family portrait, Kaylee, Daddy and Daddy's uncle!She even demanded to have a photo-shoot with Uncle Chuck!Kaylee shows uncle Chuck that anything he can do she can do better...
Finally it was time to leave...the dogs were exhausted. This was taken from the front seat. We even found proof that not all New Yorkers are under the influence of the evil empire! Go Sox!

The week just flew, literally!

Someday, I am going to have to discipline myself and make myself do separate posts for separate events or at least separate days...but that time is not now...

Anyway, last Wednesday, August 15th, the local MOMS Club had their new member brunch...which Kaylee and I attended. We got to meet some new people and have some food. We didn't stay too long because it was very very hot out, but Kaylee just had to try the swings out...she'd never been in one after all.
"What does thing do anyway Mommy?" Kaylee inquires.
"Well," I reply, "you sit in it and it goes forward and backward, and you get to feel like your floating."
At first Kaylee doesn't seem to sure. But after a few "tos and fros" she seems to think its pretty darn good.
"More Mommy, more," she squeals. And I happily obliged.
After a good 7-8 minutes of swinging, I deemed the sun too strong and decided to get the munchkin out of it. I told Kaylee the news and she acquiesced to my judgement saying only, "OK Mommy, but can we get a swing at our house?"
"We'll show daddy and your grandfathers the pictures I just took of how much fun you had in the swing and maybe they'll start building that swing set for you soon," I promise her.
As of Thursday, Kaylee still wasn't napping. These pictures were taken from her doorway with the lights off (the flash on obviously). Instead of sleeping, Kaylee has decided to explore her crib...see how the mobile works.
She couldn't bare to face me when I had caught her in the act, but you can see her mischievous smile...napping was not in the forecast.
Friday morning brought moments of cuteness...Kaylee back to experimenting with her sippy cup, showed me how it was done.

She even gave a little smile for the camera as she expertly extracts the water from its container!

Look at those eyes!
Later that afternoon, her friend Emily stopped by. These girls have become such good friends that they've decided to share a credit account.

"OK Emily, its my turn to go shopping now," Kaylee says.
Saturday morning, Kaylee was in high spirits, as usual. She's not really content to sit around these days...she likes to be standing and scooting along the furniture."Again, with the camera mom?!? Yeesh, give it a rest already!"
In attempt to get away from a camera happy mommy...Kaylee makes her escape.

Going.

Going...
Gone.
And then we met up with our neighbors for a nice walk. Don't let the jackets fool you...its still August, it just got a bit chilly this weekend.

Kaylee and Bailey had some catching up to do!

These girls usually only see each other while in their strollers. The last time poor Bailey was at the house, Kaylee napped the entire time! Oh well, they're starting early on their exercise buddy routine. For now its the mommys and daddys doing the exercise, but that's alright by them.
After our walk with Bailey & Co, "Uncle" Ben came over! Kaylee ate her cookie in his lap and smeared her fingers all over his shirt! But hey what are "uncles" for?

Wow, what a busy Saturday!

On Sunday, G-Pa Ron came by to play. Unfortunately, he didn't get too play as much as we wanted because Mommy and Daddy put him straight to work helping Daddy install a screen door and build shelves in the attic to store all the stuff Kaylee has already outgrown!

They did get a little bit of playtime in though. Kaylee showed G-Pa how to use some of her new toys. "Isn't this exciting!" she shouts.
"Whatever you say kiddo," says G-Pa.
Wow that was an exciting week in review! That's all for now.

a long week in short review

This past week was quiet...but believe me, we're not complaining.
Kaylee has now mastered crawling and is continuing to hone her eating skills and her pulling herself to a standing position skills (using everything from the table, to her toys, to our unsuspecting dogs who are just adjusting to a suddenly mobile baby.)
Here's Kaylee showing some dexterity...cheerios are no problem to this tiny tot.
"Mom, do you have to document everything!?! They are just cheerios." I'm having flashes of my future as 'lame-mom.'
No food is safe from Kaylee's grasp these days. She loves fruit and here she's not bothering to wait for Mommy to cut it up. "I'm a big girl," she says, "I can eat the whole thing."

"Look, I think I can even eat both big girl fruits at once," she proclaims proudly.

"Ok...maybe not."
On Saturday, Daddy's college buddy, Mark stopped by to see the not-as-new addition to our family. He seemed to like her, then again, who doesn't?
Oh, as of this week, Kaylee seems to have decided that naps are no longer necessary. And with her expert pulling herself to standing position skills and only remedial getting back down to sitting position skills--napping is now a full-on battle. Generally after 20 minutes of her telling me through the monitor that 'no, I am not going to nap now Mommy' this is what I enter her room to find...
Of course she's not napping, she's stuck in stand-up mode! Who sleeps standing up?!?!

Despite the no-napping strike she seems to be on for the time being, Kaylee is still a very happy, energetic baby (you'd think she'd be tired and cranky, but no)

Ok, maybe just a little bit cranky. But don't tell her I admitted that.
Today we went to visit Great-Grandma Chip at her retirement village. More like college campus...if this is really the new nursing home, sign me up? You think I am old enough yet? They've got everything. Grandma treated us to a nice lunch at an on-site cafe.
And Kaylee treated Great-Grandma to a few of her million dollar smiles! Seems like a fair trade to me.
I took about 7 of the following type pictures, as they were holding hands, something about the generation gap of the hands just really spoke to me. I really like them, but I figured I'd only put one up...no need to bore you with what I think is beautiful.
Then it was back to Great-Grandma's room for a walk on the terrace.
And now we're back home again, Kaylee seems to be thinking..."gee, maybe I really should have napped today." That's all for now.
More next week sometime!