Kaylee starts Gymnastics!

Please be aware...this is the 3rd posting I am putting up today...so make sure you see all the new pictures!
This morning, Kaylee started her gymnastics classes. Since Kaylee certainly doesn't need any more toys or clothes, I have asked the family to instead donate to her activities fund for Christmas. This fund is paying for things like: gymnastics and art class (see previous post for art class pictures.) But here is a chance for Kaylee's aunts and grand-parents to see what their funds will be paying for:
Kaylee had a blast...they started off in a giant pit of soft blocks. Kaylee actually had some trouble negotiating her way in and out...but I have a feeling within a few weeks...it'll be easy.
They also walked across several balance beams...some of which were already about a foot high!

Kaylee's practice walking along rock ledges and fences with Daddy really paid off on this activity. She didn't even need the teacher's help (sometimes.)

There was also ample time spent on the trampoline which Kaylee really liked!

As one of Kaylee's favorite civilian activities is bouncing, the trampoline quickly became her favorite apparatus.

She ran back and forth along the run-way style trampoline for several minutes (everyone else had moved on...but the teachers, knowing it was her first class, let her explore at her own pace.)

Finally, after a little coaxing, she decided she would move on.

She did some climbing, earning her nickname: Monkey #1.

It was around this time in the circuit, where she was just free-style climbing like she had been born swinging in a tree, that I wondered if gymnastics was the right activity for her. I mean really, what am I reinforcing here? Building her confidence in climbing? Our bookshelves will never be safe again!

But if that genuine smile says anything: its that I definitely picked the right activity.
Hooray for gymnastics, and hooray for the nap Kaylee is now taking because it wore her out so much!

Any Questions?

The Girls Have Lunch

Alright, these pictures were so cute, I just had to share. Over the weekend the girls shared lunch...well...I think you know what I mean. I was snapping pictures, and Kaylee kept saying, "Kaylee's turn," when I took her pictures and then "Rowan's turn" when I was taking Rowan's picture. Then at some point...instead of calling the play-by-play, she started issuing orders! Needless to say, a lot of pictures were taken...here are the highlights.Here it is! I did it, I did it. I caught Rowan's smile on camera! Totally worth the wait!

Here is the runner up for the 'smile' category for Ro. As you can see, in this particular race...only the winner matters!

Well, I couldn't catch any more smiles, but Rowan doesn't need to be smiling to be cute (albeit, it certainly does enhance the cuteness when she does.)

I can't believe she's already over 2 months old! I also can't believe how far behind I am on my scrapbooking:( Maybe I should get nice color print outs of the blog by month and have them bound at Staples!

I am trying to make a real effort to take lots of pictures or Rowan...she is just so easily upstaged by her silly sister these days. I think Daddy and Mommy are going to be in for a heap of trouble when Rowan is Kaylee's age and Kaylee is 4.

As I said, sometimes it was "Kaylee's turn." Despite the peanut butter...what a face!

She is starting to smile on request...but not always.

And of course, when its time to be done...its time to be done. Or beware the wrath...

What a lunch!

Art Class and Kindermusik

Kaylee (and Rowan) had a very busy (last) week. There were all sorts of things to try out.
On Friday, Kaylee had an art class at the Met through the MOMS Club.

She loved it, she stayed at the easel for over 45 minutes. Now that is a compliment, if ever a 2 year old could give one!

There were other activities as well...this one looks familiar.

Instead of food coloring in the shaving cream, Kaylee's teacher used real paint...and boy did Kaylee have fun digging in!

We liked it so much that we signed on for the rest of the year for classes. I don't think we can afford to give Kaylee art classes all year round, but I am looking at the next 5 weeks as an investment. I am going to steal all of Miss Aria's ideas so we can do them at home once class ends!
Last Wednesday, Kaylee attended a MOMS Club Kindermusik class.

She had a lot of fun with rhythm sticks.

Of course what kid doesn't like being allowed to make really loud noises with sticks.

She was a big help to Miss Bethany (the teacher, and fellow MOMS Club member.)

She learned a song in Spanish too. (Don't ask me what...I don't know Spanish...but we might be working on that soon.)

All in all Kaylee really liked trying some new activities and looks forward to taking a few more art classes in 2008.

A Mouse and a Jack-O-Lantern

So on Halloween, I dressed Rowan up in a borrowed Halloween onesie and subjected her to a few flash-bulbs.
She had no clue what it was all about, but she took it in stride. This was good, since it was nothing compared to what was coming...

First, we had a mouse...Minnie Mouse to be exact.

Mickey, eat your heart out!

This Minnie Mouse didn't know what was going on, per say, but she liked her costume well-enough, especially when she was allowed to color in it!

What's the big deal with coloring you might wonder? Well since our resident two-year-old genius eats crayons...coloring is a monitored and therefore, limited activity!

Still we think she made a darn good Minnie!

And Rowan, well she's just the cutest darn Jack-O-Lantern we've ever seen!

"Again, with the pictures Mommy?" Rowan groaned.

"Oh well, might as well enjoy the inevitable." Then it was down to Grammy and Grampy's house where we celebrated the real fun of Halloween.

Walking around the very crooked sidewalks...

and falling asleep...

while big sister begs for chocolate.

And quite a beggar she turned out to be.

As you can see, Kaylee quickly ditched her Minnie Mouse ears.

"Mommy," she told me, "My character is very recognizable. I hardly need the ears for people to know who I am!"

It was hard to argue with that logic, and with a mouse for that matter!

And that was our Halloween! Hope yours was Happy too!

Apple Picking With A Toddler

First, you should be aware that when planning an apple picking trip with a 2-year-old with, take the time you think the activity should last and divide it by at least 3. Our apple picking adventure, which I had hoped would take an hour or more, didn't. Such is the attention span of our little monkey.
Anyway, on Sunday afternoon we headed to our local apple orchard to get some apples. Here's Daddy leading our little apple-picker to her quarry.
"There it is," he tells her, "Out yonder o'er near that there pumpkin patch." (Please note: the previous quote was intended with the worst hick impersonation imaginable.)
Kaylee wasted no time figuring out what her job was...and she did it with great gusto.

And expert apple-picker has been born.

She managed to wrestle even the most stubborn of apples from their perch.

Then it was time to sample her pickings...Kaylee had a whole peck to go through to find which specimen would have the honor of being the first to be eaten.

She inspected each apple closely, wanting to find the perfect one.

Soon she found the one she wanted, and held it close, her coveted prize.
Then she dug right in.

Kaylee sure does love those apples.

We really like this picture, the pumpkin patch was really a beautiful backdrop for our adventure.

Then it was time to explore the pumpkin patch and see what trouble she could get into.

"There sure are a lot of great pumpkins around here," Kaylee thought.

She quickly found her favorite.

She was literally head over heals for that pumpkin. Yeah, ok, that was bad.

Then it was time to recount her adventures to her Mommy on their way out (as Mommy had spent most of the time photo-documenting the event and shielding Rowan's eyes from the sun.)

Well that was fun...all 20 minutes of it!

That's all till tomorrow when hopefully I will get a ton of cute Halloween pics!