Safe Climbing

There is a changing table in Kayli’s bedroom that I have always used for “basket storage” of miscellaneous items like her pjs, pull-ups, lotions, etc. There is a large basket on top of this table that I’ve always used for “quick hiding” of things until I can later remove them unnoticed, like when she insists that something still fits her and it clearly doesn’t (it disappears instantly into the basket), or when she’s worn the pink tinkerbell dress for the 5 thousandth time and it needs a break (it disappears into the basket for a while), or just because a Mom always needs a place to hide things, for the moment… until she can make a plan for whatever it is. Well, this worked for a long time until recently when Kayli apparently noticed something sticking out over the edge of this basket, and just had to investigate! I was glad to see that she had used the hamper to climb up instead of just climbing the changing table like a ladder, like her cousin Nick did when he was a toddler and tried to climb a dresser, pulling the whole thing down on top of him. Luckily a stray laundry basket and his overworked guardian angel took the brunt of the weight and saved him from injury. Guess I’ll have to move that basket to avoid further temptation. Check out the video below:

Again...It's ALL in the Details!

The Nogg*n Channel has recently begun showing a tv program called Olivia, based on the book Olivia, about a pig, and her pig family. Olivia is quite a character, always fantasizing about being the "star of the show" and/or "saving the day". She loves to dance and twirl while wearing what she calls her "lucky tights". Well, we know that Kayli cannot watch t.v. without actively participating with props and appropriate attire, as if she herself is the main character. So, recently, Kayli has been insisting on wearing her "rainbow striped lucky tights" with everything, just like Olivia! So the tights were pretty predictable, but the other request took me a while to figure out. A few days ago Kayli wanted me to rubber band her index and middle finger together. I figured she was just experimenting with a rubber band and explained that she couldn't keep it on very long because she might cut off her circulation. She agreed. Then, last night when Olivia came on, she ran to get the rubber band and again asked me to rubber band the two fingers together. Then I watched as she held her hand up in front of the t.v. to match the hand motions of the main character, Olivia. Then it struck me, my detail oriented kid has devised a way to simulate the experience of having pig hooves! I can't stop laughing!!!

It's Dinosaur Week!

Kayli has had such a fun week at school this week. The theme is, how did you guess, DINOSAURS!!! They've been reading about dinosaurs, pretending to be dinosaurs, making dinosaur footprints, digging for dinosaur fossils, stringing "dinosaur teeth" on a necklace, and today Kayli brought home a drawing she made of her favorite dinosaur, the triceratops. What's not to love about a preschoolers drawing?

Another Fun "Field Trip"

We recently scheduled a “loooooong-ago-intended” trip to see Kayli’s cousin Matt, at K State. Marion and I started talking about doing this when Matt enrolled as a Freshman and now he is a Senior! Oh, well, better late than never. So, Marion, Jake, Nick, Kayli, and I piled into Marion’s car and headed for Manhattan last Saturday, for an overnight stay. We did SO much in such a short period of time and a great time was had by all! We…

...kept the kids entertained with magical electronic devices

...went to a really cool "Bug Museum"!
While at the museum, Kayli was "glued" to the large container that had a huge green snake eating a rat! I couldn't distract her and didn't really want to watch it myself and really can't even look at this picture without breaking out in hives, but I guess it's all part of the "cycle of life" lesson. When the snake had finally finished swallowing, and the mouse was gone from view, I heard Kayli talking to the snake with her hands on her hips, saying "Well, are you happy now?" I didn't happen to hear the snakes response!



In case you couldn't tell, this is a beehive with ongoing activity to watch...
Here we are at Matt's fraternity house...


Here we are checking out Matt's dorm room. Of course the kids had to "practice" climbing up into the bunk bed!

Kayli had some fun in the frat basement, stomping on beer cans!

We went to the Mall for a little shopping and of course Kayli couldn't pass up a Merry-Go-Round ride!

We did a little swimming at the hotel...
Matt read a bedtime story to the kids, even though nobody was ready for bed!
The kids played a rousing game of "Hide and Seek" that had Kayli laughing til she couldn't stand up!


Check out the "Hide and Seek" Video below to hear how much fun they were having! Notice Aunt Marion catching some winks in the middle of all this chaos.

We went to a beautiful rose garden...


It was quite chilly but we still played at the park...
Then we drove to this cool "Wizard of Oz" Museum...







Grabbed some lunch on our way out of town...Kayli managed to get a few bites in before dropping in her tracks...
Homeward Bound...

Decorating Styles

It just cracks me up, but makes me a little crazy, when I walk into a room and see that Kayli has re-arranged or “re-staged” some decorative items I happened to have out. For instance, after watching the Clifford the Big Red Dog episode where Cleo, the poodle, had to wear a cone on her head/neck to keep from scratching, I would constantly come into my bedroom to find the small beaded lampshade off the base of the candlestick it went on and instead find it pulled over the head of a stuffed animal, sitting on her bed. She’s always taking my angel figurines from the spots I have them in the living room and placing them in a “grouping” facing each other to look as if they are chatting with one another. Last night I was doing some dusting in my bedroom and found another “re-arrangement” that is subtle but apparently makes more SENSE! I’ll let you decide:

Picture One/ The Original Arrangement (Angel Teddy Bear with tiny scented sachets scattered around):

Picture Two/ Kayli's Modification:(Apparently a Tired Angel Teddy lying on the tiny stack of "pillows"/sachets)

Too Funny!

My Fairy Has the Flu!

So, last night Kayli discovered the very tattered and torn pink fairy dress that I had stuffed in the "sewing drawer" for the "miracle day" I would actually have time to sew it! "MOM, we've been looking EVERYWHERE for this!" Kayli says, as she fishes it out and wonders how it got down here. So...I sewed. Then, naturally, Kayli went to bed wearing this magical dress and dreaming of never taking it off again!
Then, about 3 a.m., my fairy climbed into bed with me and I immediately noticed that she was putting out enough heat to "kick off" the household thermostat! By morning, fever confirmed, Kayli says "Mom, I have a sore froat, and you know, I feel like I don't think I feel good." Poor baby. So, I'm in the kitchen,measuring out the liquid ibuprofen when she comes running in, wiping at her watering eyes and exclaims "MOM, now I think I'm crying, am I?
Flu symptoms...check, check, and check.


Work called.
Daycare called.
Nick Jr. on the t.v.
Ibuprofen kicking in.
Coffee for mom.
Let the healing begin!

BEFORE IBUPROFEN:

AFTER IBUPROFEN:

Ohh yeah, the medicine is definitely working:

THEN, 6 hours later... fever is back, we begin the cycle again...

Oh great, so if we stay on this schedule that means she'll be "ready to dance" again around 2 a.m.!!!

Fall, Fabulous Fall!

We hit two "Fall Festivals" in one day!!! First, we headed out to Louisburg to meet up with "Baby Lily" for some fun at the Apple Cider Mill.
There was an inflatable obstacle course, that had a huge rock wall and slide, that Kayli really wanted to try. The lady taking the money said "Oh, she's too little to get up that wall." Well, that's all Kayli needed to hear, and the challenge was on! I was so proud of her as she determinedly pulled herself to the top and turned to give me an "ear-to-ear grin" just before sliding down the other side!
Kayli somehow "skinned her knee" on the way down the big inflatable slide, the first time down. She showed it to me, but was so excited about mastering that huge "rock wall" followed by the super steep slide, that she just had to try it 3 more times, before deciding it was time to attend to her "injury". After getting a bandaid, she began limping, and telling everyone she saw, about the "owee" on her knee. Here is a video I took after watching her limp down the hill, then, when she noticed the camera, she got goofy!

Next stop...Family Tree Nursery, for more Fall Festival Fun
There was a big box filled with corn for the kids to play in...Woohoo!

There were free flowers to plant...Ohh I hope we can keep it alive!

There were pumpkins of every shape and size!

And, finally, a cute video of Kayli talking to the goats while wearing her mask, and then informing me that the goats are a "little bit cranky today".