Just a Little Bumpy

So, I'm walking down the hall with Kayli at the end of the school day, and she says to me "Uh, slow down Mom, I can't walk too fast cuz I have rocks in my shoes from the playground." Well, why didn't you just take your shoes off and empty the rocks out after recess? "Oh, Mom, it's no big deal. They're not pointy or sharp, they're just a little bumpy, that's all!" So, there you have it, my adaptable little girl. No point wasting valuable kindergarten time emptying a few pebbles out of your shoes!

Fun at Kidfest!

Last Sunday, Kayli and I met up with Linsey and Lily at the Kidfest. There were so many fun things to do and see and buy (of course). We were there for 3 hours!

The girls were transformed into fairy princesses...

there was a small petting zoo, Kayli wisely asked me to hold her candy bracelet while she "talked to the animals"...

Kayli was willing to pet the snake but when the handler asked her if she wanted to wear it like a necklace, she immediately responded with "no thank-you"!

Her young friend Lily, who turns 2 this week, was more than willing to let the snake handler drape the snake around her neck! That is, until it started slithering along her arm, and then she tried to grab it, and we all yelled "Don't squeeze it Lily!"

there were "pretend pony rides"...

and real pony rides...


then, a festival wouldn't be complete without the ever-so-popular J*im C*osgrove, especially when you get picked to be in the band!!!




all the kids were so serious about following directions and playing their instruments...

There was an opportunity to surf without even going to the ocean...

the girls got to make some pretty hair accessories, and then Kayli tried to help Lily put hers on...

for only $3.00, Kayli got a "makeover" which included fixing her hair, spraying it with sparkle dust, painting her nails, applying sparkle shadow to her eyelids, and putting lip gloss on her lips! She was thrilled! (I was more than thrilled, since face painting was $6.00 and this was, by far, a better deal!!!



Just look at those shiny lips...

After 3 hours of solid fun, I've got one tuckered out fairy princess!

and she still continued to sleep, even after I transferred her from her car seat to the couch. Yep, I wore her out, now, to get a few things done around here before she wakes up...

The Big Day!

The first day of kindergarten! As Kayli excitedly, but cautiously, stepped into her first day of kindergarten, just a few tears were shed, and they were mine! Luckily, I had a few co-workers/friends nearby, who whisked me away for the ultimate distraction, donuts in the teachers' lounge!  As I nibbled on a chocolate donut, I tried not to think about the last glimpse I had of my sweet pea in her trademark vulnerable position, arm up by her face, as if shielding herself from the big wide world, something she's done since the day I met her at 18 months of age. Oh, how this gesture still tugs at my heart!

We even practiced the night before with "a kiss and a hug" and agreed to part with the words "have a great day!" but the "real life version" is always much harder...

I did my best to prepare Kayli by reading a book borrowed from Aunt Marion called: Miss Bindergarten Prepares for Kindergarten, and then the book that Kayli's new principal sent in the mail as a gift called: Twas the Night Before Kindergarten. There's a page in this book where all the parents cry and then the teacher has to invite them to sit on the magic rug and get just one more hug from the children. As we read that page, Kayli said "Mom, let's just not look at this page anymore cuz it's going to make me cry."

The morning of "the big day" we took pictures and talked about the fun day ahead:

And, just as predicted, minutes from buckling Kayli into her carseat at the end of the day, she was sound asleep! I knew kindergarten would wear her out!

Kindergarten Supplies

Hard to believe, but my baby girl is going to start Kindergarten next week!!! She is very excited about the fact that her new "big school" has a "way better playground than the preschool playground!!!" Of course we had a list of materials to purchase, and we had so much fun gathering all these supplies...

Now, to choose just the right backpack...so many choices...

The "Winking Barbie" backpack wins!

Now for a lunch bag...Kayli says "Well, Mom, you know how much I LOVE Strawberries?!!!" 

Well, looks like we are all set! My "Big Girl" is Ready and Waiting for the BIG DAY!

Our Little Friend, Lily

Kayli and I got to schedule an impromptu playdate with our little friend, Lily, last week while her mom had to go to a meeting. Kayli loves it when Lily comes over because she loves to practice her nurturing skills on her toddler friend! They had a great time at the "picnic in the kitchen"... "Cheers, Lily!"

Now, Kayli notices that Lily is eating her cheetos with a fork...

So, of course Kayli decides that looks like fun...

Lily then decides it would be better to just make a meal out of the cheetos, and forget the hotdog! Kayli tells Lily that her mom said she needs to eat a bite of her hotdog before she gets more cheetos... I love how seriously Lily watches Kayli when she talks...

after lunch, the girls go out to play in the driveway...Lily checks out Kayli's scooter, but Kayli tells her it's "too dangerous for a toddler"...

So, Lily sticks with Kayli's favorite toddler riding toy, that Kayli tells me she wants to keep forever because it was her very first riding toy and she loves 

it sooooo  much!

Kayli teaches Lily how to get a closer look at the ants with her tiny magnifying glass!

"Ok, Lily, it's your turn to try..."

"Good Job, Lily!"

"Now, my mom says if we pose for a few pictures, she'll get out the freeze pops!" "Smile!"

Lily "says" I'm done posing... Get the freeze pops already!

The freeze pops were a HIT! I think they both had about 5! Oh, the joys of summer!!!

AND...purple frozen lips and tongues!