Preschool

Andy LOVES his preschool.  Every morning when he wakes up, he asks if he gets to go to preschool today.  His thumbs up each day is "going to preschool" even when he didn't even go that day.  He gets excited to wear his backpack, carry his lunch, and his favorite activities seem to be playing with cars (big surprise), creating puzzles, going down the slide and hanging out with his friends Sienna and Marek.  One night he saw his backpack in the kitchen and wouldn't take it off all night.  Silly guy!

This was taken as we were heading to orientation.  Do you think he was excited about his first visit to his new preschool?

Katie, along for the ride...not so excited

Andy, walking around the house with his backpack

Andy happily posing for a picture

And, Andy in "hyper mode" playing with his favorite ducky...showing me all of his happy/silly/hyper expressions

Anniversary Dinner and a BIG week

Kyle and I celebrated a belated Anniversary dinner by heading to Ponti's on Nickerson.  This was in the beginning of September, but I still am catching up.  We were way over due for a date night and it was so nice to spend some one-on-one time together.  It's crazy how life just gets busy.  Heading out to dinner reminded us how important it is to take time to just hang out (without kiddos!).  We joked that we "survived" the 7-year-itch.  This seventh year has proven to be one of the most challenging years for us as a family. 

This first week of October was a big week for a couple of reasons (our theme for the year has been...when it rains, it pours!...or what doesn't kill you makes you stronger):

1)  Kyle had his last (hopefully!) surgery on his ear.  We are glad to move in a positive direction and are again reminded that health is everything. 

2)  RockStar Motel officially launched on Wednesday.  Kyle has been working around the clock for two years (literally around the clock for the last year).  He has learned SO much in the process and it has been fun for me to observe him enjoying something he is so passionate about.  It has been hard watching him balance two full-time jobs...ahhh, the life of a start-up.  I am really proud of him!  Check it out when you have a chance:  http://www.rockstarmotel.com/

3)  Alden has been approved to head out on Community Work Crew (CWC).  It will be hard labor, but we all think it will be great for him to get more fresh air and it will make the days pass by more quickly for him.

AND...both of our kids are healthy.  With cold season in full bloom, we are thrilled to have healthy, snot-free kiddos.  They both were hit pretty hard early on - so we are celebrating!

Cheers to Kyle, whom I met when I was 19 years old.  We have grown up with each other in so many ways and fortunately have grown stronger in the process.  I love so many things about you, but the biggest quality that has stood out to me this past year is how POSITIVE you stay even when things get tough.  I love the person you always have been and the person who you have become.  I love how much our kids ADORE you and how much joy they bring to you.  I love the family that we have created and that we somehow balance each other even when we can't balance ourselves : )

Cheers to many, many, many more years.  I love you!

Cousins

Love these silly kids!

Finally able to get her mullet into piggies. 

Poor May, Bapa just told her that he stole her night night.

T-R-O-U-B-L-E

September 3rd...

This was at 8:15pm.  I will miss these late light evenings.  (And...I didn't edit the colors in this picture at all...that is how beautiful it was...sigh).  Until next summer...

Labor Day...and Huskies!

We ended the summer with a weekend up on Whidbey for Labor Day.  We also enjoyed a victory by the Huskies. 

The kids were more into their cracker jacks than the game...this is after they (meaning Andy) dumped his whole box on the ground.  Looking guilty, huh?

SEPTEMBER at the Zoo

Woo Hoo!  I am blogging in the month that we actually are in!  Now if I can actually turn this blog into books, I will be ecstatic!

We haven't been to the zoo nearly as much as I anticipated, but I am hoping we'll take advantage as the weather turns and we're looking for an outing.  We kicked off September by meeting our friends at the zoo.  Katie could care less about the animals, she thinks they all make monkey or dog sounds.  Andy, on the other hand, wants to personally have a conversation with each animal (except the hippo - he's scary).  Oh, and as we were getting out of the car, Andy made it clear that he did NOT want to say hi to the dinos that day.  Point taken. 

The funny thing about the zoo is observing what Andy is excited about.  We were sitting in front of the big brown bear and I was pretty excited to see him.  Andy, on the other hand, was busy chatting it up with the fish in the water.  What?  We're at the bear exhibit?  Another example was when we were watching the Zebras (which are hard to spot sometimes).  Andy - he still is talking about the peacock in the corner that he saw for about 5 seconds.  He kept wanting to go back to see the peacock.  Really?!?  Ahhh, 3 year olds : )

And she's standing!

At the end of August, Katie was 14 1/2 months.  This seems to be a common conversation at this age.

Stranger:  Oh, how old is your baby?  About 6 months?
Me:  Nope, she's just small, she's actually 15 months.
Stranger:  Oh, she IS small.  So she's walking now?
Me:  Nope, she enjoys sitting and hasn't shown much interest in walking yet.
Stranger:  Oh, don't worry, my son/daughter didn't walk until he/she was 15/16/18 months.  "They" say it's good for brain development.

I don't know who "they" are, but I think "they" are the people who make concerned moms feel like there is some rationale for their said kid to be at the later spectrum of "normal." 

I would be lying if I said I wasn't concerned.  I also would be lying if I said I was super eager to have Katie walking.  I mean, it's pretty nice to have a 15 month old totally content just sitting and taking in the world.  Who wants to encourage their child to climb stairs?  Not me : )  But, yes, Katie is in therapy and that is exactly what we have been instructed to do.  Place toys higher and higher so she is enticed to climb the stairs.  Sigh.

So, these days, we are celebrating the milestones she does on her own.  For example, she now can pull herself up to a stand on her own and "scoot" along the couch.  Mostly, she enjoys sitting on her bum, sucking her right thumb, and putting toys, cars, balls in and out of boxes/containers with her left hand.  I mean, when you have an older brother to entertain you, why do you need to move anywhere?

Sunset

We are experiencing a "heat wave" at the end of September, so I can't complain much about the weather on the first day of fall today.  I will, however, miss these summer sunsets up on Whidbey.

Auntie Steph

On one of the hottest summer days, before school started, auntie Steph came over to enjoy some time on our patio.  We enjoyed some chilled white wine while the kids enjoyed splashing in the water table.  If only our summer dates could last into September : )

Lil Kickers - Summer Session

Lil Kickers holds their summer sessions outside - with one being at the Little Howe park on Queen Anne.  It was nice to have something right on the hill to enjoy.  I think Andy looked forward to going on the swings at the park AFTER soccer more than he enjoyed the actual class.  He gets so easily distracted by the airplanes, the birds, the rolling hills to run on...pretty much anything other than soccer.  Our coaches weren't the greatest, but I can't blame his lack of interest on them.  It was a good weekly activity to get him running outside - but I think we'll take a break from soccer for now.  We did meet a friend, Sienna, who is in Andy's new preschool class at Little Friends.  Sienna's brother, Hunter, is just a few days apart in age from Katie, so their mom, Christa, and I have become fast friends.  So...soccer was fun for ME : )

Andy's favorites from soccer were yelling BULLSEYE when he scored a goal, hiding in the goal, knocking over the cones and turning them back upright and most importantly, getting stamps...on his belly.  Waterbreaks were pretty high up there too. 

The double Bob was our friend this summer.  We spent a lot of time here.

Andy finally was able to spit his name out when asked.  When asked, What's your name, he usually had his own agenda on what he wanted to respond with.  For example, he would tell them that he had oatmeal for breakfast or that his sister's name was Katie.  Oh Andy, he'll soon learn that people just want to know his name.

Our friend, Sienna, with Katie and Hunter in the background.