Playing Hard

That's all we do at our house:  play.  It's so nice that kids learn best by playing at this age, because I don't have to worry about a thing except enjoying my time with them.

Kylie is still wanting everything the baby has.  She has figured out how to get in (but not out) of the bouncer by herself, and I will always catch her just chilling in it playing with a doll.

Hayden also really loves the bouncer.  This week he has started actually really concentrating on trying to touch certain things and making the spinny things spin.  He is slowly getting the idea of how to grab things!  It takes a while, but eventually he will grab the toy I place in front of him.  Whereas, if I am trying to eat anything he can immediately get his hand into my food or grab my plate.

It has been perfect weather for walks lately.  Hayden usually falls asleep within ten minutes, but Kylie has started a rock collection.  She will stop every few feet and grab a few rocks to put on the stroller.  By the time we get home we have five pounds of rocks to deal with!  So now she has a little box outside our front door that she can put her rocks into and she loves it.

Saturday was a big day.  I hung the mobile up for Hayden in his crib and he absolutely loved it.  He would kick and squirm while watching it.

That afternoon, Brandon decided to do something that he has been dying to do for awhile:  take Kylie to a movie.  He chose to take her to the Lego Movie.  I warned him that she isn't ready, but he really wanted to try.

They were back home within 30 minutes.  Kylie is much too active of a little girl to sit through an entire movie in a new, exciting place.  There is just no way.

Later that day we got Kylie a piggy bank.  Of course she thinks it is a toy and wants to carry it around everywhere, but we don't want her to break it so she gets pretty upset when we put it up where she can't reach it.  But she had the time of  her life putting pennies into it.  Now I am already formulating a plan to give her a few pennies whenever she helps out with chores (cleaning, dishes, laundry) and then we can take her to buy a treat every other week or so.

Hayden's Blessing

What a busy weekend we have had!  We are all so worn out!  But we had tons of fun with family!

First of all, Hayden has discovered his tongue.  Either that or his tongue has had a growth spurt and is too big for his mouth.  Either way Hayden is constantly sticking it out or sucking on it this week.

Kylie is still in a creative kick.  She just loves coloring everyday, even if she only colors for 5 minutes.  I am so happy she is actually coloring and not just eating her crayons.

Hayden has started rolling over consistently now.  The kind of consistent that happens as soon as you place him on his back.  It is so cute but he is still getting frustrated because his arms get caught underneath him.

On Friday our big weekend started.  First came the arrival of Grandma and Grandpa Knudsen, as well as Great Grandparents Naylor.  Kylie was super excited as usual and was all over them.  They gave her a cute little monkey that she didn't let go of for the rest of the day.  Everyone also loved Hayden, who was smiling at them all within five minutes.

Then we all went to see some houses in the Parade of Homes.  We had lots of fun, although Kylie wasn't too keen on having to stay in someone's arms the whole time.

That night Grandpa Gary (who Kylie likes to call 'Papa') and Grandma Shari were super nice and babysat the kids while Brandon and I got to go out on a date for the first time since Hayden was born.  It was fun, but of course I worried too much about Hayden the whole time.  Everyone had a blast!

Saturday morning we did some more home tours.  This time Kylie was unwilling to behave right from the get-go.  Obviously this was a boring activity for her, so after a few hours we went to a park and played for a while before lunch.  Grandma Shari got some fun pics of Kylie playing and of Hayden being his little cute self.

After a yummy lunch our little family went back to the house for some naps while the Grandparents went to see some more houses.  At 3.30 Grandma Tess and Grandpa Pete arrived and surprised Kylie when she woke up.  We played with them for a while and Kylie showed them her photography skills.

Kylie is so good at aiming now while taking pictures.  She got a super cute one of Brandon and Hayden earlier this week:

For dinner we got everyone together at Cracker Barrel to eat.  They have that fun shop right when you walk in, and I knew it was a bad idea with how Kylie's been.  As I predicted, Kylie got 'attached' to a toy and threw a royal fit when she couldn't have it.  She is at that stage where she thinks everywhere we go she gets something new (I don't know why... we don't buy her that much stuff... especially recently...).  Grandma and Grandpa Hansen were super nice though and bought her the stuffed animal, but she didn't get it until her tantrum was over which lasted an eternity it seemed.  Basically all day Saturday Kylie was an independent little queen and resisted any sort of authority or rules.  Not a good thing when you spend almost the entire day out of the house with visitors and wanting to actually enjoy your time with them without having to restrict your child every two seconds.  Thank goodness Hayden was a little angel all day.

Sunday came and it was the big day we were all waiting for!  Brandon got ordained as an Elder and was able to give Hayden his baby blessing.  It was a really sweet moment for our family and we are so grateful to everyone involved to help make this happen.  Afterwards we went to a park and Grandpa Pete took some family portraits, which Kylie refused to cooperate in.  (This happens when there is a park in sight...)

After a yummy lunch came the goodbyes as everyone left for the long drive back up to Utah County.  It was such a fun-filled weekend that as soon as everyone had left all four of us took a nap for several hours.  We really loved having everyone come down for this fun occasion and would like to thank them for everything they did for us this weekend.  Also thanks to Grandpa Pete and Grandma Shari for the use of their pictures!

Another Sick Week

This winter has been hard on us!  Yet again this past week Kylie, Hayden, and I all got colds again.  Or maybe it is the same circling around...  either way it meant another week spent pent up inside.  Not very fun at all.  Luckily it was kinda cold down here so it we were probably going to stay inside anyway.

Kylie is finding new ways to entertain herself.  She loves to take her socks off and put them on her hands like mittens and pick up anything she can that way.  Because of that I have gotten some stuff to make a few sock puppets which I think she will really enjoy.  She has also been getting into her dresser drawers and making a crazy mess in her room everyday.  After her nap she comes down with a million headbands and gives a few to Hayden.

One day while trying to get her bib off she took it off the wrong way and discovered that it made a pretty awesome twirly skirt.  So that was a thing for a day or two...

One of Kylie's most favorite things is her bath.  She could stay in there for hours if we let her.

Hayden has been working really hard on rolling over.  He has done it several times now (always when my back is turned, of course), and he gets upset every time because he gets his arms pinned, and he really doesn't like being on his stomach at all.

And Brandon always has to have his fun with him.  He will sit Hayden up in his little seat on his desk while he works, which Hayden doesn't really like.

Also, one night while I was away, Brandon set up the jumper for Hayden.  I have been telling him to wait a few weeks until Hayden was less of a bobblehead, but apparently Hayden really likes it.  And Kylie just can't leave him alone when he is in it - showing him all the toys and how they work.

Some New Things

I remember when Kylie was a baby and I was looking every week for something new that she did so I had something to write about that week.  Poor Hayden doesn't get that kind of attention since my attention is split between both him and Kylie!  All the little things he does every week I forget about when I write the blog!  For instance:  when he started liking his baths!  And how he is gurgling a bit more.  Something he has been doing for a week or two now is rolling to his side.  He likes to roll to his side and just suck on his arm or hand for the longest time!

Hayden is also the cutest little kicker.  I just love watching him jerk his legs and arms around like a little marionette!  

As you may have noticed, Kylie's hair is slowly getting longer and longer!  She likes to have it done, but her hair is parted weird, so there is a lot more hair one one side verses the other.  Usually I just do a little pony tail or clip her hair to one side, but this week I decided to be adventurous and do pig tails, which she hasn't sported since her 2-year pictures were taken.  They turned out super cute, albeit very lopsided.

This weekend we decided to do a crash course in potty training for Kylie.  She has had her potty for over a year now, and enjoys sitting on it, but not much else.  So on Saturday I was all prepared with Pull-ups, undies, treats, and prizes to help her take the next big step.  It didn't start off right, because I had to take off her favorite PJ's that she got from Grandma Shari for Christmas.  (She hadn't let me take them off at all on Friday...)  But eventually she got over it (once I hid them in a closet).  After much encouraging, bribing, story reading and you-tube tutorials we had zero success that day.  But today, after much of the same process (and mostly badgering every 10 minutes), and three hours of holding it, she finally went in her potty!!!  Hopefully it was such an interesting experience that she will want to continue doing it on her own without much badgering anymore!