BIG DAY

My most productive day of the summer-probably year. We were able to take advantage of the Cash for Clunkers and get the new car we have been waiting a couple of months to buy. Here's our new Forester. Sage Green (it's hard to tell in the light here). Great Safety rating and plenty of room for kiddos. So exciting!

Pappou was here this weekend and was very helpful! Kaylin loved the hang out time and mom loved having someone to watch Kaylin while running all the errands of the day.

Pappou installed a new faucet for the kitchen sink.

The stairs were professionally cleaned...

...as did the couch.

All before 2pm. We were spent! But what a great feeling to get things checked off the list!

Finally

Sorry it's been so long. Kaylin was sick and then I got food poisoning, and well, we haven't been doing anything picture worthy. However, today dad had the day off (one of MANY weekends off. Hooray Ophthalmology!) and we went to the Seattle Center. The Experience Music Project had Jim Henson Muppets so we had to go see. Kaylin walked around, but always found herself coming back to the Bert and Ernie display. She would point and tell everyone around us, "Bert! Ernie! Duckie!" We also participated in a puppet show. They had a stage to perform a song with the puppets. Kaylin stood in the middle with her Big Bird puppet and was quite facinated with having an audience. We did some good time outside as well. We played in the puddles and the fountain thing in front of the Space Needle. We never wanted to get too close but it changes speed and direction and both Kaylin and mom got drenched. A very fun day for all of us. We're not looking forward to the mid 90s we have forecasted for us all next week. Bedrooms on the third floor and of course, we gave Kaylin the two big fans. Lots of time in the kiddie pool! Hope you are all enjoying your summers!

In the car




Holy Smokes! Sesame Street stuff everywhere!

Dancing with Big Bird and Elmo

Big girl at lunch time

Helping dad

Happy 4th of July!

We were in Coeur d'Alene for the 4th weekend and had a wonderful time. It was hot so luckily we have a little water baby on our hands. She had so much fun- so much in fact,that we didn't sleep well for three straight nights! She did sleep until 9am today so we're on our way to recovery from all the fun. =) Since pictures are worth a 1000 words, I won't say much more because we have plenty of pictures. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

It's so much fun in "Gamma" and "Gampa's" backyard.

Big weekend...Kaylin said, "Ben!"

Naked time!

Auntie Sallie on "duty"

Auntie Mary teaching Kaylin the essentials- how to make an appletini.

Cousin Russell

I love the Lake!!

The only time she sat still.

Watching Elmo at Gramma and Grandpa's.

And when we got back from the airport, look what was waiting for us! NEW SHOES! She put them on immediately.

ABBY CADDABY! If you don't watch Sesame Street, Shame on you! =)

Video

Fun weekend

Auntie Annie!

I'm sorry I don't have a video of Miss Kaylin. I'll get one in the next two days. We just got back from a trip to Coeur d'Alene/Missoula. Kaylin got to hang out with Auntie Annie and mom and have a girl's night on Thursday. She went to Scuba's rehearsal and dinner and had a great time. Then Friday morning we hung out with the Sopers at the mall and had some cheesy fries from Hoagieville. Gramma and Great Aunt Mary came and picked up Kaylin to bring her to Coeur d'Alene for a night while mommy went to the wedding and then the baptism of Phoenix Hyland. We did great! Kaylin was a trooper and I think everyone in the three states-Washington, Idaho and Montana was blown a kiss.

Fr. Jeffy and Phoenix Hyland

Happy Father's Day!

Kaylin worked very hard on her dad's Father's Day card. Stickers are not getting old yet. Gus was able to play a little bit on Saturday night. We went to a pizza place in town where they have a corner of blocks, books and a wooden train set. Just what we needed. Sunday we just hung out as a family before Gus had to leave to work the night shift. He's in his home stretch. Unfortunately he has to do 4 night shifts in a row...but then he's officially done with his intern year and he starts ophthalmology. Very exciting. Hooray for a wonderful dad on Father's Day! Special shout out to Pappou,Great-Pappou, Grandpa and Great-Grandpa Stein today as well! Kaylin's running around with her balloon celebrating all of you. WE LOVE YOU!

Love you forever

First of all- if you've never read this book, you should. Secondly, if you have, you'll understand this reflection. I was putting Kaylin to bed tonight and we choose this book to read. Now-when I was in third grade my teacher would have us take turns bringing in a book to read for the whole class. When I read this book, he cried. I told my mom when I got home and she promptly went out and bought it for him. Connie and Gordy would read this at their concerts and I remember my mom crying too. What is wrong with these people???

Now I'm reading to my daughter and singing her the song that the mommy in the book sings to her child as he grows up:

I'll love you forever

I'll like you for always

as long as I'm living

my baby you'll be

Now I understand the crying! I'm sure Kaylin was thinking the same thing I thought in third grade.

Then she laid her head on my shoulder and we rocked for several minutes before she said, "nigh-night mama". Life has never been so beautiful!

Weekend in 'Sota

We did a whirlwind trip to Minnesota this weekend because Gus magically had some time off! Unfortunately, I couldn't take Friday or Monday off so it was pretty quick. We had a chance to spend time with yia yia, pappou, Theia Jo, Great-Grandma Durner, Great-Aunt Lynn, Great-Uncle Ron, Cousin Kim and "doggie" Beckett and Joanna's boyfriend, Dean. We were busy! Kaylin did pretty well. Thank goodness we had our Elmo video for the plane ride. On our way home as we were landing she stood up on my legs and said "all done!". Amen, sister. I wanted off the plane too. :) She waved at everyone that boarded the plane, saying "HI!" as they walked by. She blew kisses to the passengers and played some peek-a-boo. She made a lot of friends. She's changing quickly. Tonight after our book time she pointed to her crib, blew me a kiss and said, "bye bye, mama." Bedtime should always be this easy.

I'm so tired!

Fun games with Great-Uncle Ron

It's ELMO TIME!

"Walk, Walk". Yia Yia keeping up with little miss independent

Great-Grandma got the old grandkid toys sterilized so the great-grandkid could play too. Funny that my parents put the "band" at her house growing up. Grandparents can tolerate noise better, I guess. Kaylin loved it. Dad's pretty good too. She says, "Thank you" when she hands the cymbals over. Doesn't quite have the concept of thank you down since she says it when you're supposed to say it. :)

Just Grandpa and Me... and Dad

It's been a grandparent parade in Kaylin's world over the past month, which has been delightful. This past week we had Grandpa in town. It was a lot of fun, we went and played at two different parks. Our favorite is Carkeek, which has both a beautiful beach with a tidepool and a great set of slides (or "yide" as Kaylin likes to say... thanks cousin Russ). Kaylin is talking up a storm, adding words almost daily, and surprising me all the time with things she picks up. She loves her Grandpa too. When he left yesterday she blew him multiple kisses and waved "bye" for about five minutes. She proceeded to blow kisses and wave at the next four cars to drive by, always looking disappointed when the car didn't stop with Grandpa inside. It took TWO cookies to make her feel better.

Grandpa and Kaylin playing at Carkeek Park

We tried to wring out Kaylin's shirt and she took off to yell at some birds.

Dad trying to convince Kaylin to stop shoving sand into her diaper

"Oooooh. Ch-choo! Whoa!"

Kaylin was brave but still wanted a little help on the uneven rocks...

...unless it was time to splash.

Gramma visited a week ago. Lots of fun.