Sunday, January 27, 2013

Costume Party

The Hartners had a costume party at their house for Halloween.  We procrastinated designing our costumes until the last minute and used what we already had in the costume drawer.  Niel was a magician and I was his bunny rabbit.
Toddlers and Tiaras (left) & Pocahontas and John Smith
Cloggers!

Pumpkin Painting

Rather than carving pumpkins we painted pumpkins for Halloween with our friends the Elliotts.   
Caleb and Ernie are always so cute with Kensie.  She loves them.  They had so much fun painting pumpkins together and acting silly.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Pumpkin Patch

One Saturday morning in October we took Kensie to the pumpkin patch at Gilcrease Orchard.  It was a beautiful, sunny morning and the weather was finally cooling off in Vegas.  I was so excited to wear close-toed shoes, long pants, and a sweater!  
 We picked out some pumpkins and then enjoyed some apple cider donuts.  Afterwards we went to Niel's crossfit BBQ.

Marathon

 In October, my sister Lori and her husband David came to visit us.  They spent a day at our house before heading to St. George.  We took them downtown to the M&M store and the Bellagio.  On Friday we headed to St. George to see Aladdin at the Tuachon theatre.  Saturday Lori ran in the St. George marathon!  Niel, Kensie, and I were able to watch her cross the finish line!  Paul and Lindsay met us in St. George also to congratulate Lori on her race.  Everyone made their way to our house afterwards to spend the rest of conference weekend.

I was so proud of her!  I can't even run five miles, let alone a marathon.  It was fun to celebrate with her!

TWO

Kensie has been a very fun two year old (for the most part).  A few weeks before turning two, she starting talking up a storm.  Up until then her vocabulary wasn't very big.  All of the sudden she started talking in full sentences and learning new words every day.  The week of her birthday I was changing her diaper when she spoke in two full sentences to me! I could hardly believe it.  She said, "My bum is sore.  I want cream on it."  Since then, she continues to surprise us every day with all of her new words and sentences.  Here are some of the cute things she says.

"I'm getting my exercise!"  (while dancing around in her princess dress)
"I want the baby to come out!"
"I want take cookies to my friends."
"I'm not a baby, I'mma big gurl."
"Doggy's tired.  Her needs a nap."
"I wanna go to dance class!"
"Do you want to see my baby? She is so cute!" (referring to her doggy?)
"Mommy's tired"
"I want to wrap my paci (pacifier) and give it to the baby. I'm too big."
"You look so pretty mamma"
"I gonna look beau-iful"
Her favorite thing to do is play mommy with her babies and doggy.  She refers to her doggy as 'her baby' and tells me she is her doggy's mommy.  She puts her babies down for naps, gives them bottles, changes their diaper, feeds them, rocks them, sings to them, and reads them books.  I know she will be such a good helper with her new baby brother.

She loves dresses and dressing up in her 'princess' or 'ballerina' dresses.  Then she wants me to put on music for her to dance to.

She is obsessed with the tv show Dora the Explorer.  She asks for it numerous times a day, "I wanna watch Dira (Dora)."

Another one of her favorite things to do is color.

There have been some really hard phases with her at age two.  She can be very defiant at times and yell, "NO NO NO NO!!!" repeatedly.  She has a problem with hitting when she gets upset.  She HATES getting her teeth brushed and puts up a fight.  She is a very strong willed little girl and I've learned I have to give her choices.  For example, every morning when I get her dressed I pick out two shirts and let her pick which one she wants to wear.  Heaven forbid if I pick out a shirt she doesn't like.

A few months before turning two, she started fighting her nap.  She will lay in her crib for a couple hours and never fall asleep.  She has continued to do that on and off since then.  Sometimes she won't take a nap once every two weeks.  Other times there will be a week where she skips a nap 1-3 days of the week.  I still put her in the crib every afternoon though for a couple of hours regardless of whether or not she falls asleep.  I'm not planning on letting her drop that nap anytime soon!
Believe it or not, two has been my favorite stage so far.  I love hearing her talk all day long.  She says the cutest things and makes me laugh.  She has such a funny, bubbly personality that continues to develop.  I love being her mom.   

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Birthday Girl

Kensie ended up having about five different birthday celebrations.  I guess that's what happens when you are the only and first child.  Good thing she has another sibling on the way!  She was so excited for her birthday and said just about everyday leading up to and following her birthday, "I want cake, presents, toys!"
 Mom and dad gave her a new baby doll, her first dollhouse, and a nursery set for her baby doll.  Grandma Schurig gave her a diaper bag full of supplies to take care of her baby doll.  Her birthday presents couldn't have been more perfect since her favorite thing to do is play 'mommy' everyday.
Our good friends the Elliot's invited us over to their house for Kensie's birthday dinner.  Kensie loves their family so much.  Their boys, Caleb and Ernie decorated with balloons and streamers.  They even decorated a special 'birthday chair' for Kensie.  She thought it was fantastic.  We had cake and sang to her afterwards.  It was so much fun celebrating her birthday this year! 

Rainforest Cafe

We took Kensie to Rainforest Cafe as a family for her birthday dinner.  Her favorite part was watching the fish. 

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Baby #2

Baby #2 is on it's way!

I'm 14 weeks and due May 8th.

Kensie is really excited about the, "baby in mommy's tummy!"  She is already practicing to be a big sister with her doggy and baby.  She feeds, diapers, comforts, and puts them down for naps.  She'll be such a good big sister.
I started wondering if I was pregnant while we were in Hawaii because I had to use the restroom all the time.  I took a test about a week after we got home and it was positive!  I haven't felt as great this pregnancy as I did in my first.  Especially about weeks 6-10ish.  Super tired, unmotivated, and gross.  If I didn't eat every two hours I would get really dizzy, lightheaded, and feel sick.  Food didn't sound good but I had to eat anyway.  I didn't feel like doing anything, even shopping (gasp!).  Overall I can't complain though.  I never threw up and have been able to continue exercising.

Luckily, I've been feeling much better the last couple of weeks.  Still tired, but not feeling sick.

Yesterday I went to the doctor for an ultrasound and so far the baby looks healthy.  The ultrasound tech even gave us a hint of the baby's gender! :)  I'm so relieved to know I've made it through the first trimester.  Hooray!  Welcome to the second trimester!