It's About Time

I won't even try to make excuses for the fact that it has been well over a year since I have posted. At this point, I don't even know where to begin with an update or how I want to update you, or even myself. I have spent a lot of time reading other's blogs. My favorite of which is written by a woman I've never met. Every entry is a letter to her child or children. There isn't an entry that doesn't bring a tear (or three or a million) to my eyes. However, I haven't spent enough time documenting my own experiences and the joy that Kendrick has brought to me and to us for almost 2 years.

There are so many fantastic things about Kendrick that I want to document... well, really that I want to put in a bottle and take out at any point in the next 60 years. He has the most contagious laugh and it's best instigated with a couple of fingers on his neck. He's recently took a liking to dancing and does the best scissor dance with his arms (and insists that Greg and I follow suit). He's insistent on where I should be when he wants to play catch. He's learning (by watching) the commands to make the dogs sit. Last night, he was patting on his chest in an effort to have Kirby dance with him. He loves pickles and olives. He loves it when I run with him in the grocery cart. He's a huge fan of "This Old Man" and does a mean "Wheels on the Bus" routine. He loves Elmo, cheers for footbHis vocabulary has soared. He now communicates what he would and would not like to eat for breakfast, dinner, lunch, snack. He's becoming a little more independent every day...which sometimes morphs itself into what some may call a "tantrum". :)

Escaping to Tantrumville for a brief minute (or 5)

Typical meal time set up

This year is the first year that we took Kendrick to see Santa. On Sunday morning, we headed to the mall at opening time in hopes of beating the crowd. Luckily, we only had to wait 45 minutes to see Santa and he was well worth the wait! Kendrick is absolutely fascinated with Santa Claus. He enjoyed sitting on his lap, took a great picture, and now spends his evenings pushing his picture of he and Santa on his bike around the house.

I am so excited to see his face on Christmas morning, to see how he opens the presents, to stay in his pajamas all day if he wants, to eat cookies and pie and ham, and to spend the day and the week with so many people (and animals) that love him so dearly.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!

One Year Ago Today

David Gray

I bought tickets for Greg and I to see David Gray on April 10th. Although Greg doesn't know much (any) of his music, I have been a fan for quite some time. He is an amazing artist and he was incredible to see live. Our very good friends, Trevor, Amber and their daughter Maylee, came over to babysit for us so that we could enjoy the night. Kendrick had a wonderful time with the three of them. Here are a couple pictures from their time together.

Easter Weekend

Grandma Sharon came to visit Kendrick and us the few days before Easter and left on Easter Sunday. Kendrick had a wonderful time spending some one-on-one time with her and Greg and I were able to enjoy a dinner out of the house after 7:00. On Easter Sunday, we joined our neighbors at one of our neighbor's house for great grilled food and an Easter egg hunt. Kendrick had a great time running around with the other kids. However, he wasn't very interested in hunting for eggs; sticks, rocks, and dirt were much more to his liking.



The happiest kid I know...He is never without a smile.

Long Overdue

For the longest time, I kept telling myself that I needed to put together a new blog post, especially after the Griesert Girls came to visit. Better late than never, right?

At the end of March, my sister, Heather, and my two nieces, Myranda (5 1/2) and Sloane (now 2) came to visit Greg, Kendrick, and me. We had such a wonderful time together. On Thursday night, Myranda and Greg made homemade pizzas together. She is fantastic at putting on the cheese! The rest of the weekend was spent at the park playground, at the grocery store, and playing games at home. We (specifically me..) were so, so sad to see them leave and cannot wait to see them again in July.

At Chastain Park

I think we went to the grocery store every day.

My favorite picture of two of my most favorite people

Greg and the kiddos

Give you one guess who the rule breaker will be...

Sloane had had enough.

My Baby is 1 Today!

Some may say it's hard to believe but I believe it. Kendrick turned one. In some ways, it feels like I should say he "finally" turned one. The three of us have had so much change over the past 12 months (both exciting and scary) that, sometimes, it feels like this year has lasted too long. That doesn't change the fact that I did tear up at 10:00 last night, remembering the moment when I saw his face for the very first time. And we've loved him more and more as every day goes on. To say that he's the best thing we've ever done is an understatement.

We had a small party yesterday with a few of our close friends and neighbors. Kendrick had a wonderful time playing with his friends, showing them his toys, and eating goldfish off of everyone's plates. Cake eating was quite successful. After he initially appeared scared of the cake and scared to eat it, he dug right in and made the mess he was born to make.

Here are a few pictures from the day. Enjoy!

Bub-Bye, Mullet.

After much hesitation from my husband, I took Kendrick to Pigtails and Crewcuts today for his first haircut. Please don't misunderstand... Kendrick desperately needed a hair cut. Some might say that Kendrick was sporting a mullet, if you will. His hair was just too long, too scragley, and I had had more than enough. However, Greg was attached to Kendrick's baby hair and was having a hard time saying good-bye. So, I took Kendrick early this morning while Greg waited, broken-hearted, at home. ;-)

Kendrick did so well during his first cut. The salon is absolutely adorable. He sat in an airplane, equipped with its own steering wheel. Kendrick was so focused on the other kids and the other stylists in the salon that he didn't even notice that his mullet was being cut off. To say the very least, he looks incredibly handsome and more like a little boy. I will admit that I got a little choked up watching her cut off his hair, especially the really long strands that have been attached since the day he was born. Luckily, I have a little plastic bag with one of the first strands and, of course, a piece of the mullet.