Some Kind of ONEderful!

Today is the day, the day our baby turned ONE!!  Happy, happy Birthday, Kyle!  What a truly wonderful year it has been.  Kyle has completed our family so well with his happy, sweet self.  He is not yet walking but will take two and three steps at a time before either lunging forward or crashing down to his backside!  He LOVES to play on our master bed and has earned the nickname "Timber" because he will stand up and then purposely throw himself forward or even backward.  This little guy is not afraid of much, especially being physical.  He has even stood his ground with Anna a couple of times when he wanted something that she was trying to take from him.  He has randomly said the words, "That (dat)" and "This (dis)" and he even said "uh-oh" yesterday at the appropriate time when his cup fell off his tray.  I am waiting for when he starts "throwing" it off the tray and then saying uh-oh....oh what fun that is.

Today has been bittersweet as I expected.  The kids and I went into his room this morning and had to wake him up!  We videoed him while singing Happy Birthday to him and he wasn't too keen on it since he was so sleepy.  We were supposed to do pictures today but the weather was nasty when we woke up so I didn't want to take a chance, we will try tomorrow.  Brice and Anna are excited for his party but I know Brice has been a little bummed that his first year is over.  I know Kyle is still a baby right now but come Christmas he will be a toddler for sure, trying to keep up with Brice and Anna.  And, of course that is what I want for him.

He loves to sing and dance for sure.  He is always swaying in his carseat and will crawl over to the TV and stand at it and sway back and forth when there is music on.  He knows he's cute too and will look at you and grin.  He is still our most snuggly baby, resting his head on your shoulder when he is sleepy or just kicking back and relaxing if sitting on your lap.  He loves to be held and I oblige, willingly because I know too well, it will soon be that I can't pick him up any more.

So, while I have been reliving his delivery last year on this day, I am also so thankful for our sweet baby boy who has captured all of our hearts with his little grin and funny faces!!!  Thank you Kyle for all that you are, you truly are Some Kind of ONEderful!!!

 Justin had to travel on Kyle's birthday so we gave him his present on Sunday.

 He knew just what to do because he is always sitting in Anna's chair! 

 Bear crawling or standing and trying to take steps are his favorite ways of getting around.

 Here's his funny face!  He usually squints his eyes all the way closed though.

 Justin returned home in time for dinner and to see the birthday boy.  He asked if I got Kyle a cake and I didn't so we took him to a frozen yogurt place, Swirlin' Twirlin'.  Kind of like TCBY but better!  Kyle loves it!

 We will save the cake for Sunday when we have his party.

And, this is what I will miss about having a tiny baby; someone who looks up at you, depending on you for their every need.  I know there will be times when he "wants his mama" so to speak but all too soon, it won't be cool for him to look at me like that...I am hoping to get a few more years of this look. ;)

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY, KYLE!!!!

Beach Videos

Beach 2012

 Apologies for lack of posting lately.  We have three weeks of summer left, this week Anna is at ballet camp every morning, and we will have Kyle's party on August 5th.  In the meantime, we are already gathering back to school items and preparing for 2nd grade, starting August 10th.

We had a wonderful trip at the beach!  Tiring, of course, but the kids loved every minute of it and it was very much more enjoyable for me not being pregnant this year. :)  Anna and Kyle both enjoyed the sand which helped tremendously as far as carrying kids around.  Kyle was not so sure about the "surf", he did not want to be set down where the waves were coming in.  I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

I will try to keep it short and sweet, but did love capturing Kyle's 1st visit!

Yes, he is picking up the sand and throwing it.  Only acceptable when you are 11 months old, cute, and have never been to the beach before.

Third child=laid back!

Brice loved digging again and even had a few spectators ask questions on how they too could achieve a hole that deep!

This girl loves her some swimming pool.  She would swim ALL. DAY. LONG. if allowed.

Brice had a great time diving in the surf one day.  He and Justin were out there for a couple hours, if not longer.  And, the best part of diving is then laying out what you caught.  Lots of different crabs were identified.

Kyle found it fun to play in the inner tube inside the condo just as much as in the pool.

Pa gets buried by Brice!

Outside Captain Anderson's.

The crew!

Still to come, a couple more pictures and some videos!

July Celebrations

Let's just say that this family takes the month of July and runs with it.  Or eats cake with it.  We have lots of celebrations this month but you can't have July Celebrations without June, right?  Justin's mom celebrates her birthday the last week of June (25th) which then leads into July and I'm up first on the birthday list, July 2nd.  Then, it's Larry's on the 3rd, followed by the Fourth of July.  Aunt Blaire sneaks hers in there mid-July (13th) and then Kyle closes it out nicely on the 31st.  Maybe we shouldn't plan our beach vacation during the month when so much cake is going to be eaten!  Anyway, here are a bunch of pictures from the past couple of weeks.  Our neighborhood had it's big fireworks display on the 30th this year, so we have been on the go!

 Here we are at the fireworks, Kyle's first show!  Larry kept the kids busy by doing something to the cars.  All I know is that Anna started waving her wand and saying, "Bibbity Bobbity Boo!" to get the cars to go away.

 Don't mess with Lady Liberty.

 As soon as the fireworks started, I got Kyle out of the stroller to cover his ears while holding him.  He wanted Justin and nothing to do with something over his ears.

 The boy loved them, pointing and "talking" to them.

 Justin and I before going out to dinner on my birthday.  He took me to Bones.  It was awesome!

 Trying to get a picture of at least two of them together.  Below, is the expression I get from Brice when he sees the camera.

 Sarcastic smile.

 My little firecracker willing to pose!

 And, here are the kids on the Fourth at our neighbors house across the street.  Here was Anna going down the slide her first time...

 By the time she was climbing out, she wasn't so terrified, got a big grin on her face and then proceeded to slide for the next THREE HOURS.  Had to pull her off to eat.  The girl wouldn't stop and was asleep by 7:10pm.  We are now resting up for the beach...