Celebrating

We spent the day at Cox Farm today. We enjoyed a hay ride, going down big slides, riding ponies, drinking fresh apple cider and pumpkin picking. It was a fun-filled day!
We officailly celebrated Fall today, but we also celebrated the coming of another year for Uncle Javier. Happy Birthday, Uncle, we love you!

My Favorite Activites Include:

• Reading with Daddy
• Music
• Climbing anything and everything
• Coloring & Painting
• ABC-time at school
• Singing songs wih Mommy
• Pushing my wooden go cart through-out the house
• Riding my car
• Rolling and tossing balls
• Dancing and moving to Gymboree
• Playing chase with Coco and Duke
• Exploring during outside time
• Slides
• Playtime with my cousins
• Bubbles

Birthday!

For Mommy's birthday we went to The National Zoo. It was a nice cool day and a great day for a family outing.

Showing Kenzie one of her favorite animals, was pretty exciting.




Kenzie got a kick out of the amazon fish and the octopus!


I enjoyed showing Kenzie the tigers.
We wrapped up the day by having dinner at one of Mommy's favorite dinner spots in Shirlington. Happy birthday to a fantastic Mommy and a lovely wife. We love you!

Ask me how old I am!

Food

A few things I really like:

• peas
• tofu
• spaghetti
• fresh mangos /dried mangos
• bananas
• broccoli
• quesadillas
• seaweed salad
• edamame
• apples
• veggie sushi
• cucumbers
• Mom's homemade mac-n-cheese
• squash, zuchinni and corn together with melted cheese
• eating Daddy's cereal
• blueberries
• yogurt

A few things I tried and don't like:

• brussel sprouts
• beans
• tomatoes
• carrots

Painful fall...

Kenzie had a bad fall on the slide at school and got a big "owwie" as she calls it. A side of her forehead had this large purple bump for almost two weeks... She lost her footing on the steps and fell headfirst onto the bottom step. Her caregiver said that once they finished icing her bump, she wanted to rush back outside to play. Once outside, she ran straight to the slide!

First Day of School

Kenzie has transitioned to the toddler/two's classroom. On her first day of the Fall semester, we decided we would both drop her off. Once inside her new room, she looked around at the new room, and the little faces of her classmates, and of course she didn't see her caretaker, Dania, so she was a bit confused. She sat down at the table with her new little friends (most of them used to be in the infant room with her as well but they transitioned prior because they are older). They were getting ready to enjoy the morning snack. She seemed to do okay until we began to say goodbye... her little chin began to quiver and then the tears came. It was tough but we let her new caretaker, Ms. Elizabeth, take over. On our way out, the Academy Director told us we could call her as many times as we wanted to check-in on Kenzie, which we appreciated. We called once in the afternoon and the report was that she stopped crying as soon as we left (figures!), she napped from 11:50 to 2pm, enjoyed ABC circle time, and loved playing outside on the slide. It was nice to hear she recovered nicely after we dropped her off. We are very proud of you little Kenzie!

The picture above captures just how exhausted she is when she gets home from school. Kenzie's day is full of activities- Below is her classroom schedule. Every Monday, we receive the week's activity schedule which includes the various art projects, gross/fine motor activities, and sensory and language experiences that the kids will be focusing on. It is nice to be at work and glance at the schedule to see what she may be doing in that hour of time.

• 6:30 - 7:30 Free Play
• 7:30 - 7:45 Breakfast
• 8:00 - 9:00 Story Time
• 9:00 - 9:30 Morning Snack
• 9:30 - 10:00 Outside Time
• 10:00 - 11:00 Circle Time- Art Activity
• 11:00 - 11:30 Lunch
• 11:30 -12:00 Clean up & prepare for nap
• 12:00 - 2:00 Nap Time
• 2:00 - 3:00 Activity Centers / snacks
• 3:30 - 4:00 Outside Time
• 4:00 - 5:00 Story Time
• 5:00 - 5:30 Snack / Table Toys
• 5:30 - 6:00 Free Play
• 6:00 - 6:30 Books, puzzles, legos

Playing Pretend...

Happy to be home!

We went away for the weekend leaving Kenzie behind for the first time...
Our close friend, Todd, got married in Cincinnati, Ohio. The wedding reception was an "adult only" affair, so Kenzie was cared for (in our home) by her caregiver, Dania. We left on the first flight on Saturday (8/25) and returned on the first flight the next morning. We missed Kenzie so much, but made the most of our time sans baby to catch up with eachother and with old friends. Kenzie enjoyed a playdate with Dania's niece, Sarah and church services on Saturday evening. When we were reunited on Sunday, we were so happy to hold her in our arms. Her little face lit up when she saw us! We settled in, had lunch and then we had some playtime. The picture above captures Kenzie's happiness that entire day.

It's so nice to witness a special moment and have the camera close by... Kenzie and Jeremy were waiting for dinner to be ready and I happened to look out at them from the Kitchen window.

Watering the Garden

Kenzie's way of helping Mommy water the flowers! You can see her signing for "more".

Summer Wedding

We celebrated a friend's wedding in Rockville, Maryland. Kenzie enjoyed making new friends with the other children who were playing outside the church during the ceremony. Luckily we weren't the only parents with a restless toddler! We took turns taking her outside, and after the third exit, Lorena decided to stay outside with her for the remainder of the ceremony. They came back inside when the happy couple were pronounced husband and wife, and just in time to join the receiving line. Our little girl has an abundance of energy!

Loving Books

When Kenzie was three months we began reading to her in hopes that she would enjoy books. Well, so far so good... She has a big bin of books in the living room and a collection in her bedroom. During playtime, she will grab a book and bring it over to one of us so we can read it to her. She will sit in our lap and once we get to the end, she will run over to her bin and grab another book. So we start again. At times she gets a bit anxious and flips the pages while we are in mid sentence. Storytime will continue until she goes through the entire bin! If one of us isn't in close proximity, she will sit on the floor as above and flip through the pages. She has several favorites, and one of them is an interactive book like the book above. It's a "flap book". It has surprise shapes, colors, animals and numbers. Sometimes before she lifts the flap to see the surprise inside, she taps on the picture and says, "knock-knock"! We hope her love of books continues.

Carousel Time

Kenzie wasn't sure what to think of her first ride on the merry-go-round. At first, she was excited when she sat on the bunny. But when the bunny started its up and down motion and the round-about pace picked up, she looked at me a bit terrified. I tried to reassure her it was okay, but it was her Daddy that helped. He was watching from the sidelines so he became her focal point. Everytime we would come back around he would wave and make silly faces and she would giggle and try to wave back as best she could since it seemed like she was holding on to dear life- it was an abbreviated little hand wave nontheless. This picture was taken prior to her Daddy's sideline entertainment starting so you can tell she was on the verge of tears...

Wishing Time Would Stand Still...

This little baby girl I would cradle in my arms.. with her head resting on my chest and her little knees nudging at my tummy. Look at her now, getting ever so big!

Kenzie's Hibiscus

In 2002 we purchased two hibiscus tress that bloomed beautifully every season and grew to be 7ft tall. It was hard to keep them healthy in the Winter. As big as they were we kept them in our basement during the cold months with lamps for warmth and light. In the Winter of 2005, they didn't look too healthy. Once we realized we could not bring them back to their healthy state, we sadly parted with them. In the Spring of 2006, we decided to purchase another tree in honor of Kenzie. It was a little tree at 3ft tall. Perfect, not too big to bring in-and-out of the house. Once the first warm Spring day arrived this year, we put it outside. Some days it was nice and other days it was darn right cold, so we would bring it right back inside. Finally some consistent warm days and it perked right up. Green foliage began growing and growing and growing... but no blooms. We had a big green bush tree on our deck. We were perplexed as to why it wasn't blooming. It was getting enough water and we were using our fertilizer that we had always used for our other trees, but no luck. Every morning (for literally 3 months) when Jeremy and Kenzie went downstairs to take the boys outside I would ask "any blooms yet?" Jeremy would sigh and say, "nope, not yet." (Gosh, Kenzie, your Daddy sure is patient with Mommy). Finally, last week we noticed an abundance of buds- about 12 of them. We hoped they would open and not drop off. And then, THEY ALL BLOOMED!

Little Kenzie, your tree that started out at 3ft, is now 6ft tall and continues to bloom! We hope to keep it nice and healthy for many years to come. Keep your tiny fingers crossed...

Wacky Hair Day

Kenzie's school designated July 17, 2007 as Wacky Hair Day. Once a month kids can participate in various titled wacky days. The last one they had was wear your pj's to school...

When Jeremy was taking Kenzie to school that morning, he thought Kenzie's hair was crazy enough. The heat and humidity of the morning had already turned her well brushed hair into a nest of unruly curls. Well, I guess her caretaker, Dania, thought her hair needed to be a bit wackier. The results are below-

Wedding Time...

We attended the first of four weddings we have this Summer. Kenzie may get to wear some of the pretty dresses she has stored in her armoire before she out grows them afterall! It's unfortunate we couldn't get a better picture of her in the dress above, but it is tough to get her to stand/sit still. Speaking of which, since she is now running everywhere, she would not sit still during the ceremony. Of course a firm talking-to worked for a New York minute. So, we had to take turns taking her out for little breaks. Overall, she was a good girl. She really enjoyed watching all the people coming and going.

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Grandpa celebrates another year. We want to wish him continued health and happiness for many years to come!

We love you.

Happy July 4th!

Kenzie's first work of art, with the help of her school teacher/caretaker, Dania.

We had a relaxing 4th. Kenzie caught up on playtime with her cousins and we had a few people over for a BBQ. That holiday weekend, we decided to go out on a date and Kenzie's caretaker came to babysit. Kenzie just loves Dania and vice-a-versa. When we were ready to say our goodbyes, Kenzie waved and quickly turned to start showing Dania her toys. It was very reassuring to leave her looking happy and in such good hands. Now on to our date: dinner and a movie. The last time we saw a movie... Kenzie was six months old ("Babel"). Dinner at Bonefish Grill was great. The movie "Knocked Up" was so funny, well, at least most of it was. One hour and 15 minutes into the movie, there was a power outage. We looked around and turned to each other in disbelief. We could not believe it. I mean what are the chances of something like this happening!? 10 minutes later, theatre staff announced that we needed to line up for rain check vouchers. We were disappointed to say the least and thought, well it's still early (8pm) what should we do now? We were enjoying our date, but we both confessed that we missed Kenzie. Although she would be sleeping when we got home, we wanted to see our little girl. Home safe and sound, we check in on Kenzie who is sleeping soundly. We then cuddle up on the couch together and settle in for an HBO movie. We figure, overall, it was a very nice date.

We hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday.

Camp Okoboji

We traveled to Lake Okoboji the week prior to the Fourth of July. It was wonderful to be able to spend quality time with our family in Iowa. It was also nice for Kenzie to visit the camp her Daddy attended when he was young. Mother nature made Kenzie felt right at home on her first day at camp. As she was exploring the campgrounds, she fell right into some messy, green goose poop. I don't think she knew what the heck happened, but Grandma and Daddy had a good laugh about it. It was a very relaxing time- Nights were spent by the campfire with family and the daytime consisted of the bean bag game, boating and lounging. Kenzie enjoyed exploring camp, and playing on the playground. She also enjoyed the kitchen inventory where plastic bowls, pans, and bags of food were stored in shelves that were at her eye level. Most days she would place a bowl on her head and carry a bag of bread or chips and go around the kitchen counter- just round-and-round she'd go. Kenzie also had a good time getting to know her little cousin Allison. Next time they meet at camp they will both be running around the counter together getting themselves into some mischief I am sure.

We were able to enjoy some downtime to ourselves as well, as Kenzie enjoyed attention from Grandma's, Aunties and Uncles. Thanks to Uncle Tony and Cousin John, we went out water skiing on their boat. It had been almost two years and we both agreed it was nice we still had it in us- Ha-ha-ha!

We made time to visit with Great Grandma and Great Grandpa H. as well. Kenzie enjoyed all the toys Grandma brought out, trying to spot squirrels with Grandpa, outside play in the garden , a wagon ride, chase/peek-a-boo with Grandma, and a tasty birthday cake. It was a very nice time.

We hope we can make it out for camp week next year!

Birthday with Friends

Kenzie's final birthday celebration was at My Gym. It was attended by her little friends and her cousins, Sebastian and Diego. The afternoon was focused around Kenzie's favorite activities: Singing, bubble-time, playing ring-around-the-rosey, ball tossing and a game of parachute peek-a-boo! Mommy and Daddy even joined forces in the kitchen and made cupcakes for all the kids.

Happy Father's Day

Father's Day was a relaxing day spent at the pool and thereafter enjoying an early sushi dinner. All our love and best wishes to Jeremy who is a wonderful Daddy!

Birthday Brunch

One of Kenzie's first birthday parties was a champagne brunch. Some of our close family and friends gathered to celebrate her milestone. We enjoyed lox and bagels, strawberries, salads, pastries and mimosas. The birthday girl enjoyed the brocolli cheddar quiche courtesy of Grandpa Marc!

Once it was time to serenade her, she sheepishly looked at everyone and was not sure what to think. She needed some help with her birthday candle and her little cousins were happy to oblidge. Kenzie's favorite dish was her slice of cake! She really enjoyed it, and was heard saying, "yum-yum yum" after every bite.
It was a very special day!

Happy 1st Birthday!

Little Kenzie, since the moment we held you, we were overwhelmed with joy and love. Now that you turn one, we remember that special day and can not believe how fast the time has gone. You are our sunshine and little blessing from above. We wish for you continued happiness, good health and love. Happy birthday, sweet baby girl!

Our Kenzie Is Growing So Much...

Kenzie began walking at 10 months, and since that time, it has really made us realize how quickly our little baby is becoming this little person..

We are thoroughly enjoying her various stages of development, and we feel quite blessed to be able to witness all of her "firsts". With Mommy only working Monday through Wednesday and Daddy's business allowing him to make his own schedule, we spend as much time as we can loving and enjoying her. Some of our Kenzie favorites include:

• Kenzie's morning greetings to her trains and dogs with giggles and saying: "too-too" for choo-choo, and "doug-doug" for doggies
• Wanting "out" of bed by saying in her little voice, "dahn, dahn" for down
• Giving us kisses with her mouth wide open or throwing kisses with her hands
• Her body-bouncing when she is excited or hears music playing
• Her quick walk/run to get away when she knows she's doing something she shouldn't
• Hurrying to find her shoes when she sees us getting ready to go out
• Signing "more" when she wants more food and saying "Moh, Moh"
• Giving her Daddy high "fives" or "cinco"
• When she rests her sweet head on our chests when she wants to be comforted or when she is just resting
• Sitting on Mommy's lap during reading time and stroking her leg with her little hand
• Daddy teasing Kenzie by saying "Mackenzie!?"and she responding with "Da- Da!?" and they continue to go back and forth over and over

You bring us so much joy little one!

First Mother's Day Memories

Kenzie, with the help of her school teacher, made her Mommy a little floral arrangement with her picture on it. It really touched her Mommy's heart.
We let Lorena sleep in a bit that morning while we planned a special day.. We spent the day treating her to a day of clothes shopping and then we had lunch at the Nordstrom Cafe. Kenzie was treated to a new pair of shoes at Nordstrom and was able to walk around the shops pretty well in them. It was great to hear Kenzie giggling as she tested her new-found walking skills in such an open public area. Hooray, Mackenzie!! Overall, as Lorena mentioned, it was just wonderful to enjoy the day together.

Happy Mother's Day to our Mom's who are far away, yet so close to our hearts. We love you.

She's a Traveling Girl...

Our little Mackenzie sure does love the camera, which makes it hard to take good pictures and videos. Once the camera comes out, she gets so excited! She likes to have her picture taken, and she loves to check the picture out on the digital camera screen. She has tons of energy, and Mommy and Daddy do their best to keep up. Good thing there are two of us! One of her favorite activities is to walk around the house with the assistance of a hand or a piece of furniture. She can do this non-stop!

So Mommy was out running errands one evening about a week and half ago, and Mackenzie and Daddy were playing catch with one of her balls. Mackenzie missed the ball, and it went under the ottoman. So she crawled over, got down on her tummy to check out the situation. After discovering the ball was out of reach, she pulled herself up to a standing position using the ottoman. She turns around, lets out a squeal, and proceeded to walk all the way across the living room to her surprised Daddy! She had taken 2-3 steps before, but this was a good 10 feet of walking for her! Needless to say Daddy was pretty excited and couldn't wait to tell Mommy. While we didn't catch this amazing feat on camera, it has taken more than a week to catch her taking more than a couple of steps. She just gets too excited when she sees that camera!