Toddler-ville

Does this pic just scream SASSY?

Oh boy---we are FOR SURE in toddler land now! Our sweet little 18 month old has developed some sass, and a new head butting technique she uses on us when she doesn't like what we are asking her to do, are holding her too long, or when she gets really hyper (one resulting in me getting a fat lip right before I left for work!). Oh, and today she uttered "Mine do it" when I was trying to help her not spill her sippy cup. Yep, we have an independent toddler on our hands. However, that hasn't deterred us from seeing her as the most precious little girl on earth! Besides, those flare-ups of independent sassiness are part of learning and growing up---and, at times, they are still kinda cute (but don't tell Kendall that!). Don't get me wrong, most of the time she is GREAT and continues to amaze us with her sense of humor, imaginative play, sweet hugs, helpful nature, and ability to pick up on new words (and usually the correct meaning, too)!

Playing in the cat house...she wishes she was a cat some days as she LOVES them.

Looking like such a big girl! 

And now for the jumbled list of Kendall stats and memories---that we just don't want to forget!

Kendall's favorite activities these days include putting her baby "nigh nigh," coloring, taking baths and singing. Her "Baby" takes about 874, thirty second naps throughout the day, and we are constantly hearing "shhh shhh shhh, nigh nigh" as she shoves the poor baby into her various napping spots. Then Kendall will instantly pick her back up and start the nap routines again. Many of her stuffed animals, as well as Aslan, have also partaken in a game of "nigh nigh." In addition to her baby doll, Kendall also received a Color Wonder set for Christmas and she asks to "kah-wa" all the time, but spends most of the time grunting to get the caps off or focusing to put them back on. Although color wonder is mess-free she does still need a bath from time to time. We're going to have to start spelling out B-A-T-H here soon, as Kendall gets over the top excited when she knows it's bath time. She loves to "swim" on her tummy and pour water over her own head. And the singing, oh the sweet, beautiful singing! We love it!!!! She sings when she wakes up and she sings when she's going to sleep, she sings while she plays, she sings about her food, and of course she sings to her baby. Although she has quite a song repertoire (Itsy bitsy spider, Twinkle Twinkle, I Love You (Barney style), Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, The Wheels on the Bus, and Jesus Love Me), she usually is singing in her own little language. 

Climbing in to her baby's bed---so silly!

Kendall continues to be open to eating just about anything. Her favorite food right now is the small Satsuma oranges. She called them "greens" and we have no clue where that started---maybe she just knows she's being funny? She is pretty funny! 

Sneaking a piece of candy cane!

She loves to play hide and seek with her cousins and now yells "Hide!" to let us know we need to come find her. She continues to thrive at her many different babysitters! Learning so much from her cousins and friends. We hear she loves the story lady and getting a stamp at the end.

running down the hall

One of the milestones "we've" experienced in the last 3 months is a set of molars, and the a new set starting to poke through---making for a rough night now and again. Usually Kendall is a great sleeper going down between 7:30 and 8:30 and waking up between 6:30 and 7. On weekends we try to give her a bottle and trick her into thinking it's still night time and get an extra hour out of her! When that doesn't work we let her snuggle with us in bed and watch a cartoon (Caillou is a favorite!)---we love our weekends! 

first taste of snow.

At her 18 month doctors appointment she weighed in at 20 pounds 1oz (under 5% still) and 30.25 inches tall (10%). Still a little pipsqueak! She is currently wearing a mix of 12 and 18 month size  clothes, and sometimes helps to choose her own outfit. She loves to request bows for her hair, too (although she doesn't usually keep them in for long). That's right, she has enough hair for bows! 

Attempting to dress herself and needing "mo bow!"

We think we are getting closer to potty training season as she is very interested in the potty, announces when she is going, and recently learned how to take her pants off. We are also hoping to be done with binkies (which are just at bedtime now) and bottles here soon. We've been wanting to wean from the bottle for months now but due to her petite size didn't want to take away the only way she actually drinks milk. 

A visit to Cat Tales to see the "Big Titty"

To Keith's delight, she loves to count! For a while if we ever said "how many" in any context we'd hear her shout out "2", now if we say 1 she'll keep counting (sort of!). Loves to repeat 3, and knows that 9 comes after 8. And after we say 10 she claps for herself. The rest are hit or miss right now but Keith is in heaven none-the-less. 

Play date with some of her forever friends

of course still in love with the cats!

And there you have it! See you in a few months for the next Kendall update :) Oh, I've included a few videos at the bottom ... 

A full and fun Christmas

 We have LOVED spending all these extra moments with Kendall over the break! She is at such a fun age and has been soaking in all that this season brings, and we have enjoyed watching through her eyes. She has taught us new dance moves to "Away in a Manger", all the characters in the manger scene are "babies," insists that the tree is lit, points to any and all "Dantas" (Santas), tells us that Santa says "Whoa Whoa Whoa," discovered a love of candy canes, and that anything white is "no" (snow). I know there is more that I can't think of right now...but, boy is she CUTE!

On to our break...(sorry,this is boring, but I have to write it down or I'll forget what we did year to year!)

The first few days of the break were spent cleaning and organizing the house and working on some craft projects so I could feel caught up on life a little bit. I even spent some time in my classroom getting organized there and ready for the next month (a teachers work is never done!). The goal was to get on top of it all so that Christmas could actually be relaxing. 

We spent Christmas in Spokane this year. Christmas Eve day we laid low at home and watched it snow! Kendall kept going to the window announcing "no, no" (aka snow, snow). Although we didn't get enough to get out and play in, it did make it feel just a little more like Christmas. Keith's Mom, Grandma, and Aunt joined us at church for a peaceful service of singing Christmas carols and listening to the cutest little girls recite the Christmas story. There wasn't childcare so Kendall ran free in the back of church and Keith lovingly chased her around so I could relax and participate in the service. :)

Christmas morning was spent with our little family of 3 exchanging gifts and teaching Kendall how to open them (she's practically a master at it now!). She was genuinely excited about everything she received, especially her books which she carefully read before moving on to other gifts. Grandma and Papa had shipped over a new "bike" for Kendall which she enjoyed riding backwards (hasn't mastered how to move it forward yet!). 

We ventured out to Keith's Mom's house for the rest of Christmas day where Santa had made a visit bringing Kendall her first real dolly (who she now gently kisses on the forehead!) and a stroller that plays music! We were all spoiled rotten by Bernie, whose love language is most certainly gift giving!!! 

The day after Christmas was a reorganization day to make sure the toys don't take over the house. We also packed up for a trip to my parents. We then flew to Longview for round 2 of Christmas. Kendall's Great Grandpa Dave was also visiting during our stay and Kendall loved all the extra attention from him and her Papa and Grandma. Of course we all exchanged more gifts and some of us used our gifts to go shopping for new boots! Keith and I finished our stay with a date night, while the 3 grandparents took care of dinner and bed time---thank you! All in all it was a full and wonderful break. We head home tomorrow and have 2 days to fit in our relaxing :)

 Watching Calliou on the iPod on our flight---it only kept her attention for 15 minutes!

 Loves her new Color Wonder!

 Flirting with Great Grandpa

 Grunting as she tears into the gifts!

 Kissing her baby

riding my childhood horse

I know you can't really tell by these pictures, we do actually dress our child in clothes other than pajamas! HA!

Santa Claus

Kendall wasn't diggin' Santa this morning at the annual "Breakfast with Santa." We weren't surprised because she generally doesn't like strangers all that much.  Although there was a glimmer of hope as she was pointing at him and saying "Danta," but the closer we got the tighter her grip on me was. There was no way she was letting us leave her with him so we have a family Santa picture this year. Here is a little video of her Santa encounter...notice she is very curious and looking for him as he pumped up the crowd.

And our little ham was all smiles again once we were home.

We are Thankful!

Would you like to try our Pumpkin Spice Latte?

 We were all set to have a cute, plushy little pumpkin this Halloween. Until I had a last minute inspiration by way of a Starbucks apron (thanks to Trish).  So, I printed off a few Sbux emblems, taped up a little coffee cup sleeve (paper bag) and a lid (foam paper) complete with the classic green Starbucks straw (toilet paper roll)---and, Wah Lah:

 our little latte!!!!

Trick-or-Treat!

Brentwood Costume Parade with Monkey Liam

Welcome Addy! To a Halloween tradition :)

A very serious Halloween tradition.

Last year (7mo & 3mo)

Then it was time to go Trick-Or-Treating with the Strate and vanAnrooy boys. 

Kendall doesn't know how to say "Trick-or-Treat" yet, but if you ask her what a ghost says she'll tell you! Despite this, Kendall scored candy at 2 houses (One being Trish and Johnny's---our costume inspiration!)...we don't have a picture of that though. We let her play with the candy and she figured out how to bite through the wrapper, which we discovered after we noticed green drool running down her chin---oops! 

It was a fun and Happy Halloween for all of us!