Simple Entertainment

Kai is easily entertained this morning as I try to get some work done. Lately he LOVES playing with CDs. Now, this may not be super safe but I'm pretty sure he will be fine. Today he has made a game with a CD and the trash can...in goes the CD...move the trash can to a new location...take the CD out and start over. He has been doing this for about 10 minutes now and it is great! Thank you Lord for a little boy who can entertain himself on those days that I need more than his naps to accomplish everything:)

(BTW, I did bring down real toys for him, but he prefers the CD and trash can...ha!)

Pa!

Last night we had a wonderful visit with Tyson's dad! He was down in Portland for a meeting and was able to come down for a few hours after and hang with us. It was so wonderful to see him and for he and Kai to catch up...they had a lot of fun:) It was bittersweet, as it was so wonderful to see him, yet so sad that is was so short. We love you Pa...thanks for coming to see us! Come again very soon and bring Gramma too:)

First Haircut!

Kai had his first haircut last night. Nobody is really going to notice the difference except for his mommy but I think it looks great. It has just been growing in funny (and barely growing in) so we thought we would even it out a bit. The very front doesn't grow at all and the top towards the back had long wispy hairs going on...and the back was growing pretty well but passing up the rest of his head and looking a bit mulletish. So, Daddy got out the clippers and evened everything out. Now I can spike it up a bit to make is seem like he has more hair and he looks more like the little boy he is becoming *tear*.

Here is a before picture showing the back...

And after...

Such a handsome little guy!

"Z" is for Zancanella

I realized I had not done Z yet...Zancanella is my sister's new last name...here is a picture of the happy couple, Marc & Vicky!

Yay for the ABCs...this was a fun project!

Kai has been so funny lately. I wish I could video tape him all the time. Here are a couple videos from our day today.

He loves "helping" with the laundry lately. He is sort of doing it here but not as much as normal. He typically picks up the laundry and throws it out onto the floor...then puts it back in and starts over. Here he is playing with his pacifier...which he never used as a baby but now likes to chew on sometimes and toss around.

Here he is just being funny and babbling...he does this a lot:)

"Y" is for Yard Line

"X" is for X Marks The Spot

"W" is for Woods

"V" is for Valentine's Day

For my Birthday/Valentine's day my sweetheart gave me some beautiful flowers and a sweet card. The card is gorgeous and is made by my friend Melissa!

"U" is for Uncontrollable Laughter

"T" is for Train Tracks

An Afternoon at the Park

Today was a beautiful day and it is my one day a week that I have no obligations...well, other than being a mom and putting in 4 hours of work...but I don't have to go anywhere. So, I have been trying to go and do something fun for Kai but with the weather lately it is difficult. Today we went to the park which we have not done since Kai was about 5 months old. He loved it then and he really loves it now. He is so interested in the other kids it is great! I will post some pictures but you may notice that he is not looking at me in any of them. He was watching the kids or seeing what else he could be doing the whole time...not at all interested in mom! He was off and running after the other kids and did not look back...no fear this one!

"S" is for Street Sign

"R" is for Reflection in his eyes

"Q" is for Quaker Oats

Happy Birthday Cecil!

Happy Birthday to my little bro who turned 20 yesterday! Love you Cec!

Walking!

We have decided that Kai is officially walking now. He still crawls at times but mostly he chooses to walk. He hasn't quite figured out how to get to a stand without holding onto something so he has to crawl to the nearest thing to pull up but otherwise he is all feet! Here are some videos!

Masterpiece

Kai drew his first masterpiece last night...

And of course it didn't all stay on the board:)

"P" is for PlayHouse

How fun does this look! This is Scotty's PlayHouse. It is an indoor play area at my church. It has been a work in progress for many years and we were finally able to open this fall. Money was raised in honor of Scotty, a very special boy in our church who died of cancer a few years ago. The play house is open to the community five days a week, rented out for birthday parties and of course used for many ministry events. It has been awesome to see how God has used this play stucture to help us reach families for Him!

"O" is for Orange Peppers

"N" is for Noodles

Super Bowl Party!

We hosted a Super Bowl party yesterday and we had lots of fun. Tyson had an idea a few weeks ago to use a projector and watch the game on our wall and fill our living room with couches. I have to say it was a great idea and he pulled it off. We had a great time with a house full of friends, yummy food and a great Super Bowl game. Here are some pictures from the day.

We had a house full in our little living room with 18 adults and 6 kiddos!

Here is Kai with some of his friends

We finally put that big empty wall to use!

Happy Birthday Wishes~

Happy Birthday to Taryn today!!!
And Happy Birthday to Troy yesterday!
We love you guys and hope you had days full of blessings!

Kai is Ten Months Old!

Kai is ten months old today. This month has been incredible. He is very much becoming his own little person and it is so fun to watch. He has such a funny personality and I find myself laughing quite a bit with him. He loves to make people laugh and has figured out how to do it! Lately he will crunch is little nose when he is smiling which is super cute...he also snorts sometimes which is funny. He waves bye bye and also says it sometimes...but only when he wants to of couse! He loves pointing at our eyes, nose and mouth and we are trying to teach him to be gentle...he is all boy! The other day I was tickling him and I showed him he can tickle me and make me laugh...he caught on quick so now when I tickle him he puts his hands on my tummy and I laugh...he loves it! He signs "more" but also just hits his tray a lot when he wants food. He really likes to hear himself and yells (sometimes not so sweet) and sings (very sweet noises).
He is able to walk better now but doesn't do it all the time...he know he can get places faster if he crawls and he has things to do and no time to waste! I have noticed that he has been trying to walk on his own a lot more these last couple days. This morning he walked back and forth from me to the ottoman about four times (about 10 steps) with out me prompting him...he is just doing it. So, I know it won't be long now before walking is the norm. He loves climbing stairs which is now a normal routine after each diaper change...I have found that if we are downstairs he heads right for the stairs but he is pretty good at obeying when I tell him to stop and wait for me...but not always! I have been trying to teach him how to go down the stairs but he is not into that...that would be going back and he just is off and going...his goal is the top! I did teach him the other day how to get off the couch...he was just trying to jump to me but now he will turn onto his tummy and slide down...but not all the time, he has no fear and still trys to jump to me sometimes! He loves being where we are and will follow us. He spends lots of time in the kitchen with me and has his own cupboard he likes to take everything out of. He also loves bathes lately and has realized he can SPLASH...and splash he does...for as long as he is in there his arms are just going crazy...I need a rain coat to bathe him!
Like I said, this month has been incredible. I know there is more but I just wanted to quickly get down what I could remember so he can look back and see all he learned this month. I guess that is just it...I am able to see him learn now and it is so fun to teach him and see him be able to do it, and see him be proud of himself for doing it. It is really a new kind of joy I have never felt before. And with that joy, of course, comes frustration. Because I see what he is capable of I know he is often doing things he is not supposed to on purpose, testing limits and seeing what I will do. We are working a lot on first time obedience, obeying right away and with a happy heart. This will be a work in progress for a long time I am sure but he does really well considering his age. I know it is normal to test limits, it is how he figures out his world so I pray I can have patience and be consitent with him. Kai is really such a precious little boy and we are so blessed. Like I said, the joy and love I feel for Kai is amazing, I love that God has grown the joy and love to override the frustrations...He is so good!
I thought a video would be fitting this month since Kai is all about action lately...I am working on it and hope to have it in the next couple days....my big challenge at this point is figuring out how to get them off the camera...

"M" is for Music

"L" is for Library