Random moments with constant cuteness

Yay..this will be the final post to get me caught up through July! Too bad August is about to end in just a couple days.



Our neighbors had gotten Kylie some super cute sparkly sandals and a cute Tinkerbell nightgown. We usually watch their cat when they go out of town, so they love to get things for Kylie as a way to say thank you! Kylie gets to play with their cat, and get some cute things, so she is loving it for sure.



Kylie just had to wear the jammies to bed the day we got them. I wanted to send the neighbors a pic of her Tinkerbell cuteness, so I asked Kylie to smile for me and this is what I got...

This is just one of many times that we played outside in the sprinkler, pool, and/or slip 'n slide.

What a cute smile!

Another neighbor of ours had their niece over one weekend to visit. We went to over and said hello, and then the little girl came over to play with Kylie for a bit. She was absolutely a doll! She is older than Kylie...I thought what a great little peer model for her to have :) It was simply adorable watching them play together.

Aren't they so sweet!

Towards the end of July, I was asked to make a giant cookie cake for a friend of ours daughter for her birthday. I called to tell the mom that it was complete and that I wanted to deliver it. She said to just bring it to the party, and that the girls wanted Kylie to come to the party too.

Kylie must have been sending them messages or something, because that whole morning she was saying she was going to the party, & I was trying to tell her that we were just dropping off the cookie cake.

It was so great that we got to go, because Kylie had a chance to interact more with the girls...they are from our life group at our church. She had so much fun & it was cute to see all the girls surround her, because they wanted to play with her...that cuteness of hers is like a magnet!

Below are a couple pics of her enjoying herself at the pool party.

Kylie and I playing in her playroom, and using the timer function on the camera...cheese!

Kylie always wants to help cook or bake in the kitchen...usually bake...I don't care too much for cooking :) And she never lets me forget to put an apron on her before we get started...she has 2, and usually picks a different one each time.

She is mashing up some bananas for our banana muffins.

One morning the sun was shining pretty bright in the playroom, so Kylie decided to put on her sunglasses. I thought it was so cute seeing her wear them, especially because she was still in her jammies. She just looks a little too cool in these pics.

On another playtime morning with jammies still on, Kylie brought down one of her purses filled with some bracelets. It was apparently time to take them out and put them all on.

I think little girls playing dress up is so cute...now I am just waiting til she insists on wearing all the jewelry and girly things out and about.

Wedding weekend, and Zoo fun

Still trying to play a bit of catch-up from July...just one more post after this, and I should be caught up :)



One of Matt's long time friend's got married mid July. The wedding took place in St. Louis just about 4 hrs or so away from here. We made the drive there, and Kylie did amazing on the way there! I'm certain she did better than me :) I have no idea how a child can watch the same movies over and over again...it drives me nutso!




The groom's family has always been so gracious to us, so it was good to see them on such a special day for their family. The church was absolutely beautiful...the groom's parents were married in the same church 31 yrs ago! Unfortunately, I have no pictures of the ceremony...my battery died before the ceremony started..ughh!




I didn't even bring my charger for my little camera, but I did have a second camera back at our hotel. Would you believe that after snapping just 2 pics(blurry ones at that) at the reception that the battery died on that one too! We had the charger for this camera, but of course it was in the hotel :(




Here are a few pics I got of Kylie just before we left to go to the wedding & then of each of us with Kylie. I think she looks absolutely beautiful! Best part is her dress was free. I made it...I just took in one of my old tops, and used the scraps to make the flowers on her dress and headband.


After some fun on Picnik, I came up with these pics of Kylie:

A sweet pic of Kylie and Matt! Love this pic!

I swapped places with Matt and he got a pic of Kylie and I...so love this picture of her and I!

We really wish we would have packed the battery to my little camera, because it also shoots video. You would have all been smiling and laughing away at how much fun Kylie had on the dance floor at the wedding. There was a time where she was in the center of the dance floor having the time of her life, while everyone was dancing all around her!



We could not get her off of the dance floor for anything...not even for wedding cake! We tried to join her on the floor and she just got mad and would just dance away from us. I was like oh no...she is only 2 and already embarassed to be seen dancing with her parents..lol



It was a great time for all of us, and we were so pleased to have been invited to share in their special day.



ZOO TIME

The next morning, we wanted to meet up with Sophie and her family. Matt really wanted to go to the St. Louis Zoo despite the incredibly hot and humid weather they were predicting. Elaine and Brandon are so kind, that they agreed to meet us there with the kids, so we could cath up and have a good time with the kids.



Since we had the charger to the 2nd camera, I charged it when we got home from the reception, so it would be ready for the zoo.



It was so hot, and we all just kept trekking on in the heat...and searching for the air conditioned exhibits :) Whenever it was super hot...which was like the entire time :) and Matt would complain...I just reminded him that he wanted to do this. Though the weather conditions were not the best, it was wonderful to see them!



Once we left the first exhibit, Sophie grabbed my hand and just kept on talking to me. My heart just began to melt....she is so incredibly sweet, and it made me feel honored that she wanted to hold my hand. Maybe she will do this with most friendly people that are around her and her family, but it just means something so much different for me.



This is a little girl that shared a lot of the same beginnings of the crazy IS stuff that Kylie did and then so so much more. To have seen her last year and now to be seeing how truly AMAZING she is doing and how far she came just left me a bit speechless. To hold hands with this little girl, who is getting so big! was just like holding the hand of a new little girl...she is such an inspiration to know and be around.

Kylie and Sophie looking for the zebras that Kylie wanted to see

This was one of the indoor exhibits...yay for A/C! Kylie had taken her sunglasses off and Sophie was being silly and put them on. They both thought it was pretty funny!








This is pretty cute...the girls were having some sort of discussion either about the birds in the exhibit or where to go next. I just think it is so cute to watch little ones have conversations together.








Super cold exhibit on the way...Penguins. It wasn't just cold in there, it was freezing cold! Poor Kylie was actually shivering the whole time. It was worth it, the Penguins are so cute!

Trying to keep warm with dadda

Posing with a penguin! Okay, it was not a real penguin, but it's still cute.





Love this pic...all the kids lined up trying to see what in the water

It was incredibly hot, so we did not stay at the zoo much longer and I can not thank Elaine and Brandon enough for enduring the heat with us at the zoo. The kids did great, but I think it was taking its toll on all of us. Sophie came over to say goodbye to Kylie, and she gave her a hug and kiss. She is just the sweetest girl! Kylie was a bit uncomfortable about giving hugs at the time, but she did great when Sophie hugged her goodbye.

All and all, our trip to St. Louis was a great time...witnesses a couple's special day, shared and exchanged the great achievements of a child.

1 more week to Donate...& a giveaway too!

You may or may not have seen the blogpost I did here. Well, Kylie's school is having a campaign to raise money for their scholarship program. Kylie is a recipient of this program, making it possible for her to attend their toddler classes (preschool-ish) and receive OT for her sensory issues.

There is only 1 week left to donate (ends Aug 31st), and the school has currently reached 98% of it's goal. Wouldn't you love to know that you helped them reach their goal or even exceed it?! Any contribution you make will help Kylie and other children receive the necessary therapies and classes to help them in areas of need.



For every $10 you donate, you will be entered into a raffle to receive some reversible headbands that I have started making. Once the winner is selected, they can choose 3 headbands that will be sent directly to them.



So how do you donate? Just click here, and it will take you to Kylie's page.



What do these headbands look like?

*Note that Kylie is wearing one of them up above too :)

4th of July..Kansas

I was about to do a blog post from last weekend, and then I said nope...I really need to get caught up from this summer. Just a couple days after we returned from Ohio, we attended our local city's 4th of July parade.


I took a million pics...what's new :) Some may look the same, but they are not...she is just so darn cute, that I had to take another pic, and post 'em all!












Oh, I made her dress and headband...here is a pic of a close up on one of the stars on the dress. It was my first time doing applique, and it wasn't too bad!

Relaxing in her chair, while waiting for the parade to start.

Something made her laugh...doesn't matter what it was, just love seeing that face!

Chatting with some folks that were sitting near us.

Something caught her eye, and she was pointing it out to us.

Love this pic!

She is just so darn cute!

My favorite clown...the hobo

I just melt when I see how beautiful she is!

I don't recall what was going by, but evidently she did not like it.

Still not sure about whatever it was....

...okay, definitely not liking it.

All and all, she loved the parade...not too crazy about the firetrucks, but who is. They are so loud. One thing I can say for sure is that the parade from McDonald, Ohio gave out wayyyyy more candy than ours did in Kansas. With that said, we are going to be in it next year and give out tons!

Hold Me

I have been having one of those whoa is me kinda days...weeks, err...years. I know at times when things seem so tough, that those of you who are like me...have a tendency to feel like things just keep piling on and there is no way out.


I know things could be worse...much, much worse. They are not, and for that I am truly grateful. I really am. I just get down in the dumps sometimes...every couple of months or so...honestly, I don't know how often. I could always ask the hubby, but I'm kinda scared at what his answer might be :)



Anyhow, I have been feeling particularly blah today and as if I haven't a clue on what I should be doing with Kylie. It feels like she has been extra whiny, screamy, and not so how I wish she would be behaving and working with me. Most can tell you I am not the most patient, but I try so very hard when it is just Kylie and I...which is like a lot of the time. Hubby has to work hard to bring home the bacon.


I have been struggling with trying to work with these sensory issues. The hard part is things can be just fine one day with a certain activity or routine, and then be absolutely nuts the next time you try it. I am told that is what makes them sensory issues...boo to them. Trying to filter out the possible upset in the whole scene is often difficult, and even impossible to pinpoint. So adding that on top of her anxiety and the fact that she is only 2 can make for a weary mommy.


I think I went past my quota with the amount of patience I have/had. By the time I got Kylie dressed today, which was still morning time...I was done. I told Matt that he and Kylie could go out and I was staying home. I was already buried in my bed when Kylie ran up to give me a hug and kiss before they left. After the hug and kiss she said, "what I do next?" She knew she was supposed to say or do something else. After a slight pause of silence she said, "I love you momma."


Yep, just when I was already feeling like a crappy momma for not feeling like I could do much more with this little girl, she lets me know she loves me. Granted, Matt had something to do with it...she said it and it made me feel just a bit more pathetic.


So there I was, at home by myself with a face full of tears. I got myself together by the time they got back, but the mommy guilt has been weighing on me all day.


After looking through some recent pics I have taken of Kylie, I have been able to reflect on some of the wonderful growth she has made.


A couple weeks ago we attended the baptism service that our church held at our local park. The baptism was taking place on the beach area. I was figuring one of us would be holding Kylie the entire time, or we would be back and away from the sand.


Kylie has never liked the sand...never really even tried to experience it, as the sight of it is usually enough to upset her. Once we arrived...we realized we were late, as they were already in the middle of a prayer. I was a bit worried Kylie might yell or scream when we began to walk on the sandy beach, but she didn't!


Nope, she just wanted her shoes off. AMAZING!


Amazing that not only was she wanting to walk on the sand barefoot, but she chose...He chose for it to be the day that we were gathered with members from our church during a very special service.


It was so beautiful, that instead of me taking pictures of those being baptized....I took pictures of Kylie's first willing experience with sand...between her toes, and sifting through her hands.

Looking at these pics makes me weepy, but this time it is the happy kind! I am so grateful that He shows me His love and greatness through Kylie.

This just makes me think of a song that I absolutely love right now....Kylie loves it too! Whenever it comes on she tells me to turn it up :) Here is a link to Hold Me, by Jamie Grace.

After you click to play the song, go back through and look at the pics again...makes you smile even more :)