Easter 2015

The posts are piling up, so I really need to get on top of things here.

For Easter we were in MA again, with my parents.  It was a quick weekend because we're now in the real world and didn't have a long school break any more.  The one thing I miss about school is all the great breaks built into life!  So, it was a quick, but wonderful weekend.  It was cool and rainy in MA so it didn't feel very Easter-y or Spring like.  Still, the weather didn't stop us from rejoicing.

After church, I made sure to get some obligatory Easter photos.  Maliakah had a dress from a friend's daughter (the same one who gave us the awesome Christmas dress) and was definitely the best dressed of us by far.  Kyalo did all right, too, in his new Khaki's and white shirt...

with a baseball, naturally

our happy girl

she isn't smiling, and Kyalo's not looking at the camera (would that have been too much to ask?) but still, this is one of my favorite pictures.

 with Grandma and Grandpa

I can't decide which of these pictures I like better.  I wish the kids were smiling, but I think by then they were over the picture taking marathon.

Here are a couple from the phone:

And my favorite picture of them to date, I think:

so much love

And that wraps up Easter.  Maybe next year it will be warm enough to take pictures outside with some flowers!

Kyalo: four

I don't know what is more amazing...the fact that I woke up to a new dusting of snow on the ground today, or that Kyalo turned four on Friday.  I CAN tell you which one of those things I like better.  I'm done with winter.

Anyway...

April 3, 2015

(Kenya shirts for life!)

Kyalo's now a big man of four.  He's fun and energetic and full of life, loves his sister, is smart and engaged, caring and helpful, and all the other proud-mama adjectives there are.  This year has been hard. I would say we were in a 'terrible threes' year for sure.  He is strong willed, sometimes defiant, and so on.  So, I guess he's a typical 3 or 4 year old. (Right? this is typical???) It was not without a LOT of transition of course - a big move, a new job (and schedule) for Dexter, a new baby - in a very short time frame, so really, the 'terribleness' was to be expected somewhat.  As we settled into our new life as a family of four, and into routines, things did get better.

One big change that came at some point this year, maybe after Malaikah was born? is that he gave up napping.  It was not without my every effort to keep it going.  Now, though, he is in his room most days from 2-4 for 'quiet time' (which, sometimes, is not very quiet at all).  Some days are better than others, but for the most part, he stays in his room and plays.  Books on CD help.  New toys do too.  Those of you who are parents - any other ideas?

he wasn't exactly cooperating for these pictures.  this is four, I guess.

Kyalo's been in school two mornings a week at a nearby Montessori school.  Some days, I'm never really sure what they do, and others, he comes home full of facts and information about the planets or continents, or about the books they've read. So, he's learning something! Even though some mornings it is hard to get him out of bed and out the door, I think he likes it.  I definitely have a foretaste of what high school will be like though!

Ask him his favorite color and he'll say, "Red and orange and pink."  I guess it is too hard to decide!  He still loves all things artsy -- cutting seems to be his favorite activity.  Give the boy a pair of scissors and no paper is safe.  Neither is our house as it is quickly covered in confetti.  Here he is painting at his friend Lucas' a few weeks ago...

Picasso in the making!  If only we'd get him one of these easels. . .

He still loves loves loves baseball. And as the days have gotten *slightly* warmer (and longer) it is coming back into our daily conversation.  I signed him up for T-Ball (which will start "when the snow is off the field") and when I came home and told him, he said, 'I don't want to play T-Ball! I want to play baseball!'  He also talks about us going to Fenway Park to watch him pitch.  Should I call up some scouts and tell them to keep an eye out for and up-and-coming player?

here he is with his new Red Sox hat and Shirt.  Why wouldn't the Red Sox want him?

For Kyalo's birthday on Friday morning we had bacon and waffles, and he opened the presents that other people were kind enough to send him.

Then that night we drove to MA to be there for the Easter weekend.  He and my dad sort of-kind of share a birthday.  Kyalo was born just after midnight April 3 in Kenya - it was still April 2 here in the US, so my dad likes to claim they share.

Here are the birthday buddies:

We celebrated with a baseball cupcake!

Oh - while we were MA (civilization! there are TWO Marshall's within 15 minutes, not to mention Old Navy, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond , etc - a real mecca!) Dexter picked up a hair shaver for himself, and gave Kyalo his first ever real hair cut. No more snip snip snip as he runs past me.  It is pretty short right now, but it makes him look old and wise, and it will grow back to its wild and crazy stage pretty quick!

 do you think he's happy?

make a wish!

I wish I'd thought to get a picture of him and I together.  Next year, maybe!

It is exciting to think about all that is ahead of Kyalo - the new adventures, the learning and exploring and fun.  It is going so fast...most of the time...

Here are a few other pictures from the last few months:

A beautiful new outfit from Grandma. He wore it one day and then managed to dump an ENTIRE bottle of moroccan hair oil (I was very pleased by this, naturally) down the shirt and pants.  Thankfully, several washes later and the oil is gone!

Last week for an Easter activity I had some friends over to dye Easter eggs and decorate cookies.  He'd never dyed eggs before, so it was a fun activity!  Made better with friends.

Lastly, a couple of photos of Kyalo when I picked him up from school today.  Spring is called 'mud season' here.  I'm beginning to see the point. . .

 mud freckles

muddy!

You can believe he went right home and into a bath!  I envision a lot of loads of laundry in my future.  Maybe I need to get one of those outside shower hook ups?  Or just a lot of old worn out clothes...

So that's a wrap up of our newly minted four year old.  We love him so much.  

check up

And checking in.  The days sure do get away from me.

Yesterday, Malaikah visited the doctor.  Usually we are in and out easy peasy.  Yesterday was crazy busy and we waited over an hour.  I'm thankful that I have such an easy-going baby who didn't fuss one bit.  Also, it helps that she sits on her own now so I didn't have to hold her the entire time!

A few pictures from the last couple of weeks...

Wearing a onesie made by my friend Takisha in NJ.  You can't really tell, but that's a hippo (or, a rhino. I can't remember.)

17 pounds 5 ounce // 25 1/4 inches

15th percentile

It is really no surprise that Malaikah is going to be short.  Still, I wish she had hope of being taller.  I always thought my 5'4" frame was too short.  I'm already setting her up to hate her body. Must work on that!!

hanging with big brother one morning

The doctor was very pleased with how she is doing - she is growing, she's sitting well, has good eye contact, and a contagious smile.  She asked me if Maliakah is speaking any sounds yet and I said we get a lot of 'dadadadadadadada dada dada' (and yes, I try to work on "Mama").  The doc said this is a 9 month trick, so already, M is a prodigy and great things will come to her.  :)

playing with a little giraffe from a friend. This stays in her crib and she's often holding it when I get her in the morning.

There are still no signs of teeth coming, although she is drooling non-stop.  

all smiles for church on Sunday, March 29. The cute dress is from a woman who works for my dad.  

We are moving slowly in the food realm.  So far it seems she might like strawberries, broccoli, and oatmeal.  I was so glad that the doctor wasn't that concerned about just how slowly I'm going down that road.  We are still happily -- and easily -- breastfeeding. So why stop a good thing?  I can't say enough how much I like this doctor. Even though she was running an hour behind she took plenty of time with me to chat and answer my questions, and really took time with Malaikah, too.  So, so different from my experience in NJ with Kyalo.

Kyalo turns four on Friday (!!!!!!!) and we go for his first visit to a doctor in Maine at the end of April.  Is it weird how excited I am to take my children to the doctor?

six months

Well, last week our baby girl turned six months, and as is required, I sigh, 'where has the time gone?'  But really, how is it that she is already six months?  That the newborn stage is a distant memory?  That she's already so aware of the world around her?  A better question might be, when did I become so sentimental about it all?  I spend my time looking at her sweet face and want to memorize it, her toothless smile, her (mostly) hairless head, and then I look at Kyalo as he nears four and think, 'I can not remember him ever being this small!'  It is almost more than my heart can bear right now.

This has been a big month for Malaikah.  A week or so after turning five months she started sitting up:

She started out pretty shaking doing this, but by six months, she was a sitting up superstar:

She has rolled over, though only a couple of times so far.  Maybe she'll just skip rolling over and move right on to crawling or walking?  This is my favorite stage right now - when I can plop her down with a smattering of toys around her and she stays put.  Kyalo started crawling around 8 months, I think, so I have a few more weeks of this bliss.  Then it is on to baby proofing!  and shadowing her all the day long!

She LOVES Kyalo.  He makes her laugh like no one else.  Here's a video I tried to post last month, of him making her laugh hysterically.  Please note, that Kyalo has a 103* F in this video.  I wish I had this much energy every day. I'd get so much done!

Malaikah continues to be happy, content, easy going.  She will happily go to any one I hand her to, can be left alone with her toys for extended periods of time, and has the biggest, brightest smile you ever did see.

I think I'm going to be a little sad when her teeth start coming in

She drools non-stop, but there are no sign of teeth yet.  Since Kyalo didn't get his first two teeth until about 11 months, I am not expecting to see hers pop out until then. Fine by me!

more laughs

We have slowly ventured into food - and it is not going well.  I've given her avocado and banana and she just spits them out.  She was especially not pleased with banana.  I'm sorry we're not in Kenya right now - I'd be filling her up with fresh mango!  I'm not really in any rush for her to get into food, so we will take it slow and steady.  I'm going to try for Baby Led Weaning again, but mostly I just want to give her whole foods.  We will see how it goes.

And now, on to the six month photos.  I think she might be scared of the big camera because it is so hard to get her to flash her smile for me when I pull it out.  Still, I like these serious photos of her.  It is not uncommon to have her giving a stare-down.  

 a little smirk! swoon

And a couple of happy ones from the iPhone:

Kyalo loves her, too. He loves to make her laugh, and he loves to hold and hug her.  He'll often say, "I need to say good morning to Malaikah" and run to give her a kiss.  It hasn't always been easy or perfect, but I'd say things are going as well as they can.

 This picture looks like she's telling him a secret, and he's listening intently.  My biggest hope/prayer for them is that they be friends for life

possibly my favorite picture of them - look at the happiness and adoration she has because he's around

Well, she's stirring in her crib (too soon! what's that about?) so I better wrap this up.  Here's hoping I'm back with some more posts before seven months.

five months

Yesterday our sweet girl hit five months.

that raised eyebrow!  

and the chin

I am quite shocked by how quickly time has gone, and just how much she has grown already.  A friend had a baby a couple of weeks ago, and it already seems eons ago since Malaikah was so tiny and precious.  I miss those newborn days!  

Malaikah continues to be a happy, sweet, easy going baby.  Point in case:  On Sunday we went to a little gathering to meet our friends' new baby.  I woke her up from her nap, changed her diaper, bundled her up to head out in the snow, and then promptly handed her off to someone else 'for a minute' when we got to the gathering - and then forgot I'd done that.  There was not a peep of protest or fuss.  I bet we were there an hour before she cried. I fed her and she was happy again.

As you can see here, she has a serious stare-down.  Sometimes she will look at Dexter like this, and no matter what he does, she will not crack a smile.  Which is funny because she does have a wonderful smile.

thinking about a smile

That little smirk, plus the raised eyebrow, makes me think she's up to no good.  

Here is some proof she smiles.

 

I could look at that toothless smile all day!

She also continues to be a great sleeper.  It is 8 PM and she's already been asleep an hour and a half. I will feed her when I go to bed, and maybe she'll wake one more time.  At this point, I know she *can* sleep the whole night through, but waking once seems like no big deal to me, and I don't mind it.  They make me tired, but they are still sweet, precious, fleeting moments.

I'm not really sure what she is *supposed* to have done by 5 months since I've stopped looking at any of those things.  She hasn't rolled over yet, but her doctor kind of helped her along with that at her appointment last month, and knows she can do it.  Just a matter of time, I guess.  I'm in no hurry for that as it means life gets harder. 

This month, instead of getting pictures of her with Kyalo (who was at school) I got pictures with Dexter and with me.  I don't have nearly enough with us, so it was time.

 love

I think most days I still can't believe that she is here, and that I'm loving having a girl so much.  Let's see what happens when she's older!  

Now, who wants to come decorate our poor, bare walls?