Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Summertime!!

So, once again, it has been forever since I've posted!  I won't even try to fill in everything I've missed.
I'm very excited that it's summer!  I think Kiley is the perfect age for this to be a really fun summer!  So far we've gotten to:
  • Visit LOTS of family
  • Take a road trip through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri!  It was a bunch of driving, but we had fun.  Kiley did great, but I know she was glad to be home & not have to be in her carseat.
  • Go to two family reunions (Gunselman reunion at Fall Creek Falls in TN, and the annual Seaton reunion in Brownfield, TX)
  • Go paddle boating.
  • Go on a big long hike (where we learned that the backpack carrier that we have isn't all that great, and we should've just used our Ergo which is an awesome baby carrier!)
  • Go swimming (Kiley enjoyed it, but was very clingy to us)
  • See some miniature donkeys
  • experience our first communicable disease as a family (Kiley got Hand, Foot, & Mouth Disease...it's a virus, no biggy really...you just have to wait it out.  She gave it to Brad & he was pretty miserable.  Luckily I passed on this one.  Maybe it's my super-immune system I have from working in Micro!)
  • run a 5k!  That was actually back in April.  I ran (well jogged/walked) & pushed Kiley in the jogging stroller.  Our time was 43:20.  Not bad for a first!
What we have planned for this summer:
  • Swim lessons!  Kiley's going to be taking a parent & me swim class starting a week from Monday.  It's a two week class at Texas Tech.  I think she'll love it!  Brad will be going with her since I have to work during those times.
  • Music & Signing class!  One of our friends is teaching music classes.  She has a baby class and also recently got trained (or whatever) to teach Baby Signing Times.  So, it'll be a music & signing class.  I'm really excited!!  Kiley loves music & she knows several signs too.
  • Another family reunion.  It's in Brownfield...another one on Brad's side.
  • Just the three of us trip.  I want to take a trip up to Amarillo & take Kiley to the zoo and to one of their splash pads at the park.  Amarillo's not very far, which I like because I'm kinda still roadtripped out from our trip east earlier in May.
  • Another 5k....or 2.  I want to try to run 1 each month.  We are doing one on Saturday (Brad, too).  I wanna see how well I do without the stroller, so I'm gonna let Brad push Kiley at this one :)  I enjoy running.  It's my "me time".
  • RELAX!  Well, it sounds good in theory.  I'm terrible at relaxing...just ask Brad.  I usually manage to find things to do always.  *sigh*
Cool things about Kiley (since I know that's what people really want to know about):
  • She is amazing (it had to be said :)  She is learning so many new things!  It's crazy to think how little she was last summer.
  • She can say a bunch of words:  Dada (says it ALL the time), Mama (says it if I'm lucky!), Doge or da doge (long "o" sound) = dog, dackkk = duck, dow = down, ba = ball, kee = keys, baybee or bebe = baby (which she calls anyone under the age of 5, lol), yay, beaw (soft "r") = bear, and the cutest recent one she says is "mem" or "amem" when we pray (for amen).  She loves trying to repeat words.
  • She can sign several words:  milk, eat, food, more, finished, and down.
  • She has two molars FINALLY starting to poke through.
  • She is an excellent walker now.  She started walking at about 13 months.
  • She is fearless.  She is a little daredevil, and I blame Brad!  She looooves being thrown up in the air, and being chased & tickled.  I kinda taught her something bad too.  One day I was trying to make her laugh so I was falling onto the bed after saying "1....2....3!!!"  Then I had her do it.  Now she loves it & she remembers it!  Occasionally she's gotten the look like she's gonna fall backwards on the tile so we have to stop her!  Also, in the baby class tonight at church, she kept getting up on the chairs & then standing up & letting go (yes, mother, I was right there...)  I foresee lots of roller coasters in her future :)
And, that's all I've got.  Maybe I'll get better at keeping up with this blog.  Maybe.

7 comments:

Denise Chadwick said...

We were so glad to have you in Pa. I'm sure you were glad to leave though in order to get a break from all the talking, ( we won't mention who that was). Kiley was a blast and I can see what you mean about the bed thing, the 1,2,3... and the tickles. She is a blast. We really miss her and all of you. Glad you made it home safe. Happy to hear that you, Brad and Kiley will be experiencing new things together. God Bless.

Shasta said...

Kiley is so cute! I'm glad she's keeping you busy! I have to ask, though, where was this new found athleticism when we were trying not to pass out in intramurals? Also, I must point out that you will have to pass through Plainview to get to Amarillo. Kiley would be really, REALLY upset if you didn't take her by her Auntie Shasta's house while you're in town.

Melanie said...

Lol Shasta! I think she would enjoy Sea World and San Antonio's zoo way more!..and stop to see Auntie Mel W. on the way isn't so bad either! Kiley sounds/is freaking adorable!

Melanie said...

Lol Shasta! I think she would enjoy Sea World and San Antonio's zoo way more!..and stop to see Auntie Mel W. on the way isn't so bad either! Kiley sounds/is freaking adorable!

Melanie said...

Lol Shasta! I think she would enjoy Sea World and San Antonio's zoo way more!..and stop to see Auntie Mel W. on the way isn't so bad either! Kiley sounds/is freaking adorable!

Amber said...

Okay Melanie, just because you post it 3 times doesn't mean it's gonna happen!lol If San Antonio wasn't so far then we would consider going there. And if she were old enough to care. We could probably go visit Shasta's dogs instead of the zoo & she'd be just as happy! :)
P.S. Shasta, you have not seen me run. It's not much better than when we were in college, lol!

Amber said...

Okay Melanie, just because you post it 3 times doesn't mean it's gonna happen!lol If San Antonio wasn't so far then we would consider going there. And if she were old enough to care. We could probably go visit Shasta's dogs instead of the zoo & she'd be just as happy! :)
P.S. Shasta, you have not seen me run. It's not much better than when we were in college, lol!