Water Play Date Reunion

This past Monday, we had a chance to be reunited with our old neighbors, Denise and her kids, Hayden and JJ. Hayden and Keifer were best pals in our old neighborhood, and we haven't seen them since Kyla's birthday party (or something like that!), so Keifer was SO excited to go see their new house and swim in their neighborhood pool. It was a sweet reunion- Hayden was waiting outside for us to pull into their driveway and he and Keifer exchanged a HUGE HUG upon arrival. We toured their new house and then made our way to the POOL, where the kids had a great time splashing, jumping, diving, and jumping (if you were Kyla). Friends forever!

Kyla and JJ didn't really care what the other kids were doing, they were all about themselves!!

Hotel Play Adventures

The Saturday/Sunday prior to Valentine's Day, before the girls and I celebrated our Princess Tea Party, we had a HOTEL SLEEP OVER that Saturday night! AND: better yet, it was at a WATER PARK hotel!! Yee-haw, did we all have FUN FUN FUN!

Here is Kyla, running around in her new froggie swim suit, and Avery (top left) and Keifer, having the time of their lives!
Saturday was a day of high anticipation for Keifer, as she was eager to be reunited with her friends that we had met up with this past Fall. We get together with my 3 other girlfriends from college (we are all Early Childhood Special Ed. teachers who attended college together and have been amazing friends ever since). Between the 4 of us girls, we have 10 kids, and there is only 1 boy in the mix! WHOA! I always say "poor Jerry now, but in a few years, he's going to be in hog heaven!" LOL.

Keifer is especially fond of Louise's daughter, Avery, who is only a few months older than her, and Kris's Anna and Emma, who are both very close in age as well.

Keifer has talked about playing doctor with these girls for months ("can we go to your friend's house that lives far far away and those girls can doctor me, again?") When she learned we were staying over all night long together and swimming, she was beyond excited.

The girls were all excited to get their suits on and splash around for awhile in the "mini" pool side, designed especially for little kids. It was nutso there, but us Mamas were able to get some chatting time in, at least a little bit! Here, Kyla goes down the little slide, again and again and again! Lather, rinse, repeat!
Later, the adults were up front, and the girls were in the back room of the suite,playing doctor. Keifer was in hog heaven "doctoring" up her friends. At one point, CJ went back to check on the girls, and overheard Keifer pick up the hotel phone (still connected) and say fast, "hurry, hurry, come quick, there's 2 dead people in here!".

Um, OMG!!!!! OMG is right!! I wonder where she ever heard anything like that? I'm thinking perhaps one of the older girls said something about dying (being sick) and Keifer picked up on that. I then made sure both phones within the room were DISCONNECTED! Yikes!

The crew (some of them) eating and laughing/giggling and having a blast!

Daddies in charge? Some of the kids went up to the arcade later and yes, that is Keifer and Avery up on the Skee Ball game!

Best pals forever! Avery and Keifer! Watching them together just melts your heart!

Kyla was very involved with someone's back pack for quite some time that night. She made sure it was zipped, and proceeded to drag it around the suite for awhile.

Later on, she passed out cold in the pack and play in our room. She stayed up to a whopping 9:30 that night. But the big surprise is that Keifer stayed up until 11:30 PM- the latest she has EVER been up in her life. And she did amazingly well!! She was so jacked up on life and joy! It was just so joyful to watch HER, interacting with the girls and having such a good time.

And to really enjoy a snippet of Keifer & Avery, here is a video clip:

There are more clips here - enjoy! There are 5 total from that night!

Play dates (aka Boys boys boys)

My oh my, did we have a fun summer! We had plenty of play dates, and mommy only forgot her camera a couple times. Here are a couple of highlights from the fun times we had with our friends.

We met up with Courtney at the Splash Park and this summer, they had live music on Thursdays at noon! We only made it 2 times to the live music, but Keifer really enjoyed shaking her booty AND being able to splash around in the cool fountains. The second time we went (no pics) she really was brave and 1) went and sat near my friend Missy (in a crowd of MANY) with out me, said, "hi, Friend" , and then 2) went up close and personal w/the lead singer and jiggied with her. It was so fun! We also enjoyed playing with my co-worker Carissa and her 2 girls there as well (we actually introduced her to this fun park!)

Here is Courtney, Aidan, baby Aubrey and Kyla chowing some lunch

Splashing around and having fun in the hot sun

Live music: this time was the Okee Dokee brothers. Super fun guys!

Beauty girl

Kyla getting to know Aidan a little better!

Mama and Kyla pre-walking, but not wanting to sit down!

Keifer playing hard to get with Aidan!

And on the a zoo play date with our neighbors, Denise and her son Hayden (same age as Keifer) and Johanna (5 months younger than Kyla).
We've done many play dates with these guys, and Keifer adore Hayden. He's the first friend we look for when we get home and take the puppies for a "spin" around the block.

Entering the zoo in the wagon!

Meanwhile, Kyla & JJ enjoy the double stroller!

The Sea Dragons that the Zoo has that is my favorite thing to visit each time! They are AMAZING! My pictures don't do these little dragons justice

In the butterfly garden!

Just friends, strolling along....

Swim, baby, swim

We enrolled Keifer in swimming lessons at our gym in the beginning of March. She made it to one lesson before she managed to have a double ear infection for 2 weeks following that. CJ is in charge of taking her to lessons, and he did make it to another lesson with her at the end of the month, after said ear infections. She was not having anything to do with the lessons. Apparently she was being quite the stinker and refused to do anything that was requested of her, and demanded Daddy be in the water with her, then didn't want anything to do with him. We stopped going for a few weeks.

Cut to the end of April- after she turned 3. We hyped the swim lessons up for her as a "big girl' thing, and it managed to entice her enough to try again. Without daddy in the pool! Success! Our girl has now made it through 2 lessons without daddy in the pool and does what the teacher wants her to do!

I managed to find help watching Kyla at home so I could see Keifer Lynn in action at the pool last week. It was fun to see her kicking and floating on her belly and back and blowing bubbles with her teacher. There are 3 other kids in her class , and Keifer is definitely the "headstrong" one of the bunch, it appears to me. She is the one elbowing the others to do things FIRST, and is apparently a little thorn in her teacher's side, as she likes to push the envelope with her listening skills. For example, instead of simply pushing the floatie bar thing back to the teacher, like the other kids, Keifer likes to twist and turn and splash the bar; madly throwing it AT her teacher, rather than the gentle push in the water. It took the poor teacher all of the lesson last week to finally get our LION of a girl to do this the correct way. Ahhh, Keifer, why are "THAT CHILD?". LOL

But: the good thing is, she adores her class and loves learning, so I'm hoping and praying the learning of correct swim techniques sticks with her!

Here she is in her "lane" with the other kids and her teacher. She is the one with the teacher, holding onto the floatie bar thing swimming towards the camera.

Hanging out in the back left

Wilderness vs. Great Wolf Lodge

Next month, over my Spring break, CJ and are tossing the idea around to take the girls for a few nights to Wisconsin Dells to a water park hotel. Keifer adores the water; the past 2 weekends, CJ has taken her on Sunday afternoon to our gym for open swim. She has turned into a brave girl who will jump off the side of the pool, bob underwater, and then float up into CJ's arms. She refuses to let CJ hold her hand as they wade into the gradually deeper water, and he has to literally TEAR her out of the pool to get her home for a nap. Yes, we are signing her up for more intense swim lessons soon, as our little fishie has no fear.

Anyhoo, we've decided that we would like to take them to a fun water park hotel. The Dells are a great place to find just the place we are looking for - but there are SO many to choose from and so many mixed reviews on all of them.

Personally, we are leaning towards the Great Wolf Lodge, simply because they seem to be the most TODDLER oriented, with the rides access and activities they have that would be right up K1's alley. But we've also heard wonderful things about the Wilderness Resort. Yes, I realize our girl is only 2 (almost 3!) and we really should've care this much, but this is kind of a big deal to us! Ok, to ME it is!

Of course, I'd rather be jetting away to a tropical location, with just my husband at my side, for a relaxing beach getaway. Alas, I don't think that will be happening this year, but a girl can dream for a surprise trip at some point, right?

So, chime in and tell us what you have experience with young toddlers and any tips you might have for fun in the winter time in the Wisconsin Dells area?

Fishie wiggley girl

Keifer LOVES to swim at Elaine's house - lucky her,she has a pool so they can use it every hot day in the summer! Our girl is improving her skills in the water all the time, yay!
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Let's Get Together

Two weeks ago, CJ, Keifer and I trekked to a hotel nearby and had a wonderful time overnighting it with my ECSE pals and their families. Luckily, all our guys get along famously (just talk sports and you're in) and between us, we have 9 kids (10 if you count Kyla on the way!). We try to get together a few times every few months, and usually manage 1-2 get together per year with the whole family.

We had a great time, Keifer LOVED swimming, and she also enjoyed running around the hotel hallways. She was able to separate from mommy and daddy for a little over a half hour, playing with all her new pals, before she realized mommy and daddy were down at the cocktail hour (where daddy was enjoying the free brews and mommy was enjoying some ice water! LOL). We enjoyed pizza and snacks, and good times, and then the yummy breakfast buffet on Sunday AM. All the kids were pretty cranky on Sunday AM, so damned if we didn't miss out on an opportunity to get ALL our kids together in one shot. Oh well, soon enough; maybe when Kyla gets here in a few months! :)

Keifer giving Avery a smooch goodbye on Sunday AM - Avery is about 5 months older than K- they seem to be good pals already!

Louise & I with our girls (she has two older ones, as well), and Michelle's Jerry, the lone boy of the group (Jerry will love it in a few years, I bet, with all the girls! LOL)
Some of the "bigger" girls - Madeline, Anna, Natalie & Haley

Kris with Emma, Louise with Avery, me and my monster girl, Keifer

Keifer was very preoccupied with the free popcorn (or"cockcorn" as she says! LOL)

The even "older" kids: Jerry, Allison, and Allison's friend, and Michelle

Miss Keifer, deciding if she wanted to plunge into the pool or just dip her toes- this was before daddy came down and she turned into a crazy girl!

Ahh, how I love my ECSE girls. We have so much fun together. I can't wait: our new "goal" is to go on a cruise together in about 7 years or so! LOL

She's a Swimmer Girl

Last weekend, we stayed overnight at a hotel with my fellow ECSE pals and their families. K was a nut ball about the water. She went insane (with joy) when we packed her swim suit (*in fact, she walked around the house before we left with her suit hanging around her neck*),and was so excited to put it on to swim at the hotel. Daddy had to take her in the pool, because mama's swim suits - initially tank style tops, are now closer to a modified bikini with the belly bump in the way. NOT a pretty sight!

Keif went NUTSO in the pool. She was a crazy girl, always trying to flip onto her back, and showing no fear as she kept plunging her face right into the water. She does this at home as well in the bath tub. Just sticks her face right into and under the water and isn't scared at all.
There was one instance where she kept trying to push daddy away, repeatedly saying "I do it!". So, daddy let her go and PLUNK, under the water she went. She learned that she needed daddy to help her. Mama just about keeled over with a heart attack at that little life lesson.
She'll be taking swim lessons again this summer at Elaine's, as Elaine has a swimming pool (YAY). Our little fishie seems to be a natural in the water!

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Baby, baby, baby: I like you!

K and I enjoyed a swim play date today with 4 month old Aidan and his mama, Courtney (my former coworker). What a DOLLY. Seriously. Holding this light -as-a-feather sweetie pie had my ovaries wishing they could pop out eggies for another baby NOW. He is just so personable, and good natured! He and K had a blast at the pool - although K had more fun walking around the patio area and running away from mama, rather than swimming and splashing today - her new found freedom with walking has kicked up a notch.
Afterwards, C and Aidan came over for sandwiches and guacamole and chips (and put up with me on the phone with Freedom Drug relaying information for my IVF meds), and K was obsessed with "baby, baby, baby!". She was so cute. She kept making her kissing sounds towards him, and after lunch, proceeded to help "rock, rock, rock" Aidan in her chair, and give him some more quick, sneaky pecks. She also helped make sure the baby had his pacifier whenever he dropped it. He loved it and was fascinated by her. What a fun (and tiring) day for K and mama! And, watching K interact with the baby made me feel somewhat confident that she would love to have a new baby sissy or brother (hee hee).

rock, rock, rock

nice, baby
big cheese from Aidan
going in for a kiss

Fun with Friends up North (ECSE Girls)

Yesterday, CJ and I packed up K and the fur kids for Sauk Rapids, and spent the latter part of the afternoon into the late evening with my college girls and their families. It was a blast. We love spending time with these families and it's just a joy to watch all our kiddos learn to play with each other and grow into true friends as well. The real highlight of the day was watching Kris's 2 year old Anna, fall in love with Michelle's ONLY boy of the bunch, Jerry. Lucky dog, Jerry- in about 10 years he'll be in hog heaven since we all have girls! LOL. K had a ball and did so well. She really is a little fish and loved "splash splash splashing' with the others in both the kiddie pool and the big pool (that Trent JUST finished the deck for, right before we arrived - WAY TO GO, T!! ).

Here's some pics of our day together, unfortunately, we never were able to get all our kiddos lined up like we wanted, and I realized after we left, we didn't get our trademark pose of the four of us ECSE girls together. Well, that just means we'll have to get together sooner than later.....and I'm looking forward to our cruise in 8 years, ladies! LOL.

Keifer and Avery, enjoying a little splash time and jams to groove to (Avery was dancing) Anna enjoys her snack while Treble supervises the droppings she may provide him
K, Avery and Anna, all doing their own thing and learning about sharing
K enjoyed the big pool with her daddy: she REALLY loved driving the car floatie Anna jams out like a rock star
A year ago, Keifer and Avery were just little babies.......
..but now they are getting to be big girls and friends, too!

the "big" girls ....Madeline, Haley, Anna, and Natalie
The adults relax as the kids do their thing.....
Louise comforts a teething Avery

Kris cuddles her dream doll, 6 month old Emma
...and I enjoy snuggle time with....ANNA! (not K, she was already passed out upstairs in the P&P)
and here they are: future lovebirds? In Anna's mind, maybe? LOL. Anna & her beloved Jerry!