Big Kid Things

Both kiddos are growing up right before our eyes! This past week, Emmy braved the dentist without so much of a tear. She hopped right up in the chair and even posed for a photo. During the cleaning, she was a bit shy and didn't talk much, but she opened her mouth wide and stayed still through the entire appointment. As a reward for such good behavior, we made a stop for a donut before I dropped her off at school. She loved picking out one with strawberry icing and sprinkles. 

Emmy is also showing a lot of improvement with her drawing and coloring. When given a blank sheet of paper, she will now draw shapes and figures, instead of just squiggles and doodles. Our current fridge art is a family portrait of all of us sitting on the dock at the lake. On another sheet of paper, she wrote our names. (She also wrote her name in one of her Fancy Nancy books - luckily it was ours, and not one from the library!) 

I got some extra time with Emmy on another morning last week due to a 2-hour delay. We got a light dusting of snow overnight, and Emmy's preschool did not open until 9AM. Boomer usually takes her in the mornings, but with the delay, we switched around our chauffeuring duties. There was enough time to make a stop at McDonald's for a special treat. 

Like his big sister, Eli is doing big things, too! He is showing a lot of improvement with his feeding and drinking. Sometimes he still misses his mouth...oops!

He is also standing unassisted and taking more and more steps. He looks like such a little man in this photo from my dad. I love how Eli is gripping on to his tool while reading with Grammy. 

Grammy and Grandpa often send photos of their day with Eli. Reading is a popular activity...

...and posing for photos...

...as well as walks around the neighborhood or at the park with Grammy...

...and free hair services from Grandpa's Barber Shop. 

Eli's evenings end with bathtime...

...and cuddles with both Mommy and Daddy. We have developed a routine of passing Eli between us after I have nursed him. Eli will doze in my arms while he listens for the sound of the bedroom door opening, which means Daddy is taking over. Boomer gets in a few snuggles before depositing Eli in his crib for the night, while I read with Emmy in her room. Even though Emmy and Eli are getting more and more independent during the day, I still love our evenings before bedtime when they are my babies again. 

First Steps

We are on the downward slide of January, and we seem to be back in the groove of school and work after our Christmas break. We had an extra day off this weekend with the MLK holiday. Temperatures have been in the 30s and 40s, and we have had to be creative with our activities. On Saturday morning, we decided on an indoor option, and we went bowling. It had been over a year since we last went bowling, so it wasn't too much of a surprise that we were all terrible. Even with the bumpers, we didn't even break a 100. Emmy had a lot of fun pushing the ball down the ramp, and Eli watched on from the stroller. He'll be ready to play next time!

On Sunday evening, while Boomer and I went to our church's First Steps membership class, Emmy and Eli hung out with Aunt Megan and Uncle Zack. Aunt Megan fixed dinner for everyone, and judging on the state of the living room when we arrived to pick them up, the kids had played with every item in the toy box! They had so much fun and didn't want to leave. Boomer and I are almost halfway through the membership class, and in past weeks, my mom has come over to watch the kids. We've enjoyed learning more about our church. An added bonus is the one-on-one time in the car and grabbing dinner just the two of us afterwards. We will be completing the class next month and moving forward with formally joining.  

Today we went to the Science Center. With the weather still pretty chilly, we spent the majority of the time in the aquarium and other indoor exhibits. We ended the evening with a virtual storytime with Princess Ariel. 

I have not written any 'developmental' updates on the kids lately, so I'll mention a few of the new things that they are doing. Emmy's favorite things right now continue to be her dolls, her Skye stuffed animal, her Elsa ring, and her crown dress. In the mornings, she loves to empty her bookshelf and pass out books to all of her stuffed animals while she waits on me to nurse Eli or Boomer to take his shower. She has started to show some independence in dressing herself, although she still will wear the outfits I pick out for her. In her class at school, they are learning the letter N and the number 14. We have completed the re-enrollment paperwork for Emmy to be at the same preschool again next year, and we feel very good about this decision. She loves her classmates and especially her teacher. When she stubbed her toe one night last week, she wanted to wear the Band-Aid to school the next day just to show Mrs. Holly. On Friday, Emmy got to choose a toy from Mrs. Holly's treasure box for her good behavior, and she chose a yo-yo and a bouncy ball. She has funny little sayings like "Turn it bigger" when she wants the volume to be louder or "baby God" when she is referring to Jesus. She loves to put things in her pockets, especially mulch and rocks from the school playground. Some evenings, we go through whiny spells, but those are becoming less frequent and are mostly due to the time of day in between school (tired) and dinner (hungry!) She is a great big sister to Eli and continues to narrate his every move. She has a recent fascination with Valentine's Day, and although she is missing the Christmas music on the radio, she is very excited for this next holiday. 

Eli is now 14 months old, and last week, he took his first steps! I don't know to be proud or terrified. For awhile now, he has been pretty speedy on all fours. It seemed to happen overnight that he found his balance standing and then took those first wobbly steps. Grammy has been practicing with him during the day, and then Boomer and I beckon him back-and-forth between us in the evenings. He gives the biggest smiles and giggles as he lunges for our arms. Unfortunately, he has earned a few bruises along the way. Bumps and bruises haven't stopped him from continuing to explore without fear. Eli is a very enthusiastic eater. We have started to give him some of the same foods that we give Emmy, like peanut butter sandwiches, cereal bars, and Chex Mix. We are transitioning from two naps a day to just one, and poor guy is quite tired when we stretch it to noon. He starts to run out of gas around 11AM, and he will even lay his head down on the floor. But then he'll take a good nap (2 - 2 1/2 hours) while still going to bed around 7:30PM. I am no longer pumping during the day (whoo hooo!), and I am only nursing in the morning and at night. We have cleared out my freezer stash of breastmilk, and my mom has the last of the baggies to be used this week. Eli is taking whole milk from a spout sippy cup. He has been a little slower to the sippy cup than Emmy was. He'd much rather have food than take the time to drink. My favorite time of the day with both kids is just before bedtime after nursing Eli and then reading with Emmy. They both seem to slow down and let me hold them as my little babies. 

"Is it naptime yet?"

The First Snow of 2021

Both Boomer and I went back to work on Monday, but we fit in one more adventure before the Christmas break ended. Last Saturday, we went to Lexington to check out a few places featured in the Our State magazine. My parents came along, and we had the best time exploring (aka eating!) our way through the town. Our first stop was Smiley's BBQ, where we ordered chopped pork with the traditional fixings of slaw, hushpuppies, and French fries. Our next stop was The Candy Factory, an old-fashioned general store with a large assortment of homemade fudge, chocolates, and other candies. Emmy spotted a Skye stuffed animal (from Paw Patrol), and Grammy and Grandpa couldn't resist getting it for her. She was a happy little girl! We ended our tour of Lexington with donuts from Red Donut Shop. Even Eli got a taste of the blueberry cake donut. My favorite was the maple bacon. It was a delicious day from start to finish! 

After only four workdays, the weekend started early with an unexpected snow day! It seems like the meteorologists got this one wrong, because instead of the 1-3 inches they were calling for, we got only a small dusting mid-morning and again later in the afternoon. The threat of snow beforehand was enough to cancel school, and so all four Kennedys were home. Boomer and I fit in work and emails and video calls as best as we could while also entertaining Emmy and Eli. Highlights of the day included a short walk around the neighborhood and a hot chocolate bomb to warm up afterwards. Here are a few pictures from our "snow day!" 

The Last Days of 2020

Christmas seemed to come and go so quickly! Luckily the days leading up to New Year's passed a little slower, and we fit in some adventures, as well as some time at home. While at home, Emmy is loving wearing her Elsa slippers, her Elsa ring, and all other things Frozen. When she is not playing a princess, she and Eli will "cook" together in the play kitchen. The kitchen is the perfect height for Eli to stand and play. Emmy got the kitchen as a birthday gift from Grammy and Grandpa in 2019, and it continues to be a hit. One day during Eli's morning nap, Emmy and I did some real cooking, and she loved stirring up the batter for some apple cinnamon muffins.  

Our adventures this week included a visit to the library - our first time inside in several months! No surprise, Emmy picked out a Frozen book and Fancy Nancy.

We also went to the Science Center. That makes two trips to the Science Center this Christmas break! This time, Daddy got to come along, and we had up close encounters with lots of the animals. 

We checked off the last of our Christmas activities with our annual post-Christmas tour through the Tanglewood lights. As in years past, we go sometime between December 26th and 31st, and this year felt like our best "execution" yet. We arrived in line shortly after 5:30PM. I had already fed the kids dinner at home, and Boomer and I ate in the car as we waited for the gates to open. A little before 6PM, we started moving, and we were exiting the park by 6:45PM. Emmy was in awe of all of the displays, and we were still on track for a regular bedtime. Yay! On our way home, we picked up drinks from Starbucks, another tradition each year when we see the lights.  

Closing out 2020, we gathered together with our usual crew: the Houstons, the Williamses, and the Whites. Our group now totals 16! We toasted the New Year around 7PM before all heading home for bedtime. 

Today was a pretty lazy day. Boomer and I fit in staggered workouts this morning, and then after naptime, we went out to an early dinner at Cracker Barrel to use one of our Christmas gift cards. It wasn't the traditional New Year's meal, but thanks to my parents who were kind enough to drop off a Tupperware of pork and sauerkraut, I did still eat my bite for wealth and health in 2021. 

It has been quite a year. At the beginning of 2020, I was on maternity leave and adjusting to life as a mom of two. The year brought job changes for both Boomer and me; one anticipated, and one not. It was a bit scary to return from summer break to a brand new job. Yet, I am thankful that God continued to provide for our family. We have made some precious memories during this year. While I look forward to when we can safely do all the things that we have done in years past, I am trusting in God's plan and will for 2021. Happy New Year!