Happy Birthday!

K turned 2! She was sick with a cold, but it didn't ruin her day. We love our little girl! She has been such a fun blessing in our life these past two years. I can't believe it's been that long! From her sweet smiles, to her love of teasing she is just a pleasure to be around most of the time. I love her spirit of adventure, and her propensity to make friends. She shares our love of the outdoors and exercise, and it is such a treat to share the things we love with her. She is charming (when she wants to be), independent and loves figuring out how things work. She is empathetic, lively and loves to play with friends.

Of course we had presents - a train set from Popi which she loooves.

A baby doll and accouterments from Grammy - also a major win.
She pushed the baby and Popi's card around, read her card to the baby, fed the baby.. And her other older dolly shared in the fun.

The card sings Somewhere Over The Rainbow, IZ style, and lights up.

We had the sister missionaries over for dinner (what could be better for our little socialite than friends for dinner?) She loves chocolate haupia pie (She really is ours!), so we had that for dessert. She blew out her own candles and I have to admit, I sniffled a little that day thinking about how many things she can do now and how fast time has flown by.

We love our girl!!

(Chocolate) chip off the ol' block

We love talking about family, and remembering our own family history as well as learning about our distant ancestors in our family. Sundays I break out our family year books and the family ancestry children's book (soon to be series I hope) I home-published. They are accessible all the time, but on Sundays we refocus on them as a tradition.

Usually we read while we eat, and always we point out familiar faces and smile about those we love. Today K decided to read on her own, got the books off the table where they were laid and carefully opened one. She contentedly munched, and looked at pictures while the rest of us had a usually long (for our household) grown up conversation (also about family history, as a matter of fact).

Combining two great loves (three if you count Family): Books and Cookies. Yup, she is a Henderdaughter.

PS. Don't be surprised if I call you one day and ask for your personal memories of an older relation. In fact, plan on dusting off any photos you have because it's probably a guarantee for ALL of you who read this blog. I am actively seeking content for a new book to engage our children in the stories of their ancestors.. in a way in which I don't have to actively remember the details because my brain isn't cut out for that anymore.

Another rain lover

It's been rainy here, and a beautiful thunderstorm complete with lightning and hail brought our family outside (surprised much? It's in our ancestry).
K has been afraid of thunder since the Summer of the Lawn Mowers - along with any loud noises that occurred that summer. JD wanted to help her get over that fear, so he held her outside, warned her before it came, and they waved high to the booms (some of them were spectacular enough that it sounded like a 4th of July show). She's not over her fear completely, but she is about as brave about it as I can expect a toddler to be.

Not about to let a virus get her down, K wanted to go out and splash in puddles and catch rain and hail in her (clean) recently de-christened barf bowl. We ate the hail; it was delightfully cold, tasteless, and fun.

Teo was a crack up. We only have a video... stored in who knows what cloud.. but he jumped all around, catching the hail as it fell and snapping it up out of the air. Please imagine a ferocious wolf, lunging at enemies, then a shark nipping at bare ankles from under the water, then a prancing horse, neighing at the sky... and then replace those animals with a fuzzy black dog, and the other actors with tiny pieces of ice falling from the sky. It was hilarious. Every time one landed on his head or back he would lunge for that space as fast as he could... anyway. :cough: We love storms.

Our friends

We were lucky enough to meet our cute neighbors on one of the first nice days in February. We were out playing in the sun, and we hear "Hewwo! Hewwoo!" So of course, Korrali calls back "Hello! Hello!" Turns out it's a little girl 4 days older than Korrali - how perfect is that? They are very similar in temperament.

We have had several play dates - at one point the fence fell prey to toddler whim and one loose board turned into an entry to their yard and Korrali would just walk on over whenever they were out playing. The fence has been fixed, but our kind neighbors are cute enough to seriously debate whether or not another more permanent solution should be found to enable spontaneous playdates.

"Look, friend, a fountain is in this enclosure! O, and I guess there's a polar bear in there too."

"Where should we run to next? Our Adults want to go left, so we definitely should go right."

Korrali connects this friend with the word adventure.. so if I say we are going on an adventure, she assumes the neighbor girl is coming too.  This results in much screaming of her friends name in the car, and much running next door when we are late to other playdates.

We went to her b-day party, and one of the au pairs there assumed I was also an au pair. I laughed, then realized she was right - I was the youngest mom there by about 10 years. You'd think I was Mormon or something.
I hope you will forgive the weird face Korrali has started to decide is her having fun face..

Teo in the sunshine

This is one J took; it warms my heart.

She loves to chill in the yard with Teo, and just lie in the grass and look at the sky. I love her style - camo boots, a frilly tshirt and jeans.

Picnic for two. He enjoyed it until she sprayed him with her new water bottle. Bwahahah.

Teo likes to run into the pathway of the swing. Who know why.

She likes to yell "WATCH OUT TEO!!!"

Watching the hours tick by

We love Frozen. We will often take it with us on adventures - like on airplanes or to restaurants. Here she ran into the room, lay down and clicked her tongue like a clock.

Precious Moments

We went to Chicago the day after my new nephew was born to help out.
It was great to see a couple of our old friends again, and even more precious to be able to hold our new family member and help out his wonderful mommy.

I made the mistake the night before we left of forewarning Korrali that we would leave the next morning to visit - she tried every trick she could think of to get out of bed and leave right away for the airport.

I don't blame her, I was excited too.. and it lived up to expectations.

Korrali palled around with Eli - she would often just stare at him and he'd make funny faces at her. He is such a sweet boy, we could tell he was a proud older brother.

Yep, proud.

I kept forgetting the little one was a newborn; I don't often get the pleasure of associating with babies so close to birth. It was sooo fun to see him just be a great little baby - I finally understand why the phrase "sleeping like a baby" even exists. And, I'm in love with him. He's just so sweet natured and calm. 

Korrali was in love too. "Hold my baby????" Was the most common phrase she uttered. At one point she sat and held him and watched tv for about 15 minutes before an adult decided it had been long enough.

Ali helped her make a blanket fort while I was making dinner, and this picture cracked me up. 

Aww..

Never was there so much fun to be had, as cousins plus a trampoline.

There was a huge worm one morning waiting for the bus.

It also was a little chilly, and to save space I didn't bring coats so Korrali borrowed Eli's. Then she tried to board the bus and go to school with them. Good thing we had a baby at home, or I would have been a Mean Mommy. All of these cute kids are growing up so fast! I am so glad we were able to go and hang out with them for a week, although it wasn't long enough and I'm still a little annoyed that we had to move away from them. Congratulations on the newest member of the family!!!!