Were off to see the Wizard!

Halloween was amazing this year! Daddy and I love to theme our costumes with you kids and decided to do the same this year. There were so many choices but we went with a classic, The Wizard of Oz! It actually worked out perfect because you were the lion and the lion noises were one of the first noises you gave us for sound effects with your flashcards! Daddy was the scarecrow and I, of course, was Dorothy! We trick or treated with Kim at her sisters house, just like last year and you loved it! Our costumes were a hit. When people opened their doors they would yell to the other ppl in the hoise to "come see, its the wizard of oz!"

At some houses you said "tik o teat" and others you just starred while i grabbed the candy. Oh the candy. You didnt even know what it was but you knew when you said trick or treat, you got that stuff in the bowls! You lasted the whole night and even on the ride home without falling asleep. when we got home, we dumped the candy stash on the ground and looked at what you scored. Of course, I gave you one piece but the rest went to the mommy and daddy love candy fund.

My Hopes

I can't begin to explain how fast time seems to be flying! You will be 18mths in just a few weeks, halfway to 2yrs old. I got to thinking of what an amazing boy you have already grown to be and what characteristics I hope you will have, so here are just a few.
I hope you are a gentleman. Treat women with kindness. Hold open doors, help carry things and treat them with the respect they thought no man in the world had left in him.
I hope you one day know just how imprtant family really is. Keep in touch and pick up the phone just to say hi. I can tell you from experience, those that chose to stray from my life are realizing almost too late how important family is. Keep traditions alive or start new one, just be there.
I hope you are a mamas boy at heart but a true mud and dirt kinda boy. I look forward to my days when I get home from work to get kisses and love from you. I am sure there will be a time when that becomes embarrassing so I am eating it up right now and hoping you remain a mamas boy forever.
I hope you find something you love and do it. Yeah, daddy and I may try to predict what you'll end up doing but that my dear ia up to you. You do what you love and do it with all your heart and soul. Know that daddy and I will support anything you wish to so.
I hope you know what love means and what love feels like in the different ways it can be felt. And when you do, I hope you love unconditionaly. Love is an amazing feeling.
I hope you have a soft spot dor animals, nature and our environment. Learning how to care for our environment to not only keep ushealthy but also the animals that live in it is very important.It breaks my heat to hear people neflecting animals or people that dont care about the world we live in and how to keep it clean and healthy. Being outdoors is one of the best free medicines available and i hope you enjoy it like your dad and i.  I can already tell you are an animal lover, you love our oceans and you love camping and that makes me smile.
There are so many other hopes I have for you but these somehow stuck out to me. My one last hope I will mention is, I hope you never forget how much daddy and i love you. No matter what, nothing can or will ever change the huge amounts of love we have for you. You are already such an amazing boy and whatever or whoever you turn out to be, know that daddy and i are right behind you, supporting you and loving you. Always.

My Little Picasso

Mommy loved to color when she was little. Mommy and Auntie would try and color the most perfect pictures and have Grandma be the judge of who was best; of course she never chose, always saying they were both perfect:) so Mommy bought a box of crayons and Henna gave us some coloring books. I was so excited to teach you how to hold a crayon and color and you picked up from the start. You seemed to love it. One lazy morning I took out the crayons and books and wanted to color, for me :) I dont know what made me believe that you would actually sit and color but I ended up getting so lost in my picture, remembering the coloring wars with auntie; breaking out some of my very best coloring techniques. After awhile I heard a strane noise coming from the kitchen and I look up to see this.....

It seemed like I got what I wanted...you to color! Look at this beautiful job you did on the fridge! And, you also drew on the dishwasher too! Maybe you'll love art and coloring just as much as mommy? I am just happy I got crayons instead of markers :)

Celebrating 16mths and Bye Bye to Paci!!

I think it's safe to say bye bye to your beloved paci! This is night number 2 that you have fallen soundly asleep without it. I am so relieved and proud! Just another milestone to mark off for ya! Your becoming such a big boy so quickly : ( 16 months came for you on the second and you are so smart already. Just thi morning while we were driving to daycare you pointed to a truck and said "truck!" and then pointed to a bus and saud "bus!" Bus is the favorite word right now, you say it so cute too. Happy 16 months Peep!!

Confession...

I have a confession honey. I stink at blogging. Yep, I thought I could be good about it and keep it up once a week but I guess I am better at capturing your milestones through pictures and posting them easily through social media with a small caption. But, there is something I am great at and that's snapping as many photos of you as possible. I have memory cards stacked, cell phone memory of just you and the tablet has tons as well as video. So, this is going to be one BIG post, we have lots to look back on. The last post was while in Maui and what a great trip that was! You already know how awesome you were on the plane ride

so I can skip that but Maui, that's where I think your love of the ocean, or anything water, was born. You rode your first small wave on a boogie board!

Daddy was so proud and I was scared...what's new huh! But after I saw you were ok, I was proud. You rode a good amount on that board until you wiped out on shore, did a few tumbles and came to. You only cried for a bit...

but you were back at it once again!! Such a trooper! Here is a snapshot of where I think your "swimming" all began..

well get into that later though. 2 days after we returned from Maui, you decided that would be a perfect time to start walking! You woke up one Saturday morning, at 10 1/2 months old and just WALKED! I couldn't believe it and nobody but you and I were home to witness! Of course every time I tried to take a picture or video you would sit there but I made sure and texted everyone (Daddy was first) I knew and let my facebook people know as well! I was so excited, I think I may have screamed when I saw you that first time.
Easter came soon after. Your first Easter. I didn't want to get an Easter basket and fill it with things you wouldn't use or couldn't, things like candy (you kids are lucky if you get that any other day) and toys you wouldn't bother with. So...I came up with a brilliant idea and we made you a sand toy basket and I think you LOVED it....

Can't forget about your first picture with the Easter bunny!

 









Now, your 1st birthday. What a bittersweet day that was. I was so sad to see you growing so fast yet so grateful that you were and are. When you hear parents say,"Enjoy it because time goes by too fast", I can't tell you how true those words are. I felt like, and sometimes still feel like, you were born just yesterday. Yet, there we were, celebrating your 1st birthday, Dr. Suess themed and all. I spent lots of time making decorations as well as coming up with ideas that went with our theme. Think I did a pretty good job?

We had all your baby friends there and our family and friends as well help celebrate this special day. We had the grassy area by the pool filled with toys you little ones liked and your fav of course, the baby pool filled with plastic balls! You were fully dressed, in your themed shirt just ready to jump in...

so I ran to get your trunks and I hear...Stephanie he's already in, clothes and all!

You loved it. Is there anything you don't love? Maybe, cake? No, you love cake! Actually, your 1st birthday is when you had your first taste of cake (carrot), or anything sweet for that matter.

I'm sure you could of eaten the whole thing.

 

 

This is your 1yr old picture we had taken, you are so handsome love. You get that from Daddy.



 

 

I think here is where I'll mention swimming. You love swimming. We started taking you to the pool around 9 months I believe, only a few times though. Maui I think was where we first saw your love of water. I think that's where it all started. Soon after your first birthday is when we saw you actually kicking your arms and legs and "swimming". Of course we were holding onto you but you were doing it so perfectly on your tummy. Eventually, I had to buy you a body suit with a float around the chest and back because you hated the float ring. After you put that body suit on, we were lucky if you let us touch you while in the water. You actually swim around with your suit on by yourself! You were and are so independent in the water it scares me.

You have already learned how to grab onto the sides once you reach them as well. Everyone is always asking us if you've had swimming lessons and we proudly say,"Nope, just loves the water!" I have a video of you swimming, remind me to show it to you one day.
Another thing you love is corn on the cob. During 4th of July weekend I think that was all you wanted. Ears and ears of corn! These pictures are both from that weekend...

And yes, you ate it like that every time, as if you were attacking it, well you actually were! I have to say, you have the best appetite and the fact that you love and eat your veggies (except for peas) makes me so happy! I still try to give you peas every once in awhile but so far its no thank you, and that's ok. Your favorite veggies are broccoli and spinach! And your other favorite food is cheese! I'm sure you would eat cheese all day, every day if you could.
Now here, this is something you learned and ended up loving to do. Climb on the couch. You were soooo proud of yourself the first time you did it and luckily I had my camera handy to capture that moment...

Look at how proud you were! You were screaming in this picture, can't you tell?! After a few bad spills though we had to keep you off of the couch and you did not like that one bit. At first, and for awhile, you threw fits when we would say no or take you down but now you have learned and when asked to get off you do, and when you don't we take you off and you no longer throw fits. You still love climbing on the couch though. There was a spot in the corner where you would climb on and the cushions were always stained because you stuffed your face in the cushions as you tried to pull yourself up. My poor couch!
Oh, one of my favorites, you have experienced camping! We went on a family trip to McGrath Beach in Ventura to camp. We took Grandpa Paul's VW Bus (the one they used when Daddy was little) and drove down to the campsite. I have to say I was hesitant at first, I've never camped with a baby and I wasn't sure what to expect. You did prove me wrong in any negative thinking I had though. I think you could live out in the woods, your an original Beyr Grills. If you don't know who that is, just ask :) Anyway, we brought the hammock along with us and this was your favorite spot..

You begged for more. Really you did, using sign language of course.

You loved being outdoors, being able to walk to the beach and sort of walk around within our campsite wherever you wanted. Like I said before, you are so independent! We definetly had a blast camping together for the first time!

Just a week after camping we took you to experience your first Ventura County Fair. There was so much going on, so much to look at. I'm sure you didn't know what to think.

But you did love all of the lights and sounds!

Phewww, I think I've finally caught up from the last 5 months! I will try to do better at this because this is really something I want you to have. I want you to be able to look back on these small things because the small things are what really matters in life my love. I think I'll end with a picture, of you and your best friend Cash. Yes, you do have a best friend (you've known him since birth) except he's more like family....

A Few Firsts....

Kai, you have survived your first airplane ride! A five hour one at that and you did amazing. Everyone on the plane told us they thought you did great and so well behaved that they didn't even notice you were on there! So awesome to hear :) Another first is your first trip to Maui, Hawaii! As i write this, we are still here on our second full day and I really think you are more happy here. You love it! You absolutely love the ocean; when the waves wash up towards you and touch your feet you shreek with laughter, music to my ears! This trip has so many amazing firsts in store for you and I'm one step behind you with a camera to capture them! You really are the most fun and well behaved baby and I am so blessed that you are mine! I love you Bear!

Your First Haircut!

You were blessed and born with a head full of hair, thanks to Mommy and Daddy's amazing genes :) Everywhere we go, we always have at least 2 people comment on your hair. "Look at that hair", "His hair is sooo cute", "What a gorgeous color!", "What color is that"!? So here we are, 10 months old and already ready for a haircut! Well, it was more like a trim but you have SO much hair, Bear! The whole family went to get haircuts before we head out for our Hawaii vacation. Mommy wanted to trim your hair because it was in your eyes and Daddy said NO. He didn't want to cut your "surfer hair", as he calls it :). Well, Mommy won (of course!) and thanks to the help of our dear friend/hairstylist, Kylie, you had your first trim!

hey, what are those scissors for??

All smiles with Kylie

Still have the wild hair :)