O'Neil Family

We'll Miss You Auda!!

2011-11-11T19:54:00.000-08:00

Travel safe Auda

We're counting down to December

WE LOVE YOU!

BUNCHES AND BUNCHES!

I Can't Believe Its True!!!

2011-07-21T03:13:00.000-07:00

My Baby Boy Is 2!!!

Its hard to believe that my little man is already 2 years old.

Those hundreds, or maybe even more, conversations we had discussing what names we liked for our unborn baby seem like yesterdays conversations. Sometimes I look at my sweet boy and wonder where the time has gone. He is becoming such a little boy right before my eyes and I wish I could just pause time.

Kicen is full of energy and runs forever on empty. Just when I think he is about to crash his engine revs and he's back to crazy. He loves to have fun and simply likes to play. He can keep himself busy with the simplest toys and is developing the greatest imagination. He is silly and spontaneous. He is fearless and fun loving. He is quite a show off and loves to get a laugh. My little man will be the center of attention.

Kicen is a flirt by nature and plays the bashful card whenever women talk to him, but he can't get enough attention from any man he sees. He has no fear of strangers and wants everyone to be his friend. He is definitely a people person and never passes up an opportunity to show off.

My little man is a Russell boy to the core. He is ornery, stubborn and can get quite mad and he is sweet and gentle and ready for anything. He is a perfect mix of sugar and spice and will forever keep us on our toes. Kicen can get an attitude at the drop of a hat and turn around and flash the sweetest smile to melt your heart. I already know, without a doubt, Kicen will use these powers to his advantage.

Kicen has a huge heart and is always concerned about the well being of others. He asks on a regular basis if we are happy and is always making sure we're okay. While Kicen isn't the cuddler I wish he was, he does like lots of loves when he is hurt or isn't feeling well, especially if those loves are coming from his Auma.

He doesn't like to share his Mommy with other kids and he doesn't like his Daddy to be out of his site. He is completely in love with his Auma, can't get enough of his Auda and can't stand to be without his Sister. He is not keen on the idea that something might be happening without him and he loves to have everyone together.

Kicen is without a doubt the class clown. He is always looking for an opportunity to show off, to make people laugh or to just be silly. The bigger the reaction, the bigger the show. I am bracing myself now for the phone calls from future teachers.

The day Kicen was born was a crazy, fast paced, whirlwind day full of lots of love, laughter, family and friends. Kicen has kept that theme going strong over the past 2 years. At 2 years old, he already has his own ideas of how things should be and is very much his Mother's opinionated son. He has a very clear understanding of what he does and does not like and he isn't afraid to let you know. He LOVES his buppies, can not get enough of trucks/tractors/motorcycles, HATES toe jam and dirty hands and lives for peperoni. He loves animals and playing in water. He isn't a fan of anything that involves messes and must at all time have his Seahawks hat on his head.

Kicen is certainly the most enjoyable, energetic, fun loving little man. He brings joy to our home and so much love to our hearts. He is Sister's little pal, Mommy's little boy and Daddy's little buddy. I am amazed by him every day and am so blessed to be his Mom. He is a light in my life and a gift to our family.

He is simply amazing.

Words are not enough to describe the honor I feel to call myself your Mom.

I am beyond blessed to have you in my life and to watch you grow. I cherish every single minute I share with you and would give anything to stop the hands of time. You have my whole heart and I am so very proud of you. You are very much your own little person and I can't wait to see what is in store for you.

Happy Birthday Kicen Michael, you have made my world complete and full of so much fun. You have given me an unparalleled happiness and an undefinable joy.

You simply are my life and I could not love you more.

We're BAAAAACCCKKK!!!

2011-03-31T20:38:00.000-07:00

Its been some time since our last post...quite some time actually.

A bit has changed.

Kicen got glasses, Nakiah had her two front teeth knocked loose (by Kicen's head), both kids had their first haircuts, Auda is home from California and Boog & Dani are engaged!!!! Its been a pretty eventful 6 months. We have a lot to catch up on and TONS of pictures to post.

I'll leave you with a taste of what's to come....

My April resolution is to get back to blogging.....

Kita Jean ~ You're 3!!!!

2010-09-06T20:40:00.000-07:00

Three years goes by so fast when you are watching your child grow up!

I can't believe my baby girl is already 3!

The last 3 years with Nakiah have been more than I could ever have hoped for.

She's brought more love, laughter and smiles into my life than I ever thought possible and she continues to amaze me every single day!

She is my sensitive, independent, polite, little spit fire. She's got just enough attitude to make things interesting and a giant sugary sweet heart that makes me melt. She is funny and smart and loves to help. She has an imagination that pulls you into her world and playing pretend is one of her favorite things to do. She has mastered the computer and really enjoys her 'work'. She likes to do projects and something as simple as stapling paper can keep her occupied for a significant amount of time....as long as someone holds the paper for her. Nakiah likes to be involved in everything you are doing, even chores. She loves to help with laundry, dishes, sweeping, moping, you name it... she wants to help. One of her favorites is cooking (which we all know she doesn't get from her mom!). If you are in the kitchen, she wants to be right beside you on her stool, or better yet, standing on a chair. She asks for cakes and brownies quite often, not because she likes to eat them, but because she likes to mix it!

As much attitude as she has, Nakiah has a very sensitive side to her. She can get her feelings hurt pretty easily and still needs Mommy's loves to make things better, which, as far as I am concerned, can continue for years!! She still lets me cuddle (okay, smother) her most of the time and is pretty generous with her hugs and kisses. She will say "I sooo love you" out of the blue and she is, most of the time, concerned with making sure that she points out her love for everyone is equal.

Nakiah is a fabulous big Sister. She absolutely loves her Brother! This morning she climbed into his crib and said to Kicen "I love you brother, you're the best brother I ever seen". (Mommy's heart melted!!) She always tries to make him laugh when he gets upset and she is already looking out for him.....or tattling on him ;-). She thinks that if Brother laughs at something she does, its must be okay to do, whether Mommy thinks so or not.

She loves to go, go, go. Most days she tells me "I want to go somewhere place" and usually on the way home from 'somewhere place' she tells me "no want go my house". I do my best to keep her busy, wearing myself (and Auma) out in the process. She is going to be a tough kid to keep up with.

Nakiah LOVES kids, especially the older kids. She wants so badly to play with every child she sees and doesn't understand when some of the older kids don't pay attention to her. She makes friends very easily and isn't afraid to approach a group of children playing at the park. She has a blast running around with everyone, and isn't afraid to remind them that there is "no climbing up the slide", usually with a finger shaking in the air. I guess she listens to me after all. ;-)

Nakiah can be a bit bossy, but she's still young enough that its sort of cute. I can totally see how I will be eating my words in a few years, but for now I'm just glad that she can think for herself. She most definitely has strong opinions about certain things, and isn't afraid to let me know. She certainly gets that from her Mommy, I'm just hoping she has enough of her Daddy in her to even that out a bit.

Nakiah likes to have fun. She's learning how to joke with people and does things just to make us laugh. In the car, she continuously asks me "are we there yet" because she thinks its funny. Her newest game is to point to EVERY SINGLE building we pass and ask, 'whats that, and whats that, and that one too?' She laughs at herself while shes doing it. She's also learning how to aggravate and loves to continue doing something if you ask her not to, for instance licking my face!

Nakiah can be a bit timid in certain situations. If there are too many people she doesn't know, or if there are men around, she gets pretty reserved and shy. She will stand right next to me, squeeze my hand and put her head down. She definitely has an understanding of strangers and reminds me often not to leave her alone, or a stranger might take her. I may have overdone the 'stranger danger' with her.

My sweet baby girl has the best manners! I'm a very proud Momma when it comes to Nakiah's politeness. She uses please and thank you more than most children and is always aware of people around her. We've been complimented more than a few times on how polite and well behaved Nakiah is and, for me, that's one of the best compliments we could get. I glow just thinking about what a great little person Nakiah is!

My baby girl is super smart. I've boasted before about her being a genius, and Nakiah just keeps proving me right. ;-) She counts to 20 with a little help at 13 and 14. From 20 she's mastered counting by 10's up to 100. (Okay, I'm pretty sure she doesn't really get the counting by 10's, but still, she's doing it!) She recognizes all of her numbers and knows that zero means there is nothing. She recognizes all of her letters, knows the sounds of most of them and knows at least one word that goes with that sound. The hardest part for her right now is deciphering between K being for Kicen and B being for Brother. Because Nakiah calls Kicen, Brother all time, when I say 'K is for Kicen' she repeats 'K is for Brother'. ~ Today, she brought me her 'P' magnet and said "look mom, 'P' says 'puh, puh, puh' for popcorn. ~ She also knows that C, R, N, K & O are for all of our names and we're working on learning how to spell Nakiah.

Nakiah loves to sing! She sings along to every song she hears, whether she knows the words or not. It is absolute music to my ears!! She remembers songs she's only heard a few times and will sing many of them at random times. When we're listening to music in the car I have to sing along with her. If I'm not singing loud enough she reminds me that she "can't here your words, mom". If I don't know the words to a song she'll tell me to "keep trying."

Dancing is another favorite activity of Nakiahs. We can be in the middle of dinner and if Nakiah hears music come on the TV, she begs to get up and dance. She has her own style and moves like no other! She has a blast dancing all over the house and usually likes company on the dance floor. She really likes to copy the dance moves she sees on TV.

Nakiah is still doing gymnastics and is still completely in love with it! She is excited every week for her class and tells me most of the time 'this is so fun'. She really likes playing with the other kids and tumbling in general is a blast for her. So much so, that she has found a way to turn our living room into her own private gym. Nakiah is constantly doing handstands on all of our furniture and is upside down for the majority of every day. She has enjoyed tee ball and soccer, but for the most part gymnastics has been her favorite.

Much to my discomfort, Nakiah is becoming more and more exploratory and is getting more and more comfortable doing things on her own. While I do want her to grow, experience things and learn to deal with situations on her own, I much prefer the little girl that needs her Mommy in her sights at all times. I'm so thankful that she is developing the confidence to do things on her own, but I need her to need me. I think watching her grow up is going to be a really hard thing for me. But I'm sooo very excited for her!

Nakiah talks about going to school on a very regular basis. She tells me stories about when she was in school on Thursday when she was teeny tiny and she got to play on the playground. ;-) I'm still not quite sure where these stories come from, but I do enjoy listening to them. Nakiah asks when she'll get to go to school and she already asks if she can ride the bus. I hope her enthusiasm regarding school continues into the actual school years.

Nakiah likes to 'be in the know'. If there is a conversation going on around her, she really needs to know what everyone is talking about. She'll repeatedly asks what you are talking about, until you answer her. If your answer is not sufficient, she'll keep asking. Once she understands, she'll either try to join in on the conversation, or she'll change the conversation so that she can talk too. If a discussion is taking place she automatically thinks that people are arguing and will demand that you stop. Trying to explain to her that there was no argument is useless and all forms of conversation must stop.

Because Nakiah is such a sponge and takes in everything she sees and hears, she repeats an awful lot. Most of the time I don't even know where she hears things. So, we've had to start talking about what words we can and cannot say. The first word we experienced was "duh". I'm not a big fan, especially when it was coming from my 2 year old! So, I really worked on Nakiah not using "duh". After explaining to her that 'duh' isn't a nice word and that we should find other words to use, she would often times tell me "I not say duh, Mom". To which I would applaud her. As it turns out, she was just covering her tracks and throwing me off course.....when she was with Auma, she would say "duh" almost as a release from not being able to say it around me. One day she even asked Auma, "Mommy here?" When Auma told her no, that I wasn't there Nakiah, for no other reason than because she thought she could, said "duh". Since 'duh' we've run into the 'asking if she can say certain words' faze. The most recent request "Mom, can I say dammit?" Ummm, no.

Nakiah is my sassy pants, pretty girl. She is my Kita Jean!! She's full of love and tons of fun. She can curl up and snuggle during a movie or while reading a book and turn around and throw a bucket of water on you when you aren't looking. She loves to play pretend, eat popcorn and sleep in Mommy's bed. She's miss independent and little miss sunshine. She has an imagination and a giddy little spirit that just makes me smile. She is silly and smart and beautiful and polite. She can put a smile on my face morning, noon and night. Her hugs are more comforting and full of love than words can ever explain. Her giggle could warm the coldest heart and her kisses are sweeter than candy. She is a true blessing and honestly, an answer to years of prayers!

She is my gift from God!

I'm more than blessed to be your Mom!

You are purely a ray of sunshine in my life and the most amazing little girl! You had my whole heart wrapped around you before you were ever born and I will never be able to explain to you just how much you are loved! You and Kicen are most certainly the best part of me and I could not be more proud. I continue to thank God every day for entrusting me with such wonderful children. I am so excited to see what the next year brings for you.

Happy birthday pretty girl! I love you more than words could ever explain!

~Mom

It Goes By Too, Too Fast!!

2010-09-06T08:22:00.000-07:00

Happy 3rd Birthday!!

The most amazing little girl turns 3 today

and I couldn't be more proud to be her mom.

Happy birthday Princess,

I love you to the moon.

-Mommy

Tutu Cute, in a very Cute Tutu!!

2010-08-23T23:26:00.001-07:00

One of my friends from work, Kyle, has a very talented and extremely crafty wife, Maleah. It is not rare for me to gush over Maleah's craftiness, nor is it any secret that I have longed for a Maleah McPherson original for some time now. Last week, I walked into the office and to my surprise, the McPherson Phairy granted my wish...

As soon as I showed Nakiah her new skirt, she said "thank you for my tutu Mom, I love it!" When I told her that Mommy's friend Maleah made it for her she yelled (almost loud enough for Maleah, in Seattle, to hear her) "thank you for my tutu Maweah!" She was more than happy to pose for a few pictures, which is soo not like her. She kept telling me how pretty her new tutu was. Even when I explained that it was a skirt, she insisted that it is in fact a tutu. A tutu it is.

Keep in mind, this skirt is 100% hand made, pocket and all, it is also not the only fabulous creation to have come from the hands of sweet Sora's Mommy! I've seen everything from hats and cardigans (for babies and adults) to SHOES, actual SHOES!! Sora, Maleah and Kyle all have a very wide array of beautiful hand made clothes.

Maleah even put an elastic strap through the waste with an overlapping button system (sort of like some maternity pants) so that Nakiah can continue to wear this for a very long time. That is if I ever let her wear it again. I love it so much, and the fact that its hand made, that I'm afraid of getting it stained. Maybe I'll frame it!!

So, thank you Maweah, for such a fabulous skirt!! We both LOVE it. You seriously do AMAZE me and I'm so grateful for the gift. When you start selling these, I want the first order form. ;-)

My whole heart

2010-08-23T23:21:00.001-07:00

Is filled with overflowing love for the two most amazing children!!

Sushi

2010-08-23T23:17:00.000-07:00

Nakiah is pretty adventurous when it comes to food....or at least she likes to think she is.

She thinks she likes eggs, she doesn't. She thinks she likes avocados, she doesn't. She thinks she likes gummy candy, she doesn't. The list goes on. When she wanted to try my sushi, I was certain she wouldn't even put it in her mouth. But she insisted on using the chopsticks, like Mommy.

(notice the tongue sticking out in severe concentration ~ we call this the "Grampa Jerry" after Corey's dad!)

With a not so convincing look on her face she told me "yum, Mommy. I wike sushi". She then proceeded to remove everything from the inside of the roll and took nibbles of the rice from the outside.

I guess she's discovered that she likes to eat rice. ;-)

Cars

2010-08-23T23:09:00.000-07:00

Nakiah found some matching pajamas in the store and decided that she and Brother 'needed' them. But, not only did the 'need' them, they 'needed' to wear them immediately and then they 'needed' their pictures taken in them.

I guess it a good thing the pj's were Cars. I'm not sure how long Kicen will be putting up with matching Tinkerbell pj's...

He loves his fuzzies....

2010-08-23T23:06:00.000-07:00

....so much that we have to make sure to bring one of his stuffed animals, or a fuzzy blanket everywhere we go. When he gets tired he likes to roll around on them and smoosh his face into them.

Nothing is sweeter!

Summer Fun

2010-08-23T23:01:00.000-07:00

With the nice weather we had this past month, the kids have spent a ton of time at Auma's house. The love it up there, we all do.

Thanks Auma, for letting us crash in on your free time so much this summer.....and for all the goodies you now have all across your yard!

We love you!

Austin

2010-08-23T22:55:00.000-07:00

My kids love their cousins. Nakiah talks about AJ, Austin and Anna all the time. Austin has been coming over to help Corey around the house and every time he is here, Nakiah thinks he has come to play with her. She usually cries when he heads outside to work and always asks if he is going to stay at her house. Last time she asked if he could sleep in her bed. ;-)

Austin is great with them!!

kaos

2010-08-23T22:21:00.001-07:00

Nakiah is playing on a 3-5 year old soccer team (she of course is the youngest, not yet 3) and dear old mom was assigned to coach. Not by choice, more by default. To be honest, I was not looking forward to coaching....not even a little bit. Considering the program is run through my department at work, I've seen first hand what 3-5 year olds on a soccer field are like.

That being said, I think I've enjoyed this Mighty Midgets season at least as much as the kids, if not more!!

Here is my Super Star - if I can actually convince her to play on the field. She's come a long way!! The first actual game against another team was pretty rough. She does not like the other team taking the ball from her and insists that everyone is pushing her. She got her feelings hurt a few times and has had to slowly work back to enjoying the game. But in the last week or so has really started having fun with her teammates. She is now much more willing to voice her concerns, as she is now the child running at the back of the pack with her hand in the air yelling "No pushing, that not nice! I will kick the ball!" ;-) We work on a learning curve. My fabulous team ~kaos~. Two of my very generous team parents sponsored our team and decided that 'kaos' was the perfect name for our team. I concur, it fits! Bojan, Levi, Lucas, Anna, Nakiah, Diego, Kasey and James You might see 7 kids doing their own thing, not paying attention, I see success in getting 7 of my 8 players to stand in the same location long enough for a picture to be taken!!

So patient and so focused

Nakiah in her very first soccer game

Bojan and Nakiah chasing after the ball

I try to explain the object of soccer is to get the ball into the goal.....I'm glad she can celebrate the simple joys of just getting her foot on the ball!

She was so overjoyed that in the middle of the 'play' she cut left and darted to the sidelines to tell Daddy and Auma that she "did it!"

And then the 'pushing' began...

We had a few tears

And coach/Mommy needed to mend a tender heart

Its good to be a passionate player!

Even with the little stresses and somewhat frustrating situations that inevitably arise with a team of 8 3-5 year olds, I've thoroughly enjoyed watching the kids get excitement out of things that I take for granted. They are my team of little super stars and I'm such a proud coach!!

Project Time

2010-08-23T22:16:00.000-07:00

I've posted before about how much Nakiah loves to do her art projects. It can be something as simple as cutting a piece of paper into shreds, she just loves to do 'projects'.

She even gets her table out and sets up her station while I get her supplies ready. She sits down and waits patiently for me to set everything out for her. If I try to talk to her while she's in the middle of something she tells me "I very busy mom, I doing my work". Its rare that she ever looks up long enough for me to take a picture.

I hope she always enjoys doing her projects!

He loves his toys!

2010-08-23T22:12:00.000-07:00

So much that he doesn't want to let go, even when he's asleep!

This is my kid....

2010-08-23T22:09:00.001-07:00

And there has never been a more proud Mother!!

Slip n' Slide

2010-08-23T21:55:00.000-07:00

At Kicen's birthday party, we set up a little slip n' slide that had a small "pool" for water to collect in.

Nakiah has played on the slip n' slide before, but she mostly just likes to walk over the spraying water, sort of like a sprinkler.

She was having so much fun watching all the other kids run and slide and was really getting into it, especially when she watch Kasey (the slip n' slide KING) take his turns. Allyson taking a turn

Kasey plowing through the water

Nakiah's version of playing on the slip n' slide

Until she was brave enough to actually "slip n' slide....

...which was more like crawling down the slide and splashing her hands into the "pool".

She was sooo excited and kept telling me "mommy, I did it! I did it!"

With a little help from Daddy, not that he needs the help considering how fearless he is, Kicen even partook in the slip n' side festivities!

In case you didn't know.....

2010-08-23T21:51:00.000-07:00

My Mother in law in super talented!!

She makes my kid's birthday cakes (and our wedding cake too!!) and does such a fabulous job!! I so appreciate the time she takes to give them something special every year!

Thanks Jackie!!!! We love you......and your cakes!! ;-)

Birthday Bash for my Baby Boy

2010-08-23T21:20:00.001-07:00

I can't believe my baby boy is a year old. The last 12 months have flown by and my sweet baby is now a crazy little boy....still super sweet, but oh so crazy fun!!

We had a birthday bbq at Auma and Auda's house, complete with lots of water fun.

Kicen had so much fun playing in the water and running around with the kids.

It was hard to keep him focused when it came time to open gifts, but the trucks seemed to do the trick

Nakiah did very well being patient and letting her brother open the gifts.

The best gift of the entire day, it seemed, was a card that played music....

I seriously thought my son would devour the cake and have it all over him...

to my surprise, he was almost disgusted with the idea of touching it, let alone putting it in his mouth!

Sister, on the other hand, was just waiting to break into that frosting!!

Kicen got a little bit on his finger and was pretty concerned about it...

...until I gave him a spoon

Apparently, my son prefers to use utensils.

Nakiah is okay with using her fingers... ;-)

We even did a little celebrating for Daddy's birthday

The oh-so-happy-birthday-boy

We ended the evening with a few test runs of the new toys

I think the party was a success!!

Thanks to everyone who made it to celebrate with us!!

He's ONE....

2010-08-16T23:35:00.000-07:00

...and he likes it!

One Year Ago....

2010-07-21T03:13:00.000-07:00

Kicen is my sugary sweet little monster, my sensitive little bruiser. He's my little angle daredevil, the perfect combination of sweet and spicy! He is 100% Russell boy, but as you know, his stature screams O'Neil. ;-) He keeps me on my toes and keeps a smile on my face. Even when he's at his worst, he still has a twinkle in his eye. His smile melts my heart and his laughter is music to my ears. He is the perfect gift from God!!

Kicen LOVES to play, play, play. While he loves his trucks and animals, he isn't picky when it comes to toys. A wooden spoon and a water bottle are just fine with him. As go-go-go as he is, however, he will almost always sit still to read a book. He plays by himself, but loves to play with his Sister. He giggles the sweetest giggle when he's tired. He isn't confused about what he wants and he isn't afraid to let you know. He gets his patients from his Momma, so if he wants something.....he wants it now. He is quite the charmer when he needs to be and full of spit and vinegar if he doesn't get what he wants. He gets frustrated if something isn't working the way he wants it to and he can pitch a fit with the best of them! Its safe to safe he has a temper.

Kicen is my show off! He loves to know that you are watching him and he loves to be praised. If he gets enough applause, he'll continue showing off. I'm sure I'll receive my fair share of "Mrs. O'Neil, this is Kicen's teacher" phone calls over the years.

Kicen is a sponge and he is very quick to figure things out. He is picking up sign language quite fast and is quite good at communicating. He signs 'thank you', 'please', 'drink', 'more', 'bath', 'help', 'all done' and a version of 'play'. He will repeat almost any simple word you ask him to and replies correctly when you ask him what a cow, lion, dog and elephant say. I think he's a genius, just like his Sister.

Kicen loves music. He loves to be sung to, he loves hearing music on TV, he loves toys that play music. When he hears music, without being instructed to do so, Kicen will start dancing. I can't quite tell if he's going to have rhythm or not, but the boy sure does try!

Kicen is my 'loves all things food' baby! He can finish his own meal and if he sees you eating something he didn't get, he wants to try yours too. He LOVES fruit and pickles. He likes to eat things he thinks are for 'big kids'. He likes things that he can crunch on and the boy has never met a bite that was too big. If I hand him a cracker, he assumes I intended for the entire cracker to be consumed in one bite. It doesn't help that he has jaws of steel. I've tried on more than one occasion to retrieve an exceptionally large bite, only to find that my fingers jabbing at his mouth are no match for his desire to consume food.

Kicen is a mess maker. Its not sufficient to play with 2 or 3 toys at once, he quite prefers all toys to be in the middle of the floor....at the same time. If I start cleaning up while he is in the middle of playing, he'll drop whatever had his interest for the moment and begin removing from the shelves, items I was attempting to clean up. He loves to dump bags, boxes, containers full of items and put them back in, only to dump them out again.

My son has no fear. Throwing himself over the side of a bed, head first is not something he stops to contemplate. If he wants down, whichever way is fastest and/or easiest works for him. He climbs on EVERYTHING....and when I say everything, I, LITERALLY, MEAN, EVERYTHING!! He climbs on chairs, stools, furniture, his wagon to the furniture, cases of water, painting easels, step ladders, stairs, foot rests, car seat bases, baby gates, the list goes on. If there is an obstacle in his way, my son will scale it, most of the time without hesitation.

Kicen doesn't hand out kisses often, actually he's quite stingy with them, but he's a sweet little lover. He has created a ritual of rolling all over stuffed animals when he's tired, the bigger the pile, the better. He loves to snuggle with fuzzy blankets and if he can chew on an end, he is happy. He squeezes his animals and kisses on them, but its a lucky day if he plants a wet one on you!! However, its a rare occasion when he'll turn down a kiss from Sister.

Kicen loves animals, stuffed or otherwise. He gets excited when he sees our cat and just wants to squish her! Dogs don't scare him and he couldn't get enough of the elephants at the circus. He 'oos' and 'awes' over animals in books and loves to see them on TV. I've never seen him shy away from touching an animal and if there is fur involved, he'd like a handful please. For my sake, it would be nice if he had just a healthy fear of, at the very least, strange animals.

He is, for the most part, a very easy going little boy. He is quite easy to please, as long as he gets what he wants. ;-)

He doesn't mesh well with strangers and it takes quite a while for him to warm up to new people. He likes the comfort of Mommy, Daddy and Auma and familiar places. He likes to explore as long as he is certain you aren't leaving him. If one of us walks into the house and doesn't come right to him, he makes a point to yell at us. He does like his attention and if he's missed you, he'll let you know.

Kicen has never really been a quiet baby, but he is after all, part Tingley!! He is constantly talking in his Kicen language. He babbles and learns new noises all the time. He really enjoys copying noises that someone else makes or hearing someone copy the noises that he makes. Its become a game that, for Kicen at least, could have no end! Its not often that Kicen is quiet. He will be that child you MUST check on when you suddenly realize you hear no noise!

Kicen likes to go. He will often grab a shoe, any shoe- he doesn't discriminate, bring it to me and wave 'bye-bye'. It is common for him to grab our hands and bring us to the door either to leave or take him outside to play. He loves to be outside doing, doing, doing. I foresee exhausting days in my future!

One of Kicen's favorite things is the telephone. It is unacceptable in our house for a person to use a phone and not share with our children. Kicen loves to hear people talk on the phone and presses the phone right up to his face if you tell him to say hello. He gets really excited, tenses up and with stiff arms starts pressing all the buttons. He loves to talk to Auda on the phone. Auda has always made a certain noise to the kids, since Nakiah was born, and whenever he knows that Auda is on the phone, Kicen will make the same noise.

My son makes me laugh. Days don't go by that he doesn't make me laugh. He thinks he is funny and laughs at himself constantly. Sometimes I don't even know what he's laughing at. His laugh is infectious. He has a laugh like his Uncle Boog, the kind of distinctive laugh that you can hear in a crowded room, the kind of laugh that just makes you happy to hear. Hearing him laugh, especially when he's tired just makes me happy.

He is proving to be a difficult child to discipline. Trying to tell him no, or not to touch something, or that something isn't safe for him, usually ends up in him repeating the act at least half a dozen times and laughing at me every time I tell him no, or to stop. He literally thinks everything is a game and is seeming to be the child that needs to find out the hard way that something isn't good for him. I think I might have my work cut out for me....

Kicen is curious, he loves to explore, he isn't afraid to taste pretty much anything, including, but not limited to; rocks, dirt, grass, paper, stickers, etc. He doesn't hesitate to try new things, he loves other kids and can't get enough of his Sister. He wants so badly to do everything that she does. He has a bit of a Momma's boy side to him (although its mostly an Auma's boy side at present) He's my class clown and my entertainer. He can be a bit reserved in unknown territory, but it isn't his nature to be quiet for long. He likes the freedom to run around and does not enjoy restrictions on his exploration. He will be my child that tests the boundaries, probably more than once.

He is my joy.

I can not believe how fast the last year has gone. My sweet little baby is already growing into such an amazing little boy! I could not be any more proud of my beautiful little man. He is more than I could ever have hoped for and has far exceeded every expectation I ever dreamed up. He is special in every way and simply, the most amazing son. He truly is my gift from God. I'm blessed beyond measure to be his mother and I can not wait to see what the next year brings.

Happy 1st Birthday Kicen!

I love you more than words could ever explain!

Kids say the cutest things....

2010-07-16T21:19:00.000-07:00

Today, Auma said to Nakiah "fee, fie, foe, fum....." and then started chasing Nakiah. Nakiah said it was her turn to be the 'scary monster' and said (in her loud monster voice) "fee, four, five, six..."

Auma and I were laughing so hard I didn't think I was going to catch my breath!!

I CAN NOT BELIVE....

2010-07-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

....my beautiful little man

is almost one!!!!

Perry the Platypus

2010-07-15T21:25:00.001-07:00

Nakiah watches a cartoon with Perry the Platypus on it. One day while picking up a few thing in town, she spotted (from across the store, Eagle Eyes!!) a Perry the Platypus pajama set....in the little boys section. ;-) "I NEED this mom, pleeeeeese"

Here she is modeling her "Agent P" pjs.

She now asks to wear them almost every night.

Craft Time

2010-07-15T21:14:00.000-07:00

Nakiah is really starting to love her arts and craft activities. She loves to color (if someone is coloring with her), she loves to do stickers and painting. She LOVES to use scissors and staplers and will cut and staple paper as long as you will let her. One day, while Kicen was sleeping I pulled out some ceramic paints and flowers that Nakiah painted all by herself for Auma for Mother's Day.

She loved doing her "work". I would ask her if she was done and she'd tell me "not yet, I very busy" or "almost, I need do a wittle bit more". Her two master pieces!!

The event was not without incident, however....

Ice cream cone....

2010-07-15T21:07:00.001-07:00

Auma really likes to give the kids treats these days. I know, because Nakiah likes to tell on herself when I come home from work. I'll walk through the door and the first thing she says is "I have candy today, mom". Me- "You did? Are you supposed to have candy?" N- "No, Auma give it to me. No, no Auma, thats naughty" Now that I think about, maybe its been going on behind my back longer that I thought, its just now Nakiah is really able to tell me....hhmmmmm?

I actually got to witness this sugar overload....

Seems like he's liking it okay Yup, there it is...the sugar kicks in!!

I really like it mom!

I need more, now!

Oh, the EXCITEMENT!!

2010-07-15T21:04:00.000-07:00

I'm very lucky that my office is literally 4 minutes away from home. I get to come home every day at lunch to see my two (okay, 3) favorite people! My kids get really excited too.....

....can you tell?

Wordless,....Thursday Night???

2010-07-15T20:55:00.000-07:00

What?

2010-06-26T22:31:00.000-07:00

Happy 31st Auma & Auda!!

2010-06-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

WE LOVE YOU!! Happy Anniversary!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-06-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

Little Miss Gymnast

2010-06-22T22:36:00.000-07:00

Nakiah is still doing gymnastics once a week and loves it more and more all the time! She really likes Coach Michelle and Elyse who happens to be the only other child that regularly attends the Thursday evening class.

She's still a bit weary of the rope if I'm not holding on to her, but I'm so impressed by how much she has learned in the last 9 months. She's on her way to doing hand stands and is even getting brave enough to try them at home without the assistance of the wall.

She likes to swing on the rings and even wants me to twist her around so she can spin/unwind.

The TumblTrak (a long trampoline) is one of her favorite stations. She has learned to do a seat drop (bounce from feet to bottom back up to feet - in a fluid motion), a straddle jump (jump up, spread legs, bring them back together before landing), a tuck jump (jump up, pull knees to chest and extend before landing) and jumping backwards all the way down the track without turning around.

She even gets to do some floor exercises, which for now consists mostly of chasing mommy in circles while galloping and doing forward rolls across the floor. ;-)

Practicing her tuck...

...and her pike positions

Just for fun, Coach Michelle even throws in a little "horsey" time

Even before Nakiah knew what this was called, the first time she got on it, she straddled it and started riding it like a horse....apparently kids just know!

She's even started doing some bar exercises. She can hang from the bar, put her feet up through her arms and flip around...all by herself. For the higher stuff, Coach Michelle (or most often, Mommy) still needs to help,

but she really likes to practice!

She's even getting more and more brave...which sort of scares me a bit!

Nothing is more fun that ending the evening in the foam pit! I swear this kids could spend hours in the foam pit!

Teeth Check Up

2010-06-22T22:12:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago, Nakiah had her first dental check up. She got her teeth cleaned (at least the Dental Assistant tried to clean Nakiah's teeth), she got her xrays taken (at least the Dental Assistant tried to take the xrays) and she had her teeth examined by Dr. Larson (at least he tried to examine her teeth).

It wasn't exactly what I would call a successful appointment. I was worried from the get go that Nakiah would be too scared to let them do anything, but it was time. She was so nervous, in fact, that when she first laid on the chair she didn't even move. She had a tiny little tear falling down her cheek and her little hands were clenched so tight that her knuckles were turning white. It was hard for me not to scoop her up and take her home right then. She lasted until the tools made noise in her mouth, then she was done! Xrays weren't much better, especially since Nakiah has a horrible gag reflex and does not like things in her mouth. Dr. Larson did find a small cavity that needed fixed and after 3 subsequent appointments, a pretty strong sedative for a 2 year old and some laughing gas....

Nakiah's teeth are good as new!

It wasn't the best experience, certainly one I hope never to repeat, but considering how much I hate going to the dentist and the fact that she is only 2, she was a trooper and I couldn't have been more proud! She even thanked them, albeit a bit groggily, when we left the office!

Play Date

2010-06-22T21:46:00.000-07:00

Nakiah loves her friend Jayla. A few nights ago we were on our way to the store and Nakiah asked me where Jayla was. When I told her that Jayla was at home with her Mommy and Daddy Nakiah replied "I sad". When I asked her why she was sad, she told me "I sad Jayla not with me".

She asks for Jayla to come to her house at least once a week. We've really only had a few actual play dates with Jayla, but Nakiah absolutely loves her!

A while ago, we took Jayla to the park with us. The girls had a blast running around together, playing on the toys and determining who could scream the loudest. I had my first experience taking two 2 year olds to the bathroom in one very disgusting port-a-potty. I couldn't leave one outside alone, so the three of us in the potty with the door half open, was probably quite a site! Not to mention, the girls didn't quite understand why I made them keep their hands on their bellies at all times. ;-)

Jayla liked to swing on the swing (go figure, right?) ~ Nakiah liked to push the empty swing

Cheers during juice break

This is my favorite picture of Jayla that day!!

My two boys!!

We had such a great day and can't wait to do it again soon!!

IMPOSSIBLE

2010-06-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

Impossible is a word invented by a mother of multiple children to describe an event in which said mother desires said multiple children to concurrently cooperate!

Example:

Boog Time

2010-06-22T21:25:00.000-07:00

My kids absolutely love their Boog! Nakiah asks to "sign to Boog & Dani" (aka post on their fb walls) all the time. Every time we draw pictures or write our names, she has to draw one for Boog & Dani and write Boog & Dani's names. She even wants to pick out a card for them when she sees any card isle at a store.

While Kicen can't yet tell me how much he loves his Boog, you can tell by the look on his face how much he enjoys his time with Boog!

I'm very thankful that my kids have such a wonderful Uncle!

He loves these two very much and we are so lucky to have him in our lives.

Now, if we could just get him to visit more often..... ;-)

We Love You Boog!!

Ice cream....

2010-06-02T21:25:00.000-07:00

I rarely give my kids sweets. They don't get cookies or candy from me and while I do my best to control what they get from other people, sometimes items get snuck in when I'm not around. A while back Boog & Dani took Nakiah to DQ for an ice cream cone. Since that day, Nakiah often insists that she NEEDS ice cream!!

Why yes, they are cute... ;-)

2010-06-02T21:01:00.000-07:00

Popsicle Monster

2010-06-02T20:53:00.000-07:00

Kicen's first popsicle experience was fun! He saw sister eating one and instantly wanted what she had (that happens ALOT these days!).

He was a bit shocked at first and was surprised by the cold slimy stick I was giving him... ...but he was determined to master the popsicle monster!!

Food, beware!!

Sour Puss

2010-06-02T20:48:00.000-07:00

Its weird, I know....

...but my boy LOVES pickles!!

Growing Up Toooooo Fast!

2010-04-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

It seem like yesterday we were introducing Nakiah to her brother for the first time.

Nakiah at 2y 4m ~ Kicen at 7m

Peas? No Thank You!

2010-04-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Kicen was never a big fan of baby food. He lasted about 2-3 months before he just flat out refused to eat any of it. I can sometimes get him to eat a fruit or two and some of the cereals he doesn't mind, but the vegetables, especially any of the green variety, are an absolute NO!

This was my attempt at getting Kicen to eat peas.....

I really don't think any bite after the first one ended up in his mouth!

Needless to say, peas were crossed off the list pretty quick. I didn't think it was fair to Kicen to give them a second try.

Clips

2010-04-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Nakiah wanted clips in her hair....

...ALL of her clips in her hair

Auda & His Boy

2010-04-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

Kicen loves his Auda. When my Dad calls on the phone Kicen gets excited and I swear says "Auda"

Auda makes a popping sound to Kicen that Kicen is always trying to copy. He now does it all the time. Auda plays a bit rough with Kicen for Mommy, but I'm sure when Kicen is a bit bigger, he's going to love the rough housing! He's also going to enjoy all the things that Auda lets him do when Mommy isn't around.

And at the end of the day, or middle of the day, the boys will always be able to nap together.

First Cookie

2010-04-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

I've never been one to give my kids sweets. As a matter of fact, the Easter Bunny brought Kicen and Nakiah toothbrushes in their Easter baskets this year instead of candy. However, and probably more so because I'm so strict about no sweets, my family thinks its great to feed my kids sugar any chance they get.

Auma thought she'd just let Kicen taste a cookie

He didn't mind it... ...he couldn't get enough of it!! Kicen was reaching his mouth to her hands before she ever pinched off another bite.

He very much enjoyed his cookie. I think that shall be his last for a while!

I also think that Auma thinks that what I don't know, won't hurt me. ;-)

Auma & Auda

2010-04-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

We Miss You Auda!!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

Resemblance?

2010-04-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Nakiah 3/12/08 ~ 6 months

Kicen 1/31/20 ~ 6 Months

"Auda dropped my fish"

2010-04-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, my dad took Nakiah to my Aunt's house to do some fishing. They have basically a miniature lake right out their back door. Its man made and has a ton of fish in it. They feed the fish regularly and only keep them when they feel like having fish for dinner, so some of them are actually quite large.

Nakiah, dressed in the appropriate "Fishing Buddies" attire, doing it by herself

When Auda got one on, the battle to the shore began Nakiah was really excited Until the fish got too close to shore and started jumping out of the water Once she felt a splash of water touch her, it was a struggle just to get her to stand near Auda. She did not want that fish splashing water on her.

But she was pretty excited to show me her fish

Too bad Auda let it wiggle out of his hands before we got a picture! ;-)

Nakiah grabbed the net the next time Auda had a fish on.

With Nakiah's quick thinking they finally landed a fish.

Nakiah had so much fun all day. I think she could have stayed there forever.

Every time she heard a fish jump she had to make sure I heard and/or saw it too.

When Nakiah is older and actually has an appreciation for fishing, I think these two will be inseparable.

Mommy got in on the action too!

(note: I was the original fishing buddy....once upon a time ~ I have since been replaced, about 2 1/2 years ago to be exact)

The fish were going crazy at feeding time

There were soooo many fish!

Even though a few splashes came pretty close, Nakiah loved feeding the fish!

Kicen even enjoyed watching the action

Curiosity

2010-04-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

If it is possible to capture the definition of a word in a photograph,

I think I've done just that....

Fishing Buddies

2010-04-14T21:35:00.001-07:00

Last month, my dad brought Nakiah (and Auma, Kicen and myself ~ although we didn't count as much) to my Aunt's house to go fishing. Auda and Nakiah wore their "Fishing Buddies" personalized t-shirts and hats just for this occasion. He's been bugging me for quite some time to get the pictures up. I think he forgets what its like to work full time and have two young kids at home. ;-).

Here is a preview just for you Auda!!

Nakiah had a blast!!....and kept reminding (and still reminds) Auda, that he dropped her fish in the water. :)

Just for fun

2010-04-14T21:24:00.000-07:00

Doesn't Get Any Better Than This....

2010-04-14T21:22:00.000-07:00

Total Cuteness

2010-04-14T21:11:00.000-07:00

This is my boy!

2010-03-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

This is my daughter!!

2010-03-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-24T07:30:00.001-07:00

Okay, just a few words ;-)

Smelt jigging with Auda

I think Mommy may have tightened the life jacket belt a little too tight....

There were no fish caught, at least not by us, but Nakiah had a blast being out on the water and always loves tagging along with her Auda.

Just Like Boog

2010-03-24T07:26:00.000-07:00

When my brother was little, he had to have all of his stuffed animals in his bed with him.....undert the covers. I think Nakiah is going to take after her Boog.

Future Babe Ruth

2010-03-23T21:07:00.000-07:00

Nakiah started her tee ball career tonight and as far as tee ball for a 2 year old goes, it was a great success! She's on the Train Wreck team (pretty appropriate if you saw our practice) with 9 other 3-5 year old boys and girls.

She was a bit timid but listened to her coach and followed directions very well! She wouldn't even pick up her ball until I told her it was okay. ;-)

She had lots of fun learning how to throw the ball back to her coach.

She wasn't a big fan of the down time between turns,

But they all found ways to occupy their time.

Nakiah's friend Jayla, with her pink mitt. Jayla wouldn't hit the ball because she didn't have her pink bat to hit with and she insisted on only using her pink ball. ;-)

Nakiah, Chloe and Maddie

Jayla, Nakiah, Chloe, Maddie and Reghan

Nakiah learning to throw the ball to coach. She's a quick learner. After mommy and coach showed her how to step with her other foot when she throws the ball, she did a little practice step. When she got the ball the next time, she paused, thought about what foot to use and tossed the ball back to coach. Mommy was very proud!

Playing catch with coach

Tee ball wouldn't be a kid's sport without some fun time....during practice.

Big hitter up to bat - she would have made Boog & Auda proud!

She was a very enthusiastic fielder, until someone else fielded the ball. I really had to encourage her to cheer on her teammates and explain that there would be plenty of opportunities for her to get the ball too. We saw a few tears, but she was very good about telling her teammates good job - which made me very proud!

After practice, we joined the Feddemas for a quick trip to the park.

I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship.

By the time playtime was over, we had some pretty wiped kids on our hands. It was a great time and I can't wait for our first game. Nakiah had a blast with all her little friends.

Just a cookie sort of day...

2010-03-21T20:01:00.000-07:00

This afternoon was our first real cookie decorating experience. Nakiah has decorated cakes, made brownies and cookies, but today she made cookies, colored frosting and decorated her cookies all by herself....and like every good chef Nakiah had to taste her creation!

...more than a few times!

One color is never enough

She requested the colors, squeezed the food coloring and even told us when they were the exact color she needed. Quite opinionated, this one!

Her first masterpiece

Check out that concentration

I think the sprinkles were her favorite part!!

Her "drippering" technique

This she called "two both"

Oh, one more taste

She totally wants more sprinkles!!

I think we officially have a master baker on our hands!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-17T06:54:00.000-07:00

New Goal

2010-03-09T22:30:00.000-08:00

Since I have been a complete slacker and have been neglecting our blog, our pictures are piling up and I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed by the project that I'm facing....so, my new goal is to do at least 2 posts each week.

Think I can do it? If you keep reading you'll find some Christmas pictures (more from Christmas Day to come) and even some as far back as 12/20/09....oh my!

First Squash

2010-03-09T22:10:00.000-08:00

He got his paybacks!!

He now loves his squash, especially when its mixed with rice cereal and pear juice.

Baby food IS nasty!

Working with Auda

2010-03-09T21:58:00.000-08:00

Auda reloads his own ammunition for rifles and has a whole room devoted to it. Nakiah knows the room is Auda's room and that she needs to stay out unless Auda is with her. She loves to help him and always asks Auda to "work". Even when he's in the middle of something else, he lets her work. I think he likes her working with him as much as she does.

She gets to do each step with him and is even learning what all the tools are called.

I'm not kidding - she isn't your regular 2 year old.

Back Logged...just a bit!

2010-03-09T21:29:00.000-08:00

Nakiah got stamps for Christmas from Santa...can you tell?

Boog teaching Nakiah how to dunk her cookies in milk... ...I couldn't tell which one of them was enjoying it more

Always smiling!

Especially when there is food in his hands

She was helping me clean Kicen after his lunch - I guess he got some on his head

I was taking pictures of Kicen's reaction to his first taste of squash...she insisted that I take a picture of her too. ;-)

I swear, this kid always has something in his mouth!!

"like Mommy does"

All bundled up and ready for our walk

Playing with Auda

Flying away

She loves her Auma

I couldn't have picked better kids!!

"be tiet mom, i watching wubby"

He really does put up with a lot!

Christmas Eve 2009

2010-03-09T21:11:00.001-08:00

For Christmas Eve, Corey, the kids and I, along with Boog & Dani, stayed at Auma & Auda's house, as we do every year. Nakiah helped Auma make brownies....

...or at least eat the batter Kicen and I played - he wasn't too thrilled about his first Christmas Eve

But Santa Clause was...he sure over did it this year!

Kicen finally warmed up and started getting into the spirit of things

Too bad Mommy didn't bring the camera out until late and still didn't take very many Christmas Eve pictures!

What A Difference A Month Makes

2010-03-09T21:06:00.000-08:00

Kicen loved his cookies from the very first bite!!

12/12/09 - 5 Months

1/18/10 - 6 Months They are no match for him now!!

Auda & His Boy

2010-03-09T21:04:00.000-08:00

He's a pretty proud Auda!

...and lets face it, he should be! ;-)

Lights of Christmas 2009

2010-03-09T20:34:00.001-08:00

On December 23rd, the family bundled up and headed out the Warm Beach for the Lights of Christmas. Last year Auda, Auma, Boog and Dani joined us. This year, along with last year's alum, Tami, Crystal, Shawn, Kelsey and Riley came too. We all had a blast, even though it was pretty cold. It was a great way to celebrate Crystal's birthday too!

Kicen all bundled up, ready for the ride

Boog & his girl Dani, Nakiah and Boog

Boog & Dani

Auda, Nakiah and Auma snacking on some kettle korn

Shawn, Kelsey, Crystal (the birthday girl) and Riley

Nakiah, Me and Corey - I was afraid to take Kicen out of the stroller

1- I thought he would fall asleep

and

2- I thought he would get too cold since he wasn't actually moving around

Nakiah taking a train ride

Gingerbread Daddy & Gingerbread Mommy

Gingerbread Tami & Gingerbread Crystal

Gingerbread Nakiah & Gingerbread Auda

Gingerbread Boog & Gingerbread Dani

Gingerbread Nakiauda & Gingerbread Auma

Gingerbread Shawn & Gingerbread Crystal

Swan Lake

Mount Baker

Parade waving

~all the girls~

(plus Kicen - who much preferred the Bjorn)

~the boys~

Me & my amazing babies!!

I will admit I was a bit surprised with my kids. Nakiah wasn't as into the lights as she was last year. She was way more interested in wandering along the paths and hanging out with the family. Kicen was way more into it than I expected him to be. He started getting a bit crabby, so I eventually packed in up in the Bjorn (pink blanket and all) and he LOVED it. He is such a people watcher and loved checking out all the pretty colors.

We all had a great time and can't wait to see the Lights of Christmas 2010!

GBH 2009!!

2010-03-09T20:20:00.000-08:00

So, way back in 2008 Michael and Danielle challenged Corey and me to a Gingerbread contest for Christmas. The rules were simple: everything used must be edible. The creations were to be unveiled on Christmas day where a winner would be crowned by an impartial judge. With Corey's schedule, me being pregnant and exhausted most evenings and a very "helpful" toddler running around, its safe to say our entry was pretty lame - (we had a very blank gingerbread box frosted to a very large icing covered board)!! Michael and Danielle on the other hand, went beyond everyone's expectations and created a masterpiece complete with a melted jolly rancher lake, it was pretty awesome!

So, this year (2009) Corey and I decided to blow Michael and Danielle out of the water.....

with a little help of course

The Winner of GBH 2009

Created entirely by Nakiah's imagination!!

12-20-09...A Little Love and a Pitman Christmas Party

2010-03-09T20:09:00.000-08:00

We started off the day with a beautiful wedding....

(Congratulations again!!)

...and ended with a fun filled Pitman Family Christmas Party The kids of course were spoiled

As they typically are

And Nakiah had a blast playing with all of her cousins

Kicen didn't really know what to think about everything going on

But he enjoyed his gifts too!

My little man was quite tired after such a long day

But couldn't end his day without a few push ups!

The kids did so good all day long. The wedding was in Seattle and the Christmas party was in Mount Vernon. Needless to say, we did our fair share of driving that day. With the exception of a touch of restlessness in the church (thank God for the "viewing room") the kids were wonderful! Thank you Alberts for inviting us to share in your beautiful day and thank you Pitmans for having such a terrific family!!

Spicy Girl

2010-02-11T21:17:00.000-08:00

Nakiah is my spicy little princess!!

In her I've found the perfect mix of attitude, sensitivity, independence and affection. She keeps me on my toes and makes every day a new adventure.

She is caring, sweet, exciting, spontaneous, fun loving and has a pretty big heart for such a little girl.

She is a nurturer and a storyteller. She is observant and inquisitive and has a memory that surprises me. She loves to play with her imagination and bring you into her world of fun. She is a Mommy's girl but can't get enough of her Auma. She loves spending time with her Daddy but often tells me "I need my Auda". She is the best big sister and is so good at making Kicen laugh. She smothers him with love almost as much as Mommy does. I am so proud of my precious girl

Happy Guy

2010-02-11T21:01:00.000-08:00

Kicen is my happy little man!!

I can honestly count the number of times he has really been unhappy. He is by far the easiest baby I've ever met and I could not be more in love with him.

He is happy, fun, easy going, lovable, sweet and so easy to please.

He is a thinker and an explorer. He is patient and even tempered. He can play by himself and loves to roll around. He knows his Mommy's voice and gets excited when he hears me. He absolutely adores his sister and is content just watching her play. When he sees Daddy he gets a huge grin on his face. If Auma doesn't pick him up right away when she walks into a room, he starts to growl and he loves to play with Auda, even though Mommy thinks its still too rough.

I am so proud of my precious boy!

"I eat Mommy's chocolate"

2010-02-11T20:55:00.000-08:00

One morning, while I was at work and Corey was home with the kids, he came out of the bathroom and found this....

When he asked what she was doing, she told him "I eat Mommy's chocolate" Apparently I had left a Lindt Truffle on the coffee table and Nakiah decided to have it for breakfast.

A Girl & Her Snail

2010-02-11T20:52:00.000-08:00

Daddy & Nakiah constructed a PlayDoh snail one evening.

Nakiah was very excited about it.

Photographer In The Making

2010-02-11T20:44:00.001-08:00

Its no secret that daughter is Miss Independent! She picks out her own clothes, down to her underwear. She picks, not only what shoes to wear, but what shoes to buy. She picked her own dress for her first dance with Daddy. The girl has an opinion about everything and its usually a pretty strong opinion. Recently, she's been very insistent upon taking picture herself. She really likes to take pictures of brother. I've told her not to take the picture until she can see him (or whoever) in the screen. There is usually a pretty elated celebration when she has discovered her subject on the LCD screen and then she snaps it. I must admit...she's not that bad.

I like to think of them as more abstract photos. ;-)

She Loves Her Veggies...

2010-02-11T20:41:00.001-08:00

...especially when there is "dippit" involved!

Learning to Fly

2010-02-11T20:37:00.000-08:00

In true O'Neil baby fashion (he's taking after his sister) Kicen learned to "fly" before he learned to crawl....

She PICKED A Good One

2010-02-11T20:28:00.000-08:00

Auma picked this outfit...

Nakiah made it work

Future Plumber?

2010-02-11T20:26:00.001-08:00

One thing I've learned having two kids......

2010-02-11T20:12:00.001-08:00

....it is next to impossible to get two kids to look at the camera at the same time!

2 Kids in the Tub

2010-02-11T19:59:00.000-08:00

Nakiah has gone from loving bath time, to loving playing with her toys in the water and HATING "washing hair time"!! She is completely fine until I grab the cup to get her hair wet. She used to lay down in the water and let me rinse her hair all at once. For some reason that has changed and most of the time she screams when the water is poured over her head. She does not like the water "drippering" in her eyes.

Kicen has been pretty indifferent about his baths. He is a pretty laid back little boy, so easy going and easy to please. Since he's been sitting up, he is starting to enjoy bath time even more. He likes to splash the water with his hands and kick his feet to make waves. He too hates hair washing time. He gets pretty made at me, arches his back and stiffens up. Needless to say, it makes bath time in the big tub an adventure.

Last night Corey and I (and Kicen & Nakiah) discovered that bath time together is WAY more fun....and efficient!! Nakiah liked throwing the ball at Kicen's head.....and Kicen liked Nakiah throwing the ball at his head and watching the water splash as the ball fell into the tub. For some weird reason, Kicen laughs hysterically when Nakiah hits him on the head with things. We have to keep a close eye on this little game due to the fact that Sister insists "Kicen like it" no matter how hard the object is.

Nakiah really wanted to help clean Brother. She kept scooping water in her measuring cups and asking is she could "dump it on Kicen's head."

The two of them played very nicely together and if I could get Kicen to stop lurching backward every time he got excited, bath time would be so much easier....and less scary for Mom.

First Dance

2010-02-09T20:16:00.000-08:00

The first Father Daughter Valentine Ball that my department put on was in 2008...I've been waiting since that day for Corey to take my baby to her first dance. Last weekend, I finally got what I've been waiting for. Corey took Nakiah to her very first dance. Nakiah picked her dress out all by herself. (its a size 7 and had to be adjusted by Auma, but she loved her "married dress" and didn't want any other) She picked the color of her corsage and Daddy even let her pick his tie.

Keith and Allyson joined in on the fun too!

Look how grown up and beautiful she is....Keith cleaned up nicely too. ;-) Nakiah was so attached to Allyson, she even had to follow her into the bathroom

Their first dance

She loved her flower so much, she was worried about it all night and kept telling me "thank you very much for my flower"

Twisting away

They were trying to get Nakiah to really shake it

I think she really liked watching everyone dance

Picture time

Keith had some great dance moves!!

Slow Dancing

Macarena time!!

Corey was trying to get Nakiah to follow everyone else...

...she got a bit lost

but she was loving every minute of it!!

I think this was the only break she let them have

except of course for sack time

Beautiful Allyson

For some reason, my daughter loves water fountains!

This was really a treat since I rarely let her use them.

She really knew how to shake her booty

She was so excited all night long!

Allyson was so great at helping Nakiah learn the moves

This quickly became Nakiah's favorite move of the night

She also loved the circle dance

She even got to dance with Keith

She really liked making wings for the Chicken dance

Apparently these Chickens dance on the floor

A dance just wouldn't be complete without YMCA

Last Dance...and a kiss goodnight

Nakiah was having so much fun that she didn't want to leave. Corey said she screamed in the parking lot when he put her in her seat. She kept asking for "more dance, please". Nakiah eventually passed out on the way to ice cream, so Corey turned around to bring her home. When Nakiah woke up in the drive way and realized she was at home, icecreamless, the tears started again. Corey had to run to the store to get icecream while Nakiah stayed at home with Auma and continued to ask for "more dance". She had a blast and kept asking to go to the dance again all weekend. It was a huge success and I can not wait for next year.

We're still here.....

2010-02-02T20:32:00.000-08:00

Here is a very short preview of the last couple of months....

I promise to add more pictures soon!

Merry Christmas from our Family to Yours!!

2009-12-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

Santa was so busy delivering all the gifts...

we had to settle for the Grinch for our Holiday photo!

We wish you all a very merry Christmas!

May your days be filled with laughter and love.

Happy Holidays ~ The O'Neils

I not tired...

2009-12-22T22:08:00.000-08:00

6:30 - Nakiah & I are playing her new Memory game and Kicen is rolling around nearby. She hasn't had a nap today so I ask her if she is tired she says "No mom, I not tired" okay Nakiah...

7:00 - Nakiah asks to watch Frosty the Snowman and wants to "nunnle" (snuggle) on the couch. I ask her again if she is tired she says "No thank you mom, I not tired" okay Nakiah...

7:15 - I sit down to feed Kicen and again I ask Nakiah if she's ready to head upstairs for night time, she says "No mom, I not tired" okay Nakiah...

7:30 - I get up to grab a blanket for Kicen and this is what I find....

Little Mommy

2009-12-22T21:58:00.000-08:00

Nakiah hasn't really been one to "take care" of her dolls. She'll shush them a couple of times and pat them on their backs like she's burping them, but most of the time just wants Mommy to do it. But she LOVES to take care of her Brother!

A few days ago I found her "feeding" Kicen

She is such a great big Sister and loves her little Brother so much.

I could not be more proud of her!

Old Man 28

2009-12-22T21:37:00.001-08:00

On December 7 Michael turned 28. My little brother who used to wonder why our dog didn't talk like Scooby Doo did and who once thought he would one day be older than me, turned 28. The sweet little boy that needed his sister to wait for him to finish his lunch at school so that I could walk him out to recess is now 28 years old.

He doesn't need me to wait for him to finish a meal any more, most of the time he doesn't even like to hang out with me. I'm now the one trying to convince him that he is in fact actually older than my 26 years and I'm pretty sure he's come to the conclusion that Scooby Doo isn't actually a real dog....but he can still be pretty sweet sometimes!

To celebrate the fact that Michael can now decipher between cartoons and reality, and his birthday, we had a nice family dinner at the Trumpeter in Mount Vernon.

Nakiah finally realized that a night out with adults isn't as much fun as being at home with all her toys and the freedom to use her outside voice while indoors.

Keith, Michael & Dani Nakiah & Auda

Boog's "mean" - (photograph compliments of Nakiah)

Boog allowing Kicen to play on top of the table

Does it look like Kicen is eyeballing the beer bottle?

Auda & Keith

Auma & Kicen

Dani with bunny years - (photo compliments of Nakiah)

I must say, the kids did excellent in the restaurant and the food was great. We had a fun family dinner and enjoyed spending time with Boog for his birthday.....they even waiting for me to finish my dinner so they could walk me to my car, but they didn't invite me to hang out and celebrate... :-(

Happy Birthday Boog!!! We love you TONS!

Christmas Lights

2009-12-22T21:26:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago after a couple of early baths, Corey and I bundled the kids up, loaded them in the car and headed out to see some Christmas lights. I've been waiting for Nakiah to get old enough to enjoy them and this year was perfect! After she saw a couple of houses, it didn't take much to get her excited. She kept gasping every time she saw anything twinkle. I'd ask her if she liked the lights and she'd tell me "my favorite"

We slowed down as often as possible to let her get a good look and as soon as we started driving off she'd ask for "more, please" Brother was a good sport. He had a melt down at one point and I'm sure would have preferred being at home, but after a nice warm bottle he fell fast asleep....which worked out because Sister was really enjoying the lights.

We took them to Burlington to watch the Skagit Christmas display that is programmed to music. Nakiah really got into it. I don't think she realized the lights were flashing to the music, but two of her favorite things really made for fun times!

Now I'm really looking forward to Brother getting big enough to appreciate the lights too.

Toes

2009-12-22T21:20:00.000-08:00

Kicen found his toes about a month ago and has been in love with them ever since. Whenever I lay him down, he instantly grabs for his feet...

especially when he's naked. It makes him very happy!

Thanksgiving

2009-12-22T20:55:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was a bit crazy, and totally busy, this year. Corey always works on Thanksgiving and this year he worked the early morning shift so that he could spend the afternoon with the kids and me. So, Nakiah, Kicen and I spent the morning with the O'Neils and the Waldrops before heading to my parent's house for dinner. I never really understood how draining days could really be until I started packing around two kids and all the artillery that is needed for a full day away from home. It was a long day, but a very fun day and one that I am very thankful to have spent with my beautiful kids and my amazing family!

Grampy, Kicen and Molly

Nakiah Anna, AJ, Kicen, Nakiah and Austin

The Grandkids

Auntie Misty, Kicen and Nakiah

Boog & Dani

Papa and Boog

Nakiah & Auda

She tells me "Auda's kisses" - Auda loves that!

Nakiah and Auntie Crystal

GG & Papa

Nanny, Me & Nakiah

Crazy Tami, Crazy Crystal & Crazy Shelly

Auntie Tami, Auntie Crystal and Auma

Auda, Kicen & Papa

Nakiah & Uncle Shawn

Boog & Kicen

Nakiah trying to figure out the wii controller

Kicen loving his cereal!

First Cookie...

2009-12-22T20:48:00.000-08:00

A couple days before Thanksgiving, I decided to give Kicen his first cookie. Poor boy has been waiting on a single tooth to finally pop through for a few weeks now so I thought it might be nice for him to chew on something tastier than his chew toys.

He LOVED it!!

He didn't take it out of his mouth much But did manage to get it all over himself!

We had a bath right after snack time due to the fact that he had goo from his forehead to his knees

He now gets excited every time he sees me coming with a biscuit.