Old friends are the best friends

Kenny, one of Tim's high school friends was in town this past weekend. Saturday night he came over for dinner. While Kenny was here he got to meet Carter for the first time. He also got to be McKenzie's captive audience. McKenzie took him back to see her room, she put on her ballerina outfit and "danced" for him. She got out her Bible and had Kenny read it to her. And she showed him how to do flips and cartwheels in the living room. Then after dinner she started playing her Dora play station game. She asked Kenny if he wanted to play, while he was figuring out how to play she would say, "here let me do it" and took the controller from him. It was to funny. Kenny also shared some of his talents when he sang the whole song, I'm the map I'm the map from Dora. Kenny's little girl has taught him well! Tim got a few minutes here and there to catch up with Kenny. They always enjoy getting together.

Tim and great friend Kenny

McKenzie showing Kenny how to play the play station

Kenny and McKenzie playing Dora

Kenny reading to McKenzie

GoInG BoNkErS AgAiN

I thought I should post the photos from last weekends Birthday party, at Bonkers. The first photo is of McKenzie and Liza, a friend from school. The second one is her best friend Caroline. McKenzie also met Caroline at school.

Caroline's birthday is one day before McKenzie's. They wanted to have a party together so Cheryl, Caroline's mom, and myself are planning a party for the girls and a few of their friends. McKenzie wanted to have a sleepover at Disney World, but after I brought her back to reality the girls decided they wanted their party to be at Bonkers.

What happened to my baby?

We are getting everything in line for McKenzie to start Kindergarten. Last Wednesday we went to Kindergarten registration. When we first arrived, we were approached by a lady with a huge 3 ring binder who wanted to know what street we lived on. When I told her she verified we were at the right school Then and only then we were given a packet of papers to fill out with our contact info, doctors info, etc. The forms repeated themselves over and over and over. I think they just wanted to make sure we knew our personal info - repetition is the key to learning, right? Then before we were allowed to turn the forms in we had to show proof of residency to show that McKenzie really lives where we said she did. Once all of the paperwork was done, we got to meet 2 of the kindergarten teachers, take a tour of the school and see the play ground. McKenzie is very excited to start school now. In addition to all the registration we had to do at school, McKenzie has also had to get her shots and have her eyes checked. Tim took McKenzie yesterday to get her well child check and to get her shots. I am so thankful he was able to take her and I didn't have to. I always cry when she gets shots. Today was McKenzie's eye appointment. She has 20/30 vision in both eyes, with a little bit of farsightedness. The doctor said he likes to see this because she will basically grow into it. I have never heard this before but OK, if you say so! So now we are registered, have our shots and our eyes checked. The only thing left is to get a new look, right? For some Daddy/Daughter time, Tim took McKenzie to got her hair cut. They cut it to chin length. It is very cute but not exactly the style we were looking for. The lady had a hard time getting it straight because, as we all know, McKenzie has a hard time sitting still for anything - even getting her hair cut. :-)

No, I didn't play with your camera.

McKenzie got ahold of the camera. When I went to look at the pictures on it, I was pleasantly surprised to find these and many more just like them. I had to laugh out loud.

Some extra photos from Girls weekend.

Uncle Joe joined us one night for dinner.

McKenzie picking out a new swimsuit for the summer.

McKenzie and myself on the trip home.

Carter - the life of the party.

Time Management: taking a nap before her next party.

Girls weekend

...plus Carter. Every year, Grandma Lou, mom (Reiche), myself and McKenzie go to Shelly's for a weekend. This year Carter got to join us. We shopped, ate some great food, watched movies, just hung out together and Shelly spoiled my kids. The fun began when we got to St Louis on Friday morning. Once we were at Shelly's house she had 5 individually wrapped gifts for McKenzie. They were all hidden in McKenzie's room for her to find throughout the weekend. Over the weekend McKenzie also got to paint, play with Peep (Shelly's dog), play with all of Shelly's toys, read a lot of books and play outside. Carter is not aware yet just how cool his Aunt Shelly is but she is already head over hills in love with him. I think the high light of Shelly's weekend was when she got to give Carter a bath. Even Uncle Joe could not believe how excited Shelly was:-). After a full weekend the ride home was pretty quiet, neither McKenzie nor Carter could keep their eyes open. This was a good thing because we got home around 1pm and were at Bonkers by 1:45pm for another friend's birthday party.

Grandma Lou, McKenzie and Shelly at O'Charlie's.

Carter loved the phone rattle. It fit in his hand perfect.

Carter getting all clean.

Grandma Lou and McKenzie in their matching Scottie dog Jammers.

Reiche rocking Carter. Notice she has two stickers - McKenzie gave her two because she is "super special".

Going Bonkers

McKenzie was invited to Katie's 5th birthday party, today at Bonkers. Katie is one of the little girls in McKenzie's class at school. Katie had a wonderful party. They served pizza and a Disney princess castle cake, that was amazing. The kids got to play in the tunnels, on the swings, slides and in the arcade for a couple hours. It was a lot of fun to watch McKenzie interact with her friends. Below is a picture of McKenzie and Caroline; one of McKenzie's best friends.

Making memories

Today was a busy day. McKenzie and I watched Monsters vs. Aliens at the theater. Then we went all over town looking for birthday party invitations and supplies. We wanted Barbie or Princess and the frog, but settled on a generic princess theme. The four of us went to dinner at B2W and home to finger paint. McKenzie had a lot of fun. I think the mess stressed Daddy out a little, ok a lot. :-) Carter even got in on the painting action. He was not very excited when we put his little feet in the cold paint. Reiche and Nana watch your mailboxes, you will be getting some hand and foot prints soon.

By the time we were done McKenzie had paint on both hands, one foot, her face and in her hair. So glad it is washable.

Keke had a great time painting.

Carter's feet

The finished product

Bath time

Bath time is one of my most enjoyable times. Both, McKenzie and Carter love the water. McKenzie will stay in the tub until she is as shriveled as a prune. She likes to play with her Barbies in the water. Carter is in and out but he loves to have the water on his skin. He will laugh and coo while he is in there. Usually, McKenzie helps me give Carter a bath. Tonight she was in our bathtub so I put Carter in theirs. I wanted to get his done quick so we could all get to bed. McKenzie was mad at me that I didn't let her help. I let her dry him off and help lotion him up (got to love that smell). She also got to pick out his jammers. She loves the fact that Carter is wearing some of her old baby clothes.

Always loving on Baby Carter

Keke being so sweet, she wanted to sit like a prince (not sure why not a princess)

Keke showing her muscles

Carter getting dried off - what a cuddly little guy.

Spring will not get here soon enough

We had a great day today. We went to Grandma Lou's for lunch. Uncle Joe and Aunt Shelly were in town, so we had a little spoiling going on:-). Mid afternoon we went to Mom and Dad's and stayed for dinner. Keke sweet talked Grandad into giving her a ride on the Dune Buggy and Mom sweet talked Tim into BBQing.

It was cool out today, but we spent a lot of time soaking up the sun. We played tag, hide and seek, had batting practice, we went for a walk, played on the tire swing, and loved on Ford and Hobie (Mom/Dad's dogs). Here are a few photos from the afternoon.

Grandma Lou would never spoil my babies would she?

Keke playing on the sidewalk infront of Grandma Lou's house.

Poor Ford, he gets more hugs then he wants.

Spring will not get here soon enough, continued...

Tim cooking Angus burgers and Chicken - they were so good.

Keke on her tire swing at Grandad and Reiche's house.

Keke by the water, she wanted to go fishing but it was just to cold today.

Grandad giving Keke a ride on the Boogie Boogie (another keke term)

Keke loves the Boogie Boogie

Carter made his first trip to State Farm. Tim brought him by today so I could show him off. Everyone swooned over him. I was even asked, "Why are you holding him? You are the mom and get to hold him all the time". They, of course, were just giving me a hard time. The most common comment was in the amazement of how big he is. Weighing in at 14 lbs and being 24 1/2 inches long he is a pretty big guy for being only 9 weeks old.

Oh, to get a good night sleep.

This morning Tim and I woke to the sound of my alarm, only to realize neither of us had gotten up during the night. That's right - Carter slept all night! Not only did he sleep all night, he slept nine hours. I put him to bed at 9:30 last night and he didn't wake up until 6:20 this morning.

Getting the last laugh

Or maybe it is the first. Tim was sitting on the floor playing with Carter. From nowhere the room was filled with one of the best sounds in the world: Carter laughing.

Little Mama

McKenzie is such a proud big sister. Last night McKenzie asked if she could hold Carter. I told her she could after she got her jammers on. We then got side tracked and I forgot. At "bed night time", as McKenzie calls it, she cried because she didn't get to hold Carter. How could I resist? She wants to be around him and love on him all the time. So we took a quick break before I made her go to bed to hold and love on him. Then this morning, I asked her to help me fed him while I got dressed for work. She was so excited. I think she kissed on him more than she let him eat :-)

Any little girls dream...A Sleep Over

My sister Shelly is always so much fun. Last weekend she stayed with us and had a slumber party with McKenzie. We took two twin mattresses and put them together on the floor in McKenzie's room. McKenzie felt like such a big girl getting to have a sleepover. McKenzie sure does love her Aunt Shelly.

A Livingroom Luau

Nana and Bruce just returned from their trip to Hawaii. McKenzie was so excited to open the package that was sitting on our door step last night when we got home. McKenzie tore the paper off the package to find this wonderful outfit and doll in there just for her. she quickly went in and grabbed her shorts and put on the skirt and lei. I tried to tell her the lei went on her neck but she would not hear anything of the sort. She liked it on her head and she thought it was cute like that. I have to agree with her! After she was dressed to the hilt she said, "mom take my picture" and she started posing. Here are a few of the photos with her new lei, grass skirt and Hawaiian doll (also from Nana). Thank you, Nana and Bruce for the thoughtful gifts.