Tricycle!

Oh, the crazy things we do! When we were looking at bikes the last few weekends Kaia spotted the tricycles. She talked us into riding one at the store and loved it, and last weekend we found a super cute red one at a Wal-Mart near our church. We decided to check Target and Kmart for their prices too, so we didn't get it that day. On Sunday we decided to get it for her. We went to church (which is on the complete opposite end of town from our house) and decided to just go to the Wal-Mart closest to our house, figuring that all Wal-Marts carry the same items and we had to run errands there anyway. So we drove all the way across town, only to find out that Wal-Mart did not carry the red one! None too happy at this point, we decided to try the other Wal-Mart that is fairly close to our house, only to discover that one didn't carry the red one either! So, we ended up driving all the way back to the one by church, and luckily they had a couple left! The look on Kaia's face when Josh brought it out to the car made the whole deal worth it...she was thrilled! I really wish I would've had my camera with me to capture her face! But the look on her face when she got up from her nap and saw her new tricycle in the living room was pretty special too! She got right on it, and although she can't really pedal on the carpet, she loves to be pushed around! So much so that we have to hide it in the closet or else Josh and I would both probably throw our backs out!

Kaia and Daddy before getting her tricycle.

First time seeing the tricycle in our living room!

Checking it out!

Riding her tricycle!!

Springtime Fun!

We've had a great time enjoying the beautiful weather!! We are so glad that Spring is here!!

You can't tell from this picture, but Kaia loves to go for a bike ride!! She cries when it's time to get off! It's so fun to all go for a ride together!

Ready for a ride!

Just hanging out in the wagon, reading a book!

At the zoo! Petting a goat!

Kaia loves the lion!

Snow leopard

Tiger!

Riding her 4-wheeler! She was afraid at first, but now she does it all by herself!

Love this picture!

A new niece and cousin!

Our newest little niece was born last Thursday, April 8th!! Clare Elizabeth Porter was born at 9:18 p.m. and weighed 5lbs 5 oz! She's the daughter of Josh's sister Mandy, and her husband Drew! She had some drama coming into the world, having to be delivered via emergency c-section because she was breach and also had the umbilical cord around her neck, but she's a fighter and is doing great! Mandy is also doing well (as well as can be expected after laboring several hours and then delivering via c-section), and I know they'd appreciate your prayers as she heals and that Clare will continue to grow healthy and strong. We went to visit on Friday and Kaia was so excited about the baby. We've been talking about her a lot and Kaia was so proud to carry Clare's balloon! She wasn't allowed to go into the room because she's not a sibling, but Grandma Julie brought Clare to the door so Kaia could see her. Kaia loved her and started crying when Grandma took her away. She was able to see her in person on Sunday after Mandy and Clare came home, so she loved giving Clare kisses and even said "love you" to her! We had a great time playing with all the kids, and Addy, Luke, Ella, and Jude are so excited for their new baby sister!

Carrying Clare's balloon

Aunt Kait!

Uncle Josh!

Kaia's such a good big cousin!

1st glimpse of Clare through the window!

Looking at baby Clare!

Memorable Maisy Moments

Our nephew Luke has a robot, and Kaia is a little afraid of it. She'd seen in a few weeks ago, but we didn't think much of it because she didn't mention it again. Until she saw one in a book we read two weeks ago. Beginning that night she started talking about the "bobot" before every bedtime and nap. She'd say "bobot" and "yuke" (Luke) and "work" (it doesn't work) several times and we'd have to keep saying Luke has a robot, but it's not here and it's ok to go to sleep. Thankfully we had a break from the robot talk this weekend, but now it's been replaced by her talking about "Non" (Jon)!

We were in Bloomfield this weekend visiting our new niece, Clare (more about that in a later post), and Kaia's best friend was Uncle Jon ("Non")! She talked about him all weekend and before bed she'd say "Non...sleep" (Jon is sleeping) and "Non...mongos!" (Jon would say Bongos when Kaia fell over, so she just kept saying "mongos" and laughing.

She also started saying "morning" (good morning)! Yesterday Josh came into the bedroom and Maisy said, "Hi Dad. Morning"! We always say that when she gets up in the morning, so she said it after she got up from her nap yesterday too. Some other things she says a lot:

• "waters" (she loves water, especially to drink)
• "oh boy" (whenever she says or does something funny she laughs and says this...I don't even know where she heard this)
• "mommy" and "daddy" (she just started that this weekend...she used to say mama and dada)
• "ooo...a low price" (from the Staples commercial where the guy says "Oh, that's a low price!" It's hilarious. She follows it up with the $5 footlong song from Subway)
• "Bolt", "Mittens", "Nino" (Rhino) (From her favorite movie Bolt)

She's very good at repeating things and knows quite a few words. She usually speaks in words she knows rather than baby babble. And she's starting to put 2 words together.

Yesterday Maisy wanted me to sit at her table with her and draw. She asked me to draw Bolt (he's a dog), Mittens (she's a cat), and Rhino (he's a hampster). I am awful at drawing, but I made my best attempt. Kaia's reponse when I tried to draw Rhino sums it up perfectly: she called it a cat.

Our poor girl had her first scraped knee yesterday, and in fact she scraped up both knees. It was a bad day for falls...she was wearing a dress and her little crocs are still a bit too big. She fell once going into Mandy's house, and then two more times later in the afternoon while on a walk. With hot weather around the corner we can't make her wear pants all the time, and as much as she likes to run (not walk) everywhere, it's going to be hard to keep her from falling. So maybe I'll take up Josh's suggestion of knee pads?

Family!

We had a great visit at Nana and Papa's! Kaia picked up right where she left off from the last visit, and even remembered where her toys were! Uncle Paul was back from North Carolina, and we really enjoyed seeing him too! We even had a great trip back home. Thanks to a good nap, grapes, and the movie Bolt (Kaia's absolute favorite) we made the first nonstop trip since Kaia was born!

Enjoying the nice spring weather with Nana and Papa!

Playing patty-cake with Paul!

With Paul and Nana

Papa's girl!

Friends!

Mama and Kaia with baby Coley and Megan!

Kaia with Ashley and her new puppy Fenway! (Kaia kept calling him Berky)

Kaia and Sam on a lunch date!

Kaia and Sam!

Kaia and her best friend Berky

Easter Eggs!

We made a quick trip to Nana Hazel and Papa Vernon's for Easter and had a great time! Kaia was able to take part in her first Easter egg hunt and loved it!! She actually loved the Easter Bunny...she kept chasing him around and even gave him a hug! When we hid eggs at Nana Hazel's Kaia said the "bunny" hid them, so we just went with it! She had a great time!

Kaia hugging the bunny


Found an egg at Nana's!

Where are the eggs?

Here's one!

Dada, Mama, and Maisy (with her mouth full of chocolate) at the church's egg hunt!

Ooh! Candy!!

With a basket full of eggs!

Checking out her basket

Checking out what's inside!