iPad Fun!

There's nothing better than sitting snuggled next to daddy and playing the iPad!  She hardly knows what she is doing but she knows enough to enjoy the few games that we have for her age.  She really loves listening to animal sounds and equally enjoys the interactive animals such as the dinosaur, kitty cat, dog and bunny!  She frequently asks to play the 'iPad' which she says in her own little sweet way!  And throws a fit screaming when she doesn't get her way (which is often)!!

Adah is 20 MONTHS!

My sweet Adah!  I can't believe how much she has changed this month!  Where do I begin?  She has started saying so much this month.  She is also developing such a funny personality.  She likes to make people laugh and LOVES to show off.  Her favorite talent she shows off is her hopping and jumping!  She is really good at it too!  She continues to follow her older sister everywhere and mimics everything she says and does.  I just love to sit back and watch it.  Not being an older sibling myself, I think it's pretty funny.  I'm not so sure that Kezzie feels the same way!
Adah got her last bottom eye tooth (L) on  June 28th.  I am hoping this is it for a while.  I guess it won't be too long though and she will be working on those 2 year molars.  Ugh!
Now, are you sitting down for this next one?  I actually quit nursing Adah this month.  Huge shocker, I know.  Even I wasn't sure it was ever going to end! Don't be fooled, I LOVED every minute of it 'til the end and was so blessed to be able to nourish her that way.  This pregnant momma was just too tired for it!  I thought it was time and honestly, she didn't hardly bat an eye at it!  So on the morning of July 3rd, we were at my parents house, camping for the fourth and she was way too distracted to care that I was breaking from the norm of nursing her.  The next morning was the same.  It wasn't until we were home on the morning of the fifth that she noticed something was different.  But still hardly cried and was satisfied when I offered her some juice instead!  Just a short 5-6 months before I start nursing the next one! 
Another new thing for Adah this month was she got her hair cut for the first time on July 5th.  She cried for the first few minutes but mainly because she wasn't sitting on my lap anymore!  She watched Austin get his hair cut and then it was her turn.  She looked like such a big girl sitting up there on that booster.  My biggest fear was that it would ruin her curls.  I think it only made them stronger!  Such a doll!
Another thing I want to remember is Adah maybe had Hand Foot and Mouth disease starting July 11th.  Keziah definitely had it the week before complaining of a very sore throat and barely eating anything.  But Adah never stopped eating or complained once.  She had blisters on her toes and maybe a couple on her hands but she definitely had some blisters on her throat.  I just don't understand why it wouldn't have bothered her so we aren't sure if that was what it was.
That's all for now...until next month, my faithful readers!

A special day!

Today was an extra special day spent at Lost Island Water Park!  I got to spend the whole day with Keziah and got to see Austin around every once in a while too.  Adah was with my sister Emily (thank-you so much Emily and Adam for taking her for the day) for most of the day and Adam for a little while in the evening.  It was the first time I had ever left her for that long and I'm pretty sure the first time she had ever been left without Keziah around.  It was by far a wonderful day for Kez and I.  We had so much quality time with each other.  She had such a blast and talked about it the whole way home (well, until she crashed).  We got invited to go with our friends and their daughter who is Kezzie's age.  They were chaperoning the youth group at Harvest Church in New Hampton.  Abbie and Kezzie had a lot of fun together too!  Kezzie and I even went on one of the bigger slides that has a bottom on the tube and holds five people (even though we were the only two in it).  She LOVED it but said she didn't want to go again!  She had her eyes closed the whole way down I think!  Her favorite things were the wave pool and lazy river.  I think she liked them the most because she was fully covered in water and 'swimming around' is her newest talent.  The whole day was exhausting for the two of us but so much fun!  Aside from eating lunch there, we treated ourselves to some chocolate dippin' dots which Kezzie thought was pretty neat.  Austin got to bring a friend (Logan) and we enjoyed meeting up here and there to say HI, but they pretty much kept busy by themselves.  Logan had never been to Lost Island so it was a lot of fun for him too.
I am so thankful for days like this.  And I can't wait to do it again next year!

Rylan Turned 2!

Lots of pictures, I know...it was an eventful day as we celebrated Rylan turning two yesterday.  He is such a sweetie and getting so big!  He really loved his cake and ice cream and his presents too!  Most of all though, I think all the kids just had a blast playing together!  Happy Birthday buddy!

Keziah is 44 MONTHS!!

Not much to speak of except that Keziah is such a beautiful little girl.  Is that anything new though?  I guess maybe next  month I will have something to report...for now some pictures will have to do!

Morning Bliss!

I think the girls wake up just for this moment...juice!  It's the only time they get it so they cherish it!  At almost 4 years old, Keziah only gets half water and half juice but she thinks the world of it!  And Adah only gets about a third juice and the rest water...but she doesn't know the difference and she loves it just the same!  I had to snap this picture because I thought it was so sweet how they both sat perched on the window sill enjoying their 'morning bliss'!  So cute!

Buckets are entertaining!

Who says buckets can't be fun?!!

16 Weeks Prego!

I am 16 weeks pregnant today!  Yipee!  I am so anxious to meet this little one!  Maybe in a couple weeks we will find out what we are having.  We will probably just wait until after our 20 week appointment though!  I am feeling pretty good aside from a back problem I am having with my sciatic nerve.  But praise the Lord, the last couple days I have been pain free!  I had my check up this morning and listened to the heart beat again.  The girls came along again and Kezzie still just stood in awe next to the bed.  It was around 160/170 the whole time and the baby was moving around a lot!  Not much to tell about from these first visits.  A LOT of waiting!  Patience....patience...patience!  It's so hard!

New Bikes + Nice Weather= Lots of outdoor fun!!

This is our favorite hang-out...when the weather allows!  And so much fun when there are bikes to ride!  These kids are growing up way too fast :(

Not again!

I guess this is just Adah! We were cuddling in the chair again and I was talking on the phone (I swear, I don't sit around on the computer or talk on the phone all day!), Adah seemed tired but I never thought she would fall asleep...sure enough, she did! It was a little later this time (almost lunch time) so I wasn't really crazy about her sleeping.  I got up and laid her on the couch thinking she wouldn't stay asleep but she did!  About 5 minutes later Brian came home to eat lunch and she woke up.  She looked confused but got up and I got her some lunch and she played for a bit more.  She even still laid down for her nap at the same time and slept really well!  Normally I would feel like I was neglecting her needs but I can't imagine laying her down for a morning nap anymore, and honestly she doesn't even act tired...she just cuddles which is pretty normal for her!  Plus, this is only the second time she has done it...it's not like it's a regular thing!  I love it!  I love it!

Daddy Time!!

 

Brian gets on the floor every once in a while and the girls love to take this opportunity to jump on him and snuggle him! So sweet!

Adah's First Haircut!!!

Adah got her very first hair cut today!  Yay!!  I have been so scared to get it cut in fear that she would lose her curls but they are definitely still present!  Her hair was getting kind of dry on the ends so I thought it was time, plus it was getting pretty long.  However, I didn't cut bangs because I regretted doing that with Keziah so it was just a trim today!  She cried pretty hard at first but I think it was because right before that she was sitting on my lap watching Austin get his hair cut and then all the sudden I was plopping her up there away from me...let's just say she has attachment disorder!!  She got over it pretty quick and just sat there looking like such a big girl!  I should have gotten a shot of her sweet curls still in tact!  I can't believe how big she looks!

Fourth of July!

The fourth of July weekend there were a lot of grumpy Smith's! Usually this time of year we would have been up to the river several times by now and wouldn't have dreamt of being anywhere but at the river for July 4th celebration. This year was different...we didn't have a choice. We haven't been to the river even once! The water has been way over the lots so it hasn't even been a possibility. We didn't want to let this ruin our festivities though. I pulled my camper to mom and dad's and decided to camp out there instead! No big deal...it was still camping, just without the river!! It was fantastic to be around family! We went Saturday evening, got all set up and put the kids to bed. I couldn't convince Brian to come...I'm not sure why!! That night was interesting to say the least. The girls didn't fall asleep until at least 11. I was way beyond that and then had to pee in the middle of the night causing me to have to get up and go into the house! It was fun! Ha Ha!  We weren't scared off though!
Sunday we got up and went to church. When we got back, my mom's family started arriving for a family get together!  We had so much fun sitting around, eating too much and doing a lot of talking and laughing!  It was such a blessing to see my Uncle Craig especially since he has been battling cancer since last October.  He is getting better though and successfully made it through a bone marrow transplant the last couple months. 
Austin spent some of his rock-picking money on fireworks so later that night he had plans to put on a show for us all.  Most of the family went home but Wayne and Jane and Craig and Thelma stayed and stuck it out (Emily and Adam's family is in between houses so they are currently living at mom and dad's)!  We had a campfire and roasted marshmallows and made s'moores.  I tried to keep both girls awake but as time went on I realized it wasn't worth it as Adah was growing very tired.  I think she made it until 9!  Kezzie made it through almost all the fireworks which was almost 10:30!  She thoroughly enjoyed her s'moore and a few sparklers before the fireworks started!  By the time I put her to bed she was looking pretty loopy!  I was excited because Austin actually even stayed out in the camper with us that night (he opted for air conditioning the night before)!  But it wasn't until after a good game of Mario on the Wii (in the house) that Austin and I snuck in the camper to go to bed (it was midnight!).  We all slept good that night!!  Monday morning we all got up and went inside the house for some breakfast.  We were kind of exhausted from being outside all day Sunday so we stayed inside most of the morning.  After the kids all napped, Ethan, Bennett, Austin, Keziah and Adah went out for a swim in the little kiddie pool.  Brian went home sometime Sunday afternoon so the girls and I were anxious to get home and eat supper with him since it was the day of the fourth!  It was good to spend the evening with him before going back to work the next day! 
What a great country we live in!  I am so incredibly blessed to be an American!  God bless all the men and women who fight for our country's freedom every day!  Happy Fourth of July!