Banana Boy!

Bananas are hands-down Kailer's favorite fruit and how appropriate since we've called him our "little monkey" since day 1. He truly loves to feed himself and there's nothing like a smooshy banana to make for a good snack!

Mommy holding the banana while Kailer attempts to shove it in his mouth. ;)

A mouth FULL of banana!

Silly 'lil monkey!

Making faces at the camera. He's such a ham!

I posted this picture because you can see the top two teeth that are coming in on the left side. As of last night, he's also cutting his front right tooth.

10 Months Old!

Ten months ago I started lying Kailer on the floor next to this little white teddy bear, as a way of measuring he big he has gotten with each passing month. Well, this months proved to be the most difficult of them all! I would lay Kailer down and before Dan could snap the picture, the little turkey was on his way to rolling over and "outta here"! We were able to get a few and finally I suggested that we just let him hold the bear while sitting, which did work out a little better - for ALL of us!!

"You better hurry Dad ..."

"....I'm outta here!"

Kailer at 10 months of age ... my how he has grown!

Because He Can ...

....don't know why he did this, several times the other day, but I guess it's because he can! I suppose it's one way to make sure you always have a spoon handy!?!

Robin Hood

Is it ever too early to start learning a skill or trade? In this house,we don't think that it is, which is why Kailer was given the opportunity to investigate Daddy's bow. In order to truly be "one with nature," we also stripped Kailer down to allow him to see what it was like to hunt before the invention of clothing. Okay, so maybe that's not quite the truth, he was enjoying his "naked time," but nonetheless he got to be a free-spirit with the captivating audience of his parents.

Testing the waters a little bit - grabbing for the bow, but looking at Dad to see if it's okay.
(By the way, I'm convinced that his little behind hasn't gotten any bigger since the day he was born!)

Kailer being Kailer - a comical little Robin hood!

New Post.

There is a new post, for today, underneath the one from Wed. of Kailer and the Chicks! I guess once I start one, I need to finish it before going on to a new one.

Kailer and the Chicks!!

Because the closest zoo is 160 miles away, I've used my creative mom skills to improvise for the lack of animal exposure that Kailer has gotten. We have our dog and he's seen a few cats, but not much else, so I've made an effort this week to expose him to a few more animals. First off, we went to PetSmart, where we were able to see cats, fish, birds, gerbils, hamsters, mice and Guinea pigs. Kailer thought that was pretty fun, but Mom outdid herself yesterday when she suggested that Kailer go to Murdoch's (a farm/ranch store) to see the baby chicks ... now that was a hit!! It was probably a good thing that they had signs up asking that the chicks not be touched, because Kailer's gentle "touch" (a.k.a. squeeze) may not have made the babies very happy. Nonetheless, it was still fun for the whole family!!

Kailer intensely watching the chicks

"What do you want Dad? Can't you see I'm busy here?"

Kailer thinking, "Hmm, maybe the Easter Bunny will bring me one of these?"

Cute little critters!

In addition to getting to see the chicks, Dad decided that it would be good for Kailer to have a camo hat to match his ... so, that's what he got! A little hat to keep his very blond head from getting burnt.

Standing in the cart out to the car ... he looks like such a big boy!

*Like father, like son!

*I should note that Kailer is not quite sure about the whole idea of wearing a baseball cap. I think seeing the bill has him too curious to keep it on.

Pictures Are Worth A Thousand Words!

Big blue eyes .... looking innocent!

Still innocent, but perhaps looking for trouble?

Involved in a little game of Peek-A-Boo!

Innocence GONE ... orneriness PRESENT!

"Oh Gosh, I'm funny ... I crack myself up!"

"Dear God, please forgive me for playing in the dog's food, almost breaking the DVD player ... well...and anything else that I may do today that is naughty!"

"Oooh, that one's gonna hurt!"

Early Springtime Fun!

Today we were able to enjoy a little more time outdoors on a beautiful Spring day. Kailer isn't overly fond of the crunchy grass,while crawling, so I set out a blanket with some toys and snacks. We spent some time getting some much needed Vitamin D! I was hoping to rake up the leaves why he played, but he didn't want to be left alone, on the ground, with Mesa running circles around him trying to play fetch. So the yard work got put on hold until Kailer went down for a nap and then I was able to rake up the remnants of leaves from last Fall. What a great day and I look forward to more (hopefully warmer yet) in the near future.

Happy Spring!!Of course Mommy's water is always much better than Kailer's sippy cup.

Look at that face!!

Now look at that face. Ha! He doesn't seem too sure about his toy.


"Maybe if I hit it a little I will like it better?"


"Oh, this isn't so bad after all!"

Waiting On A Woman

Today I put Kailer through something that someday (I'm talking a LONG ways down the road!!) his wife will say to me "Thank you." I made Kailer wait for me while I got ready to leave. It's always an adventure to get both of us ready to leave and the added "bonus" of working from home and having a second office only adds to the fun; because it means I have to gather everything I need from home and take it with me ... needless to say it's not as easy as it may seem.

So, this morning I got Kailer all ready - clean diaper, clothes, socks, hat, snacks etc. We were just about ready to leave the house when I remembered that I needed to fill out some deposit slips for the bank (another thing that is much easier to do at home, rather than at the bank with a 9 month old). So I sat Kailer on the floor and either 1) the cap on the cereal wasn't on tight and when he shook the container it fell off or 2) he got it off (which wouldn't really surprise me either) and here is my little guy waiting for me to get ready to leave.

"Guess I'll just eat more of these puffs while I wait for Mom."

"Still waiting...and waiting...."

"My goodness, Mom, are you ready yet?!?!?"

I really didn't make him wait all that long, but I think he learned a valuable lesson about women and patience ... and at such a young age!!!

Snuggle Time

When you wake up kinda early and you're feeling kinda crummy, there's nothing like a snuggle from your daddy!! Kailer loves his daddy and was being extra snuggly this morning.

Luck of the Irish!

Happy St. Patrick's Day. Kailer wore his "Lucky & Charming" holiday shirt, courtesy of Grandma McGinty today. We did lots of running around this morning and then came home and enjoyed a little Vitamin D on the front yard while playing catch with Mesa and blowing bubbles (a new experience for Kailer, which he found enjoyable). Kailer is still not feeling great, but he is definitely not worse, so that is always a good sign.
Our little blond haired, blue-eyed "Irish" boy also go his first hair-cut tonight. Daddy decided that the little tufts of locks (or "clown hair" as Dan would like to call them) needed to go, so they are no longer present. I didn't really think it was necessary, but he did, so now I have a little baggie with just a little bit of hair to mark his "1st hair-cut."




And... as luck would have it....Mom left the lid off of the Puff cereal and then walked away for a moment. Good for Kailer, bad for Mommy - he hit the Mother Load!!

TLC

Poor little Kailer has been fighting a cold since we were in Denver at the end of February. It actually went away for awhile, but Dan got it and now Kailer and I both have it. Yesterday he started a little cough too, which just breaks my heart. We have the Viks on him full-force and a humidifier in his room. If he's not better after tomorrow, we will head into the pediatrician. There have been numerous cases of croup and RSV in this valley and I don't want to drag it out too long if he needs treatment. Thankfully he is still eating (though a little less than usual) and drinking, so that's a good sign.

Today he was my little snuggle bug and for those of you who have been around Kailer, you know that at this stage in his little life he is anything but "snuggly" - he enjoys being busy.

So we will keep you posted.

Here's a goofy little picture of Kailer - he was just finishing up some spaghetti!

I'm thinking he could be the next E-Trade baby?

Of course we might get sued by "Lindsay" if we talk about how Kailer loves milk!

Laundry Day!

For anyone who has ever had an attachment to an object, you know the loneliness that resides in your heart when you are away from that object. Kailer felt that loneliness this weekend when it was time to wash his "blanky." It had made several trips to the baby-sitters this week and with everyone fighting off colds, it was time to throw it into the wash. So he watched me load it and then move it into the dryer ... here he is waiting.


And while he waits he decides that maybe he can pull himself away from the dryer for a little snack. So he's enjoying some puff cereal and water.

After his snack, he thinks that maybe it's an okay time to try out his "cruising" skills.
Eyes of Blue, not brown or green

The brightest eyes I've ever seen.

A smile that shows from ear to ear

Never hinting at pain or fear.

Stealing our hearts and bringing us love

He's a miracle sent from the Heavens above.

The Learning Curve

I can vividly recall days spent in my playroom, by myself, teaching my "students" (imaginary) all the important lessons that I had learned the day before in school. But once I reached an age of choosing a career, being a teacher was not on the list. After all, who in their right mind would want to deal with multiples of children, all of whom are going in a different direction and are on a different learning level. Oh-no, not for me!

Then last night as I was bathing Kailer, the "Aah-ha" light went on above my tiny noggin' and I truly realized the blessing that a teacher must feel when his/her students reach their own "Aah-ha" moment. Everyday I am blessed with the opportunity of watching Kailer learn through experience, touch, taste, sight and smell. And last night was no different. My little man was trying desperately to grab the water as it was coming out of the faucet He never got frustrated or upset, but he was persistent and just kept trying.

It's always so hard for me to wrap my mind around all of the things that we (humans) learn from the very moment we enter this world. We are born with the essential instinct to suck and from the second we take our first breath of air we are exposed to people and experiences that mold our future. Little people are so amazing and it's an absolute joy to watch Kailer learn something new. His little face lights up and I see his "Ahh-ha" moment. How lucky we are to be such an agile species.

I think I can ...

Can I, Mom??

Still trying .....

"Okay, maybe I'll settle for his frog and sea horse, since I KNOW I can hold them!"

At Last ... He Sleeps!

I realized yesterday that it's been an awfully long time since I've gotten a picture of Kailer sleeping. I suppose that's partially due to the fact that he's always on the go and getting into something (usually something that he shouldn't be getting into)! I'd say that within the past 3 days he has become a little more of a"terror" and now when I put him into his crib for naps or bedtime, he instantly POPS back up and plays until he's puts himself to sleep. Needless to say, playing is hard work, as you will see in the pictures.
The first picture is from yesterday morning. He actually fell asleep right after drinking a bottle, so he was in a somewhat normal position, while laying on the living room floor.

This next picture was taken during Kailer's afternoon nap. Like I said, I put him in his crib, lying on his back and after playing this is how he fell asleep. Amazes me that he didn't wake up to just readjust himself, but he slept like that the entire time.
And last but not least, this is Kailer's bedtime photo. I did move him onto his back after we found him like this; figured it would be better for him

Lord, help me, as this little baby of mine is becoming a handful - but we still love him to pieces!!

Kailer's Adventure ----

Today was a busy day for Kailer and Mommy. We started out our day with breakfast (I even got up early to make pancakes for Kailer - his new favorite - so they would be ready when he got up!), playing, cruising a long the coffee table (which resulted in a fall and a little goose egg on his head!) a nap and then off to town to meet up with one of my friends and her 5-month old. Kailer proceeded to be a chatty little boy during lunch and our shopping excursion that followed. Needless to say, I'm not sure how the other little boy managed to stay asleep the ENTIRE time while Kailer was a busy, busy boy! I might have been a 'tad' jealous of the other Mom. :)

Once we got home we visited with the neighbors and then retreated inside to play. We spent the rest of the afternoon in Kailer's room - enjoying his toys, books, etc.

Kailer sitting on his floor with his Elmo book.

Ooops, that's enough of just sitting, time to get movin'!

Jackpot! Mom left my closet open - what can I get into today??