Our August, in pictures

Ryan & Kathryn's check up to start the month. Both are doing great.

Ryan breezed through the 4 year old tasks that the pediatrician asked of him.

Most notable for me, the hearing and vision screen. Since I help kids do this as part of the check in process when I am work, I know that some 4 year old children get it, some don't. I was secretly hoping my 4 year old would not stumble on these. And, phew, he did great.

Hearing screen

Cuteness!

Our personal nurse, for every single check up! Awesome Nurse/Auntie Korrynee! She's given my kids every single vaccine they have ever received!

New picnic table, a gift to them from my Aunt Patti, for their birthday's.

Kathryn got a bike helmet for her birthday, from Grandad and Grandma Kathie.

The bike riding is going to take a little more coordination before she can get herself going.

Cousin Kimberly

Out fishing with Daddy, on Whidbey Island.

For the first time in 4 years, I am not having a baby or just had a baby when the Humpy Salmon are running. (they run every other year) Paul was nice enough to let me know this. :-)

Paul in his element

First fishing lesson!

I don't know why, but this picture brings tears to my eyes.

I love the sight of my boys, enjoying life.

Playing at a park on Whidbey Island, while Daddy is out fishing - again!

All about Kathryn

Kathryn

1. Still has a bit of snuggle in her, especially when tired. She curls her little body up in the crook of my arm when we are sitting, sucks on her right index and middle finger and hangs on to her security blanket that happens to be a cloth diaper.
2. When she see's something she thinks is cute, i.e. puppy, baby cow or even an airplane so high in the sky it looks itty bitty, she tells me she see's it in a voice that is an octave or two higher than her usual tone.
3. She'll shrug her shoulders as if "I don't know" when I ask a question to her that she wants to be coy about answering. A glimpse of what's to come in the adolescent years?
4. When Ryan is busy elsewhere, she'll sit and play contentedly for up to a half hour. If Ryan is here it seems as if someone is always in someone else's space.
5. Her hair has awesome highlights. She was born with brown hair and now it's a mixture of brown/blonde and some lighter highlights. I love it & can't wait to see what it does next.
6. She's a fish. No fear of water what-so-ever. I too was a fish, but do remember being afraid of swimming when I was 4 or 5. She has none of that.
7. May possibly be a budding adrenaline junky. On the merry-go-round at the park, "FASTER!" On the swing, "HIGHER! SUPER DUPER HIGHER!" Out for a walk, "Let's RUN!"
8. I love this next one about her, but it also creates a bit of frustration in some situations. "I DO IT BY SELF!" Independent little soul, that one. Once that phrase is said, look out and don't intervene, unless absolutely necessary. It just cascades downhill from there.
9. When in a situation she's not so sure about, she will bury her face in my leg and wrap her arms around my thigh. Then peek to see if the situation has changed.
10. Lastly and the best. When the mood strikes her she's very verbal with things she knows we want to hear. "I lub (love) you Mommy. I lub you Daddy. I lub you Ryan. I lub Joey too. And kitty."
11. A major dislike: BITING. Usually towards Ryan, but occasionally she'll try to get me. I always seem to be caught off guard, over react, get super MAD at her and never respond in the same way twice, in order to get this biting business to stop. This behavior has me baffled - and it's got to stop.

At her two year check up

Birthday's, etc

It's a fun, busy time of the year. Birthday celebrations for both kids and also in that time is Seattle Seafair. So much we like to do - parades and the Navy Blue Angel Show to name a few. We hit the Greenwood Parade and then two days later saw the Mountlake Terrace Parade with Korryn and Kelsey. This was taken there:

Then on the the Birthday BBQ we held at our home for family. Unfortunately Paul's side had other obligations, so they weren't there. Ryan finally got the guitar he has been wishing for and now we get serenaded daily.

Looking adorable with her new pink poodle backpack from Grandma Kathie and Grandad

New umbrella's

I fixed Ryan a plate for lunch - and he looked at it, sat back and said, "I think I'll just wait for cake."

July 31

Our little Miss turned Two. We spent the afternoon at a local baseball game with some friends.

Kathryn, Effie, Ryan and Cody

Need to give photo credit for all the photo's except the baseball related ones to my sister Korryn. I am hugely grateful she takes the time and energy to get so many wonderful pictures!

Seaside, Tillamook and a 4th Birthday!

Oh my.

This was a trip that I had envisioned and wanted for well over a year. It was more fun that I could have hoped for and I really hope we can make this a tradition.

Seaside, Or was our first stop. Most of the pictures on the beach are of our first trip down to the water and I did not plan on getting all that wet, since it was late and I had my camera with me. Both Ryan and Kathryn did not want to leave, once they dug their feet into the sand and got to play in the waves. Kathryn was FEARLESS of the water and waves. She'd keep going deeper and deeper, not caring at all that the waves were knocking her over. We jumped waves, looked for sand dollars, dug sand castles. Ryan and I made "alligator island" by using a sand mold in the shape of an alligator and a moat around it. Memories I will cherish. No time schedule, there for just fun and spending time with my children. There is nothing to compare to seeing your child completely enjoy themselves, with not a care in the world.

Kathryn, just about to put her little feet in the Oregon coast water for the first time

Fearless and loving it

My Aunt Karol.

She and my Uncle Doug helped make this trip possible for us.

Karol watches the kids every Tuesday morning while I work.

She's a big part of our life and the kids ADORE her.

The next morning, headed to breakfast.

"Assisting" with the packing up

Ryan's birthday was the 26th of July. We had to leave Seaside that day, but didn't want to head home, so we planned a trip to Cheese Heaven - Tillamook Cheese Factory

Much fun, but a but busy and was hard to keep track of the kids.

Quite cool to see how they do this. Tillamook Cheese is a staple in our home - love the stuff!

"How old are you today, Ryan?"

Mountain Berry ice cream cone, as big as her head

She put a pretty good hurt on that cone

This boy is a chocolate fan, so "plain chocolate is what I want, Mom!"

That's what he got. And he finished that monster cone.

Outside the factory.

Any picture I get of my two together, makes me smile

A beautiful creek side stop for, "Mommmmmyyyyy, I have to po potty!!!"

That's how she says it.

We brought a little kids portable potty for this reason, I learned that lesson the hard way before the trip. We were doing a 45 min. drive and with a newly potty trained little one, being far away from a potty is not ok!

And the trip home. . .