Keira Turns 2

Our baby girl turned 2 on Tuesday. She has learned early to spread the birthday fun out over as many days as possible. On Sunday, we had Robin, Justin and Shelby over for a birthday dinner and cake and ice cream.

On Monday, we let Trent skip school and go on a 'Family Field Trip' to the zoo. Roxie and Brody went too, and Roxie had the brilliant idea of riding our bikes around the zoo. I borrowed a green bike with a baby seat, Roxie has a green bike with a baby seat and Trent and Ryan had their green bikes, and we cruised around the zoo enjoying the beautiful weather and the beautiful animals. That is the BEST way to see the zoo!

On Tuesday, Keira woke up to a brand new (for her) bike! She has been wanting a bike for a long time as she always has to sit in the stroller on the way to the park and watch Trent and Ryan ride their bikes. She was really excited about it and hopped right on (with Ryan's help). Then we went for a run with Keira in the jogging stroller; and after we picked up Ryan from pre-school, we had Tracy, Jerrett and Jeremiah over for lunch and more cake.

At age 2, Keira can:

- Say lots of words

- Climb the monkey bars at the park

- Get her daddy to do just about anything for her

- Get her brothers to do just about anything for her

- Hold her own jumping on the trampoline with her brothers

- Go to nursery all by herself

- Get out of her crib (or our bed) all by herself in the morning

- Close the garage when we go for our runs

- Help mom cook and clean and fold laundry

She likes:

- Anything Sweet (one of her first words were "de dough", meaning "cookie dough")

- Her Daddy and Brothers

- Her aunts, uncles and cousins

- Jumping on the trampoline

- Going to the park

- Sleeping with mom in her bed at night

- To be a helper and a peacemaker

We are so grateful that Keira came to join our family. We love you, Keira!

Wii Love Boxing

This is how Ryan gets his daily workout. He is literally dripping sweat after a few rounds of boxing. Yesterday, when he was playing with his friend from pre-school, each time he saw his score he would say, "I didn't know I was so good!" (He is pretty good. He whoops me - if not knocks me out - every time I get in the ring with him).

From the Mouths of 4-Year-Old Boys

We have a patch of dirt in our backyard that may one day become a splash pad, a garden, a backyard pond...there have been lots of plans for that patch of dirt. But for now, it serves wonderfully as a patch of dirt for boys to dig in.

The boys will have their friends over and say, "You wanna go dig?" And there friends always respond with a resounding 'Yeah!'.

Today, Ryan and his friend from pre-school were out digging in the dirt. I heard the following conversation in the midst of shoveling and throwing dirt:

R: Jason, do you want to be an old man someday?

J: No way

R: Why not?

J: I don't want to be fat and bald!

Summer Vacation

Our Summer Vacation this year was a drive up the Pacific Coast highway from Newport Beach to San Francisco and then over to Lake Tahoe. It was a wonderful trip with beautiful scenery, good food, good company, and A LOT of time in the car (Russ' GPS tracked us at 40 hours in the car).

What we liked about our vacation:

Trent
- Going on vacation
- Watching movies in the car
- Swimming in the pools
- Keira being silly at the pool
- Digging for clams at Pismo Beach
- Cable Car ride at Squaw Valley (near Lake Tahoe)

Ryan
- Playing with Keira
- Cable Car ride
- Swimming in the pools

Mom
- Watching Trent make friends at all the pools and beaches
- Watching Ryan be a good friend and brother to Keira
- Pier 39 and the Harbor Bay cruise in San Francisco
- Keira seeing the Ocean for the first time
- Womack's BBQ in South Lake Tahoe

Dad
- Using his new GPS
- The scenery along Pacific Coast Highway
- BLT's at Dana Point Harbor with Jeff, Jen and Lexi
- Womack's BBQ in South Lake Tahoe

I am going to give a daily itinerary for our own family history.

Day 1: Saturday, July 11, 2009
- Drove to California
- Stopped at the Addidas store in the outlet malls at Cabazon, CA for some new running shoes
- Ate and Pat & Oscar's in Newport
- Swam in Jeff and Jen's pool

Day 2: Sunday, July 12, 2009
- Went to Sacrament Mtg. at the chapel across from the Newport Beach LDS Temple
- Had a picnic of BLT's on marble rye at Dana Point Harbor
- Trent and Ryan rode their scooters around the Harbor while Keira took a nap
- Saw crabs in the water by the boat slips
- Went to Yogurtland for some frozen yogurt
- Went swimming and ate Pat & Oscar's left-overs for dinner

Day 3: Monday, July 13, 2009
- Packed up and cleaned Jeff and Jen's apt. (Thanks for the hospitality!)
- Drove to San Luis Obispo by way of Pacific Coast Highway
- Hit lots of traffic in LA
- Ate lunch on the beach along the highway
- Got to our hotel, unloaded our stuff and went to Pismo Beach to play and dig clams
- Ate at a restaurant by the Pier (Trent got the clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl that he had been wanting and Dad and Ryan had shrimp and chips)

Day 4: Tuesday, July 14, 2009
- Ate breakfast at Pismo beach (O.J., nutrigrain bars and pop tarts)
- Played at the ocean (it was chilly!)
- Drove to San Franciso via Pacific Coast Highway with a detour through Santa Barbara
- Ate at Black Bear Diner somewhere along the way
- Arrived at San Francisco Marriott at 11 pm

Day 5: Wednesday, July 15, 2009
- Ate breakfast (muffins, danishes, hot chocolate) at a cafe near our hotel
- Rode the F-line to Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39
- Aquarium of the Bay
- Bay Cruise Adventure under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz (It was COLD!)
- Ate Pretzels for lunch and bought some salt water taffy
- Rode the Trolley back to our hotel
- Walked around looking for a place to eat
- Ate at Tad's Steakhouse
- Dad and the boys went swimming after dinner
- Mom wished she could have participated in all the shopping available

Day 6: Thursday, July 16, 2009
- We all slept in until 10:15 am (Darn hotel curtains! I hate sleeping in that late)
- Ate breakfast at Tad's Steakhouse
- Packed up and loaded the car
- Drove through China Town and over the Golden Gate Bridge on our way out of San Francisco
- Arrived at South Lake Tahoe, CA
- Unpacked and settled into our villa at Marriott's Timberlodge (we started a load of laundry right away)
- Dad and the kids went swimming while Mom went grocery shopping
- Trent and Ryan loved the pool and the four hot tubs and sat in each one
- Ate microwave pizza for dinner
- Fell asleep watching a movie

Day 7: Friday, July 17, 2009
- Ate cereal for breakfast
- Mom got to go running all the way to Nevada (The state line was a block from our Hotel)
- Left to go hiking thinking we would be back for lunch
- Hiked one mile down to Emerald Bay
- Took a tour of Vikingsholm
- Dad and boys hiked to Eagle Falls
- Hiked the (steep) mile back up to our car
- Ate snacks for lunch
- Rode the Cable Car in Sqaw Valley up to high camp
- Played on the play ground at High Camp where the 1960 Winter Olympics were held
- Drove back to the hotel along Lake Tahoe's coast line
- Swam at the hotel
- Ate at Womack's BBQ (The BEST BBQ we have ever eaten!)
- Fell asleep watching movies

Day 8: Saturday, July 18, 2009
- Mom got to go running again
- Cinnamon rolls and O.J. for breakfast
- Went to Marriott's private beach at Lake Tahoe and played
- Snacked on grapes, crackers and string cheese for lunch
- Swam at the hotel pool
- Ate Baja Fresh for dinner
- Mom and Keira walked around the city looking sight-seeing and looking for souvenirs
- Did some laundry and packed our bags

Day 9: Sunday, July 19, 2009
- Woke up at 4:30 am and left the hotel at 6:00 am
- Ate bagels and cream cheese in the car for breakfast (not recommended)
- Ate lunch at a questionable Subway in Ridgecrest
- Ate dinner at an even more questionable Denny's in Blythe, CA
- Hit a monsoon storm as we drive into PHX (beautiful!)
- Arrived home at 10:00 pm (almost to the minute that the GPS predicted)

Pomp and Circumstance

Ryan's First Day (August 2009)

Ryan's Last Day (18 May 2009)

Ryan and his Teacher

Ryan in his Cap

Ryan in his Cap with in Diploma

Ryan 'graduated' from his first year of pre-school today. It might be more fitting to say he was promoted to his second year of pre-school, but the event held all of the Pomp and Circumstance of a real graduation (No, President Obama did not speak at his graduation).

Ryan's teacher said that all of the students worked very hard this year and learned so much. We definitely noticed how much Ryan learned about the alphabet, numbers, colors and even some writing skills. Ryan's teacher also said that Ryan was her 'smiley boy' as he arrived at pre-school each day with a grin from ear to ear. She said he was always the first one to help pick up and put toys away and left preschool with the same grin. I have to agree that he was always smiling and happy when I picked him up each day.

Ryan made some great friends and learned a lot. It is amazing to see how much he has grown in nine short months. Congratulations, Ryan!

Happy Easter

Happy Birthday Ryan!

In just over three months, we have come to the end of the birthday line-up for our 'Little' family. After waiting patiently through Keira's, Trent's, mine and Russell's birthdays, Ryan finally got to celebrate his special day. He turned 4 on the 6th of April. I think that he had a wonderful day. He actually got to start celebrating the night before at Grandpa and Grandma Checketts' house where he received what he had been asking for most - an Umbrella! Then on Monday morning, his actual birthday, his dad made the family a breakfast of cinnamon rolls, orange juice, sausage and eggs. He received a new razor scooter (different from Trent's, but the same as Trent's) and lots of money from his Aunt's and Uncles. Grandma and Grandpa Little also sent money to go buy a Star Wars video game.

Ryan got the take the snack bag to pre-school, and then from 3:30 - 4:30 that afternoon, he had his first 'friend' birthday party at the park. He invited his friends from pre-school as well as some of our neighbors. They played on the playground, had a tug-of-war, opened presents, ate cupcakes and swung at a pinata. They had a blast! Then it was home to jump on our new trampoline and eat pizza for dinner, per Ryan's request. He was a tired 4-year-old at the end of the day, but a very happy and content one.

At 4, Ryan can:

- Ride a bike with training wheels

- Ride a Razor Scooter

- Climb the rock wall at the park

- Count to 20

- Recognize his letters and their sounds

- Make his little sister laugh

- Play games on the computer

- Tell jokes

- TEASE

Ryan likes:

- To play at the park

- To look at books

- To play or work with his dad

- To play with Grandma's and Grandpa's

- To play with his brother and sister

- 'Sunbeams' at church

- His big pants (jeans), his hooded sweatshirt, socks and his New Balance running shoes

- Star Wars

- Scooby-Doo

- Dora and Diego

- Sugar

- Pizza

- Pre-school

Ryan does not like:

- To be told what to do (I am sensing a theme here with my children)

- To be told 'No'

- When Mom and Dad don't listen intently to him

- When Trent won't share with him