I don't know what it is about the second time around the child merry-go-round but I find myself FORCING the month count for Elise. She's one. I think I kept Ryan on the month-timer until he was 3! Ironically, Ryan is very concerned that the world know he is 4 AND three-quarters.
It's been a month of forward progression at the Kerry's. Ryan removed his own training wheels and learned how to ride his big boy bike on his first attempt! If we had kept him on trainers until he was 6, then I'd have expected it. But he has been on this bike for as long as Elise has been walking the Earth since we got his bike just hours before labor started. And when we say, "walking the Earth" we're not joking. Elise is now part of the uprights. She's walking long stretches with no issues. Today she even tried to jump twice. She's very graceful and measured in all her movement. It's funny, but as a kid and even an adult, I could not get enough of people playing with my hair. It appears my search is over for someone to endlessly stroke my wavy locks...Elise cannot get enough of it. She never pulls, but loves to gently move her fingers through it as she nurses or just sits with me.
In more exciting news, our newest nephew has arrived! Trevor Kerry is now an official part of the clan and we could not be more thrilled for Billy (Max's brother) and his wife Emily. After a safe delivery, he looks to be immensely cuddly and very sweet....like all Kerry men. We can't wait to go see him...unfortunately not until the conclusion of football season.
Max and team played their first game last week. In summary, Ryan said afterwards, "I am very disappointed for Daddy. I wish Byron Center wasn't alive." I then asked Ryan, "Do you know that means you wish they were dead?" His response. "Um. No. I didn't mean I don't want them to live. I just didn't want them to beat Daddy." Were hoping for better results for tomorrow night's game.
Max is easing into a new school year in the midst of CHAOS, as his building is under continued demolition and remodeling. His weight room is actually three normal classrooms with carpet and no ceiling tiles (picture that smell with high school boys sweating as they lift.) In the end it will be great, but for now there is lots of growing pains. As for the kids school year, this week Ryan has moved back to his Pre-K B room for the second year and is thrilled to help along the newbies. Elise has transitioned from the Infant A room to the Wobblers room and is doing better than expected. She sleeps on a cot and eats at a group table (though we can barely handle the crib and a high chair some days :) I still can't believe it works, but they swear it does.
Meanwhile, I'm typing form my parent's kitchen island while my daughter is asleep in my high school bed room. Just a little surreal. (We have a no contact warning on our water right now, which seems quite impossible with a messy little eater until you realize 3/4 of the world drinks worse.)
On that note, it's 10:15 pm. Both kids are sleeping....so I believe I should be too.
Love to all,
C, M, R + E
We headed to Grand Haven for Coast Guard Festival with Abby (our sitter and friend).
Ry and Abs had a GREAT tie riding the Himalayan...A ride that was much to young to ride, though barely tall enough. I would have been scared but he handled it like a champ.
He was all about the Coast Guard ships and watched this ceremony go on for a long long long time. We still have no clue what it was about :)
We headed to the Lowell 4H fair to see our neighbor's animals. Ryan got up close and personal with many of the animals. It was an education as he learned more about where our food comes from.
Elise at Bostwick Lake Inn for my Dad's birthday.
If you ever babysit and loose Elise, check behind the sofa where the big cars and trucks are, because that's a great place for babies to play.
This image looks better in person, but it's how I will forever remember Ryan at 4.
Elise loves chalk drawing almost as much as Ryan does.
There was a time that Ryan was too small to climb through this train at John Ball Park zoo, let alone climbing on top of it.
Elise being less daring on the same train.
Crafty.
Ry crossing the Rockford bridge.
My best friend from college, Staci and her husband Craig, welcomed their fourth child to the world two weeks ago. Welcome Mia!
Proof he removed his own training wheels. What a surprise when I came outside and found this!
Ryan riding his big boy bike the first night.
Riding her big girl bike.
Elise got into the Cherios as I made dinner the other night. The floor was clean before she got to it...which makes it ok that she then cleaned them up by eating them, right?
Ryan and Elise hanging with our buddies Tessa and Brompton after a serious session at Rocky's for Ice Cream.
We got to spend time with my Grandma Stevens and Aunt Terri. Shown here is four generations of Stevens!
Elise was way into the sea gulls at Millennium Park the other weekend.
Our garden failed tremendously, but our tomatoes made out well (first time ever.) Ryan loves being the official picker.
Elise and I swimming at Egypt Valley...19 years of membership and this is the first time we ever took the kids...Why we never thought of it before is beyond us! Next summer will be fantastic.
Wearing Papa's hat.
Bath Time!
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