Seven Days With Grandma and Grandpa

We've just wrapped up a wonderful week with Grandma and Grandpa visiting from Glen Ellyn. As you can see there was plenty of quality time spent together:

Throwing rocks down at the pond

A picnic breakfast complete with kep-pup

Hanging out with Grandpa

Snuggling with Grandpa

Memorial Day concert at Reihle Plaza

Putting final finishing touches on the swingset

Super excited about her very own slide

Dinner on the picnic bench

Not even broccoli could lure her away from the slide

A big thanks to Grandpa for all his hard work assembling the swingset. Don't ever believe the instructions when it boasts "2 people 6-8 hours to assemble." 43 pages of instructions and 20-some odd man hours later and the project was complete! We know Kari will get miles of use (and we'll get miles of pictures) throughout the years.

Kevin and I each spent some time away from home this weekend; he in Las Vegas with a buddy from work for an annual guys' trip (yes, we were out there less than five weeks ago), and I was in Cincinnati for the wedding of a dear college friend.

Oh, and I found out that I passed my glucose tolerance test. I celebrated that evening with a big ole' chocolate milkshake.

The Way to a Pregnant Woman's Stomach...ahem...Heart

Only another formerly pregnant person truly knows what will make an exhausted currently pregnant person find a temporary slice of heaven. This also being on the same day as my glucose tolerance test, but we won't tell the doctors...
Thanks, Natalie.

Why?

Kari's conversational skills are developing and a new word has magically entered her vocabulary:

"Why?"

Parents, you've all been there, I'm sure. You're probably smiling and fondly remembering those days of never being able to quench the intellectual thirst of a toddler. A recent conversation with Kari went something like this:
Parent: "Kari, it's time to come inside."
Kari: "Why?"
Parent: "Because it's getting cold and starting to rain."
Kari: "Why?"
Parent: Insert your own answer about springtime weather patterns and then realize that's going absolutely nowhere, so you switch tracks and go with, "You don't want to get sick and not be able to go to school."
Kari: "Why?"
Parent: "Because you'd miss seeing Miss Vicki, Mati, and learning about dentists this week."
Kari: "Why?"
Parent: "Uhm, can you repeat the original question?"
Kari: "Why?"

Some other interesting things we discovered about our daughter this weekend:

1. Does not like (okay, maybe more like is terrified) of the wind. Not sure why, but we had a fantastically windy day on Saturday and Mom thought it would be the perfect opportunity to go down to the IM fields on campus and fly a kite. This did not last more than 2 minutes before Kari was running towards the street crying and I'm trying to chase her with the kite still about 50 feet in the air. No, there are no pictures of this debacle.
2. Kep-pup. That's Kari-speak for ketchup. She is turning into a condiment connoisseur. Eating breakfast at Route 66 Diner Sunday morning clearly brought to our attention how neglectful we have been with offering this underused condiment at all meals. Kep-pup and pancakes. Need we say more?

Lastly, Kari and I took a trip down to Indy on Sunday to celebrate our good friend Pam's graduation from Pharmacy school. The weather was perfect for playing outside and gave us a chance to meet some of her family and friends. We're so happy for Pam as she starts the newest chapter in her life. Congrats, Pam!

Catching some rays at Ft. Harrison State Park

Happy Mother's Day, Mothers...

With it being Mother's Day 2009, we opted to spend part of the weekend in Indianapolis and combine a mini-getaway for Kari with a Mother's Day lunch for Holly and Cheryl. The weekend certainly had its bright... and, uh, not-so-bright moments.

We should have known it would be a doozie when the 5K race we walked in as a family was greeted with 40 MPH winds Saturday morning. Somehow we made it through but all were pretty wiped out. We then decided to head to Indy and spend the night at a hotel. This would give Kari a chance to show off her swimming skills in the pool. It also would give Holly a chance to do some shopping, as well as allow the Kecklers to see Kent (and Nicole and Ella) Robinson, Kevin's cousin.



The swimming went great. She still remembers how to kick, splash and jump from her lessons earlier this spring. Kari's meltdown(s) began to occur while Mommy did some shopping and certainly kept Daddy occupied. Things got better once Kari could play with Ella, who is about 6 months older. They scurried in and out of the Robinson Castle, kicked a ladybug soccer ball around and ate hamburgers and sweet corn on the grill. All in all, it was great to see Kent and Nicole (who is getting closer and closer to having her twins in just more than a month!).



Saturday evening back at the hotel was a bit interesting. Holly told me to go downstairs and enjoy a cold beer at the bar while she read books and put Kari to bed. 30 minutes and 1 1/2 adult beverages later, my phone rang. "Um, she's literally screaming out loud and will not go to sleep, please get up here." That was about 9:30. Kari proceeded to stay up crying, kicking, screaming, yelling, walking in the dark, opening the front door, then the bathroom door, etc., for the next 60 minutes.

Perhaps those of you who have gone through the terrible twos are just laughing out loud. But honestly, this was the first time Kari has truly acted like that. It was not easy for either of us and ultimately Kari chose to wrap herself up in the down comforter on the floor than sleep in her own queen bed. Breakfast at the hotel Sunday morning wasn't much better, which was a surprise since it's her favorite meal of the day. Laying down in the booth, kicking, not eating, only wanting m&m's from Mom's trail mix... Sigh.

Thankfully the day ended well as Kari and her parents had a great meal at Gran and Beep Beep's (Dad and Cheryl) house. She rode her tricycle, kicked balls, threw a frisbee, filled the Keckler birdfeeders, and boy did she eat. An adult size helping of wild rice and broccoli, some of the grilled orange roughy (delicious) and apple crisp for dessert filled Kari's belly... which she proceeded to stick in and out for everyone while shirtless after dinner. Classic stuff.



All in all a very fun, eventful 48 hours on this Mother's Day weekend. Perhaps the most enjoyable part for me was whispering to Kari to come to my side of the bed at the hotel Sunday morning. Once she got there without waking up Mommy, I told her to go tap Holly on the arm and say "Happy Mother's Day". Thankfully she actually listened to that request and woke Holly up with a fairly accurately spoken "Happy Mother's Day!". Hearing her say it to Grammy Pammy, Gran and Grandma at other times throughout the day made my weekend.

Creative little projects

Oh how I wish I could take credit for these crafty, original, and oh-so-cute little items. This morning Kari hand delivered these little flowers to her daycare administrators, teachers, lunch lady and custodian to say "happy spring" and "thanks for all you do." Thank you to my good friend Bridget for the subscription to Parents Magazine and the rainy day craft Kari and I put together on Monday.
This next one is courtesy of Kari's teacher, Miss Vicki, who like Grandma, is a garage sale scavenger and always has a new project up her sleeve. All of the moms were presented this afternoon with this Mother's Day gift- a flower planted in a pump! I can only imagine that Kari proudly selected the faux snakeskin print shoe as she continues to develop her sense of style and accessorizing. Word in the classroom was that it was a messy but way fun project for everyone. I've got it proudly sitting in my window sill.
Other than that, we'll be participating in our second 5k as a family on Saturday and then heading down to Indy for the weekend.

Weekend adventures

So after Kari got a haircut this morning, we headed off to the local farm to see the animals. We're really hoping we don't become the next case of Swine Flu in Indiana.
Just kidding! Probably by now most of you have had this picture sent to you. I just couldn't pass up posting this since there seems to be a rather uncanny resemblance to Kari, less the hair.
For those who are worried, yes, we are staying away from all farm animals.