5 months

I can't believe my hunky chunk is 5 months old!  He is getting so big.  Reef is now rolling over like a champ.  He loves his tummy time.  He has started blowing bubbles with his spit and makes this raspberry sound (also sounds like passing gas). I recently started him on solids.  First he tried rice cereal and applesuace but he didn't seem to really care for either.  Then I gave him sweet potatoes and he eats them all gone.  He is super ticklish!  He puts out the best giggles when we tickle him.  He loves to watch his big sister and she loves to do anything she can to help him and hates it when he cries.  Reef really enjoys our daily walks and loves to be outside.  He is starting to do a gorilla sit on his own now.  As long as he uses his arms for support he can kind of sit up by himself momentarily.    He continues to be the best baby.  So happy and smiley all the time.  The only time he really gets upset is if he is hungry or poopy.   He is such a joy to have in our home and I am thankful everyday that he chose me to be his mommy!

Papa Ko visits

Papa Ko came to visit last weekend!  We picked him up from the airport and headed straight to the beach!

After the beach Chris and Papa Ko went golfing while the kids napped.

  

Friday morning we all went to watch Ayla's swim lesson.  She completed her first session of swim lessons so they each got a medal for there hard work and dedication.  She is getting much more comfortable in the water and really good at holding her breath under water now.  We are going to put her in another session of lessons so she will continue to progress. 

   That night we went to Hollywood beach. 

This beach is right on the board walk so afterwards we got ice cream and dinner at one of our favorite places, The Taco Spot. 

-+

Saturday we went to the Zoo!

That evening I took the kids to the pool while Chris and Papa Ko played golf. 

Sunday was church and lunch and then Papa Ko had to go home.   

Thanks for coming to visit!  We had tons of fun!  Its always so fun for us when visitors come!

Grandma Chele's Valentine to Ayla

 After all this talk about Grandma's it reminded me of the little Valentine Grandma Chele wrote for Ayla.  It is just too cute.  I want to document it for her to have when she gets older.

"When God was making Ayla, He thought,  What can I do to create a perfect little girl, to make a grandma's dream come true?
He starts with cute and healthy. Then added extra smarts.
Then threw in lots of giggles to lighten up our hearts.
He made her eyes a great big blue and put in extra twinkles there.
Then stroked her hair with angel dust to make it soft and fair.
It's been three years since God sent you. And I'm thankful everyday,
that he heard the prayer from Grandma and sent the perfect little girl our way."

Grandma Dove

My dear Grandma Dove passed away on 28th, which was her 94th birthday.  Six of her seven living children were all with her when she died. She lived a long full life and left it peacefully.   She was a remarkable woman.  An amazing example to all those who knew her.  She was a small petite woman but she was strong.  I learned a few new things about her and her history during her funeral which I loved.  But mostly I loved hashing up all the wonderful memories I have of her, especially from my childhood and spending time in her home.  

Although I will miss her terribly along with all her loved ones.  Her funeral was a happy one, full of stories of her life and character, beautiful music, and lots of family.  It was a really nice day and I think it was just the way she would want it to be. 

It was great to get to see my family!  And get these to babes together again. Aren't they just precious!  I really am just so grateful I was able to be there. 

I also visited Grandma BB while I was home.   Hard to believe she is my last living grandparent.   Her short term memory is not the best and she really can't hear.  So our visit consisted of her sharing the same 3 stories numerous times and asking me the same few questions multiple times.  But she was is great spirits.  So happy and cheerful.  And she is such a great story teller I enjoyed listening to her tell me those same 3 stories each and every time.  And when it was time to go she held me close looked me straight in the eye and told me how very proud of me she was and how much she loved me and made me feel like the most important and loved grand daughter there ever was!

Grandma's really are so special!   

The past few weeks!

I can't believe Ayla turned 3 over a month ago.   Time just goes by too fast!

(one of these things is not like the others)

 We celebrated Valentines day!  I got my bake on!

 Chis had flowers delivered!  (isnt he the sweetest!) And I made this Chocolate cake with Ganache sauce completely from scratch!  Woot!

 We also went to Cheesecake factory!  A mutual favorite place. 

(this is the flower girl dress Ayla wore to Haley's wedding TWO years ago, it still fits her!)

 (Belle dress-up!  Thanks Aunt Courtney!) 

This girl had the birthday that never ended.  She continued to get cards and packages in the mail for a full week after her birthday. 

Take a look at this handsome 4 month old!  

Reef continues to GROW!  He weighted just over 17lbs and was 25inches at his four month check up.  He is still the happiest baby and continues to bless our lives daily with that big smile of his!  He is getting so close to rolling over.  He will roll to his side and then to his back over and over again till he  turns his body in a complete circle.  I will lay him on the floor and the next time I check on him his feet are where his head used to be.   He is the sweetest boy in all the land.  I am so lucky he chose me to be his momma.

 Ayla thought Reef needed a baby to snuggle. 

Reef got bronchitis.  Poor Baby!  We had to give him breathing treatments with the nebulizer to help him open up those airways.  Actually Chris, Ayla and Reef were all pretty darn sick for  a little over solid week!  I was the only one who magically seemed to escape the sick bug.  (knock on wood)

This was a couple weeks ago and now it sounds like his cough is back so I just started giving breathing treatments again yesterday. (sad face)

 

 I curled Ayla's hair with a flat iron for the first time!  Eeek! So fun!  

I love having a girl!

Animal Kingdom!

Animal Kingdom was super fun!  

We met lots of Disney Charaters.  She really was so excited to meet them, just a tad shy when it was actually her turn.  She wouldn't say much, just stare and twirl her hair nervously and then get her picture and a hug and off we'd go to the next one. 

We joined in the street dance party at animal kingdom as well and Ayla loved getting to dance with the chipmunks!

We saw lots of animals, rode some rides and called it a day! 

Two days of Disney = Two big thumbs up!

Reef was the happiest baby the entire time!  We was such a trooper!  Honestly, we couldn't have asked for a better baby!

I could gobble him up!  He's so adorable!

Ayla meets the Princesses!

The weekend after Ayla's 3rd birthday we headed up to Orlando to hit up the Happiest Place on earth for a little more Birthday celebrating! 

We did one day at Magic Kingdom where we met up with some friends and Ayla got to play and do some rides with one of her best pals Daxton.

Ayla was all about meeting and seeing as many Princesses and Disney characters as possible.  So we watched the Disney singing and dancing show at the castles where the princes and princesses dance and sing together (she loved that).  We watched the big Disney Parade in the afternoon with lots of big floats and music where you waved and shouted with excitement as all your favorite disney characters passed by.  There was also a Dance party Parade where where all the big floats parked and the characters got off and had a big dance party in the street.  Ayla loved that!  

The rest of the day was spent riding rides and meeting as many characters as possible.  Ayla didn't mind waiting while we stood in line to meet some of her favorite disney Princesses. 

That night we watched the night parade which is full of music and lights and... yep more Disney characters! Then we watched the light show on the castle before exiting the park!  It was a full 12 hour day at Disney!