Soccer & Shawano with the nephews

Ky's 1st day at soccer camp. He's in the green closest to you.

As you can see, Ky was the youngest kid there. The other 2 small kids were the other 3 yr olds.

Running the cones. He did a GREAT job!

Stretches--the funnest part of camp--Ky is next to the coach.

SSSTTTREEEETTCCCHHHH!!!

Ferris Wheel with Dad

Jordan & Devan on the Ferris Wheel

Tilt-a-whirl. Ky LOVED it!

Ky Riding the boats

Jordan jumping over Ky

Jordan jumping over Devan

Devan jumping the bench

Ky chasing the sea gulls

Riding a bug

Driving a car

Someone needed a nap--and yeah--I didn't get one

"Hey, there cutie...yeah, I'll take you for a ride in my boat"

The boys and their tats

"How much longer do we have to wait in line!"

The Scrambler---the wait was worth it!

Ky's first soccer game. He is in the blue pinney closest to you.

They are off--the teams take off to the right with the ball, and Ky hangs out in the middle....

Ky---still in the same spot (teams are now on the OTHER side of the field.)

"Hey look at this cool flower!"

"What am I supposed to do now?"

"doo wa ditty ditty dum ditty doo"

"Is this game done yet?"

So we get back from our long vacation late Saturday night and then began the old hum drum on Monday--That week Ky had another eye doc appointment. IF you remember last time, I fought the doc and won to keep glasses off of Ky last time with the condition that I bring him for a six month follow-up as opposed to a year. Well, I brought him in and this time I lost, sort of. The doc said his vision got a little worse, and at this point and this age we need to stick him in glasses. Yeah, I fought with him again and we negotiated November for a start date. In November, we will take Ky in for a full exam--dilation and all, and then he will get glasses. Ky is near sighted so he will only need them when playing sports, driving or in the classroom. The doc told me that when we get them, we will need to make Ky wear them all the time so he gets used to them and so that he learns when he needs them. *Sigh* We were really hoping for good vision with Ky...Alaina will be needing her vision checked soon as well. Let's hope her genes are a bit better.

The following week Ky started soccer camp! I signed him up through the park department. He had one week of soccer camp--1 hour each day and then after that he was starting a league, where he played a game every Sunday through the end of August. Day 1--Ky cried, he didn't want to do anything. I made him stand out there on the field. Eventually he got moving--but not until the soccer coach took him by the hand and basically drug him along. The camp was for 3 - 5 year olds. Turns out Ky was the youngest (especially since he just turned 3) and there were only 2 other 3 year olds--and they were just as reluctant (and clueless) as him in all the drills and exercises. It was hilarious to watch though.

Day 2, Ky was rearing and ready to go. He did a great job. He was doing the stretches and trying to stop the ball with his foot. (Most of the time he totally missed the ball.) He even ran the cones right--most of the kids didn't. The funniest part was when they lined the kids up on the soccer field boundary lines and told them to run around the field and stay on the line. Whenever they came up the goal, they all stopped because they had no idea where to run since the net was on the line. It didn't occur to them to go around the net. So the first one would stop and the rest of the kids would run into each other (not ready for the stop) just like a cartoon! Too CUTE!

At Day 3 of soccer camp the coach started having practice scrimmages at the end of practice. The 3 year olds were very upset with this--Ky included. They didn't understand why everyone couldn't have a ball. They were also upset that the other kids didn't want to share the ball. Yeah--every scrimmage was pretty uneventful for the 3 year olds. Us moms spent our time talking our kids down from their tantrums and telling them that this was the "game" and they just needed to try to kick the ball. --so you can probably figure how Ky's first soccer game on the league went... Well, I think the pics explain it all...

That weekend before Ky's 1st game we picked up our nephews and traveled to Shawano. We ended up arriving late Friday due to construction--YUCK! We had a good dinner of nuggets & fries (every boys favorite food). We rode the dune buggy a bit and then played a LONG game of Monopoly which Devan and I ruled--and then I eventually won. And yes--I believe this is the first time I have ever won Monopoly.

The next day we were off to Bay Beach in Green Bay. Bay Beach is a mini Amusement Park where most rides are 25 or 50 cents. Very awesome! However, probably not the most exciting place for Jordan--the teenager. The rides were probably better aimed for 10 years & younger. Ky had a blast--and it looked like Devan quite enjoyed himself. The weather was cold--so there was no pool time or swimming for the kids which also somewhat ruined our plans for the weekend. We still had a good time though. Ky got a little frustrated with having to wait to go for a ride, but he learned it was worth it. And then he wanted to ride them all! We had lunch at Bay Beach as well-which was also well priced. In that down time, Jordan decided it was time to jump over his brother and Ky--and then of course Devan did like was. It was amusing to watch.

Before we knew it, we had spent most of the day at Bay Beach. We then left after the boys got some tattoos. They were sure there mother would think that they were real (but of course no mother would have fallen for that.) All in all, I think we will definitely go back to Bay Beach--but probably not with older kids.

We returned to Shawano and played some more games with the boys. We had a good weekend with them. It was too bad that our time was too short. We hope to schedule a fall date with them and get some extra bonding in.

Sunday we left bright and early so we could get the nephews back and get ourselves back in time for Ky's first soccer game. Rob and I were nervous on how this was going to go since Ky already did not like the scrimmages at practice. Rob took Ky to his first game and had to literally carry him out on the field. He placed him in the middle and Ky did not move the whole game. (The pics pretty much reflect that.) It was frustrating for a Dad to watch, but very hilarious in retrospect. Ky has since gotten much better at his soccer games. I will write more about that in later blogs.

Okay Milestones--I know I am so behind I am probably missing everything. But it is the end of August and Alaina is starting to take some steps on her own. Her next 2 top teeth have come in so now she has 6 teeth. She says Mama, Dada, Love you (too cute when she says this!) Hi/Bye, Amen (she prays with us at dinner). She will pick up her play phone and say "Hi Dada!" in it. She is a determined little girl who is now a serious stair climber. She is also a serious eater. She stuffs her whole fist in her mouth when she eats and her food is gone in seconds. (I really got to get some video of this.) It is hard to keep up with her at dinner time. When her tray is empty she starts yelling. On the sweeter side--I put her hair in pigtails now, it is getting so long now and gets in her eyes. She loves to play with her hair, especially when she nurses. She twirls it around her fingers. It is very cute.

Ky is just making all kinds of funny"isms". He has asked Nana to take Alaina with her when she has left. He calls Alaina "Awayna"--and when we say "Awayna" he then gets mad at us and says "NO, I said AWAYNA". He always thinks he is pronouncing things correctly and gets mad at us when we say what he says. Ky has worked through 3 workbooks this summer. He is doing really well and LOVES school work. We do it after his nap every day (yeah he doesn't really nap--but I need some mommy time),before Alaina wakes up so we can have some special time together. Right now we are working on writing his name--which is Very hard for him. Figuring out how to properly control hand movements is rough. He can trace his name just fine, but making the letters by himself he struggles with.

The talk of 3 year olds is WAY better than 2 year olds. It is hard to keep up with all his funny sayings! Famous Ky phrases: "That happens Sometimes" "That's just how I do it" "I so love you" "Your the best wipe butter" (yeah--I don't want to explain this one--so you figure it out) "I can carry this because my elbows are big and strong!" "There's a turkey on ALaina's nose" (referring to a piece of lunch meat during lunch)

Ky is also becoming more of a vocal observer. "Mom, why is Mr. Clay missing teeth?" "That man has dirty pants!" So far I have only been mildly embarrassed--I am sure there will be some better ones soon enough which will make me turn red and have to apologize.

He also is convinced that he has a baby in his tummy. So it is very important for him to eat so the baby gets food. Sometimes he "has" the baby, but then it miraculously is back in his tummy the next second. We have explained to him that he is a boy so he can't have babies--but I think he either doesn't understands or likes pretending otherwise. We usually just play along.

Whew! That is all for now... I am working! I will catch up!

Vacation Part III - 4th of July in St. Louis!

At the Three Monkey Restaurant with Jason!

Busch Stadium

4th of July Parade

Watching the parade

Tribute to the All Star Game

Lake Mills Marching Band in St. Louis

Alaina enjoying the parade


The parade pirates scared Alaina

Ky proud of his loot!

Walking the fun fountain downtown

All Star Arch


This one is for Kelly--notice the Cargill sign on the building in the background

Ky with the Arch

A very happy boy with a green balloon!

The head statue that Ky got his foot stuck in

Splash pad fountains in Downtown St. Louis

The balloon lost its ability to float

Up! Balloon UP!

This looks like fun...can I try it?

I CHANGED MY MIND!

GET ME OUT!

Catching the water (Sadly the balloon popped--but Ky still had fun!)

Where'd the water go?

I found the water!




We arrived in St. Louis around dinner time. We had splurged on our last day of vacation and gotten a good deal to stay at the Westin in downtown St. Louis--just a block away from Busch Stadium (too bad the team was on the road.) We made plans to meet up for dinner with a college friend of ours--Jason. When we walked into the room we were blown away. (I can't believe I forgot to take pics.) The room was awesome. Even Ky got his own bed with the pull-out sofa, Rob and I had a King sized bed. The bathroom had a separate bath and shower--the shower had 2 shower heads. Yeah--this was the way to go after 5 days of camping.

Before we met up with Jason, we decided showers and baths were well deserved AND needed...Plus we figured Jason would probably appreciate us showering as well. Oh yeah--there is nothing better than that first shower after camping--well there are some better things, but you know what I mean.

After that we were off to meet up with Jason. We went to a restaurant called Three monkeys. They had great food! Especially the pizza--I ordered a pizza called Fire in the Hole. It had Sweet & Spicy wing sauce, hand-pulled pork, jalapenos, spicy bacon, and pepper jack cheese. Now I don't normally like spicy food--but this was DELICIOUS--I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone traveling through.

After that we all pretty much crashed--comfy beds, inside, clean--oh yeah! The next morning we woke up to pouring rain. It rained and it rained--poured rain! We were pretty much trapped in the hotel (and had to check out by 11!) We also had to get some food. So Rob braved the rain and ran down the street and found a Starbucks. We ate muffins & scones for breakfast along with a little left over fruit from camping. I feel sorry for housekeeping--the kids made a mess with the crumbly food. What was I to do?

Right at check out time it stopped raining! YEAH! So off we went to wander the streets of St. Louis looking for lunch. We were searching for a local bakery known as the "St. Louis Bread Company" when we were stopped by the fourth of July parade! How fun! So of course Ky was psyched--and so was I, so we stopped and watched.

Ky really enjoyed it, Alaina was indecisive on whether the parade was more exciting or the people around her. Several times people came up and gave the kids beads and candy. There were several marching bands from Wisconsin which was neat. At the very end a ship with pirates came out. They ran over to everyone in the crowd yelling "ARGH!" Ky loved it because they gave him candy, however poor Alaina was terrified by the pirate that yelled "ARGH!" in her face. It was a great time.

After the parade we were off to find our lunch. Well, it turned out that the St. Louis Bread Company was actually Panera--bleh! We wanted something original so we left and kept walking. Unfortunately, everything was closed so we ended back up at Panera--I mean the "St. Louis Bread Company." After lunch we headed towards the arch where the festival was. On the way we passed through several fountain parks that Ky just loved. I guess the fountains were just put in recently. They were really neat. We got to the arch and the festival and Ky's behavior was not impressive at all. Ky didn't care about the arch--he just started whining. I think at that point the boy was vacationed out. We decided at that point to just leave. So we started going when Ky spotted a lady with balloons and asked for one. So we bought him one and his whole attitude changed. He was the happiest boy with that balloon. He was walking so nicely with us--and then we discovered the Splash park.

So we gave him permission to run free--and boy did he ever. People literally stopped to watch Ky in all his excitement. There was one group of ladies in particular who was just laughing and giggling at him. It was also funny because after a short while his balloon stopped floating--he got a little frustrated, but then just started dragging the balloon behind him. At one point he tried to get the water to push the balloon back up in the air! Too funny! And how smart!

Then the balloon popped. We had a moment of tears--but then he went back to playing with the fountains. Alaina was curious about the fountains, but when we got her out in them she cried and cried.

After the fountains we walked back to our car and pretty much headed home. We did try to find some local ice cream--but it was closed due to the holiday--blah!

We got home around midnight. It was actually a pretty entertaining drive watching the fireworks on the drive. We decided not to try to see any firework shows since Ky has decided he is terrified of the noises that fireworks make--sounds too much like thunder---his new fear--but that is for another blog.

Whew! Finally have finished my vacation blog! I am catching up--slowly but surely I will be back on track!