Wednesday, September 5, 2012

May 2012

May was fun, and slightly less eventful than April. This means you might actually make it though this post without crying, "When will it ever end?" Surprisingly, most of these pictures are in order.  In early May, we headed over to Obermiller's Farm for a bit of strawberry picking.  I really want Kenly to know that food grows; it doesn't just come in little plastic containers at Walmart.  Since our yard is not conducive to gardening, I'm trying to teach her where her food comes from by visiting the many agricultural wonders that surround us.  Wonders like Obermillers.  I think I picked about 12 strawberries.  Kenly did the rest.  I'd point some out, and she'd calmly explain why the ones I selected were not good enough.  The girl has an eye for good strawberries. 
Corah came with us too.  You can see the stroller in the background.  But don't think  she stayed in that stroller.  Oh no...girl did not want to be confined. 
Some of the berries I was able to pick.  Aren't they pretty?

Sometimes I'm amazed at Kenly's adorableness.  This picture is one that takes me off guard. 
Cute little toddler hands picking strawberries.
Corah wanted in on the action, but all she really wanted to do was pick the leaves off the plants.  I didn't let her.
Kenly picked all of those strawberries and then some. 

We made strawberry cobbler, and it was so delicious.


Corah pitched a fit complete with tears.  I can still see one on her cheek. 

To keep the baby calm, I gave her a Baby Mum Mum.  One of the best baby "soothers" I've come across.

In the middle of May, Kenly started getting ready for her first dance recital.  She was so excited about performing on the "big stage."  Since she was sick for hip hop pictures, I took her into the backyard for a photo shoot.  This is her costume for hip hop.  I used a few of these shots for her recital invitation. 

These are her hip hop lips.  They actually taught her to make these.  What a pout!
I think we might be using this again as a 1980s rocker outfit for Halloween.  Oh wait...Kenly would never go for that.


Kenly's friend Annalise turned four in May, and we were both invited to her princess party.  I'm actually wearing a tiara too, but for some reason my hair seems to be concealing it in this picture.  Annalise the daughter of one of my oldest and dearest friends.  I'm hoping Kenly will be as close to Annalise and I am to Jess.  This party was amazing.  I can't believe how cool.

There was face painting.

The girls made princess hats out of ice cream cones, white chocolate, sprinkles, and cotton candy.
Want to know what lust looks like?  Kenly really wanted this cake.  I had to keep a close eye on her...never can tell when fingers might try to swipe icing. 
The girls made princess crowns.  Kenly made hers to heavy with jewels that it almost wouldn't stand up.  Jonathan had to cut her off or I think every inch would have been covered in bling.  Some man has his work cut out for him.
But the kicker was the magic carpet ride.  They put a Turkish rug on a trailer and pulled the girls slowly through the neighborhood.  The laughter and squeals could be heard for miles.
Kenly actually won the kiss the frog game.  Her lipstick kiss landed smack on the frog's lips.
Adam pampered me for Mother's Day.  We have a tradition now--Hawg Wild BBQ by the Davidson River.  It was raining and miserable on Mother's Day, so we delayed the picnic and photo shoot that we do every year.  Adam did a wonderful job again.
Corah keeps telling us she's ready for big people food.  The longing in her eyes cracks me up.
Maybe if I just reach a bit further I can get a hush puppy.

He's such a good Daddy.  He knows how to make all of his women happy.



These are a few of my favorite pictures of Corah's eyes.  They are striking to me.  I love those squishy-wishy cheeks. 


Holy rolls on the thighs. 


She is a mountain girl.  She doesn't flinch when walking in a river.
I love them, and I love that every Mother's Day Adam captures me with my girls.  I'm often behind the camera, so it is good to see that I'm there even when the pictures say otherwise.
I love feet...and baby toes. 

Corah started putting her feet in her mouth.  This stage always cracks me up.  What other time in life do people cheer when you put your feet in your mouth?

Corah kept adding new solids.  So far she hasn't met a flavor that she refuses.  She still prefers all things sweet, but what baby doesn't?  I think this yummy goodness is banana.  Now she's moved up to chunk banana, and she loves it.

Like I said in the April post, I try and grab my camera any time Kenly shows interest in playing with Corah.  On this  morning, she wanted her picture taken with her baby sister.  She also wanted to tease her with a few toys. 


I'm not sure what this picture is, but I like that she still looks like my baby in this pose. AI little pouty.  Slightly insecure...and small.  I catch glimpses every so often, and I love it.  It makes me feel needed.


Pops gave Kenly some money for swimming lessons at Christmas.  I wasn't ready to brave lessons in the dead of winter while lugging a baby along, so we waited until May.  Kenly was so excited to start lessons with Miss Keeley.  We dressed for lessons, and I sent her to get some shoes.  My only instructions were to pick shoes that could get wet.  She came back wearing her rain boots.  I love how her mind works.  She said,  "These can get wet.  They are even made for splashing in water."  There was a miscommunication in scheduling the first lesson.  We showed up at the YMCA, and Miss Keeley didn't.  Kenly cried to hard.  She was so disappointed that she couldn't get in the big pool to swim.  To ease the pain, I brought her home and let her "swim" in the tub wearing her bathing suit and using a Dora boogie board.  We made a mess, but it seemed to kill the grumpiness.

Miss Keeley was really good with Kenly, she let her gently ease into some of the skills.  Kenly loves this shark belt that is actually a floatation device.

Miss Keeley had Kenly push the duck around with her nose so she would practice getting her face wet.
Corah handled the swim lessons with grace and patience as long as I let her nurse whenever she got hungry. 

Kenly made it through four lessons.  Miss Keeley kept gently pushing her to jump off the side or to go under water.  Summer came and Adam came to watch a lesson and Kenly lost her mind.  She screamed.  She cried.  She refused to get in the water.  We had paid for eight lesson.  She decided she was done with swim lessons on lesson four.  So, we are in a holding patter.  The director at the YMCA knows we still have four lessons remaining, but she doesn't want us to force Kenly to take them until she is ready.  All I know is that Kenly must learn to swim and be comfortable in the water.


Over Memorial Day weekend, Kenly had her first dance recital.  We celebrated her accomplishments in grand fashion.  Nana, Papa, Mops, Pops, Uncle Travis, and Aunt Carrie all came up to watch her preform.  We made a weekend of it.  My friend Jennifer and our sweet neighbors (The Reeds) came to her performance as well.  Kenly had a regular cheering session.  Nana and Papa came up a few days early to hang out before the chaos ensued. 
I love these pictures.  Corah looks terrified that Nana is going to eat her in this picture.
Then she looks relieved that Nana was only coming in for some sugar.
Nana and Papa spent a great deal of time coloring with Kenly.

Adam sleeps on the futon when we have company, and I sleep in the nursery.  Since his bed is in the living room, she gets to take turns snuggling his family.  I think she secretly likes this set up.



What's not to like?
The weekend a a slight hiccup.  Kenly played with some flowers from a tree just off our back porch.  In about 12 hours time, her face was swollen, red, and itchy.  We tried Benadryl, but nothing was working.  I took her to the doctor, and he said the only way to clear up this contact dermatitis was with prednisone.  Kenly took prednisione once before, and the results were not pretty.  The timing could not have been worse.  Everyone came to watch her perform, but with prednisone in the picture, there was a very real chance that she would refuse to dance.  This is HUGE because Kenly was made to perform.  She loves to dance, and she had worked so hard.

The day of rehearsal came.  I warned her dance teachers that she was drugged, and that she would be a bit off.  She made it through her tap and ballet routines with only minor distraction.  She wasn't "on," but she looked adorable.



Then it was time to practice her hip hop routine and the grand finale.  One of her classmates took off her shoes.  She didn't have on tights, so it was safe for her to do so.  Kenly asked to take off her shoes, and I told her she couldn't because she would fall.  At that moment, the predinisone demons overtook Kenly's body.  It was awful!  She flopped and barely danced.
By the time the finale came along, she was in full blown hysterics. 
The staff at Releve was shocked.  They couldn't believe that this weeping mess was Kenly Shae.  Miss Allison had to carry her off the stage.  I wish I had a picture of how puffy her poor face was, but I neglected to take one.  
Thank goodness that was only rehearsal.  Her entire family loved on her.  Kenly got some extra special love from the newest member of the family--Buba.  Buba lives with Aunt Carrie and Uncle Travis, and Kenly thinks he's the best thing in the world.  "Operation Get Kenly to Dance" became the focus.  We told her that performers get presents if they do a wonderful job.  Pops showed her a roll of quarters and promised that if she danced, she could have every quarter in the roll.  In short, we BRIBED her.  We brainwashed her for a full 24 hours.

I didn't give her the prednisione the morning of the performance.  The show fell during nap time.  Really bad timing if you ask me, so everyone prayed and held their breath.  Getting her hair into a bun was a fight, but we made it to the BIG STAGE on time.  This is her tap and ballet outfit.  There are no real pictures from the performance because we couldn't take video or flash photos. 

I'm happy to say that Kenly stole the show.  She danced like there was no tomorrow.  She shook her hips and twirled like no one was watching.  She was amazing, and I have video to prove it.  Mrs. Jamie (her hip hop teacher) told me a funny story after the performance.  She told me that she had been telling Mrs.Beth about Kenly.  Mrs. Beth asked Jamie to point Kenly out at rehearsal, and Jamie politely declined to do so.  She wanted Mrs. Beth to see Kenly at her best, not torn apart by a steroid.

Mops and Pops stayed a few days after the performance.  Adam and Kenly took them to the Davidson River while Corah and I napped.  This place should look a little familiar.


We live in one of the most beautiful places in the world.  Look at that water.  Makes me want to dive right in.



They stopped by Dolly's for a sweet treat after playing at the river.  I'm happy Corah and I didn't go.  I would have been so sad.  I'm still not eating much dairy since it seems to cause Corah discomfort.  I love Dolly's.



It's hard to believe that Corah is 6 months.  She cut her first two teeth over Memorial Day weekend during the dance madness, and she was a trooper.  She barely fussed.  She loves her play mat, and she is a true joy.  




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