A Case of Pure Love

As I sit here listening to the Casey Anthony case, I can't help but write this letter to my dear sweet son. My heart goes out to Caylee Anthony and just cringes with all that she had to have endured. I know that she is in a Wonderful place and God has lifted her up, but I still can't fathom just why this was done to her.

On that note:

Kyler,

You are my dear sweet baby boy. I have hoped, wanted and wished for you for SO long. December 3rd, 2008; I found out we were expecting you, it was truly a blessed day. I had an easy pregnancy and I was grateful for every single day.

I never knew having you in our lives could be this wonderful. Every day my heart grows bigger to house all the love that I have for you.

Just look at this silly but ever so cute picture of you...:



I love watching you grow (even if I really want to keep you small and sweet), learn and explore new things. The smile on your face completely lights up a room and is contagious. Your laugh melts my heart and makes me such a happy Mommy to know that you are a truly happy boy who is full of love. I can only hope that you will continue to be this happy and loving and that it shines through you as you get older (really, I'm going to allow that to happen?!).

You are so helpful: already you're cleaning up your toys, helping cook, washing dishes or loading / unloading the dishwasher, helping load the washer and dryer or vacuuming..all because you want to, just to be with us as we're doing these things.

Having you in my life, I am now complete. I cannot Thank God enough for choosing me (of all people) to be your Mommy. I am truly blessed. I love you more than words could ever express and hope that I will always show that to you and guide you in the right directions in life.

To my sweet baby boy; many hugs, kisses and love Always.

Love,

Mommy

A Melmo Kind of Frame

So if you're following my blog, you know that I've been working on projects for my son's (almost) 2nd birthday party. I've been having a blast with it and even let him help me on a few things. I love it when he wants to help with things. Just like he helped Chris and I clean house on Sunday. He was helping me scrub the tub and rinse it out and was REALLY into helping Daddy mop (I personally think that and vacuuming are his favorites).

~Anyways, back to my initial on the projects.

Last year, I did a cute picture collage for a glimpse of Kyler's first year. I placed them on the tables at his party for everyone to gander at. So I decided this year, I will continue with the "tradition" of having a picture on the table of Kyler.

This year, instead of doing a collage, I decided to make it a themed frame matching his party.

Frame in the making (K for Kyler and 2 for how old he is - ah-hem, will be):


I had envisioned writing (or actually using stickers or stencils since I don't do writing well with a paint brush) but every time I went to the store, I forgot to pick up stencils or stickers. So this morning after I dropped Kyler off at daycare, I decided, ok what they hay..give it a shot at painting. If you screw it up, there's still time to go get another frame and letters and start over....

... and ... I LOVE IT!!!

Frame almost complete:


The saying "Brought to you by, the letter (K) and the number (2)" is from the end of the Sesame Street TV show for whatever number and letter they were teaching that day. And well, since we are having a Melmo (formally Elmo till my son renamed him) is from Sesame Street, I thought it was perfect. And even more so, that it looks like a kid wrote it which to me makes it look more Sesame Street-ish = perfect!!

Voila (with the picture of Mr. Melmo himself):


This is what he'll be wearing for his party. I almost wasn't going to post this picture till after the party, but I couldn't resist:


Since we're on the subject of his birthday:
Here is Mr. Kyler trying out his birthday present from his Gramma and Papa Pat. Daddy just installed it and he had to make sure that it was installed properly... hahaha:


~ Eggs (of a Goose and of a Dove):
Last night while we were preparing dinner, Chris was grilling and I was at the stove; Kyler who normally is ALL about helping cook at the stove, decided to chase Kady. Well during sometime of him chasing Kady, he decided to want to beat up my tile with his forehead again. I heard him hit and was to him before the first breath of scream was even out. I knew from the hit, it was going to be a doozey. When he finally let me look, this is what I saw:


He wouldn't let me put ice on it then. Very shortly after this incident we ate and then I talked him into sitting in my lap and eating a Popsicle so I could put ice on it. He sat perfectly still as he munched down on his Popsicle all while the ice pack was on his forehead. This morning the swelling and knot was gone down. Still green and bruised as to be expected.

Chris had told us that as he went out to start the grill that a bird flew out of one the planters that I have hanging...this was not the same planter I saw a Dove in the other day. He picked Kyler up and looked inside and found an egg. I'm going to have another baby!.. Every year my Doves come in and nest in my planters that used to house beautiful plants. I however, have not developed my Mom and Grandma's green thumbs..sadly. But because the Doves come into the lanai and nest every year, I leave them up. It's really neat to watch and see the babies grow. The hard part is, keeping Kady from having Dove stew. They freak out when we open the door to let her out and they fly out and get caught and she chases them. But we save them every time:

Projects

I have been working on some projects for Kyler's 2nd birthday party. I'm having fun with it and even let him help me the other night.

We have put together these goody bags for his buddies that are coming:




Here is what the tag says:


I was thinking of ordering a cake and he picked out this one:


But now I am thinking of making cupcakes and adding these Elmo decorations to them:

The toppers:


The picks:


The candies:


Baking cups:


I am also making a picture frame, painted yellow, and will either stencil or put stickers on it saying : "brought to you by the letter K and the number 2" (get it, from Sesame Street). The K and 2 are wood and I'll paint them a different color to stand out, depends on my stenciling or stickers. I'll put his picture in it and put it on either the gift table or dessert table.

And just because it's cute and fits so well, here is what Kyler gave Chris for Fathers' Day:

23 Months Old and a Citrus Convention!

That's right! This Mr. Handsome chocolaty face is 23 Months Old!:


Don't you just want to kiss that face?!

Oh man, I can't believe that I have just sent out the invitations to his 2nd birthday party! That's right..invites went out. I was first planning an Elmo party since he's ALL about "Melmo"...but here lately he has been showing some interest in CARS. So Chris and I took him to the party store and held out Elmo and Cars (one in each hand) and when he saw Elmo, he SCREAMED MELMO! So Melmo it is!

This weekend Kyler and I met up with my Mom and my brother, sister-in-law and niece and nephew for our yearly trip to the Citrus Convention. My sister-in-law's company hosts the convention and she has to work the whole weekend; my brother attends meetings and group gatherings. So my Mom and I go down and watch the kids. We HAVE to play in the pool, eat crazy priced but yummy food ($70 for 3 hot dogs w/french fries and a drink; a wrap and a salad with 2 teas).. oh yeah. But we wouldn't trade it for anything. Just getting to spend time with my niece and nephew and Kyler and his cousins bonding is all worth it. Them going down the water slides; the lazy river; playing water games.. it's really a great time.

When Kyler and I first got to the hotel, Chris had met us in the parking lot. He was coming over for dinner with the gang and met us right after work. We walked into the room and he was NOT happy. I'm guessing with the white coat of the bell hop and the setting he might have thought we were back at another (fancy) hospital. I sat him on the bed and put on "Melmo" to calm him down while we settled in waiting on the rest of the gang to arrive.

Watching "Melmo":


The next morning, two sweet handsome wild boys bombarded Gramma, then wanted to wrestle on top of her:


My nephew doesn't know the meaning of vacation and sleeping in.. HA! Kyler wasn't so sure of it either...but didn't take long and we were off to hit the pools!

Next few pictures are of the different days swimming or getting ready to swim:












I didn't get to take very many pictures. We had 3 kids that were in 3 different directions and keeping up with a camera was NOT happening. Kyler was ALL about the boat you see him in and he would get it rocking to where it was making waves and he had that ALL over the pool. He didn't want us following him to make sure he was good either. He wanted to be Mr. Bigstuff. He got out of it a few times and would jump in the pool. At one time, Cagen and Kyler would jump one RIGHT after the other..we definitely had to be on our toes with those two. Kyler LOVED the water slide. Oh-my-gooshness, I thought I would NEVER get him out of it. When he sat down at the top of the slide, it would shoot water in his face and he LOVED that! Even when they turned the water off, he didn't let it stop him, he was still going down it. A couple of times I "let" him go under water. He came up catching his breath and went right back to it.

The boys were ALL about trains when we were in our room:




On our last day, the kids got a free ice cream. The place we had lunch at took FOREVER getting us our bill. Mom took off to the pool with the kids while I waited about 15-20 minutes before finding the manager..(I mean for 3 dogs with french fries and a drink each plus a sandwich (spilt) and two side salads with two teas for $65), I would have thought they would want their money! So anyways, the manager came and found us at the pool and offered the kids free ice cream. At the time that sounded like a great plan..until.....





Needless to say, it was more of a mess that than not. But they enjoyed it. After they were all cleaned up, the boys took off to help Gramma get some ice for the ice chest....

how cute are they?!:


Don't you just want to eat them up?!


These two boys are so funny together. They wrestle and bump heads and laugh and carry on together so well. Cagen does things that I sit back and wonder why Kyler isn't doing this yet or doing that and then I have to remember, Cagen is also 9 months older than Kyler. They are going to be the best of buds (cousins) growing up.

Family Time!

This weekend Kyler and I spent some much needed time with Gramma, Grandma Great and COUSINS!! Kyler is learning to say every one's names and has renamed a few people.. Charleigh is now Chi-Chi, Cagen is Cajun, Grandma Great is Great.

Kyler telling "ghost stories":


I had to get my glasses fixed and while there, I found these on sale. Kyler has been needing a new pair of shades.. he's kind of in between sizes right now:


Oh yeah, Mr. Sexy:


As soon as we pulled up at Gramma's house, she was getting ready to sit on her swing and eat some watermelon. Gramma stripped Kyler down to a diaper and gave him a Popsicle (No, he's not spoiled):


Before we went and got Kyler's cousins, Gramma took us to the grocery store where Kyler was all about helping Gramma pick out corn for all of us for dinner:





Here are two very silly boys playing on Gramma's lawnmower...or as Kyler calls it "Papa's tractor":


Here are 3 sweet kiddos on the lawnmower:


This is unusual, because my son is NOT the one who is thrilled with lawnmowers; Polaris; or anything of the sort. He jumped on this like it was no body's business and had a blast. Every time I turned around he was on it.




Gramma took the kids for a lawnmower ride. First Buddy Roe, then Kyler wanted on after they did their first loop:


Then BBugs wanted a turn with Kyler..which is also very unusual since she DOES NOT like the noise:


Kyler and Cagen found a dead beetle on the ground and after Kyler stomped on it and picked it up a few times, the boys played "shuffle board" with it:


More shuffle board:


After playing for a while, we got to have Popsicles:


And what else than to rinse the Popsicles off in the new cool sprinkler gadget Gramma bought for weekend fun!:


It didn't take long before 2 of the 3 gave up....Kyler would have been in it ALL afternoon had the nasty fire ants not found him and thought he was so sweet!:


The boys were having a blast together:




After a while we got some movies going. It first started with all 3 kids wanting a different movie (go figure)..then ended up with a pile up in Gramma's room:


On our way back home from Gramma's, Kyler was knocked out! I let him sleep for a little bit once home, but when I tried waking him up, this is what I got... some "oh sweet baby snuggle time!":


Mr. Handsome - was taken a few weeks ago on the way to the water park: