I know, I know...

I have been a total slacker in posting any updates. Since I am so far behind I will not be filling in the gap since my last post but I will give as much info on Miss Kylie as I can.

• She has 12 teeth and I don't see any more coming in.
• She is in Gymboree, we all are very tired after our Gymboree days.
• She is talking up a storm. Some of the words she is saying: mommy, daddy, kitty, puppy, thank you, please, juice, bye, no, yes, book, ball, baby, potty, mess (she is definitely my child, she also likes to help me clean =) ), Mickey (as in mouse), Minnie, hot, there are much more but I can't think of them right now.
• She loves Mickey Mouse. Her first visit to Disneyland was on Steven's birthday (Dec. 14th) and we are planning on going again next week.
• She loves playing with kids her age.
• She really likes walking around stores rather than sitting in the cart, as a result I have to give myself much more time when running errands but she loves it.
• She is my helper girl with everything.
• She gets really excited when Steven comes home from work.

There are probably about a million other things but I can tell she is waking up from he nap so my time is limited.

This past weekend we bought Kylie a seat for the potty since we plan on starting with potty training soon. She is warming up to the idea and yesterday she actually went pee pee in the potty! I was very excited and I think she was very proud of herself. For those without kids I realize this is probably not the best topic but I am proud of my girl and look forward to not changing any more diapers =) (Kylie's diapers).

Here are a few pictures of her first time on the potty seat. I realize that she will loathe these pictures when she is older but what kind of parent would I be if I didn't have pictures of her on the potty?

Number 3

Last Friday Kylie's 3rd tooth FINALLY broke through, we had been watching and waiting for weeks. It is right next to her bottom right tooth. It looks like #4 won't be too far behind (hopefully) and will be on the left. The top teeth and no where in sight. Just our luck she is going to get a handfull all at once, I will need a vacation (and a margarita) if that happens.

At this rate she may have all her teeth by the time Kindergarten starts. =)

1 Year Pictures

Just a few days after her first birthday Kylie took pictures with our favorite photography studio Cean One. This time our photographer was Paul, he did an amazing job, look how gorgeous the pictures came out. ♥

I'm working on a digital scrapbook with all the pictures from her birthday, hopefully I'll have it ready to post soon.

Swim Lessons

In April I signed Kylie up for swim lessons with a retired firefighter who has been teaching for 10 years here in Riverside. My good friend Carrie told me about the classes and we were able to get into the same class. The swim lessons started just 3 days after her 1st birthday, they would last for 2 weeks 4 days a week. One interesting thing I learned when we arrived on our first day is that the instructor is allergic to lotion, before we could get in the water we had to rinse ourselves and our little ones off if we had lotion on. He did tell us that we would need to buy wide brimmed hats to give shade to ourselves and our babies.

Only minutes after getting into the water we were told that as first time moms we would cry. I can happily report that no one in my "mommy and me" group cried at any point in the 2 week session. =) Day 1 was hard, I counted 1-2-3 and dunked Kylie into the water, she became much better at doing this as the lessons progressed. I like the fact that we did everything on 3, Kylie became very aware of what we were going to do and would hold her breath or close her mouth as necessary.

Kylie in her car seat after the first day.

Some other things we worked on were leg kicks, arm pulls (teaching them to move their arms while swimming) and holding onto the wall. I would pull Kylie into the pool and teach her to kick to the top and grab the side of the pool, obviously she didn't quite master it but it is something that I know how to work on with her. By the end of the classes she was learning how to kick her legs when I pulled her in the pool. Steven was able to come watch our last lesson. I tried to warn him as best I could so that he wouldn't be too shocked at what we had been doing. =)

Kylie waving to daddy, me in my horrible hat.

When we were told at the beginning at the last lesson that ALL children would be "jumping" off of the wall that was about 3 feet from the pool into the pool, Carrie and I thought all the kids but the under 3 years group. Then we heard the dreaded words "Mommy and Me group you're next". WHAT?!?! This is the first point in the whole time that I was really freaking out. My poor baby was going to be dropped into the pool from 3 feet above, not to mention the part of the pool she was being dropped into was 6-7 feet deep. I was treading water along with a lifeguard waiting for her. She was crying and upset before she went in but not because she was scared about was going to happened, by this point she was scared of the swim instructor. She did great, she doesn't float up as much as the other kids because her head weighs so much compared to the rest of her body. The lifeguard grabbed her and she was not happy, but got over it pretty quickly, she was more upset the first day after being dunked in the water.

Kylie and Carter after swimming, Kylie wanted to be held.

I know that their may be some moms out their that couldn't do that to their baby, but it is important to Steven and I that Kylie learns to swim as early as possibly, especially with both her grandparents having pools. She is no scared of the pool either, I thought for sure she would freak out being near the pool let alone in it after her first day, but that's not the case at all. I just think about what the swim instructor said:

• You don't hear the big slash when kids fall in the pool, many times you don't hear anything
• It can take only 30 seconds for s child to dr
• If they are crying they are breathing
• Never dunk them when they are sneezing or coughing since they can get water in their lungs and drown

Kylie will be our little fish in no time. =)

Steven's First Post!

Finally, after several weeks of lurking behind the scenes, I decided to make my first blog post. Although I work with computers and am basically online all day, I rarely spend any time posting or contributing to discussions on the internet (ie. see my limited activity on my facebook account).

To just bring everyone up to date with what I'm currently doing/involved in, I'm working for PlantCML down in Temecula as a Software Developer.  Our core product is 9-1-1 telephone software for PSAP's (Public Safety Answering Points), the center that answers your call if you ever dial 911.  It's a pretty interesting domain to be working in, and pretty cool to know the work you do helps first responders out in the field save lives.

In addition to my full-time job, I still do some consulting work for my previous company ISD Corporation in Corona.  This is a perfect example why you never want to burn any bridges.  I'm able to work from home, and this has been nice to get a little extra income.  ISD does Court Case Management Software for several counties in CA (including Riverside and San Bernardino).  Just a warning, don't get into any legal trouble in Riverside/San Bernardino cause I'll find out about it =)

My weekly workout/hobby is an ice hockey team that my twin brother Jeff and I play on.  Our team is the Avalanche and we play our games over at IceTown in Riverside (off Magnolia by the Tyler Mall).  It's a lot of fun and a GREAT workout, I've been playing about a year now, and am getting better.  I'm still getting used to the ice skating part, we used to play a lot of roller hockey growing up, so I'm still a much better roller blader then I am an ice skater.

Now that the formalities are out of the way, the real love of my life is my family. Rebecca has been a wonderful wife, and an even better mother.  She continually amazes me in her strength, love and devotion she has to our family and household. 

The other girl in my life, of course is Kylie.  Where do I begin...Wow what a year (almost) this has been.  It's so true when people say there's nothing like having a child.  I can still remember the day she was born, and the experience truly is like nothing else you'll ever go through (and I had the easy job).  This has easily been the best year of my life (up till now).  Watching her go from being unable to do much of anything, to rolling over, to sitting up, then standing up, then crawling, walking and getting her first teeth has been awesome.  My only regret is that she seems to be growing up too quickly.  

Anyways, I think I've rambled on long enough.  That's all for now.

We have a WALKER!

This started at 11 months!

Kylie walking.

Cover Girl

Kylie has been entered into 2 magazine cover photo contests.

The first was suggested by her proud Papa (Wayne), who heard about it on Good Morning America. It is with babytalk Magazine.  You can't see the picture we submitted but trust me its cute. =)

The second contest is with the Parents Magazine that I subscribe to.  With this contest we were able to create and album.  If you get a chance please go online to rate Kylie's pictures, unfortunately it doesn't help her chances of winning.

Keep your fingers crossed for our future cover model.  

Kylie and the Boys

Before Kylie was born Steven and I had two cats, Rascal and Scout, they are our boys. Some people were concerned about how the cats would be with "the baby" but we weren't, we know our cats and if they don't like something they stay away from it, they wouldn't attack her. Well the first few months of Kylie's life they were more interested in her things (i.e. her swing, the boppy, etc...) than they were in her. Now, Rascal lets Kylie get close but not too close, he knows that she pulls on his fur and isn't about to let that happen. She does chase him when she is in her walker, I think she thinks he is playing with her, not running in fear. =). On the other hand there is Scout, our fluffy boy who lets Kylie abuse him endlessly and doesn't mind one bit because she is paying attention to him. This week, before I've gone get her up in the morning, I have been leaving her bedroom door open (it is usually shut since the cats would sleep in her crib all day). This is what I have found.


I fear that Scout's future has him being dressed up in doll clothes and participating in Tea Parties. =)



I should have good posts for next week. My Mom, Kimberly and I are walking in the Revlon Run/Walk for Women in LA and Kylie gets to spend the day with Steven. Also, I get to celebrate my first Mother's Day!

Kylie had a Busy Day Yesterday!

It's almost like Kylie knows that we started the blog to keep everyone updated on how she is changing.

Yesterday was just like any other day, I went into her room to get her up from her nap and found her sitting up in her crib. Steven and I have never seen her go from laying down to sitting up on her own, so of course I grabbed the camera. Just minutes later I thought I saw a little white speck in the bottom of her mouth. Sure enough she is FINALLY getting a tooth! Once she lets me I'll get a picture. I thought she had an eventful day already and it wasn't even 11 a.m, I was a very excited mama.

Later in the afternoon I hear a little commotion going on in her room just before I went to get her up from her afternoon nap and what do I find? Kylie was standing up in her crib! This wasn't the first time she used furniture to help herself stand up but it was the first time she did it in her crib. I of course grab the camera again to capture the smiley girl. She seemed so proud of herself.

(For those who are wondering, Steven lowered her crib later that night.)