She's 2!!!!

Can it really be true?  Is our baby girl really two years old?  The answer is yes, she is two...two going on 14 if you ask her.  We celebrated Lily Kate this past weekend at one of her very favorite hang outs with some of her very favorite people.  She had an absolute blast playing and running around.  She loved having all of her buddies together too.  Of course, being a bit shy, she was not very fond of everyone staring at her and singing but she made it and LOVED her cupcake!  It was so awesome to look around her party and realize that every family represented there had also been represented at her baby shower.  We feel so blessed to have so many wonderful friends that love our kids.  So many people for them to look up too....what more can 2 parents ask for?

Safari Time

One afternoon last week the weather was amazing and we didn't have anything planned...rare and wonderful.  Rhonald and I looked at each other after nap time and totally agreed we needed to get out and enjoy the afternoon so we opted for a trip to the animal safari.  It is probably one of Cole's favorite places.  He loves the animals, the space to run and roam and he loves to learn.  It is probably one of Lily Kate's least favorite places as she also loves the space but she is not too fond of the animals.  This trip she actually enjoyed the drive thru portion and had a few animals she wanted to see up close but you can forget it when it comes to the petting zoo.  Sister screamed her head off every time a goat got anywhere near her (and Rhonald held her the entire time).  Cole collected an enormous amount of feathers in his back pocket which, to me, was about the most precious site I have ever seen.  We lucked out on this trip because there were baby animals everywhere - monkeys, tigers, deer....it was wonderful!  Cole was able to bottle feed a baby tiger and he has talked about that everyday since we went.  Even though Lily was not in heaven by any means she also had fun and ended up laughing more than crying :)!  I feel so blessed to have these days with my family. 

The Yellow Yaks

 (Someone was a little ticked that she had to sit on the sidelines and watch the action)

Fall is here and with that comes lots of outdoor fun....including fall soccer!  This season Cole is on the Yellow Yaks and is having a ball!  There are only 4 kids on his team so he gets a lot of playing time and has been learning a lot.  Lily has finally figured out that she would like to play soccer too and is not very content to sit back and watch.  It is so fun to watch these little ones learn to work together and have fun!  I am really proud of Cole because this season he has been great about not using his hands and also keeping up with where the ball is all of the time.  He is growing so much - in every way and it is so awesome to watch!

An Athlete

Cole has been asking to "take a class" this semester as well so we agreed adn sat down with him to figure out what he would like to try.  One thing we found out about Cole is that if you suggest it he wants to try it....anything.  So, after some searching, I was able to find a class that teaches about lots of different sports so the kids can see which ones they like.  When Cole turned 4 something in his brain turned over and he became a lover of sports.  He loves to watch and play and learn about them so this class has been great for him.  He now tells people "I am an athelete." with such pride.  While Rhonald and I have choosen not to push him but to let him learn and decide what he enjoys on his own it has been so much fun and so rewarding to see his confidence grow.  His smile is priceless as he learns something new or accomplishes a new task.  I am so proud of him and his desire to try new things.  I can't wait to see what he picks as his favorite!

Big Beasts

Not only did Lily Kate recently start "school" she also started her first gymnastics class at the Little Gym.  I have never seen anything cuter than a toddler in a leotard and leg warmers.  Oh my word!  There are 5 other kiddos in Lily's class.  In typical Lily fashion she is so shy around her teacher that she won't hardly look her in the eye.  Miss Holly laughs it off and gives her some space although I know she is hoping to win Lily over sooner rather than later.  Lily will do any skill she is taught if I am the one helping her.  So funny!  By far her favorite time of class is free time.  During free time the kids are able to run and play and do anything they wish.  Lily loves 3 things at the gym....the bars, the rings and the balance beam!  And she is pretty good for an almost 2 year old.  Having no fear helps her out of course but I think there is some skill there too.  She literally leaps from the mat up onto the rings/bar and swings there until she cannot hang on any longer.  And then she does it again!  The balance beam....wow.  Sister climbs up there and pushes my hand away and run/walks down to the other end.  Every now and then she will hold on to one of my fingers (only one) while on the higher beam but even then she runs.  I love watching her grown and develop into a little girl.  And I really love seeing how much she is capable of and how confident she is becoming.  Being her mama is such a blessing!