goodbye dear scooter.

I haven't ridden you, my little blue wonder in over a year.We may never ride again. Sad! You were once my only transportation... Now you sit in the garage day after day, and you have to be kick started. I'm sorry. I will miss you. I couldn't ride you with a big pregnant belly, and I can't take my small child on you now. Although I hesitate to say it, I don't know if we can be there for each other anymore.
Thank you for keeping me safe. Your scrappy sounding horn has scared off many-a-crazy driver, I'm sure. You made it up the big hills for me. Well, the one hill. You got me to the top...most the cars pasted me, but I don't think anyone got angry. I was proud of you.
Your gas mileage was a dream. You're instant air condition was so nice. Thank you. Thank you for the good times.

 It was the hard way, but you made it happen! And we rode wild, baby!

 Grey watched me go. She was proud her mommy's head was protected.

Can't wait for my turn! That thing is fun!

           Some day Grey...

WOO!

Thanks Dad for taking pictures. (Yes, I'm already calling Jude "dad".) That was really sweet and meant a lot to me! I'll always talk about when I rode the scooter. And then you'll say how you fell in love with me in those days... This little blue ride might have done more than get me around. Wink!

Park Day...again.

I don't always think of too many things to do (poor Grey!) But this time I thought I'd invite a bunch of moms and have a community Park Day. No one showed up - just us! Oh well. I've tried this "Mom Day"  thing before. Two people showed up that time...I guess that's pretty good. I keep getting asked to do these events, but no one shows up! I've only done 2, maybe I'm not consistent enough. Oh well, I'll stop complaining and show you the cute pictures we got. (See, I guess some good comes out of it still. :)

official "swing face"

 

 We can't go on the big slide yet. I didn't want to take her on my lap in case we went to fast...I got nervous. But the steps make a nice platform for a picture. Don't mind if I do.

Now she's asleep! Maybe tomorrow we'll do something new...

Park Day

                                                              Grey loves the swings!

steering by herself...

...but the swing are the fav!

Just another day, having fun with my girl! Hope you find yourself enjoying some small things in life as well. If not, there is still time. Go!  :)

Here is one more picture, just 'cuz. Just because Grey and her daddy are looking so smooth...

xo

Cardboard for Breakfast

Forget the toys. I think I'm over them if she is over them... Plus without them I have to find something new to do, so she is guaranteed a unique experience/experiment for the day.

Since crawling (or army crawl as Jude says. Belly on the ground.) she is ready to explore. Hmmm...what's this box over here...

I love boxes.

feels as good on the inside as the outside!

heaven.

 

Mom...the flash, it's too bright.

 Watching her program till she peed in the box. (I knew that was going to happen...) So, she played with a ribbon instead. Just as tasty.

Oh yeah, a bit of a rash, if you care to know. I thought I'd give her some nudey time to "air out."

That's our little morning of fun!

South Carolimas

A little holiday visit in Colombia SC...

Aunt Chollet keeps it together...these kids are a handful. A fun handful. Right, Chollet? Maybe?

Grey checking out her cousin James.

It seems if Grey can't have Chollet, her belt is a second best.

 I guess those boxes don't taste as good as you'd think. 

Now that I'm looking back at these pictures, I'm feeling bad how much Chollet was doing to keep these two happy...and I just sat there snapping pictures. Sorry sister! But you did such a good job. Accompanied by other help from the family as well! Aunts and Uncles and Grandparents made Bamma's house buzzing with excitement. Very festive, and very fun!

This "keeping the peace" went on for a while 

 

 

I love this: Chollet and Cheeks!

 Yup, packaging gets the most play time.

 

 

A bunch of sweeties. I love them.

 Grey and I also got to meet her Great Grandmother, Bamma. We had a great time with her, and she showered her little ones with gifts and love. It was a great day together!

Kisses for Bamma

(Thanks for Chollet for being such a good Mom and Aunt!)

Someday, sweet potatoes.

Someday, they'll get in the mouth.



I thought, if I let her explore and do it herself...maybe she'd like food more...



Second idea:



Well, maybe someday that will work for "clean up". Meanwhile, I keep trying to entertain her and myself.



On some good news to report, this was a few days ago, and yesterday she was doing GREAT with rice cereal! She almost ate all of her serving. Today...no cereal. Not a bite. But, she ate a few bites of turkey and peaches. Shocking! We all know how the last meat experiment went.  ;)

At least she is at a good weight and very healthy. I guess I don't have to sweat it too much. Right?! Right??

Merry Christmas Eve!!

Sending some real love your way this holiday season.
Lots of mushy gushy love...

And if you really aren't feeling it, maybe you should try out one of Grey's little tricks.
It really makes her happy. 



Have a great night! And a very merry morning. 

          Love,

              The Kahles

For Kenny.

For everyone, of course, but as my brother requested for more...I will put more pictures and videos on the blog!! I will start today.
Beginning with pictures of shopping. (that's festive, right?!)

Hanging out in Urban Outfitters...looking stylish.
Getting compliments.
No big deal.















       



Waiting.
...Patiently?!
                                        

Then yesterday (shopping, again) I did the test. The bow test. She pasted! So, now, she better be know by strangers as a girl!


I'll do my parental part by posting more often. Videos and pictures to come! Lots of them.

For Jude.

To the man I will always love...
This is only the beginning. You are the greatest blessing in my life, I thank God for you! I pray we have a long and full life ahead of us. Full of adventures and laughs.
...And maybe a few more little Judenas running around.

You are everything and more than I could want in a friend. I admire you more than you know. You are a beautiful soul.
I love you true.

Happy one year together.

A normal day.

Just hanging out with my baby. Today she was the most popular person at Publix...people kept coming up to us and saying, "They just had to come over and see this baby" and then there is usually a remark on her amazing cheeks and how they want to pinch/squeeze/nom on them.
One woman even said she wanted to nibble on them.

What's everybody looking at?

They are cute...


Besides that, and the sudden arrival of Winter (WOooo-hoo!) We are feeling a little sad about feeding our sweet little Grey chicken. It could be hormones but I wanted to cry at her sweet little gagging face (from the video) today.

But I felt better when I watched it with Grey and she laughed and smiled at herself. She is such a cool little chick! I love her...oh man....I want to cry again.

Chicken eats. (part one and two.)

These videos pretty much speak for themselves...

We sat our trusting little Grey down for a taste of Chicken and Chicken Gravy. Trying to stay away from anything too sweet...we went straight for the meat! I took a first bite for her to show her how yummy it is (my first lie to her! May it be the last...)  Needless to say, she didn't agree.



(sorry about the shaking...the laughing, I couldn't help it!)

Later in the day. We thought we'd mix it with breast milk and give it another go:

a tooff!!

A tooth. Yawn...yeah, yeah - what about those eyes?!!

One day after her 7 month birthday, a little white pearl showed up on our sweetie's gums... I didn't actually even notice that it had broke through... it was Dad's great discovery! Today it is pointy and I'm sure Grey can feel it. Ooohhh, the lovely feel of a new beginning!

horsin' around

Neil Diamond studied to be a doctor but didn't pass organic chemistry. At that point, he realized it might not be his thing. Neil Diamond. Yeah exactly, NEIL!!!! In an interview he said he considers himself one of the luckiest people in the world. He and I both. I'm 33 years old. Thomas Jefferson was 33 when he penned the Declaration of Independence, the world's most principal and transcendent document for human rights. Yes, it was 1776 and he owned about 200 slaves at the time but whatever, he also admitted it was necessary guidelines for the future. If he had a nickel for every time someone quoted 'we hold these truths to be self-evident'... oh wait he is the nickel. Christ Jesus was crucified when he was 33. Woah! This year, for me, at the ripe age of 33, I realized that the coolest thing I've ever done in my life was become a husband and father. Like, James Dean cool.  Hip-shaking Elvis on prime-time cool. I've finally MADE IT!! And it's the hardest, most difficult, and crazy *thing (*accomplishment) I've ever **done (**achieved), and it's only just begun. Watching Dena and Grey together lifts me up off my feet. Every time. Today we went to the Arlington Nature Center, Tree Hill, and Grey saw a horse for the first time. She loved it. God has his plan and you kinda have to brace for it and go with it but when you reach a place where you never imagined yourself and find that it shadows everything you've ever done or tried to do... Try to hold on... and simply give thanks. The best journeys in life are the ones that answer questions you never thought to ask.

I had to include this pic of Grey and her teething carrot.

art by grey

Inspired by wanting to write letters to all our lovely grandparents and great grandparents, I thought it'd be fun to put in a little "hello" from Grey. I'm sure she could hold a pen, but it would probably go into her mouth. So I thought finger paint of some sort would be nice.

I readied some paper, paint (food coloring and water!), and although my husband is a painter, my brush was a muffin wrapper crunched up. I dipped the wrapper in paint and Grey moved the paper under it....sometimes grabbed at my arm trying to get the colored wrapper. But the outcomes where pretty nice. As nice as baby art can be. If nothing else it warded off boredom for a little while. (and amused mom!)

Here is one for the blog to enjoy...

Ah. Autumn.

Autumn time. So refreshing! A hot beverage on a cold day...
Going for a brisk walk, breathing clean cold air...
Enjoying every moment wrapped in a cozy scarf...

Yes, I'm super duper WAY cute.

Come on fall!! I am so ready! Today's high is a ridiculous 90. Raise that a few notches for entering-car-temperatures. Poor Grey. She's been a good sport about being indoors so often. And enduring the wait as the AC in the car kicks in. Still, we are rockin the winter wear when we can. Hats and onsies. Tanks and long socks... Someday we'll get to jackets or even pants.
I'm having fun dressing this little one.
Also, those extra touches help strangers know that she is a GIRL!

going faster than a rollercoaster.

You know what I'm talking about. T I M E.

And I'm not even going to think about how the rest of 2010 will fly by with all the holiday madness. I mean fun.... Everyday Grey is growing and learning something new. Us too! New stuff is beginning everyday. We are venturing out with cloth diapers. (Ohh, so brave...) And we got Grey into her own room. Leading to much more sleep for mom and dad...ahhhh.

I think she's in the process of scheming on how to get around on her own. I put her on the floor and she does this squirm forward on her belly and face. Mmmm, not quite a crawl there, my love.

And although it's bringing on pain now, the idea of teeth is coveted. I give her a cold carrot or apple to soothe aches and I think that might be helping. Or she is just happy to have whatever-it-is that mom has. Hey, if she wants fruits and vegetables, that's all good with me.

But other than this, she hasn't had much practice with food. Nope. Still stuck on mom's milk. But still thriving! I have a feeling that next week with the 6 month check-up we'll be instructed to have her try baby food. For practice if nothing else. We'll see. Stay tuned.

She's funny. Look at her crossing her little legs. Hee hee.

Ready for rocket ships or whatever gets a spoon a little closer to my mouth...