Kylie has learned how to say her Abc's....

She just turned 2 on June 23rd....I know she doesn't understand completely what she is saying, but it is cute and if you start she will finish or if you say some she will continue from where ever you stopped.
Mel and Todd

First Camping Trip

The weekend of July 11 and 12th, Todd had a softball tournament in Fountain, (near Ludington). Every year I try to go, but have always had something going on, usually something I have planned without thinking about it being the tournament weekend. This year I decided I wasn't going to plan anything and Kylie and I would go with and we would camp. Todd found out that they would be playing two games on Saturday and then a couple on Sunday, but the games on Saturday were at 10 am and then at 3 pm, so we decided to drive up on Friday night and camp for the whole weekend. We borrowed a tent from Erin and Steve because our little four person tent wasn't going to cut it. Once we figured out how to set it up, we were able to begin the fun. We figured Kylie was already over stimulated just from the drive and then setting up the tent, so we let her hang out by the fire with us until she was settled and sleepy. She went to bed around 11 pm, and she only threw a small fit. On Saturday we got up and get ready and went to Todd's first game and they lost. Then we drove to Ludington for lunch and then went back to the camp site. We packed up our swimming stuff so we could go to the big lake after the second game. We decided to first check out the lake at our campground, Round Lake, and decided that it was probably a little bit warmer then the big lake would be so we would just come back to the campground instead of the big lake. Kylie wasn't so happy going in the water this time, so we didn't stay in long. We decided to show Kylie what it was like to tent camp cook. We grilled our hot dogs over the fire and had carrots and potato chips and then we waited a little while and introduced Kylie to S'mores. She wasn't so sure at first and just wanted the chocolate, she actually tried to take it apart, but then I made my own S'more and showed her how to eat it the right way. She figured it out and really enjoyed herself. We tried not to stay up too late, because Todd's game on Sunday was at 8 am. They lost and the team decided to call it quits. They were not going to be in the big tournament, and a couple of the guys were hurt. We were exhausted so we decided to just pack up and drive home. I think Kylie enjoyed herself because as we were leaving the campsite, she started crying just a little bit. I'm so glad our first camping trip was a success. If we camped more, it would be nice to have something better than a tent, but for now it works.
Mel and Todd

Happy 4th of July......a little late

Oh how we love the 4th of July. We always have such a busy day, but it is always so much fun. Kylie got a new dress from Grandma and Grandpa for her Birthday that was blue and white with red lady bugs and red ribbons on the shoulders. It was perfect for the holiday. We always go to Grandma and Grandpa's house and then go to the parade in Grandville, and then we have lunch and then we go to Erin's mom's house for our annual backyard fun day. The guys and a few of the ladies play volleyball, there is a nice pool for swimming, and now with all the little ones we have little pools for the kids to play in. Usually Mia goes to Grandma and Grandpa's house, but this year she had a sore back so we left her home. Around 5 Kylie and I drove home to let Mia out and hang out with her a little bit. Kylie hadn't hadn't had a nap all day, so she fell asleep in the car. We went back to the party and had dinner and Kylie and Daddy did some swimming. I didn't have a chance to put Kylie's bathing suit back on her, so she went in her skirt. After the party we went to watch the fireworks. We always go to our church and hang out for awhile and then watch the fireworks. This year I bought glow bracelets/necklaces and they were a big hit. I bought 30 and we shared them with the kids at the party and then the rest were for Todd, Kylie, Josh, Amy, Grandma, and Grandpa. Kylie only took about a 45 minute nap the whole day and lasted through the fireworks. We brought Great Grandpa home and she started getting a little whiny, so Todd stayed in the backseat with her. When we were almost home she looked over at him and said, "I just want my milk" I think we finally got her to admit she was tired!
Todd was teaching Kylie how to Hula Hoop

Kylie and Todd at the Parade

Kylie and Zane at the Parade

Kylie didn't have the greatest view of the parade, the rule in Grandville has always been that you must stay on the curb, but evidentally the cops don't know how to control the children watching the parade from the middle of the road......Yup Kylie stayed on the curb! She found a flag and had so much fun waving it.
Aunt Amy and Uncle Josh brought Kylie's bike seat and gave her a ride to the party.

Kylie and Sophia check out the kiddie pool

Water Balloons

Kylie found the Hippo toy and wanted to take it in the pool

This is just before she went swimming in the big pool with Daddy in just her skirt, I only had one shirt for the rest of the evening, so I got Todd to take that off her.
Kylie's first sparkler



I thought this picture was kind of cool
Mel and Todd

To End the week.....John Ball Zoo

To finish off the week we went to John Ball Zoo with Steve, Erin, Peyton, and Sophia. The kids had a great time. This was the hottest week that we have had all summer, so all of our outside fun was very HOT. The kids got tired and hot quickly, but we still spent a few hours wandering around looking at the animals. They did really well, and when it was time to go, we all knew it.
To re-cap the week: Monday, Binder Park Zoo; Tuesday, Kylie's birthday and party; Wednesday, Doctor appointment and hottest day yet, so not much outside; Thursday, beach; Friday, John Ball Zoo........after that we just relaxed. I didn't take any pictures for the next week, we were just laying low, kind of. Todd got back to work on Monday morning and found out that he to go to Dayton, Ohio, for work so he was gone Monday thru Wednesday. We had Grandma's birthday and My birthday celebrations. Todd had softball on my birthday so we postponed the celebrating for a day, but Kylie started thinking she was going to get cake almost every day. I will post 4th of July pictures and Kylie's first camping trip soon!



Mel and Todd

Another activity on Kylie's Birthday week

So I forgot to add this to the end of birthday party post, but this is the dress that Aunt Amy and Uncle Josh got Kylie for her birthday. Kylie had to go for her 2 year check-up the day after her birthday and she wanted to wear this dress.
On Thursday of the Kylie's birthday week and Todd's week off work, we decided to go to the beach. We went to Tunnel Park in Holland, it was Kylie's first trip to the beach, and she wasn't so sure at first, but then she got used to the water and playing in the sand. We packed a light lunch of sandwiches and juice and water, Kylie ate all of her food and loved being outside. Of course by the time she got to where she wanted to go in the water by herself, we found out that the water was not o.k. to go in. Of course we had been in twice already, and then she wanted to go in again. We rinsed ourselves off when we got all done and luckily nobody got sick.





Kylie and Daddy went swimming while mommy stood on the shore and took pictures. She wasn't so sure at first, but then started having fun. She even started getting daring and walked to the water by herself. We had such a fun family week, it was great to have Todd home, Kylie and I both really apprecieated hanging out with him.


Mel and Todd

Kylie's 2nd Birthday

Our little princess turned two on June 23rd. We had Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Amy, Uncle Josh, Nana, Papa, Uncle Matt, and Great Grandpa over for Pizza and cake and ice cream. She is getting so big and is so smart! I always tell her that balloons are for birthdays.....only because I don't like having them around. I had Todd pick up balloons for Kylie while she was taking her nap and when she woke up and saw balloons she said, "My Birthday Balloons!" She was so happy to see them.
She had to sit and play with them, she would pull them down and then let them float up, it was tough to get a good picture of the balloons, but she was having so much fun!












Daddy got her a Tinker Bell balloon and then two helium balloons. The pink table is her gift from mommy and daddy, the others are from everyone else. She got a sandbox from Grandma and Grandpa so while we were outside looking at that, Todd came in and set up the gifts for her to see when we came in.




One of her gifts was fairy wings from Aunt Amy and Uncle Josh, she loves them....she will grab them still and need to put them on so she can "fly."
I asked her what cake she wanted, either Tinker Bell or Lady Bug and she picked Lady Bug, thankfully :) Making the simple lady bug cake was stressful enough!














She was so happy when her cake was brought to her, she even sat in her booster seat. While she was eating she kept saying her teeth were turning pink, so she had to show me.



Everyone got a chance to pose with Kylie, we did the same thing last year and they are such great pictures to have for her birthday memories.



































Kylie wandered around later with her green wings and new orange shoes.
She had such a good day and loves all of her gifts. Wednesday of this week we did NOTHING!! It was too hot outside and we were all tired from our first two busy days of the week.



























Mel and Todd