Christmas (part2)/ Happy New Year/ New Barn

We have been busy since my last post. We went swimming at in indoor pool, one day with Aunt Stephani...which was a nice break in the middle of winter, we traveled to Plano and had a wonderful visit there with family and friends, traveled home, got over a horrible cough/cold...still kind-of recuperating (not Matthew and I seem to have a case of it), went to the farm to see cement laid for Daddy's new barn, and Kegan started back to school...phew! Things are going going...and since we are finally in the new year, I can officially say, my baby is due this year...in fact, not to long from now, this year!!! :)

A few updates at the beginning of 2009.
As it has been for the past year or so, the vocabulary continue to expand - words, length of sentences, variations of words and meanings, words to describe how he feels, etc.... It is rather fascinating to listen to him and see what new words he has picked up and how he is learning to put words together to make new phrases, that make sense! A favorite of his lately...his, not necessarily ours, "I don't waaaaant it!" - Used any time he does not want to do something he is asked/told, or when he is asked if he wants something and he does not...till he changes his mind when the "something" is taken away. Fun fun...
Potty training: Going well, actually. We have started in big boy pants all the time when we are at home or going for a quick errand and pull-ups for overnight and long trips. He is getting pretty good and we have gone numerous days in just ONE pair of big boy pants - YEAH! It is nice to say for at least a little over a month we have no "diapers" in the house (minus the pull-ups). He is very motivated by m&m's and knows every time he goes, he gets one. I will say it is still usually prompted by an adult asking, but he does tell me every once in a while, I just usually try not to let it go that long.
Academics and interest: He loves to count things: I will hear him playing with toys and counting them out! We know some of our letters...he can sing the alphabet with help...knows the second half the best. Whenever he sees a "k" he says "kegan"! He can pick up certain books and "read" to himself, or help me "read" familiar books. Loves music: dancing to it, singing it, playing it...he seems to just enjoy it all around. Balls, balls, and more balls - any type of ball from any sport and he will pick it up and play with it! Of course a continued love of tractors and all things big with wheels that move! One other random interest: He really likes to help me in the kitchen - especially stirring things and doing the dishes. He has learned a lot by this: he knows what steam is and what boiling is (tells me when something is steaming or boiling) and knows this means it is "hot" and "do not touch". He can also tell you what smoke is...that is more from candles being blown out...but a few times in the kitchen, too...haha!

Just a few things I could think of off the top of my head. 2008 was an amazing year of leaps and bounds in growth and development and I am really looking forward to 2009 and watching him continue to grow! :)

Picture time:
Swimming in the pool. He remembered a lot of stuff from his summer swim lessons - blowing bubbles, kicking, and floating, to name a few. He still LOVES the water and has NO fear of it...hence why he will be in floaties till he can swim on his own. He bounds on in with no reservations!

Floating with Aunt Stephani

Hey...the floating kind of help me kick back a little...

On New Years Eve we headed off to Plano:

I guess he decided he needed neck support. He was watching a movie and when I looked back he had stuck "puppy" behind his neck...and left it there for a while...silly Kegan!

We stayed at Wendy and Nolans house the first 2 nights we were there, so we stopped by there house before heading to my parent's house. It worked out well because Kegan and Karsyn had a fun time playing together and were SOOO excited to see each other. He kept talking about seeing her the entire trip up there, and Wendy said Karsyn had been talking about since the night before.

Silly cousins playing in some of Karsyn's glasses.

Gram's Christmas tree before we opened our gifts...well, half the gifts...

Handsome man! Aren't these such "big boy" looking pajama's. Grams gave them to him - I love them!

Santa's little elf...

...trying to dig into a gift early!

I want this one!

We were all excited about some gift, here!

Relaxing with Uncle Nolan...opening gifts is hard work...and waiting for your cousin and other relatives to open gifts is even harder!

Kegan and Karsyn playing with his new dump truck. The packaging was the perfect mess to pick up and dump out of this new toy!

(Side note: This dump truck is really cool. My sister found it on Etsy. It is hand made, from wood, by a man who is a grandpa and would make all these different trucks and trains for his grand kids and decided to make a little business out of it. Here is his sight: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6115775 I believe it all comes un-painted so no worries about paints and that sort. I have found it to be good quality and Kegan has really enjoyed playing with it. I totally recommend the site and these products, if you are ever looking for something along these lines!)

Aquadoodle painting - lots of fun...no mess!

The hit of the evening....pretty much all unwrapping stopped after Karsyn and Kegan opened these and we had to finish the rest the next morning...a harmonica. Kegan LOVED it and was actually pretty good...for a 2 year old.

They played and they played and they played.....

Is it better if we look at each other and play and play and play...

A little relaxing with Grams after all the harmonica playing..

Hmm...was someone tired?

After a good nights rest the kids woke up to a great start to the new year! Happy 2009!

Kegan was awake before Karsyn, so Aunt Wendy said Kegan could go wake her up...she was not too thrilled at first to be woken up...kept trying to hide in her pillow as Kegan took off her covers, tickled her, and kept pushing her hair around...eventually though she opened her eyes and was very happy to see her cousin!

They then decided to play around some under the "tent" as Karsyn calls it when the cover is over her head.

Where did they go???

Boo...found you!

After some play time and breakfast we all headed over to Grams and Papa's house.

Playing a little ball with Papa in the front yard.

Opening gifts, round 2.

(Ok this picture was more so put in there to show the progress of my belly bump. Ty is really starting to stick out, huh!?!)

Wooo...the big finally...a bull-dozer (which Papa learned NOT to call a tractor. He said something about the "tractor" and Kegan looked at him and said, "NO, buuulldozer!")

Taking it for a test ride...

Karsyn trying it out.

Collecting dirt and grass to dump out of the bulldozer

No pictures mom, just let me play

After nap time, Karsyn woke up before Kegan and decided it was time for him to get up to...sooo...we put her in the pack-n-play...and she tried and tried to wake him up - talked to him, kissed him...took his sheet off, finally he woke up (I think it was more the camera flashing than anything else).

Awake and ready to head to dinner!

Chillin' with Uncle Nolan on the couch

Earlier that day my dad, Nolan, and Matthew had all gone out to buy Matthew his big gift from my parents - a bike. Wendy, Nolan and Karsyn, got him a kid seat for the back, so of course, Kegan needed a helmet. I was not sure how he would do with putting it on his head. Well...as soon as he saw it he said "football" and wanted it on his head. Not exactly a helmet for football, but good connection Kegan...and well it motivated him to put it on his head. He wore that thing forever that night, just playing around. What a nut!

Next day: Out for a test drive/ride.

"I'm ready!"

Zoom....

Kegan was having such a good time he wanted to keep riding...so he took a spin with Papa, too!

Karsyn getting in on the helmet and bike action!

Reading with Papa that evening.

Aunt Wendy brought a tent over to play in. What a hit!

Ahhh...Uncle Nolan (Uncle No No) surprised Kegan!

Ahhh...Kegan surprised Uncle Nolan!

Hera I am!

Sunday we had to say our good-byes and head back home.

Sweet hugs good-bye

We had a great visit and look forward to seeing everyone again after Ty is born! :)

Monday night we had a meeting and Kegan was going to spend some time at Gramma's and Pampa's. While waiting for daddy we went into the garage to ride our tricycle and dump truck. The helmet is a bit overkill for what we were doing...but when he saw it in the garage, he just HAD to wear it!

Wednesday:

They came out and poured the cement slab for Matthew's new barn, so Matthew called and asked if Kegan and I could come put to see it all, and get Kegan's little handprint in the slab.

From books we have Kegan new this was a "cement mixer" and was interested in watching it actually work, up close.

My men in hats. (Kegan is finally wanting to put on hats more often and requested his hat out of the blue on this day, so I gave it to him and he wore it, for a while, till his head got warm.)

Running free across the fields.

Tall pile of sand.

"I want up there!"

King of the hill

Wooosh...jump down. (Ok, so he really did not jump from way up there by himself, Matthew helped him...this was the landing from another jump from a much lower point on the sand hill.)

Any guesses to where Kegan is going???

To drive the tractor, of course!

After playing for a bit, the cement had set enough and was ready to have our handprints put in it.

Kegan's hands.

Dirty hands, now!

So sweet!

His boot marks bade it too (on purpose!).

The families hand prints.

A morning at the farm would not be complete with out a ride on the tractor.

Till next time...