Why do we have baby toys?

What we have here is an overflowing box of neglected baby toys ....

and what we have here is a pack-n-play FULL of lonely baby toys.

Here is an exersaucer that gets limited use ....

and here is the jumperoo that does effectively keep Kendall off of her flat noggin for a little bit every day.

BUT what he have here is the one item that is currently COVETED by the (rotten) baby of the house!   Since this is also an item coveted by her father, it will be interesting to see who wins the war.  So far, Kendall has won each battle.  :)  

It's raining RICE CEREAL!

Rice cereal has now been added to Kendall's diet.  And to the ceiling, the walls, the side of the refrigerator, the floor, the blinds, and the diets of all three dogs.  I can also add it to my list of experimental facial skin-care products.  As soon as she gets the idea that food is to be swallowed rather than rocketed from the mouth with shocking force and surprisingly good aim, we'll start on the veggies.  We need more color in the kitchen anyway, right?  

The Grape doesn't fall far from the Vine!

Kendall has developed a fascination with glasses that contain liquids. Most interesting so far is Mommy's wine in Mommy's giant wine glass.  I have to exercise great caution now when I'm drinking my wine, as the glass stems seem to fit quite nicely in a freakishly strong baby fist, allowing my little lush to pull the glass to her adorable face as quickly as possible so she can commence the lickfest.  No, she's not ingesting any wine .... although sometimes I do think it would make for a great story later in life if she could tell people that she drank wine before she even drank water!   :)  

FATHER'S DAY #1

I was going to "allow" Chris to draft the Father's Day post ... but then regained my sanity and thought better of that idea.  Here's how it probably would have gone:

So on MY FIRST FATHER'S DAY, I had to get up early with Kendall so my wife could sleep in.  AND (for the first time ever) Kendall had a poopy diaper first thing in the morning that I had to change (on MY Father's Day).  AND I didn't get breakfast until my lazy wife woke up at 10:00.  AND I had to take the trash out.  AND I had to go to the grocery store AND cook my own Father's Day dinner for not only myself, but BOTH SETS OF GRANDPARENTS who were invited over for MY Father's Day.  THEN I ended the day with a stomachache.

I think the blog is better off without Chris's input.  Here's what actually happened:  Chris DID let me sleep in, but I protested.  It may not have been my best theatrical work, but I protested nonetheless.  Kendall slept twelve hours that night so she didn't even get up until 9:00 that morning.  But she did have a poopy diaper that Chris got to change.  And he did have to go to the grocery store to buy steaks ... but only because he doesn't trust anyone else to purchase meat for him.  And he did have to cook the steaks ... but only because he said to me earlier in the week when this event was planned that "grilling IS relaxing for me."  And he got a really nerdy gift that ONLY Chris would love - a framed original inaugural 1040 tax form from 1913.  To be honest, the tax geek in me was a little intrigued by this find too.   The tax rate in 1913 was ONE PERCENT!!  Ok - geek moment over.  

But here's the best Father's Day present ever!

Daddy, Kendall and Tax Form

And of course it was Father's Day for Pops and Saba too!  

Here is Kendall, Kendall's Daddy, and Kendall's Daddy's Daddy.

And here is Kendall, Kendall's Mommy, and Kendall's Mommy's Daddy

Kendall with Saba and Pops

Saba was here for a week and we FINALLY got a frameworthy picture of them (taken the day after Father's Day, actually)!

Another long overdue photo of Kendall with Grandmother and Pops.

And for someone who doesn't like her picture taken, Nana was sure doing a lot of complaining about never having her picture taken with Kendall!

And this picture has very little to do with Father's Day but I just thought this was awful cute of Kendall and Ginger.  Kind of looks like they're both begging for a treat!  

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO CHRIS/DADDY, SABA/DAD AND POPS/DAD!  

Fun at the Fry Family Reunion

Kendall attended her first Fry Family Reunion last weekend at the family farm in Ladonia, TX!  Lots of fun was had by all .... and lots of sweat was produced by all!  It was really great to see everyone.  The food was delicious and the activities were all a hit!  Kendall slept through some of it, but was awake enough to enjoy the other kids and be part of the professional family photo.  

Cousin Lindsay blew bubbles for Kendall (who LOVES bubbles) while Aunt Amy got her "baby fix."

Cousin Maya also blew some great bubbles!

"Whew, it's hot out here!  That's just what I need, Daddy.  A nice COLD BEER!"  

Kendall chillin' out with Cousin Lindsay

Hanging out with Uncle Chip, Cousin Landon, Aunt Debbie and Cousin Lindsay on the porch.

The Harris Girl-Cousins Lindsay and Maya.  I think Kendall must've been asleep for this picture, but it looks like they left a space for her to the left of Maya.  She'll be sure to make the next one!  :)

The Harris Grandkids with Grandmother and Pops ... I wish someone had videotaped the attempts at taking these pictures - it was hilarious!  Of course, this picture makes it look like all five kids are perfect smiling angels 100% of the time!  :)

Grandmother and Aunt Paula did a terrific job putting this together this year.  Can't wait 'til next year when I get to join the other parents on the never-ending game of chase the non-sedentary children!  :)  

CUTER by the minute!!

         

Kendall really is getting cuter by the minute!  Just when I think there is no humanly possible way that child can make me melt any more, I again find myself taking on the form of a puddle.  She can now officially blow raspberries with her mouth.  This is a talent that everyone assures me will not be nearly as adorable once it is accompanied with colorful foods, but as of now I find it to be an absolutely hysterical mother/daughter bonding activity.  We can sit around forever spitting and laughing at each other!  Simultaneous with the discovery of the oh-so-exciting lip noises came the discovery of the tongue.  Kendall has taken on the frighteningly Rehnquist-esque quality of licking EVERYTHING within reach of the little pink, slimy marvel in her mouth .... which is conveniently long.    AND, speaking of "within reach" I now have to be very careful where I walk when carrying Kendall around so as to avoid random (and often baby inappropriate) objects being taken for an unsuspecting ride in a shockingly strong baby fist.  

Finally, Kendall is becoming more and more interested in the often loud, usually smelly, furry four-legged beings that co-exist in (errr "rule") our household.  They are great fun to grab, and, being boxers, they have long, slobbery, jowels on which to grab and pull.   Added bonus, unlike Mommy and Daddy, fur siblings seem to enjoy another new favorite baby activity entitled "dig your razor sharp fingernails into flesh until red stuff comes out."  Kendall's current favorite critter doesn't even live here.  Nana's dog, Pippin, and Kendall are equally enthralled with each other.   She laughs at him whenever he looks at her (admittedly he's funny looking) and he gives her regular foot licks - come to find out her feet are ticklish!

Occasionally she'll give him a "lick" too!  

 Kendall had a visit from our friends Jeffrey and Morgan - she won't remember, but she attended their wedding last year when she was a mere tadpole .... about 6 weeks in utero .... old enough to make me sick, but not yet fat!  

Ahhh, the life of a baby!

     
  

Catching Up!

I know, I've totally been a blog slacker lately but I promise I have good reason.  First, I am adjusting to being a stay at home mom for a while after being laid off from my firm.  (insert Happy Dance here!)  Second, my home laptop very unexpectedly and decidedly died so I am also adjusting to a new computer .... a Macbook (so far I love it!)  

I know I have said it before, but honestly being at an office all day was SO much easier than being at home with a baby all day!  That being said, I am totally enjoying spending more time with Kendall.  She had just started to be fun to hang out with when my maternity leave ended so this really was good timing.  We go for runs/walks every morning with Nana and any random combination of fur participants, play with new toys, and sing and dance to Broadway music every afternoon.  We also (and this "we" would be the "royal we" since Kendall is not terribly helpful in this department) clean the house every other day, wash and fold clothing every day, and cook dinner every (well, most every) night.  And I have to say the physical requirements of my new "job" are really taking a toll on my back - in all seriousness, children really should be able to walk by the time they hit the 17 pound mark.  But all in all, I am LOVING my time at home for now!  :)  

Let's see, other than my Herculean adjustment efforts, here is a list of some other things we've done over the past 2 weeks:

1.  lots of walks/runs

2.  Memorial Day cookout with Nana and Grandmother

3.  Gymboree class with Owen

4.  Swimming in Owen's pool with Mommy, Owen's Mommy and Aunt Kathryn

5.  housecleaning

6.  laundry

7.  various lunches and happy hours with friends with whom we now have time to catch up

8.  several successful cooking endeavors

9.  mastered rolling over from tummy to back (there went the dreaded tummy time!)

10.  did I mention laundry?

11.  did I mention housecleaning?  (because there has been a lot of that!)  

12.  and did I mention cooking?  (because I'm rather proud of that!)  

Here are a few pics from the past couple of weeks.  I know, I know .... I need to take more!

  Monkey Girl in her Monkey towel (it has a tail)!  

  Kendall and Owen swimming!

  Our little "Harley Girl!"