Sunday, April 5, 2015

Happy 2nd Birthday Kaiya!!

My baby turned two. TWO!! How on earth has the past two years flown by so FAST! Look how BIG she is!!



This year her birthday fell on Easter weekend AND her cousins Siana, Naiya, and Xela were visiting, so you'd think that it would be an epic celebration, but things we weren't that lucky, and this poor girl was sick the entire weekend. 

It didn't stop us from enjoying some Easter Egg Hunt fun in Mount Juliet with the family though!



 



Though her party was, unfortunately, cancelled, we did host a little Easter brunch at our house so that she could squeeze as much family time with out cousins out of the weekend as possible. It was a blast!!

 

Mema with Naiya <3



 

How miserable does this sweet girl look?

 


Kaiya LOVED her time with Siana
 But the festivities didn't end there! A lovely trip to the Aquariam restaurant was the perfect end to an almost perfect weekend (minus the sick Birthday Girl of course).


 


 


While I'm not thrilled with the realization that our baby is quickly developing into her very own person, I feel so very blessed to be able to watch and enjoy the transition <3. Here's to another awesome year!

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Happy New Year 2015!


Family Pic 
I officially let nearly half a year go by between posts. I thought about posting probably once a week every week between then and now, but here we are all the same. The thing is, I learned a lot time ago that you can't force blogging. If it's not getting done, it's because no matter how important it feels, or how much I have to say, or how desperately people want to have an update, there are other more important things going on that take priority. Because, quite simply, if blogging is the most important thing that needs to happen, it happens. We've been busy living a good life! It's been filled with a little travel, friends and family, school, work, and so many little priorities, but all good.

Looking back over 2014 is pretty amazing. I lost a job, we decided to move to Nashville, we commissioned a tiny house to be built, we actually moved to Nashville, I got a new job, we sold our condo, John got a new job, we bought a new house, we GOT our tiny house, we started renting it on Airbnb (which became WAY more successful than we'd ever hoped it would be), John graduated with his undergraduate degree after 4 looooong years of dedication and commitment, and these are just the major headlines! Now here we sit on the brink of another new year with not a faintest idea of what could still be in store, but excited for every moment.




Perhaps the most amazing change has been Kaiya. This girl has done an insane amount of growing over the past year. She's taller and more slender, and smarter than I had ever imagined a 20 month old could be. She counts to 10 (though she often chooses to leave out 9), she says her ABCs flawlessly and can even visually recognize about a third of the alphabet, and she talks in full blown sentences. Granted, not everyone can understand them right away, but listen close and give it enough time and you'll be shocked at how well you can understand her! She asks tons of well appointed questions and her favorite thing to do it color and draw. A real budding artist:) She also loves loves loves music. There isn't a day that goes by where she doesn't ask to listen to music either while she's drawing or so she can dance to it:)

"Doing Work"
Coloring




Funny Faces with Mama



Our Big City Girl :)
Playground Time!
Halloween 2014!
Sweet moments worth remembering <3


This isn't even a portion of what I missed documenting this year, but it's enough moments to prove it was a good and productive life:) No promises that I'll be any better next year, but I think that's okay.

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Kaiya- 17 months!


If it was assumed that Kaiya could get no cuter, let me inform you that she has beat the odds. Month 17 has proven to be her most adorable month yet. Being the little sponge that she is, her vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds every day, and her personality along with it. She's awfully particular and opinionated for being such a little person. This child is pure personality.



Her favorite song this month is "I love you, You love me," and if you can catch her singing it, it's guaranteed to melt your heart.

She LOVES the water, be it the bath, a hose, the rain, the dogs water bowl, whatever.






Her favorite foods are blueberries, lima beans and pirates booty. She's not much of an eater these days but she can eat her weight in these items. 

Along with her developing maturity, we've found that she's also developing her temper. I managed to catch the tail end of her very first real life temper tantrum on video as I didn't want John to have to miss such an important milestone:) I'll share it here for you to enjoy as well <3




Her favorite toy/s remain her dolls and stuffed animals, all of which she has indiscriminately named "Baby." She's awesomely maternal and can often be found trying to feed or change diapers on her babies. John even told me when I came home from work the other day that she was "nursing" her baby earlier. I was so proud <3 <3





During the past month, we were exceptionally lucky to have had a number of family/besties visit from around the world. Kaiya got more than her share of attention from the visits:)

Uncle Nathan and Kaiya at the State Fair

Kaiya and Aunt Els

Nap time for Chris, Zodi and Kaiya

Uncle Bo, Aunt Leah and Kaiya at our favorite local hangout

Kaiya and Chris chilling in the backyard

Aunt Zodi and Kaiya shopping in Downtown Nashville
Aunt Cheyenne and Kaiya at the playground