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We’ve had a jam packed couple of days since Aunt Casey got here!

Wednesday we had Leighton’s newborn/family photos and this behind the scenes photo says basically everything you need to know about that experience.

Family photos with a toddler is…um…well, there are more relaxing things that’s for sure. 😂

Overall, K was actually great considering the circumstances. Aside from her running away, refusing to change or wear her bow and not being bribable (is that a word?) I think we may have got a solid shot or 2. 😆 At least L participated. Ha!

Kensie is seriously LOVING being a big sister and while she’s quickly realized that testing me by misbehaving while I feed Leighton is an easier feat for her 🙄, there’s nothing sweeter than her love for her baby sister!!

We got the girls a wagon this weekend because Kensie was obsessed with Henley’s and we knew she would love it, so we went for an evening stroll and have officially named our adventure #WagonWednesdays

Obviously, L couldn’t ride in it just yet, but I think she was okay with her situation. 🙌🏼

Meanwhile, this kid lived her best life. (DCF DISCLAIMER: the Trulys weren’t hers. At least not both of them. 😜)

We had another Chiro session today and ALL the girls participated!! K actually sat for hers for the first time (I usually hold her) so she could show her little sister how it’s done. 😉

Then, Dr. C gave K a fake clicker and she got to help “adjust” L. She spent the rest of the day telling me she was just like Dr. Anna (the doctor in Daniel Tiger). 🤦🏼‍♀️

K was off to daycare after our appointment and L got to hang with us and do our favorite thing…SHOP!

Leighton is adjusting to life outside the womb like a boss. She eats, sleeps, snuggles, burps and poops like a seasoned champion and while I would prefer time slow down, I’m loving every second of it!

It’s been a crazy, busy but awesome and fun first week adjusting to being a family of 4!

Leighton had her first check up and we made our first visit to Dr. Christina for an adjustment.

We started taking K to her when she was 2 months old and having serious gas and tummy issues which was leading to a lot of painful teary screams.

It was a game changer and has made a huge difference in her health over the last 2 years – so we are excited to get Leighton under care right away and hopefully avoid that this go around.

K was sooo happy to spend the weekend home with her “sister! Leighton!!” …which is exactly how she greets her every morning. 😂 Kens also really likes to touch her and give her pacifiers and shake her swing while she’s sleeping and then gets super excited when she opens her eyes…”MOMMY!!!! She’s awake!!! Hi sister!!!! Hi Leighton!!! Awwww. I kiss her?”That’s word for word how the script goes every. single. time. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Kensie got to hang out with her bestie Henley most of the weekend so she was THRILLED (and exhausted 🙌🏼)

L got to meet lots of new friends and had a special visit from Gramma and her uncles!

We’ve also concluded K and L are practically twins. Somehow, we made the same child twice 😂 I’ll work on a more solid side by side, but their facial expressions crack me up and I see so much of Kensie in Leighton and I LOVE it. 👯‍♀️

We’re looking forward to getting back to a “normal” (our new normal 😆) schedule this week and enjoying the moments along the way! ❤️

This kiddo has made it through 730 wonderful days on this Earth! They have been the most fulfilling, entertaining and challenging 730 days of my life. 😉

Kensie is freaking hilarious, sassy, sweet and way too smart for her own good. Last month I updated you guys on how great we are as parents since our 2 year old knows the term “oh shit”, and this month I unfortunately have to admit that she also uses it in the correct context. Her cousin missed a goal at her soccer game…”oh shit”. Dropped her chalk and it broke…”oh shit”. 🤦🏼‍♀️ You get the picture.

In other news, KENSIE EATS FOOD NOW! For me. Not just at daycare. Grapes, strawberries, bananas, yogurt, pizza, salmon, mac n cheese, PB sandwiches…Okay I didn’t say the healthiest foods but this is serious progress. Those that have followed our blog the past 2 years know how happy this makes me! 🤗 She also loves to “cheers” every drink she has. KB is gonna crush college.

Her 2 year check up showed a perfectly healthy little nugget, and I do mean little. She’s in the 8th percentile for height so they predict she will be about 5’4″ and she moved up to 35th percentile in weight at 24 whopping pounds!

KB has such a fun personality and is Miss Independent. She has an obsession with “zappatos” (shoes) and still loves her rainboots. I have to hide them frequently so that she will pick out something else on occasion. K prefers her hair in pigtails and when I only do one pony, she hands me another hairband and tells me “uno mas?” 💁🏼‍♀️ Luckily she still lets me pick out her clothes and loves putting them on. She’s showing a lot of interest in the potty and will randomly tell us in time to actually use it! (I know you all care.)

She’s already playing the Mommy v. Daddy card which I was not expecting just yet!! 😳 If I won’t let her do something/have something she immediately asks for Daddy and vice versa (or even Aunt Shell, because she always says yes, LOL). Parenting just got a whole lot more fun!

K is chatting up a storm in both English and Spanish. She loves to sing the beginning of ABC’s,  the entire Happy Birthday song (she sang it to herself at her family birthday party once we finished singing to her…haha!), and a few lines from country songs on the radio! Her favorite song by far is the clean up song – and it is also one of my favorite character traits she possesses (and Chris, we know she got this one from ME! 🙌🏼) – she cleans up EVERYTHING and if you ask her to clean up she gladly puts things away and sings “clean up, clean up, everybody, everywhere…” you get the picture. And you’re welcome for getting that song stuck in your head for the rest of the day.

She is LOVING daycare and asks to go see her friends, by name, every single day. Especially Nana (daycare teacher), because she has way better juice than mommy 🙄…She tells me Kensie is constantly summoning people and cleaning up after everyone. Kens pushes in chairs, closes doors and puts things away. What a great helper!

Kensie loves to do puzzles on her tablet and name animals and objects. My favorite is “daddy’s truck” and my car…which she has named “home” since I always say “Kensie, are you ready to go home?” when we get in it…LOL! She has FINALLY started watching things other than Baby Einsteins. She loves the lullaby cartoons with ducks and horses and of course the infamous Baby Shark song and dance.

Bubbles, Balloons and Airplanes are her 3 favorite things and she is a creature of routine. She loves walking and feeding the dogs (thank God she reminds us), bubble baths and brushing her own teeth. They’re probably filthy though since she refuses to let anyone help. Good thing this set will fall out. 😬 Ha!!

She knows when the lights go out at night we sing our song and say our prayers and I always ask her to name a friend she wants to pray/be thankful for. I usually get a rotation of HenRo, Jeyleen, Layla, Ava and Jordy, but last night she let her balloon go and it floated off in to the sky and she decided we should pray for “bye bye balloon, all gone”. So, there’s that.

And last but not least, she’s still making her daily gains in the gym. She loves swinging from the rings and copying all the warm ups. She’s mastered the barbell Snatch and recently taken a liking to Kettlebell swings. She’s got a solid Split Jerk too…though she prefers just pushing the mop bucket around and convincing people to take her outside to look for airplanes. When she’s not working out, you can usually find her Assistant Coaching.

Kensie is way too much personality to put into one post…but I think this sums it up for her memories pretty dang well. KB, you have the absolute BEST friends and family and you are so loved!!! We’re so proud of the little girl you’re becoming and beyond grateful to be your parents! Happy 2nd Birthday, BeBop!!!!

I’m a few days late on this one since KB’s 23mo fell on Chris’ birthday. I almost skipped it and waited to post until next month but there was something monumental that happened so I feel the need to document for her future years. Kensie said her first cuss word. 🤦🏼‍♀️

I should’ve known it was coming since she’s in the “repeat everything” phase, but she’s only been repeating words we are TRYING to get her to say. Until now.

I was opening her “HUGO!!” aka juice pouch and the straw went in and popped right out of the back. Me, sorta to myself. Still looking at the pouch: “Oh, shit.”

Kensie, without missing a beat. Clear as day: “oh shit!” 😳😂😂😂 oh LAWDY!!!

(Take your judging elsewhere.)

I wasn’t quite sure how to react so I acted like I didn’t hear her, gave her the juice, laughed really hard, and called Chris to tell him about her eloquent vocabulary.

A few days later, she woke up and was calling for me so she could get out of bed. I walked in and 6-7 times in a row, she kept repeating “oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit!” MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY, KB. Oh shit!! Stop it!!!!

It took a lot to hold back the laughter. I ignored it the first few times then told her to stop and that she doesn’t say that. Not sure if she understood but I haven’t heard it since. Safe to say parenting just got a lot more fun. Haha!!!!

While we’re on the topic of vocabulary, this has also been a very proud month for me as a mom. Kensie says “Cock-eee” (coffee) when she points at our coffee maker and…wait for it…WHEN I GO TO STARBUCKS!!! Atta girl, KB. There was one morning she was actually pointing and demanding “cockee” at home and Chris and I were both slightly confused. We’ve never made her one before, but she randomly threw a tantrum over one that day. 😂 Don’t worry, we didn’t give her one. But she’s totally mine. 💁🏼‍♀️

Last month was Henley’s birthday, who happens to be Kensie’s bestie! We practiced for her party to learn how to say “Happy birthday, HenRo!” We got a solid “happy. day. HenRo!!!!” …and not just for the party. For every time we saw HenRo for a few weeks. And now, whenever it’s ANYONES birthday, it’s happy day HenRo!!!!! 🤷🏼‍♀️

Kensie LOVES to help which is really convenient when you need something thrown away. Her favorite chore is feeding the dogs and she will even remind us if we’re slow to get to it. “Momma! Lucy! Jack! Feed? Feed. Yes.” Whole one side conversation she’s got going on with it. She also makes she we “alk” (walk) every day…and you don’t get a choice on that one because she goes and grabs their leashes and gets them all excited so you can’t say no. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Kensie was sick a few weeks ago and I laid with her on the floor and slept for a little while because it was the only way she’d lay down. We put our heads on her hoppy and covered up with a blanket. Then she had 2 weird nights of sleep where she woke up at 2a really upset and just wanted me to hold her. If I pick her up she lays on me and won’t fall asleep for a while…but I’m tired and can’t stand there for 30+ minutes. If I put her in our bed she either starts talking, playing or kicks me in the face while I’m asleep. So, option D: get in the crib with her. She snuggles up and goes right back to sleep. Now, every night I tuck her in and she points at her pillow and says “momma, lay!” 😭 ohhh my heart!!! She also says “amen” when we finish our prayers. ❤️ K gives the best hugs and kisses and tells everyone “hi” and “bye” and “thank you!” She’s even impressively good at sharing with other kids when we’re in public (as long as she’s not tired, then all bets are off) so I’m hoping that doesn’t change TOO much with age!

Just to clarify, she’s not always a super sweet little angel. Her newest party skill involves shoving her mouth with too much food. Chewing it up. Then spitting it back out and handing it to me. Sounds gross, right? It is. But I prefer it over option 2: her machine gun method where she just spews it out. Everywhere. She’s now added “sheereal” aka cereal to her list of favorite foods next to plain slices of bread and Mac n Cheese. 😂 #carblife

K’s also in a stage of tantrums, telling us “no” when we won’t let her do something and smacking when she’s mad. Ohhh BOY. Pray for me.

Our wonderful friends have taught her how to “cheers” and she took it to a whole other level! This past weekend she wanted Kensie and mama and dada to all eat “shereal” for breakfast. So, we did. Then she had us “cheers” our bowls. 😂😂😂

K is extremely smart and her Spanish is coming along just as well as her English!!! She’s starting to relate the languages to her atmosphere. IF she knows the word in both languages, she says it in English with us, and in Spanish at daycare! When I pick her up if she’s asking Nana for something, she will say “Hugo?” to nana and “juice” to me. It blows my mind!!

She surprises me every day with the things and words she knows! She can count to 10 in Spanish, sorta. After “sies” the numbers aren’t always in order; but, she’s got “uno, dos, tres” down solid. K can tell you colors in both languages and sing “old McDonald” – well, the E, I, E, I, O part..and she calls the song “cow!” because apparently that’s the only one she likes to acknowledge on the farm. She’s also got the beginning of the ABCs down!

To no one’s surprise, she’s still a gym rat and her workouts get more impressive by the day! She likes to hang from the rings and swing, do burpees and snatches and warm up and run with ALL the classes.

Next time I post an update…this little babe will be TWO!!! Ahhhh!!! 😭 We are loving every second of watching her grow in her personality, independence and creativity. Still winging this whole parent thing, but I’d say she’s turning out alright so far! 😉

KB is 21 months! Which means in 3 short months…we’ll have a 2 year old! 😭 This little nugget brings so much fun and joy into our lives and impresses us every single day with the new things she does and says.

Kensie is quite the chatter box even though a lot of it is in Spanish. 😂 I frequently have to ask her “Nana” (what she calls her daycare teacher) why she keeps saying certain things. For example, she was pointing at the fridge saying “ooogo” (jugo) and I would give her yogurt since that’s what she usually gets from the fridge and she’d get so mad at yell “no”!!! I figured she was just being a toddler. It was actually because she was asking me for juice. Oops.

K has been calling people by their names and when she finds pictures in the house she points everyone out!

We’ve come leaps and bounds in the eating/growing realm 🤣 even though that means Mac & Cheese for breakfast sometimes. 🤷🏼‍♀️

She’s great at saying “Thank you” to everyone, including servers. Every time they come to the table she says thank you. 🤦🏼‍♀️ At least she’s polite?

We haven’t fully committed to potty training but they’ve gotten her started at daycare! She tells me when she’s already peed, or tells me “pee pee” and once you take off her diaper she sits down then stands up and makes a run for it. Ha! She also likes to fake potty then “clean” it up.

KB has a special talent of carrying as many things at once as she possibly can. She’s going to crush the one trip grocery game when she gets older.

Her obsession with dogs, babies and strollers hasn’t gone anywhere either. She has a special love for Baby Henley and gets SO excited every time she sees her. K stops mid playing just to go give her hugs. ❤️

Kensie LOVES to swim, dance and ride her bike around the neighborhood. She points at Alexa all the time and asks for music so she can “bailar” (dance). She’s still obsessed with balloons and gets really excited when we drive by car dealerships because she can see them out of the window.

K is a little boss baby at daycare. She tells everyone “vamos” & is always cleaning up (that’s my girl!!).

Kensie knows her colors in Spanish and English and counts “uno” and “dos” with her fingers! She can make short sentences and is very particular about what she wants.

She’s constantly picking up on everything people do at the gym and she’s always ready to jump in for a weigh in or a workout!

She’s also in the “MINE” phase. Everything is “mine” if she wants it. 🙄 We’re working through it, lol! While she wants to be little Miss Independent, Kensie’s still the sweetest snuggler for mama and won’t go to bed until daddy goes in for a hug and kiss. 😭

 

20 whole months! Does this mean it’s her first “Golden birthday”? 20 months on the 20th? 😜 Kensie Brooke is so much FUN right now! At least in between her sassing. 

The last month Kens has been at daycare 4-5 days a week because I’ve been crazy busy with the gym. 😔 I miss hanging out with this kiddo all day but I LOVE how much she’s learning and playing and how much they love her!!! 

Kensie has been going potty ON THE POTTY and tells me when she goes in her diaper. I take zero credit for any of it. Her nanny is AMAZING. 

I’ve started to notice KB is picking up on EVERYTHING I say and do. I tell her things or try to teach her names of things or colors and I’m 90% sure she’s ignoring me. Next thing I know, a week later, she acts like she’s known it forever. 

She’s quite the chatterbox and most times you can actually tell what she’s saying through her context clues and gestures. She speaks half English, half Spanish, and signs!  😲

She calls swings “weee” and walks backwards around the house saying “beep beep beep” like a truck backing up. 🤣

K also walks around signing and saying bear…well more like “beah” 🐻

K is great at reprimanding the dogs 🤦🏼‍♀️ she tells them “no!” and “stop!” with a finger point and the whole shebang when they try to take her food (at least until she’s done with it and then just straight up hands it to them…) and says “shhhhh!” when they bark.

Just last week she pointed at my shirt and told me “orange, yellow and azul” and pointed at each color accordingly!!!! 😲 How she knows some in English and some in Spanish is beyond me but it’s amazing and hilarious all in one. She refuses to say water, it’s ALWAYS “Agua”. She loves to call out to mama, dada, oocy (Lucy, our dog), bah bah and Titi (uncle Rob and Aunt Char). 

She will repeat almost anything if she’s in a repeating mood and she constantly cracks herself up. She likes to tell you where your nose is and then stick her finger up it. 🙄 K thinks it’s hilarious…every single time. 

And a lot of her words she says and signs at the same time. How do I keep this up?! How amazing would it be for her to know Spanish, English and sign language her whole life?? 🙌🏼

Kensie has been crushing it at the gym. She lifts her barbell, dumbbells, has mastered her throwing skills and is quite the runner. Her cheeks jiggle with every step. 😜

Breaking news: she’s been chugging her Pediasures and she’s finally grown!! Her torso has gotten longer and her 6-12mo onsies and rompers are finally filled out. Her huge feet have also grown so luckily I’ve been buying shoes a size up for a solid 6 months already. 

While she has definitely developed opinions and a little attitude, Kensie is still the absolute SWEETEST. She still loves babies and gives them hugs and kisses and is extra gentle with them. Her stroller and car seat obsession still remains as well.

Though I’ve been severely slacking on her posts and photo updates, have no fear. Kensie has not been slacking on her bows and fashion.  She regularly insists on rocking her rain boots. Thank goodness for the daily afternoon showers in Florida that make them somewhat appropriate. 🤷🏼‍♀️

And, as you can tell from the photos, we haven’t given up the binky yet. She started teething when I was going to cut the tips and for my sanity alone, I said HARD PASS on the binky eviction. We’ll get there. Eventually. 🤷🏼‍♀️😂

And just like that, we have a 19 month old!

My mom came down to visit this weekend and she said “she’ll be 2 this year!” FIRST OF ALL, MOTHER, why did you need to bring this to my attention?? 😂 I quickly realized that that day is only 5 short months away. 😰

It’s been an awesome, crazy busy month and this little sassafras has made sure there’s never a dull moment.

I honestly don’t even know where to start with this update! KB has become quite the chatterbox this last month. I can’t even count the number of words she says now, but “uh oh” and “all done” are definitely a favorite.

Uh oh is her go to when anything isn’t exactly what she wants or thinks it should be and all done is her phrase for “I don’t want to do this” …like have her diaper changed. 🙄

She is still learning new signs (thanks Baby Einsteins) and on our walk with the dogs tonight a plane flew over us. She started pointing and then put her index and pinky fingers up. I told Chris to look at her and I said “I don’t know what she’s doing. No way that’s the sign for plane.” Oh, it sure is the sign!!! Kid is way smarter than her mama when it comes to that. 😂

Kensie has been a MUCH better eater lately! She’s picky, but she will actually eat, and swallow, full meals the majority of the time so we have that going for us. Peanut butter sandwiches, yogurt and ravioli are staples. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Kensie has discovered the power of hand holding. She will come anywhere in the house to find me (or Chris) and grab our hand to drag us to wherever she wants us to go. It’s usually to let her go play out back. This kid would live outside if we let her!

I have been crazy busy at the gym so KB has spent more time than usual at daycare. 😔 I’ve been pretty sad about it, but K is 100% okay with it!! The days we go to daycare she spends the morning running around the house until I say “want to go see Omaira and Jailene?” (Her teacher and her friend) and she says “yeah!” And walks to the door and tries to open it.

As cute and sweet as she is…she’s also becoming QUITE the diva. I’m slightly terrified for this “threenager” thing I’ve been warned of.

KB is super particular & wants to do everything on her own. Whether it’s unlocking a door, opening her food or getting dressed. She’s convinced she’s grown.

She’s still obsessed with babies, strollers, balloons and walking around the inside of people’s cars. 🤷🏼‍♀️ (she does it in ours and now other people at the gym always let her do it when she asks 😂)

Kensie is still crushing it at the gym and making gains by the day!!! She copies the stretches, does deadlifts & squats and has become obsessed with playing basketball out back.

The plus side to me being busy is that she’s had way more one on one time with “dada” and now she walks around looking for him anytime he isn’t home. It’s so sweet!

I think I covered the highlights…basically, she’s gone from a baby to a little girl over night and I am NOT ready!! BUT – it’s also a ton of fun and I love the little person she is becoming!

I don’t know if anyone else agrees, but I’ve really been missing doing the daily KB updates! Writing has always been an awesome “destress” outlet for me and I don’t think I realize how much I truly enjoyed blogging for her until these posts have gotten way too far apart!

I feel like Kensie has been growing up overnight. In the last week or 2, she’s gone from some words here and there to a complete chatter box. Today alone I head her say 3 words I hadn’t heard before!

She’s also mastered throwing things in the trash when you ask her to, her sassy behind is finally back to giving kisses (she wasn’t about it for a while), she says MAMA when I’m not around (YAAASSS) and knows her Binky stays in the crib and the car! She throws them in so proudly and then applauds herself for it. 😂

Kensie ALWAYS says “dada” around me. I got a text from Chris while they were at the grocery store that said “this has been going on the whole time” and I am pretty sure it’s one of my top 3 proudest moments of my life thus far. Haha!

When I picked Kensie up from daycare last Wednesday, her teacher told me “Kensie love dance! She dance dance! Bailar!” (She speaks little English, so that’s literally how she told it to me). Don’t I know it. 😂

Today, she was telling me she knows how to say her friend’s name. I clarified (whole language barrier thing) a solid 4-5 times because I was sure I wasn’t correctly understanding. “Kensie say Jaleene! Come Jaleene! Vamos Jaleen!”

When I posted about K starting daycare (which feels like forever ago) I mentioned a sweet girl that always comes up and hugs her and tells her “hi baby!” when she gets there. Well, that is now Kensie’s favorite friend. “Jaleene”! I’ll spare you the details of our Spanish/English conversation about it, but when we left, sure as shit, Kensie said “bye Jaleene!” WHAT?! She really does say her name!!!

Writing this down sounds like a very ridiculous thing to be excited about, but hopefully the other mommas will get my excitement. 😂

Kensie has also been paying attention to the potty training going on around her at daycare! She’s been sitting on her potty at home (fully clothed), taking the toilet paper and “wiping” and throwing it in there. 😳 I definitely didn’t teach her that!!! (Parenting win!! If I end up not having to potty train her myself I’m more than ok with that. LOL)

There’s been some serious attitude and serious sweetness wrapped up into this little nugget lately. She’s started swatting at people and thinks smacking is funny. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Then there’s moments like this, where she just wants to go for walks and hold my hand and it completely melts my heart.

K had her 18 month check up and she’s popped up to the 25th and 27th percentile! She’s 21lb and 30.25″. Still a mini nugget, but she’s got a steady growth chart!

I’ve been able to stop worrying about her lack of eating as well. Basically, she just doesn’t eat for me. With my mom? No problem. Eats any and everything. With my MIL? Also no problem. Daycare? Eats it all and asks for more. Home? Still on a picky, hit or miss struggle bus. 🤦🏼‍♀️ Oh well. One day maybe. Lol

I’ve been slacking at photos of this kiddo as well but the reality is, I miss all the good stuff anyway. If I try to catch her in action she stops. Every. Time. I’ll try to step my game back up – and hopefully make a habit out of these posts again…even if it is just for me! 😉