Kaiya at 14 months

14 month accomplishments

• has begun to run without completely stumbling
• decided that everything her cousin, Tavia wants she should have instead, and screams at her in efforts to get it.
• loves pushing the umbrella stroller through the stores at the mall
• observes ants and tries to pick them up (pretty much crushes them in her efforts)
• has learned the sign for "daddy"
• loves when we grasp her hands to pray for meals and usually laughs in glee
• is observing and trying EVERYTHING!!! very quick to pick up on something she sees just once
• already wants her own real cell phone
• is enjoying being an only child for another month.

Helping at Uncle's

Today Kaiya decided to help out at Uncle Kaylan's on the house. She had a great time overseeing the guys.

"Dad, more mud over here....Grandpa I'm not sure about how straight this line is...Uncle what are you doing?"

She finally decided she would take over mixing mud for dad. This is pretty FUN!

Decorating the house

Now that we know we will be staying in Minot for a while we have finally started putting finishing touches on our house. (hanging up pictures, decorating) Tim's summer job is working with Jost Construction/Masonary as a laborer. One of the advantages/disadvantages is that whenever it rains it makes it hard for them to lay brick and work so often times he is sent home for the day. It is wonderful to have him around, but a bummer when no work equals no money. We ended up hanging most of our stuff up a couple Wednesdays back when he was home for a rainy day. Here are some of the updates.

Kaiya's Almost Finished Room

So painting took a little longer than anticipated. There was a lot to this. Thanks Tim for the persistance and perfection of making this look amazing for our daughter! Carpet will be installed sometime here in the near future (we hope)

Kaiya's BIG girl room

So tonight after Kaiya went to bed at 8 pm we started painting her Big girl room.

This is what the room looked like before as the playroom. It would have been perfect if we were having a boy :)

This is part of the during process. Grandma Chell came over to help out. With such bright colors we had to do 2 coats of primer.

And a sneak peak of what's to come.... check back tomorrow for more.

Water Play

Tavia checking it all out. (picture above)

Kaiya not sure what to think. (picture to the right)

Today I took the girls (Kaiya and my niece Tavia) outside to play in the water fountain. The water was pretty cold since it came straight from the faucet. They seemed to love it anyways.

Who wouldn't enjoy this!

Baby Allie is coming...

So I had my doctor's appointment yesterday and everything looks on schedule and good for Baby Allie to make her entrance. Only 5 more weeks (or less) until we get to see this little bundle of joy. She is completely moving and kicking me. I think she has been more active than Kaiya was. I am hoping that we get an opportunity to paint Kaiya's new bedroom this weekend so that we can start getting the nursery ready again for Allie. Only 5 more weeks!!! AHHH

Not sharing this...

Kaiya definitely has a mind of her own lately as she has become a little individual. This weekend when we were coming home from the reunion we picked up a chocolate malt at Stamart. We went to let her have a taste of it and pretty much didn't see it again.

Mowing with "da"

So today it was a beautiful June day in the 80's. (A first this year). We bought Kaiya a little pool today and decided to give it a test. The pool is in the fenced in part of the yard. While she was playing Tim decided to go mow the lawn. Kaiya could hear the lawn mower and kept going to the fence and saying "da." She playing in the water a while, but finally decided she had enough and wanted to see her "da." Immediately she found him and decided to be his little helper.

Family Reunion

This past weekend July 13-16 we had our Carlson Family Reunion out at Inspiration Point Bible Camp near Fergus Falls, MN. Tim actually was a camp counselor out at the camp for three summers during college. He loved it and so far we have been there every summer since we have gotten married. It was fun for Kaiya to get to see some of her second cousins and for Tim to meet some of my family that we just briefly saw at our wedding. Saturday during the day it was cooler but Kaiya still wanted to go in the water so we let her. She loved it...after a while her poor little legs were shivering, but she still wouldn't let us take her out.

Fun with the Sand Table

May 30, 2008
So we have a sand table and at Walmart they were selling blue sand. I decided to pick up a bag. Kaiya loved playing in it. She was actually getting over a cold and kept putting it up to her upper lip. She wasn't eating it but kinda sniffing it. It stuck to her runny nose and she looked like a little man with a moustache.

Let's try this AGAIN

Goodness there is so much to catch up on. Our beautiful baby girl Kaiya Grace is now a beautiful toddler that is full of never ending energy and life. She celebrated her first birthday April 27th, 2008.

We moved into a new house this past December after 8 months of renovation....(okay the renovation is never done....we were just finally able to occupy it in December).

I started and ended a new job being a daycare provider. The Munchkin Patch officially began in August 2007 and ended in May 2008. I absolutely loved the kids that I had, but had a hard time being confined to my house for 10 hours a day. The stress of it all also started to get to me.

Tim and I took a huge step of faith and he put his resignation in at Our Redeemer's Christian School where he has been teaching Jr.high for the past 4 years. He absolutely loved it, but we knew that God was calling us to trust Him no matter where it lead us. We are happy to announce that His leading will allow us to continue to make our home here in Minot. Tim was offered a job teaching 1st grade at Dakota Elementary School on the air force base with Minot Public Schools last Friday. We are so thankful to God for an answer to a persistent prayer of 2 years.

Last BIG update is that we are expecting our second little girl here in July. (Kaiya will be 15 months) I am getting more big and pregnant...this time around isn't as fun as it was the first time. I think being pregnant for 16 of the last 22 months is catching up with me. I'm super excited to have our little girl here in person and start reclaiming my body.

So this last week I've enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom while watching my 1 year old niece. I am sure now there will be plenty more to come.