Sissypants

The other night we were getting the girls ready for bed and Ryan held up a little nightgown and goes "what IS this??"  It was my nightgown from when I was little - my mom had a matching one!  My sisters, Sav and Jo, also wore it and my mom passed it down when I had L.  I never remembered to get it out when Lyla was little, and I really didn't have any idea what size it was.  Luckily Ryan slipped it right on little Everly and it fit like a glove.

It's so funny, I have this image burned in my mind of Jo and her fuzzy blonde hair in this very nightgown.  It's hard to believe I have my very own little fuzzhead wearing that same nightgown.  Everything about these pictures makes me want to go all gushy, but she turns 1 1/2 next week so I'll save it all up for that.

You're a precious one my little sissypants.

- K

A Visit From Grandma and Pop

Grandma and Pop Chapman were in town the last 10 days helping with the girls while our nanny is on vacation.  Mostly they just got worn out every day by our two Tasmanian devils we like to call daughters, but we did manage to get out and have a bit of fun.  We even got a babysitter and went out, all of us adults - for the very first time since having kids.  We went to Stella's Fish Cafe, which I'm pretty sure is my favorite rooftop restaurant in the cities.

We also took an afternoon trip out to Stillwater, which I love.  We hadn't been there since Lyla was Evie's age now, which was crazy to think about.  The girls had plenty of candy and ice cream and didn't run around like fools at all.  ;)

- K

Let The Good Times Roll

I keep seeing these back to school photos on Facebook from my Denver friends, and it shocks me to think Fall is right around the corner.  Here in the arctic wasteland school doesn't start until after Labor Day.  We like to hold on tight to these dwindling warm summer weeks and try to forget that school and sweaters and snow are right around the corner.  Even though my kids aren't even in school I still somehow have to fight that "August=school=summer's over" mentality I can never seem to escape.  Minnesota is kindly helping me out by being extra hot and humid, just to make sure I don't have any relapses.

But seriously, we've had the best summer ever over here.  Every weekend has been better than the last, and you can see it on our babies' golden skin and sun-kissed hair.  The last couple of weekends were full of lakes and bounce houses, ice cream and rides, and most importantly - Elsa and Anna.  Can't wait to soak up every last ounce of the season!

Here are some pics!

- K

babe alert

these two are the cutest

i mean, the hair - obviously, but how adorable is that profile?!

they thought it was hilarious to run (bike) through the sprinklers after we got back home

look at that smile!

she's playing it cool here, but she totally loved it

Three AND A HALF

Today was Lyla's half birthday - my first baby is three and a half.  It's funny, the words alone seem so insignificant.  Three and a half.  Three is still such a small number, and really three years is a short amount of time.  The first three years of our marriage flew by, and the three years we dated before that.  The three years of college I had before we met flew, and every other three year period. 

But the last three and a half years of my life have been the furthest thing from insignificant.  And in the last 6 months my girl has changed so much.  She's losing her toddler and gaining so much big kid.  She's officially in kid sizes (back when she was a baby I literally thought I'd die the day that happened) and she's obsessed with being big like mom to sit in the front of the car and drink coffee.  :)

I look at sweet Lyla and I see such a mix of baby and big kid.  Her best friends in the neighborhood are 5 or 6 years old.  She's got an opinion on every little thing, a wild imagination, and could care less about fashion other than princess dresses and cat shoes.  She's an amazing biker (with training wheels) and the fastest on a scooter with as little fear as ever.  But just as quickly as she'll wipe out, hop up and run off to the next stunt without a second thought, she'll come running to me with a big Mama!, wrap her arms around my leg and ask to be held or cuddled, and I'm reminded of what a precious, tender little thing she still is.

To celebrate her stealing my heart for 42 months in a row we went to the Barbie Dream House again (she's been talking about it since we went for her 3rd birthday and it was every bit as exciting as the first time) and stopped at the Disney Store.  The girls were a couple of dolls - we had such a blast.  I am one lucky girl.

- K

I took these pics of L today before we left for the mall.  I don't know why she was so obsessed with the globe, but man is she a cutie.  :)

Curtsying :)