Backpack

We are going on a long awaited vacation, or should I say trip with the kids (that's not really a vacation right?) in a couple of weeks. Tyler is over the moon excited to fly on an airplane. Grandma and Grandpa Carl brought both the kids a backpack to pack their plane stuff in. Tyler is absolutely obsessed with it. He loves it so much and we have taken it everywhere with us since it's arrival. It is even in the car when we go to the grocery store. He packed it up the very first night with every thing he might need...cars, books, shirt, misc toys, tape measure, train whistle, soccer trophy....you know all the really important, can't live without it kind of stuff. I was hoping that packing and repacking over a couple of weeks would get it out of his system so that I could pack the final flight bag. But so far it just gets, packed and packed and packed and I don't know how I'm ever going to get my hands on it. But he will be so proud to carry or roll it around the airport. It will be lots of fun. Thank you Maura and Carl.

Surfer Dude

It looks like once we've mastered swimming we may move on to surfing. I won't tell you what happened about a minute after this photo when the pillows (couch cushions) decided they didn't want to withstand 38 pounds any longer.....

Nice form though, don't you think?

Baseball returns

Earlier last week I mentioned to Dave that it would be interesting, come Spring, to see Ty's baseball hits. He hasn't touched his bat all winter and I said it will be interesting to see how long it takes for him to get back in the groove.....or if he even has the same intense interest in it this year. Well several days after my comments we had a sunny day and Tyler was itching to get outside. So during Hailey's nap we went out and he went straight for his bat. His first hit went from the far side of our driveway all the way up to our neighbors yard. So, he clearly hasn't lost "it" and seems to only be stronger and more able this year. The next day I had Dave pitch to him so I could get some pictures. I discovered once again that the full essence of his baseball hits just can't be captured in a single picture or even a series of them. It's a witness in real life type experience. However, I did get some good pictures and if you don't mind our interpretation of his thoughts.....here you go. I should also mention that he gets real excited when he starts launching the balls and his slogan which he yells loudly as he's preparing to hit is "bam it, slam it!!!"...which I think he actually stole from some Backyardigans episode.

Game face..focused on the ball

Ah, Ha I'm going to get you ball! He's clearly figured out the keep your eye on the ball rule

Contact!!....Hard to see in the small picture but his face is actually distorted...we think he was swinging so hard his face hadn't quite caught up with his eyes

Man, I love this game

Well Rounded

I'd like to think we are raising a well rounded little girl that she can have super power one minute and twirl like a ballerina the next.

Super Power kids or as Hailey says "Peesh Power"

Ballerina Arms (and skirt and shoes)

Just because she was cute today

More pictures of Hailey......just because. She is actually wearing her own hat today which she put on by herself (in case you can't tell :)).

Sweet

goofy

Tired of mom taking pictures

Hailey's Favorite Things

Another Hailey update with some of her favorite things right now. I'll start out with the picture. Here are a few of Hailey's favorite things right now....kitty's, stuffed animals, trains, and most importantly chapstick. She loves to carry around chapstick and put it on her lips and my lips, and offers to apply it to my eyes (I decline every time). A couple of weeks ago she was sitting on this very couch and I had left the room for a minute. When I walked back I suddenly realized there was a pretty strong chapstick smell (who knew that was possible). I had momentary panic as I looked down to see the chapstick tube suddenly half empty.....Oh no, did she eat it. Calmly I said, "Hailey, where did the chapstick go?". She smiled and said "nose" and then slowly pointed towards her nose. I looked more closely and sure enough, her nose was very shiny and her skin was actually deep under A LOT of chapstick. Silly girl (and a big sigh of relief she hadn't eaten it).

Hailey is still going strong with her independence and we hear "Hailey do it" constantly throughout the day. She wants to do the stairs all by herself and has mastered them really. I've let my guard down a lot and sometimes I don't really even watch as she is going up and down. We hardly use the baby gates anymore unless I want to trap her upstairs.

Hailey loves to sing. I catch her singing along to her favorite songs and even her bits and pieces of songs as she sings on her own throughout the day. We always sing a few songs at night before bed and it's no longer me singing to her. Now we sing together and it is very cute. She always draws out the last word and lifts her chin toward the ceiling (as if she were howling really :)).

Her newest vocabulary word is "the" which she says "da". By far my most favorite sentence right now is when she falls down and say "Oh, went boom on da buns".

And finally she has started saying a phrase that Tyler used to say. I think it is so funny that they both say this (Tyler hasn't said it in a while). Right around 2 1/2 or so when Tyler was rascally and ended up in timeout, he would sit in his room and say "What am I going to do?" with much drama. It was the cutest thing and I would always be outside the door back turned smile/laughing.....how can you stay mad at that??? Well, I don't know where she picked it up but in the mornings when Hailey is ready to get up (or should I say get up for real, not the three times earlier in the morning when she wakes up screaming), she'll call for Dave or I and then as it takes a couple minutes to get to her room, I'll hear her say, "What I going do???"

And of course, she still adores her daddy. She's her happiest with him and they love to smother each other in kisses.

Him and Me.....Me and Him

Heart check

We were back at Children's today for a routine check up on Ty's heart patch/implant. All is looking good. Tyler was a real trooper through all the tests, especially since he was none too happy that we had to wake him up this morning to go to the doctor.

Ultrasound

EKG

Blood pressure or the kid friendly "Arm Hug"

Smile

I said, "Hey Ty, can you smile for a picture?"

This is what I got...

Happy Valentines Day!!

Tyler had a fun party at school today and was very excited to come home with Valentines or should I say Valentines with candy. Happy Valentines Day from the Quiggle family.

Put it all together

I don't really even know what to say about this other than this is how Tyler walked out the door for school today........

Passing the time

Yesterday I poured some rice into a pan for Tyler to play with. This is how it started out.

This is how it ended.

Yes more drums

I know Dave just did a blog about drums but I have to include one more picture from yesterday to show you the face of a boy who takes his drumming very seriously (and needs energy from every last inch of his body to drum as hard as he does).

And then of course this is what happens the minute he leaves his chair.

Cheese

Hailey has started to say cheese for the camera. This involves saying "cheese" of course but also jutting out her lower jaw, smiling, and squinting her eyes. It's lovely. And if you are wondering what's all over her face....it's her snack of banana and ritz crackers with cream cheese.

Just gotta be me

Hailey is still loving her brother's hats...

What Do You Wake Up to in the Morning?

So, apparently drumming is an inherited trait. It must have skipped a generation for Val and I and landed smack right into our kids. I wouldn't mind a little flute, or piano, or even an acoustic guitar in the morning now and then. But it is what it is.

Tyler giving lessons via the 'air drum'.

Hailey is hitting her beats.
Now lets rock!

Little Miss Sunshine

So, Hailey is ordinarily quite the little love muffin. Her disposition is usually very sweet and playful but for an hour yesterday she seemed to generate a super sensitive side. We still do not know what the baseball said to her that made her so upset.

You darn thing, entertain me!

You are not helping Dad!
And taking my picture doesn't help either Mom!

But doing the dishes makes it AAAAALLL BETTER;-)

One of Those Moments

There are just times when it all slows down and you get a peek at what it's really all about. It was great seeing Kevin, Lisa and their girls for the Superbowl but of all the moments, including the fashion show post below, my favorite was this. All our kids, growing up before our eyes, sitting like little grown ups eating and drinking together. Kind of what we all used to do together before we all got all growed up!

The Ladies Man

So what does a 4 year old boy do when his Mom and Dad take him to the Mackey's for a Superbowl Party? You take part in a fashion show of course! While I (Dave this time) was downstairs watching the game and enjoying an adult beverage I hear that Tyler is participating in a fashion show upstairs with the Mackey girls. I was hoping Ty was going to be the MC, or a Judge or some other masculine type extra that might keep him from, well, being in a dress during the Superbowl! When I walked upstairs Ty was standing in the middle of Kirsten and Lindsay and Erin Mackey was the Judge. To my enjoyment the little man was dressed like a cop and a Sergeant no less! He was almost standing at attention except he had to tilt his head waaaaay back because the 5-point formal cap was too big so e couldn't see. When Erin announced he was the winner he flexed his arm, whispered an emphatic 'yes' and walked straight over to his proud papa and.........handed me a ticket from his uniform and said, "Here's a hundred dollar ticket for driving dangerous!" I plan on asking for a deferal on that ticket!

Who are these Village People Dad is talking about in between his laughs?
This girl is coming with me, trust me, I'm a cop!

Hmmm, but her older sister sure looks like a Princess!

Tea Party Anyone??

I think everyone should dress themselves like this for a tea party, don't you......pants mom dressed me in, check. Way to big sweatshirt I insisted mom put on me, check. Birthday crown, Check.

Now if I just had my princess skirt on.......check.

Tea party rules. Pour. Drink your cup of tea. Then, forget the cup and just drink from the pot.