Kynlee

Kynlee continues to be my sweet little pleaser.  She likes for people to be listening and she likes to know that she did the right thing, but lately we are starting to see a little more fiesty attitude from our former people pleaser.  While this does make life a little more difficult at times (because this child's stubbornness is second only to Westin's) it also makes me happy to see her coming into her own a little and not just trying to make others happy.  Don't get me wrong, overall she is still my peacemaker and boy am I grateful for that role, but I also like knowing that she will be able to stand up for herself when she needs to.  

One of my favorite memories of Kynlee this year has to do with her favorite color.  For most of this past year her favorite was purple, but she couldn't quite say it, so whenever she asked for something purple, she would say, "I want the people one".  I was so sad the day she learned to say purple!!  She has now moved on and is obsessed with orange, she must be a girl after her Aunt Jessica's heart because that was Jessica's favorite at about this age!

Kynlee really is a peacemaker.  When there is a conflict between two siblings, she is usually the one trying to fix it.  And when someone has changed their mind, she will usually make a sacrifice to allow the other to be happy.  For example, at the grocery store the other day, I let everyone pick out one piece of candy (they had been excellent the entire time).  When it was all said and done, Gage changed his mind about what candy he wanted and became upset.  Kynlee came to the rescue and quickly swapped candy with him to make him happy!  She does stuff like this all the time!  I think she is going to have one heck of a giving and nurturing spirit as she gets older and it makes my heart happy to be able to watch it develop.

Kynlee's pictures in her Texas Tech Shirt.  The series shows a small glimpse into her silly side if you've never gotten to witness it yourself.

Kynlee: staying inside the lines . . . this pretty much describes her personality!  I have a picture of Brooklyn during the same painting session with color all outside the lines and giving her brush a big flourish in the air after every stroke.  I wish I could put both pictures because it's a pretty funny comparison, but Brooklyn is baring a little to much skin for internet purposes!

True to her nurturing personality, when the kids play pretend, Kynlee is always the "mom."  Not "mommy, " but "mom."  This is how I know who the kids are talking to because I am always "mommy" or "momma" and Kynlee is always "mom."  It is hysterical to listen to their pretend games.  I hear Kynlee say things like, "You can have candy after you eat your food" or " you can play with your friend after your nap, sweetheart." (Brooklyn is usually "sweetheart"  not baby or sister, they always call her "sweetheart").   The other day, they had Gage pretending the be the family dog and I heard Kynlee say, "Dog I am going to put you in your cage!" and then she started wrestling Gage into the "cage" which was really just a spot behind a basket in her room.  I started to intervene because it looked like it was getting a little rough, but they both informed me that they didn't need any help, they were just playing.

While I mentioned that Kynlee is a peacemaker .  . . she has recently been demonstrating the makings of a pretty strong temper herself.  While she likes for things to be happy and peaceful, if you push her far enough she can be down right mean!  However, I have to admit that the girl gives fair warning.  While I shouldn't laugh, it really is pretty funny when you hear sweet, tiny little Kynlee tell someone, "If you do that again, I'm going to come over there and hit you."  At least they were warned right?!  Even funnier is when she comes up with ridiculous consequences for your actions if you do not side with her.  The most recent that comes to mind was when she got mad at Granna last weekend.  I'm actually not sure she was mad at Granna, I think someone else made her angry and then somehow the anger got placed on Granna (because Kynlee does this, once she is mad, she is mad at the whole room if not the whole world).  Anyway, she ended up telling Granna, "I am never going to come to your house again and I am going to tell other people not to come to your house anymore!"  It still makes me laugh to think about it!

Around anyone that is not family, Kynlee is reserved and shy, often not even willing to leave my side.  However, if you get her in her comfort zone, she is super silly, crazy and fun.  She loves to show me "tricks" and her hiney wiggle rivals Westin's.  The two of them crack me up!  Kynlee used to get shy about being silly even around her family, but she is finally letting loose a little and I love this!

We are so blessed by this serious, silly, sweet, loving, tempered and mothering girl!  

Kynlee

Kynlee (a.k.a. Kynlee-belle) . . . last, but never least!  She continues to be my high strung little monster.  She is so tense all the time, that I think she burns major calories.  The kid is tiny around and has a solid six-pack!  If you hear a sound that sounds a little like hyperventilating at my house, it's Kynlee.  She's either super excited, begging to be held or running from Daddy who is chasing her and trying to get a reaction (which he ALWAYS gets from her).

Kynlee Savannah, 2 years old her Tech shirt

She spent this "photo shoot" trying to high jack other people's pictures and saying "Keese" (cheese), note a small part of Westin to the side of her . . . I guess she succeeded a little

She's pretty funny!  She loves to pick out her own clothes and shoes (this is true of both my girls).  She takes what she wants, when she wants it, though she does sometimes offer a consolation prize to the sibling she is snatching from.  She ALWAYS pays attention to EVERYTHING going on around her.  She is always looking for the open adult that she can claim for undivided attention.  Does it sound like Kynlee is alot of work?  Well . . . that's because she is!

But, she's really sweet too . . . She brings things to her brothers and sister that she thinks they might want (favorite toys, shoes, etc.)  She will sometimes hug or kiss a sibling for no apparent reason.  Recently she has become very sweet and snuggly at bedtime.  This may be part manipulation (or maybe all), but it works and I'll take, because she used to not snuggle ever!  When you say it's bedtime, she points to the couch or the bed in her room for you to lay down with her and she will lay her head on your shoulder and not move a muscle.  It totally works on my and it's one of my favorite moments of the day!

Kynlee has had some interesting habits this last year . . . the funniest one being that she used to check between her toes for fuzz EVERY time she took off socks.  I haven't seen this recently, but we are just heading back into sock weather, so maybe it will make a reappearance (I secretly kind of hope so, because it makes me laugh every time).

Kynlee is talking when she wants to.  The thing I hear from her the most is "ear momma"  as she hands me things ALL DAY LONG!  She also likes to label things she knows and ask you to label things she doesn't all day long!  She can say Brooklyn "La La" and Westin "We We" ( said with a short "e" sound).  I recently discovered why she likes the Madeline doll so much (I bought it for Brooklyn because it has red hair, but she and Kynlee switched).  When I was fixing the dolls hair the other day, she started reaching for it and saying, "My La La" over and over.  I guess it reminds her of her sister!  I LOVE this.  My very favorite thing that Kynlee says right now is "Bick a Boo" (peek a boo). She does this randomly throughout the day and it's awesome!


Gotta love my Kynlee, she keeps me on my toes!!

Kynlee

So, I'm really slow these days . . . but finally here is Kynlee's first year.

Kynlee, you have been a petite little fireball from day one. You were the first to let us know you were mad, you were ALWAYS bright eyed and looking around and you were always a little demanding. What can I say, you're a girl who knows what she wants and what you want is to explore the world your way, right now! You have been such a funny baby from the start. Very happy, but also a little high strung and serious. You have the brightest smile when you get excited, but often the look on your face is very serious or concerned as you study everything and everyone around you.

You are kind of a Daddy's girl. You are often the first one to greet him at the door in the evenings and when he gets home, you tend to cling to him and let everyone else have me (that is unless he is occupied with someone else and I am not, because above all, you like to have a big person to yourself if possible). Maybe the Daddy's girl in you stems from when you were tiny and it was generally Daddy who put you to sleep. You would fight sleep so hard and Daddy would squeeze you to sleep. I'm really not kidding, he would hold you tight against his chest and keep your arms pins down and you would finally give up and give in. Eventually we got smart and put in a swaddle blanket that Granna referred to as the straight jacket, but even she couldn't argue with the results. Even with this, Daddy still sometimes had to put the squeeze on you. While Daddy LOVES that you are a Daddy's girl, you stress him out a little too because you are NEVER still! You move and wiggle and turn and twist in an effort to see everything.

In your Tech shirt

You are a strong baby too. We've had several people comment on how muscular you are even when you were smaller. I think you may be one of our athletes. Maybe sending you out to run will keep you a little calmer as you get older.

One of the funniest things that we have noticed about you as this year progressed was how intently you studied everything! You even started watching what the other babies were doing when they were getting attention and copying some of their behaviors. I'm not kidding. You've been known to copy the Brooklyn hug and the Gage dramatic head on the floor move. It's pretty funny to watch, but if these moves don't work for you, you will just grab Mommy's face and turn it so I have to look at you. Recently you have begun to freak out when I call any other kid to me. If I call your name, you don't usually come, but if I call someone else's name, you crawl to me like your life depends on it while panting in a very stressed out manner. Then you cling to me and push away anyone else that approaches. You will do this with Daddy too! It's funny, but a little ridiculous.

Sleeping with your horse. You sleep with this every night and every nap! So sweet!

I love you so much, I love your stressed out laugh and your busy little body. I love watching you figure out the world (and you'll probably have it all figured out soon!). I can't wait to see what you figure out in this next year and watch the way you interact with everyone else. You keep me on my toes, that's for sure!