Ch Ch Changes

Hey all! We do still exist, I'm just super lazy...not to mention, we've had LOTS of changes over here.

Kenna is potty trained (what?!)...I knew it was finally time when she started, literally, taking her diaper off and telling me she needed to pee. I was all ready to send her to kindergarten in diapers. That's how NOT up for potty training I was. But I guess it's true what they say, 'you'll know when they're ready.'

Kenna was still using her pacifier at nap and bedtime. We decided it was finally time to nix that habit so we made a call to the "Night Night Fairy" who came to collect Kenna's paci (which we had left hanging on the front door) in exchange for some presents! At first she was a little leery, but then we told her money might be involved, she jumped on board. Smart girl, I tell ya!

Other happenings:

We did some winter camping.

Kenna went to the dentist! She totally rocked it and even let them get x-rays and do a full clean. We were pretty proud parents and she still talks about the prizes she got.

I traveled to Pennsylvania to celebrate my great aunts' (plural for twins) 90th birthdays! It was a blast spending time with my parents and distant family...and not having a SCHEDULE...(example: "oh wait, it's 8:30? Well hell yes let's go get dinner!")

Valentine's Day with this sweetie was so fun this year. Donuts and crafts?! Well, of course!

Carson's annual work trip was in Florida this year. We went a few days early to spend time with my family who live there and then partied it up! And by that I mean, we drank lots of pool beers, got lots of massages and went to bed by 9 :)

Then we came home to this cute thing:

Although we've had lots of fun and lots of great changes around here, I assure you things have been a real bitch lately. Kenna has definitely hit the terrible two's and pushes our buttons on a daily hourly basis. All these milestones have brought major challenges and most days I am questioning my abilities as a mother or counting down the hours until bedtime...which I might also add has turned into a complete and utter shit show. But at the end of the day, when I'm sitting on the couch (not blogging, obvi), chugging my wine and listening to my kid scream for one more book or one more song or a brighter night light or the door cracked or more blankets or a snack or to use the potty for the 15th time...I remember that, this too shall pass and I am so thankful I'm hers and she's mine.

Life lately.

We have been quite the busy little bunch around here. Football, holidays and, oh you know, surviving WRATH OF A TWO YEAR OLD, have definitely kept things a little crazy. Crazy in a good way...most of the time.

Kenna update: She's two. Have I made that clear yet? We have good days and bad days...or as my husband would say, we have bad days and worse days :) She is extremely busy and constantly talking. Seriously, she DOESN'T. STOP. TALKING. Although sometimes annoying, I keep reminding myself that this is just her way of learning the world around her and practicing her vocabulary. She definitely excels in the language department and has even started using some Spanish in context. I wish I could take credit for that but nope, credit is all due to Dora on that one. And then there's Dora...sigh.

For Kenna's 2nd birthday party we decided to rent a school bus (because when your kid is completely obsessed with school buses, that's what you do). It was absolutely PERFECT and Kenna was one happy little child.

I thought it would be fun to be able to look back at Kenna at age 2...if we survive it, that is. So here's a little bit about our girl:

Eating: some days she's picky, some days she'll eat anything. Her favorites are yogurt with cereal and blueberries, bananas, pb & j's, granola bars, fries, tomato soup and milk.

Sleeping: 8-8 typically. Napping from about 1:30-3:30.

Wearing: Some 2T but mostly 3T now for length. 6-6.5 shoe size.

Height/Weight: 36" and 27 lbs.

Comfort Items: a couple blankets, a couple pillows, Elle (elephant stuffed animal), pink Elle (smaller pink elephant stuffed animal), froggie (weird little frog thing that rattles, attached to a small blanket), Osito (teddy bear, Spanish--she came up with that one on her own) and her pacifier...which we are still working on breaking her of at nap time.

Favorites: singing songs (twinkle twinkle, you are my sunshine, ABC's, wheels on the bus), puzzles, Dora, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Curious George, play kitchen, play dough ("pluto"), painting on her easel and lately she's been super into instruments, her "titar" (guitar), especially.

She can: say her ABC's and recognize some letters, count to 17, recognize most colors and make the sound of just about every animal.

Potty training: She has peed on the potty numerous times (sometimes even telling us she needs to sit on the potty prior to) but I still don't think she is totally ready...or let's be real, I don't think I am totally ready. I plan on waiting until she is practically begging me to full on potty train. Let's just hope that comes before the age of 4 :)

And now for some speed updating:

On September 9th, we welcomed our nephew, Calvin James Pennock, into the family.

Now he looks more like this:

Cousins doing cousin things.

This year, for Halloween, Kenna was a fox and quite possibly my favorite costume of all time. We threw Kenna the fox and and Easton the lobster into the wagon for some trick or treating around the hood. And beers for the adults, of course.

It snowed...a lot.

Carson and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary on November 7th, with a weekend getaway to McCall. Apparently the only picture I got was this one of our purple, wine stained grills.

We went to a reggae concert for a friend's 30th birthday. I may have drank too much and didn't leave my bed until 4:30 pm the next day. For the record, that is a really poor decision when you are responsible for another, much littler human life.

We hosted Thanksgiving in Boise this year. It was so great having all of our family here together in our home. PS, I realize none of the following pictures depict Thanksgiving (fail) but they are all from that weekend so I still consider that a win.

Kenna tried to kidnap baby Jesus:

Then it was Christmas! Major bullet points here: Kenna still hates Santa, we made cookies, I found Kenna an amazing Snoopy sweatshirt for 99 cents at the thrift store and we went to Bend and Portland for the holiday.

Boise State is playing in the Fiesta Bowl tomorrow against Arizona. I have been left at home while the husband is currently on his way down for the game...and by currently I mean, he is walking around the Vegas airport during his layover with a beer in his hand and probably hitting up the penny slots. So. Not. Fair. 

Go Broncos!