Splish Splash

This morning Kyndall and I met up with Heidi, Kadyn and Kinsley and enjoyed a few hours at the splash pad.  I've been wanting to take Kyndall for a while, so I was excited when Heidi invited us to join them.  The splash pad is in the same area as our local water park, but the splash pad only costs $1 to get in, and kids under 2 are free.  So for only a buck, we enjoyed a fun morning out with our friends and Kyndall was able to wear herself out for the day! 

The 3 K's

The girls all had a great time and Heidi and I both agree that we'd like one of these splash pads in our backyard!! =)



Go Kyndall Go!!!

Yesterday, Kyndall's physical therapist Ms. Ingrid brought a surprise with her.  She showed up with a new activity in hand for Kyndall to try............

Yep, that's right!  Roller skates!!!  My baby girl who was barely even walking this time last month, is now SKATING!  I'm not kidding when I say I think she skates better than she walks!  She was zooming all over our living room and having a blast!  Ingrid was shocked at how well she did on the skates, considering she's still in the early stages of walking.  She said the skates will be a great way to help improve her balance, her strength and of course her coordination.  Plus, they're FUN!  =)  I am so proud of how far she's come in such a short time!  Ingrid says that she's starting to exceed the goals she set for Kyndall and she's no longer going to come twice a week, but rather twice a month!!  Although Kyndall will miss seeing her so often, it's a great sign of how well she's doing and how far we've come since starting PT just a few months ago.

Oh, one more thing I wanted to share.  Last night while in Target, I wanted Kyndall to pick out a new puzzle.  She's really into them lately, and they had a few on sale.  So, I held up four of them to choose from---one with farm animals, one with jungle animals, one with butterflies and this one, which ultimately became the obvious choice...................

I think we need an intervention!!!

Sugar and Spice.........

.......And everything tom-boy???  I've recently shared that Kyndall is completely and totally OBSESSED with all things that "go"---whether it be motorcycles, bicycles, tractors, lawnmowers or monster trucks---she loves them all!  So, it was no big surprise when we walked into the toy store Friday night and she spotted these and had to have them.........

Yes, those are light up monster trucks.  Precious, aren't they??  Believe me, I tried my hardest to talk her into a baby doll or a kitchen set or even something a little more neutral like a puzzle.....but there was no changing her mind.  I even tried just saying "no" and putting them back on the shelf.  She screamed and kicked and caused a major scene until I finally gave in and let her have them.  She literally squealed with excitement when I put them in the cart and we walked to the check out.  All I could do was laugh.  God really has a sense of humor, doesn't He?  He gave me the little girl I have always wanted, but making her into my little Princess might prove to be a bit of a challenge!

One of these things is not like the other.  A pearl bracelet and a monster truck. 

And if the monster trucks weren't proof enough, she also loves to play rough with Daddy..........

No fear!

Ok, so maybe there's a tiny hint of girliness somewhere inside of her!  There is hope!

That's my girl! 

Saturday, she broke my heart yet again when she preferred to wear Daddy's hat over letting me comb her messy hair and put a nice pretty bow in it...........

Of course I will love her no matter what, but I sure would like her to be at least a little bit girly!  My love for big bows, smocked dresses, monograms and all things PINK cannot end this quickly!  I guess I'll enjoy dressing her up while I can, because I have a feeling that in a few years I will have some serious compromising to do! 

Girls Day Out : A Day at the Museum

Today I decided to venture into downtown Charleston and let Kyndall have her first experience at the Childrens Museum.   (Technically called the Childrens Museum of the Lowcountry, but whatever)When we first moved here a few years ago and I was working as a nanny, I practically LIVED at this place with the kids I kept!!  I always thought it would be neat to someday bring my own kids back to visit the museum if we still lived here.  Well, here we are 3 years later and today was that day. 

I parked at the very top of the parking deck so that we could take in some of the gorgeous views of downtown Charleston before walking across the street to the CML.

**It needs to be said that all of these pictures were taken on my point and shoot camera that I keep in my diaper bag.  It was just too much to try and chase a toddler AND haul around my huge SLR camera.  So, I apologize for the quality---definitely not my best work, but you will get the point.

This was the first time that Kyndall wore her "moon shoes" and her braces out in public. Not because I'm embarrassed, but because usually she doesn't do much walking when we're out and about for errands and such.  But I knew that today she would benefit from having them on, and she did!  I didn't carry her at all!  She practically ran all over that museum!

The museum is inside of the old train station.  That's it on the left, the smaller of the two long buildings with the red roofs.

I'm not really sure why they call it a museum, because it's not a museum at all. It's more like a learning facility. There are 7 rooms, each of which has a theme. As the kids travel from one room to the next, they're constantly learning, feeling and experiencing whatever that particular room's theme

 is.

First up was the "ball" room, where the kids learn all about velocity, speed, gravity, force, etc.  Obviously this was a little above Kyndall's head, but she got the concepts of each station pretty well I think.

 

Our next stop was to the water room.  This is probably the most popular room in the entire museum, as it stays pretty busy with curious kiddos who are soaking wet!  In this room they learn about the water cycle, bridges, levy systems, dams, rapids and the force of water. 

I love this little replica of our very own Cooper River Bridge!

Next was the pirate ship room...........

The next room we visited has always been my favorite, simply because it's so realistic!  It's the grocery store!  It's set up exactly like a real Publix, complete with real check outs and scanners, a deli, shopping carts/baskets, and all the groceries you could ever need!  It's adorable!!

This check out actually has a computer that scans each item, give the name, price, quantity, etc!  Just like a real store!  It even prints a receipt for the kids to take!

This little "angel" kept stealing Kyndall's cart and taking her things.  I watched as Kyndall patiently put up with the little girl's bossy ways and I was proud that she didn't fight back or get upset.  I hope she stays this easy-going!

So, what did Kyndall shop for?  Let's see.....Shampoo, a lobster, some fruit and a bell pepper.  So random, but those were her choices!

Oh, and she grabbed some fresh flowers on her way to the check out

I'm also a big fan of the "Totally Toddler" room, because it's strictly limited to kids age 3 and under.  After seeing Kyndall get shoved around by bigger kids a few times, I was ready to be able to sit back and just let her play without worrying she would be trampled.  This room has lots of soft mats for climbing, books, sensory toys, puzzles, etc.  Just perfect for toddlers!  (And tired Mommies who just want to sit and take a break!)

It was too hot to go outside, but this fire truck looks pretty fun too!  They even had fire "gear" you could put on like boots, hats, and a firefighter jacket.

Our last stop was the castle room, where kids can find hidden tunnels, stairs and passageways that take them into all kinds of secret spots.  They also have medieval type dress up clothes that the kids can wear and swords and other props to play with.  Of course, Kyndall went straight to the building blocks first.

The only room we didn't visit was the art room.  It's pretty cool too, but I thought Kyndall might be a little young for it.  It's basically a huge room full of every type of art supply you could ever imagine---scissors, paint, glue, pipe cleaners, tissue paper, glitter, etc.  You can make anything you want and then let it dry while you explore the other rooms. 

We stopped for a quick juice break before heading out to get a late lunch

I wasn't sure where we would eat, but I knew strolling down King Street would be really fun!  If you ever come to Charleston, you HAVE to visit King Street.  It's considered the shopping district, and there's not a single thing on that entire street I could possibly afford!  However, it's fun to browse the boutiques and shops just to see what it's all about.  There are also lots of nice restaurants along King Street, none of which I was willing to pay for either!  So, I was happy when we came upon a Moe's just a few blocks down from the museum.  Kyndall and I both got a kids meal and we ate for a whopping $7 total!  Take that, King Street!  =)

After lunch, we wandered around beautiful Marion Square.  I would equate Marion Square to New York City's Central Park, but on a much smaller scale.  It's a gorgeous open park in the heart of downtown where people go to read, lay out, walk the dogs, or just sit and relax.

St. Matthew's Church, one of my favorites (Sights like this make me wish I had my GOOD camera with me!)

Looking down the infamous King Street

Believe it or not, after lunch and our downtown stroll, we went back to the museum again!  Once you pay your entry fee, you can come and go as much as you want that day.  Kyndall enjoyed the day so much that I ended up buying a yearly membership, which will get us in for free for the next year.  I have a feeling we'll be spending a lot of time down there!  I can't wait to take Matthew back with us so he can see Kyndall in action.  She had a ball!  She didn't take a nap at all today, not even a power nap in the car on the way home.  Despite that, she was GREAT and didn't fuss or whine a single bit.  It was a terrific day and I look forward to doing it again soon!!