Kyndall the Adorable at 2.5

It's been a really long time since I bragged about blogged about Kyndall's milestones, so I figured now was a good time to do that.  At two and a half years old, she is by far one of THE FUNNIEST toddlers I have ever met and keeps us laughing constantly with her witty little personality.  This post may be boring to some, but I feel it's important that I document these "little things" that I want to always remember about our sweet girl at this stage of life her life.  So, here's what Kyndall Anne Hughes has been up to lately........

• She hasn't been to the doctor since her two year check up, but I'm estimating she weighs somewhere around 27 pounds.  She is still wearing 24 month and 2T clothing, a size 7-8 shoe (depending on the type), and a size 4 diaper.
• She continues to challenge me in terms of her eating habits but some of her current favorites are grilled cheese, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, pop tarts, oatmeal (yay!), PB & J sandwiches, bologna sandwiches, waffles, yogurt, pizza, strawberries, bananas, oranges, peaches, and applesauce.  She is a bigger fan of the previously mentioned foods when they are covered in "dip dip" (aka Ranch dressing, ketchup, mustard, etc.) If you'll notice there are no veggies and no meat on that list.  Still working on that!  She drinks whole organic milk mixed with Ovaltine for breakfast and dinner and her juice of choice is V8 Fusion in the peach mango flavor, which she usually gets for lunch.  She also loves to sip on Mommy's sweet tea whenever possible!
• "Little Miss Independent" has become her nickname lately because we are constantly hearing her say "me do it" in a very demanding little voice.  Whether it's putting on her shoes, turning off a light when we leave a room, wiping her own nose or even cleaning the house---SHE WANTS TO DO IT!  I love this because it has proven to be very helpful when used to my advantage.  She loves to take things to the trash, put her dishes in the sink and clean up after herself. 
• I am completely amazed at how much her speech has improved just in the last few weeks!  She is now putting several words together and forming sentences.  Though some things only Mommy can understand, most of it is pretty clear.  When we left South Carolina, I planned to re-enroll her in speech therapy as soon as we got settled here in Tennessee.  However, now I'm having second thoughts because I feel like she's finally starting to catch up, just like everyone told me she would.  
• Some of my favorite new things that she say..............
• "Whassat?"  (What's that?)  She says this a lot!  She's very inquisitive!  I'm constantly having to explain things to her, which I guess is a good thing.
• "Otay!" (Ok) Imagine Buckwheat from Little Rascals and that's EXACTLY how she says it!  It's so so cute!
•  "Oopsie Daisy!" She definitely picked this one up from me!
• "Doofie" (Goofy)  I think she loves Goofy as much as she loves Minnie now-a-days!
• "Top Part" (Pop Tart)  This one always makes me laugh! =)
• "Licious" (Delicious)  I almost died last week when she took one bite of her bologna sandwich, closed her eyes in delight and said "licious!" 
• "Mami?!"  (Mommy?!)  I really need to get this on video because there's truly no way to appreciate it until you've heard it for yourself.  If I leave the room and walk to another part of the house and she realizes I'm gone she will yell in a very loud voice "Mami?!"  She says it with this weird Hispanic/Italian/New Jersey accent that I can't even describe and puts the emphasis on the "mi" part.  She sounds like she belongs on the Jersey Shore as she runs through the house yelling "Mami?!"  "Maaami??!!"  Sometimes I'll hide from her just to hear her say it over and over again!  It's THAT funny!  And she ONLY turns on the accent in that situation.  It's so odd but so hysterical!
•  She can name and recognize all of her shapes and colors and many of her numbers and letters as well.  
• She can also identify and give correct sounds for pretty much any animal, whether it be from the farm or the zoo.  My favorite is "horsey" because she always says "naaayyyy" followed by an enthusiastic "yee haw". 
• She can count to 11 completely unassisted but when she gets to 11 she starts back over at 8 for some reason. 
• She knows her full name but pronounces it as "Nendall Hoos".  The Kyndall is hard to make out but the Hughes is very clear!
• She also knows mine and Matthew's first names and will gladly tell you if you ask her.
• I recently realized that she can tell our two dogs apart, which says a lot because they are both 5 pound white malti-poos that for the most part look pretty much alike.  She can accurately identify "Hu-bee" (Huckabee) and "Nam" (Cam)  Obviously, she has a hard time with the "C" and "K" sounds but we're working on that! 
• She recognizes the FSU Seminole logo and does the "chop" as soon as she sees it.  Love this! =)
• When she sees ANYTHING camo, she immediately shouts "G-Daddy!!"  Yep, that's about right.
• When looking at pictures she can identify and name the following family members on her own........
• Mommy
• Daddy
• "Delly" (Kelly)---Again, darn those K sounds!
• "My-uhl" (Michael)
• Nonie
• Poppie
• G-Daddy
• "Nammy" (Grammy)
• "Namma" (Grandma)
• "Nandaddy" (Granddaddy)
• MeMe
•  She recognizes the cross and when asked "Who was on the cross, Kyndall?"  She replies with "Jesus!!"  If you ask her where Jesus lives she points to her chest and says "heart!"  LOVE hearing her say this!
• She loves folding her hands, closing her eyes and saying prayers before each meal that we eat and every night before bed.  She keeps her eyes closed, her head bowed and her little hands neatly folded the entire time.  (Yes, I peek because it's just too precious to miss!)  Every night we gather as a  family in front of her crib and pray before laying her down for the night.  We pray for each of our family members by name (dogs included) and after we say amen she closes with "ta-da!"  I have no clue where she got this or why she does it but it's super cute and I guess it's her way of saying "all done!"
• It was a HAPPY day in this dental hygienist Mama's life about two months ago when she suddenly quit fighting me on brushing her teeth!  Hallelujah!!  It used to be a major ordeal every single night and I honestly dreaded it and occasionally skipped it all together to avoid a battle.  Now, not only does she willingly let me brush her teeth, but she has also started flossing them!  She saw me doing it recently and of course said "me do it!"  I gladly gave her a piece and although she's basically just licking the mint coating off the floss, at least it's getting her in the habit of including it in her routine.  Yay for good oral hygiene!  =)
• She has become so incredibly affectionate lately and I couldn't be happier about that!  Out of nowhere she will just grab ahold of my neck (or leg or arm or whatever is closest at the time) and give it a big squeeze, followed by "tiss?"  (Kiss?)  I relish in these moments and soak them up each and every time they happen.  Knowing that she's doing this unprompted and by her own will makes my heart melt even more.
• Minnie Mouse is still her number one girl and I think we have collected just about every single piece of Minnie paraphernalia that has ever been created.  She can spot the Minnie Mouse logo a mile away and when she does, you can bet that whatever it is, we'll be taking it home.  Just this week we started making plans for her first trip to Disney World in late November.  I'm not sure who is more excited---me, Kyndall or her entourage of EIGHT adults that will be tagging along to see her experience it for the first time!  Get ready Disney World, Minnie's biggest fan is on her way!  Hurry up November!!
• Kyndall is very emotional and extremely sensitive.  We very rarely have to use actual punishment to discipline her.  A harsh tone and a stern look will often bring her to tears.  It breaks my heart to realize how tender she is, but I'm glad that's all it takes to get her attention.  I think she'll be one of those children who benefit more from a firm talking to rather than physical consequences.  When she knows I'm upset with her she will often look me in the eye and say "Mommy sad?"  Just knowing that she has disappointed me is very concerning to her.  
• I am not ashamed to admit that anytime she sees a gas station she yells (with great excitement) "ICEE!!"  Yep, she's a product of her Mama for sure!
• Just recently she's started playing more independently and I'll often catch her using her imagination as she pretends to cook at her kitchen set, grocery shop with her dolls in the grocery cart, or take care of her babies.  I've even seen her turn her Minnie Mouse scooter over and put "gas" in it.  Hilarious!  
• She has been doing GREAT in her part-time pre-school program and she looks forward to it with great anticipation each week.  She is still a little confused and calls it "church" rather than "school" but I guess that's understandable since it's one in the same.  As I mentioned in a previous post, her current love interest is a little cutie pie in her class named Cruz.  Recently, she has started calling him "Cruzie" which I find hysterical.  Some mornings when it's hard to get her out of bed for school all I have to do is mention "Cruzie" and she suddenly comes alive!  When asked about Cruz, she tells us that he makes her "happy".  It's too much!  Again, another thing you just have to hear to believe!
• We haven't gotten very far in the potty training department, mostly because of my own laziness.  Occasionally I'll put her on the potty but she just sits there and giggles and has yet to actually DO anything.  I don't know why I'm putting it off but for some reason I'm just really intimidated by the whole process.  I've successfully house trained two five pound animals who are unable to verbally communicate, so surely I can train a 28 pound walking, talking human being with no problem!  Right??  Any tips/suggestions are welcome!!
• Some of her favorite things to do lately are play with "dough" (play-dough), stickers, puzzles, playing games on my iPhone, watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (of course), playing outside (when it's not freezing), helping me do laundry and house work (score!), taking her nightly "swims" in my garden tub, Skyping with the Grandparents, reading books, going to the grocery store (only because of the free cookie), playing hide-and-seek with Daddy, tormenting playing with the dogs, and of course going to school.
• Her typical schedule on a non-school day looks something like this.........
• 9:00-10:00----Wakes up, eats breakfast
• 12:30-1:00----Lunch
• 2:00 until 5:00----Nap
• 6:30-7:00----Dinner, followed by bath
• 9:30-9:45----Bed
• On a school day (Tuesday/Thursday) it's like this.......
• 8:00----Wake up, get dressed
• 8:15----Breakfast
• 8:45----Leave for school
• 9:00 until 2:30----School 
• 3:00 until 5:00----Sometimes I will bring her home and make her nap, since she hasn't really gotten the hang of that at school just yet.  Other times I just keep her up and she goes to bed a little earlier that evening.  It all just depends on how the afternoon is going.
• 6:30----7:00----Dinner, bath
• 9:30----Bed (sometimes earlier)

I must say, I have yet to experience the "terrible twos" that I have so been dreading practically since the day she was born.  To me, this is a fun, exciting age and I'm enjoying it more and more each day.  I'm not saying she's perfect and that we don't have our moments of testing the limits because we definitely do.  But those are scattered few and far between the moments of hilarity, sweetness and amazement that I experience on a more regular basis.  She is truly becoming her own little person and we are enjoying watching as her vibrant personality develop.  Each new day brings its own challenges but its through those challenges that we ALL grow and learn. 

If I had to describe my Kyndall Anne in one word it would be JOY.  It doesn't matter how I'm feeling or what kind of day I've had, she is the one person who can always make my heart smile.  She constantly brings me more joy than I ever could've imagined.  Sometimes it's intentional on her part, but mostly it just comes naturally from being in her presence.  She's been given the gift of compassion and the heart of a servant.  Others notice it too.  No matter where we go people are constantly commenting on how friendly and outgoing and helpful she is.  She has yet to meet a stranger and she shares her love and affection with everyone.  I hope that as she continues to grow, so will her vivacious personality and her love of life.  If I could bottle up her infectious little giggle, her warm sweet smile and her humble spirit I would keep it forever and ever and ever and pour it out to share with everyone.  Goodness knows this world could use it!!!

I love you, KAH!  You are my greatest accomplishment and the thing I'm most proud of!  I can't wait to see what the next two and a half years bring!  I can't imagine it getting any better than it already is!

In the time it took me to compile this post, I managed to get a few of my favorite "tricks" mentioned above on video.  Not her best display of each act, but I think it still provides a good depiction of her cuteness.  I'll keep trying for more!  =)

Happy Birthday Grammy!!!

Today is my Mom's birthday and although we can't be there to celebrate with her, Kyndall has something she'd like to say................

She's feeling pretty lousy today (first case of day care germs I guess??), but she still managed a semi-smile.......

 

Though she's been under the weather, she still managed to take her Minnie babies for a spin around the house tonight.  She was literally running laps from the kitchen to the dining room to the living room, which leads me to believe that the Benadryl actually has the OPPOSITE effect on her than it has on most kids!  Oh joy.  (This is just a very small sampling of her Minnie collection, if that tells you anything about her obsession) 

Happy birthday, Grammy!!!  We love you!!!

I bet you can't look at this picture without smiling.........

February 22, 2011---Kyndall at 5 months old 

An Update on LIFE

We've been in Jackson just over a month now and things are going pretty well for our little family.  Though we've been busy, we've managed to find our place here in Jackson and we are settling in nicely.

First, and most importantly, Matthew is LOVING his new role as a terminal manager here in Jackson.  He has jumped right in and learned the ropes and is enjoying his new found responsibilities as well as the lack of stress that (thankfully) comes along with running a smaller facility.  I'm loving it too, as he has much more flexibility and is able to pop in and out when necessary---Something he's never been able to do before.  I'm very proud of him and how hard he's worked to achieve his goal of having his own terminal.  Though I sometimes get frustrated with the demands of the job, I quickly remind myself that it is only because of HIS hard work that I am able to live MY life dream of being a stay at home wife and mommy!  For that, I am so thankful!

Kyndall has adjusted to her new pre-school routine like a champ!  There hasn't been a single tear shed upon drop off which makes this Mama feel very good about my decision to enroll her in this part time program.  She is such a social child and just thrives around her peers.  Her teachers tell me she is the "popular girl" in class and that all the boys want to play with her.  GRRREEEAAAAT.  Not only that, she has already managed to snag herself a boyfriend, or so I am told.  Cruz is her latest obsession and the teachers tell me that they are simply adorable together.  When we ask her about Cruz at home she covers her mouth and giggles like a shy, giddy little teenager gushing over her first crush!  It's too much.  When I asked her what she likes to do with Cruz at school she said "tiss!"  That's Kyndall speak for KISS!  I have no words.  I got a call from Cruz's Mama the other day and she confirmed that this relationship is in fact mutual.  Apparently Cruz talks about Kyndall all the time at home.  We also discovered that they're in the same Sunday School class, so perhaps that's where their connection lies.  I hate to encourage it, but it's just so darn cute.  I'll try to get some video of her talking about Mr. Cruz soon!  You'll die!

Let's see......what else?  We've been attending regularly at Englewood Baptist Church (same place K goes to pre-school) and we really love it!  Everyone is SO friendly and welcoming and we've already made several friends at EBC.  I especially love the worship music on Sunday mornings, which is led by none other than Travis Cottrell!!!  I was a little bit star struck the first Sunday, not believing that THE Travis Cottrell was on staff at EBC!  He's fantastic, as is the Pastor and everyone else we've encountered so far.  Though I'll probably always consider Morningside Baptist my home church, I can see Englewood being a great place for our family to put down roots during our time in Jackson.

We are still adjusting to the colder climate as well as the central time zone.  Neither of which I am a fan. Particularly the colder weather.  I feel like on the days that Kyndall is home with me, we are confined to indoors because it's just too cold to enjoy our FANTASTIC backyard.  I'm in no hurry to experience the dreaded summer heat, but I'll definitely be glad when Spring arrives!  Bring on the tank tops, flip flops, kiddie pools, and sun kissed cheeks!  (I know you're feeling me, Betsy!!)

I think we are just about done unpacking boxes and putting things away----finally!  I have so much more space in this house, but it's amazing how quickly I've already filled it up!  Where was I keeping all of this junk in our smaller house??  Truthfully, I've gotten rid of a LOT as I've sorted through the boxes.  (Shhh....don't tell Matthew!)  I just figure if I haven't seen it or used it in the past four years, I really won't miss it!  So, Goodwill has been receiving some pretty generous donations from the Hughes house lately.  It feels good to purge every now and then!  I'm on a new mission to simplify my life in more ways than one, but this is the first step.  On a whim, we went out and bought an entire new living room set this past Sunday and it's supposed to be delivered today!  I can't wait!  Once the furniture is all in place I can start hanging my portraits on the walls and make this house finally feel like a home!  (Which in my opinion means walls covered in beautiful smiling faces and glimpses of memories past!  Y'all know how much I love my pictures!!)

Many of you have asked about my health.  While I'm still not ready to share all of the details with the entire blogging world, I do VERY much appreciate all of your thoughts, prayers, texts, phone calls, e-mails, etc.  Just knowing that you all are thinking of me and praying for me brings me great peace.  I will share that I finally got an appointment at Vanderbilt with a great doctor who came highly recommended by my former doctor at the Medical University of South Carolina.  The two are friends and have been in contact regarding my case.  However, even with that "plug" from my former doc at MUSC, the earliest they can see me is March 19th.  So, right now I am just waiting.  And worrying.  And waiting some more.  I'm so anxious to have this appointment and get a plan of action for how we are going to tackle this new hurdle that's been thrown my way.  I would be lying if I said I'm not terrified, but at the same time I know that my God is not the author of fear, but rather the giver of peace.  Things I have always known, but now am being forced to put to action.  Please know that I covet your prayers and am grateful for every single one of you who have shown concern for me and my family!  I am so blessed by each of you.

On a happier note, my parents will be making their way up here in mid-March, in order to help me out with my appointment at Vanderbilt.  They'll be here for about five days and when they leave, they'll be taking me and Kyndall along with them for TWO whole weeks in Tallahassee!  It will be my first visit back home since we moved and I know that I'll be more than ready for it by then!  We'll be staying through Easter and then flying back the first week of April.  So, that's definitely something we're looking forward to!  Also, shortly after that trip we'll be returning again (just over a month later!) for my baby sister's WEDDING!!!  So so so excited about being a part of Kelly and Michael's special day!  I'll be a bridesmaid and Kyndall will be one of the flower girls.  Gotta get practicing on that!

That pretty much catches you up on our new life in Jackson!  Kyndall is at a very fun age right now and keeps us constantly laughing so I hope to post an update on her soon.  I was so good about doing my monthly updates when she was a baby but I've fallen short as she's gotten older.  But I definitely have lots to share, as this seems to be my absolute favorite age so far!  (I think I say that about every 6 months, but this time I really mean it!)

In the midst of typing this post, my furniture has been successfully delivered so I'm off to start setting up house!  Pictures soon, I hope! (Is it just me or is this smell of new furniture not one of the best smells ever?!  Seriously!)

Valentine's Day Fun

I used to HATE Valentine's Day.....I mean HATE it!!  Now that I have two Valentines of my own, I really enjoy going overboard (in simple ways) to make the day fun for everyone.  As Kyndall gets older, little holidays like this become more and more fun because I love seeing the excitement through her eyes.  

Yes, I'm THAT Mom who cut my kid's sandwich into the shape of a heart............

........And put her food into Valentine-themed ziplocks.......

I had good intentions of getting really creative with her classmates' Valentine cards but time got away from me and I resolved that Minnie Mouse would do just fine

Teachers' gifts---I've always wanted to do this and now I can!  =)

I'm also THAT Mom who made heart shaped Eggos for breakfast.........

My little Valentine, still sleepy but excited for a fun day at school

 

Blowing kisses........

I dropped Kyndall off at school and ran a few errands before meeting Matthew for a quick lunch at Chick-Fil-A.  Nothing fancy, but it was nice getting to see him during the day.  

One of the things I love most about the holidays (even the small ones) is decorating my house.  I figured since the only people who will actually see fruits of my labor are Matthew's parents, I'll go ahead and share them with you as well. 

This is probably my favorite of all my V-Day decorations, simply because I'm such a sentimental person.........

2007 was our very first Valentine's Day together---We had been dating about two months  =)

I made this wreath a few weeks ago for a grand total of $6

More of my favorite sentimental decor..........

I picked Kyndall up at school and as expected, she was on a total sugar high and in rare form!  I had to chuckle when I looked at her report card for the day which indicated that she ate "poorly" at lunch and didn't sleep at all.  Isn't that what happens when you eat candy and cupcakes all morning long?  When we got home I sorted through her candy to see (if there was anything I wanted) what she received.  Clearly, I do NOT win the award for the most creative Mom in the class!  These Pinteresty Mamas made my store bought Minnie Mouse cards look pretty lame.

"I mustache you to be my Valentine"

 

I had to include this one because as I've been told on more than one occasion by the teachers, Cruz is Kyndall's BOYFRIEND!  In fact, I even got a call from Cruz's Mama today!  Oh boy!  More on that in a later post........

Kyndall's goodie bag that she decorated herself

It was a gorgeous day, so Kyndall and I spent some time in the backyard after she got home from school.  It was so nice to finally have some "warmer" weather!  This Florida girl is still not used to the cold!

Maybe it was the sugar in her blood or the love in the air, but for whatever reason Miss Priss was in an unusually cooperative mood so I took full advantage and snapped away.  I couldn't pick a favorite from this series, so I'm including all of them.  (By the way, that white chalky stuff on her face is the remains of a pretty little heart that adorned her cheek earlier in the afternoon.  Guess her little fingers just couldn't resist!)

As the sugar high continued, I somehow managed to wrangle her into the bathtub and eventually in to her PJs...........

New jams from Nonie and Poppie

Literally, bouncing off the walls!!!!

Who IS this child???

"Stop Mom!  No more pictures!  I'm trying to come down from my sugar high."

Matthew and I agreed that we did NOT want to fight the crowds for dinner, but I also made it pretty clear that I really didn't want to spend my evening in the kitchen.  (Cooking is not my favorite thing to do.  Neither is doing dishes.)  We agreed to get take-out and I requested something simple.  I'm a low-maintenance, budget-conscious kind of girl!  =)  He chose Red Robin, which made me a happy camper.  We enjoyed our dinner in the peacefulness of our own home while Kyndall ran laps around the living room.  Seriously.

Next, it was time for gifts.  My sweet friend Jenny W. and her daughter Ali from back in Tallahassee are always so thoughtful around the holidays and almost ALWAYS send something for Kyndall to open.  Jenny is by far one of the most thoughtful, creative people I know and I could definitely take a lesson or two from her on thinking of others!  This package arrived yesterday and I let Kyndall tear into it tonight..........

Ali made the sweetest card for Kyndall!

Jenny definitely has a gift for details.  She remembered from a previous blog post that briefly I mentioned how much I love the "If you Give a Mouse a Cookie" series of books.  Much to my surprise, she gave us a Christmas version back in December and now she's gone and found one for Valentine's Day as well!  I LOVE thoughtful gifts like this!

Stickers are ALWAYS a hit around here!!!

Next, it was time to open her gift from Daddy.............

My parents sent Kyndall a package last week and I've been holding onto it until tonight.  Mom asked if we could Skype while she opened it so they could see her reaction to their goodies.  I love technology!

Look at her expression in this picture----Can you tell she's starting to crash???

Matthew and I got gifts from my parents as well.  Totally not necessary but very much appreciated!  Mine will likely be going straight into the hands of a Hobby Lobby cashier!  =)

Finally, Kyndall opened her gifts from me...........

Love hearing her sweet little voice say "tank ew", without even being prompted!  So thankful for an appreciative child.

Check out that loot!  I'd say Kyndall is a loved little girl for sure!

We put Kyndall to bed earlier than normal (she was crashing and burning FAST!) and finally, Matthew and I exchanged our cards and gifts

We made a deal not to spend a bunch of money on flowers and balloons and teddy bears and all that unnecessary stuff.  Instead, we did cards and our favorite candy. (Though, to be honest we really don't need that either!)

I helped Kyndall make this card for her Daddy

One of the MANY types of candy I gave Matthew

As always, it was a great day filled with simple but FUN things that we all love.  I'm a firm believer that it shouldn't take a cheezy holiday for us to do sweet things for those we care about.  The things that really matter should be demonstrated on a daily basis and not simply because a calendar says we should do so.  Tell people that you love them, treat your children to their favorite things, go out of your way to ease a burden of your spouse. I'm going to take my own advice and do these things more often in my own life.

This song by Martina McBride has always been one of my favorites.  It used to remind me of Matthew, but now when I hear it I also think of my precious daughter.  Together, the two of them truly are my heart and I am so thankful that God chose ME to be his wife and her mother.

Happy Valentine's Day!