15, almost 16 months...

…and Kai had his first cold :(
He’s always so full of energy, so it was hard to see him just want to sit and watch tv. I think all the things we did helped the cold only last a couple days, thank goodness! (vaporizer, sleep, lots of water, and essential oils my mom uses) Recently, Kai has decided he doesn’t want to eat anymore. I read that its normal and that he’ll eat when he’s hungry, it just makes me feel bad that maybe he’s not getting enough nutrition.
Kai is really getting such a funny personality. I think he’ll be a jokester when he’s older!
He loves to chase people or be chased, especially if you carry him around when you do it, he’ll laugh so hard.
He was saying something the other day that sounded like “circle” and I realized he was saying “Ready, Set, Go” (I say that to him a lot). So now he says it a lot, or he’ll finish when I say “Ready, Set” he’ll say “GO”.
He’s started coming to us, grabbing our hand and taking us to what he wants. Last night it was his blanket on the other side of the gate, he took Rob over to get it, because he couldn’t reach, it was cute.
At night, when he’s ready for bed, he goes into the kitchen and cries at the sink because he wants his bottle.
When he’s tired, (or doesn’t feel good) he’ll grab his binky and his “blank” (blanket) and either want to climb up on us (even though that usually doesn’t last long), or sit on the floor or the couch. (he also rubs the blanket on his cheek when he does this).
He has one blanket he just LOVES. He drags it around a lot and chews on it.
Before he stopped eating he was getting pretty good at feeding himself. We’re trying to get him off of the baby food, but with him not wanting to eat, we’re giving him anything he WILL eat.
BUT-- He is not a fan of his highchair anymore, he’ll be in it for a couple minutes and then be crying to get out, and trying to climb out of it. I think he just doesn’t like to be restrained. (is he going to be a rebellious teen or what??!)
He loves books and to be read to, but he’ll change the pages for you before you finish it. He also eats his books...(at least he’s eating??)
He LOVES “Yo Gabba, Gabba”, he’s just recently started to get excited about Spongebob too. If he sees something with Spongebob on it, he’ll start laughing and get excited.
He does pretty good with movies, he’ll watch bits and pieces. I think his favorite, so far, is “Up”.
He’s started liking toy cars a lot, he’ll push them around.
He has 7 teeth and has had just the 7 for quite a while. He’s drooling even more lately, though, and from all the other stuff going on, I am assuming he’s got more that are shortly on their way.
Thanksgiving was at my mom's house this year. It was wonderful as usual. We provided the Turkey, and of course the green bean cassarole (LOVE IT). I just love being able to spend time with the fam...it was good!
Mom's new pretty cat, Autumn

Josh reading to Kai and Lu-lu

Cute Gummy

Josh, sleepy with a hurty back...few days later, he's passing kidney stones :(


Kai doing his shapes...he's so good with it!

Also my friend, Amanda, and I, decided to take eachothers family pictures. That was fun…Kai wanted nothing to do with sitting still for anything…so we had to work with that. Here are some pics that I liked:

Vicious Life Cycle.

Today we had to do a tough thing. We put down our family cat. Armond was 16 years old, so he lived a long good life, but we were very close to him! I remember going with my mom to the mall and Best Friends Animal Sanctuary was there doing adoptions and I finally convinced my mom to get a cat. (I was 16 at the time).


I picked him out because he was such a beautiful chocolate/black color, and I thought his name was cool. He's been a very good cat, and it was very hard to see him get so old and sick. Today my mom picked me up so I could go to the vet with them, I got in and saw my mom had been crying. My sister, Maddie, was in the back, looking out the window. I said "Hey, Maddie." She looked at me, her eyes all swollen, face red. When her eyes met mine, she started crying again. UGH! That started me crying. Armond was standing on the console, so I held him for a minute. Maddie doesn't cry often (at least not in front of people), she'll usually just get quiet. This was hard to see her crying. And I always cry when I see my mom cry! We all sat very quietly in the room at the vet with Armond. All crying, and petting him. Maddie left the room when the vet came in. He asked if we wanted to stay for it, my mom and I stayed. People told my mom that she should stay in there so he can be comfortable with familiar people. I couldn't leave her alone! They took Armond to weigh him and shave a spot on his leg for the injection. He was pretty calm for being out of his normal surroundings. They laid him down and we helped hold and pet him, and as they gave him the injection, he started purring. I think he was telling us Thank You and Good-bye. (awesome, now I'm crying again, blah!) He slowly went limp and we laid him down. It was a minute or two before he was gone, so we just sat and petted him. I had found a poem earlier that I gave to mom to help comfort her. I know she was feeling guilty, but I want her to know she shouldn't because she was so selfless to take care of him so well and for so long. She is amazing to all her pets, and she should just feel great for being able to give him 16 comfortable, loved years.
This is the poem I gave mom:

BEAMED FROM THE BRIGHT CATTERY IN THE SKY
(Michael Hatwell, The Cat Magazine)
"praedilecta Sappho ibi nuper ascensa sic loquitu"
In case you have been wondering
Just how I am getting along
In my new surroundings
Or worry whether I have learned to cope
With the easy rhythm and pace
For which this place is renowned
Then listen: I have been chasing little mice again
Sweeter, lighter, infinitely more fragrant
Than any I ever brought into the bedroom
For your pleasure
In the old days.
That having been said,
I wouldn't for all the world wish you to infer
That they stint the grub up here:
Admittedly
The celestial fish are not especially exciting
(Their natural zodiac ripeness has had to be homogenised
for the general run of feline palates)
But on the plus side
The nice cat-lady who comes round,
All gowned in blue (my favourite colour)
And with glory crowned,
Pours out a warm and creamy whiteness
That is literally
Quite heavenly.
Someone usually remembers
To cut my claws
And tickle my ear
So that side of things is catered for,
One might say,
Adequately enough.

I think of you sometimes
Certain that you will come one day
To take me on your knee
And talk to me the way you used to.
When that day comes
I shall let you know
Loudly and unambiguously
That things round here have finally begun to go
Really very well indeed:
I shall add to ordinary space and time
My own particular dimension
Of thick, soft-throated sound.

I know some people think its ridiculous to be that sad about a pet, but Armond was like part of the family, and he was with us for 16 years, thats a long time. All of our pets are like family. Pets are great companions and give unconditional love!

And on a happy note, Happy Birthday to JOSH!!! My older brother!! You are awesome and I hope you have had a great day!!

Halloween Happenings (picture overload)...and fun news at the bottom!!

Halloween week was pretty busy, at work it was also Diversity week, so we had themes for each day.
For our Halloween costume, my mom, my brother and sister, and I tie-dyed shirts








Kai had a blast playing with Maddie.
On October 25th (mom's b-day) we went to a carnival at her school. There were like 10 bounce houses, and Kai had SO MUCH FUN! April and Maddie took him on a lot of them. Thank goodness for skinny sisters!






Kai liked watching people climb the rock wall



My mom, Rob, and I were hippies in the Manson family. Kai was DJ Lance Rock from Yo, Gabba Gabba! Kai doesn't cooperate well with picture taking! :P





Ok, and now something really exciting! I love this website, thePioneerwoman.com, and she does photography assignments/contests all the time. This week she did "Four Legs" so I submitted a picture and she featured it in Group 2 today!!! YAY!!! There are like 30 some odd thousand pictures submitted to her group, so I was very excited to see my picture on there today! I got all giddy and butterflies in my stomach! This is my picture:

So, go comment and tell them your favorite (really it doesn't HAVE to be mine! ;) but I'd love the love!!)