Beach Babies

Sweet siblings sitting on a sunny, sandy shore...

... suddenly sabotaged by a swift salty splash!

BTW-- I won't be winning Mother of the Year this year because I kept snapping photos instead of saving my child right away.

{COMING SOON- more pictures from our first family beach vacation!}

Baby You Can Drive My Car

Kara's new obsession is Ryan's BAO car. At first, she thought climbing on the seat and standing was fun but now she likes to actually sit and drive.

Here's a little video showing Kara's driving skills at the tender age of 13 months. If this is what we have to look forward to 16 years from now, we are in TROUBLE!

Warning: Kara's other favorite thing to do is scream...

Vroom...Vroom! from Bobbi-Jo High on Vimeo.

Watermelon, anyone?

Mmmmmm.....

....yummy!

Family Reunion ~ 2008

On Sunday, August 31st we attended the annual Copenhaver Family Reunion. The Copenhavers are Bobbi's family on her maternal side. This already large Pennsylvania Dutch family seems to grow more each year. The reunion always starts with a short meeting where minutes are read from the year before, we sing a few songs (usually the same ones from previous years!), prayers, monetary collection for future events and for everyone to elect the board (always the same people but it's funny to see my uncle nominate one of his sons to be President!). We also pay our respects to those that have passed (especially Bobbi's Pop-Pop- who was president for many many years before passing 5 years ago) and hand out prizes to the oldest and youngest family members. Kara won for being the youngest this year and she received a cute Leap Frog ABC toy (many thanks to the board for that generous gift!). Yummy food is always in plenty and it's neat to see what everyone brings for the chinese auction. For the past 10+ years, we have gathered at a local park which has an enclosed building along with a kitchen and restrooms for us to use. It is always fun to play in the park with the kids and BINGO with everyone (young and old participate!). We especially love when my uncle Billy invites his friend to help us with some FUN Survivor games. It's always a blast. I love that we now have this tradition to share with Ryan and Kara. I also love that they will always know their family history from journals kept and photos taken over the years at the family reunions. I just wish they could have met their great grandfather...I know he would have loved them very much. He had a tough exterior with a teddy bear heart. He loved his family and we all miss him dearly.

There were many family members unable to attend this year so our 2008 picture is actually on the smaller size!

2008 Copenhaver Reunion

Ryan with Pop-Pop (Bobbi's Dad)

Great-Aunt Margaret & Uncle Billy

Ryan loved playing in the huge playground. Here are a few shots from his day in the park.

STATIC!

Kara also enjoyed her first Family Reunion. I wonder what she is daydreaming about in this photo? Isn't she a cutie!

Of course we had to get a group shot of just the cousins. Like I said it was a small turnout this year...here are 5 out of the 11 grandkids my parents have! They look like they are in a line-up at a jail! Funny because....

The cops did show up!! Don't fret, he is a family friend. Little Billy (the one who is pretending to cry), Madison and William (Sammy is what I like to call him) got to experience what the back seat of a police vehicle was like...let's just pray this is only time they get to experience it! ;)

Until next year....

Lake Wallenpaupack

Our first vacation as a family of 4, was enjoyed at Lake Wallenpaupack this year. We spent 5 relaxing and fun-filled days (Aug. 22-27) up at the cabin on the lake. There's a funny story about this lake. Growing up, both our fathers owned boats and drove them on Lake Wallenpaupack. Chris and I probably crossed paths numerous times while boating on the lake but never knew it! It was such a funny revelation when we first started dating and Lake Wallenpaupack came up in discussion. So this lake has a special meaning to us and we will make many trips up to the Poconos in the future to spend time on it with our own little family now.

Many thanks to Grandma and Pop-Pop High for allowing us to spend time at the cabin, taking Ryan on many boat rides (and tons of fishing on the docks) and for helping with baby Kara....those little breaks meant the world to a couple of sleep deprived parents!

2008 Lake Memories:

• watching Ryan fish with his Pop-Pop and Daddy on the dock
• walking Kara around the wooded tree line and along the stony beach seeing nature in all it's beauty
• boat rides!
• Pop-Pop being the only BRAVE one to ride his new Gladiator tube (thank you uncle Mike and Daddy for bringing him back safely to us!)
• Ryan's 1st campfire
• Ryan's 1st splinter (it took 4 adults to get it out! poor guy)
• Ryan's 1st shower (took it like a champ...well sorta)
• Ryan's 1st time sleeping in a bunk bed
• Did you know that lake air causes poop-a-thons? It does, two kids = a lot of diaper changes (especially miss Kara!)
• watching Chris and Mike kill mosquito after mosquito in the cabin
• Uncle Mike being named "our Hero" because he brought up Kara's swing
• Ryan swimming in a kiddie pool (doesn't everyone while lake vacationing?)
• catching up on some good books (Chris did more reading than Bobbi... I am still working on that Harry Potter book!)
• Ryan insisting on wearing his life jacket everywhere
• sink baths with Kara
• being on the lake at night and seeing the beautiful starlit sky- it was so clear that the Big Dipper looked touchable...it was great to experience the stars with Ryan
• Ryan feeding the ducks (he instantly became their best friend and knew when he was on the docks every time!)
• spending time with the ones you love

Here are some of my favorite pictures from our lake trip this year. I also created a montage of pictures (at the end of this post) from our week at the cabin....ENJOY!

The "High boys" love to fish off the docks.

Pop-Pop's boat

(still unnamed...we think he should name the boat 'High Voltage'- HIGH for obvious reasons and VOLTAGE because Pop-Pop works as an electrical engineer for PP&L electric company.)

Ryan and Pop-Pop caught a (little) fish!

BATH TIME! (I love this picture of Kara)

Bonding time between Kara and Pop-Pop...she loved that he took her for many walks through the woods! This picture is so adorable. She has him smitten already!

Just relaxing in her swing. (Thanks for bringing it up uncle Mike!)

Ryan's 1st campfire marshmallow. (surprisingly, he didn't like it)

Ryan's 1st splinter boo-boo! (it was big and in deep- ouchie!)

Kara was pretty much cranky the entire time and wouldn't let Grandma hold her until 15 minutes before we left the cabin. Boy was Grandma happy to finally get "cuddle time!"

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Happy 3 months and BUMBO fun!

Today Kara turns 3 months old!

A few things we have noticed in the last month are:

• Kara has great neck strength! (she has for a while now- it keeps improving)
• Kara is teething! (we are curious when those buds are gonna pop!)
• Kara is quite the talker already!
• Kara's eye color is changing. We are starting to see more green/hazel instead of blue.
• Kara's hair is also changing! Depending on how the light hits it, you can see brunette, red or blond! It is slowly falling out and it seems like blond roots are coming through. Looks like we are going to have another blondie (at least for a little while)...
• Kara is finally taking her nuk! (she still enjoys her sucking on her hands but we really hope she sticks with the nuk! We believe it is easier to get rid of a pacifier then a thumb...cross your thumbs she sticks with the nuk! haha)
• Kara prefers her mommy & daddy to other family members. (we hope she outgrows this...her grandparents would love to hold her without tears!)

She is such a joy to have in our family and we feel she makes us complete. Ryan adores her and I know he can't wait for her to grow up so they can play together. With Kara holding her head so well, we have been using the Bumbo now. It is soooo great to put her in there and have free hands to accomplish more around the house now! She loves sitting and watching everyone around her. She especially loves sitting on the table at dinner time and watching her brother eat his food! I can't say he feels the same way! It's too cute.

Kara spent her 3 month b-day sleeping, eating and hanging out in her Bumbo. We think she is going through a major growth spurt because all she wants to do is eat and sleep lately.

Enjoy her photo shoot from today....
(thank goodness for digital cameras-we took a lot of pictures!)

HAPPY 3 MONTHS, KARA!

boo-boo's & giggles

Ryan added another boo-boo to the many existing ones on his legs/knees. This one was a doozie though that caused a lot of blood to come flowing out. If there is one thing I can't stand, it's blood. Just one of the many reasons I did not choose the medical field to work in. But being the mommy, I had to overcome it with strength (act like it's no big deal) and put on a brave mask, all the while cringing inside from the sight of scraped off skin from his knee caps. ewe!

He was quite upset this time around. Usually, he will allow me to clean it and put one of his favorite band-aids on. This one was pretty deep and I think it stung more...so he fought me as I tried to clean it up, put the neosporin (best thing ever made!) on and band-aids. Yes, band-aides. The scrape was so large I had to put an extra big one on but Ryan also insisted that I put scooby-doo and Elmo band-aids over the big one!

The funny part of this story is how he "milked" this injury for the rest of the day! He seriously limped around the house and wouldn't let anyone near him because they might hurt his boo-boo more. Now I know it probably hurt. But when he thought I wasn't looking, I saw he could walk normal and better yet, he would sit on his knees while playing. So his limping and pouty lips were just for show! I tell ya, he is a very good actor. I think we need to start acting classes early...wouldn't want to waste this talent! ha ha.

Ryan & his boo-boo

Speaking of talents, Ryan is getting really good at taking pictures too. I think Chris and I will get him a "child" digital camera for his birthday this year. He is obsessed with our expensive one! Now with this talent ~ he takes after his Daddy! :)

baby Kara (taken by Ryan C. High)

Kara will be three months old soon (she is already 12 weeks old- crazy how time flies!) and quite the talker already. She is still "cranky Kara" at times but we do see a very sweet side to her most of the day. We believe she is actually teething already (I know CRAZY, huh?!) because there are several white tooth buds along her bottom gum that are ready to poke out. Her bottom gum also bled a little this weekend. She has the classic drool issue plus a runny nose and a painful cry at times. I have a feeling she is going to be difficult with getting teeth...unlike her brother who popped them out with no problems! Kara is growing fast. I love her smile and I love when she talks to us. In the following clip, she is having a conversation with Chris and I before bath time...as always, enjoy!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

a day in the park ~

After a rough day yesterday, I decided I wanted Ryan to have as much time outside as possible today. (I will not be creating a post about what Ryan did...all I will say is that it tops anything he has done in the past and if you are curious, please email me and I will give you the gross details) We took our daily walk and also stopped by the playground to burn some energy.

Ryan had fun running around and trying out all the different equipment. He is old enough now to climb everything without help and slide down tunnels without having someone there to catch him. It was neat to watch him explore everything and question what they were. He was very interested in the monkey bars and was sad to find out that there were no monkeys that climbed it! He seriously was bummed that he wasn't going to see a monkey today...he cracks me up! After we played and "exercised" at the park, we headed home.

It was a fairly warm day and he insisted on walking most of the way (except going up hills!). This was fine by me because the more I could tire him out the better! He soon started to sweat and said, "Mommy I hot! I want cold." I thought he wanted a drink and tried to give him his water but he pushed it away and said, "no I want cold house now!" Oh...you want to be in the air conditioning at the house. "wes (yes in Ryan's language)." I love that he is using his words more and creates longer sentences. Now if we can only get him to speak clearer, life would be grand!

Enjoy the following pictures of our day in the park and Ryan's narration. :)

"I touch da trees, mama!"

"No monkey! BOO!"

A very cautious Ryan kept saying..."Hold on! Hold on!" as he crossed the bridge!

"Look out mama!"

"I climb high, huh mama!"

"peek-a-boo"

and as we enjoyed our time in the park burning off energy, Kara was close by getting her beauty sleep!