last week

This has been my last week at home for the summer...tear. :) At times, it has been challenging being at home with 2 little ones. However, I would not trade these last 2-2.5 months for ANYTHING. I have tried to do some fun things with Keatin and Will this week to celebrate our last days together. THANKFULLY, the weather has cooled down some and it is actually tolerable to be outside!

On Tuesday, we went to a "new" park by daddy's work...after we took him some Starbucks. :) Will enjoyed "digging" in the rocks with his heels - it was funny to watch!

There was a fun slide that Keatin enjoyed...and tried to make Will enjoy. :)


He decided he liked just waiting at the bottom and watching his sister...love his face/cheeks. :)



One of the things I wanted to do with Keatin this summer was take her to the zoo in Des Moines...and Wednesday was the day! I invited my principal's 3 daughters (Emma, Grace, and Josie)...and they were the best! Not only did they have fun exploring the zoo, but they were the best helpers with Keatin and Will. Honestly, if Keatin grows up like these girls, I will be a lucky mom!

Notice Emma holding Keatin in the next 2 pictures??? Keatin LOVED it TOO much...I had to pull her down after awhile. :)


When I told Keatin who we were going to the zoo with, she was SO excited and said - "Yeah - just the girls...and a boy." Ha! Our boy was the perfect companion. :)

Grace, Keatin, and Emma

Keatin, checking out the giraffe..
Josie and Keatin, petting the goats. Keatin wouldn't touch these at the Omaha Zoo - here, she ran right up to them!

After lunch...a full belly. :)

Josie and Keatin!

And she even got to milk a cow! Only at a zoo in the Midwest, right? :)

We have laid low today...who knows what tomorrow will bring? :)

photos

Our photo gallery with K and E Productions is ready to view - yipee!

www.kandeproductionsonline.com/photocart

Gallery: Barber family

Password: jmkw2011

I think they turned out well...but also make me chuckle because you can very easily see when one child was happy, one child was not, and when everyone was just getting hot!

Enjoy!

video sneak peak

The photographers that took our pictures 2 weeks ago put together a little video.

Want to check it out??? Click here!

did you know...

...this girl is 3??!! :) We had a birthday party for Keatin on Saturday afternoon at a wading pool in Ames and a bunch of her friends were able to join in the fun!


Will splashed around in the water for quite awhile...he was a good boy and had fun celebrating with his sister. :)

Keatin usually steers clear of this big sprinklers...but on Saturday, she was messing around with them. Must be because she is older. :)

The boys...don't they look like they are having so much fun?

Singing "Happy Birthday" to Keatin!

Blowing out her "3" candle (which BTW...was left over from daddy's 30th birthday - ha!). Isn't her friend Tyler's face in the background priceless?? :)

Everyone enjoying their cupcakes...several kids had more than one!

Opening some presents! Keatin got WONDERFUL gifts from all her friends...we have spent a lot of time already playing with them!



Here is the birthday girl on Sunday morning...it may have been all of 630-7 am when this picture was taken! :) Mommy and daddy had a few presents for their girl...

A new bike helmet! (Not sure if this one really fits or not...still have the receipt...maybe Grandpa Petersen can help us out!)

Can you tell this big girl is excited about her big girl backpack??? :) This lady is headed to preschool!


After opening gifts, we headed to church. Keatin LOVES church, so she probably thought it was a special birthday treat - haha! When we got home, we tried to snap a few pictures of all 4 of us with the camera on the ladder. :)


After a good nap, this birthday girl felt like opening some more presents...and G & G Barber had stopped by for a few hours to help celebrate! We got Keatin this dress in Jamacia...she loved it and put it on right away, although I think it is a bit big because we spent the rest of the night looking at her nipples. :)

Her first ball and bat set from G & G Barber...it is a ladybug...perfect for a little girl, huh? :)

G & G Barber and the birthday girl...


I made Keatin a coffeecake for breakfast on Sunday morning. Here is a video of Josh/me singing to her. Yes - you can laugh at our awesome singing! :)

Keatin - we had so much fun celebrating YOU this weekend! WE LOVE YOU!

3

Our beautiful baby girl is 3 and we have spent all weekend celebrating! Keatin - celebrating your 3rd birthday made me think back on 8-7-08...and 8-7-09...and 8-7-10!

Keatin - we love you to pieces and still remember the first moments we laid eyes on you. You have had our hearts ever since. :)


More pictures to come!

- hips -

Although it seems like ages ago, it all came flooding back to me today when I took Keatin to see her pediatric orthopedic doctor in Des Moines...told she was born with 2 dislocated hips...having to go to this exact same office when she was 5 days old...having to watch her SCREAM until she was purple when they fitted her with the harness. Urgh... The good thing is...that was ages ago and as of today, she never has to go back to see Dr. Lindamann again! :) She was given a clean bill of health and x-rays proved her hips are developing normally...not that I suspected anything different. :) I guess I am SO happy I was that new mom 3 years ago with the screaming baby in the harness...because you would never know now that she was born with dislocated hips! After our appointment, we went to Norwalk to see our friends Todd, Megan, and Troy and both Keatin and Will had lots of fun playing at their house.

I just couldn't resist posting the next 2 things...

My mom sent me this card in the mail the other day...just because...or just because it reminded her of Miss Keatin??? :) Please tell me my daughter isn't the only one who, on certain days, could be described by the front of this card. :)

Will has yet to say mama or dada...but he has perfected squealing and screeching...thanks to a good role model. :) It gets a bit loud around here sometimes. :)

PICTURES!

Last week, we FINALLY got Will's 6 month pictures taken...and Keatin's early 3 year old pictures...and some family pictures as well!

We met up with the same photographers that have done Keatin's pictures in the past...they are SO good and SOOOO good with very opinionated almost 3 year olds...urgh. :)

Anyways, we got the pictures accomplished on a VERY hot night...and a few of the images are ready for a sneak peak. YIPEE! Just click here or go to the KandE Productions link on the right to check them out! I will share all the images when they are ready! Can't wait!