Toddler Logic

A FEW WEEKS AGO, I PACKED THE CAR AND HEADED OFF TO THE GARDENS. OH YES, 5 CUTE OUTFITS A FEW BALLOONS, LOT'S OF BOWS AND RIBBONS AND CANDY FOR BRIBE TACTICS. THAT'S JUST A BIT OF WHAT I HAVE TO DO TO GET SOME FUN PHOTOS OF HER. I FIGURED BY NOT TAKING PHOTOS OF HER EVERY DAY SHE WILL EVENTUALLY LET ME TAKE JUST A FEW. WHAT WAS I THINKING?

WE CHASED SOME BUTTERFLIES AND I WATCHED KIRA PLAY, ROMPING AS USUAL AND EVEN STOPPING TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH ANOTHER LITTLE GIRL. NOW I MANAGED TO GET JUST A FEW PHOTOS BEFORE WE HEADED BACK HOME.

NOW THESE ROCKS LOOK FUN TO WALK ON!

MAKING SURE MOMMA IS NOT FAR BEHIND.

THERE WERE SO MANY PRETTY FLOWERS AND AWESOME INTERESTING PROPS FOR ME TO USE, SUCH AS THIS BEAUTIFUL BRIDGE.

I FIGURE THAT I'LL GET THE TOT ON THE BRIDGE, RUN AHEAD AND SNAP THE PIC.

ONLY I FORGET HOW FAST THIS CHILD RUNS AND RUNS AND RUNS!

WHAT I DIDN'T REALIZE WAS JUST AS I RAN AHEAD OF HER TO COMPOSE THIS PHOTO, SHE TOOK HER SKIRT OFF AND THREW IT, PRACTICALLY OVER THE BRIDGE...AND AS I TRIED TO STEADY THE CAMERA WHILE I WAS LAUGHING, I HEARD HER SAY "NO MORE PICTURES MOMMY"!

INDEED SHE WAS DETERMINED TO NOT HAVE HER PICTURE TAKEN AND FIGURED IF SHE LOOSES THE SKIRT, THE CAMERA WILL ALSO GET LOST! HOW I LOVE TODDLER LOGIC. SO WE BOTH GOT WHAT WE WANTED AND I'M GOING TO SAVE THIS PHOTO TO SHOW HER WHEN SHE'S UH HMMM, 20 SOMETHING!

Summer is Here!

YES, summer has arrived and so have the heat waves! The 90 degree humid weather is certainly a challenge when my little tot wants to run outdoors and prefers to water the plants rather than play in her pool. However, we manage to find weeds to pick, butterflies to chase and a few cloudy days where we take advantage of some cute photos in the woods.

Yes I know you love to get your Mommy soaked! Actually this is Kira's way of getting the camera out of her face!

Recently I found a really fun place to chase bunnies and take some photos. I grab the camera and try to get Kira to "work it" for me as I bribe her with a lollipop or cookie. She's so funny after a bit of suger and will put her hands on her hip and say "work it, work it" as I snap away. Here's some of the cutest photos I've seen:))

HOW I LOVE THIS FACE AND THOSE DIMPLES!

I sort of wonder how a child instinctively knows that a rain puddle was made so that he/she can jump in it. I still can't figure this out because I haven't seen it on Dora or Kai Lan, but then again I did the same thing and there were no TV shows to mimic, well a few perhaps. So what does a Momma do when her tot comes upon a puddle of water? I SAY JUMP AND HAVE SOME FUN!!! The smallest puddle allows for some great big smiles and adventures.

Before puddle
jumping

AND after, ah how good this feels!

Yes this does bring back some fond memories as I will admit I did this too! The cool puddles felt so good on my feet as I would splash and entertain myself so effortlessly. So watching this child of mine have so much fun this day made me glad I brought my camera to capture her childish enthusiasm for simple and real fun.

A Day at the Beach

Kira had so much fun running and jumping around on the beach.  It was nearly impossible to get her to sit still, but that was the fun part!  Watching her put her feet in the water for the first time brought back so many memories for some reason.  I guess the "shore" will always be my home away from home since I practically grew up there.

These photos were taken along a NJ shoreline  if you can believe it.  Lightroom works wonders for muddy water:))  The first photo is my favorite because I caught that great look she occasionally gives me.  These were all taken with natural light around 5pm with my 50mm lens.  It was definitely fun to get to the beach, finally...if only to take a few photos!

Happy 4th of July

A Bit of Sass and Silliness

I LOVE THIS FACE!

I SAID MOVE OVER!

YOU GO FIRST DOG!

AWH, HER BEST FRIEND!  THE BIG DOG WITH A BIG KISS FOR KIRA

I'VE FALLEN AND CAN'T GET OUT !

FIRST INTRODUCTION TO TREE CLIMBING AND AWAY SHE GOES!

YOU WANT ME TO COME DOWN!  WELL COME AND GET ME MOMMY!

I LOVE THE WAY THE TREE SEEMS TO BE THE FRAME IN THIS PHOTO.  SOMETHING CAUGHT HER EYE, PROBABLY AN ANT!

IT'S BEEN PRETTY RAINY THIS MONTH SO THESE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN A FEW WEEKS AGO.  I CAN'T COMPLAIN ABOUT THE RAIN, IT JUST MAKES THE GARDENS AND GRASS GREENER FOR A LONGER TIME, BUT IT DOES MAKE FOR SOME INTERESTING ENTERTAINMENT FOR A 2 YEAR OLD.  

KIRA'S LANGUAGE ACQUISITION HAS STEADILY IMPROVED.  NOW SHE'S SAYING SENTENCES, YELLING AT THE DOG, ASKING FOR THINGS AND REFERRING TO HERSELF AS "ME" OR "KEE".  SHE LOVES HER DOG RECCHI, BUT LOVES BOSING HIM AROUND MORE (AS YOU CAN SEE).  

I FOUND HER SINGING THE THEME SONG TO "ELMO'S WORLD" AND SILENTLY LAUGHED AT SHE DELIGHTFULLY AND PROUDLY BELTED OUT THAT TUNE!

POTTY TRAINING IS ON THE BACK BURNER FOR SOME REASON, BUT HEY, SHE'S BUSY LEARNING TO SPEAK, CLIMB AND RECENTLY COUNT TO 9.  SHE'S ALSO ENGAGES IN PLAYING MOMMY TO ELMO AND HER STUFFED KITTY AND WRAPS THEM UP IN TOWELS AND PLACES THEM IN HER BED TO SLEEP.  

SHE'D RATHER BE OUTSIDE ALL THE TIME AND LOVES WATCHING THE BUNNIES HOP ACROSS THE GRASS.

TRULY GROWING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS, I AM TRYING TO CAPTURE SOME OF HER PERSONALITY WHICH DEFINITELY IS A COMBINATION OF SASS AND SILLINESS.

I AM SO PROUD OF THIS CHILD, WHO CONTINUES TO BE SUCH A SWEET AND SENSITIVE LITTLE GIRL THAT CONTINUES TO CAPTIVATE THE ATTENTION OF HER ADORING FAMILY.

Birthday Fun

PRECIOUS BABY

HANDSOME NICK

NICK TEACHING THE GIRLS HOW TO DRINK FROM A FOUNTAIN (NOTICE SARAH'S MAKING THE EFFORT)!  

AFTER SEEING HER BIG BROTHER GULPING WATER, SARAH GIVES IT A TRY!  I LAUGHED SO HARD WHEN I SAW HER EXPRESSIONS...SIMPLY PRICELESS.  NICK WAS OFF TO THE SIDE STARTING AND STOPPING THE WATER AT HIS SISTERS EXPENSE, BUT SHE WAS DETERMINED TO GET A DRINK IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY!  

TWO BABES PLAYING WITH THE FOUNTAIN AND HAVING SOME GOOD OLD FASHION FUN!

THESE TWO RAN AROUND AND AROUND AND AROUND...AND AROUND!

"GOTCHA", NO I GOT YOU!"

SARAH, I THINK YOU DROPPED THIS!  SARAH'S LOOK SAYS' IT ALL, NO WAY, THAT'S NOT MINE!

WELL, I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER WAY TO SPEND MY BIRTHDAY THEN WITH MY DAUGHTER AND DEAR FRIEND LISA  AND HER TWO CHILDREN.  

KIRA ALREADY HAS A CRUSH ON NICK (OR NICKNE AS SHE CALLS HIM) AND SARAH WAS JUST AS FUNNY AS EVER WITH HER ANIMATED EXPRESSIONS.  WE TOOK THE KIDS TO THE PARK TO GET SOME PHOTOS, BUT IT SEEMS THEY WOULD RATHER PLAY AND PLAY HARD THEY DID!

I THINK WE NEEDED ONE OF THOSE HIGH POWERED SPORTS PHOTOG LENS TO CAPTURE THE ACTION.  BUT THESE WERE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF SOME VERY FUNNY PHOTOS!

A Trip to the Gardens

SHE'S ALL I NEED FOR MY BIRTHDAY!

PROBABLY BY NOW EVERYONE KNOWS HOW CRAZY I AM FOR FLOWERS AND GARDENS. I'VE ALWAYS LOVED TO GARDEN AND WONDERED IF SOMEDAY I WOULD HAVE MY OWN GREENHOUSE. HOWEVER, WITH LONGWOOD GARDENS ABOUT AN HOUR FROM OUR HOUSE, FORGET MY OWN, THIS PLACE IS SO THERAPEUTIC FOR THE MIND AND SENSES. EVEN THE BABE ENJOYS FREELY RUNNING AROUND. I HAD TO GET SEASON PASSES AND NOW THERE'S NO EXCUSE TO NOT GO! THERE'S ACRES AND ACRES OF EVERY PLANT AND THEN GREENHOUSES FULL OF MORE! I'LL BE POSTING SOME OF MY FLOWERS SHOTS ON MY OTHER PHOTO BLOG. BUT HERE'S SOME CUTE PHOTOS OF KIRA HAVING FUN. AFTER A WEEK OF RAIN, IT WAS GREAT TO GET OUT!

DETERMINED TO GET THAT DRINK OF WATER (EVEN THOUGH I HAD IT WITH ME)

HEY PARENTAL UNITS!  I'M COMING, I'M COMING.


SWEET BABY GIRL.

OH THIS PLACE IS NICE.  OKAY YOU CAN TAKE A PIC OF ME HERE:))