milestones, memories, and lil moments

ok... I will start off by warning that this post is picture heavy.  We have had a fun couple of weeks as we wind down our summer.  The kids have 1 more week of summer vacation before Will and Isa start school on the 6th of September. We have been enjoying our time with family and friends during this very nice and cooler summer days!
Memories:   nature walk with friends and cousin Chloe; Schilens, Avarello, and Sikora girls playing with dinosaurs; art time; ice cream Sundays with Gramma and Bapa

 

 

 

Milestones: Will starts to learn how to ride his bike on 2 wheels (he even gets it for a few seconds!);  Isa joins the Avon Soccer league (with her biggest fans in tow)!;  Gabi turns 1 and 1/2 (with a little birthday celebration); AND  Isa get her complete bedroom set (we finally feel like this room is COMPLETE!)

 

 

 

 

lil Moments: today we really made our house a home.... how you ask?  We finally planted the kid's trees!  These were seedlings that we brought over from our home on Barton.  Here is a little look at our fun planting them!  What I loved most, was that the kids each helped Daddy with their tree and each was so excited and happy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

our lil goofballs!

One And a Half !

 18 months, 1 1/2 years old... our lil baby girl is a full toddler working on big girl status.  She is an easy going, fun loving little girl with a punch of personality when the time is right!  Gabi has definitely blossomed and changed over the last month.  At her recent 18 month check-up she was in the 10th % for weight (21.5 pounds) and in the 25th % for height.  Finally she is over the 20 pound mark to safely turn her around in her car-seat (however we may keep her that way a little longer). 

Gabi is finally starting to talk a little more.  Many of her words are still muffled and not very clear, but recently we feel like we can communicate with her a little better.  She points to whatever she wants and has started vocalizing many more words.  She now loves pointing at her nose, eyes and head while saying their names.  She then proceeds to do the same to you (especially poking at your eye!).
 
Gabi loves keeping up with her older siblings.  She swings on the "big kid" swing holding on herself, navigates most playgrounds on her own, climbs everything she can, and wants to eat everything everyone else is eating!
Some of the not so good things she is doing include: being real clingy with mommy and daddy (has started to cry more when we leave or wants us to carry her more); she has started crying hard and screaming when she doesn't want to do something (ie. eat).  But overall she is still a happy little girl.  She loves dancing and moving around with the kids.  She loves trying to sing many songs (including ABC's, Twinkle Twinkle, and Taylor Swift's "Mean" song) =).  We love when she repeats the names of all the people we pray for at night (it's the sweetest thing ever). 

It's so hard to think that Gabi is a year and half.  We think this is harder, knowing she is our last... our baby.  Over the last month, Gabi has also had several one-on-one moments (both with us and her Grandparents).  During this time she really hams it up.  It's amazing how independent and personable she is on her own!  I must admit that I am looking forward to some of this special time with her during the week for a couple of hours when the kids start school.  For now... she is still our little baby, our monkey, and still little enough to cuddle and carry around =) 

unexpected

Sometimes the sweetest days happen totally unexpected and impromptu.  One day last week Mary and Mira came by to visit and we ended the day with Justin, Mary, Mira and our family out on the deck and playing in the lawn.  The kids (and adults) had such a great time just hanging out =) Cheers to Twisted Ice Tea, late night Transformer and GI shows, Halloween dress rehearsals and great company!

girl talk =)

playing peek-a-boo

wedded bliss

 Breathtaking, amazing, fun, heartwarming!  Last night we celebrated the marriage of Matt and Erin.  The location was lovely and the weather was great for an outdoor ceremony.  2 more fun loving, happy people couldn't be joined.  Matt and Erin are awesome!  Congratulations and thanks for letting us party with you!

 

 

 

Tob trying to reel me in =)

 

needless to say.... our gang had a great night out!

amazing week

Sikora cousins 2011

We were excited for the week, but couldn't possibly have anticipated the amount of fun, laughter, and awesome comments our kids would surround us with.  To say the least, the kids were FISH.  Will, Isa and Gabi were down by the beach almost every moment they could be (we occasionaly had to haul them in for meals and a break from the sun!).  Will and Isa tried boogie boarding, went on several kayak trips (some only FEET away from dolphins), and swan in the ocean when it was calm!  On some of the calm days, even Gabi was out in the ocean with just her floaties! 

Isa tagged Annie as her "best friend" for the trip and loved splashing and laughing with her in and out of the ocean.  Will battled his uncles with swords, helped with sand castles and loved playing by the water.  Gabi just went along with the flow... swimming, playing with sand, and playing with her cousins!  Although there were 25 Sikoras there, our family tried at times to focus on our lil vacation.  We took the kids to the pier, took them on kayak trips and had special one-on-one times with them by the water. 

The evenings were filled with laughter and chaos during our great meals.  7 days, with awesome meals from spaghetti and steak, grilled chicken and nachos, lasagna, flank steak and roasted veggies, brats and salad, to a great taco bar.  Every homemade meal better than the next, luckily Tobin and I were earlier in the week, so we just got to enjoy the meals the last half of vacation! 

We will always look back on this past week with fond memories.  It was a blessing to have all of Tobin's side of the family be able to make it.  To have all 8 little cousins together was heartwarming.  Being able to just focus on relaxing and having fun was priceless.   Our family truly had a wonderful time.

Here are some little things and comments I hope to never forget:
the air dart game; kayaking right by the dolphins (a moment in my life that was truly breathtaking); watching my lil fish enjoying the sand and water; Will's comment "this is Amazing" and "this was the funnest day ever, ever, ever"; star tipping; snow cones by the ocean; water front work-outs; Will and Isa "saving" everyone; little ones first reactions to the ocean; sword battles; princess dress-ups; nightly get-together; build-your-own sundae desserts; Popsicles; boogie boarding; the "man cave" (or hiding spot); the great days of sunshine!

I took over 1200 pictures... after editing got them down to 770.... so needless to say... picking my favorites is real hard!  Here is a brief look at our week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the whole gang... all 25!