The Kendal Jadyn Burg Blog

Counting, Colors and Shapes January 28, 2010

Kendal has taken an interest in learning to count, in colors and in shapes. I LOVE watching her try to work through things and figure it out.

Counting – she says “Onnnne, Tuuuu” (two is as high as she can go) and points as she counts…

Colors – she recognizes her colors. I can ask her for the red crayon or blue and she is gets it right more often then not. She also repeats the colors when I ask her to. She even seems to love pink already, it is the only color she says with an enthusiasm – Pink!

Shapes – she loves to play with her shapes. She has several shape sorters and often asks to play with her “Sapes.” And she is learning to recognize when I name them and which ones go in each hole.

There is lots of learning ahead, so I am glad to see that she LOVES to learn and figure things out.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse January 26, 2010

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse remains Kendal’s favorite cartoon. For a while it looked like Little Einsteins might beat it out, but then she started refusing to watch anything but Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. (Thankfully, for my sanity she has started accepting some other cartoons again, but MMC is prefered for sure!)

As excited as she gets when she sees Mickey Mouse, the first name she said was Goofy (Goof), next came Donald Duck (Quack Quack), then Daisy (Dais – which is what she calls Daisy and Minnie Mouse) and just today she added Mickey (Mick).

So for my little Disney girl, I am planning a Minnie Mouse (pink and white polka dot) 2nd birthday party! Yes, it is 2 months away, but planning mode is in full swing! Hopefully by the time her birthday roles around she will be able to say Minnie Mouse!

***Update – just 2 days after writing this post, Kendal busted out with “Min” her version of Minnie! Yeay! ***

Songbird January 21, 2010

In the last couple of weeks, Kendal has added singing to her dancing. It started with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and has moved on to just about any song that strikes her.

During the “Hot Dog” song on the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Kendal holds the last notes of the song… “Mickeyyyy Mouseeee Clubbbbhouseeee” She basically holds the notes (or something in that range) “Aaaaa Aaaaa AAA AAAA.” But she is most certainly singing!

I always sing to the radio – yes, I am the crazy girl in the car next to you jammin away – and now Kendal sings with me. If I turn down the radio to try to listen, she stops, but I can just hear her over the radio singing along with her own words.

Her new favorite song that I sign to her is Old McDonald. She loves EIEIEIO!

I can’t say whether or not she can carry a tune yet, so American Idol is safe for now… but she is definitely her moma’s girl and sings her heart out!

A Sweet Girl January 17, 2010

Tonight, Kendal and I were playing on the floor, and she loaded up her “purse” with several toys. As she loves to do, she put the purse on her arm and said “bye” as she started to walk around the couch. The typical “game” she plays. But then she stopped in her tracks and came back. “MMMMMM” With her lips pushed out, she came back to give me a kiss before “bye.” After a kiss from my sweet girl, it was “bye” again as she walked around the couch…

“Single Ladies” January 10, 2010

Go Gators

New Year’s Eve at the Wasyliws January 2, 2010

Until December 30, we didn’t have any plans for New Year’s Eve. (Unless you count siting at home and watching a movie after putting Kendal down… and maybe staying up to see the ball drop…) Last minute, Jane invited us to join them for dinner. She made a giant pot of tomato sauce – Chris’ grandmother’s recipe, and we were invited to try it.

Earlier in the day, Mimi and Papa Jack watched Kendal so Bobby and I could go see Avatar – a VERY good movie. After the movie, we headed over to the Wasyliws.

Our evening with the Wasyliws and the Volckos was a blast! Not only was dinner yummy (Jane is an excellent cook), but we had a ton of fun! Dinner was casual around the kitchen and after dinner the kids and dads played in the playroom. What started as a neat and orderly room was quickly turned into a kid’s mad house!

Finally, after desert, Jane turned on some tunes for the girls and an all-out dance party ensued. For the next hour, the girls dance their little hearts out to a Disney pop sensation CD. The whole evening melted my heart and every moment reminded me how lucky Bobby and I are. We have good friends and an adorable healthy and happy daughter.

I could not have imagined a better way to celebrate the end of the old year and the beginning of the new year. Home in bed by 9 pm, Bobby and I managed to stay up late enough to watch the ball drop and wish each other a Happy New Year.

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Christmas with the Kents December 30, 2009

Since Jana, Jacy and Jilly couldn’t make it over on Christmas, we had a late Christmas with them. Kendal just loves her cousins – she had a great time dancing with them! Oh, and she LOVES her new Little People Nativity set they got for her. Happy Girl!

Just say “No” to the balloon animal! December 29, 2009

It seemed like a cute, innocent idea when the balloon-animal girl at Chili’s came by the table. “Sure, she would love a balloon animal.” Silly Mom didn’t think about the dinner ramifications of this soon-to-be monkey. Logically, Mom should have known better, but we were having such a good day…

I believe the initial decision of accepting the balloon animal was magnified tenfold by the inane idea that she should have a pink monkey to match her shirt. Monkey’s, you see, have long tails…

As our delighted daughter watched the creation of her very own monkey, it still seemed like a good idea – bringing joy to our daughter. Unfortunately, when dinner came, the full picture of the monkey became clear.

Toddler rules – even if I am ok with putting down “puppy” or “baby” for dinner at home, I will cry in loud protest at the idea of my new pink monkey sitting across the table from me. We are in a public place, you will give into me.

Clutched under one arm, K began to eat, but monkey seemed to get even more exciting as dinner went on. As Mom foolishly continued her quest to put the monkey down, K decided she must not only hold monkey, but sit in Mom’s lap to do so.

By now, the back end of the monkey had unraveled, so the monkey was now just a head with a really long tail. And Mom spent the rest of dinner ducking and weaving to avoid being bopped in the eye with the bouncing monkey. Not only did Mom loose the monkey battle, the eating battle, and the sitting in her own chair battle, but she had to endure her husband and daughter’s laughter as monkey’s tail slapped her face continually.

Dear Chili’s,

Next time we come, please hide the balloon girl.

Thanks,

Mom

Shark Underwater Grill at Sea World

Ever since we got our SeaWorld passes, we have talked about going to the Shark Encounter for dinner, but it never worked out. We finally made it, and it was better than we even imagined.

The whole evening was magical. It was wintry cold outside, so we bundled up. We ended up with the best seat in the house – a semi-circle booth in the center of the restaurant facing the sharks. Since they don’t have booster seats, Kendal sat in the booth between us and was a perfect angel through the entire evening. It was one of those perfect nights that I hope to hold onto forever. Dinner was delicious, and we all had a wonderful time. Kendal had never said “shark” before that night, but she quickly learned and pointed to each shark and said “shark.”  

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