The Kendal Jadyn Burg Blog

Dance Party in Kendal’s Room September 29, 2009

One of our favorite times with Kendal is after dinner, just before bed. After she gets her PJs on, she likes to turn on her CD player, shut her bedroom door, put on a hat and dance around her room. It is one of the cutest sites and one of the most precious times. She loves to play with her hats and carry around her stuffed animals while dancing and entertaining us.  I wish I could bottle these moments and keep them always… She is so wonderful.

18 Months Old! September 28, 2009

How did it happen? My baby isn’t a baby any more, she is a little girl. It crept up, slowly at first, and then all of the sudden – she is a little girl!!! And she has PERSONALITY to boot! I can’t believe she is a year and half already, it makes me a little sad, but I am SO proud of her at the same time. Everyday she seems to learn something new and wonderful. Even if I took pictures and videos of every moment of her life, I still feel them slipping like sand through my grasp. Here is a little taste of what my little girl is up to at 18 months.

• Dancing Machine – if there is music around Kendal is dancing. She has this turn, stomp, clap, wave her arms/toys thing she does that just cracks us up. We keep trying to video it, but she does it best when the camera is not around.
• Joker – what is funnier than Kendal? When Kendal knows she is being funny and tries to make us laugh. When she is in a good mood, she loves to act silly and she laughs just as hard as we do!
• Talker – Kendal still isn’t much of a “talker.” While she babbles on all of the time, she hasn’t added many distinguishable words. However, any day now I expect an explosion. Recently, she has started saying “Mu,” “Mu,” which most defiantly means “muffin.” Hew new favoite breakfast food are Grammy’s homemade banana muffins! And if I don’t offer her one, she let’s me know that is what she wants!
• Temper – ahhh they all warn about this one. Much to my dismay, Kendal has discovered temper-tantrums!  Oh yes, my sweet baby turns into a red, sweaty, screaming and flailing menace when she doesn’t get her way.
• Sweet – when Kendal is happy, she is more than happy to spread the love. Kisses and hugs for all. When it is time to go, she blows kisses to everyone – even store clerks, which cracks everyone up.
• BAGS – Kendal continues to develop a love for bags. She has commandeered several of my totes and fills them to the brim with toys and drag/carries them around the house. At any given time, if something is missing we check one of Kendal’s bags!
• Friends – Kendal loves her stuffed animals, her little people and her Disney figurines. We bought her a set of Princess figurines when we went to Disney, and when she isn’t toting them around in a bag she lines them up next to her or in front of her – everyone in their place! She talks to them, tries to ride her plane/horse/zebra with them.
• No more eating out – looks like we won’t be eating out much for a while. The same girl who used to sit quietly in her chair now has to be on the go. Restaurants are starting to become a nightmare.
• Go-go girl – Kendal LOVES to go-go. Whenever it is time to go somewhere and I ask her if she wants to go, she will drop whatever she is doing, say “go-go” and head toward the door. (If her shoes are around, she will grab those on her way too!)
• Sleepy Head – over the past month or so, Kendal has started to give up the morning nap. Ever since Daddy started leaving for work by 7:00 to get downtown, Kendal has been sleeping till 9 am!!! I love it – I have been sleeping in too! So, she gets up at 9 and has some milk while she watches cartoons with me in bed. Then she is up untill nap time 2-4ish and bed at 8! That’s my little girl, a good sleeper like momma!

Check up. Today we had Kendal’s 18-month check up, and everything is great. K is a little anemic (again), but not too much (10 something), so back to iron supplements. She is now 33 inches talk and weights 24.4 lbs, which puts her just under the 90% for height and 50% for weight. Kendal was not happy about being at the doctor today, and she would not cooperate for the hearing test they wanted to give her. but,she hears fine, so no biggie. Only 1 shot today – chicken pox. Seems like an odd vaccine, since we all remember getting chicken pox like a right of passage as a child, but now there is a vaccine…

All in all, Kendal is a happy, healthy, 18-month-old girl and she continues to light up our lives. Much more to come…

Disney for Mommy’s 30th Birthday! September 23, 2009

About a year ago, Dad and I came up with a plan for our joint milestone birthdays; this year I turned 30 and Dad turned 60. We decided to spend a long weekend at Disney – after all, we are really just kids at heart! So, after planning this for months, it was finally here! The itinerary for the weekend was such:

Friday

• Arrive at Bay Lake Resort (the new addition to the Contemporary Resort)
• Dinner at California Grill

Saturday – Dad’s Birthday

• Chef Mickey’s for breakfast
• Bass fishing in the Disney lakes
• Magic Kingdom Fireworks on a boat

Sunday

• EPCOT

Monday – My Birthday

• Magic Kingdom

The hotel was amazing, the itinerary was perfect and we had the best birthday weekend celebration ever! I could not have imagined a better birthday.

From the moment we walked into our two-bedroom suite in the brand-new, uber-swanky Bay Lake Resort, I was in LOVE… Thus began the deluge of photos! In this post, are the photos I took. I started off taking lots, then Mom arrived. Once she was on the scene, there wasn’t any point to my camera since she had every moment covered.

After dinner at the California Grill, we watched the fireworks from our private balcony over looking Cinderalla’s Castle. Wow! Since Disney is already in the Halloween spirit, running Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween on most Friday nights in September, we were treated to the Halloween Fireworks show. It was fantastic. There was even a channel on the TV that piped in the music so we got the whole effect!

Saturday was a lovely day hanging around the hotel. I have wanted to stay out at a Disney hotel and just hangout in the land of The Mouse for years, so I soaked up every moment. Dressed in her Minnie Mouse Dress with Minnie Mouse Crocs and the matching bow I made, Kendal was a hit everywhere we went. Ohhhs and ahhhs followed her at every turn, and she really couldn’t have been cuter.  Enamored with all of the characters and everything around us Kendal was all smiles.

Unfortunately for Kendal, she missed out on both boat rides. Bass fishing took place during nap time (I napped with K), and the fireworks ride was long after bedtime. I really wanted her to come on the night boat ride, but with 2 days at the parks to go I decided she really needed to make bed time. (Bobby stayed in the hotel with her, while he missed the ride he was able to watch the fireworks from the comfort of our room.)

I think my family was a little hesitant about going to EPCOT for a whole day. They hadn’t been in so long, they couldn’t see a whole day at EPCOT. But, everyone was pleasantly surprised and we had a great fun-filled day! Kendal was ready and raring to go on Sunday and she wanted to walk everywhere all by herself. So much so that by lunch time she had rubbed a blister on her foot raw. While it hurt me to look at it, it never seemed to faze her. She was more interested in trying to take off the band aids than anything else.

Which brings me to a mom lesson… up to this point, I haven’t been used to carrying band aids around so I didn’t have any. Luckily, my sister had a few. Otherwise, my choices were go to the 1 first aid station in EPCOT – on the other side of the park. Or buy a small pack for $3. Ummm really Disney? Yep, that’s what I was told by 2 Cast members…

EPCOT was a blast. We rode every ride (or at least everyone but Kendal and I did) and we saw everything worth seeing. We even ended the day with dinner in Italy. YUM! It rained off and on all day, and we quickly learned the value of a $7 poncho as a stroller cover! For the most part, we managed to be inside when came down, but on our way out of the park the sky opened up one last time and gave us a good soaking! (Thank goodness for a family of umbrellas, the poncho/stroller cover and the brand-new raincoats Liny and I got in Norway!)

Something I have been wanting to do since I worked at Disney was to see Fantasmic over at Hollywood Studios. Since we are never at the Studios at night, I have never had the opportunity, so I took our weekend stay as my chance. After we left EPCOT Mom and I said goodbye to everyone headed back to the hotel and hopped a bus to the Studios. We arrived just before 8 and as we made our way into the amphitheater, an announcement told us the show was packed to standing room only… Luckily they were early with the announcement and Mom and I quickly found seats in the 6th row! Along with a couple thousand people, we waited in the hot, muggy night for the show, which was worth the wait! I was so glad we made the extra trip!

As much fun as the weekend had already been thus far, my trip would not have been complete without a day in my park – The Magic Kingdom!

In case you don’t know, The Magic Kingdom is my park… I love The Magic Kingdom, so it was the perfect place to spend my birthday! Since 2009 is Disney’s year of celebrations, Disney gives you one of 3 gifts on your birthday — a ticket, a day-long fastpass or merchandise certificate for the value of a ticket ($80). Since part of my birthday gift was season passes, I got the merchandise certificate to buy some souvenirs for Kendal.

We did everything I wanted to do in The Magic Kingdom – pictures on Main Street, rides, characters, parades, fireworks… everything!

While in Toontown, the lines to meet the Princesses and Fairies was only 15 and 30 minutes – so I decided we should divide and conquer! While Mimi, Aunt Liny, Daddy, Kendal and I waited in line to meet the Princesses, Papa Jack waited in the Fairy line (yes, alone). After we made it through the Princesses, Daddy, Kendal and I jumped in line with Papa Jack to meet the fairies. Kendal was captivated by everyone, but Belle and Rosalita seemed to be her favorites. We bought Kendal 2 treats in ToonTown, Minnie Mouse dressed up like Tinkerbell and a set of Princess figurines.

It was a great day, capped off with dinner on Main Street, Spectro Magic and finally watching the fireworks from our hotel before heading home. I can’t imagine a better way to spend my 30th birthday, and I think everyone else had just as much fun as I did. I know Kendal did!

The pictures below are from my camera, pictures from Mimi and the ones Disney took to come.

[Show as slideshow]

 

Not the Souvenir we wanted to bring home from Disney… September 16, 2009

I had the BEST Birthday weekend ever, but poor Kendal came home with a souvenir none of us wanted — a cold. Poor baby is just finishing her antibiotics from the ear infection and now she has a cold with a drippy nose.

When we got home Monday night, we could tell the sniffles had started. By 12 am, the exhausted Kendal was in hysterics because she couldn’t breathe and couldn’t sleep. I ended up letting her sleep upright on my chest in the chair until 3 am when I was finally able to sneak back to bed.

Tuesday was a big snot day! All day long, the little nose ran like a faucet, and, of course, she hates her nose being wiped. To make maters worse, I didn’t bathe her when we got home from Disney because it was so late. I planned to bathe her first thing, but since she currently HATES baths, I put it off. By 5 pm, I couldn’t handle it any more, she was so dirty and covered in booggies!!!

Most of the day was spent in tears or curled up in my lap watching TV. I knew I had to go to work today, so I just hoped today would be better at Mini’s. Luckily it has been. Her little cold is passing!

Hopefully tomorrow I will get a chance to write all about our Birthday Extravaganza weekend!

Sick of Sick… September 7, 2009

My poor little one has had a rough week, and I, in turn, have had a rough week! Wednesday night, after Mimi’s house, I realized Kendal had a fever. She had been fussy at dinner and a little clingy all day, but no other symptoms. Still 101 fever…

Thursday, we had a bit of a scare. Aunt Liny (who spent s good deal of time with K the day before) was preliminarily diagnosed with Swine Flu. Yes, that swine flu. In the end, 2 hours of sitting in the clinic, her flu test was negative - just an upper respiratory infection.  But for several hours I was freaked! My poor baby already had a fever, immune system down, just what she needed. But the all-clear came, so I continued on the Tylenol regime… still no other symptoms.

Friday was uneventful, stuck inside another day. Kendal went for most of the day without a fever or Tylenol (for the first time), so I thought she was on the mend. But her general grumpiness continued, and about 4pm the fever came raging back. Poor baby was still just as sick.

When she woke up Saturday morning, still with a fever, I decided it was time to go to the Dr. While I hoped for “just a virus,” my gut was confirmed — ear infection. Not just in one eat this time, but both.

Since Kendal had a reaction to antibiotics last time she took them (spots appeared all over her body on day 7), this time she was prescribed Omnicef. I hate giving her antibiotics, she is so small, but I know a raging ear infection won’t go away by magic on its own.

By Sunday the fever was gone - yippie! But Kendal continued to have no appetite and be super fussie girl. Soon after her second dose (about 20 mins), Kendal was covered in red spots (again). The red spots covered her torso (worse on her tummy). So, I called the after-hours ped. Since it wasn’t really bothering her, the doc suggested it might be more of an adverse reaction to the antibiotic than a true allergic reaction. So, I was advised to continue status quo. But about 30 mins later, the spots spread up her neck and started to raise a bit… I called back, and was told the same thing. So, we decided to “wait and see.”

Today has been more of the same…  and I am about to go crazy! I know it is because my poor girl doesn’t feel well, but I can’t take it any more. She throws a temper tantrum every hour or so, she won’t eat and she is making me bonkers!  The spots are the same, no better, no worse, and she seems to be sleeping better. So, I suppose that is progress… but here is to hoping tomorrow is a better day. We only have 4 days till we head to Disney – she has to be better!!!

GO GATORS! September 6, 2009

Despite not feeling well, Kendal managed to help us cheer on the Gators in the first half of their decided 62-3 season-opener victory over Charleston Southern. Aunt Liny came over to watch the game with us and was quite tickled by Kendal’s cheering. (We are working on “The Chomp.”)

Oh yes, Kendal LOVES to clap and cheer for the Gators – “Go Go,” she says!

Painting the House… September 5, 2009

I have wanted to paint our house (inside) since the day we moved in, but Bobby needed convincing. When we had been in the house 1 year, almost the day, we painted 2 accent walls in the front 2 rooms of the house.  Nothing since. Finally, he agreed to let me paint, so I had a garage sale (last spring) to “pay” for my project. All I had to do was pick the color. I finally got on the stick, picked a color, hired a painter and after 2 days of painting, my house is painted!!!

I LOVE IT!!!

We went with a green (dry sage) and painted the entire family room, kitchen and halls — basically the main part of the house. We used a no VOC paint, and I was amazed at how little it smelled. I still got loopy while they were painting, but by the time Bobby cam home from work the paint had dried and the fumes were gone. We didn’t even have to stay at my parents house as I anticipated (and planned for).

I wasn’t quite sure how it would go with Kendal — two days cooped up in the house with strangers and restricting her wandering, but she did great. It was actually really funny when we first moved everything for the painters. We did it after she went to bed Sunday night, and Monday morning she kept wandering around pointing to everything that was out of place (like the broken down entertainment center in the middle of the living room). But it was even funnier when we went to put it back together, she was SO excited to have the TV back. It was really quite comical.

So, the next project is to paint the master bedroom/bath, but I have yet to pick a color, so for now I will revel in the excitement of my new living room. It look so differnt, but exactly what I wanted. Oh, and Bobby really likes it too!