The Keene Family

We are so lucky to live within an hour of two different zoos. After going to Woodland Park in Seattle last week, we went to Point Defiance in Tacoma this week. (I'm also glad we have the Boonshoft pass , which gets us into both!) Jim came with us this time, so it was "as a family," as JT would say. The first thing we saw was the same first thing we saw last time - the zoo peacock, strutting his stuff. We ventured into the aquarium because JT said he was most excited to see the sharks. JT did not want to touch the sea anenomes or the sea stars in the Puget Sound tidepools exhibit. Because we obeyed the "no strollers please" rule in the aquarium (unlike some other moms we saw pushing double wides through the crowds... just saying), Jim went around and picked it up from the other entrance. JT was very patience waiting for him to come back and was pretty happy to see him again! On to the bigger beasts... the tigers were napping but the elephants were up and around. ...

Haley turned nine months old on Saturday and had her check up today. Jim had to take her because I had to work, but I promised him there wouldn't be any shots. Haley now weighs almost 14 pounds and is 26.5 inches long. That puts her under the zero percentile for weight and the 15th percentile for length. Apparently she is just going to be a little petite. Her head is the only thing that is moving up the charts, now in the 30th percentile (and still smaller than JT's at birth!). With these statistics, Haley's doctor put her on a high calorie diet. It is too bad she will never be able to appreciate it... we are now buttering her crackers and adding cheese and sour cream where possible along with serving other high calorie foods . We are even under orders to start scrambled eggs and meats. Unfortunately, it may be Haley's genetics that are keeping her from being average size. As a baby, I had the same growth chart. I was smaller at age 4 than JT is currently. So we're ...

Haley has been waving for awhile but today she realized that she could make me wave back. We did a lot of waving before I thought to grab my cell phone and record it!

This morning when I told JT we were going to the park after workout, he got out Haley's play phone and called Gracelyn to ask if she was going to meet us at the park by the play structures. Good thing I'd used my real phone to text Gracelyn's mom already. :) We had a sunny lunch and play time at the park. Gracelyn taught JT how to lay on the swings. Tyson and Haley enjoyed some swing time too... Haley's first swing! Haley waited by the play structure while JT went down the slide. More sliding from Gracelyn... Taking a rest... getting ready to go home. But not without playing in the bark chips one last time!

JT, Haley, and I planned to go to Woodland Park Zoo today and we got so blessed by great weather! Haley and I were ready by 8:15. JT had to be roused from sleep and given breakfast to eat in the car. Stroller configuration 1 upon arrival: second seat on top. JT rides on the front kick plate on his knees when we have a ways to go, and it worked well at the zoo all morning. I paid the extra $3 and we saw the new Dinosaur exhibit. It was pretty cool! JT was very brave although he was physically shaking and clinging to me at this last T-Rex. The dinosaurs moved and made noises and it was a little Jurassic Park. JT said his favorite part was the elephants. We were bummed that the tigers and lions were all hidden away, sleeping in the grass. We did see a beautiful jaguar climb a tree, which was pretty amazing to watch. Love this picture! We had a nice picnic lunch before continuing to the Family Farm. Then came stroller configuration 2 - JT had tired legs and was ready to ride. And since we ...

Lately JT has been enjoying sitting at his little table for lunch. He sometimes invites me to join him. :) Haley has been so interested in everyone else's food. She is eating bits of sandwich crust, cucumbers, apples, and celery now... all with no teeth. Last night she really wanted some popcorn like everyone else. When Grandma Cole tried to placate her with a cold celery stick, Haley looked at her like, "Are you kidding me?" Pretty funny. Last week after lunch JT helped me make some cupcakes for Wednesday night Bible study group. He was a big help cleaning up. The second batch turned out beautifully... beware of those cute foil cupcake liners. Cut your bake time way down! They should write that on the package. Haley wasn't much help in the kitchen but she did enjoy some play time without her brother in the way. That is, until she got another visitor!

The other day, JT had me drive the boat (aka sit on the coffee table facing the opposite direction) while Haley held the flag (aka sit on the coffee table facing the skiier). Then he decided he wanted to switch lakes... so Haley and I pulled the boat out of the lake and put it on the trailer, launched the boat in another lake, and patiently waited while JT got out his ski, found the soap, put on his gloves, put on his ski, grabbed the handle, jumped in the water, and said "Hit it!" Then we pulled him around the lake twice, signaling the skiier for turns of course, until he was tired and Haley got to put up the flag. If you're skim reading, you may think we were on an actual lake. Nope! This entire scene was pantomimed and narrated by my child's vivid imagination and uncanny recollection for the details of skiing. I took some pictures afterward when I had to clean up the lunch dishes and JT was freeskiing on his own. :) Haley attending observer training Crash!

Wow - my third Mother's Day! I was blessed on Friday by coming home from work to a lovely handprint painting from JT and Haley, courtesy of Grandma Keene, along with some freshly potted flowers. JT wouldn't help plant the flowers, because he thought the dirt was "yuck." All the same, it's the thought that counts. :) Sunday I woke up to gifts in my bathroom and cinnamon rolls ready to go in the oven downstairs. Jim had been busy! Even though he got home from work just before dawn, he wanted to make sure I had a smooth morning. It was a lovely day, with church, Costco lunch, naps in the afternoon, a family walk to the park, a yummy homemade spaghetti dinner, and my new favorite dessert-in-a-box: Ghiradeli Dark Chocolate brownies. The only downside of the whole day is this picture - why does my left eye look like it got punched? :(

On Wednesday, the weather was supposed to be nice so I texted some friends to invite them to meet up at the park after workout. Elisa, Katie, and I all packed lunches and blankets and enjoyed the sun on our sweaty skin while the kids played. It was a fabulous way to spend the morning. I got a start on my summer tan, too. :) The crew Haley enjoying some shade Who's going in first? JT and Gracelyn Tres Amigos JT kept sneaking up and putting his arm around Brady, who just turned two. Brady would knock it off and then JT would wait a few minutes and put his arm back. Katie and I were cracking up watching it, and finally got a picture. Brady's dad and Jim work together now, too! Tyson crawls closer to Haley JT "protecting" his sister from Tyson