Our little big kid

Things have been changing at our house lately.  Our sweet little man is getting to be more of a big kid and it is making his parent's very sad :)  For starters, we decided to take on the challenge of potty training before the baby arrives.  I had read some things that said there is a "window" between 20-26 months so I decided to go for it.  Knox seemed very interested in trying so we figured "why not"?  Well, I am shocked to tell you that it worked. After about 5 miserable days, Knox finally 'got it' and we haven't had an accident since Sunday now!  Crazy!  I wouldn't say that we are at a place were it is actually making my life any easier, because I still have to take him potty A LOT since he is so little and it is definitely interrupting his nap routine.  But all in all, we are excited that he has taken the plunge and  is now "potty trained"!

As part of the preparations for the baby's arrival, we decided to have family photos taken of just the three of us.  This Saturday is our photo session and after looking at some pictures I took this weekend, I realized that Knox's hair was looking quite shaggy.

before with his buddy Blythe

He hadn't ever really had a full haircut, just a bang trim and me cutting off his mullet in the back a few times.  So, we took him to a place called 'Pigtails and Crewcuts' for his first real haircut.  Since he got to sit in a toy airplane and watch 'Toy Story' it went really well! He didn't mind a bit and he even got a sucker at the end. He's been talking about it ever since.  "Haircut, Airplane" is all I've heard the past few days!  Here are some pics of the big event:

Watching 'Toy Story'

Can you tell it was nap time? 

the finished product

To be completely honest, he looks a little bit like a mushroom head.  But hopefully that will be cuter in the pictures than super-shaggy! Either way his mother thinks he's the cutest kid ever! 

-Stacie 

Our West Coast Vacation

Our whirlwind summer of traveling and fun time with both of our families has finally come to a close.  We have been so blessed this summer to have gotten to go on two very fun, but very different beach vacations.  First we went to Nags Head and had a traditional "beach" vacation with my family.  By traditional, I mean that we spent most of every day just hanging out on the beach and in the warm water.  This time, however, we went to the Oregon Coast with Kyle's family and it was a totally different beach experience.  The water is chilly, the temperatures are in the mid-60's and it was GLORIOUS! Pregnant girl was loving life :)  Not to mention that we have a blast with Kyle's family and the scenery in Oregon is epic.

Knox & I spent the week before our vacation in Spokane hanging out with Kyle's mom, sister, brother-in-law and our niece and nephew.  It was a fun week for the kiddos to get some much needed hang-out time with each other.  Then, Kyle flew in on Friday night and we made the 9 hour (yikes!) drive to the coast to spend a week there.  We had amazing weather and fun just getting to spend time together.  Getting to watch the Olympics every night was a huge bonus too!

Here are some of the pics from our week:

Marek on the beach

Miss McKenna 

Knox is over his sand fears!  

Aren't they cute?! 

Fishing at the Aquarium 

The Newport Aquarium

Kyle being silly with Knox

This kid has a new love...tractors!!

More tractors 

Knox loved the carousel!  

Kyle had fun taking Knox on the old-timey bumper cars

Knox was a trooper!

Knox & Marek on the beach

The Carlson family with Nana

Our family with Nana :) 

Nana with her grandkids

The whole gang

Not too much longer for the 3 of us!

I am at 29 weeks now- crazy!! We are in town and hoping to just enjoy time as the three of us until our little girl arrives sometime in October.  I'll post some of the fun things we do with Knox before she comes :) 

-Stacie 

Beach Vacation 2012

Knox & I just got back from our East Coast summer stint.  We spent a week in Virginia hanging out with my family and then Kyle met us and we spent a week at the North Carolina coast enjoying the beach with my parents, brothers and sister-in-law.  It was such a relaxing, fun trip that it was bittersweet to leave.  But it is always nice to be back home after such a long time away.  Knox sprinted into the house on Sunday afternoon, when we got home from the airport, to reaquaint himself with all his toys, it was cute!  I didn't realize how challenging one-on-one time with a toddler can be until I had the help of multiple adults for two weeks.  Life was SO much easier!  Maybe Hilary Clinton was right...it does take a village :)  

Here is a photo montage of our time away.  Brace yourself for lots of pics!  

Knox with Uncle Jonathan on the beach

I know I am biased, but seriously this kid is cute!

You have to have naked photos, you just have to...

Grandpa giving Knox his nightly vacation popsicle 

Uncle Jonathan 

Knox with his Grandmother and Great-Grandmother

This kid is so happy!  

We ate A LOT of food, yum! 

Knox with his Aunt Valerie 

Knox got his first haircut while we were there

He wasn't too happy about it.

Frisby with Uncle Jonathan 

The whole family

The original Kibiloski Clan 

The Sale Clan

Baby Bump at 25 weeks 

Knox was finally not scared of water on the last day we were there...

POPSICLE! This is Knox's favorite food

Except for the last day, Knox demanded to be carried anywhere close to the water 

Getting into everything back at the house

Knox with his fan club, this is one loved little guy

Knox & I leave on Monday for Spokane and then Kyle will join us on Friday and we'll all head out to the Oregon Coast for a week at the beach.  We are super excited to get some quality time with Kyle's family and to spend some time in the PNW!  

-Stacie  

An Elmo experience

Like most toddlers, Knox loves Elmo.  He has Elmo videos, books, clothes, dolls, etc.  His obsession is unhealthy, but I promise I have done nothing to encourage it.  All his paraphernalia he received as gifts.  Anyway, one of Knox's buddies, Avery, had her 2nd Birthday party today and the theme was Elmo.  Knox was hyped!

the Elmo goodies

Bradley made these herself- insane! 

The big surprise of the day was that Elmo was making an appearance.  Avery's dad donned the costume for all the kiddos.  We were 99.9% certain that Knox would be scared to death of Elmo, but we were still curious.  So, I was armed with the camera for this Elmo meet & greet magic.  I'll just say that Knox did not disappoint.

Elmo meeting the kids

Knox sees Elmo for the 1st time....total terror

It was like toddler torture...so sad

 I would like to say that this is a normal toddler reaction and maybe it is, but he was the only child at the party that had this reaction.  I don't blame him though a 6 ft Elmo kind of freaked me out too :)

-Stacie