Sister/Sister - March 2017

Everyday I'm reminded just how fast time is going.  Next week, I register Ashlynn for Kindergarten and Kenley has been waking up just looking bigger.  It's been a long time since I've blogged chronicling their growth, or blogged at all, but here is just a little snapshot of things I never want to forget. I am about 3 years over due on a Sister/Sister update afterall!

Ashlynn

Just a few weeks shy of turning 5, this girl is becoming quite the artist.  Her favorite activity is definitely coloring, art in general, or anything crafty.

I finally gave her a Lego set over the weekend because I finally can see she has the concentration to complete them on her own.  I held off of buying them because one, they can get pricy, and two, I figured if I tried to force the activity on her I'd be the one building it then she'd just want more.  I'm not sure she'll be a Lego fanatic like my brother and I were, but it's definitely the perfect quiet time activity for now.  

Her favorite toys are her stuffed puppies.  Not that good ol' bunny doesn't reign supreme, but of all her dolls and toys in general playing with her stuffed puppies is tops.  Vet check ups, grooming sessions, birthday parties, she basically runs her own little humane society.  

She's loving soccer and pretty good too!  Definitely has her head in the clouds at times, but it's tough staying focused for a 4 year old.  She's not crazy aggressive, but she comes to play.  She's scored some goals and isn't afraid to hold back.  It's going to be exciting to see her talents grow and interests change over the years.

As mentioned in the last posts, she's a beginning reader and doing fantastic.  I know she'll be going into Kindergarten confident and ready.

She also keeps referring back to that time on "Green Patrick's Day".



Kenley

One of my favorite things ever, that I just have to have written down is Kenley's bedtime routine.  This girl is sucker stickler for routine.  After jammies and teeth, she needs to get her "fast kiss and round and round in my bed" from her daddy.  Fast kiss being where she run and jumps into his arms and gives him a kiss on the nose.  Then he carries her to her room where she goes, you guessed it, round and round like a helicopter before being dropped into her bed.  Every night.  After that, we do three books.  Usually a rotation of Duck and Goose Find a Pumpkin, Big Dog Little Dog, If I Were a Bunny, Brown Bear, The Little Mermaid, and the Alphabet Book.  Which skipping the last two, she can recite them all word for word and "read" to me. After that it's time for a cuddle.  Probably close to a year ago now, I would initiate the end of book time and beginning of cuddle/bed time with a back rub.  She pulls up her jammies and asks "rub my back" as she rolls over into a little ball with her bottom in the air.  After a little back rub, she flips over and says "now rub my belly!"  - like she's a damn puppy!  It always cracked me up, but it's become the routine, so much that now it's how she puts herself to sleep.  She'll rub her own belly and be out within minutes.  It's the cutest and funniest quirk.

And despite the drawn out routine, she still ends up in our bed every single night.

Since turning 3, the "toddlerness" of K has just been thrown to the wayside.  Her self control, specifically of her emotions, has improved by leaps and bounds.  When she does begin to meltdown or show signs of a tantrum starting, it's so much easier to communicate with her and have her communicate back which was really hard for us for a long time.  Her speech and communication in general is just blossoming, and she's real goofball always cracking herself up.

She is currently obsessed with Trolls and Princess Poppy.  Aside from actually watching Trolls, on a sad to admit almost daily basis, we always have "troll music" on - the Can't Stop the Feeling station on Pandora.  She loves singing, dancing, and acting out the scenes from the movie.  So now in addition to the color red and Everest from Paw Patrol (a show we never watch since we dont have nickelodeon), Princess Poppy is an official "my favorite". Which she loves telling people her full name and all her favorites upon introduction.  "My name is Kenley Blank and my red is my favorite.  And Everest.  And Princess Poppy."

K's first preferred activity is cuddling up to a movie, her second favorite activities are swinging at the playground and playing with the Little People toys.  Also dancing.


I can't wait to see these girls grow, but also begging for time to slow down!