Daddy-Daughter Date

We were having lunch at Chic-fil-A last week as we noticed an employee walking around the dining area informing any dad-type figure of an upcoming 'daddy daughter date' event. This happened on a weekday afternoon and we were not accompanied by Kirk, so I guess our dad-less table made us unapproachable or something. However, that did not stop Lyla from overhearing the lady spreading the news about this date night business. I was a little surprised when Lyla took the inititive to stop the employee as she passed our table to ask her what exactly she was talking about. Lyla's face lit up as she explained in detail a very elegant evening for dads and their daughters, including tables covered in white linens, decorated with flowers, and lit by candlelight. 

Lyla informed Kirk about the event at her first opportunity to do so. Although Kirk was as excited about a date at Chic-fil-A as you could imagine, he still accepted her invite...because how could he not? I think he was secretly hoping she might forget all about it by the time the day actually arrived, but this girl seriously does not forget anything. I repeat, anything. Sometimes she will bring up an event that happened before she even turned two or details of a blurry memory I can only vaguely remember. I usually just stare at her intensely for a few seconds whenever this happens because I'm pretty sure she is really some sort of mutant super human with a rare memory ability. Then I realize I'm probably nuts when I start asking questions about what it's like inside my womb. Okay, off track, anyway...

The date night arrived and Lyla was on cloud nine before it even began. We got her all fancied up and she patiently waited until it was time to leave. I insisted on a photo-shoot, which was fine because my family has gotten pretty accustomed to me forcing them into photos. I can't say I'm sorry about that...because I'm not. I don't even have to bribe them anymore. Kirk and Lyla departed for their date and I could tell Max was feeling left out. He will be okay though. I gave him lots of love and it's his turn for a special date next time.

They returned home and I was surprised to learn they went to BJ's restaurant instead of Chic-fil-A, especially considering how excited Lyla was about going to Chic-fil-A. Kirk swears it was all Lyla's idea and she pleaded to go there instead after they started driving. I might believe that, only because I know Lyla is super fascinated by the revolving door and is a big fan of their root beer. I'm still skeptical of how exactly that change of plans went down though. Regardless, it was a lovely evening for the daddy-daughter duo. Lyla requested to go to TjMaxx after dinner [smart move] and Kirk claims she was very hilarious as she led him all around the clothing section. She came home with some new Nike shorts and a surprise gift for her little brother. It was very sweet of her to think of him during her date.

I had to laugh when I noticed this unfamiliar attitude about her when she arrived home. It wasn't a sassy attitude, more of an attitude of confidence. I'm not exactly sure the best way to explain it, but she definitely had a little pep in her step. I mentioned it to Kirk and he said she was acting the same way all throughout their date. I think she was feeling very pleased knowing she had daddy all to herself for the evening. 

They have gone on little dates together before, but I think all the anticipation leading up to this one is what made it so special for Lyla. It's an occurrence that will most definitely happen more often.

PS >>> Lyla is looking so grown up lately. I can't handle it. 

Kirk asked me to point out that he is not going for the hipster-dad look with the collar buttoned to the top. It was meant to be a joke, but then he forgot about it. Hahaha

Short Stories

We are in full Christmas mode over here & fully anticipating the arrival of Santa, 

but in the meantime I wanted to share a couple of recent memorable events with the blog.

1. Cockroach Victory

My fascination of cockroaches is probably equivalent to my fear of them. These pesky insects were never an issue in Idaho, but now I face them on a very regular basis. Well, after nearly three years of complaining about it, we finally scheduled an expert to come spray the habitat these creatures call home. However, it seems all this has done is create more madness, causing roaches to emerge from all cracks & crevices of our home. They warned us this may happen, but these freaks are seriously coming out from the depths of the earth since the spray-of-genocide happened. Luckily we are mostly finding them on their backs in a lifeless state, so at least that means the kill juice is working. It's not like we have an infestation or anything like that, just a random beast every once in awhile  --- typically in the bathroom. Hmm actually I'm probably in denial. We have likely, unknowingly, been coexisting with hundreds of roach families since they are literally coming out from everywhere now! No no no. Yuck. Ignorance is bliss. Anyway, the point of this story has nothing to do with me, actually. I think cockroaches are super creepy. Moving on.

It was after bedtime and the kids were already tucked in bed when Lyla started yelling for her Dad. I had left the house for a couple solo errands, but Kirk figured the sounds of Lyla were the typical nonsense that occurs on a nightly basis. To his surprise, Kirk entered her room and learned she was actually screaming about the presence of a cockroach on the wall. According to Kirk, the roach was so large it required a double take. He claims it was the biggest roach he has ever encountered --- and that says a lot, considering he is a Texas native. As he battled the cockroach to his death, Lyla watched wide-eyed. Kirk was victorious. He settled Lyla back in and as he left the room said, "Nobody messes with my Lyla girl." Lyla fell to sleep. Life was good again.

I returned home & Kirk filled me in on the details of the post-bedtime massacre. I was slightly disappointed he failed to take a photo of the godzilla-roach, considering he is well aware of my obsession. I think I became fixated on their anatomy after we captured nearly ten critters in a mason jar once, over the course of several days, before I decided it was setting a weird example to keep cockroaches in a jar as trophies of some sort. I accused Kirk of exaggerating the size, embellishing the facts, stuff like that. He finally drew a picture for a visual comparison and its body extended to about four inches long. However, I was still questioning the legitimacy of his story. Regardless, assuming Kirk was giving an accurate version of events, it seemed this sucker could have been the big daddy of the colony and clearly had a strong resistance to the kill juice from earlier in the week.

Now onto the point & cute part of this ridiculous story. Lyla woke up the following morning and I interrogated her about the cockroach story. I attempted to grill her for facts the night before, but sadly for me she was sound asleep, probably dreaming of cockroaches. She confirmed there was a rather large cockroach crawling on the wall in her room, she called for Dad, blah blah blah --- then she told me the sweetest thing. She said, "Dad got the cockroach out of my room and said nobody messes with his Lyla girl." She had the biggest smile on her face, glorifying in the fact that in that moment Kirk's one and only purpose was to protect her. It was adorable. She mentioned it at least two more times throughout the day. She is pretty happy about having such a heroic daddy.

I still can't get her little voice out of my head... "Dad says nobody messes with his girl." 

I love that girl. I hope she uses that line on boys when she's older.

Well. That story ended up being long enough to justify for its own post. The above could be summarized by stating, Kirk killed a cockroach for Lyla and afterwards he said, "nobody messes with my Lyla girl." She was quite pleased with this statement. Lol. Oh well. The next one is short and sweet.

2. "Bo" vs. "No"

If you are around Max often, then you know that when he says "bo" it means "no". For the longest time he refused to say "no" even though we all knew he was quite capable. He recently learned we adult creatures think it's pretty cute when he says "bo" and have even adopted the lingo for ourselves. He tends to work against the things adults find enjoyable and has worked very hard to correct his pronunciation. He is definitely in the stage of doing the exact opposite of what is expected of him, so reversing his vocal habits was a real treat for him. He now takes his time to articulate the sound each letter makes in the word "no." It even makes his nose scrunch when he does this, but I'm not going to tell him that's an equal trade for the adoration I had for "bo."

Max, we will miss you saying "bo" but hearing you say "nnnnnnoooo" is surprisingly just as great. Unless of course it's 5pm and you've said it [to me] 100 times in the span of one day. I have a hard time finding it cute at that point. Hehee. I still love you though!

Spa by Lyla

As always, my mom's visit included a trip to the pedicure store. We decided Lyla is old enough to join the fun & we were right --- she loved it! She loved it so much that she wanted to recreate the scenario at home...over...and over....and over...and over again. I'm not sure Kirk found it to be as relaxing as he initially thought. He was an overly enthusiastic customer as a way to mask his true feelings. Haha!

Happy Belated Father's Day

Here's a little Father's Day recap for blog purposes...

Lyla was eager to wake up Kirk first thing in the morning to deliver his gift in bed. I forced her to let him sleep in, as she waited impatiently in the living room. She was basically walking in circles. And if she could tell time, she definitely would have been staring at the clock. Kirk is developing an internal alarm clock of an old man and his slumber only lasted until about 8:30. Poor fella.

We spent a lovely day together as a family doing what Kirk enjoys the most --- relaxing. Then we managed to get off our butts for Kirk's second favorite thing --- Mexican food & Margaritas! Lyla and I put together a photo book for Kirk with every single photo including him and the kids since the beginning of time. It was an extensive process going through the several folders of photos on my computer, but totally worth it. I know it was fun for Lyla to look at her newborn pictures, especially those first moments with her daddy. Those two had a special bond since day one. I'm so grateful to have Kirk by my side through this journey called parenthood. He is patient and level-headed. He keeps me sane. I know Kirk credits a lot of his greatness to his own father, who is a loyal husband, dedicated father, and an incredibly hard worker. 

I'm also grateful for my own Dad. I've been his favorite daughter my entire life and he's always been my numero uno. My tendency to think fast and act even faster comes from my him, along with his sarcastic and lighthearted attitude towards life. I have a handful of grandpas that have influenced my life more than they probably know. And shout out to all the other Dads out there choosing to not hide under a rock. You guys are awesome! 

I learned a few years back that Kirk is capable of braiding hair. I guess having four sisters will do that to you. Regardless, he earned some brownie points in my book. 

The Day Dad Made Pizza

It may be unknown to some that Kirk's lifelong dream is to start his own pizza shop. He believes it's his ultimate destiny and his love for pizza is no coincidence. He has brainstormed so many different ideas to create the best pizza experience imaginable. I honestly think if he didn't have a family to provide for he would quit his job and focus all his energy on pizza. Of course, he would also need to find a willing investor. Haha! Anyway, he started experimenting with some different recipes recently. He believes finding the perfect dough is the first step he needs to take in order to achieve his dreams. 

Sadly, his first attempts did nothing to satisfy our pallets and proved he still has a lot of work to do. At the very least it provided a few hours of entertainment, some bonding time with his Lyla girl, and lots of laughing as we watched Kirk try to master the art of tossing the dough. 

Memorable Moments

Love these guys so much! 

Lyla's first sleepover with her friend Jordyn!

Please excuse the laundry & potty in the background, he just looks too cute.

Lyla painted her nails with watercolors. Ha!

This is how most of my nights end. 

It's not unusual for Max's cheeks to be stuffed full, as they are here.

He set up his superheros on the stairs while watching Hulk on YouTube.

Kirk said he wanted a picture of three of his favorite things. Aww! 

Sunday Funnies

Story 1:

Lyla has officially reached the age where she cannot be trusted with a secret. Kirk's been drooling over a pair of new shoes for several weeks, but refused to pull the trigger and buy them for himself. So, I figured it was a good opportunity to surprise him for Valentine's Day. I was super excited, especially since it gets increasingly more difficult for us to surprise each other as time goes on. The shoes arrived during the afternoon while Kirk was at work and upon their arrival, I expressed my excitement to Lyla and Max. I took the shoes out of the box to admire them, then quickly stored them in the upstairs closet, eager for Valentine's Day to come. 

Well. Here comes the part when I learned my lesson. 

Kirk walked in the door from work and not even one minute later Lyla says, "Mom, let's give Dad his Nike shoes." I gave her the look of death and told her to be quiet, unsure if Kirk was even paying attention. She responds to my reaction with another honest remark of, "Oh never mind, Dad. I can't tell you, it's a secret. Sorry." By this point Kirk is listening, half chuckling and half confused. Then Lyla, very assertively, walks up to Kirk and tells him the new shoes are black like his shirt. Ugh! He obviously knew she was talking about the shoes he has been wanting after she made that last comment. There was no point trying to bounce back at that point and he ended up getting his gift two days early. I was slightly disappointed in Lyla's lack of ability to keep a secret, but it was mostly hilarious. I guess I didn't actually expect a three year old to keep a secret. It's just the first time she has truly sabotaged me, so I was a bit stunned.

Story 2:

I know a lot of parenting experts frown upon the use of reverse psychology. Apparently it's cruel to play mind games with your children. However, my own experiences are leading me to believe otherwise. Max is going through a phase of wanting to do everything on his own. He is becoming very self aware. He is a big boy and he can do it himself. As such, he will likely do the exact opposite of anything you ask him to do. This story happens to relate to his eating habits, which seem to be evolving. He continues to eat most foods, but his ability to focus is lacking. He is easily distracted and it takes him f.o.r.e.v.e.r  to eat a full meal. However, if you tell him not to eat, he gets great satisfaction in doing the opposite. The other night he ate seven pieces of broccoli during dinner. This all happened because we told him not to. He thought it was hilarious to disobey. The gene of rebellion lives on!!! The reverse psychology trick didn't work long for Lyla. I think it only took her one day to realize we were trying to outsmart her and she can't have any of that! Max is still young and naive, so it is working out quite well on him. I'm going to take advantage of this trick for as long as I can. If I pay for psychological damage later in life from tricking my child into eating vegetables, so be it.

Story 3:

As many people already know, Kirk has bestowed his love for Superheroes to his children. Lyla and Max can recognize all the characters and have all their names memorized. Kirk is a proud father. Ha! DC Comics is the favored series in our house, Flash in particular for Kirk.  I've banned the "boom" game in the past, which is just lingo for playing superheroes. We still read lots of books, have lots of action figures, own several items of clothing, and watch all the movies. However, Max is beginning to comprehend the rules better, so the real life game is slowly making a comeback. 

Anyway, Kirk owns a Flash t-shirt. It was a gift from the kiddos for Christmas. At the request of Lyla, Kirk wore this shirt three days in a row after work. Initially, he attempted to avoid wearing the same shirt multiple days in a row by claiming it was dirty. Lyla didn't see this as an issue. She dug through the dirty clothes to find the shirt and put it in the washer. She even started it herself, although I'm sure there was no soap. Then she promptly transferred it to the dryer when it finished. Needless to say, Kirk wore the shirt again. 

 

Weekend Recap

1. saturday thunder storms. 

the first half of the storm everyone was asleep.

i have no idea how because the sky was booming.

eventually max woke up and hung out with me. 

 then, lyla played in the rain. splashed in some puddles. 

she was soaked & having a blast.

then dad kicked water on her, which was obviously a huge problem.

apparently only the rain can get her wet, not dad.

2. after bathtime we made some cookies. 

the first thing lyla did was pour my entire container of

 sugar into the mixing bowl. that was fun. 

no big deal though. she had never made cookies before.

 she thought that was how you did it.

then i let her lick the beaters. 

[yep, one of those parenting things i said i would never do]

she will live. it's fine. 

3. football sunday.

like the first football sunday of the year. omg!

poor kirk. luckily kurt will be here soon to watch it with him.

i usually try to avoid football and just stay busy making treats in the kitchen.

lyla did a good job of pretending she was interested though.

and she sure did look cute wearing a jersey to a team she's never heard of before.

"mommy, what am i wearing?"

 "it's your favorite football team, sweetie. shhh. don't ask questions."

4. lyla's first time at the nail salon.

she was very serious and sat very still.

i love having a little girl.

5. pretty sure max got even chubbier.

okay, i only added this one because max wasn't really

 included in the fun activities listed above.

but he's just a little guy. he sure is cutie though!

5 1/2. oh yay. i found a picture of a max weekend activity. sleep! haha.