More Fun With Cousins

On Tuesday, we went to the zoo. The koalas were the most active I have seen them.

Jalen was also in a good vibe.

We rode the carousel...
...and the train.
Milked the cow...
and saw the penguins.

On Wednesday, the kids saw the temple and sang "I Love to See the Temple."

We played in the park on a VERY hot day.

We have had so much fun together. I'm going to miss my sister, Tiffani, so much when she goes. I'm grateful she is so much more than a sister. I feel badly that Baylie will never have a sister, but I think her little cousins are the next best thing. She is going to be very lonely without these constant friends.

I think David will be happy to have his house back to normal!

Kissing Cousins

My sister is here visiting with her three kids. We are having so much fun! I love to see my kids playing with their cousins. I love being part of a loving family.

Heron

On Saturday, we went to Lake Murray, but I forgot my camera. Later we went to a playground by a small lake and saw turtles, ducks and a large heron.

Check out the little kick from Lauryn.

Cameron finds a friend.

Today we went to Isle of Palms beach. Between the lake and the beach, we are all a bit fried and very tired.

Next stop - the zoo!

First Conversation About Skin Color

I've long heard that kids start to notice skin color between the ages of 3 and 4. Baylie has known for a long time that her hair is different from most people she knows, but today was the first time she talked about skin color. We were sitting at breakfast when out of nowhere, this conversation happened:

Baylie (sticking her arm out): I'm brown.

David: I know! I love it!

Baylie: What color are you, Daddy?

David (sticking his arm out): Kind of a peachy tan. (I think he got this definition from the book The Colors of Us.)

Baylie (looking at the palm of her hand): I'm peachy tan too!

Baylie: What color are you, Mommy?

Me (sticking my arm out): I'm brown too! (Thanks to Neutrogena spray on tan and some time at the pool.) I'm darker than Daddy, but not as dark as you.

Then I put my arm next to Jalen and said, "We're all different colors."

And that was the end of that topic.

Beat Box for Beginners

I tried to edit these to only get the best stuff, but I can't figure it out. Enjoy the "uncut" version.

Just for the record, David is amazing at vocal percussion. Someday I'll have to post a video of him.

Kodak Moments

Got White Out? (and a tissue?)

"Just two more bites."

And We're Back...

I have to confess, I didn't like Baylie's hair straightened. I did, however, like how easy it was to section and part. Yesterday we sectioned it off and left it that way for beading today.

We decided to do a different style of beads where the beads go all the way to her scalp. Instead of braids, it's all beads. It still took a long time and she has never had so many beads in her hair before. It's fun looking.

She loves it!

P.S. I'm not sure how comfortable it's going to be to sleep on.

Straight Up

Today I tried to straighten Baylie's hair for the first time. I don't want to use relaxers on her yet, so I did it with a blow dryer and a straight iron.

This is what her hair normally looks like.

This is after I had brushed and blow dried it section by section. And yes, those are tears in her eyes. She hates having her hair brushed out.

She was a little happier when she saw her reflection. She liked her "crazy hair."

And this is after I straight ironed it section by section.

Problem is, now I have no idea what to do with it!

Before - After