Kelepouris Family: May 2015

Hi Friends and Family!

Brooklyn just turned 4 months old, weighs 13lb 5oz (34th percentile), is 24.75" long (70th percentile) and is in the 95th percentile for head circumference. Her 4 month check-up went very well!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Daniel took a few days off of work this month, and we had some great family time! First stop...the trampoline park. Landon's cautious nature showed through here, as he spent the first half watching the other kids bounce about. He eventually warmed up to the place and had a great time jumping around, climbing and sliding.

This month, Daniel and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary. The two of us were able to spend a whole day and night in Newport Beach while Grammie and Papa Zimmerman managed the munchkins. It was a rocky start for Brooklyn (and Grammie & Papa), but the second half went swimmingly for them (and we didn't get called back early).

Our anniversary celebration was wonderful! We spent the day riding bikes around Newport Beach and across the ferry to Balboa Island, riding the ferris wheel, hitting the arcade, had lunch at a mac & cheese restaurant (yum!) and relaxed on the beach with gelato/beer (I'll let you deduce which of us had which). We even got to eat pizza in bed and s'mores for breakfast (without worrying about finding veggies/fruits to serve to Landon with it).

We came back to the Zim's on Mother's Day, where we had a wonderful day! Landon brought me some hand-picked flowers before we headed to Auntie Gail and Uncle Fred's for some putting practice, music, dinner and chocolate cake. What amazing hosts they are!

Landon went to a few new places while in Mission Viejo including a fun, new park near Grammie and Papa's house and 'We Play Loud', a kiddie activity place.

The kids and I met up with a friend and her daughter at Pennypickle's Workshop in Old Town Temecula. It's such a cool place, and Landon couldn't get enough of it! It's like a discovery museum with a TON of stuff to play with and learn from.

The Temecula Berry Co. is just up the street from us, and the Rogers family joined us again this year for some blueberry picking. We had a great time, but Landon may have had even more fun eating Daddy's blueberry pancakes and the blueberry muffins he helped me bake. The kid likes to eat! Especially fruit. Especially berries.

We started out Memorial Day weekend with a day at the (Carlsbad) beach. Landon enjoyed making sandcastles and demolishing them. It was going to be Brooklyn's first time in the ocean, but she napped and sat peacefully most of the time we were there. We just couldn't put the uncomfortable-looking swimsuit on her or dip her warm & cozy toes in the cold water when she was so happy.

We've taken advantage of the hot tub a few times. London loves "swimming", but the pool is still too cold (for the adult supervisors). Brooklyn took her first dip, and she seemed to enjoy (but not quite love) it.

Brooklyn is obsessed with Landon. She has the biggest smile on her face and squeaky "laugh" when she watches him (even if he isn't doing anything at all). She LOVED waking up from a nap to find her big brother laying in her crib next to her!

And Landon is obsessed with Brooklyn...Brooklyn's toys, that is. He can't get enough of the baby toys! So we sit Brooklyn to face him, and everyone is entertained!

Aside from taking pictures with her, Landon does seem to enjoy having a little sister. He invites her to his pretend picnics, asks about her when she's not in the room and includes her in conversations. I've caught him walking across the room to give her a hug, force a high five or bring her toys. Sometimes when she cries he says he wants to "make her happy", and here and there he will request to give her kisses or a hug. We're really liking the direction in which this seems to be heading!

Landon now jumps everywhere he goes. He likes to practice jumping jacks and cartwheels, neither of which have yet been perfected. He still loves art projects, baking, pretend picnics, reading, running "fast", walking on "balance beams", singing, swimming, playing hockey, putting, going to Miss Kendra's on Thursdays, trains & cars, doing things "all by self" and eating. He now likes to swing on Daddy's rings.

He still dislikes being dirty as well as looking at the camera.

This month he learned his first joke, and he tells it constantly. "Why did the chicken (or owl or toothbrush or other animal/object) cross the road?" If you reply with anything other than "I don't know. Why?" he will instruct you of the correct response, then follow with, "To get to the other side!" He thinks it's hilarious. One day I put him down for his nap, and 10 minutes later I heard him repeating it over and over to himself and inserting a "yeah!" or "fun-ny!" or "tricky one!" after the punch line.

For his birthday, Landon's honorary aunties/uncles/cousins got him a balance bike and helmet, and he has been practicing in the evenings when Daddy gets home from work. His legs are not quite long enough to be able to touch the ground while sitting, unfortunately, so he just straddles the bike while he walks (which he thinks is "riding"). We figure it's good practice and will build his confidence for when he's big enough to glide.

Brooklyn now sits with assistance. She's not a huge fan of the Bumbo chair, but if Landon is in her sights she's distracted enough to stay put for several minutes.

She does really well with a pacifier, but she loves sucking on those fingers (none in particular, just whatever she can get into her mouth).

She's still doing well with sleep, and we're very excited that, at least for now, she is fairly scheduled. It's tough having an early bedtime, especially for Daniel who doesn't get to spend the daytimes with her, but soon enough we'll be able to bump it back.

Auntie Sheila accompanied Grammie to our house for a night. We had a great time and were all spoiled!

I don't think it should be as difficult as it has been for us to get one family picture. Apparently, they don't come easily because we have tried 8 times. (After the first 3 sessions we gave up on a pic of all 4 of us and tried really hard to get just one good shot of both kids.)