Summer Days

Hi Everyone,

It has been a busy month since our last post.  Anika had her 3rd Birthday on July 20th and we have had Ken's Aunt and Uncle with their 4 year old twin boys (Slade and Sloan) visiting for 10 days from the farm in Manitoba.  They were great fun!  We went to Anika's cousin Trent's 6th Birthday as well.  The girls and I went to Teresa's cabin on Thetis Island for 5 days.  Anika enjoyed playing with Chelsea, Davie and Christopher while we were there.  We also went to Gibsons and visited Grandma and Grandpa Earwaker for 5 days.  Anika's cousins, Trent and Hollie were there for the first few days.   We did 3 beaches in 3 days:)   My twin brother, Jason, and I went to our 20th highschool Reunion that weekend.  This past weekend we had friends from Quesnel visit with their two boys, Gavin (4) and Tanner (2).  I feel like we get too busy to take photos lately.  But, somehow we have a ton  to share.  Hopefully you won't get bored. Enjoy! 

Makenna

Anika on her first pony ride

Anika on her pony ride.  She said she wants to go on the big horse next time!

Anika

Makenna enjoying tummy time

Anika and Kenzie ready to leave the beach

Anika in an outdoor pool

Anika helping me husk some corn - she is really helpful:)

Anika in a tree

Anika ready to try the bungee trampoline

Anika jumping on the bungee trampoline in Whistler

Ken, Jennifer and Makenna hanging out in Whistler while Anika spent about an hour in the bouncy castle

Anika trying out the zip line thing in Whistler - she is only 2 here and her first words when she got off were, "Can I do that again?!"  I didn't think she would actually do it but she said she wanted to.

Makenna being held by Sloan.  The twins from the farm really liked Makenna, especially Sloan here.

Slade holding Makenna

Ken, Anika and Makenna hanging out at the lake in Whistler.  Makenna looks like she wants to start crawling soon!  Of course she is not really there yet.  In fact she is just starting to sit with little support.  Makenna is no longer a little baby.  She is about 26 inches long and about 17 or 18 pounds!  Her hair continues to get blonder although not as blond as Anika's (at least not yet).  She does like to practice sitting and having tummy time and seems to like to move so I think that she will crawl and walk sooner than Anika did.  Sometimes when I go back into Makenna's room she is sideways in the crib and has rolled onto her tummy.  She learned to roll onto her tummy a few days ago and now she does it all the time!  She can't always get back onto her back so she sometimes fusses to be rolled back by me:)

A family shot at Shannon Falls on the way home from Whistler

Another family shot by Shannon falls on our way home from Whistler

Anika

Anika and her dolly in matching dresses that Auntie Leanne from the farm gave her for her birthday.  

Anika's Dora cake for her 3rd Birthday

Anika trying on her princess dress up clothes that Grandma Earwaker gave her

Anika opening gifts during her birthday

Anika with all the kids during her birthday.  From top: Hollie, Trent, Julia, Sloan, Callum, Slade, Aidan and Clara.

Anika on her new scooter that she got for her birthday from her Grandma and Grandpa Stanick

Anika flying her first kite on Thetis Island

Jennifer giving Makenna a bath in a tub on Thetis Island

Anika enjoying some beach time on Thetis Island

Anika playing at the beach on Thetis Island

Anika 'paddling' a windsurfer board on Thetis Island

Anika enjoying a boogie board ride from my friend Sandra

Anika trying out a rubic's cube on Thetis Island

Makenna trying out a bumbo chair at Trent's Birthday.  This was before Makenna tried sitting on her own and it was amazing to see her sitting on her own with the help of this amazing chair.

Ken, Makenna and Anika playing with the Rescue Heros that Teresa lent us while we had the twin boys visiting

Anika and Makenna enjoying some couch time:)

Makenna enjoying some time in an exersaucer at Teresa's house - it was her first time on one and she liked it :)

Anika and Grandpa Earwaker walking along Catherine Lake on the Sunshine Coast

Hollie, Anika and Trent playing in the sand at Cathering Lake

Makenna hanging out with Grandma Earwaker

Hollie and Anika at Grandma Earwaker's house hanging out after a bath

Anika trying out my visor and flip flops

Ken, Jennifer (in Anika's hat) and Makenna hanging out on Grandma and Grandpa Earwaker's deck

Anika trying out Ken's had and flip flops (yes, that is Ken lounging behind her)

Makenna gumming a pea pod from Grandpa Earwaker's garden.   Makenna is definitely showing more interest in what we are eating.  She pulled a bowl off the table from right in front of me while we were in Gibsons and she was drooling heavily when Ken was eating something slowly in front of her.  She will be starting some rice cereal soon:)

Anika (with Nikki) enjoying some peas from Grandpa Earwaker's garden

Anika enjoying a shoulder ride from Ken

Grandpa Earwaker holding Makenna

Anika helping me to flip pancakes at Grandma and Grandpa Earwaker's house

Jennifer and twin brother, Jason, on their way out to the pub for the first night of their 20th highschool reunion

Makenna sitting on her own in a circle pillow enjoy a chew on the camera strap.  

Makenna continues to be a little sweetie.  It has been fun to see Anika and her interacting more lately.  Anika has been singing, "you are you, you are you" to Makenna really loudly and I keep thinking this is going to make her cry because it is so loud but Makenna laughs every time!  Sometimes in the stroller Anika will stand facing her and just say anything or tickle her and Makenna will giggle.  It is great to see and hear.  I hope this continues.  Anika still likes to hold Makenna and help feed her.  Of course it is only for short stints but it is the thought that counts:)  Makenna continues to go to bed around the same time as Anika which is great.  She gets up once in the middle of the night and it seems that she wakes up at 6am ever day no matter what.  Sometimes Makenna wakes up 2 times in the night which isn't as fun but she still goes to sleep after her feeds in the night.  The past few nights have been a little more work as Makenna likes to have her soother as she is falling asleep but then spits it out when she falls asleep which hasn't been a problem until now.  Since Makenna moves around more now we have been finding that Makenna moves onto her soother and it digs into the back of her head or neck or back and it makes her cry.  So, I have done a number of soother rearrangements in the middle of the night lately.  Oh well, I really can't complain too much as she is such a great baby:)  Well, this is probably all more info than you care to read.  So I will leave it at that.  We hope you are doing well.  Take Care,

Love Jennifer (Ken, Anika and Makenna) :)