Valentine's 2009

Our sweet little Valentine! Can you tell she is anxiously awaiting her playdate with Grandma and Grandpa Buzzard? They were sweet enough to volunteer to do an overnight so Mommy and Daddy could have a night away! We love you Grandma & Grandpa. . . you are the BEST!

Household Chores & Her newest Hair Cut

Mackenzie is almost 2 1/2... my little baby is now a "big Gir" as she likes to pronounce it! In an attempt to raise a responsible toddler, we are working on our please and thank you's, ordering meals at restraunts, cleaning up toys, putting our plate in the sink after eating and helping out around the house! Yes, that's right, our 2 year old has chores.

I have noticed lately that Mackenzie will drop her toys to come help unload the dishwasher. I am always looking for some good help these days, so I thought to myself, why not take it, even if it is from a 2 year old? True, she needs lots of direction and it takes a LOT longer for her to complete tasks, but she is learning to be a responsible member of the Buzzard household and I am all for it! Studies do show that kids with chores grow up to be more responsible members of society and better students. . . so we are starting early.

Mackenzie sees unloading the dishwasher as more of a fun sorting game. She is typically in charge of putting the silverware away (minus the steak knives. .. I'm not that crazy!). She takes great care in making sure the forks, spoons, butter knives, and serving utinsels are in the correct spot. I couldn't ask for a better helper!



Today Mackenzie and Mommy went to "Cookie Cutters" a kid-friendly hair salon to get a trim. Inside they have their very own jungle gym and slide. Children get to pick their own fancy seat to sit in (fire truck, ambulance, race car, etc.) and a movie to watch. Mackenzie picked the race car and a Disney Movie, as she sat still for her trendy little trim.



Sadly, after this haircut, she is looking more and more like a little girl. I'm not too sure how I feel about this. . . yes I am, it's terrible. Bring back my little, quiet, cuddly baby!

Sunday Breakfast

A few weekends a month, we make a BIG family breakfast (pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage and orange julius). This usually takes place on a Saturday, but this weekend it took place on a Sunday, b/c Mackenzie slept in. . . and so did Mommy and Daddy (a very rare treat!) Mackenzie LOVES to help out in the kitchen, so we do a lot of cooking. She loves to measure and pour things, stir and most importantly taste test our creations. I am hoping that one day our cooking club will create a world famous chef! Below is Assistant Chef Mackenzie helping Mommy make Orange Julius, a Barth family favorite! (To hear the audio, pause the music on my Playlist)

Videos of Kenzie

Kenzie recently joined a children's gym called "My Gym". Once a week we attend a Mommy/Toddler class called "The Gymsters". It is an hour long class where students sing, dance, practice various gymnastics skills (walking on a balance beam, hanging from the bars, moving across the rings), listen to puppet shows and just have fun! It is a great way to get exercise during the Winter months and we look forward to our time together each week. It is amazing how different her personality is in this new setting. She is actually quiet and shy...and for those of you who know her well, these are not adjectives that one would use to describe her! It is neat to see how well she listens, follows directions, participates in whole group activities,interacts & initiates conversations with kids her age, etc. I am so proud of her! One of my favorite parts of our Mommy/Daughter day is going out to eat after class. She picks the restaurant (usually Arby's) and is learning how to order for herself and sit in a "big girl chair." It is beyond cute! Below are some videos from last weeks class! To hear the audio, you will have to pause the music on my Playlist, on the right hand side before veiwing.

Mackenzie's 1st Date and Kiss!

Well, it happened a little sooner than we thought, but Mackenzie had her first big date AND kiss last night! Who would have thought at 2 we would have a toddler who was dating?

Last night, we invited our neighbor's son Antonio over for dinner and fun. His parents both celebrated their birthday this week, so our gift to them was a night out. Little did we know, they would not be the only ones on a date!

Below are some pics of young love in action.




Mackenzie and Antonio's date at the Buzzard Cafe!



Seranading each other with a little karaoke. Their song of choice was "If You're Happy and You Know It" and boy were they ever!



Snuggling over fruit snacks and a movie!



Going in for the smooch. My girl did not hold back!



Ending their date with one last, sweet smooch!

Well, if this is any indication of what is to come in her teen years, we are in BIG, BIG trouble!

Playing in the Snow!

We are a family that loves SNOW! We waited patiently all December and finally, in early January, we hit the jackpot! I don't know who had more fun, Mackenzie or Mommy! Whether it was making snowballs, sledding, or crunching our boots in the snow, we enjoyed every minute of it!



Catching snowflakes on our tongue!




Weeeee!



Getting a ride from Daddy!



Mommy and Kenzie smilin' in the snow!



Our snowy, family photo!



Having "snow" much fun!

Getting Mackenzie to come inside after playing in the snow is usually followed with tears. However, we have found that a warm cup of hot cocoa does the trick. We're waiting for the temperature to get in the double digits again so we can enjoy more fun outdoors!

Slideshow of Favorite 2008 Memories