Bonding days

We have had a wonderful past 4 weeks. Patrick was home with us for baby bonding time. He could have taken this time when Kendra was born, but we found that with Isabella the interesting time was around 6-7 months, so it was perfect timing with her development.
We spent a week up in the UP with our friends. We went blueberry picking, to the fair, and had a great time.
Then back home my Uncle Wally, cousin Jeff and Grandmother Sparks from North Carolina came to visit and it was fun. We played games, grilled out at my mom's house. Isabella got to know her Great-Grandmother Sparks. AND they got to meet Kendra too!
Then we learned how to can from my Grandmother Vi (Isabella's namesake). We spent a whole day with her, and learned so many things.
Then this past week we canned carrots, wax beans, green beans, Italian flat beans, and pickled cabbage. We walked around town on Wednesday. Can you believe we have been in town for almost a year and did not have time to just walk around downtown? It was perfect, we went to the farmers market, then on our walk we needed to eat the lunch I packed for us, so along our travels we walked right into the Hands On Museum and ate and played. Thanks to Aunt Maria for the AWESOME membership we could go right in for FREE! Our friends Kyra, Luke, Amber and Jason came over on Thursday. We also spent all day at the Toledo Zoo with Grandma and Grandpa McLeod and Uncle Joe.

Isabella says "My favorite animal at Zoo hippopotamus, cause he swimming in the water, and look at hippopotamus leg, and he drink water." (She is now saying she is swimming like the hippopotamus while crawling around on the chair and floor)
Maybe you can catch a glimpse of him too!
http://www.toledozoo.org/animals/hippo_cam2.html

It was a blessing to be able to spend all this time with family.

Now, the important part. Did Patrick bond with Kendra?!?... YES, she was in the living room and was fussy, and sure enough she didn't turn and crawl to me, she turned and crawled after daddy as he walked into the kitchen. *sigh* Kendra sure loves her some daddy!

What are the kids up to? Well, Kendra is signing eat, daddy, milk, all done, and more. She was doing this scooting thing to get around, NOW she is crawling... really crawling. She also is talking more.. da da ga da ba.... no mama... Isabella said mama first, Kendra said dada. Daddy sure is proud!

We have been able to distinguish more traits that prove Kendra is MY daughter. She wakes up slowly, yet happily. She is a night owl.. up late every night. She also is an eater, she LOVES food.

Isabella had her first trip to the Toledo Zoo. She loved it.

All in all we had a wonderful time