My Babies

It’s been a while since I have taken the time to update with the development of Kai and Devin. It seems like they both change on a daily basis, and most days I just can’t keep up with the progress they make.

Kai is a sponge! Everyday her speaking gets better and she learns new words. It’s too cute to listen to her and my favorite thing to do is to hear what she says in her bed while I listen on the monitor.

She has been acting up a little (understatement) she gets so frustrated that she can’t speak what she is thinking and also her episodes have something to do with the fact that she thinks she is much bigger than she is.

But she is still a cutie and makes me laugh all the time. She likes games and we land up using Devin’s morning nap time for our play time. Hide and seek is this weeks favorite, along with playing shop with her new till, doing ABC’s on the computer, and drawing together. She still loves to cook and has a very big imagination.

She likes to tell me what she wants to do in the day. She will say,
‘I go dicies’ (I go to the dinosaurs restaurant) ‘
‘I go shop with balls’ (Go to Target)
‘I go shop with cars’ (grocery store with car trolleys/carts)

She also lists everyone she knows before going to bed to make sure they are also going to sleep. When it comes to Daddy she asks if daddy sleeps and where. It goes something like this. Be aware we do this every day the same conversation. (dodo is what we in SA call sleep)

Kai: Mummy go dodo, Sydney go dodo, Nini go dodo, Kittie go dodo, Maddy go dodo, Durban (Devin) go dodo, Daddy go dodo……… mummy where the Daddy?
Jo: Daddy is at work
Kai: Daddy dodo ?
Jo: Yes Kai Daddy goes dodo
Kai: Where the Daddy dodo?
Jo: Daddy dodo at work
Kai: Payschool mat?
Jo: Yes Kai Daddy dodo at work on a playschool mat

I could go on forever with the funny conversations we have all day. I have started writing all the funny things down in a book so I can remember how cute she was when she is 16 and giving me attitude!



Devin is a mommy’s boy and would rather stare at me than do anything else. His is also my sleeper, he sleeps at 9am, 12pm, 3pm, and 6:30pm to 7am – and does not wake up in the night…… I am blessed!

He now has 2 teeth and had no issues cutting them except for a 3 hour crying and upset for one evening.

Like I said, I am blessed. Kai was never this easy so I know how lucky I am. I also know that things could change at any given moment so I am appreciating every moment.

He is an angel but to Me and Deric only. I left him at a daycare yesterday for 5 hours and they say he cried the a lot of the time, that was however till I walked in and he heard my voice, then he was all smiles.

Funny how if that were Kailey (the first born) I would have been so upset that she had cried that long. But with the second you really do let go. I know I also have to have time to do some errands and I can’t be there every second of everyday.

He is 5 months on Friday and I can’t remember life without him – funny how that works!

Easter, a little late!!!

For Easter we were house hunting in Washington State, and we stayed at Chanele's house. Kai had a blast there and I am still hearing about Aunt Chanele and the 'Al-pa-ka's'. She ran for the full week we were there, playing with Ethan and just having the best time. She coloured/colored easter egg's for the first time and had a easter egg hunt which she really enjoyed!











I'll just sneek these in of my boy!!!






Ethan started T-Ball. Deric and Kai went to watch a practice and then they all came home and played till it got dark. Now Kai loves to play, so Deric bought her the whole kit, and a bright pink bag to pack it all in to.








Lastly, we have been wanting to get Kai a trike, and she has been so excited to get one. She kept asking for a "purple bike". Over and over she would talk about her purple bike. I told Deric I think we should get a blue and red one so Devin could use it in 2 years. He nodded and agreed. In the shop we saw the purple one. I was telling Deric no way... we must get the blue and red one. He agreed and said that sounds like the correct and logical thing to do, then continued to pick up the purple one and put in in the shopping cart! I looked at him in shock and he just said 'conversation over, I am getting my little girl a purple bike!' What more could I do?

We are back in Kansas, and I will post photos soon about our trip with Chanele and Ethan (Deric's sister). We were lucky enough to stay with her in Washington and it was such fun to see them and play. Kai had the biggest blast with her Aunty.

But for now here are a few pic's of the house inside - it was much harder taking pictures than I thought it would be. We are going to be putting blinds on the windows and the kitchen will have appliances soon.

Our New House

'Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore'

We are off tomorrow to Washington State. Hopefully when we get back I will be able to tell you all about the house we hope to buy!! Wish us luck!

Just so the grandparents don’t have a dry week, here are some pictures to tied them over!

Here is a pic of Elizabeth and Devin – they are both 4 months and finally noticed each other. I caught the very moment they looked up and saw another baby!!!!



Then I had to show you one of Kai’s outfits……. Need I say more!

I love this picture

My Family photo update.... including the cat!

Picture's say a thousand words, which is good cause I don't have one!

Guess who wants some attention!




Kai cooking!

Devin's swing

Kai going down a giant slide (I could not belive she went on it - about 50 times!)

Kai's play date friends


Kai and Madeline watching Noddy


and the last one, just to see how my boy is growing up!

Our first weekend away

Hi everyone, it feels like it’s been ages since I last blogged!!!

We realized that we only have 12 weekends left in Kansas. Two of them will be house hunting in Washington; one will be a military ball and international food evening, so that leaves us with 9 weekends. There is so much I still have to do while here.

This past weekend we went on a marriage retreat that is given to us military folk by the army. It is 100% free, and included child care. The child care is amazing the child youth service on post has great daycare/hourly care, with such incredible woman, yes I said incredible. They look after the children like they are their own. I LOVE THEM!!! (This is from someone who won’t leave her children with just anyone, if anyone)

They are brought to the hotel to set up a daycare in a few conference rooms for the whole weekend. That leaves us parent’s time to be together, do class on marriage, just relax, and go on a date. I felt like we had been on holiday for a week. Kai and Devin were so tired they both slept through the night and I got my first 8 hours solid night sleep…… heaven!

People bad mouth the army/military, but I would like to know if there are any companies out there that do this for the people who work for them. Yes they ask more of the families than a ‘normal’ company would, but the good they try do is often over looked. I feel very supported as a military spouse. There are tools that are available if you choose to use them.

In other news, Deric is writing his thesis, so Kai, Dev and I out and about all day long. This week we have a picnic planned, we are going to a massive place that only has inflatable toys to climb on, then we have a few play dates, Deric and I have a date night on Friday (those fab ladies at CDC have parents night out once a month) OH and BIG BIG STUFF ON SATURDAY….. Kai is getting her very first bike and helmet! Then we have a new tradition, on Sundays we go for Sundae’s – or frozen custard, yum!!!!

We are a bunch of proud Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins

We are very excited to announce the newest member of the family, who was born today 6 March, on Deric’s birthday!

Bristol Lyn Holbrook-Bowman

Welcome little one, we are so excited to have you…… can’t wait to meet you

Congratulations to Dawn, Bill, Lexy and Justice – I think we should just keep multiplying!!!!

I love Kiwi's, Ballet, Greece and a good night sleep

I thought Tanya would like this…. Here is a T-Shirt she bought for Kailey – today it was warm enough to wear it !!! Very cool. There are some Kiwi moms in our playgroup who have boys, so next week I am going to let Kai wear this – it will be very funny!!!


Then Deric’s mom made this ballet skirt for Kai – she loves it so much and dances with it all the time. Her friend Madeline and her played with it the other day so much they had to take turns to who danced in it!!!


On Saturday we had the neighbors over for our monthly international night (we choose a new country each month and have to cook a meal of that country) This month was Greek and it was great fun. I had to show you this picture of Deric and our neighbor Ziggi who are both men’s men holding their kids and having a beer…… shows how much things have changed!



We have only 3 months left in Kansas, I really don’t want to leave so soon, I am having such fun here. It’s going to fly as we have so much booked over the next few months. I have 2 cooking classes this weekend, we have a marriage retreat next weekend, and then we are off to Washington to buy a house. That’s not mentioning the Disney on ice, the St. Barbra’s ball, St. Patrick ’s Day parties , my Dad coming to visit us, and much much more…… to much fun! To think we have to start all over again. I have made so many great friends here.

On other Holbrook news… tonight we have a legitimate system in place with getting the two kids off to bed. It felt very nice to be in the next phase of having a new baby!

Can you tell who is who??????

I found these pictures of Kailey and Devin, at the same age ..... I don't need to say much more, you judge for youself!

A Funny Thing Happend

Funny thing happened today I could not resist telling…..

Kailey’s playroom is down stairs but she loves to play upstairs. Today she found a box, put the toys she wanted in it and brought it upstairs. In the box were 2 Mr. Incredible dolls that Deric and I had even before we had kids (used for friends who came over with kids). She has never paid any attention to them before and today she was sitting looking at them and then shouted out to me….

‘Mummy, mummy…. Daddy’ pointing to the doll. I was laughing so hard while she started speaking to the doll saying ‘ Bye bye Daddy’, ‘Daddy wash the car’, ‘Daddy go to park’ and everything that she does with Daddy.

Deric’s family and I have always thought if he were a cartoon he would be Mr. Incredible – obviously she agrees. Now Deric wants her to watch the movie, I think it’s so his baby girl grows to think her Daddy's a superhero!

Keeping it real

There is no doubt that having children is the biggest changing event in your life, but the thing that they don’t tell you is it’s a continuous changing event. Just when you get relaxed in one part of parenthood – it changes.

As a parent you have to take on so many roles, most of them obvious, but the new one I have just discovered is a trickster. To be a good parent you have to play tricks on your kids all day long.

For example, DISTRACTION: If they are doing something you don’t want them to do and are tired of saying no all day – you distract them.

Mom: Kai stop emptying the clothes basket, Kai, Kai, HEY KAI STOP!!!!
Kai : Ignore and carry on
Mom: Kai go get your baby so we can feed her
Kai: GONE
Distraction, love it.

Then there is the getting them to realize its nap time.
Mom: Kai its nap time
Kai: NOOOOOooooooo – (throw self on floor, kick legs and start to cry)
Mom: But Kai, Devin’s going to sleep, mommy’s going to sleep and kittie is going to sleep. You’ll be all on your own.
Kai: Ni – night mommy, ni-night baby, ni-night kittie – (and walks off to bed)

But best of all is the trick that makes moms look like the good guy, and elements look like the bad guy

Allow me to explain…….

Kai went through a 'no clothes' phase. She would not wear them or let me put them on. She would run around as naked as the day she was born. I would have to catch her pin her down and put clothes on her. This was a long procedure and I was tired of it. So one day, tired of running after her and begging her to dress, I put her shoes on, (no socks) and a hat with nothing else on, and marched her outside into 14 degree weather (-10 Celsius) and said 'Ok Kai into the car we are going out, she was so cold she looked at me like I was insane and said 'mommy clothes?' so we went back inside and she let me dress her without a problem. Not had a problem since.

Then yesterday she kept taking her shoes off in the car and would not let me put them back on, so I said 'Ok, out the car let's go in the shop' and took her out the car without shoes. She realized how cold the tar was.... you guessed it, she wanted her shoes on.

Problem solved and I am not the bad guy!!!