The Latest on K, K, and K!

I hope everyone had a fantastic 4th and holiday week/weekend!

Jamal, the girls, and I just got back from our vacay in Ft. Lauderdale. We traveled down on the third so we could participate in the celebrations for the Fourth of July; we then spent the week there. We had a FANTASTIC time. Jamal and I had never before taken a vacation with just us and our daughters. We always had other wonderful family members along; this time, we were all on our own!! :) Kimora, Kariah, and Kajanae were truly a delight, though. I think back to our trip to Cancun when Kajanae was 2 1/2 months old in early April for my sisters' Spring Break. If I thought she was a laid back baby then, well...she's so easy now! This trip with a 5 1/2 month-old baby was so much more relaxing and ...shall we say predictable?...than the trip we took just three short months ago. Kajanae is a little trooper and loves being a part of everything. She slept a lot less during the day during our vacation because she was afraid she was going to miss out! All I have to do to keep her happy is carry her around facing outward so she can watch, observe, and "participate" in all ways that she can! I mentioned before that Kaji was very alert and focused for her age when she was very young, and this has only improved with her growth and development. She's content to watch her sisters and is very focused and engaged on everything they say...and LOVES watching them play and pretend together. I think Kajanae is going to have an advantage in terms of learning to speak and building a vocabulary as she has two little role models who gab, gab, gab all day long! This little one is also going to keep me on my toes once she becomes mobile!

While I'm writing about Kajanae, I'll just mention the fact that I haven't begun feeding her solid food yet. As soon as the doc gave me the go-ahead with Kimora and Kariah, I plunged head first into feeding them solid food (rice cereal, baby food, etc.) However, Kajanae still seems content to nurse. Then again, she doesn't know any different. I think I'll begin soon, considering she'll hit the six month mark within the next week and a day!

...and while I'm writing about nursing, I'll also mention that Kariah's interest in nursing has begun to wane. This is bittersweet for me. I'm glad that my little Kariah is showing some independence, but I also lament the fact that my little baby is leaving babyhood...and becoming more and more like a little girl everyday. I asked her when she wants to stop nursing, and she said she wants to stop when she turns 2. Kariah turns 2 next month, so we'll see if she still feels the same way when the time comes! ;) Part of me hopes that she IS ready to move on, but the other part of me wants to hold on to our nursing,which has served to strengthen our mother/daughter bond.

Now for a little bit of Kimora news: I mentioned in a previous post about searching for a local preschool for Kimora to attend part time next year to prepare her for going to kindergarten in two years. I wanted something more academic than simply a daycare, but I didn't want the intense pressure of a Montessori school. After much deliberation, I think I've found what I feel will be the perfect fit for our daughter. I've registered her at a preschool that, as I've observed, effectively combines learning and play. She will begin attending two days a week for a few hours in the morning come autumn! Kimora already talks proudly about starting school in the fall. I'll miss my little Kimora Pie those two mornings a week, but I think she'll benefit from being away from me for small portions of time leading up to her beginning kindergarten fall of 2010.

That's all for now! I'll also keep you informed as we continue our homestudy process in preparation for adding to our family...AGAIN!! :)