We ventured to the museums of Raleigh this past weekend – this time we checked out the Museum of Natural Sciences (or something like that). We saw North Carolina’s own Acrocanthosaurus – but more fun, we climbed on some rocks next to the acrocanthosaurus.

We’ve been singing Happy Birthday America all morning.

Tommy, Yoya, and Kaya ran Durham’s quintessential race this past weekend: the point 262. It is a 0.262 mile long race that ends at Fullsteam, designed for those a little more the Rose-style than marathoners. Dylan and I drank a cold beer while they ran. I heart Durham.

Laney has two smiles – a big gaping open mouth smile, and the more rare and reserved but still very happy closed mouth smile. I finally caught the latter on camera. I think she looks like Daddy when she does this smile.

Kaya is starting to overcome her fear of large characters at events/theme parks. She used to want to watch from a distance and would freak out if they got less than 10 feet away. Now she wants to get close and touch them, but only if a loved one is with her to hide behind if necessary.

Kaya got to meet her cousin, Kaia, this past weekend at the Rose family picnic. Kaia is 5 months younger than Kaya. Kaya thought it was pretty neat that there were two of them with the same name! (Our Kaya is a little chunkier!)

The best thing about being 2 is that when mom doesn’t bring your bathing suit but you just happen to find a water park on a hot summer day, you can just run around in a diaper!

I am thoroughly enjoying watching Kaya develop a love of drawing. Her latest masterpiece entitled “Daddy” – I think it’s right on target.

Daddy went out last night and the girls and I had a chicken dinner. Mmmmm chicken.