Kinley, You're 8 Months Old!

Kinley, you're 8 months old!  You're getting to be such a big girl and it's apparent in so many ways.  This past month was a big one for you.  You got your first tooth, a teeny tiny little one on the bottom right.   And as we speak you have 4, yes 4, top teeth just dying to pop through at any second.

 I haven't weighed you in awhile but my guess is that you've slowed down in the weight gain department a little bit.  You enjoy your baby food and we've started to give you a couple of little morsels of table food too.   You usually eat three meals of baby food a day and then have a bottle in between.   Some days it seems like all I do is feed you but I know that this will eventually change.   Your sleeping this month started out on a bad note but in the past two weeks you have been doing much better.  I attribute this mostly to the fact that you L.O.V.E. to sleep on your belly.  It drives me crazy and most nights I wake up just to stare at you on the video monitor and make sure you're still breathing.   But I have to remind myself that you are a bigger girl now and you can handle sleeping that way.   This new found position of comfort also means that we have finally left swaddling behind.

 You have had a busy month, that included attending your very first bridal shower.  Can you believe this awesome girl is going to be your Aunt in another month!  We love you Cady!

 And when you're not out and about you're sharing silly time with Cooper or McKenna. 

 I had a sentimental moment when I took your picture in the Bumbo seat for the very last time.  I have so many wonderful memories of you perched on the counter watching as I cooked or packed lunches or did about a million other things.   But, you were getting too big for the seat and it wasn't safe to sit you there any longer.   I do miss being able to put you there though and sometimes I find myself glancing in that direction expecting to see that silly purple seat.

 You added blowing raspberries to your bag of tricks this month.  It's funny unless you have mouthful of food that you spray everywhere.  At that point it's only sort of funny.   You also love to clap your hands while someone sings patty cake.  (how in the world is that even spelled?)

 This past month included your first Easter also!  You're the cutest little bunny around!

 And a visit from Tighe.  He adores you!  He always heads right for the hand sanitizer when you're around because he wants to  hold you! 

And last but not least, a picture of you and your faithful protector.  He's never far away from you and will even consent to having his picture taken if it means he can be near you.

Happy 8 months baby girl!  I happen to know that this next month is going to include some extra fun things for you to experience with your brother and sister.    I look forward to watching you grow and learn even more new things.  But at the same time I'm sad that your baby days are quickly passing by.   I know that no matter how big you are you will continue to bring us so much joy!  We love you!

Happy Easter 2012

 One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now He's ascended, my Lord evermore

Death could not hold Him
The grave could not keep Him from rising again

Living He loved me, dying He saved me
And buried He carried my sins far away
Rising He justified freely forever
One day He's coming, oh, glorious day, oh, glorious day
Glorious dayCasting Crowns

Easter 2012

Happy 11th Birthday, Tucker!

I'm not sure where 11 years have gone.  It just doesn't seem possible that any of us could be that old already.  But we cannot even remember a day without you with us.  Tucker, you have seen us at our good and our bad and every single thing in between.  You have welcomed and protected three little kids and remained the most faithful companion we could ever have dreamed of. 

Happy Birthday buddy!

EGGactly What We Needed

Sorry, I couldn't resist the title.  It's pretty poor taste, but it makes me smile.  And it's true.  Friday McKenna had some friends over to play.  And in an effort to make up for the fact that I wouldn't let the friends sleep over the night before I decided that we would all dye eggs together.  I think I dyed 4 dozen eggs and by the time we were set up and ready to go we had at least 15 different colors to choose from.   After 8 years of doing these particular crafts I have smartened up a bit and set the kids up on a tablecloth in the garage.  It worked out perfectly and they all had a blast.

There might be more dye on Coop's hands than on the eggs!  Even before we started he said that he couldn't wait to make a yellow egg.

Today we attended the annual Easter Egg hunt at the fire company.  As always, a good time was had by all.  McKenna is an old pro by now but she still took it the egg finding very seriously.

Kinley really enjoyed watching all the kids running around.  Her little legs and arms were going the whole time. 

McKenna, Tighe and Cooper

Looks like the Easter Bunny came a little early this year!  I knew Kinley's basket was big but I never thought she would actually fit in it at 7 months old.   Don't you just love her "Some Bunny Loves Me Shirt".  

And so now we wait for that elusive Easter Bunny to make a stop by our house tonight.  But we should really remember the true meaning of Easter Sunday.  

 

 John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

While You Were Out

 I've been at my new part time job for 3 weeks now.  It took me a week or so to get back into the swing of being gone for two days out of the week.  But, I feel like my tendency to organize and plan (sometimes to the extreme) has helped a lot.  I have figured out a good schedule for the days that I have to be at the hospital and my mom, dad and Earl have done a great job in the afternoons and evenings when I'm not here. 

The one thing that has eluded me a bit is how to complete the piles of paperwork that must be graded this week.  I have determined that I am not the type of person who could ever work from home because in my mind, even doing laundry is more fun than grading papers.  So, I've enlisted the help of my parents (surprise, surprise) and a good friend to help me out on Thursday's so I can get my grading off the to-do list in one day.

This morning my friend, Melissa, arrived around 9:30 armed with crafts and camera, prepared to spend the day with the kids while I hid away with the laptop.   I was thrilled when Melissa shared these pictures from the day with me.

"Hmmm...you're staying here and my mom is leaving...I'm not sure how I feel about that quite yet!"

Okay, maybe now you're speaking my language.  I sure love to swing.

 I love this little guy!  He's becoming so much more mature lately. 

 Although he still loves to be silly!

And his silliness is contagious!  It's so nice to have McKenna home for a few days!  We sure miss her when she's at school

And this big girl...well she's such a happy baby!   I was thrilled that she was good for Melissa today.  I'm not even sure that she missed me! 

I'm so glad that there was lots of fun to be had while I was out!  Thanks Melissa, for coming to play today!