Few-Words Wednesday

Our weekend at Compass Lake...fun with our cousins and family!

OH AND LOOK...COLLIER HELD KENLEY!!!

It didn't take long for him to decide he didn't like it too much! But it was his idea..not mine.  

My Sweet Baby Girl

Kenley - 10 weeks

Swim Lessons

Collier had his second swim lesson today.  We are taking lessons at the Y, this is the first time that he has ever has swim lessons of any kind.  He is doing good. I could tell that today he was a little more comfortable with his teacher.  He does enjoy the water so much.  We'll have lots to practice for our lake trip!

Last Day of School

Collier's last day of school was Thursday.  I can't believe that this year has gone by so fast.  Collier was greatly blessed with some of the greatest ever teachers this year.  It was sort of a crazy year in that one teacher went on maternity leave about middle of the year and then the other teacher moved away before the end of the year. But even through all of that we just love the school and all of his teachers!  I know that this year has helped him to grow and develop in so many ways.

First Day of School

Mrs. Lindsey

Last Day of School

Mrs. Elizabeth

Like I said before.  There were still days that he didn't want to go to school and that he clung tightly to me as I dropped him off.  Yet there were other days that he would go straight in with no problems and wave bye to me as if I couldn't leave quick enough.  Either way, these teachers loved him and cared for him in a mighty way.  We are so glad to have such a wonderful year for our first year ever!!

Random things

Nothing like a mid week bit of randomness:
-Collier and I ate a quarter of a watermelon in 3 days
- I've started swaddling Kenley at night again this week and she has slept 8 hours three nights in a row [not last night though]

- I've started running again...I'm slow and need to get into a consistent routine with it...it is freedom and relaxing and horrible all at the same time.
- I am a baby wearer (is that a word?) I have a moby wrap and wear kenley through most days...I love it
- This is Collier's last week of school...I can't believe it has gone by so fast.  I am so proud of him, it has been up and down and moments he has loved and even still has some days he doesn't want to go.

- I dropped my phone and cracked the screen...I'm in need of an otterbox!  Justin needs one too before he cracks his...its only a matter of time.
- collier is going to be a ring bearer in my cousins wedding in June. He got measured this week for his 'super duper suit' and asks everyday if it is time for the wedding...

- I'm obsessed with yellow right now... its my favorite color [at least for now]
- my mom is super Nammy for keeping BOTH of my kids when I go back to work...please pray for her!!!
- I am waiting to hear from the Y about swimming lessons for Collier...Hope to be floaty free very soon

- Have a good day!!!

What it means

Gosh, this mommy thing is crazy.  Being a mom is an honor and joy.  It brings so much good and delight and at the same time can be heart breaking, sad, stressful and just plain hard.  But even in those hard and difficult moments it is worth every single minute because to look at your child in the face and know and feel and giving of pure love...that love eliminates everything else.  I often become speechless when I think about my children.  It is a love of no other. It means having to discipline out of love.  It means getting to tuck them into bed and wish them a night filled with sweet dreams.  It means being the ONE that they want when they are hurt or sad.  It means running around crazy to get everyone dressed to get out the door to go anywhere.  It means smelling like spit up and being covered it all day on some days.  It means getting to see a first smile.  It means being a play mate.  It means being the master chef and meal planner.  It means being a teacher.  It means constant prayer.   It means having the most important job in the world to raise them up right. It means getting and giving endless kisses.  It means so much more than words can really describe.  It is a gift from God and I am greatly blessed and thankful for to be a mommy to these two precious children!

Mother's days was so good.  It was Youth Sunday at church and the kids did a great job at the service, probably one of my favorite services because they played praise music with just guitars and it was fabulous.  Collier went to his first Children's church service and did great.  We had a relaxing afternoon before my parents came over and Justin fried fish, fries and cooked cheese grits.  It was really a great day.  And through the day I just kept thanking God.  Thanking Him for my children, my husband and for allowing me to be a Mom.  I have lifted all of my friends who are mom's up to Him and have asked Him to bless those who so badly want babies with His precious gift of a new life!  I sat with both of my babies in my lap last evening and I think that my heart skipped a beat at the happiness of getting to kiss them both on the head.  they are healthy and in my eye's just perfect!

Happy Mothers to everyone!

Kenley

Kenley is 8 weeks!  2 Months.  Pure Joy.  New Normal.  Growing too Quickly.

On Tuesday night she slept all night...8 hours, our first all night sleep. I was thankful because Justin was out of town that night and I needed the extra sleep.  Although I woke up twice to double check she was ok and breathing.  Last night she did it again, which was an answered prayer.  As I fell asleep I prayed that she would sleep all night, perfect mothers day gift to me!

She still has her blue eyes.  I am convinced that they will turn brown, but a few people have said that they think that they will stay blue.  My vote is that they will turn but I could be wrong...I would love a blue eye'd brown haired little girl.   We both have blue eyes in our families, so it is possible but as dark as Justin's and mine are I just don't know if it is as likely.

She has been on a colic medicine for the past two weeks. It has helped with the constant crying in the evenings but the spitting up is still very excessive and heavy.  So, the doctor gave us some reflux medicine that we started on Friday and I am praying that it will make a difference.  Although she is eating very good - normally every three to four hours during the day.

I started back to work two weeks ago, working from home for the rest of this month, so I wrap her around me [I am loving my Moby wrap] and she really seems very content and sleeps great!  It is great for me since I have her so close to me and am still able to get work done.  Even doing stuff with Collier or things around the house, the wrap allows her to be close to me and still have two free hands.  It works great and working from home has allowed me to slowing transition back into work.

She has started smiling in the past week and is so cute.  She will open her mouth wide and then smile on one side before she gives a full on smile.  It is so cute and funny.

She also likes to sleep with the blankets close or over her face.  Collier did the same exact thing with his lovey [and still does].  This was when we were packing to come home from the lake last weekend and she had snuggled up with her burp cloth...whatever works.

The opinions are all very different on who she looks most like.  At first I thought she looked so much like Collier but I don't so much any more.  Although when I am nursing her I do see Collier in her... maybe it's the cheeks.  Her coloring is even so different than Justin or me, more like my Mom.  She does have a lot of Justin's features for sure.  It is fun to me to watch how they change and grow and develop into the person that God created them to be.

More Lake Fun

The kids had a blast at the lake last weekend.  My Dad and Justin put the boat in and Collier was so so happy!  It was all that he could talk about since we arrived at the lake on Thursday.  We had boat rides, swimming and lots of sun and fun for our weekend.  The kids love to jump off the back of the boat and we are all working on kicking our legs and going under water.  Collier is so comfortable in the water, we are taking swimming lesson this summer and I will be so happy to see him swim.  It won't take much, he is already kicking, and holding his breath pretty good.  Just need some help putting it all together!  Sometimes he wants to wear his floaties other times he won't.  He is comfortable either way and I am so thankful for that.

 this was Kenley's first time in the water, sun and boat.  Mom gave her this precious swim suit!  Love it. she is getting to be such a chunky monkey!

Birthday Celebration #2

Last weekend we had Collier's second birthday party with our families at the lake.  We certainly were not short on celebrating his birthday this year!  It makes it a little more fun to make it a week long event rather than just one day.  Since it was also Cinco de Mayo I decided to do a mexican meal with enchaladas, corn salad, and fruit salsa.   It was a beautiful and fun day!

It is really so special for Collier to have all of his grandparents around and even his great grandparents, what a true blessing!  We love you all and thank you so much for making the time and the trip for Collier!

Break-through

So, we have had a break through in the past week.  Collier is starting to come around and acknowledge that Kenley is here.  Last Friday she was 6 weeks and apparently that is the magic number for him.  We still have a long ways to go and he will not hold her just yet but he has hugged and kissed her on his own in the past week...I say on his own, because we tell him to kiss Kenley every night before he goes to bed and so this week his affection has been unprompted by us and it is such a huge relief.  He even put her passey in when she was crying.  She was starting to cry and I had walked out of the room and heard him get up so I peeked back around the corner to be sure he wasn't touching her and he was putting the passey in her mouth, she of course she spit it right out and started crying again so I encouraged him to put it back in her mouth and hold it gently for a minute.  He did and she finally kept it in and so he and I both cheered and clapped at how good he did.  Normally when she cries he will stand next to her and make his famous 'ugly face' and sometimes even roar/growl like a lion at her, needless to say putting the passey in is much better than the roaring!

Also, when I have dropped him off at school the past two weeks he has acknowledged her before going into the class room.  I usually leave her in the hall while I go into his class and put his backpack and lunch box on the shelf, both days he has wanted me to carry her into the class and not leave her in the hall.  Last Thursday morning he even pointed her out to his teacher, Mrs. Elizabeth.  Yesterday when we got home from running some errands I set Kenley's car seat on the porch while I opened the door and put everything down.  I turned around and he was rocking her seat and ask me 'what about her?'.  Not sure if he wanted me to leave her out there but it seemed that he was wanting to be sure that I brought her in....Maybe that is my wishful thinking.  But don't ruin it for me, let me wish big!

These are just baby steps.  He has still roared at her this week and he has made his very ugly face at her when she is crying.  He even tells me not to bring her in the room if he is watching TV or a movie because she is too loud [when she cries].  He also tells me to put her down so that I can hold him.  Even the small steps are a big deal to me.  While we were at the lake he told my parents that he didn't like her!  Steps in the right direction are good, even if they are tiny steps!  I will just continue to pray for him and for her and that they will have a love for each other that could only be explained by the Grace of God!

Phone Photo Dump

birthday balloons for CH

 Birthday Pancakes

 Helping Momma make Pizza Dough

 Fun with shaving cream and his razor

 Laying on the steps at the lake..he told me he was taking a nap.

 Kenley in her new bow [thanks Aunt Susan and Uncle Jerry]

 Going down the slide at the lake

 Kenley all snuggled in the bed at the lake...this was one of the nights that Justin wasn't there and she stole Justin's spot!

 Brink also made her self comfortable while we were at the lake!