Saturday, May 8, 2010

You're Simply The Best

Don't judge me. I didn't send my mom a mother's day card this year. I know...I'm terrible. But sometimes it is all I can do to remember to brush my teeth these days. However, I wanted to put together this post to honor my mom. I hope it shows how I've thought about you tonight, mom, and how many wonderful memories I have of us throughout my life...
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It all started in 1979...I'm my mom's third child...third daughter...and I was 11 days late. And was a terrible labor for her...so terrible they were done having kids, until you know Caleb surprisingly came along :0)
Here are my parents just about a month before my arrival...

And really, who can blame my mom for loving this face so much?!

And here we are on my first birthday. I just love this picture. I know that I don't actually remember my first birthday, but this picture just shows me how special my mom is...and I've made a conscious effort/decision to have a picture like this with each of my children on their birthdays...

My mom and I have had some fun adventures together. One of our first trips together was when I was in highschool and we went to Boston for a national track meet for me to throw the indoor shot put. I remember seeing the weight throw there for the first time and saying outloud that there was no way I could ever throw that...ha ha..God must have been laughing!
Then throughout college mom and I traveled to California a bunch for NCAA meets and USATF track meets as well. Sometimes we'd make it a big trip--going to visit family in San Diego one time or driving out through Yellowstone and stopping for a hike...swimming in Lake Tahoe...you name it...
We've also been out to Europe together...serving on a missions trip in France for two weeks, going to Poland to meet family, and spending one night in Paris visiting the Eiffel Tower...On one of those long trips on a plane ride I was getting a little nervous. At some point in my life I developed a fear of flying..I don't know when this started b/c it didn't really bother me in college when I flew a lot...but I was very nervous due to some turbulance...and it was just my mom and I on the plane...she reached over and touched my hand and said "mommy's here, mommy's here"...such encouraging words...and I felt safe...thank you, mom...


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How could I forget the ski trip to Squaw Valley? You amazed me with your ability to take a ski class and ski down the mountain all in one day...and with such fashionable style!


And of course when you decided to throw on your wetsuit and raft some river I cannot pronounce while we were in France...I'll never forget the words "Security...Security..." and seeing all of us crouch down low in the boat...

Or riding a gondola high in the French Alps together.....

And sitting in the memorable chair in Tahoe...
But I can honestly say I never truly understood the heartache, fullness, and love that come with motherhood until I became one myself...and you became my children's grandmother...
Rody in March of 08

Anna Kate February 2010

I could say so many things...but I overwhelmingly feel thankfulness right now. Thankful that you are my mom...thankful that you are my children's grandmother...thankful that you are a prayer warrior...thankful that because of the Lord Jesus Christ I'll never have to truly ever say goodbye...I love you, mom. Happy Mother's Day!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Happy Birthday, Randy

Happy 29th Birthday, Randy! Our sweet neighbor, Jerry, made Randy a delicious cake which we enjoyed together on the porch. Rody loved "nanny 2" as he calls her...




I hope you had a wonderful day, Randy. I also pray that your 30th year is full of blessings and that all our dreams will come true!
And now all that is left to say is "Get behind me Satan" to the leftover cake sitting in my kitchen...

Anna Kate: 3 months old!

Am I really typing the words "3 months old"???!!! I absolutely cannot believe it...really...where does time go?
She continues to be her jolly old self...and is so sweet. She has started to grab at things...necklaces, beads on a shirt, etc...she is very aware and is so squeezable I can hardly stand it!



She loves to suck on her fists and her fingers

She is getting so big...especially in the chunky department...but I LOVE it!
She enjoys her tummy time and rolls over frequently now
And is simply adored by her older brother...
Happy 3 months, Anna Kate!

Weekend Getaway

Pigeon Forge is a great 1/2 way meeting point for us and Randy's family. So, we often will meet there for a weekend. We had a great fun and relaxing time with Randy's parents and his sister and her family...Most of my photos from the first day are on a different memory card, so I will have to upload those later...
Rody and I playing in the river...he loved it and talked about it the next day too...about the cold water and the rocks...here we were singing "ring around the rosy"

Uncle Randy and Lily
Chilling with the granddaughters

LOVE this picture...so sweet
Stephanie and her baby
All the grandkids

AK chillling out while we ate breakfast

We stayed in a really nice 3 bedroom "cabin"...it was so relaxing...
Ready to go!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

sentences

Gotta get these written down before I forget...
Rody is such a talker...and he is very easy to understand and pronounces remarkably well (in my opinion)...some sentences he has said lately:

  • Bye bye fire truck. See you soon!
  • Mama! More water please!
  • No, Rody do it
  • Watch Dora on the t.v.
  • Bear's blanket
  • Shh..Anna Kate. Quiet Anna Kate
  • Mama funny, Rody funny, Anna Kate funny, daddy funny too
  • Sing Hallelulah.
  • God Bless you, mama
  • I love you, daddy
  • Bear hungry. Eat nipple
  • Water the plants
  • Ride past the water tower
  • Water Fountain!
  • Store...money. Lollipop! (I tell him he can get a lolly after I pay with money....and this is how he quantifies that..)

oh, how I love my two year old!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Lately

Anna Kate: 12 weeks old!

Just a reminder that I am a mommy of TWO kids...crazy...

And that Rody is very funny...makes us laugh everyday
And that my mom is the best...she came and stayed with us for 4 days...cooking, cleaning, caring for the children...thanks, mom!

Well Checks

Just a quick note...we took both kids to their well checks today (about 3 weeks overdo though)



Rody: 25 months old

weight 32 lbs. (90%)

height 35 inches (75%)

no ear infections...he did great!



Anna Kate: 12 weeks (almost 3 months old)

weight: 13lbs. 12 ounces (90%)

height: 23 1/2 inches (90%)

She got a couple of shots (so pitiful) but is doing great!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Anna Kate: 11 weeks

Anna Kate is 11 weeks old! She continues to grow and interact on a daily basis. She is officially moved to a crib now--no more bassinett (but the crib is not a full size crib)...
She is such a laid back baby....I didn't have anything to compare Rody to, but we've been blessed with some great babies!

Look at this sweet face!

Unfortunately she has already had 2 ear infections in her right ear! I'm really hoping this will not be a trend...but, at her appointment last week she weighed 13lbs. 8 oz!! She looks bigger to me than Rody did, but he weighed more than she did...





This face is cracking me up...

And we pulled out the bumbo chair...she's been enjoying it so far...

She is getting more predictable as well...really easy to please too...
She is sleeping AMAZINGLY! On a typical night, I will feed her around 8:45 or 9pm, put her down (she falls asleep in a dark room on her own) and does not wake until 6-7am for her first feeding. She will then sleep another 3-4 hours before she starts her day...blessed, just blessed I tell you....
We've also been enjoying having Grandma Kia here for the week! Thanks, mom!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Anna Kate: Her 10th Week in Pictures

Oh how I cherish the hours that I do get to spend with my children...especially when I have to work during the day. I am thankful that my kids sleep late and that I get home relatively early so that I don't miss too many waking hours....
I miss these sweet cheeks like crazy during the day!
My attempt at a photo...
Precious!
Smiles
And sometimes tears...

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Hey Rody! What are you doing???
"Bear Hungry. Eat Nipple".
And apparently bear likes to eat about every 5 minutes...