Can't Get Enough of this Everyday Love

Nothing is better then spending the weekend with my family! Brian and Kendall washed my car, Kate and I made cupcakes. We all just hung around in our "comfy clothes" & played. Love it

Oh Where, Oh Where Has This Blogger Gone?

Well, we've been to Kansas and back. in a moment of excitement (or possibly insanity) I decided to drive to Kansas for Jessy's graduation. I couldn't have done it if it weren't for Lorie (who drove with me). On the way up we even stopped in St. Louis to visit Bruce which was super great! I loved seeing where he lives and seeing his garden and briefly meeting a couple of his friends. We were only there for an hour but we had a lot of driving left to do. We also had a lot of screaming left ahead of us as well as a lot of stopping left to do too. Kendall and Kate had a tag team crying fest going on towards the end causing an eleven hour trip to take us fourteen hours getting us there at about 2am. The first night was rough after getting Kendall to sleep I was so worried that Kate would let out a cry and wake Kendall up that I was pretty much all over her all night trying to keep her quiet, she got fed up with that and had a bit of a crying spree of her own. Finally, I fell asleep at about 6am (7 our time). After that we did a little rearranging of sleeping arrangements (Sara had it set up so nicely for us) and from then on it was a piece of cake. Kendall was very good about going to bed and Kate kept her nap schedule up. I had such a fun time visiting with everyone. Sara's kids are great. I meant to take pictures of their newly finished basement bathroom because it was FANTASTIC! I loved it. The trip home was slightly less eventful and only took us 12 hours. I have spent the rest of the week recovering my sleep and house. I think I have gotten the ENTIRE house clean for the first time since Kate has been born, ahhh what an accomplishment.

Yesterday was well check-ups for both of the girls. Kendall had a bit of a breakdown and demonstrated her amazing strength when it took both the doctor and I to hold her down just to check in her ears and throat!! Luckily she didn't require shots...unlike poor Kate who got four. Kate is quite possibly the happiest baby ever. During one of her feedings today she couldn't stop smiling at me and the other night while sleeping she busted out belly laughs! She is completely holding her head up on her own and cooing and talking up a storm. She and Brian carried on a five minute conversation tonight gurgling and cooing at each other. They are keeping me busy and off of the computer resulting in these sporadic blog posts, sorry!!

Kiss Me Kate

I don't think people have been believing me when I say that Kate smiles now (and has for three weeks) she even smiled at her doctor, the little ham. I caught it today with my camera in hand. Phew.

Not a lot of blogging going on lately with TWO sick kiddos. Not cool. But something funny did happen yesterday.

Preface: When I get anything out of the oven when Kendall is nearby I say, "beep, beep" and she backs up out of the way until the door is closed and then she knows she can come close again. Well yesterday she was playing with my pot holders and oven mitts. She comes into the kitchen with two oven mitts on her hands and says, "beep, beep, oven hot" and goes to the oven door. Too cute.

Speed Bump

I never thought Kendall paid attention to the TV when it was on but I guess she caught the coverage of Brittney driving while holding her baby (who, like Kendall, was trying to escape the paparazzi. By the way thi

s car doesn't even belong to us, Kendall has decided our neighbors have a much better yard then us and she makes herself at home (with permission) on their toys and swingset.

Congrats to Jenn & Justin on running their first marathon, you rock!

NSD

Guess what today is? Well yeah, it is Derby day but more importantly it is National Scrapbooking Day (NSD). Yep, we have our own day (and acronym). But there was no scrapbooking done here in the Paper Chick household. Despite three separate party invitations we were held hostage by a two year old with a hideous rash resulting from her high temperature and we topped off the day with a trip to the urgent care center since her breathing and cough became so yucky. She received various cocktails (cough suppressant, Tylenol, & antibiotic) but she isn't a pleasant drunk. All joking aside she is truly miserable and I hate to see my little girl that way!

I haven't taken any photos lately since Kendall has the polka dots so instead here is a picture from back in the day (pre-kids) when we actually got to go to the Derby!!

Word of Advice

When yawning in front of a toddler keep your eyes open. Luckily I opened mine just in time to see Kendall getting ready to put her bouncy ball in my mouth.

I have a sick Kendall on my hands, she has a "fever virus". Which basically means I have a very whiney toddler on my hands and I can only treat the fever. She spends have the day in a whiney dreary stouper and the other half in a whiney spastic hyper crazed period. Fun times.

Update

• I had to drop mom off at the airport on Monday...I cried



• I can go to the gym now!



• Had tons of fun in Indiana last weekend, I love my cousins and they are all multiplying like crazy so Kendall is going to have lots of cousins to play with.



• Yesterday I went back to the gym, Kendall was playing outside on the playground and heard Kate fussing and demanded to be let inside to check on her!

Fashinista & Grump-a-lump-a-gus

My girls are so mature, Kate reached her 6 week growth spurt today (a week early) and along with it came a serious case of the grumps. And Kendall has become a little 16 year old over night (fashion-wise). If you put a cap on her she turns it around, sometimes at an angle. She puts her sunglasses on top of her head too.

I have been slacking when it comes to taking pictures. I did pull out Kendall's pool this weekend though. I was brave and didn't put a swim diaper on her and was enjoying the little bootie shape of her swimming trunks...until I noticed that she was squatting and making suspicious noises. Didn't enjoy cleaning that one up.

We had a nice surprise visit from Jenn and Justin on Friday. Kendall wouldn't talk much while they were here but now, as I type this, she is sitting on my lap and saying, "Sus-tin, friend"

Kate had her one month check up last week. She gained two pounds and two inches!! I never thought I would say this but one of my girls is in the 25th percentile!! To quote the doctor, I have a "fine specimen of a one month old". He was surprised at her muscle control and told me not to leave her on the bed unattended because he wouldn't be surprised if she started to roll over soon. He was also shocked to hear that she usually only wakes one time at night. She is a good baby, very laid back but I also think that I am much more laid back as well and she senses that. She doesn't have an evening fussy time like Kendall did but she does behave differently at night (doesn't nurse as well, wants to be held...). But I can't complain!

Kendall is adjusting pretty well, she has her good days and bad days but always loves her little sister. She gives the sweetest most gentlest kisses to Kate (and follows it up with a grab for the pacifier). She has reached the oh so fun stage in toddlerhood where saying something one time is good but saying it twelve times in a row is so much better. Ah, good times. I'll try to take more pictures for some reason my hands just always seem to be busy with something else though, curious.

Tick Tock

TIME: Where has it gone?? Can you believe that as of tomorrow we will have had Kate in our lives for an entire month? She is so sweet and I love to see her and Kendall together. I don't know which one is influencing which but they are sticking their tongues out at each other in this picture:

I know that I need to adjust this one in Photoshop but I love it and really I just don't have the time.

Kendall tried out a new hairstyle today, it didn't last long but is s

till pretty darn cute.

And finally, I'm craving time to create something. I have some super cute pictures I want to scrapbook and a couple of ideas of other things I want to make.

My Girls

Kendall:

Kate:

Easter & First Bath Photos

Connections

I was able to sit down tonight and read a few blogs that I like. I love blogs. They are great for keeping family up-to-date but I love how they allow you to see the connections that we all have. Below is a quote from a blog I read today that really resonated with me. And then, a few pictures of my fun little girlies (click to enlarge). Again, life is good.

But it is in these contrasts that I know even more where I belong. Holding this
7lb. 10oz. lump of love who looks at me with her gray eyes in the dark and knows
that it is my job to keep her safe. And that I will. So, even if all I
accomplish today is tidying up, holding a sleeping baby, working with Elliot on
hugging Lucie gently, thanking my sweet husband for helping me through another
day, that will be enough, won't it? Just acts of love, really.

Life Is Good

Life is good, really good. Kate is fantastic, she very rarely cries and I have to wake her up to feed her nearly every feeding! She is such a mellow laid back baby. Kendall loves her new sister but is understandably experiencing a little bit of jealousy. But really, all is good! Kate had her first photo shoot this weekend. Here are a couple of my favorites and a couple of "bloopers"

Hey, can you hear me?

Oh brother, stop taking my picture

Wait, wait a minute, what is that smell? Is that me?

Ahhhh, sleep