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

You Are My Sunshine

We have had such great weather (up to 80 degrees) until today. Today was rainy and now it's cold again. Kendall did however, get to wear a summer dress for a few days.

It's a Belly, It's a baby, It's a....shelf?

Please disregard the double bad hair day

Stop the Madness

You know that disturbing scene in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory where they are floating down the chocolate river and they enter this tunnel and suddenly they are speeding out of control and all these images flash on the tunnel's ceilings and walls? I always hated that part. However, it is an accurate example of what my brain does when I'm trying to sleep. It zooms from one thought to the next out of control and it's impossible to fall asleep; images flash and then disappear to be replaced by another completely unrelated image. This lack of sleep combined with crazy pregnancy hormones has created one emotional woman. In the book "The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy" there is an entire chapter titled "Pregnancy Insanity". Before today I think I have had it pretty much under control but nine months of insanity came out today....poor Brian. If there was a pregnancy insane asylum I think that I would be top on the guest list. However, as a result I'm exhausted and so I'm hoping I'll at least be able to fall asleep tonight.

"How You Are?"

This morning Kendall and I did a big grocery trip. I emailed Lorie to tell her that I would be at the store and to call me if she needed anything. Lorie recently had surgery and is pretty much stuck in bed. We did receive a call so on the way home we stopped at her house to drop of the goods. As we were getting out of the car Dani walks out onto the deck and yells "hi" to Kendall. Kendall looks up, gets excited and says, "Hi! How you are?" just as clear as day. We started to crack up! Kendall always has liked to say 'hi', actually it was her first word (to herself in the mirror). I always say hi back to her and then ask, "how are you?" Guess she got the words mixed up a little.

Eviction Notice

Pursuant to the provisions of RSA 540:2, you are hereby given an eviction notice and notice to vacate, on or before March 19 , 2007, the premises and appurtenances owned by
Ashley of the City Uterus, in the County of Huge-mongous, which premises are now occupied by you (Kate).

Sonogram again today. Looking good in there. The technician again mentioned all the hair that Kate has, I actually saw it floating in all that fluid she has in there. Maybe I should take a pony tail holder for her to the hospital, ha. Since next week is my last (gasp) and since everything looks so good we decided against the sonogram next week (It would be on Friday and my c-section on Monday). I think I'm ready for her now. I didn't get Kendall's room painted, Brian decided he didn't think I should be up on a ladder so I'm looking to hire someone to do it now. Brian needs to install our baby carseat in my car but I want to wait until after Susan gets here so we'll all be more comfy coming home from the airport! I want to bring up the baby swing and get the cover washed this weekend and re-wash the baby sheets, boil the bottles/pacifiers...all little things that wont take much time. I'm going to make a grocery trip and try to get all stocked up on Monday (and maybe again on Friday/Saturday for perishables). Finally I want to do one big house cleaning to have everything ready for my time away. Brian was so cute last night, I was paranoid about being sent to the hospital today (this happens every week before my sonogram) and he was reassuring me how everything would be okay and he said that he and Kendall could have some "quality time together". I loved that. Pictures to come....Brian was out of town with our camera but he is home now. Kendall looks really cute today so I'll take some pictures when we go for our afternoon walk. Until then here is an old picture of Kendall that I love...looking forward to hot afternoons and exposed chubby arms and legs (Kendall's and Kate's not mine).

Just for Justin

I have NEVER not published one of your comments! Either blogger is messed up or you aren't doing it correctly. Stay tuned for requested photo.

Gettin' Down to Business

So tonight Kendall tells me, "Poo poo potty" and walks into the bathroom. So I took her in there and we sat together for about 5 minutes or so but regardless of the effort nothing came of it other then these super cute pictures. I'm hesitant to start the process just two short weeks before her world will be turned upside down because I hear so much about how toddlers will regress during these times. I think I will wait a couple months after Kate gets here and get down to the business of potty training.

Speaking of Kate we had our sonogram on Friday and

she is 5 1/2 pounds and is swimming around in only slightly diminished fluid. Fluid loss is expected at this point and mine is still within the safe zone so we're looking good. I'll have another sonogram every week now (really only two more times) just to make sure it doesn't drop. Kate was all curled up in a tiny ball in the same position that she was in last time (head down all on my left side) and she was sucking on her knuckles. We got another 3-D photo and you can see her little shoulder and arm--so very cute. The technician could see hair moving in the fluid so she must have a lot!! Kate now weighs more then Kendall did when we came home from the hospital and as of this week this pregnancy will have lasted longer. When Brian pointed that out it made me feel really at ease, not so anxious about having her too early now.

We've been trying to talk to Kendall about Baby Kate coming home but I really don't know how much she understands. I was telling her how Gram was going to be coming to stay with her too. She is having such a hard time saying Gram for some reason. Every other word she says is getting so much more clearer but we have to keep working on "Deweese". Deweese??

Back to the Bug

Just a few pictures of Kendall. She has been a little monster today I was completely exhausted by 11am. Luckily she is having a nap now and the only thing productive that I have done is make a to-do list (of things that will not get done today). She has been busy lately...messing up Baby Kate's room, walking baby, and creating masterpieces.

Baby Kate news: we have a time for our c-section now. At about 11am on the 19th Kate will be making a grand entrance! We have our ultrasound tomorrow say a prayer today for stable fluid levels or Kate may be making a surprise appearance even sooner!