Trick or Treat?

Well I guess the trick is on us as it was incredibly hard to catch Kenley with a smile this weekend for the camera but all the moments off camera were a definite treat!

We had a very busy (yet highly productive and enjoyable) weekend. My mom came on Friday night for a weekend of babysitting so Clay and I could tackle some things on our "to do" list. Friday we finished giving our bathroom a facelift. We had painted, put up a new light, a new medicine cabinet, new towel bars, and recaulked everything. It looks so much more open and nice. I just need to pick up a new garbage can and toothbrush holder to go with the shower curtain and we will be all set. It's hard to take pictures of the bathroom since it's so small but believe me it's a wonderful improvement.

Then Saturday, I used muscles I wasn't sure I had. I did more physical labor than I had done since BK (Before Kenley).  We started around 830 and ended a little before 5pm. We cleaned out the dog run, painted the trim in the dog run, trimmed bushes, cut down a baby tree, cleaned out the lilac corner, raked leaves, landscaped around a big tree, cleaned out gutters, cleaned off the deck, and much much more. We were so pooped at the end of the day but here are some pictures of our handy work.

Clay's landscaping job around the big tree to protect the root ball that was showing.

Some of the trimming we did removing a tree, bushes, and branches.

First rake of leaves. We will have to rake one more time but this is at least the first half.

The cleaned out dog run. I even painted the trim on the windows and the doors preparing for selling in the spring.

Those inside (Kenley and her wonderful Grandma C) were also tired by the end of the day but it was because they were having too much fun. Kenley and Grandma did come outside for a bit to supervise and give me the motivation to keep raking when everything started to hurt. Kenley even examined a leaf or two to see what it was all about.

Then today (Halloween) Clay and I went back to work. We cleaned out the garage and took a few loads to the storage shed. I haven't seen my garage this clean since we moved in I don't think. We have a few more things on our "to do" list but we were just out of steam so we took the last part of the afternoon to take our kitty trick or treating... and by kitty I don't mean Sheba. That's right, Little Miss K debuted as a Pretty Pink Kitty for her very first Halloween.

Our pretty pink Kitty ;o)

We went to see our friend Kimberly and then over to Tori's to celebrate.

Ready to ring the doorbell for our first "treat"

Kenley with Kimberly's boys Rory and Michael

Kenley with Tori's girls Avery and Lyla

Kenley and me with Tori

After a brief outing in the catsuit, we headed home and of course I took more pictures. However she was a little less than cooperative and while outside was more interested in the leaves than in smiling for pictures, but we got a few good ones inside and out.

Sitting on the porch

Checking out the leaves

Cute kitty

Finally looking at the camera

Kenley and mom

Kenley and Grandma C

Now Kenley is tucked into bed and snoozing away. Unfortunately the weekend is over and it's back to work tomorrow. It was a wonderful weekend from start to finish and definitely a treat to have my mom share it all with us. Happy Halloween everyone!!!

10 months

WHOO HOO for being 10 months old today!! Here is our little stinks excited this morning and dressed very festive for the day. As far as small updates, Kenley has (almost) 8 teeth and doesn't sit still for more than a few seconds. She is a joy to be around and happy a majority of the time (unless tired or hungry- then she is cranky just like me). She is into EVERYTHING and wants to see, touch, or eat anything she can get her hands on. In fact, if you let a 10 month old play with a napkin, this is what will happen.

Never a dull moment for sure! Loving every minute and looking forward to every new day watching her learn and grow. Can't wait to post pictures of her this weekend for her 1st Halloween. Stay tuned!

Weighing in

Took K to the dr today for her weight check. She came back at 18lbs and 10.5 ounces so we gained 4.5 ounces in 5 days. The dr. was very pleased. She had been hoping for a gain of 1/4 to 1/2 an ounce/day and we did a little over 1/2 an ounce/day. Everything else still checked out fine so we don't have to go back. Tonight Kenley didn't really eat dinner but I could tell she was really tired since we skipped our nap to go to the dr. We tried to give her some medicine at bedtime and it ended up choking her again as she threw a fit and tried to scream when she should have been swallowing. Oh well.. she survived. I felt bad until she fell asleep. Hopefully she will sleep all night tonight and we can get back in routine tomorrow.

Updates

Well we head to the doctor this afternoon for our weight check. I think she has probably gained a little. Wed night after the doctor things started to pick up and Kenley went full force ahead Thurs, Fri, and Sat. It was like she was eating to make up for the lost time. She would polish off almost 2 containers of food each time and still do the milk. She had great naps and slept all of Friday night and last night. We had a few wake-ups on Saturday night but nothing too bad. We still continue to be a poop machine and it has made for some messy mornings and pjs but today she actually woke up with only a wet diaper for a change. (Which was AWESOME) The diaper rash that broke out on Friday is getting a bit better due to a few rounds of naked time in the evenings. We will continue to work on that. I hope that she eats well today at the sitter so that we can get a good report when we go to the doctor at 3:20. Stay tuned to see how much she was able to gain back.

Frustrated

Lately I've been frustrated. Since our dr appt on 10/8, the eating situation has progressively gotten worse. It has come to the point that (until today) Kenley hadn't had more than 3-4 bites of solid food in over a week. Finally today at lunch she ate half of a container and at dinner she polished off 3/4 of one. All weekend was a power struggle and led to a fussy Kenley and a concerned and frustrated mom. The effects of an all breastmilk diet are wide spread for an almost 10 month old. She no longer sleeps through the night since she wakes up by 2am starving and needs to be fed (which doesn't help with my supply when I'm trying to cut back and start weaning). On top of it all the dirty diapers for a milk only diet are beyond stinky and make a big ole mess. Nothing like giving a bath at 2am with cold wipes and trying to keep the kicking and screaming baby from sticking any other body parts in the poop or rolling off the table. What fun! After a solid week of anything but solids in more ways than one, we called the doctor. After a long conversation with the nurse, we decided to take her in. Everything checked out fine as far as her ears and throat. We did learn she is cutting a molar which could be part of the problem but the bigger issue is weight loss. We went from 19lbs 1.5oz on 10/8 to 18lbs 6oz just 12 days later. A loss of 12oz in 12 days in pretty substantial for someone her size. Needless to say we are to continuing what we are trying (which is about anything we can think of at this point) and see if she will start eating anytime soon. We also go back for a weight check on Monday. If we are still losing I'm sure we will have to do something. I'm hoping today was a baby step in the right direction and that we will be back to chowing down and gaining weight in no time. Keep your fingers crossed!

Walk along

We borrowed another new toy from our friend Liz and Kenley really likes it. It is so much fun to watch her tool around with it and Clay was excited to finally catch it on camera. (Video taken last weekend)

It's Pajama Time!

Every night before bed Kenley and Clay read a few books. They always end with the same two, Pajama Time and The Going to Bed Book. Tonight they only made it through one as K was really fussy but it was appropriate for her new pajamas.

So in honor of new (and old) pajamas... "It's pajama time"
Get yourself ready to pajama-dee-bop. It's pajama time.

Some are old and some are new. Some are red and some are blue (or pink in this case.)

Some are fuzzy. Some are not. But we can all pajammy in whatever we got. It's pajama time! Oooo yes, it's pajama time.

They might be stripey, or polka dot. But we can all pajammy in whatever we've got. It's pajama time!

7 years



Like Pastor Paul told us many times before the big day, "No matter what happens, at the end of the day you are still married and that's the important thing." Boy was he right. Seven years ago, the limo didn't show up, I only got one bite of cake, and my suitcase didn't make it to the hotel room, but it was still a great day because I married a wonderful man. And over the past 7 years the same advice holds true, no matter what happens each day through the good and bad we are a team and we take on the world together. He is patient with me and loves me despite my faults. I am one lucky lady. He is a great husband and an outstanding father. It is my joy to share each day with him. So, Happy Anniversary Clay!! Here's to the next wonderful year together.

Fabulous (Fall?) weekend

Is it really fall? The leaves are changing and the pumpkins are abound but the weather in the 80s sent a mixed message about what season it really is.

We started this past weekend on Friday with a dr's appt for Kenley. It was her 9 month check up.

Kenley weighed in at 19lbs and 1.5 ounces. She measured 29.25 inches. She still falls in about the 50th percentile for weight and the 90th for height/length. She was mesmorized with the medical intern that followed Dr. Kane that day. We did have to take a "developmental" questionnaire and the questions were so strange. We didn't know how to answer some of them and as a result they said we didn't score as high as expected. Whatever. I can't seem to let it go because I know she isn't "behind" and can do all of the things on the list (except the pincer grasp.) I'm just too anal to forget about it and it's driving me nuts. Anyways, after the check up Kenley got the 1st half of her 1st flu shot and then we had to go down to the lab for a finger prick. We did not have a good time down there (definitely not part of the fabulous). All in all Kenley was tired and fed up with all the poking, but survived and took a short nap when we got home to recover.

Saturday was a low key day around the house and then Saturday night Grandma and Grandpa B came to babysit Kenley so Clay and I could go out to dinner and celebrate our 7 year wedding anniversary. We went to a favorite (Central Station although it is now called Station 720 or something like that). We had a nice time. After dinner we enjoyed some time to visit with Grandma and Grandpa B and play some Pegs and Jokers.

Sunday then we went to Rader Family Farms. We got the tickets from work. Although Kenley was much too young for alot of the activities she still had fun watching all of the kids and I wanted to get lots of good pictures. The weather was a little too warm for fall in my mind and took a bit away from the experience but fun was still had by all.

Here is a picture of Kenley meeting Corny. Corny is the local baseball team's mascot. She wasn't scared of him but didn't care much for him either.

Here is a family shot. We were all staring into the sun.

Kenley was all smiles for the afternoon. Here is a picture with the pumpkin patch.

We also let her down to play with the pumpkins. She wasn't sure at first but ended up banging on them like a drum.

This is the picture that would be SO GOOD had Kenley and I been able to keep our eyes open. Oh well, maybe next year.  I think this will be something we take her too every year. Well worth the trip. Next year I'm sure we will be chasing her around more and standing in the lines to do the "big kid" things. I can't wait!

Some of our favorite things

1. Finding our kitty and then trying to get to her

2. Pretending not to notice when mommy makes me wear things that aren't supposed to be hats.

3. Trying to climb into mommy's (or daddy's) lap when they are on the chair or couch

4. Making silly faces

5. Making a BIG OLE' mess at dinner time (since she likes to help and we just let her go especially when it's bath night)

6. Finding silly places to sit that make us all laugh

7. Playing with Daddy after dinner

8. Sharing toys with mommy and showing her exactly how to play with them

Kenley B will make ya JUMP JUMP