Christmas 2010

This was quite possibly the BEST Christmas Matt and I have ever had! Who knew that having kids during Christmas would be so much fun?!?! We had a couple of different Christmas celebrations this year... The first one started on Saturday, December 18, in Greenwood with Grandma, Grandpa, Auntie Shell, Uncle Nick, Abi, Brandon, Cami, and Dexter. Here are a couple of pictures from that celebration!

Katie got some WONDERFUL presents from everyone.. Grandma and Grandpa got her lots of books and puzzles.. They also got her a big Fisher Price playhouse! We haven't put it together, yet, but there will be pictures to come!

Dexter preferred to sit in the boxes and play with the paper instead of open presents.. That's the fun part!

We happened to know EXACTLY what Brandon wanted for Christmas.. A Woody doll! Yep, we are the cool Aunt and Uncle!! Auntie Shell and Uncle Nick got KK lots of musical instruments and a cool doctor kit.

Our next celebration was with Josh and Jennifer. They came over on Tuesday, December 21. We made potato soup and enjoyed spending time together. Matt got a gift card to Ryan's Department Store. I got some cute snowmen serving bowls and a Houndstooth shirt. We got the game Apples to Apples. KK got some cute animals with wheels on them and a talking mailbox! She loves to put the animals inside of her mailbox!

She was also REALLY into passing out the presents and then going back to get them back from whoever she handed them to! It was SO cute!!!

On Thursday, December 23, we had our annual gingerbread house making party at Judi's house. This is one of my favorite things to do during Christmas. It's always a silent competition between Hannah, Sarah, and I... I ALWAYS lose, but I still have fun.. Katie even managed to decorate a cookie with Mimi. She much preferred to lick the icing off of her fingers and eat the M&Ms...

Then we did our big Christmas get together with Nanny, Papa, Mom, Dad, Judi, Mike and the girls. This was our first year to do a Secret Santa gift exchange, and it was a lot of fun!!! I had Hannah's name and LOVED buying for her. I got her a great smelling candle and a huge owl necklace. Judi had my name and got me a monogrammed purse from Thirty-One, a Yankee Candle reed diffuser, and $25. Matt had Nanny's name and got her a Willow Tree angel and a Bananagrams daily calendar. She, ironically, had his name! She got him the new John Grisham book and a book about history quotes.

Here is a sweet picture of Katie with her favorite person... Mimi! These are the sweet Christmas Eve pajamas they got K!

After the big get together, we came home to prepare for Santa... It was SOOOO much fun to spend the night at our own house on Christmas Eve and get to start traditions with K. We got a cookie and some milk for Santa and some vegetables for the reindeer and sat them on the mantle for our visitors!

Christmas Eve was the night we had decided would be Katie's last bedtime bottle. It was quite emotional, but I savored every second of this bottle with my big girl. I can't believe how big she looks in this picture... (on a side note... she has done fantastic without a bottle.)

I have a picture of Matt and Katie underneath the tree from last year and had to do it again this year.. What a change a year makes!

I couldn't leave Cooper out!!

It was SOOO exciting waking the princess up on Christmas morning and bringing her downstairs to see what Santa had brought her overnight. Look at that bedhair!!!

OH MY GOODNESS!!! Look what Santa Clause brought our big girl.. A baby buggy and a baby doll! She couldn't get to that doll fast enough!!

After finishing up the Santa gifts and stockings, we drove over to my parents' house to open our actual presents and eat breakfast. Here's Katie and Emma showing off what Santa brought them.. Emma managed to get a discman and has taken it with her everywhere the last couple of days!

Seeing her Lady stuffed animal brought about as much excitement as her baby doll did!! She LOVED it!

Christmas breakfast, we had homemade waffles with the brand new rotating waffle iron we bought Dad! We also had bacon, sausage, and biscuits and gravy. YUM! Matt and I managed to get an AWESOME gift from my parents.. We got a weekend stay at a cabin in Eureka Springs over Valentine's weekend plus a steak dinner for two at a local steak house! WOW!! Mimi and Papa bought Katie a new rug and lamp for her big girl room, a sock monkey, and a puppy dog sleeping bag.

This is a picture of Katie after Christmas dinner. She is obsessed with her baby doll and is constantly kissing it and lugging it around with her.. I hope this is a good sign for how much she is going to love her ACTUAL baby that will come in June!

And, I couldn't resist this picture.. This was taken just yesterday as Katie managed to stand up inside of her baby doll buggy!

It was such a great Christmas this year... It was the first year we got to spend the night at our own house on Christmas Eve, and I loved it. There's just something about waking up at your own house on Christmas morning with your baby. WOW!

We are so lucky to have so many wonderful people in our lives that love us so much.. Christmas wouldn't have been the same without all of our wonderful celebrations!

I can't believe that next year I will have a 2 year old and a 6 month old!! That's crazy!!!!!!

16 Weeks!!

Pregnancy Highlights**

How far along: 16 Weeks

Size of Baby: 4-5 inches, 3-5 ounces, size of an avocado

Total Weight Gain: 2.6 pounds

Maternity Clothes: All maternity pants, but I can still wear regular shirts

Gender: Find out on January 21st!!!

Movement: The little flutters have finally turned into gentle kicks and rolls.

Sleep: I wake up once in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. Starting to get to the point where sleeping on my back is uncomfortable (VERY SAD)...

What I miss: Being able to stay up past 9:00.

Cravings: Baby tomatoes dipped in ranch dip, sour candy

Symptoms: Tiredness, Good hair!!!

Best moment this week: Sitting on the recliner while Matt and Katie were both sleeping and feeling the baby really move!

**Note to the 2 readers of this blog... I HIGHLY doubt this will be a weekly update, but I will update a few times!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Saturday night (12/11/10) we went on a family date! We took Katie to one of our VERY FAVORITE restaurants from college - Hugo's. It was absolutely delicious...just like we remembered! The only thing missing was the grasshopper crepes, but we knew we were going for dessert later on. Anyways, after leaving Hugo's, we walked up to the Fayetteville Square to look at all the beautiful lights. It was absolutely FREEZING! Katie was well bundled, but we were not. Here's a picture of Little Miss all bundled up in her stroller.

Katie really loved the lights and people singing. Her favorite was the carousel covered in lights! We walked by it two different times, and she stared and stared! It was so sweet.

Matt and I were talking about all the times we had been to the square to look at the lights. Our most memorable trip was probably Christmas 2003. We had just started dating that October. I had been at Pomfret, and we decided to make the drive to the square to look at the lights even though it was nearly midnight and icy roads! We barely made it to the square (ALIVE), but once there it was the PERFECT trip. It started snowing, and we were just about the only ones there. It was beautiful, romantic, and freezing cold. Such a special night for the two of us!

Since this was our first time to take K, we had to have a family picture. We look forward to taking our kiddos every year and building those memories with them!

Pretty sure it doesn't get any more beautiful than this!

On the way home, K was all snuggled in her carseat. She ended up falling asleep. Such a special night for the three of us!

Things to be thankful for...

1 - God
I am so thankful to have a God that loves me unconditionally even when I don't give him the attention and praise He so deserves. I am also extremely thankful that He brought the rest of my thankful things to my life!

2 - My husband
Matt is my rock. He is the person that I go to for everything. He loves me and supports me and cares for me. I am so incredibly thankful to be married to such an amazing man!

3 - My daughter
Katie is the best thing that I have ever done! Sometimes I wonder how Matt and I created such a wonderful, beautiful, loving, outgoing, smart, sweet little girl.. She is truly the light of our lives, and I am so thankful to be her Momma!

4 - My family
I am so incredibly lucky to have such an awesome family. My mom and dad are great! They have provided so much for me my entire life, and I am so grateful. My little sister is growing into such a sweet young lady (with her still awkward - dorky - 8 year old nature!!). I love her so much, though. My grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are also so sweet. My cousin, Hannah, and I have grown very close this last year, and I am so excited. She and I are SOOO different, but I enjoy seeing her perspective on things!

5 - My in-laws
I am so lucky to have such great in-laws. They do so much for Matt and I, and we both are so appreciative. They raised my husband to be the man he is today, even if that includes inappropriate jokes, nasty humor, and all the other strange things he does! He also is loving, kind, and hardworking.. Things they both taught him! So, Jim and Sandy, thank you for giving Matt to me!

6 - My job
I love my job! I truly do! There are days when my 5th graders drive me up the wall or the lesson planning and paperwork just get to be too much, and then I hear a non-English speaking child speak a full sentence in English or a student writes me a note to tell me that I am the best teacher ever. I am reminded WHY I am called to teach! Some people may disagree with me for working and not staying home with my daughter, and I have to say that it doesn't bother me anymore! I am a GREAT teacher and a GREAT mother!

7 - My best friend
Jennifer Pharr is truly my best friend! We met each other my freshman year of college when Matt and I started dating. She is a true inspiration to me... I am so thankful that God brought her in my life!

8 - Technology
I love having easy access to the internet and cell phones and all the other convenient things in life. I am thankful that our society has the resources and intelligence to create such amazing things!

9 - Health
I am so thankful that I am healthy and that the rest of my family is healthy, too!

10 - Money
I am thankful that Matt and I rarely have to worry about Money. It really is one of the greatest things. We make a decent living, but our desire to budget and save is so wonderful. At times it drives me crazy, but I am thankful to be able to buy the things we need and most of what we want!

There are SOOOO many other things I am thankful for, but I will stop here! I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving and remember to be thankful for all those little things!

12 Month Post (2 weeks late)

10/5/10 Grandma came into town
10/6/10 Stayed with Grandma at home
Lost Dog while on a walk with Grandma
10/7/10 Stayed with Grandma at home
10/8/10 Had a great evening with Mommy and Daddy just playing in the floor
10/9/10 Went to Mimi and Papa’s while Mommy and Daddy worked up at Lee
Visited Aunt Jenn at Willow Creek
Watched the Razorback game with Mommy and Daddy
10/10/10 Took a nap through church!!
10/11/10 Went to doctor (21 lbs. 3 oz.) – still have an ear infection; trying new antibiotic
10/12/10 Took 7 steps in a row!!
10/13/10 Ate dinner at Aunt Jenn’s house – pizza and ice cream
10/14/10 Went to Marshallese Literacy Night with Mommy and played with lots of people
10/15/10 Went to the Craft Fair and Las Margaritas with Mommy and Daddy
10/16/10 Stayed with Daddy while Mommy went to a workshop
Ate Chick-Fil-A for the first time (3 nuggets and 6 waffle fries – WOW!)
Played with Tory and Mark for a while (met Mark for the first time)
Mimi and Aunt E came over so Mommy and Daddy could go to Shakes
10/17/10 Went to Emma Breaux’s birthday party at Fun City (ate ¾ of a cupcake)

10/20/10 Went to Mommy’s first OB appt for Jellybean and enjoyed seeing Dr. Reiter and Vicky
Got to see the baby on the ultrasound!
10/22/10 Officially a walker!
10/23/10 Spent the night with Mimi and Papa while Mommy and Daddy went on a date
10/24/10 Stayed with Mommy and Daddy during Care Group instead of going to nursery
10/29/10 First Halloween Party at school – Daddy came!
Went to Lee’s Fall Festival and enjoyed walking around and showing off
Went to Aunt Judi and Uncle Mike’s house for Chili
10/30/10 Went to Trunk-or-Treat at Sonora – Papa LOVED walking you around
10/31/10 FIRST HALLOWEEN!!! Dressed up as Minnie Mouse (of course!)
Went to Trunk-or-Treat at Elmdale
Went trick-or-treating with Mommy, Daddy, Mimi, Papa, and Aunt E
Helped Daddy pass candy out at the house and LOVED it!!
11/2/10 Went to Ye Olde King’s Pizza with Mommy, Daddy, Uncle Joshy, Ms. Sharon and
Mr. Jim – LOVED Ms. Sharon
11/3/10 IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!!!!
Mommy and Daddy took the afternoon off – we went to Chick-fil-A, Bliss Cupcake
Café, Sams, and you got your birthday present (the cozy coupe), ate chicken nuggets,
tator tots, and macaroni and cheese for dinner

Kathryn Elizabeth,

I cannot believe you are 1 years old! That just seems absolutely unreal to me. It literally seems like yesterday that Daddy and I were waiting in the hospital room waiting for you to arrive. And then I remember giving you your first bath. Watching you projectile vomit. Cuddling with you in the middle of the night. Gosh, you stole my heart little girl.

You are walking everywhere and are so full of life. You love people and love to be the center of attention. That doesn't surprise me at all! You are your mommy's child! You are such a sweet and content child, and I am so proud that you are my daughter. Little one, you are the light of my life...

Love,

Mommy

Happy Birthday, Princess K!

Well... It's official: Our little girl is 1. We are both constantly amazed at how quickly this year has passed!* Yesterday was Katie's birthday, and all three of us really enjoyed it.

We both took the afternoon off work yesterday to spend time with Katie on her birthday. We went to Chick-Fil-A for lunch (K loves the waffle fries!), to the Bliss Cupcake Cafe (what little girl doesn't need a cupcake on her birthday?), and to Sam's (one of Katie's favorite places). After a two and a half hour nap, Katie got her birthday present - a cozy coupe! She LOVED riding around in it (pictures to come). After playing outside for a while, we went back in to have all of Katie's favorite foods for dinner: chicken nuggets, tater tots, and macaroni & cheese.

Needless to say, it was a special (and bittersweet) day for us, but we are also so proud of Katie and the sweet, kind, funny, loving, friendly kid she is becoming. She has the cutest personality and is so inquisitive about EVERYTHING! She loves her Momma and Daddy, but she is also happy to be with other people or to be interacting with other people (including complete strangers in stores and at restaurants). She is also very active, both physically and mentally. Once she mastered walking, there is no stopping her! There are also times when she's looking at a book or touching something she's never seen before, and you can just see the wheels spinning in her little head as she processes it and stores the information away for later.

We have truly enjoyed this past year and are looking forward to the next few months that we have to spend alone with Katie. Then Jellybean will be here, and we'll have a whole new set of adventures to muddle our way through! We've also enjoyed sharing this past year with our friends and family and are so thankful for all the love and support they've given us.

We'll post our monthly update in a couple days, but until then: Happy Birthday, Princess K! Momma and Daddy love you very much!

*Before people comment and tell us that time will only speed up from here... Don't. We don't want to hear it for the 100th time! It's sad and depressing and makes us want to find a way to bottle Katie up and slow time down so that we can experience each moment with her a dozen times over. :o)

New Addition!!!

Yep, I'm pregnant!

Happy 11 Months, Sweet Girl!

9/4/10 Went to the Clothesline Fair in PG
Watched Razorback game on t.v.
Ate an entire chocolate chip cookie (threw up in the middle of the night)
Ate deer meat
9/5/10 Went shopping with Mommy and Daddy
Uncle Josh, Aunt Jenn, and Brad came over for a cookout
9/6/10 Labor Day
9/10/10 Stayed with Daddy while Mommy had a girl’s night with Aunt Jenn and Tory
9/11/10 Went to the Farmer’s Market
Visited the U of A campus to see our names on Senior Walk
Spent the night with Mimi and Papa because Mommy and Daddy went to Polo in the Ozarks
9/13/10 Mimi picked you up from school
9/14/10 Mimi picked you up from school
9/16/10 4th tooth broke through (top right)
Went to a PTA meeting at Lee
9/18/10 Went to Sunset Grill with Mommy and Daddy for breakfast – LOVED the pancakes and eggs!
Learned a new word “Dog”
9/20/10 Took first step (two another one later)
9/24/10 Stayed with Mimi and Papa while Mommy and Daddy worked the SSAF Chili Supper
9/25/10 Spent the day in Greenwood, so Daddy could help at the vet clinic
9/26/10 Slept until 9:00 a.m.!!!
Went shopping with Mommy
9/27/10 Went to pediatrician – 21 lbs 7.5 oz – ear infection in right ear
Watched both of Daddy’s softball games and was out until 9:15!!!
9/30/10 Mommy picked me up from school an hour early
Ate dinner at Red Lobster with Mary Claire – loved the shrimp and bread
10/1/10 Miss Bethany’s last day as Katie’s teacher
10/2/10 First haircut (cut the rat tail)
10/3/10 2 Teeth came through (two teeth next to the top middle two)

My dearest Katie,

You are the light of our lives! You are so active and so close to walking. I used to think that since you crawled and pulled up so early that you were going to be an early walker. Boy, was I wrong! It doesn't bother me a bit, though. I love watching your little booty when you crawl. So sweet. You are also quite the talker. We have been told by many other parents that you are extremely advanced linguistically. You like to say: what, dog, mama, dada, tan (Tanner, Grandma's dog), book, boy (that's what we call Cooper), and that. I am one proud Mommy!! You also love to eat table food. We have you try nearly everything we eat, and you will eat almost everything! These past few months have flown by and the sheer thought of you turning a year old in less than a month just breaks my heart. You are my little angel! Daddy and I love you so incredibly much.

Love,

Mommy