One Year

Brian and I started reading through the Bible in one year, as our bedtime devotions, but in a little different way. It was in chronological order. This book stills breaks it down to daily readings but puts everything in chronological order for you. I highly recommend this book if you are wanting to read through the Bible in a year but either get confused as to when things are happening or are just wanting something a little different. It also gives a little explanation on things which helps.

Here is the one we did and I loved it. We are obviously finishing it tonight, which is sad, but am also excited about the accomplishment.

Christmas Eve

New Pajamas!!!!

I got this Christmas dress last year before Kaylee was even born. Luckily it still fit her - barely!

Kaylee's First Christmas!!

Kaylee had her first Christmas. Brian and I are not sure if we are doing "Santa" but she did not know the difference this year. For the sake of my nieces and nephews this year, Santa came and brought Kaylee her stocking. I guess we have until next year to figure out what we would like to do.

Kaylee enjoyed her first Christmas, even though she enjoyed eating the wrapping paper instead of playing with her toys. (I know, next year she will be more interested in the boxes instead of the toys)

She got some new clothes, drums(not real ones - who do you think I am?), a ball, toothbrush, stacking cups, toy stroller, and a little people princess carriage. She made out pretty good.

Kaylee's first baby doll!!

The girls:)

Wordless Wednesday - Merry Christmas

Nativity Story

This was shown in Church on sunday and I thought it was great. I had to try and find but I can only get the link to load. I guess I need to learn how to get other people's videos on my blog. But anyways, if you click the link it should play.

Christmas Lights

Brian took me to see some Christmas lights when we were first dating. I will never forget it. He did research from work, during his lunch period of course, and so that made it even more special. It was not only seeing Christmas lights, but seeing them computerized to music!!!! This is the house we went to in Fenton, MO. The website is http://www.christmas-onthe-hill.com/ if you want to check it out. It was great and well worth it. I think we may be going to the same house again tonight, but they have some other ones listed that you can go to on the above site.


Here is a house that plays more Christian music and donates canned goods.




If you are looking for something to do in the evenings, a great idea is to pick up some fast food and go see some Christmas lights that ROCK!!!!

Why?

There are a few things that just boggle my mind:

Why is it that when you are having people over, you feel the need to clean the house?
Why is it that as soon as you are done cleaning it seems like you have to start all over again?
Why can't things stay clean for more than a few minutes?
Why is it that if you are trying to lose weight all you can think about is food?
Why do we need food to survive, but yet so much of it is so bad for us?
Why is it that in order to learn how to be more frugal and save money you have to spend money on a book teaching you how to do it?
Why is it that a child's laugh can just melt your heart?
Why is it that as soon as you and your daughter get dressed she spits up all over the both of you?
Why is it that on the coldest day ever you need to pump gas?
Why is it that when you have a baby sleeping on you, you all of a sudden become very tired?

Oh there are so many more, but it is time for me to take a nap.

Santas little helper

Just a little fun on a snow day!!!!

Look at those rolls!!!

Pet Peeve!!! UPDATED

Ok, so you buy a new toy for your child and they want you to open it so they can play with it.
You get the package open to find this attached to each part. Are they having a problem with people stealing toys that we have to reinforce each part this much.

30 minutes later and I am still working:) This is what I have. Good thing Kaylee is not old enough to be screaming for the toy in the background.


Note to self:

Future birthdays and Christmas: Open packages of toys ahead of time to get all of this off and then wrap it up so then when Kaylee wants to play with her toys, it will not take 30 minutes to open it.

I really think this is overkill but they must have a good reason for it.



Update: This just in, Brian's mom heard this on the radio so I had to add it.


Sara Groves Toy Packaging Lyrics
Toy Packaging
Nothing makes me lose my cool like Toy packaging
Ask the kids to leave the room for Toy packaging
I have no choice the money's spent I've worked for hours to make a dent
I guess it's anger management
Toy packaging
Nothing makes me lose my cool like Toy packaging
Ask the kids please leave the room it's time for Toy packaging
I'm drawing up a battle plan to extricate this robot man
My self-esteem is in the can
Toy packaging
In the old days you could hold a box and shake it
And hear the pieces rattling around
My eyes tear up with these grommets, tape and twisty ties
Remembering their beautiful sound
Toy Packaging I love Toy Packaging (Mom! Honey!)
Nothing makes me lose my cool like toy packaging
Kids you really need to leave the room, mom's opening toy packaging
I'm sorry you have to see this sight
You must be brave, no please don't cry
I promise it will be alright I hope to have it by tonight
Nevermind this dynamite
Toy packaging

I have been tagged.

I was tagged by Jen so I have to comply.

Here are the rules:1. Link to the person that tagged you.2. Post the rules on your blog.3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.6. Let your tagger know when your entry is up.

Ok here it goes.

1. I just finished a sewing project and am pretty happy with it. Next I want to tackle some skirts for me and eventually Kaylee when I know she will stay in a size for more than a month:)

2. I am a neat freak and almost can not function if things get out of hand. I was once told I am border line OCD by a doctor that I used to work for. Brian knows that if things get too messy at home, that if we take 30 minutes and clean up I will be in a much better mood.

3. I am a chocoholic. I really mean this!!! I almost can not go a day with out eating some sort of chocolate. I have to try really hard to not eat it so I can lose some more weight by the time I take Kaylee swimming next summer.

4. I used to weigh 241 pounds. I lost a lot of weight, by not eating chocolate about 5 or so years ago, among other things. Here is a pre picture of me. By the way, Brian has admitted to me that he probably never would have dated me if I had not lost the weight. I guess we are both glad that I lost the weight for health and other reasons.

5. I really do not like cold weather. My favorite season is spring because then I know summer is just around the corner. I would absolutely love it if I lived in a warmer climate.

6. I am a shopaholic. I will find any excuse to go shopping and when you are on a budget that is not the best thing. I also love finding the deals though and getting things for free or very cheap.

Ok, so there is 6 random things that some of you may not have known about me. I am going to tag: Brenda, Kevin, my mom, Jackie, and any one else who reads this and has not already done it. Most other people that I can think of has already done it. The ones I tagged will just have to either email it to me or put it in the comments if you do not have a blog.

5 Months old!!!

4 days old:
5 months old:
My has she grown!!!

This is more for my documentation so bear with me.

I have been wanting to keep track of what Kaylee has been weighing and her heights from her Doctor appointments and times of me weighing her and measuring her so that I would have them for later when she asks me.

Birth: 6 pounds, 14 ounces; 21 inches long- even though the doctors office had you at 19 inches long 4 days later so we are not 100% sure. We think the hospital measured you wrong.

1 month: 10 pounds, 6 ounces; 21 inches long - and they were worried about you not gaining weight in the beginning:)

2 months: 13 pounds, 2 ounces; 23 inches long

3 months: 15 pounds, 0 ounces; 24 inches long - estimation - not in a doctors office.

4 months: 16 pounds, 10 ounces; 25 1/4 inches long

5 months: 18 pounds, 0 ounces; 26 1/2 inches long- estimation-not in a doctors office.

I'm a big kid now!!!

Kaylee looks so little in her high chair right now. I put it together sunday to get her started in eating from the high chair. She did pretty good eating cereal that night, but I just think she looks so grown up sitting in this big chair.

Kaylee's new found toy

Kaylee has been getting better at reaching for toys now to play with so we put together her exersaucer. She can't reach her feet to the floor yet so we put a blanket under her feet, but other than that, she loves this thing. One bonus for me is, it is not annoying. It does play music and different things on the little piano, but I am not to the point of taking out the batteries yet.

When she gets bigger, she will be able to spin around the circle to reach the different areas. This is not one that she is in the middle, she is on the outside of it. So then when she gets big enough that she is standing and taking a few steps on her own, we remove the seat and it becomes a table of activities. I know I have fun playing with her in it.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree....

Kaylee's first Christmas!!!!!

I will get better pictures of her in her Christmas dress, but this was her first response to seeing the Christmas tree this morning. She is very interested in what this big thing is in the living room and what the shiny things are on it. I don't think I have much motivation to decorate this year as we are going to be gone all Christmas week, but wanted to get something up for her first year. The tree looks a little bare with only three strands of lights on it, but it works. I think next year, I will put it up sooner so we have more time to enjoy it.

Crazy Duck

Brian's aunt Mary gave all the kids a stuffed animal at the hotelover Thanksgiving. Brian and I may have had a little more fun with this than Kaylee:) The stuffed animal is a duck that quacks to three different songs. I am not sure Kaylee is enthused as she is just staring at it and then tries to eat it. Everything goes in the mouth these days. The video does flip sideways so you should not have to turn your head for very long.

First swimming lesson

Brian's family has a tradition of staying at a hotel the friday after Thanksgiving. So while we were there Brian took Kaylee on her first swimming experience. Needless to say, she didn't like it much. From the minute she got into the pool area, she froze. She would not even make a sound. The pool was still a little cool for her and so we think that had something to do with it. I think she lasted 5 minutes in the pool which is longer than I lasted. I am not sure how some people just throw your child in and they are learning to go under water. I know next summer we will spend time in the pool, but not just yet. Brian was swimming at 2 years old so I think I will work towards that.

She is all bundled up and warm now.

Great Grandparents

Here is Kaylee with her Great Grandparents. We were blessed to get to see them over Thanksgiving weekend. Great Grandpa did not want to hold her I guess but Kaylee warmed up to Great Grandma pretty quick.

Teething?

I think Kaylee is teething now. Nothing seems to be coming through but she could not get enough of things in her mouth, including her Uncle Kevin's fingers. We found out that just about any one could hold her as long as she could have your fingers in her mouth. If she gets sick I know who to blame:)

Tired of Travel?

With all the extra travel this past week, Kaylee did pretty good. I swear I do feed her enough!!!
She is ready to be out of the car seat.

Happy Thanksgiving

Well, we are almost on the road. If you watch John and Kate plus eight you will get this.
10 day trip includes:

100 diapers
Tub of wipes
Twelve outfits
5 bibs
10 burp clothes
1 pacifier - that she never takes
10 pairs of socks
1 pack in play

You get the point, we have lots of stuff. We have about four bags packed, one full of just diapers and wipes, and one with books and toys!!!

I am about ready to give Kaylee her bath and get her into pajamas and then Brian will be home and we will be off for the week.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. We will be praying for safe travel for everyone.

Deer in the Headlights

Funny story from last night.

I was driving home from Bible Study when traffic came to a complete stop. I thought there must be an accident. Well I was right but not the kind of accident I thought. As I passed the scene there was a deer sitting in the lane of traffic. It had obviously been hit but was just sitting in the lane of traffic watching the cars go by. A police car had his headlights on the deer and it looked frozen. You could see where the deer had been hit and probably could not move but he was jsut watching the cars as they passed him. I have to admit, it was a little wierd having a deer, who had just been hit, watch me as I drove past him. His head just followed my car. I figured he was going to just get up adn run away any time. Sad thing is though I think he was hit too hard and could not move. Hope he was ok.

By the way, looked like everyone was ok in the car that hit the deer also.

Anxiety - UPDATED

I think I am getting anxiety again. I used to get this when I was younger but it has crept up again. Sometimes I do not know what causes the anxiety, and sometimes I do. This time I do.

Brian, Kaylee, and I will be gone for a full week over Thanksgiving. This will be the first week long trip since becoming a mother. I don't think that is the reason for the anxiety. I think the anxiety comes from the amount of travel Kaylee and I will be doing. Here is the break down.

Friday night: St. Louis to Indiana 4 1/2 hours
Saturday morning: Indiana to Ohio 3 hours
Either tuesday night or wednesday morning: Ohio to Michigan 5 hours
Sunday: Michigan to St. Louis 7 hours

Now these times do not reflect nursing time and time that Kaylee will just not ride (or sleep) in the car. The anxiety comes from the amount of time that a 4 month old wil be in the car when there is no prediction of how she will ride. This is going to be fun!!!

Also the anxiety comes from the fact that I have not even started to pack yet. I have been thinking about it for the past two weeks but have not started yet. I am such a planner that I can not pack last minute and it has become even worse not that I am not only packing for myself, I have a husband and child that I pack for.

So you are thinking to yourself, well why are you typing on the computer and not packing? Good question!!! I need to do laundry and then pack!!!


Update: I know Brian knows how to pack for himself, but he does not have much time for that. Between working, and playing with Kaylee. So he lays his clothes out so I can pack them in the bag and grab anything that he has forgotten!!! Come on people, I do let my husband do things on his own. I just try to help when I can so he has more time for his daughter:)

Parents as Teachers

Kaylee had her first meeting with the parents as teachers program yesterday. It went very well until she got so tired and fussy and needed a nap. She said that Kaylee is progressing very well and that she is on track for doing things that she should be able to do between the months of
3 1/2 to 5 1/2. She gave me some good resources to read and was a lot of fun. She was a neat lady.

Brian and I have decided to hold of on the rice cereal until after Thanksgiving. Kaylee pretty much made that decision by spitting everything back out at me. We will try again in about a week and a half and then she will be 4 1/2 months old and see if she does better with it.

I am trying to decide of a Christmas toy to buy Kaylee. It would be something for a 6 or 9 month plus age. Any suggestions of toys that your kids love? I would love to get something that will grow with her, not something that she will just play with as a baby and outgrow in a few months.

Playing at the Park

Brian went with Kaylee and I to get a few pictures at the park. We got a few really good pictures that you may even see in a Christmas card:) It was a little cold so we had to work fast. I think we were at the park for a total of 5 minutes. Kaylee really seemed to like the swing though. I have a feeling this will be very popular next summer.

Early Riser

I have no problem with Kaylee getting up early, actually I even enjoy it. Brian and I are both early risers to take advantage of the daylight. I do think there is an extreme to being an early riser though. I think 3a.m. might be that extreme.

Kaylee is awake at 3a.m. this morning and I tried to ignore her to see if she would just go back to sleep. Then I changed her diaper and fed her to see if that would work. Then I tried rocking her.

Right now I have all lights off except the computer screen and I am trying to mesmerize her with the glow:) Just kidding. It is now 4:15 and she is still awake and she thinks it is morning. I would have to say that this might be the extreme, Kaylee.

I know what is going to happen here. She is going to stay awake until about 6a.m. and then fall back asleep, right at the time that I need her awake to get ready for Church. Then she is going to be crabby all during Church, but what else is new, right Kelli:) Oh wait, maybe I will be the one that is crabby. I think this calls for nap today:)

Oh the joys of parenthood:)

BTW, did I use enough smiley faces in here:)

Christmas card giveaway!!

Skiptomylou.org is having a Christmas card giveaway.

This fun giveaway will get you well on your way to having your holidays cards finished! FIVE lucky winners will receive a digital card file so you can print your own personalized photo cards and 2 sheets of Picture it Postage!

Why do they call this stuff cereal?

We got to start with rice cereal for the first time with Kaylee last night. She did great with it but I don't think she really liked it much. She kept giving me these eyes of "what are you putting in my mouth?" The doctor said that we can give this to her once or twice a day, but it is just to get her used to eating from a spoon and then at 6 months, she gets the good stuff. It was a lot of fun feeding her last night though.

This was when she had enough and was just spitting everything back out at me instead of swallowing.

tip junkie

To help promote & feature some of the amazing women who have joined the Mom-preneur Shop-a-thon, Tip Junkie has set up the 12 Days of Christmas, um I mean Junkie! It will start tomorrow, Tuesday November 11th. It will run similar to the 20 Days of Giveaways back in August; where each giveaway will last only 24 hours and a winner will be picked each morning. However, this time there will be two winners each day.

Check out their blog and try to win also.

Thanks Rachel for letting me know about this.

The "Weight" is Over

Well Kaylee had her 4 month check up today. It was at 1p.m. and she has been sleeping ever since. I guess getting shots wear you out. She actually started crying while getting the tylenol liquid before the shots.

Kaylee Grace: 4 months old

Weight: 16 pounds 10 ounces she is in the 97th percentile

Length: 251/4 inches she is in the 80th percentile

I knew she was getting too big for her 3-6 month clothes, but now that I look at the tags of the

6-9 month I realize she really needs to go to that size. I guess another size gets packed away and now I have to do laundry to get the next size ready:)

Laughing out loud!!

Kaylee heard another little girl laughing like this yesterday and so as soon as we got home from Church this was all she was doing. It took a while for her to perform in front of the camera, she was more interested in the camera, but here is a small laugh for the grandparents:) It is not very good, but will give you an idea.

I can't get it to turn and save correctly so you will have to turn your head. Something is wrong with my computer again. I do know of some good chiropractors in a couple of different states so just in case you get a kink in your neck from turning sideways:)

Items of purchase

Here is what I got at the craft fair. If any of my extended family reads this blog you might just see one of these items at the gift exchange:) I also got one more thing, but it is a gift for my mom and she reads this blog so I could not post it even though she knows she is getting it. They had a lot of cute things and I really could have spent more money but figured I better not:) Not the best pictures but oh well. So did you do anything interesting over the weekend? I would love to hear about it.

I collect snowmen so this jsut adds to the collection.

Coming tomorrow: Update on Kaylee and her 4 month doctor visit!!

Craft Fair!!!!!

I am super excited about tomorrow. Brian is going to help my dad at their house while my mom, Kaylee and I are going to a craft fair. I love going to craft fairs. You get to support local people and their hobbies, and you get to get some cute stuff. I think half of my decorations in my house are from craft fairs. Hopefully this one in Illinois is going to be good. It is listed as 250 vendors!!!! I will have to takea picture of what I get. If you have never been to a craft fair, you really should go. I know there is also one at Parkway central high school tomorrow. They are supposed to have 200 vendors. It is free admission and at this time of year you can get a lot of cute Christmas decorations.

Just an F.Y.I. of something to do tomorrow.

More fun in the leaves

It has been so nice here so we spent some more time outside.

Ready for winter?

I feel the same way about winter Kaylee, don't worry. Maybe spring will come early this year.

Little Lady Bug

Kaylee's first halloween!! We did not go trick or treating but we did have people over and cooked out in our fire pit. It was a lot of fun.