Monday, October 26, 2009

Happy Birthday Kaylin!

Kaylin turned 2 on Saturday. Chad had to work so the kids and I hung out at home in the morning, and then in the afternoon went to Kim and Bubba's house to wait for Chad to get off work. After Chad got there, Kaylin opened her presents. Chad and I got her an outfit, a Princess hoodie, hat, gloves and the Elmo live doll; Kim and Bubba got her a Disney Princess towel and Disney Princess dinner set, they even got Ethan a little toy! After presents we went to Happy Joes in Clinton. Kaylin really enjoyed herself. She played games and rode the little carousel that has been there since I was little. Sunday, we got up and got ready to go to the Pumpkin Patch. Kaylin had a blast riding the ponies. She wanted to keep riding them and since Kim and Bubba knew the owner of the ponies, she got to ride them a few times. She also got her face painted, petted the goats, looked at the pigs and fed the sheep. She enjoyed cotton candy also. After the pumpkin patch, we went to Dawson's football game in Clinton. It was a very fun, but exhausting weekend.


Checking out Elmo


Kaylin with her presents



Eating the cookie from her sundae while we sang Happy Birthday (the waiter didn't have a lighter, so Kaylin's candle didn't even get lit).


Ethan sleeping


Kaylin enjoying her ice cream


Riding the carousel




Kaylin with Aunt Kimmie and Uncle Bubba


Mommy and Kaylin


Our Family


PUMPKIN PATCH

Aunt Kimmie and Kaylin


Looking at the goats




Getting Kaylin's face painted


The result


Feeding sheep


Ethan sleeping.... cried all day long until we got to the Pumpkin patch and then slept the whole time


Kim, Kaylin and Connor (Kim and Bubba's nephew)




















Saturday, October 24, 2009

3 months

Ethan is now 3 months old. I honestly can't believe that much time has gone by already. Ethan is such a happy boy and is really starting to "talk". He recognizes voices and faces and is alway happy to see and hear mommy, daddy and Kaylin. He does not like tummy time much, so I'm starting to think I will have another child that won't crawl, and will scoot around on his butt. At the doctor last week, Ethan was up to 14 lbs. He is quite the little chunker. He is such a joy and we love him so much!




Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Great News!

My dad went for a cat scan and chemo yesterday, and I am happy to report that there is no change in the cat scan. This man completely amazes me and I thank God everyday that he is continuing to let my dad stay here with us for a while longer! Keep up the good fight Dad!

Reflection

Today is a day of reflection for me. 2 years ago today was my due date with Kaylin. I remember being upset that she still hadn't came, but also a little relieved because I was scared to death. It seems like only yesterday. I can't believe my baby girl is going to be 2 in 3 days, where does the time go? Sometimes I wish it would slow down a little bit, so I could take it all in. Sometimes our daily lives are so hectic and busy that we forget to slow down and be thankful for everything God has given us, so I guess I am doing that now! I am thankful for all of my gifts that I have received. For my beautiful children, my wonderful husband, and my terrific family, I love you all!

Get out of my house flu

Tuesday is Chad's day off of work, but last Tuesday he went into work for a couple of hours to sell a car. The customers that he had been working with wanted to work only with Chad. When he got home from work he said he wasn't feeling good and went an laid down. Later that night, I took his temperature~ 102, fabulous. Wednesday he woke up and felt terrible, he was still running a 102 temp, so I called the doctor. Chad went to the doctor and was told he had the flu. They tested him for H1N1 (as of last Friday they still didn't have results and as of today we don't know the results yet). Chad continued to be sick the rest of the week, even attempted to go into work Friday and they sent him home almost immediately. Chad had a temp until Sunday night. Well Thursday night, Kaylin started running a temp of 102, great! Ethan had a temp of 100, so I took Kaylin and Ethan to the doctor. I am normally not the type of mom who runs to the doctor for everything (it comes from being in a medically knowledgable family~ thanks to the nurses in my family), but I figured with it going to be the weekend, I should get them checked. Dr. Laurjeis (don't know how to spell it), told me it was just colds, and I felt like an idiot. Well as of today, Ethan is no longer running a temp, I think Kaylin's problem is teeth and Chad is back to work. Monday I went to work on cleaning this house. I mopped my floors with Lysol, washed bedding, etc. I keep praying my kids and I dodge this stupid flu.



Ethan and Kaylin (it was about 5 minutes later I realized Kaylin had a fever)



Ethan checking out Kinnick (Kim I put this one on here just for you)


Kaylin and Baby Alive watching a little Barney

Iowa vs. Michigan

Every year my cousins from Florida and Tennessee come up to an Iowa game and we have our "annual family tailgate", I have not gone for the last couple years, the one year I was pregnant and due any day, and last year we had other obligations. Well my cousin Diane (from Florida) flew in on the 8th and was staying at Kim and Michael's. So I took the kids over there so I could see her and the kids had not had a play date for awhile. Drew is completely infatuated with Ethan. He always wants to touch him and kiss him, well that did not go over well with Kaylin. Every time Drew went near Ethan, Kaylin would watch him like a hawk and as soon as Drew would touch Ethan, Kaylin would yell "No Dew". If Drew even touched anything of Ethan's (his pacifier, his blankie) Kaylin would yell at him. Then Kaylin decided to do some bullying. Kim was in the kitchen making the kids something to eat and Drew was just standing there, I was feeding Ethan, and along comes the tough girl and shoves Drew to the ground. Drew started crying a little bit, and then once he stopped she came along again and shoved him to the ground. She got put on time-out by Kim, of course Kaylin didn't feel too threatened. Needless to say, shoving and fighting are now a common occurrence among Kaylin and Drew.

Saturday was the annual family tailgate. I took the kids to my parents, I spent my first night away from Ethan ): I was riding out to Iowa City with Julie, Craig and Jenna. Chad had to work and he came out later with his mom and went to the game. Well Jenna had a v-ball tournament in Tipton, so I went to that for a couple of games. The tournament got over and we headed back to Julie and Craig's where we hustled to get going. We got to IC about 4:15, got parked at about 5:00, and had to walk to where everyone was. Well it was so packed and we ended up having to park a ways away, so we ended up getting to the tailgate at about 6:00, just in time for everyone to start leaving. Those of us who didn't go to the game, went to the hotel where some of the family was staying and watched the game in the bar. After the game, Chad got there and we headed back to Julie and Craig's and then home. We got home around 1:30, and our house was freezing, but we have a digital thermostat so we have it set to turn down at night. Well the next day, I went and got the kids, came home, and our house was still freezing. The fan of the furnace was running, but no heat~ great! We ended up staying at my parents that night, and Monday the furnace got looked at. He said it was dirty by the blower so he cleaned it out and got the furnace running, but told us it was time to start thinking about a new furnace, that one is 27 years old, some more good news. Chad and I joked that we need to sell our house before one more thing goes wrong!

Drew, Ethan and Kaylin
Drew kept petting Ethan's face. After the picture
Drew tried to pick Ethan up by his shirt and pants.
Then Drew wanted to check Ethan for teeth or something and
put his finger down Ethan's throat. Drew is so curious about Ethan.


Julie and I freezing at the tailgate


Jenna, Lindsey and me


My cousin Brandon and Me


Me, Jolene and Laurie nice and warm at the bar


Jenna and Me


Jenna, Julie, Me, Jolene
The sisters: Jeannine, Me, Julie, Jolene















Thursday, October 8, 2009

Welcome to October

I can't believe it is October already, and I really can't believe that my little girl is going to be 2! Saturday we had Ethan's baptism. It went pretty smooth. Ethan's Godparents are my sister Julie, my brother-in-law Craig, and my nieces Alishia and Lindsey. After the baptism we went to the Goose Lake Community Center to celebrate Ethan's baptism, and have Kaylin and my niece Danica's birthday parties. We had quite a good turn out. Kaylin and Ethan received really nice gifts. Kaylin honestly wasn't that interested in the gifts, she was more interested in the cake.


Grandpa and Ethan having an intense conversation before the baptism



The Baptism



Ethan with his parents and Godparents


Grandpa and Grandma Sparks with Ethan


Grandma and Grandpa Hentze with Ethan


Kaylin looks pretty excited that we are celebrating her birthday


Grandpa and Grandma Sparks and Kaylin


Grandma and Grandpa Hentze and Kaylin


Our Family