Good-bye Winter....

We are very happy in my house to say good-bye to winter. Cabin fever has kicked in, and the nice weather couldn't come soon enough. We have been able to get outside and even to the park a couple of times, which thrills Kaylin. Nothing new has really gone on since my last post. The kids keep continuing to grow and change. This past weekend, my parents took the kids Saturday night, so Chad and I could go out to Cedar Rapids to surprise my niece Lindsey at her 22nd birthday party. We have been planning some small trips for the summer and we are hoping to get to Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, Kaylin of course heard us talking about it so now she wants to go the the zoo now! Ethan had his first battle with a double ear infection and bronchicaliatis. It was a tough couple weeks. He seems to be on the mend now, thankfully.

Kaylin and Ethan in their new chairs


Big Boy


My "innocent" little girl


Cheese!

Best Buds!

Ethan's cheesy smile

My baby boy!

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Fallin off the face of the Earth

Hello everyone! I have not fallen off the face of the Earth. Our computer has a stupid virus, that took down our whole computer. Chad brought his lap top from work home, so I can at least get on the internet. I won't be able to upload pictures, but I will do some updates. Kaylin has turned into quite the little helper. She always wants to help with the laundry, feeding the dogs, and especially helping with Ethan. Her vocabulary has really picked up, and she is turning into quite the sassy pants. Her terrible twos are in FULL swing, and I sometimes wonder if they will ever end. Kaylin is also a very caring child. She always gets worried if Ethan is crying or if one of the daycare kids is upset. She loves to go to my nieces and nephews basketball games and sits really well and cheers. She is starting to get into movies and loves her Disney Princesses.
Ethan just turned 7 months old yesterday. I still can't get over how fast it goes, it seems like I was just pregnant with him. Ethan is quite the jabber jaws these days. He is a very smiley baby and laughs at Kaylin constantly. Ethan LOVES to be held and would love to be carried around all day. He is sitting up on his own now, and loves to sit and play. He is eating baby food now, and has quite the appetite. At his check-up last week, Ethan weighed in at 17 lbs. 27 1/2". Kaylin was 18 lbs at a year. He is going to catch her yet. My kids amaze me, it is so fun to watch them grow and change, and discover new things.
Nothing new is really going on with Chad and I. We did get a van. And for those of you that truly know me, you know that I have wanted a van for a long time. Yes, it is my dream vehicle (for now). I developed a severe infection under my eye lid 2 weeks ago. My eye swelled almost completely shut, and after 2 doctors appointments and 2 different scrapings of my eyelid (most painful thing I have ever been through), it was discovered I had MRSA. Yep, MRSA under my eyelid. I had to be put on an aggressive antibiotic, I'm actually still on it, so unfortunately I had to say good-bye to nursing ): My eye is on the mend now, thankfully. Chad is still working for Kreigers in Dewitt, so if anyone is looking for a new vehicle, Chad would be happy to help you. Anyway that is about it from our household!

Happy New Year

New Years Eve we went to my parents for steak and shrimp. I had worked all day, and Ethan had me up at 5 am, so I was exhausted. I sat in the recliner and watched everyone play games and of course added my 2 cents when needed. Kaylin thought it was so cool at midnight that everyone had on funny hats and blew horns. We stayed at my parents' that night. The next day was a lazy day at my parents. We watched some movies. That night when we got home, we were all exhausted. It was a good time though and great to bring in the New Year with the ones you love!


Ethan smiling at Grandpa


Me, Kaylin and Danica

Julie, Bubba, Kim and Jenna playing sequence

Julie showing Kaylin how to blow the horn

DORK!!!!!!!!!!

Bubba and Kim

Kaylin with all the leis on

In the "party supply box"

Julie, Jack and Ethan

Christmas

Christmas eve my parents and Chad's parents came to our house to celebrate Christmas. We had a nice dinner, and after my mom and I got done with clean-up, it was time to open presents. Kaylin and Ethan got a lot of nice things. After presents I read Kaylin "The Night Before Christmas", we put out cookies and Kaylin headed off to bed. Ethan was already sound asleep. After the parents left, Chad and I scratched off some lotto tickets that his parents had given us. I scratched off one of mine, and discovered I had won $100, I was estactic, I never win more than $1 on those things. Chad and I went into the living room and discovered that due to all the rain, our ceiling was leaking, all over the Christmas tree and gifts that were under the tree. We moved the Christmas tree, and unwrapped all the soaking wet gifts and re-wrapped them. Finally we got to go to bed and wait for Santa's arrival. Christmas morning, Ethan woke us up around 7:30, and Kaylin must have heard him, because she came popping out of her room. She was so excited to see what Santa had brought her and she was amazed that the milk and cookies were all gone. We opened presents, and then had a lazy day until we had to go to my parents. Christmas as my parents was so nice. It was actually quite relaxing. The kids opened presents, Kaylin and Ethan once again got too much!!!! After presents, the card games started. My family left my parents around midnight. It was a great Christmas, and it was so exciting to see Christmas through my kids eyes.


Kaylin opening presents Christmas Eve


Ethan's 1st Christmas Eve, he could of cared less



Another present

Cookies and Milk that Kaylin and Ethan set out

Christmas Morning

Looking through her stocking

Merry 1st Christmas Ethan Roy

What am I supposed to be doing?

OHHHH Let me see

My beautiful children

The grandkids and great-grandkids

Me, Ethan and Jenna

Drew talking to Ethan, he loves him

Lindsey, Ethan and Alishia

Curtis and Kaylin

The siblings and mom and dad

Danica, Drew and Ethan

Drew wanted to hold Ethan and tried to give him his

pacifier when he cried

Grandpa, Kaylin and Grandma

Grandpa, Ethan and Grandma

Drew wanted the bib back on Ethan

Tis the Season

Well it is one day until Christmas, I just don't understand where the time goes. Ethan is now 5 months old. He is such a happy baby, always cooing and smiling. He laughs out loud now, it is so cute. He watches Kaylin like a hawk, and always smiles when he sees her. Kaylin is a very, very active 2 year old. She is always on the go and is constantly testing her limits. Her vocabulary is really developing, although some things she says I swear she is talking in Japanese. She is very fond of her baby dolls and always wants to feed them and "change" their diapers. She is really developing into her own person and it is such an amazement to watch my kids grow and change. Chad is still enjoying working at Kreigers, he seems to be doing well for himself there. I have recently started taking care of a woman who has Alzheimer's one day a week, and Monday, Wednesday, Friday I babysit for my neighbor for 3 hrs in the morning. She has 3 kids, a boy that is 4, a girl that is a month older than Kaylin and a boy that is 6 weeks younger than Ethan. We have been keeping busy. This year Kaylin and I tried our hand at Christmas cookies, it went surprisingly well. She helped cut them out and then put the sprinkles on all by herself. I had more sprinkles on my floor than on the cookies, but it was still fun for us. Last weekend we had my dad's annual Equistar Christmas party at the movie theater. They played the Princess and the Frog and The Blind Side. We all went our separate ways this year. Kaylin, Ethan and I chose to watch the Princess and the Frog. Kaylin is still a little young, so she didn't sit really well, she danced in the aisles, and I was glad my sister Julie was there to help keep track of her. Ethan slept through most of it, with my sister Jeannine giving me a break from holding him. After the movie the kids saw Santa and sat on his lap, both did very well. That is about it from the Hentze household. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


Kaylin had to pose with her new found friend



Kaylin and Ethan

Santa's Lap

All the grandkids and great grandkids with Santa

(minus 3).

Kaylin cutting out cookies

Putting on the sprinkles

Ethan loves to eat his feet