Picture Post

Here are some recent pictures...ENJOY!
Handsome Man!
My little chef! (His specialties are rice and pink cake!)

Stretching before the Ultimate Frisbee game.
Kennan in his new BIG BOY BED!! (He has yet to sleep in it, but it looks good!)
Being silly with Hannah.
Kennan climbed into our bed the other day (by himself-not an easy feat) and did a little light reading.
Being funny!

It's a GIRL!!

We are so excited to announce that we are expecting a little girl!! Kenny is going to be wrapped around her little finger! Here she is waving at us! She is healthy and weighs about 12 ounces. We are pleased to announce that her name will be Brayden Lynn and we can't wait to meet her!

My NJ Friends

God has really blessed me with some amazing friends. I have met some really amazing women since being here at the Seminary. If it weren't for these women, I am pretty sure I wouldn't be too happy at this point in my life. When Kenny found out we were moving here in 2005, I was pretty scared. After being born and raised in the wonderful state of Texas I was very unsure about the move to the East Coast. When we moved here we were all at the same place in life...married for a few years, moving far away from family, and we all had a child somewhere between 6 and 8 months old. We became an instant support group for one another and our children became instant friends. To top it all off, our husbands all enjoy being together too! I am so blessed and happy to be a part of these women's lives. I am excited for the day Kenny graduates and we move back to the south, but I know that I will miss these women and all that they have meant to me.
Michelle, Alisa, me, and Katrina at a recent baby shower

Kennan's Birthday Weekend

There is so much to say about this last weekend. There are also many (too many!!) pictures to show! So, I have updated Kennan's website with all of the new pictures and details from the weekend. If you want, you can click on the link to the right that says Kennan's Website and check it out for yourself! We had a wonderful weekend and are excited to have a 2 year old on our midst! I'll leave you with a few pictures...


Check out his website... I promise you won't be disappointed!

I HAVE A 2 YEAR OLD!!!

Happy Birthday to Kennan!! Today my little baby is 2 years old!!
I can't believe how much he has changed in 2 years! He can do so much, say so much, and we love him more and more every day! I will post some more pictures later of all the birthday festivities!

Not what I had in mind...

When I was composing my "Top 10 Things to do while in Texas" list, I did not plan on being sick with a stomach bug one of them. I was sick all day yesterday and couldn't keep anything down. Yuck! I am happy to report that today is 100% better...but now Kenny is feeling sick. Hopefully his is stress related (things to do for school) and not the stomach bug. Kennan's friend Hannah has been sick with it for the last 4 days and we hope she gets better soon!

Mom and I spent the day out shopping for things for Kennan's Birthday Party. I am really excited about it and hope our entire family is feeling well for it. I can't believe I am going to have a 2 year old on Friday! It is amazing to think about how fast the last 2 years have gone by and I am looking forward to the years to come!

Pregnancy news...I am now 18 1/2 weeks along. I am definetly showing and in maternity clothes all the time. I have been feeling the baby move over the last few days which is pretty exciting. I can't wait until a few more weeks when Kenny will be able to feel it too!

We made it!

We are finally in Texas! Kennan was an angel on the airplane and didn't really cry or fuss at all. The only thing that could have been better would have been for him to sleep, but we will take what we can get!

After being here for only 3 hours, we have successfully completed 2 of the items on the "Top 10" List - Mexican food and time with family! Kenny's mom (LaLa) picked us up at the airport and then we went over to Don Pablos for some yummy food. My family and the rest of Kenny's family met us there. Kennan was in hog heaven with his grandparents and uncles around to watch his every move. After he ate he did some tricks for them - running, jumping, and skipping...all in his sweet new tennis shoes, of course. After his tricks he decided to have a big blow out in his diaper. I am thankful he waited until we were off the airplane because we didn't have an extra change of clothes with us on the plane! (and we definitely needed it!!!) We are excited to see what the next 10 days have in store for us!

TEXAS!

We are going to Texas tomorrow! Words cannot describe how excited we are...Kennan even understands what is going on! (His thought process--first he says "airplane", then "sky", and then "Texas".) Here is my "Top 10 Things To Do While I Am In Texas"...

10. Eat some good BBQ, Sonic, and Chicken Express (can't find any of it in NJ!)
9. Eat at Jason's Deli (I love that place!)
8. Get some exercise (too much good food!)
7. Go to the Fort Worth Zoo and Stockyards with Kennan
6. Be lazy and relax (while grandparents spoil the little guy!)
5. Do some knitting with mom
4. Spend time with friends
3. Spend time with family
2. Kennan's 2 year Birthday Bash
1. Eat as much Mexican food as humanly possible!

Much of my list has to do with eating. Sometimes I feel like that is all we do when we go home. NJ does not have any of the foods/restaurants that I crave!! I will be eating a lot of yummy food and then I will be walking and exercising as much as possible!!

Silly Boy

Kennan is definitely feeling better and back to his old self! He has been fun to watch lately...always learning something new and trying different things. His favorite words right now are "No" and "Now". They are both said with much authority and independence. Kennan is also pretty obsessed with blowing out candles and singing "Happy Birthday" to himself. It's a good thing his birthday is only a little over a week away. I don't think he can stand it much longer!

It snowed here today for about 11 hours straight! It was really pretty and might last for a few days. Hopefully this is our last snow fall for winter! Which leads me to thinking about warmer weather...and about our upcoming trip back to Texas. We are looking forward to relaxing with family and friends, especially after Kenny's long week of tests and presentations. Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure...
This was Kennan's new look the other day...Spiderman pajama top, black sweats, and new tennis shoes...all before 7:30am!!!
Jumping and skipping down the hallway.
Trying to taste the cookie batter while daddy isn't looking!
My two boys!
Today's snow!

A Loooong Night

Last night was a rough one! Kennan threw up 8 times in a period of 2 hours! It was pretty rough for all 3 of us, but especially the little guy! We aren't too sure what the problem was (except the obvious) and found out this morning that one of his little buddies was throwing up last night also. Yikes! We have had no problems today and have been taking it easy on the food. Hopefully it is all over and Kenny and I won't get sick! Kenny stayed home from class today and is getting work done here and there. Here is a picture of our healthy (hopefully!) boy after he woke up from his nap. On another note, I had a midwife appointment today! All is well and we are still on track to have the baby in August! We have an appointment set for March 26 to hopefully find out if the baby is a boy or a girl. Kennan is requesting a little sister (on most days) and sometimes says he might want a brother. We are excited! Here is a 17 week belly shot!

SUCCESS!!

Hopefully, after only 2 1/2 days, it isn't too early to claim SUCCESS on the effort of getting rid of the pacifier. We tried to cold turkey approach and it worked like a charm. No bribes or treats were needed...just a constant reminder that big boys don't need their pacifiers. Night time has been a breeze and we have had successful naps 2 out of the 3 tries. Kennan didn't even ask for his "bobu" today!! He is getting to be such a big boy!!

Next steps...big boy bed...and then potty training!!

Saying Goodbye to the Pacifier?

With the new baby coming, a 2nd birthday right around the corner, and fear that my child will be 3 years old with a pacifier hanging out of his mouth has brought me to the realization that it is time to say good bye. We are down to our last pacifier and I thought this would be a perfect time to attempt to get rid of it! Kennan sleeps with his "bobu" every nap and night time. He is only allowed to have it when in bed, on long car rides, or on the airplane. I am not sure if I should be feeling concern or excitement right now...Is he going to sleep? How cool will it be to get rid of the thing?...I am hoping this will be an easy process without too much emotion! Anyone out there have any tips?

On another note, here are some pictures of my silly boy.

A Snowy Valentines Day!!

We finally got snow in New Jersey! We got so much snow and ice that Kenny's classes were cancelled. It was wonderful to have him home with us today! Here are some pictures...


We also got to visit with some friends for Valentines Day. Kennan gave his BFF, Hannah, some flowers and she gave him a kiss! (chocolate, that is!) Here are some more pictures...

I Finally Finished!!!

I started my first knitting project during the Christmas break and I finally finished it. Just looking at it, you are probably wondering why it took me so long. Well, I didn't work on it very consistently and I was still learning! If you are still wondering what it is...well, its a dishrag. I called Kenny to tell him I finished it and that he needed to get home soon to do some dishes!!

While Kenny was gone my mom came for a visit!! Kennan and I were so happy that she came to see us. It was nice to have her here so I wasn't the only parent for 4 days! Kennan loves his Grammy and I love my Mom!

Prayers

Kenny's grandmother passed away this morning. She was ill, but her death was pretty sudden. I had only met his grandparents twice, but we were able to go and visit them last September and introduce them to Kennan. Please be in prayer for Kenny's grandfather (who is also very ill) and his extended family. They will all be traveling to Florida from all over the country this weekend. Here is a picture from when we went to visit.
He is leaving on Friday for Florida to attend the funeral on Monday. Kennan and I won't be going because there are not any direct flights from where we are to Tampa, Florida. It would be an 8 hour plane ride, not counting the time spent in the airports! Thanks for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

Cold Weather and a Doctor Appointment

Man, it is COLD here!! It is currently 10:00pm and 12 degrees with a wind chill of -2. That's right, I said -2. Our high for today was 17 degrees. Tomorrow's high is supposed to be 22 degrees with a low of 12, so I guess that means it is warming up some (HAHAHA). For some, this may be nothing. But for a Texas girl like me, that is pretty cold!! Now, if it was snowing it might make it a little better. It seems that I can handle cold weather when there is snow on the ground! I can't wait for it to warm up so that I can take Kennan outside to play again. He isn't a big fan of being cooped up inside.

Some of you have asked how the doctor's appointment went on Friday. It was wonderful! We heard our sweet baby's heartbeat for the first time! We took Kennan with us and it was fun to share that time with him. He left the office saying "heartbeat" over and over again. On the way home, I asked him if he had a heart and a heart beat and he told me that he didn't. Obviously we haven't learned ALL of our body parts yet!

Now it is time for reader participation...I have something I have been stewing over for awhile. At the OBGYN office I am going to for this pregnancy, you have the option of seeing a midwife or a doctor. Then, when you go into labor you can either deliver with the midwife that is on call or the doctor. (I will be delivering in the hospital.) The midwife's philosophy is to TRY to go through labor with no drugs or epidural (they will do their best to discourage an epidural, but legally have to give it to you if you want it). They are there to encourage you to try different positions, breathing, etc. They are also there throughout the entire labor and delivery process. If you go with the midwife but there is a medical need for the doctor, there will always be one available. With the doctor route, they are in and out throughout the process, will let you have an epidural or medicine as soon as you say the word, and are there if something goes wrong. My dilemma is this...with Kennan I had a doctor and an epidural. The epidural wore out with about 2 hours left. Part of me wants to try the midwife route without medicine and part of me wants to go with the doctor so that I am not criticized or given a hard time (by the midwife) for choosing medicine or an epidural. I know ultimately it is my choice (and I have plenty of time), but I was just wondering if any of you out there have had an experience with a midwife delivery in a hospital. Thanks for reading!

Jesus Christ and Amen!

Now that Kennan is older, much more aware, and vocal it has been fun to talk to him more about God. Kenny puts Kennan to bed (almost) every night and it is their routine to sing and then pray. Kennan is very good about reminding daddy that it is time to "pway". As Kenny is closing the prayer, he always says "In Jesus' name we pray, Amen". Kennan loves to remind daddy to say Christ, which he prounounces "Cist".

Today Kennan sat in church with me (Kenny was leading some of the service). Kennan kept reminding me about "Jesus Cist" and "Amen". He also joined me in the singing of hymns by using a deep, quiet voice and making sounds. It is pretty special to share that time with him and learn from him!! He lasted for about 10 minutes and at that point he tried to make a break for it down the aisle!

On another note, I have tried to be more regular about updating this thing...but am getting no comments. Anyone out there??

Belly Shot

Here is the belly at 12 1/2 weeks. I think the picture and the shirt make it look a little bigger than it really is...

We go to the doctor tomorrow afternoon for an appointment and hope to hear the heartbeat!

I have finally got around to downloading and editing all of the pictures from the last month. Here are some for your viewing pleasure...
Check out the cowboy boots!
Just taking a break in the kitchen. Playing is hard work!
Kennan loved to lay in his crib in Uncle Kyle's room and watch TV. He could have stayed here for hours if we would have let him!

We have finally gotten settled and back into a routine in NJ. Kennan has loved to play with all of his friends and new toys. Kenny is back in school and is liking all of his classes so far. I am back to work, bible study, and the mom and baby group. It has been nice to resume some sort of normalcy, but we still miss Texas! For those of you who might want to see more Kennan - he has a website! There is a link to it on the side of this page so you should check it out! I just updated it, so it is pretty current.

Back into the swing of things!

Well, we have finally made it back to NJ. After a month of Texas fun, we came to grips with the fact that we have to go back to work, back to school, and get into an actual routine again. Kennan has enjoyed becoming reacquainted with his toys and did not want to go to bed last night! I have been busy sorting through mail and my sweet husband took care of unpacking the suitcases (I think I got the better deal!!). I hope to be able to get back into blogging again as well as updating Kennan's website. Hope everyone is enjoying the last few days of January (I can't believe it is almost February!)