Birth Announcement!

I never put an announcement in the paper for Lauren. I feel terrible about it! And now, it seems silly, and extremely expensive. So, I made one! Here you go!

Kelly

Tim and Amanda Kelly of Broken Arrow announce the birth of their daughter, Lauren Suzanna Leigh, born at 8:50 a.m., April 15th.

Lauren weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce.

Maternal grandparents are Jim and Ginger Warehime of Dewey.

Paternal grandparents are Mike and Connie Kelly Skiatook.

Lauren was welcomed home by her brother Brenden, 2.

Dream

I make my way to her room for the hundredth time, blind in the darkness. I know the path by heart...we both do. I sift through the many toys and blankets for a pacifier, trying to calm her with my voice.

It doesn't take long before her whimpers subside and she relaxes into my shoulder. Her tiny fists release the tension of bad dreams. I hum her the song that I sing to her before I put her to sleep every night. Laying her down in her crib, I stroke her hair and whisper goodnight. She is my sunshine.

I pause at her brother's room on the way back down the hall. He is peaceful, sprawled across his pillow, just like his daddy. I kiss his forehead, amazed, as usual, by how much he has grown. The chubby rolls and fine hair of his babyhood have given way to the long limbs and dirty finger nails of a little boy. He turns over and mumbles back "love you, too" as I leave the room. My little man.

My nights have been forever altered, and I wouldn't change a thing.

They are worth it.

The Curse of Preschool

I've heard several people bemoaning the curse of preschool or daycare...how it always leads to insane amounts of sickness, on top of sickness, and on and on. Brenden started school in January and it wasn't a month before we were all sick. We enjoyed some downtime, but the sickness has crept up on us again.

Brenden was the first to show signs of not doing so well. It was the Wednesday of his spring break and I was positive he was running a fever. It was low grade, but he was also laying around, not wanting to play with his friends. This is not the child I know. We headed to the doctor the next day and found out he had a double ear infection and a spot on his chest that didn't sound great. (He actually pointed to the spot before the doctor got to it and told her to listen there. We were shocked that he was right.) She prescribed amoxicillin and he seems to be doing better. Hopefully he'll bounce completely back after just one round. (Totally unrealated...he weighs 39 lbs 6 oz and is 39 inches tall. Sheesh!)

We have an ENT appointment for Lauren soon and we're going to take Brenden with us. Maybe he'll take a peek in his ears just to see what's going on.

And then, Lauren started acting a little off. Not enough to really worry me, just enough to make me think that her teeth were really bothering her. She was pulling on her ears and crying more than usual, which could be just about anything. She started running a low fever but that happens when she's teething, too. Then today, after her nap, she was on fire. I took her temperature and it was over 102 degrees. Not good! Brenden had his first t-ball practice today so Tim had to rush home to take him while I took her to get checked out.

It was late so I had to take her to an after hours clinic. I thought I could take her to one down the street, but it ended up just being an extended hours clinic and they didn't have any appointments available. I called Tim to whine and then headed to the pediatric urgent care that's associated with our regular clinic. After several wrong turns, hitting major construction and a few 4 way flashing red lights, we made it. I almost had a heart attack when the door wouldn't open, but I was a few minutes early. Whew. Tim would have heard more than whining.

They weighed her (21 lbs 8 oz) and confirmed that her fever was definitely over 102. They swabbed her nose to check for the flu, which came back negative. The doctor was surprised to see her up and moving around. She really expected to see a very sick kid, not a happy, active baby. "She really doesn't seem sick." Thank goodness she actually checked her out! Both of our kids don't act sick until they are really sick. Her left ear is definitely infected and bulging and her right ear is on it's way. No drainage, no runny nose, no cough...just her ear.

This week was one doctor's appointment after another. I'm really for my kids to feel better. I'm really to get over whatever crud that started in my head yesterday. I'm ready to quit complaining!

Wordless Wednesday

Every artist was first an amateur.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Happy Birthday, Elaine!

A very happy birthday to Lauren and Brenden's "extra" great-grandma, Elaine!

It's still crazy to me that she shares a birthday with my mom, and that I share a birthday with Rick's daughter, Holly. It was meant to be!

Hope you had a fabulous day!!!

Happy Birthday, mom!

A very happy birthday to my mom!! We love you!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind always be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face and rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

11 Months Old!

Apparently, turning 30 addled my brain so much that I forgot to take pictures of Lauren on the 15th! So, here's what she is doing at 11 months 2 days.

One more month and she's ONE. This is...inconceivable. I clearly remember being pregnant with her. All the pain and the excitement. And now, here she is, wandering all over the house, driving Brenden crazy and learning new things every day.

She has 3 new teeth, all on top. They're not tiny, and they aren't very close together, so we (lovingly) call her Sponge Bob. :) Teething hasn't been easy for her, especially since she's had so many ear infections. I just keep repeating that someday, we'll be done with teething. Someday!

She's not walking yet, but we've seen a few random steps in between toys and furniture. She is trying to repeat everything we say, and sometimes she's successful. I've heard her say "cup," "Jake," "kitty," "ball," "hi," "uh oh," and something that sounds like "I got it!" She can throw a ball, which Romeo loves, and makes funny faces at us all day long. She's found her sense of humor for sure and is starting to smile at strangers when we're out. She'll even wave and say "hi," just like her brother.

She's even more independent than Brenden, and will let you know when she's not happy. She loves books, especially when we let her hold them so she can point at the words, music and dancing. Patty cake is her favorite song and she knows all the hand motions. Every day she is so excited to get up, to learn, to have fun. Every day is such a joy!

Happy 11 month (2 days) birthday, Lauren! We love you!

Eleven months old!

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

Okay...maybe they do look a little like me. :)

Me, 1 year old

Brenden, 10 1/2 months old

Lauren, 10 months old

THANK YOU!

A huge, gigantic, humongous THANK YOU to everyone that was able to make it to my birthday party! I had a great time visiting with everyone, was totally spoiled, and had the funniest cake ever! (I wanted a Cake Wrecks cake. Tim and Bre came up with it, and Bre made it. She did great! Even if she did blush.)

It's a rocket!

Our personal cake artist, Bre. :)

Cake is always nice, presents are great, but the real treasures in life are my family and friends. I am so blessed!

Bits and Pieces

Sometimes, I just want to record the beautiful, funny, or crazy memories that I don't want to lose. So that's what I'm going to do! It won't be a fluid story, but I know I'll be happy to have them.

• Brenden imagination is starting to flourish, and the things that he is coming up with amazes me every day. The most notable things are his new imaginary pets. The first was Goldfish Girl. He randomly mentioned her one morning but, in my hurry to get out the door, I didn't ask any questions. Later I asked what he was talking about, and he explained that she was a teeny tiny goldfish that lived in his pillow. He requested tweezers to get her out, which he did, but then put her back in. He told me that his daddy put her in there and that she swam in the water in his pillow. Then, yesterday, he started talking about a horse. We thought he was telling us about his stuffed horse, Duke, but he told us he has two. It's name is "My Horse" (as in Brenden's horse...he's not the best with names yet) and when I asked if I could play with it, he told me no, but that he would tell me a story about my horse. Apparently, I have two, a big one and a little one. I'm excited to see what he comes up with next!
  
  
• Lauren's laugh, which used to be rare and cough-like, has now turned into huge giggles and belly laughs all day long. She randomly cracks up, for no apparent reason, all the time! She even wakes up laughing, which is one of my favorite things she has done so far. She's turned from a happy, but reserved, baby, to a little girl that is super excited about life at all times, unless she's tired or hungry. She's also showing a huge preference for shoes and jewelry, as well as tools and race cars. She may be girly, but she's also tough!
  
  
• Brenden, who has always loved music, has started singing more often. As in All. Day. Long. Usually, he sings about what he's doing, such as, "I'm jumping! I'm jumping!" Sometimes, especially at night when he should be sleeping, he'll sing about things he did during the day. There's no specific tune, but he always sings at the same volume...LOUD.
  
  
• Brenden may not enjoy sharing his toys just yet (what kid ever does?), but he loves having his sister around. Every time he goes to his room to play, he begs for Lauren to be able to come, too. Lauren loves his room! She drags out all his tools, tries to eat his puzzle pieces, and watches her brother bounce from one corner to another. There are rare moments when they actually play, like at dinner for my birthday. Lauren was banging on the table, so Brenden decided to bang on the table, too. They took turns banging, laughing their heads off at each other. It may sound silly, but it was wonderful!

My amazing kiddos.

Today...

...I was sent this beautiful poem from Karen. I hope she doesn't mind me sharing it. Love you, Karen! Thank you for my birth day!

30 years ago today,

you touched my life in a very special way.

Years of thoughts and wondering,

of what the future was to bring.

This day used to be feelings so bitter sweet,

wondering if we would ever meet.

Today it’s happy thoughts and smiles,

knowing now, its just miles.

It’s amazing to think that soon it will be

the years we’ve known will be more than eighteen.

You’ve become a wonderful woman, mom, and wife,

with all of us lucky to have you in our life.

I cherish each message, each picture, each call,

the laughter, the tears, the memories, it all.

I hope that you know the love that you bring,

is not taken for granted as just some small thing.

I thank God for you each and every day,

but today, more than ever, as Happy Birth Day!

Love you Pretty Lady,

Karen

Recipe: Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

When we were at Mike and Connie's house this past weekend, Tim decided to borrow some of Connie's cookbooks. One of the books was Soups and Stews and, after having delicious butternut squash soup at the Wolfgang Puck Bistro for our anniversary, I decided to try to make one at home. The peeling and cutting took a bit, and that squash was difficult, but after that it was super easy. We all liked it, even Brenden, and it went really well with grilled cheese when we reheated it. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

1 small butternut squash, halved and seeded (16 ounces)

3 medium green apples, peeled cored, and coarsely chopped (3 cups)

2 10 3/4 ounce cans condensed chicken broth

1 1/2 cups water

3 slices white bread, torn into pieces

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2) cup

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon rosemary, crushed

1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed

1/3 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup whipping cream

(I didn't have rosemary or marjoram. I looked up substitutions and decided to use oregano and thyme.)

• Peel and cut up squash. In 4-quart Dutch oven, combine the squash, apples, condensed chicken broth, water, bread, onion, salt, rosemary, marjoram and pepper. Bring to boiling.
• Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
• Turn one-fourth of the soup mixture into a blender container, and blend until smooth. Set aside.
• Repeat with the remaining mixture, one-fourth at a time.
• Return all of the soup to the Dutch oven and bring to boiling.
• Reduce heat to simmering and stir in cream.

More things I've learned...

I learned a lot the first few months after Lauren was born. Of course, at that point, Lauren was still a tiny little thing that wasn't even rolling. Yes, she needed a lot of attention, but it was the type of attention that could easily be given from the comfort of the couch. Now that she's so close to walking, life has changed. (I know what you're thinking..."no duh!") So, things have changed, and I've learned a LOT.

• At first, just getting through the day with everyone intact and fed was a huge achievement. (Seriously! Kudos to all the new moms out there!) But eventually, the laundry starts taking over the closet, there is no more counter space for dirty dishes, and you finally get tired of stepping over the 467 toys strewn across the floor. The house wouldn't clean itself, no matter how hard I wished. Somehow, I started finding time to actually get things done. That's not to say my house is always clean, not by a long shot, but I don't feel like I'm headed towards hoarder territory. (Have you seen those shows? ICK!)
• A house that isn't perfectly clean all the time is TOTALLY OKAY. When I lay down at night and reflect back on everything I did during the day, the most important thing isn't a shining floor or a sparkling bathroom. It's watching the kids wrestle with Tim, laughing their heads off. It's seeing Brenden show his little sister how to use a crayon. It's singing patty cake for the 300th time, constantly amazed that Lauren knows all the hand movements. I'll trade a clean house for all of those wonderful memories any day.
• Even though I knew it would happen, I was not prepared for Lauren to be mobile. I've become a lot more relaxed about how much I will let her explore, but I have to keep an eye on her constantly or she will inevitably end up in the bathroom with her hands in the toilet. (Soooo groooooss.) At first, this mentally tired me more than I thought was possible. Seriously, my eyes felt like they were crossing by the end of the day. And now? It's like second nature. Somehow, I'm able to do several things at once and still know where she is and what she's doing. Is this that "eyes in the back of my head/mother instinct" that everyone talked about?
• Preschool is one of the best inventions ever and it saved my sanity. Tuesday and Thursday have become some of the most relaxing days of my week. I drop Brenden off at school, lay Lauren down for her nap as soon as I get home, and I have a few hours to myself. Then I get a few hours of mommy and Lauren time before picking up Brenden from school. Brenden comes home and goes straight to bed for a nap and Lauren takes her second nap at the same time. More me time!
• Parenting a 3 year old, at least my little guy, is even harder than I had imagined. One day he'll be great, the next day it's like a demon has possessed him. One day time outs will curb any bad behavior, the next day they won't make any kind of difference. Sometimes he'll go from awesome child to demon and back again, several times, in one day. We're constantly having to change how we handle certain situations, which is exhausting. Knowing that he's going to keep going through these stages, that we'll have to be ever evolving parents, makes my brain hurt.
• Every little annoying thing, every bad moment, every time I've wanted to pull my hair out, is totally worth it. Hearing Brenden say, "Mommy, I love you," watching Lauren's face light up when she sees me, watching them laugh and play together...perfection.

Art Show

Last night was Brenden's first art show at school. Tim and I were super excited! Brenden did an excellent job and we were very proud of him.

They also had a book fair, with the proceeds going towards getting more books for the school. Both of them were able to get books that they were excited about. I am so happy that they enjoy reading. It's definitely something that I was hoping we could pass on to our kids. They also both enjoy being artistic (yep, Lauren is already showing an interest) and love music. They may not look much like me, but they are most definitely my children. :)

Wordless Wednesday

Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious.

~Peter Ustinov

Happy Birthday, Justin!

A very happy birthday to my "little" brother, Justin! Hope it's wonderful!

Oh no! He's touching OSU stuff! :)