Newborn photos-- 2 1/2 months late!

This is really, really after-the-fact, but here are some of my favorite shots from Kendall's newborn photos. We had a lady come to the house just 5 days after she was born to take some pictures of her and our family. We were really pleased with the way they turned out, and it sure was nice to do it right here at home rather than try to take a newborn and a small child to a studio. The photographer gave us a CD with all the pictures on it and then we had prints made at a photo shop in Dallas. They messed up our original order, so we had to take the CD back to them, and that's why I'm just now posting these. Yesterday my Mom and i took the girls to Kiddie Kandids in BabiesRUs to have some pictures done. They turned out really cute. They are supposed to email them to me, so I'll try to post them soon and you can compare and see how much Kendall has grown and changed!

Safe in Daddy's arms

Our "new" family of 4

My angels

Proud Mommy and Daddy

Tiny Kendall

"I love you, you love me"

We managed to avoid Barney for Avery's entire 1st year of life, but we made up for it in her second year. I don't know exactly when or how she got so hooked, but the purple dinosaur and his friends are high on the list in our house. I recently snapped this photo to have as a momento of what Avery does probably once a day while I am nursing Kendall or taking my shower. Barney (the stuffed one) has also made an appearance on our swingset, as have the imaginary versions of his friends BJ and Baby Bop, whom I have the pleasure of doing the voices for :) Although Barney is a little annoying, I do have to admit that he is a lifesaver in many situations--i.e. on long trips in the car, when I am nursing or showering as already mentioned, and the imaginary Barney sure is good at getting her to do things she doesn't really want to do (don't even get me started on that topic!). One other cute little thing that has come from her love of Barney is when she holds hands with Kendall and sings the "I love you, you love me" song. I for sure need a video of that one. While I am on the topic of songs, I have to list a few of Avery's other favorites that she likes to sing while coloring, riding in the car, swinging or just running around the house: You are My Sunshine, If You're Happy and You Know It, Jesus Loves Me, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Build a House for Jesus (taught to her by Memaw), and the most precious song from school called "Love is Like a Circle." It goes like this:
Love is like a circle
A circle big and round
Whenever you see a circle
The end is never found
It's like the love of Jesus
It goes on eternally
Forever and forever
I know that he loves me!
How lucky am I to get a daily or near daily reminder from my 2 yr. old about the nature of God's love and how we should love others!
The picture above shows my other daily reminder of God's love. I love to make her smile and coo. It seems like she is having more good or average days than bad days lately, and she's just growing and changing so much. She is getting pretty consistent now with not waking up until somewhere between 4:30 and 5:30 AM for a feeding, then right back to sleep until 7 or 8. And she has been going down for the night around 9:45 or 10:00 the past few nights instead of 10:30 or 11:00. Hopefully she'll be sleeping right through in a couple weeks or another month. She is really noticing toys more now and even tries to swat at and grab the ones on her floor gym and tummy time mat. I am getting so anxious for her to get more active and really start playing and interacting. When you've already done it once and know what fun things are to come, it's hard to be patient!

Pics and Kendall stats

I don't have anything big to say really, I just wanted to post these pics that I took today. Kendall was wearing a new outfit today and was really smiley in between her bouts of reflux-fussiness, so I had to break out the camera. And then Avery wanted to play in the tent she got for her b-day after school today, but we collapsed it about a week ago. So the compromise was to get out the tunnel part, and as you can see she got quite creative with it. It's funny the things a 2 yr. old can amuse herself with. Oh, and more for my records than for your information, Kendall had her 2 month check-up today and was 11 lbs. 2 oz (50%ile), and 23 1/4 in. (75%ile). She got 4 shots--ouch!-- plus the Rotavirus vaccine, which is administered orally. The doctor also switched her from Zantac to Axid to see if that would be more effective in controlling her reflux. I guess time will tell!

2 months

Kendall- 2 months

Kendall was 2 months old this past Friday. She celebrated last night by sleeping from 10:30 to 5:15 before waking up to eat. Yea Kendall- keep up the good work! I take her Thursday for her 2 month check -up, so I don't know her stats yet, but I can tell from the double chin and the rolls she's getting on her thighs that she is definitely growing. Despite her continued fussiness at times from her reflux, she smiles just about anytime someone smiles at her and likes to try to carry on a conversation. She is holding her head up pretty well now and is gaining control over her legs. She is also beginning to take an interest in toys now, which Avery really likes. We are still holding out hope that in another month or so when her digestive system is more mature her reflux and gas issues will begin to resolve themselves. In the meantime, I am trying my best to cut out dairy to see if that helps and we just began giving her this homeopathic medicine that has been highly recommended to us called "Colic Calm". Since we have only given it to her twice the verdict is still out.

On a non-kid related sidenote, Scott was recently able to outfit the front space of his office with cabinets, counters, equipment, dental chairs, etc. Eventually, these spaces will be used for hygenist(s), but for now they kind of use it as overflow. Previously, he just had 1 surgical operatory outfitted in the back and a large open space toward the front of the office. So it looks a lot different now and it really feels like he is making some progress in this business that we started from scratch about 9 months ago!

Miss Bright Eyes

smiling while taking some "Colic Calm" (vegetable charcoal makes it black)

my 2 year old cutie-patootie

Smiley girls

Just wanted to share some pictures of my smiling girls. Kendall has been sharing her precious smile with us several times a day lately and just coos and talks back to us. This isn't the greatest picture of her smiling, but I'll blame that on Scott since he took it :) I should just be grateful that he was up with the girls Saturday morning while I was still in bed and that he actually thought to get the camera out. What a great husband and Daddy! Sometimes, Kendall gets so excited she almost laughs! Of course we think it is super-cute. The other pictures are from Sunday night when we went over to my parents' house to celebrate my Dad's birthday. I can't remember what Avery was cracking up about, but it's rare to get a picture with her smiling this big, so I had to include it.

Avery and her Poppi

blowing bubbles with Daddy

Kendall getting some Mimi time

Happy 2nd Birthday Avery!

Avery is 2!!!

Avery had her 2nd birthday party Saturday night and she had a great time! Scott grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and then we had Baskin Robbins ice cream cake. Avery loved having everyone sing happy birthday to her and she did a great job blowing out her candles. When we sang to her she just looked around at everybody and soaked up all the special attention. She got some really neat gifts (as you can see in the pics) that are still strewn about the living room. Besides the things in the pics she also got a ride-on toy car, books, a CD, a blues clues that plays hide and seek, 2 mr. potato head sets, a big set of foam blocks from Mommy and a little set of play golf clubs from Daddy. Needless to say, I am going to have to reorganize the toys once again, but it is all worth it to see her have a great time and enjoy her special day!

ladybug tent from Memaw and Dedaw

interactive Barney from aunt Sheila and Uncle Doug

puppet from Mimi and Poppi

dress-up trunk from Mimi and Poppi

Avery's 1st Egg Hunt

This year was Avery's 1st year to actually hunt Easter eggs. They had egg hunt at school and then after church Sunday we hid eggs in the front yard for her. Not very fancy, I know, but she had a good time and I don't think she missed the cotmpetition of other kids in the least. Here are a few pics of our Easter.

We have been busy gearing up for Avery's birthday party on Saturday. We are just having a family party here at the house with hamburgers and hot dogs that we'll throw on the grill and an ice cream cake from Baskin-Robbins. Ice cream is her favorite dessert-- like mother like daughter!-- and last year that is all she ate at her party. She wouldn't even touch the cake, much less eat it. So I decided ice cream cake was definitely the way to go.

As far as Kendall goes, she is growing and smiling more these days. Her little smiles just melt my heart and she is so sweet and cuddly. I just wish I had more time to sit and hold her. I don't know that the higher doses of meds have really helped her reflux, plus she's been having even more gas and tummy aches lately. Thankfully, she has good days and good moments mixed in with the bad. I just keep reminding myself that this too shall pass. I've also become convinced that God is using her not only to make me a better mother, but also to mold me more in His image. Last night it hit me just how many opportunities I am getting as I care for and raise my girls to practice many of the fruit of the Spirit-- kindness, gentleness, self-control, peace, patience, love and joy. Children truly are a blessing from God!

One month old and Conversations about God

It is hard to believe in a way, but Kendall was one month old this past Tuesday. I took her for her check-up yesterday, and she weighed in at 8 lbs 14 oz. That sounds little, but when you consider that she was just over 6 lbs at birth and was 7 lbs two weeks ago, she's doing pretty good! Unfortunately, her reflux isn't getting any better, so they increased her dose of both Zantac and Bethanechol. Since she weighs more now, hopefully a higher dose will help the problem. It's just frustrating to see your baby uncomfortable and in pain, especially when she seems so calm when the reflux and gas aren't acting up. One minute I feel like she's this miserable, colicky-type baby, and the next minute I think she's an angel. Needless to say, we are looking forward to her getting a bit older and hopefully outgrowing her digestive troubles. As much as I never wanted to have a colicky baby, I almost hope that her troubles qualify as that since they say most babies magically outgrow it at 3 months. Thankfully, she is sleeping pretty well at night: she's been getting up around 2:30 and then again at 5:30 to eat and going right back to sleep, but last night she didn't get up until 3:45 and then again right around 7:00. Hopefully that trend will continue! Yesterday Scott and I both got smiles out of her that we think were real ones since she was calm at the time and making eye contact. I am so looking forward to more smiles and coos. I guess I just remember how magical it seemed when Avery started responding to me.

Speaking of Avery, I had the most priceless conversation with her this morning at breakfast. It went like this.
A: Do you like bibles?
Me: Yes, I'm so glad God gave us the Bible to read.
A: God loves you.
Me: And God loves you, so much.
A: God loves Kendall too.
A: God is gonna hold Kendall.
Me: Yes, one day he will.
A: When God gets older.
A: God wears earrings.
Me: You think so?
A: Uh-huh
And then as randomly as it started, the conversation ended and turned to something else. She never ceases to amuse and amaze me, although at this point I could really go for less verbal persistence. She will ask and ask and ask something until you answer her and sometimes keeps asking, especially when I'm occupied with Kendall. Enough negativity-- on to the birthdays! Tomorrow we are celebrating Scott's birthday along with my sister's at my parents' house. And then in a few weeks it will be Miss Avery's turn. So Happy Birthday to my awesome husband that I could never make it without! He is such a wonderful support to me and such an amazing father!

1st time to church

Today was Kendall's 1st Sunday at church. Being the scrapbooker and blogger that I am, I of course had to take some pictures to chronicle the event. Despite having to get up 2 hours early to make sure that everyone was dressed and fed on time, our morning went smoothly and we actually got to church before it started! Like an angel baby, Kendall slept right through church and part of class. She woke up just in time for me to feed her and change her before class was over.

I have to tell a quick story on Avery. One of my friends at church came over to talk to me during class and was complimenting Avery on how adorable and sweet she is. I didn't argue of course. But then she was telling me how her and her husband had been helping in the 2 yr old children's worship this morning and when the other teacher got a bugger out of Avery's nose, she commenced to tell everyone several times that her Mimi (my Mom) got a bugger out of her nose and showed it to her on the kleenex! Isn't it just lovely the things that children say in public! I had to explain to my friend that Avery really hates getting her nose wiped and my Mom had recently done this to help convince Avery that she really does need her nose wiped sometimes so she won't have gross things like that in her nose.
**(Sorry to tell on you Mom, but the story was too good not to share!)

Life goes on

This past week I took Kendall for her 2 week check-up. She weighed 7 lbs even, which means she already gained almost a pound over her birth weight! She still seems so tiny, but I can tell that she is growing and changing already. The doctor put her on some meds for reflux because even though she doesn't spit up a ton, she was showing some classics symptoms of it. They said it would take about a week for the meds to kick in, but I have noticed a difference already in the amount that she spits up and also in the amount of noise she makes at night. She is still pretty noisy, but I guess she is just more comfortable and sleeps a little more soundly now. Minus one bad night this week, she has had a least one 4 or 4 1/2 hour stretch between feedings just about every night I think. I am just praying, but not holding out hope, that she will be like Avery and start sleeping through the night by 7 or 8 weeks. I guess time will tell. We are slowly developing a new routine around the house and starting to get out a little bit and resume our "normal" lives. In fact, this evening my Mom came and stayed with the girls for a couple of hours and Scott and I went on a date to eat at Sundance Square in downtown Ft. Worth. We had a really good time and it was so nice to get out, just the two of us. I think by the time Avery was 2 or 3 weeks old I was out and about like usual, but it's a little bit more complicated with two. I feel like before I know it, Kendall is going to be a couple of months old and I'm going to wonder where it went! Here are a few new pics from the last couple of days.

Kendall sleeping . . .

and sleeping some more (what a life!)
tummy time in their PJ's this morning

Home alone (2 days ago)

I have to preface this by saying that I started this post on Saturday (2 days ago), and I'm just now getting around to finishing it. The best way I can describe life right now is like a pendulum, swinging from feeling like I have it somewhat together to feeling overwhelmed and exhausted the next moment or next day. But I am constantly praying for perspective, patience and energy so that I can enjoy this time in my life that I know I will later look back on with fondness!

playing golf with Daddy in the back yard

My big baby and my itsy-bitsy one

hanging out in big sister's room

Avery sporting her new dress up hat

Today (Saturday) has been my official first day to take care of both my girls by myself. Scott is with his parents and brother all day listening to Dave Ramsey (the Financial peace University guy) at Reunion Arena over in Dallas. I guess it's pretty sad that this is my first day alone with both of them considering that Kendall is almost 2 weeks old now, but having my Mom (and sometimes my Dad) here to help during the day sure was nice. Both of them are actually sleeping right now, which was no easy feat, but it was worth the trouble so I could take a little nap and have some free time. My luck with Avery falling asleep on her own at naptime ran out and we are now down to taking a ride in the car as about the only way to get her to nap. Although, somehow they get her to lie on her nap mat at school and take at least a short nap on school days--Go figure:) So I think I'll stick to the car rides for Avery's nap until Kendall is sleeping through the night or at least not waking up as much so I can nap during the day too. Then we may just have to institute rest time and an earlier bed time. The day has gone pretty smoothly so far, minus some chaos at lunch time. So far Kendall has been a pretty good baby except for the fact that she does have some bouts with gas-how lovely! Luckily, it's usually an on and off fussing/crying sort of thing for no more than an hour or two and not incessant wailing. Thank goodness for Mylicon and thank goodness it brings her relief! Other than that, when she's awake, she is normally content to sit in the bouncy seat watching what's going on or being held by Avery and listening to her talk and sing songs. It has been really fun to see Avery interact with her, even if she does almost poke her eye out ten times a day or crush her when giving her hugs.

Today (Monday) I was with the girls by myself all day, well actually since 8:00 last night, because Scott had to make a trip up to Oklahoma to see some patients. We had a great day and I even managed to get both girls out of the house for a while to enjoy the warm weather at the park. Tomorrow I take Kendall for her 2 week check-up, so I'll have to try and post soon about how much she has grown and also post some new pics.

One week old

Well, it was one week ago today that Miss Kendall entered the world. Here are a few pictures we have taken over the past week.reading a book with my girls the day
we came home from the hospital

Avery loves holding her little sister

hanging out in her crib

rocking with Daddy

In celebration of Kendall's one-week birthday, here's a little account of her birth. We arrived at Baylor-Grapevine hospital around 7:30 AM last Monday. After the nurses got me all set up with monitors, IV, etc. my Dr. broke my water around 9:00 AM. I made slow but steady progress through the morning and then got my epidural around 1:00 PM. By 4:00 I was dilated to a 7 and about 45 minutes later, to a 10. My Dr. made me wait until about 5:40 to push so that Kendall would "labor-down" on her own as much as possible. At 6:01 PM she entered the world, 'sunny side up" with a bump on her head from coming out facing the wrong way. She also had a blister on her hand from sucking it so much in the womb! Crazy!

She has been a pretty easy baby so far, mostly just eating, sleeping, and pooping. She sleeps a lot, but like Avery, has a few periods a day where she is so alert and just seems to be taking it all in. She is nursing well and we have had several nights with a 4-5 hr stretch between feedings, so we can't complain. My Mom has been helping me out during the day, so I've been able to get in some naps as well. Avery is adjusting about as well as can be expected for a 22 month old. She loves to hold Kendall, it's just not always at the most convenient times and she gets upset when it can't happen. As I expected, the hardest part is just trying to meet both my girls physical needs and still get in some quality time with each one. And sadly, the hardest part is yet to come since I haven't spent more than an hour or two alone with both of them so far! I'm not going to promise anything, but I will try my best to continue posting pictures as Kendall grows and changes, and of course pics of my sweet Avery too!

Pictures, pictures

Our new addition--Just minutes after her arrival

proud Mama

Avery- the proud big sister

The "new and improved" Bedicheks

Kendall's all ready to go home

Hope you enjoy the pictures! Understandably, I don't have much time to write now. We are doing pretty good, just trying to get adjusted and to get as much sleep as we can. I'll try to give a little better update in a few days if I can and post some more pictures!