9 Months-Kennedy Kate

Oh my little love. 

I always think of so many things I need to write down to remember throughout the month and the times comes and all I do is wonder how it is time to be writing another blog. 

You are such a delight to be around. You are definitely a momma's girl….to the point you've hurt daddy's feelings a few times. I know its just a phase and while I love the love, I am ready for you to be a mommy AND daddy's girl :) 

I have gotten so much joy out of seeing you and Hensley interact and often wonder how Aunt B and Aunt Nee were with me. 

If you ever find the door open, you are headed straight for the bathroom or Hensley's room to play with her toys. 

You LOVE your blanket that you sleep with and I can tell that we may have issues in the future if we ever forget it somewhere (Something I always said I would never do..let my kids get attached to something, HA.)

At 9 months:

-still only has her two bottom teeth

-crawling, pulling up, and standing for very few seconds by herself

-eating fruits and veggies but definitely preferring fruits

-Real food you have had: mashed potatoes, carrots, bits of bread/tortilla, blueberry muffin, avocado, Cheeto, little bits of meat, oatmeal, grits, banana, eggs, yogurt

 (and I'm sure a lot more)

-knows exactly what she can NOT have and goes to it. If you get on to her, she grins REALLY big and keeps going. 
-wearing 9-12 month clothes

-size 4 diapers

-eating about 7 ounces every 4 hours

-sleeping about 11 hours a night
-says mama
-claps when you say "yay" (Isn't doing this anymore, lol)
-tries to wave and say bye-bye
-loves baths
-can push things and walk

8 Months-Kennedy Kate

There is not a dull moment around these parts! The girls are hilarious. We are so thankful that we have had some warmer weather to get outside and play. 

Kennedy has had a busy month of growing up. 

Getting teeth, pulling up, chasing sister. 

I can't believe how big she looks in these pictures!!

At 8 months:

-got her first TWO teeth!!! 

-crawling and pulling up on everything

-eating fruits and veggies but definitely preferring fruits

-loves to go for electrical cords and remotes and everything she knows she isn't supposed to have…OHH and ANYTHING sister is playing with! Which is very frustrating for Hensley

-wearing 9 month clothes and some 12 month

-size 3 diapers but probably needs to go up

-eating about 7 ounces every 4 hours

-sleeping about 11 hours a night
-weighing over 18 pounds
-says MAMA!!!! 
-claps when you say "yay"
-tries to wave and say bye-bye

7 Months-Kennedy Kate

Why does it always go so much faster the second time around??

Kennedy started off the month sitting up really well and trying to scoot along keeping up with Hensley. We end the month with her CRAWLING everywhere…on all fours. She sits up and goes to crawling and visa versa. I can't believe this happened so fast!

We had our first ear infection ever around here which isn't the best milestone but I am thankful this is the first time. I would have never really known either but after several days of SUPER snotty nose, I decided to run to our local clinic, just to make sure. Sure enough she had one but it wasn't terrible.

At 7 months, she is:

-eating veggies and fruits

-really chewing on her fingers

-CRAWLING!!

-wearing 6 month clothes but really needs to be in 9 month I just have the wrong season :(

-wearing size 3 diapers

-eating 7 ounces every 3-4 hours

-sleeping about 12 hours a night
-trying to start talking….her mouth is always moving and sound is trying to come out

6 Months-Kennedy Kate

Oh this poor second child who is getting her six month blog post posted 11 days before she turns 7 months!! Sheesh. 

This little girl. Where do I even begin? She is so much fun. She is still little Miss Happy Pants and is busy, busy, busy. She is sitting up and on the move. Her and Hensley are having the best time….besides the fact Hensley is learning that she has to keep some of her toys up because Kennedy can get to them. We are about to get a full-fledged lesson in SHARING and being KIND :) She is good  95% of the time but we do have our moments. 

At her 6 month check-up, she weighed 16.9 lbs, and 27.2" long---She is 1 1/2 pounds and 2" bigger than Hensley at this age! I felt like she was bigger just based on clothing but I didn't expect it to be this much! 

This one was just yesterday but too funny not to post. 


At 6 months, she is:

-eating green and orange veggies

*Green beans, peas, avocado, carrots, sweet potatoes

-putting something in her mouth at all times--Hands, bib, burp cloth, toy, etc

-rolling everywhere!! 
-getting up on all fours and rocking

-starting to get upset if you leave the room--which I told her yesterday was very flattering but she really needs to be okay with it because I can't carry her around everywhere

-sitting up pretty well most of the time

-wearing 6 month clothes

-wearing size 2 diapers

-eating 6 1/2 ounces every 3-4 hours

-sleeping about 12 hours a night
-obsessed with people's mouths and fingers

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, part 2

I didn't get pictures of every day but here is week 2 the rest of the days and possibly not in order:

Day 8-We took Nana and Poppa (Josh's grandparents) a birthday treat and a cd and went to visit. We LOVE getting to go see them and are so thankful we live close!

Day 9-We got an angel off the angel tree and got to go buy a little girl a doll who didn't have one.

Day 10-Another day of rest?

Day 11-We learned that candy canes remind us of Jesus!

Day 12-Ellie brought us some stuff to do a little Christmas baking and deliver to people. This may have been one of my favorite because it gave us an excuse to go meet neighbors we had never really met!

Day 13-After adopting a senior citizen at Lynnwood, we wrapped her gift and delivered it!

Day 14-We bought some pop tarts to donate to our local Snack Pak for Kids program.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE how excited she was to find her each day! 

Day 17- Green masking tape and pom poms to make a Christmas tree for the frig!

Day 18-She brought us some more baking to do for the firefighters that work so hard to keep us safe!

Teaching her its not all about cooking---we have to do dishes too!

Day 20-We got to "build a snowman"!

Other days I forgot-

*She brought us crayons to color pictures for our friends and family

*She brought us kisses to take to Mimzie and Pappy's Christmas to pass out

*We took books to the local doctors office for kids to look at when they have to get sick

Ellie came for one last visit (way after Christmas) because Hensley looked for her daily and so she came and told her goodbye! She also brought us some more cookies to make :)

I was SO pleased with how this turned out. Yes I missed a few days, yes I had to do some in the spur of the moment, but it didn't matter. We had the most amazing time. I really feel like it helped us keep our focus on others and the true meaning of Christmas. I pray that we can raise our girls in a way that celebrating Christmas is all about Jesus and helping others. 

5 months-Kennedy Kate

Still our little Miss Sunshine :)

This month she got to try food for the first time (Dec 4th) and wasn't a huge fan. it was mainly a lot of gagging and she still isn't super fond of it. 

SMILEY SMILEY

First bite of avocado

"Dad, what is she feeding me?!?"

"I don't think I like it"

Hensley figured out she has a real-life baby doll! Poor girl's life will never be the same!

We tried out a pony tail….Look like the hair on top is a little longer than the sides :)

And she found a new friend in the mirror!

At five months old, she is:

-Sleeping from about 7:00 pm to about 6:00 am (sometimes its 5:30, others its 6:30)

-Still napping pretty good throughout the day

-Eating about 5 1/2 oz every 3 hours 

-has been sitting in the bumbo some and loves it

-super giggly and loves to squeal

-loves little toys, balls, books that she can chew on

-has found her hands and likes to try and eat them

-is very difficult to dress or feed because she attacks your hands

-will look at you when you say her name

-tracks you around the room as you walk
-likes to suck on her lips and pop her tongue
-starting to really think Hensley is fun and tries to "play" with her
-rolls all over the place

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, pt 1

I think when you become a parent that you really start looking at things a little differently. I have always known how materialistic that we have made Christmas, but when ever you are the one in charge of how someone is raised and you have the chance to highly influence their view on it, it really changes things. This time of year gets crazy busy. And every year I say that I am going to focus more on the real meaning of Christmas and not get caught up in all the stress…..and every year I usually don't make it without getting caught up to some degree in the gifts and the decorating. However, with a little girl who is starting to understand more and more, I knew we had to decide now how we wanted to celebrate Christmas each year before she got any older. 

One of the things I knew I wanted to incorporate into this season was an Elf. However, I knew that I didn't want to do the Elf on the Shelf the way most people do it. #1, Hensley wouldn't understand it. But more importantly, #2, Jesus didn't come to earth and give His present to those who were "good"….He was born and died for all our sins. I don't want Hensley thinking she has to be good to get presents, I want to focus on her heart and being like Jesus. I want her (and Kennedy) to understand that nothing we do will earn us the most precious gift of all. 

So yes, we have Santa's sitting out and there will be an unopened gift under the tree, but other than that, I have hardly mentioned Santa. We are getting ready to celebrate Jesus' birthday! 

Our elf, Ellie, brings us good things to do each day. I'm not sure who is loving this more, Hensley or me. It has kept me a lot more focused on the reason for the season and I am so thankful. Here are a few of our adventures. 

Day 1-Ellie came and told us that there were little kids who didn't have toys and asked us to donate some of ours. We gathered up a box and since then Hensley has been obsessed with "kids" and wants to do things for them. Melt a mommas heart. 

(On a side note, if any one knows a great place to donate toys, I'd love to know. They are still in a box in the kitchen!)

Day 2-Ellie brought us a new toothbrush so that we could make our smile extra bright as we smile at others!

(Ignore the outfit. Josh dressed her.)

Day 3-My sweet Aunt Rochelle, wrote a book on the secrets of the snowmen and how they can remind us of God. 

http://secretsofthesnowman.tateauthor.com

Day 4-She brought us a nativity to set up and remember what Christmas is all about. Next year this will be Day 1, I just hadn't unpacked Christmas decorations when I started. 

Day 5-We made a bunch of Christmas cds to give to people. 

Day 6-We taped some quarters to a water vending machine outside our store. 

Day 7- Ellie rested on Sunday ;) 

Loving these little adventures that help us stay focused on HIM and what Christmas is all about!