Christmas Cookies

Our Thanksgiving was pretty low key. In fact, we didn't even have turkey. It was just the 3 of us, so we decided to just smoke a chicken. We didn't really want to be eating turkey until we moved out of here! I can't wait for next Thanksgiving when we can spend it with more family again!

Yesterday, Katelyn and I made some sugar cookies - well we cut out sugar cookies. Jack bought some colored cookie dough from a fundraiser for a soldier at work. Boy, making cookies with a 2 year old is a lot of work!! If only I had counted how many times she said "I do it!" or "I do it allll by myself!" Within the first 2 minutes we had flour everywhere and all over her face and shirt. Oh well, I suppose the clean up was worth it because she sure seemed to have fun. It was very hard for her to be patient while the cookies were baking though and I'm not sure how many times we had to re roll the cookie dough back out because, well, she didn't really quite understand how to get the most out of the dough. ha! What should I expect, she's only 2?!?!

Whiskers

Katelyn likes feeling Daddy's face when his "itchies" are getting a little long. Of course, this doesn't get to happen very often. Maybe over leave while we move?!?!

Preparing for Winter

Don't ya love this get up!?
I guess she was getting ready for the winter weather while still trying to stay cool in GA!
Crazy girl!

Christmas Pictures 2011

We went to JCP to have Katelyn's Christmas pictures taken and she was very cooperative and was really hamming it up for quite a few. Finally!! Last year's photos were pretty much a disaster!!

Family Pictures at the Beach

A few weeks ago we took some family pictures at the beach. It was not the most ideal day but we made the best of it. It was pretty windy (but when isn't it at the beach) and chilly. We took a few family "posed" pictures right off the bat and then Katelyn saw a bucket with a shovel and it was all over with at that point. All she wanted to do was play in the sand with the bucket. No more family posed pictures after that. They turned out well but I definitely learned my lesson - don't show Katelyn anything fun until all the posed pictures are over!

Thanksgiving Feast

Katelyn had her Thanksgiving Feast today at school and the parents were invited to come eat lunch with them. Jack was too busy at work to get away so I went by myself. Katelyn was very excited to have me eat with her. On her way to school this morning we heard a turkey gobble on the radio. I told her today was her "Turkey Day" at school and that turkey's say gobble gobble. So when she got to school, at the breakfast table she told her teacher she was going to eat gobble gobble for lunch with Mommy. Hilarious!

She LOVED the stuffing and had a second helping of it!

Gobble Gobble!!

{Watch Mommy Grow} 6 Months

6 Months!?! 3rd trimester!?! Wow!! This little guy is going to be here before we know it!! February is right around the corner; 3 more months and we'll be a family of 4! How our life is going to change - but I can't wait!

(November 15, 2011 - 26 weeks - 6 Months)

I went for my 26 week appt this past week. Baby boy is doing well! His heartbeat was in the 140s and my bump is measuring right on track. I still have a sinking feeling he's going to be a big baby - at least bigger than Katelyn was. I am hoping for no more than an 8 pounder!!

This little guy is on the go all.the.time!! My stomach is continuously bouncing, especially if I put any pressure on it. I guess he's telling me I'm invading his space! I have been telling Jack that I thought he was head up because there was just too much kicking down below and much more than I ever remembered with Katelyn. Well, my suspicion was proved to be right. The doctor took a quick peek and sure enough. His head is up! UGH!! I know I know - there is still plenty of time for him to turn around but Katelyn was always head down so I never worried too much. I just continue to pray he turns around because I really do not want to have a c-section.

Pretty much my only complaint - HEARTBURN! No matter what time of day; sitting or laying. I'm so ready for it to be over with.

Until next month......

Katelyn's 2.5!

I really can't believe our baby girl is already 2.5 years old! Before long we'll be planning her 3rd birthday! Where oh where has the time gone to?! Jack and I are thoroughly enjoying this stage that Katelyn is in! She is just so much fun and it's always a surprise what she is going to come up with or say. We sit here in the evenings and look at each other and say "Where did she get that from?!"

She is very much into her baby dolls right now and talks to them as if she is the Mommy. She wants them to have a diaper and socks on. It makes it difficult because the diapers are size 4 (Katelyn's pull ups or night diapers) and the socks fit Katelyn's feet, but she doesn't seem to care! Baby will go with her on longer road trips and she'll talk to her and tell her to "Hold on Baby!," "Do you see that Baby?", "It's ok baby, I'll be right back." Baby AND Dolly still get to go on wagon rides and she pushes them around in HER stroller outside. I just love watching her be such a Mommy to these dolls. I really am excited to see how she reacts with a real baby - her brother! I'm afraid we'll have to keep a close eye on her because she might just want to be a little TOO much help!

She continues to not be the best eater. We still have our days where she'll eat well and then other days not so well. She does eat better at "school" than she does for me at home; but she is getting a little braver and is beginning to attempt to try a few more things. I mean - that's all we ask is to just give things a try!!

She is still a good sleeper but we haven't taken her out of her crib. I know I know! We haven't really been in a big hurry - she hasn't tried to climb out and there another sibling hasn't needed the crib yet. BUT - that is all about to change. When we get to Missouri, she will get her "Big girl" room and bed. We talk about it all the time and most of the time she is fine with giving her current bed to her baby brother. We'll see how the sleeping goes then. There just might be a post or 2 on the lack of sleep she is letting Mommy have! Boy I hope not!

She also continues to do amazing on the potty front! She stays dry all the time when she's awake and tells us when she needs to go, even when we are in the car. A trip into Savannah now requires a potty stop - BUT that's ok! I'd rather stop than have to clean out a wet carseat!! She still isn't potty trained during naps or at night, but I'm ok with that. She goes all by herself at school without any help from her teachers and insists that she can do it "Allllll by myself." She isn't so independent at home because they have potty's close to the ground at school. I'm fine with helping her; it's much easier, faster and cheaper than changing diapers!! Boy, my Baby has sure grown up! She's such a big girl now!!

Katelyn still goes to "School" 3 mornings a week and that will probably increase as the move gets closer so I can get more and more things done and more boxes packed. She LOVES going and is starting to bring home lots of pictures and activities that they have done. I'm just amazed at how much she has learned and she is only going to hourly care! She can sing her ABC's, Twinkle Twinkle, Old MacDonald (her current favorite) and several country songs on the radio. When one of her favorite songs comes on the radio she'll say "Ohhh that's a gooooood one" and then "Daddy - crank it up!" And she knows most of the words to these songs! She truly amazes me!!

She has figured out how to peddle her tricycle and would probably live outside if we let her! It really is too bad that the nights are so short. By the time she gets up from her nap in the afternoon there really isn't much time left before it gets dark and the weather here has been gorgeous. I know we need to take advantage of the warmer/fallish weather because there probably won't be much outside play for a while after we get to Missouri (But that's ok with me! I'm ready for cooler weather!)

She went to the Dr for a wellness appt and to get her flu shot. The Dr said she was PERFECT and on the smaller, petite side. (of course, we already knew this :) )

Stats (2 1/2 years):
Weight: 25.2# (11th%)
Height: 35 inches (29th%)

We LOVE you soooo much Katelyn and can't wait to watch you continue to grown and develop!!

Sticker Anyone??

Katelyn and Daddy "Sleeping" on the living room floor.

Her new "cheese" face tonight!
She was being such a goofball!

Packing for the Big Move

I told Katelyn that we needed to start packing for our big move. She got very excited!! (She talks daily about moving to Missouri and says that we are moving that day - such a goofball!) She started bringing me bags from her playroom and started filling them with random toys that she wanted to take. Then she got her shopping cart and shoved them all in it. She would push it around the living room, through the kitchen and back to her playroom all while seeing other things that she needed to take and trying to find room in her cart for them. Ohh and don't let me forget to mention she did the pushing while carrying her baby in her carrier on the other arm. I was laughing so hard - she looked like a homeless person with all their possessions in their shopping cart! I love this little girl to pieces and her imagination right now seemed unbelievable!

(When she woke up from her nap she was kind of cranky, so I told her I needed her help with packing up some of her books. Suddenly the crankiness was gone! She is all excited to pack boxes and is A LOT of help - maybe too much. But no complaints here. In a move or 2 she'll be complaining about moving and packing so I'll take it. I was only trying to pack books away that she doesn't read right now or has grown out of and she was wanting to put them ALL in the box. I can only imagine what we will find in random boxes. I guess it doesn't matter, as long as it all makes it to the next place!

She was so proud of this box and decided it needed to be decorated with princess stickers!
There isn't any question where this box belongs!

And just because this is such a cute picture!
(Can she get any cuter?!?! Ok - maybe I'm a little biased!!)

Halloween

It was a much chillier Halloween this year than the past 2 years have been. We went over to a friend's house and trick or treated in her neighborhood. Katelyn had fun and was all about the candy!

(Halloween outfit that she wore to school)

Katelyn and Emmalyn - the 2 cutest Southern Belles!

Trick or Treat!