McKenzie: You're 15 months old!

A lot has changed since you turned one-year old. For starters you had your fifteen-month appointment on Friday. We had actually brought you in a few days early since you have yet another cold and your doctor spotted the starts of an eye infection. You were kind enough to share your infection with both Mommy and Daddy and we're all on antibiotics for it. You weigh 24 pounds, 8 ounces and you stand a whole 32.5 inches tall.
Your doctor was impressed with your development and mentioned how "bright" you were- especially considering you don't go to daycare. Who knew some one else's compliments could have Mommy gleaming with pride.

You've learned a ton of new things in the past three-months. You know most of your body parts and your favorite to point to is your toes. You bed ALL the way over and dramatically point to your "piggy's". You're learning to repeat random words that you hear and your all time favorite word is up.

You've decided that being restrained is for babies. You absolutely hate, hate, hate, being tied down. It's not out of the ordinary to see Daddy pushing the stroller and Mommy trailing behind with you tightly holding my hand.

You're all about independence. You MUST feed yourself and although you understand how to use the spoon, you're less than clean doing so. You've started getting a shower after breakfast and dinner for this reason.

You LOVE climbing. Nothing is off limits. Your favorite thing to climb is our dining room table. Just a friendly reminder that you make Mommy's heart skip a beat when you do this. So. Stop!

You love your dog and love hanging on her. Bayleigh is complaisant- but is less than amused with your billion kisses.

As mentioned before- you love, love, love books. You can be in a totally different room and when I ask if you want to read a book- you'll run in your bedroom and pick out a book for Mommy to read to you. You really understand a lot now. It's really surreal how fast you've developed in 15 short months.

Recently, you survived your first full day without Mommy and Daddy. It wasn't by choice- and Mommy's hospital stay was extended by a few crazy hours. But you survived. Maureen and Pop Pop watched you. Pop Pop put your diaper on backwards(and Daddy had to remind him to FEED you), but I was impressed that he changed your poopy diaper. You didn't seem phased by our absence.

You've also left our nest- well, sort of. You're sleeping in your own room. It only took Mommy 14.5 months to cut the cord. But- we did it. I still check on you a dozen times through out the night.

I still cannot believe that we've been your parents for over a year. We've watched you develop from a newborn to an infant- and now we're watching you bloom into a toddler. I often dream about what kind of little girl you'll become. We can wait.

You're incredibly sweet, stubborn, and you have a temper that Daddy thinks resembles mine. You know what you want and how to get it. You are my whole world and I thank the Heavens every day that you're here and I get to experience being your mother. Life is good.

Little Intellect

Kenzie LOVES to read books. She's quite gentle with them, too. She doesn't rip the pages anymore. No books are off limits: Bibles, Duane's work books, menus- they're all of interest to my little braniac.

She loves to point at the characters and babble along as she "reads" each one thoroughly. Randomly, she grab one from her room and come into the living room or where ever I may be. She'll toss the book into my lap and proceed to climb up. You think she's trying to request something from me?

Seriously? Other than the obnoxious corn popper they are are favorite things in the whole world. Hoping she loves them as much in about 17 years when she's applying for Harvard.

A long week

We had a routine ultrasound appointment this past Tuesday. I was pretty excited to see the baby again. Sadly, the ultrasound reveled that the baby no longer had a heartbeat. The doctors believe the baby stopped growing around 12 weeks(2 days prior to my scan). We were told that there is no reason for this and 35% of first trimester pregnancies end in miscarriage.



I would have been in my 2nd trimester in less than a week. We're beyond disappointed, sad, shocked, even angry. We weren't planning on making McKenzie a sister until quite awhile- but we happily accepted our news and begin to become excited for the arrival of our third blessing.



Monday I'll have a D&C procedure to remove the baby from my womb. I am a bit nervous about going under general anesthesia. Although, I've been under it a few other times without complications. I guess I worry a bit more now with Kenzie and something happening to me and her being left motherless. I know, paranoid much?



It's really amazing how this sweet little girl can be so healing. She's such a reminder of the GOOD things God does in our lives everyday. We're beyond blessed to have her here- happy and healthy. The fact that she is simply adorable is just a bonus to it all. Seriously could her little face be ANY cuter? My heart just explodes with love thinking about how much she's already given us in her short 14 months on Earth. Thanks sweet girl, thanks.

Here comes Ms. Independent

Kenzie is all about being independent these days. Despite my efforts of trying to convince her that it really is over-rated.

She pitches fits when I attempt to feed her yogurt, or the like. Although she is less than skilled, erhmm, clean, using a spoon independently. Can't blame the girl for trying, right?

Introducing Baby Number 3-

We had our first ultrasound today. Baby is measuring just shy of 8 weeks with a due date of September 1st. We'll have a repeat c-section the week prior- making this baby come during the hottest days here in Florida.


Heartbeat was 178, and the best news?! No probe ultrasound. Just your typical belly scan. Totally shocked me as I had to drop the britches for Kenzie's 8 week scan! Kenzie went with. She was slightly better behaved- but I still insist that toddlers don't belong in OB offices. My sister was supposed to watch her- but Mall Cop was sold out for the early showing(go figure, right) and they had to catch the later showing during our appt time.

Enjoy our first photo!

Why toddlers don't belong in OB offices

I had my very first OB appt last Tuesday. We'll go for an ultrasound on the 19th to confirm my due date, but tentatively it is on September 1st. I'll have a repeat Cesarean section the week prior and a tubal during surgery! Yep, you heard me right. This baby making machine is over. We're obviously don't do so great preventing on our own. However, to be fair, this is our first unplanned/surprise baby.

I had to take McKenzie with me. I really didn't have many options as most people I know work during business hours and I don't want Duane using his sick time just for the itty-bitty visits. I want him to be able to take some time off when we birth our third baby!

Kenzie was an absolute horror. Erhmm, I mean, toddler. Our office has a playroom that she was only content in for two minutes. I put my chair in front of the door in an attempt to keep her from roaming the rest of the waiting room. She threw herself down, screeched, and proceeded to crawl under the chair. Each time I'd place her back in, firmly tell her no- and we'd repeat the cycle. Imagine me having a stand-off of wills to see who is the most stubborn. She was wearing me down. But she didn't win. *sigh*

By the time they FINALLY called my name(20 minutes AFTER my start time) I was nearly out of snacks for her. Her toys and books were on the floor and she was simply tired of looking at each of them. In all fairness it was her nap time(about 45 minutes into her scheduled time anyway) and she was being restrained WAY too long. I was exhausted, annoyed, and emotional. A fun mix. They weighed me(fun). And instructed me to give my urine sample. I cried on the John. She just began to attempt to rip the toilet paper from it's roll. Again- fun.

During the "girly" exam she was quite content to stare at my doctor. Maybe trying to sneak a peak at the fun tools and instruments the doctor was using on her Mommy. She was bored quickly and realized the cabinet doors opened. She ripped and tossed each gown.. one by one. Giggling in delight.

My doctor was amused. I didn't know what was worse. The pelvic exam or my misbehaved toddler!

Fun. We get to repeat this drama on the 19th for my sonogram.

Happy New Year and lots of words

Blessings for a GREAT 2009!

Kenzie's vocab is really exploding these days. She says:

1. Bye Bye(video to follow)
2. Thank You(Tank you)
3. Daddy and Dada
4. Mama
5. Bayleigh(Bayee)
6. Dog(Daw)
7. No
8. This(LOL)
9. Yes

Lisen carefully and excuse the furniture. It came with the house. Lucky us.