Christmas with the Cousins

I somehow managed to not take any pictures of MK's first Christmas, so I am going to have to steal from my sister and a few I took with my mom's camera. I got these from my sister's blog. Mary Katherine faired quite well this Christmas although she doesn't realize it at this point. She did have a cold for most of it which made her bit groggy. It looks like Everett has her in a choke hold in the picture below but really he was being a loving cousin trying to hold her up. Maybe next year she can have a matching OSU cheerleading outfit.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas...

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends!

Cousins and New Hair

Last week my mom took care of my sister's kids--Everett and Wyatt. Mary Katherine and I went and played with (or watched) them about everyday. I really needed to get out and I enjoyed spending time with my nephews that I don't get to see so often. Wyatt is 10 months and crawling everywhere. Everett is almost 3 and loves his Grandma. Everett kept me laughing with his stories and words. We had alot of fun!

This picture was taken at Tulsa when MK had her 3 month pictures taken. We never could get a picture of all three looking at the camera or hardly in one spot. Everett is on the left, MK in the middle and Wyatt (the only one looking) on the right.
The past few weeks I've noticed a lot of new hair growth. MK has a great spike as you can see in the picture below. I think she is going to have great volume when it grows out. It seems to be fairly light--somewhat blonde. Her eyes are still pretty much the same dark blue as they were when she was born. Somedays it seems like maybe they are getting a brown tint to them.

Oh...what are these?

In the past week or so we have discovered our hands. It's fun to see this new development. She will stare at them for a long time in amazement, but her favorite thing to do is put them in her mouth--sometimes it's the whole fist, sometimes the thumb, and sometimes she tries for both fists. This new trick of hers is great for helping her fall asleep for naps, however, it has also helped her wake up at night and not be able to fall back asleep without assistance. I wake up to hear alot of sucking noises that turn to grunts, that in the end turn to cries. For the past couple of days, she has decided to wake up not once, but back to twice a night to nurse. Oh...what fun for mom! Pray for me as I do not do well with little sleep.

I thought this was a good picture to show some other common characteristics of MK these days. You will notice the bib and the wet spot for the constant drool and then she is also sitting in her Bumbo chair. She can not do this for long periods of time as her head begins to bobble and sway from front to back and side to side, but she is gaining strength.

Here we are getting ready to go to church. It was freezing this day and mom really wanted to put her baby in her dress. However, she hadn't thought of needing tights. This is what I came up with. These are some tights that I had bought at a garage sale (they were new). I realized after I had them on that I think they were like size 2T.

It's finally official...

Since Thanksgiving has passed, it's officially Christmas time. I love Christmas time and I absolutely love putting up the Christmas decorations in and outside of the house. I must admit I broke down and gave into my desires by putting up the decorations the Monday before Thanksgiving--which is a big no-no. When you are at home and your baby is sleeping you need something to work on, right?

Go POKES!!

Too big...

Lately it seems as though Mary Katherine has outgrown so much, so quick. Everyone always talks about how quick they get big, and I guess I am experiencing this firsthand.

Things we're now too big for...
1. Size 1-2 diapers: We've graduated to the size 2 after my mother pointed out the red indentions I was leaving on her thighs. (btw--I think she inherited those from her mother. She didn't get all of her looks from her dad.) It's just so hard to see good diapers go to waste that I have already bought in bulk. I'm just calculating $0.17 cents a piece times two sleeves of them. Uggh!

2. 3 Month Clothes: We are too long (and sometimes too wide) for 3 month clothes. She can wear most 3-6 and fits into 6 months pretty well. By the way, don't buy Gerber white onesies because they are small to start out and then they shrink incredibly with the first wash.

3. Kitchen sink: We've relocated bathtime to the tub as Mary Katherine's knees were about to her chest as she was bathing. Poor girl! She feels like she is in a jacuzzi tub now when she's bathing.

4. And the last one that comes to my head and that I am most thrilled to write is....Mary Katherine has outgrown her colic! Praise the Lord! Roger and I are starting to regain some sleep and normalcy in our life and most importantly Mary Katherine is getting to sleep and not having to cry so much. We've had quite a time with this and are so thankful to move on.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mary Katherine would like to say, "Happy Thanksgiving to all of our family and friends!"

3 month (well almost) pictures...

Last weekend all my family met up in Tulsa for my mother's 60th birthday celebration and the Route 66 Marathon. We decided to all make it our goal to walk the half (13 miles) marathon. After finishing it now, I can see it was by far the hardest for me than anyone else--including my 60 year old mother. Up to that point, the farthest I had trained was 8 miles, and I can voucher that 13 was a bit more than 8.

Anyways...while we were there I decided to have pictures taken of MK. We hadn't taken any and I thought since she was almost 3 months, it might be a good time. I also thought she could take some with her two cousins. Of course, the night before the pictures she decides to wake up not only at 12:00 to eat but also eat and wake up at 4:00am. Isn't this the way it always works out. I had her schedule all planned out so we could have the pictures right after she woke up from her first nap and after a good meal. Well, it all ended up working out-- just a little differently then I thought. Here is the website to see a "sneak peak" of her pictures. Go to "sneak peak" and then it's the one under little MK. Check out the double chin!!

http://erikahuffphotography.com/

Here is a picture of all of us after the big finish of the walk. My aunt Ginger had shirts made up in honor of my grandma Essie who had passed away exactly 6 years from the day of the race.

How much is that doggie in the window?

I love this picture! As you can see MK loves her bathtime. Roger and I enjoy it too, but will soon have to change our location to the tub rather than the quite small kitchen sink. It's just so much easier standing over the sink.

The bigger, the better!

Before I had MK, I wasn't quite sure how I felt about big bows on babies. Now that I've got my own precious girl and I've put a few on her, I've decided I love them--the bigger, the better! Thursday, I used a gift certificate I had to a baby store and only bought big bows and I can't wait to get them on her. I will be revealing them to you as the weeks progress. You may think it's a bit torturous on the baby, but she doesn't seem to mind one bit. The price you pay to be so cute!! If anyone knows how to make these and wants to teach me, I'd love the tutorial.

So...in summary...I guess I am now an official member of the big bow club!

Here we are dressed and ready to go to church. My mom and I (well mainly mom) made these pants for her on Saturday. The fabric was only $1.89--I'm feeling pretty darn good about them.
One of my friends made this hat for Mary Katherine. I hadn't tried it on her until the other day and it was almost too small. We're hoping the larger head means larger brain! The hat is supposed to be like a neopolitan ice cream cone with a cherry on top.

Moo...ve out of our way Tech!

Mary Katherine says, "Watch out Texas Tech because OSU is going to moo...ve you down in the rankings tomorrow night."

Getting Stronger!

I love this picture not only because I think she looks so cute, but because her eyes are so wide open. I think it's the startle from the flash of the camera. (I'm not sure why this is underlining, but I couldn't get it to go off. )

MK showing off her new neck strength. It's so much work and she can't do it for long, but it gets longer every day.

I'm posting this one for Roger's family of MK in her International shirt. All day she kept grabbing the bottom of it and pulling it up. I'm thinking she might have wanted to take it off. Maybe she's more of a John Deere girl.

2 Months...

Today I took Mary Katherine in for her two month appointment today. The doctor said that she looked great and quoted the very familiar... "she's growing like a weed" --Is there not another expression people use for babies growing?--- She is now 24 1/4 in. long and 13 1/2 lbs. According to the growth chart her height is in the 97% and her weight for her age is in the 90s% as well. Needless to say, she's filling out well.


Mary Katherine is full of smiles and slobber. She has constant bubbles coming out of her mouth and the top of her shirt stays wet. The past week she has gotten so much better with her daytime naps and last night she slept from 9pm to 6am for the first time! (I am very excited about this even though I know she may not do it regularly for a while.)

I am posting a picture I took on Sunday of MK. She is wearing some pants that Kizzy made for her--very cute! They are knit and have a ruffle on the end of each leg.

Serious or Happy?

Making faces has been probably the biggest change that I've seen in the last week or so. Mary Katherine can go from very serious as the picture below shows... to happy in a matter of moments. We love her smiles. This is the best picture I have so far of a smile because my camera has such a delay you just have to get lucky to catch it. She loves to stare at mommy and daddy and does a great job of following you as you move and looking at you if you are talking to her. It's been fun to see her response to our voices when we talk to her.

Way too long...

It's been way too long since I have posted on the blog. I've thought about it many times but never got around to it. This past week and a half I have experienced what working mothers go through when they return to work. I have two weeks of work before I am officially a "stay at home" mom and it has been hectic. We wake up at 6ish and from there I feel like I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Once I get to work around 8:00 I find that I'm not so productive. My mom is taking care of Mary Katherine so I usually call her a few times to check in, see how she's doing, and for any updates. Another common distraction is the pumping three times a day--which takes about 20 minutes each time. I go into this small uninsulated bathroom that is right off the front entrance. For some reason the temperature in there remains about 20 degrees below the temperature in the other part of the office. So I plug in the pump and sit on the toilet waiting and freezing until I have my 4 or 5 ounces. It's not something I really look forward to. Mary Katherine is doing well. We still have a difficult time in the evenings and sleeping during the day. We went to the doctor on Friday and she weighed 12 lbs. and 13 oz. She is gaining quite well. I'm posting a variety of pictures. The first pictures are of the swing. I had a few people tell me that the swing was a lifesaver when their child was having difficult moments. Well I immediately thought we needed one and perhaps all would be better. Well...it wasn't what I had hoped for but she does enjoy it when she is content.



These pictures are from last weekend when Roger's family visited from Tennessee. They drove 16+ hours with a 2 and a 5 year old so that they could meet Mary Katherine. We know that they made big sacrifices and are thankful they got to come. It was a quick trip but we hope to go visit them in December.



This last week I sent this mat with Mom so that MK would have something to play with. She seems to enjoy it. She mainly just stares at all the different objects. Actually I think it may be a bit overwhelming at times. Her eyes stay wide open and her body makes LOTS of movements when she's looking at it.

1 Month

Mary Katherine went to the doctor on Friday for her 1 month appointment. She had a healthy report and weighed in at 10 lbs. 12 oz. and 22 inches. I had to get MK in this cute little onesie before she grew out of it. So what if it is fall--it was almost 90 degrees outside.

Sleeping Smiles

This top picture isn't the best quality but it captured a bit of her smile she makes as she is beginning to drift of to dreamland. It just goes to show you just how great sleep is. I love this smile even though I know she doesn't even realize she's doing it.

Early Mornings

We took this picture one morning before we went to Woodward for some doctor visits. Early mornings are my favorite time with Mary Katherine. She's the most content and alert at this time. You can talk to her and sing to her and she will follow your movements and sometimes your voice. I've come to conclude that there is nothing sweeter than a happy baby. As most of you know MK has been somewhat of a mystery to try to figure out. Every night starting around 6 or 7 she begins to get uncomfortable. She flails her arms and legs and is very uptight. The uncomfortableness then turns to a very loud uncontrollable scream by around 8:00. At this point there is nothing we can do to pacify her. This becomes very frustrating for us (as well as for her I'm sure). By 9:00 or 10:00 it's time to nurse her again and this will usually allow her to sleep. During the day she will sometimes have these moments but not as extreme. We've come to conclude she has colic and are praying for her healing. Most say they grow out of this by 3 to 4 months. If anyone has any suggestions, we welcome them.

Thankfulness

Tomorrow MK is 3 weeks old. My...I feel like I have learned and experienced a lot in these three weeks. Something that stands out right now is how blessed I am with a family that has sacrificed so much to help.

My husband has been constant through everything. I have cried, snapped, over analyized, demanded, and handed over MK to him (along with her fussy time) when I needed a break. He has been patient, loving, and a quiet consistent shoulder for me to lean on. He has also become a wonderful daddy who is exceptionally good at rocking MK. I love my husband and know that God knew what he was doing when he allowed him to enter my life. I have fallen more in love with him as I have seen him in his new role.

My mom has sacrificed so much time, sleep, and has been a soundboard for me to talk to during these three weeks. I had no idea how much I would need my mother as I became a mother myself. There's no one else that could have filled in for what she has done for me. Anyone who knows her, knows how much she serves others and puts their needs above her own. She has shown this many times as a grandma to MK and a mother to me. Thank you mom for providing this example. And don't worry...I'm not through with you yet. And thank you dad for giving up your wife so many days and nights. She will return in gradual increments.

Both of my sisters have been there for me as well during these three weeks. Holly drove all the way from Houston to be there for MK's birth. It means a lot that she would drive 12 hours and made me feel like she really was happy to do it. She has been giving me some PT help and most importantly she has been praying for me during this time. I can always know that Holly is praying for me and is genuine in her concern.

I think I have called Kizzy almost everyday asking for her expert advice in parenting. I have always looked up to her as a mother. Her children always seem so content, loved, and healthy AND somehow she always appears so peaceful and relaxed. She is a great mother. If I can do anywhere close to her with MK, I will be doing good. Thanks for being patient with me Kiz in all my questions and concerns. Just know that I do it, because you've been such a great example for me.

Wrapping up... Thank you God for providing me with these people that have blessed me as I transition to a mother. I feel overwhelmed with thankfulness.

Upturned Noses and Other Ramblings

Three or four people have commented that they think Mary Katherine has an upturned nose like her mom. I've never loved my nose, so I'm not sure what to think about this. In the picture above you can somewhat see what they may be refering to?? It's fun to think about what traits she may have picked up from each parent. This saturday I was at my mom's and we got out my baby pictures. It was amazing the resemblance between us. I'd be curious to see Roger's baby photos.

I thought that everyone should see a picture of what I see for many hours of the day/night. The pack-n-play has become MK's home. She does all of her sleeping here. Mommy and daddy have spent plenty of time looking over it at night praying that she will stay/fall asleep and allow us rest. Then during the day you just look at how precious she is there sleeping and a part of you wants to pick her up and cuddle with her.

Car rides and doctor visits

Everytime we've loaded MK up in the car seat she falls right to sleep. We took her to the her first doctor's visit on Friday. She weighed 8 lb. 6 oz. but grew an 1 1/4" Hmm.. Something must have been a little off.

Mary Katherine's Nursery

I meant to post these nursery pictures earlier, but didn't get around to it. After I found the fabrics I liked I asked my mom if she would "help" me make the bedding/curtains. Due to my lack of patience and desire to skip several steps in sewing, mom ended up doing all the work. She did a much better job than I would have done. I also decided it might be special to MK if her dad made her some shelves for her nursery. He was a great dad and decided that it might be a good idea to agree with the mother to be. He did a great job and I appreciate the extra storage it provides. You may notice several empty picture frames I need to fill.


What do you think about that burnt orange carpet? One of the sellers when we got the house. :)

1 Week

Mary Katherine turned 1 week on Wednesday. She celebrated her week birthday by deciding to nurse consistently for the first time. Doesn't she look alert and content in this picture? I like to think it's because she's just had an excellent meal time. I had been pumping everytime up to that point after unsuccesfull attempts of nursing. I decided that morning that I was tired of washing bottles and all the pump parts 8 times a day--in addition to doubling the time it took to feed her. With my determination, the prodding (or should I say encouragement) of my mother, and MK's great sucking ability we went the whole day without the pump. I was so happy for MK and her accomplishment. I think anyone who has attempting this and got through this hurdle can relate. Way to go baby girl!

More Pictures

The proud daddy at the hospital
Little "Sweet Pea"
We've got A LOT of pink!

I am trying to post this and type as quietly as possible as Mary Katherine is sleeping in her pack and play right by the computer. More descriptions will come as mommy is learning and becoming more comfortable with life as a mom.

Aunt Kizzy recently got a swewing machine and brought a few of her most recent creations for Mary Katherine. This "ruffle rear" onesie and the onesie with Mary's name are just a few.