Happy Birthday Katelyn!

1 year old!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I figured for this blog I would write it to Katelyn, since she has truelly blessed, changed, and made our world so much better this past year!

Dear Katelyn,

This past year has been the best, most wonderful year and we absolutely love being your parents. I could not have asked God for a more laid back, easy going, happy child. You are everything we prayed and hoped for, plus more. Yes, we had a few rough weeks at the beginning with sleeping and just being fussy at times, but that was to be expected and we all adjusted and pushed on. Your Daddy and I love you so much and would do anything for you, but I think so far you have done more for us with that big smile and wave you give us each time we see you. Each time we look at you, we know there is an Almighty Father in heaven that created you just the way you are and you are our miracle!

Our prayer for you as you turn one, is that you continue to be the happy, fun, laid back child that you are. That you stay protected and continue to grow into the beautiful child God has made you. Our prayer as your parents is that we raise to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, and soul. We love you and have a wondeful
1st birthday!

Your birth day!

1 Month

2 Months

3 Months

4 Months

5 Months

6 Months

7 Months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months

11 1/2 months


Your 12 month pics will be posted with your 12 month update on what you are doing!
Have a wonderful birthday baby girl!

New Updates

First off, Katelyn will be 1 year old in 6 days! This is just crazy to me, it feels like i just left the hospital with her! We have loved and enjoyed each day with her over this past year and look forward to the little lady she is becoming!

She has already started her independence by pretty much weaning herself from breastfeeding. Over this last month she has wanted to nurse less and less and go play more and more, which was easier with a bottle! So i dropped one feeding, then another, and over the last week i was just nursing in the mornings. Then this past weekend was race weekend with lots of people and I worked today, so the past two days I have not nursed her at all and she doesnt seem to miss it, so I guess the time is up for her to start whole milk! It is rather bittersweet, but at the same time, I am ready for my freedom! I was determined to nurse her til she was close to one and I succeeded in that, so i am satisfied with myself and her for being such a great nurser. I have a little bit more frozen milk and some formula to finish that was already opened, but by her 1st birthday she will be on whole milk.

Another big update is that have a walker! She is cruising around the house now. She will take breaks after 8-10 steps by either stopping to catch her balance or hold on to something to rest or turn, then go again and she is so so proud of herself! But with walking comes boo boos and we had our first big boo boo on Saturday morning, she had walked really far and was doing so well but just trip on the carpet and fell into the couch and of course hit the hard corner instead of all the cushions. She also now has 3 teeth that have cut through and one cut into her lip, so we had our first busted lip and gushing blood. She of course cried and at first i didnt know if i was going to get the bleeding to stop, but with ice and pressure on it, it stopped. After a few minutes and thanks to distractions with Heather, grandpa and Scott, she was off playing again with a big lip! Here are some pics right after and she is already smiling! It looks great today and you would never know she busted her lip! Kids are amazing!

Fun in the Park!

This is one that I forgot to post awhile ago of Katelyn and myself when we met up with Sarah and her two boys. Katelyn loves to play in and eat the sand! The kids had fun swinging too, but we didnt last too long because it was hot and poor Ethan
( who was 8 weeks) was getting too hot! But hopefully we can do it again soon!

Connor's Visit ( part 3)

Well after the zoo if that wasnt fun enough the boys decided to go to the Richard Petty museum and induct Connor into the racing world! The girls on the other hand were tired, especially katelyn, so we headed home and started dinner.

David said Connor enjoyed the museum, but for the most part he stayed in the bumper car and wanted Grandpa and Uncle David to sit with him in it, as you can tell it was a tight squeeze, but they managed!

Connor's Visit ( part 2)

On Tues, we took the kiddos to the zoo and David even took the day off. It was overcast and had rained the day before, but it was the perfect day to go to the zoo because it was not hot and hardly anyone was there, so we got to see everything at a quick rate! Sadly the giraffes werent out due to wet conditions, but we still saw all kinds of animals. I dont think Connor could pick what he liked best, he just kept saying he was having fun and Katelyn kept smiling because her cousin was with her. The kids did really well and we enjoyed it as well!

Connor and katelyn riding the elephant!

Grandpa and Kate

Connor pointing at the elephants.

Watching the seals underwater, Connor loved this!


Part of the gang seeing the baboons.


Flying the helicopter!



At the bee hive.

Two cute kids!

Katelyn was chasing Connor and when he caught back up with her, she would die laughing, it was so funny to watch! They had a blast with each other!

Connor's Visit ( part 1)

My brother John and his wife went on their anniversary trip, so mom and dad got to keep Connor for several days while they were gone. Connor loves trains and at our farmers market a local group has laid down track for a train for kids and adults to ride. It is a neat train set up and they are so generous of their time and equipment and simply take donations each time you ride. Since dad and Connor love trains and they play with dad's small trains back at home, dad wanted to bring Connor up here sometime to ride the train and this worked out perfect because this was the first week they opened back up! Unfortunately it wasnt the best weather, it rained at times, but the kids didnt care one bit, they loved every minute and i think David and Grandpa did too! Connor was so cute, he would yell, " All aboard!" and say his little "choo choo", and we would be off! Since it was raining, there werent many people riding, mainly us, so i rode after David got there backwards to take pictures of them riding. We couldnt convince Ahma to ride, but she enjoyed watching and taking pictures and she stayed dry!

First lap around!



Looks just like his daddy!


The whole gang!


Bye!



My soaking wet daughter by the end, but she still has a smile on her face!

Lunch Date!

I am behind again on blogging, go figure. Last week katelyn and I met up with Mary Kathryn and James for lunch. I didnt do too well on taking pictures, but Hardy got a few, so here they are. It was great to be able to meet up halfway, so neither child had to be in the car for forever. James is getting so big and he is a happy baby too! Katelyn tried to feed him goldfish, but he isnt quite big enough to eat those yet, though he has more teeth than Katelyn and he is only 6 months! ha! It was great seeing yall and I will do better at pictures when we meet up again, which i think will be Katelyn's bday!

An Afternoon with the Cousins

David has many cousins on his mom's side of the family and we have been trying to get together with the ones that live in Winston Salem for awhile, but we are all some busy people! So we found a day for lunch that worked and headed to Winston. Leslie and Will have a daughter Anna who is 2 1/2. She and Katelyn had fun playing, swinging, and playing in the sand box! Sarah was able to make it too, but her husband Jason is a coach and had to be at the state finals, we missed seeing you Jason!

It was a great lunch and afternoon hanging out and watching the girls play. We will have to get together again soon and for longer! The girls both needed naps so we had to call it a day.

Katelyn and Anna playing inside.

Swinging!

The girls in the sandbox, Katelyn still loves to eat sand.

The cousins!

The girls!

Will and Anna on the swing.


Katelyn down the slide!