Big Sister Changing 1st Diaper

Here is a video clip of McKenzie changing her first diaper. It was even poopy! She did a full peepee diaper change the next night. She is turning into quite the little helper, between temper tantrums!

Can't wait to see you all in August. We will be very busy during our short one week visit, but hope to see you all on August 15th at 430 at Mom's and Dad's. If you would like to contribute you can contact Mom for more info! Email or call me if you need her contact information.

Big Update

It has been forever since I updated this. I am sorry!! Things have been so busy around here! Madisyn is now 12 weeks old and McKenzie is 3 1/2 yrs. Time flies. At Madisyn's 2 month appoint she was 9 # 12.5 oz and 22 inches long. She has reflux, but it seems to be well managed on Prevacid. She still is a spitter, it just does not seem to burn her as it comes up. Kenzie is adjusting to the big sister role pretty well. She still has her moments when she wants to be the baby to get the "extra" attention, but she has started helping more. She even changed her first diaper this week. She has found that the pool is her new favorite place to be on a hot day. She is quite the little fish. She got a new swim vest and she is all over the place unassisted. Madisyn likes the pool too, but we have to keep her covered so the hot LA sun does not touch her white skin! Madisyn started sleeping through the night this week. She goes to bed around 930 and wakes up at 700. She is still taking good naps for the most part too. Daddy is continuing to lose weight and improving his PT test. He passed the pushups and situps, but was unable to pass the run. He did improve his time though. He went to the doctor today for the large bump/mass he has just below his knee. The doctor thinks he has Osgood Slaughter's disease. They are going to maintain the walking profile for 30 more days and do an MRI, but he may end up on a permanent walking profile which means he can easily pass the PT test because he has already shown that he can pass the walking part twice. I am still recovering from my staple removal. The surgery went great and as soon as I get these stiches out of my foot. I will finally be able to wear regular shoes again! YAY! The surgeon was wonderful. There is very little discomfort, bruising, or swelling. Stitches come out Thursday. I have increased my work load. I am working about 3 hours Tuesday through Saturday. Mckenzie is finally completely potty trained with the exception of night time accidents. I have heard that this comes in its own time. She has not had a daytime accident in a long time, in fact I cannot even remember the last time. Our house in Indiana still has not sold. We are working with the Mortgage company in hopes that we can short sell it and just be done with. The in-laws did not move in to rent it like was originally planned, unfortunately! Joe's truck is still broke down. It has been one thing after another! First the head gasket's before we left, then the tires once it got down here, and now the fuel pump is out. I pray that it can be completed before August because that is what we need to come home for leave. We are bringing the dog home with us and there is not enough room in the car for the four of us and the dog plus all our luggage, etc. Well I have to go, McKenzie is throwing another one of her fits! IMAGINE that. Terrible 3's, oh boy, she is giving me a real run for my money!!

Family Swim Fun

Just wanted to add a quick blog with some pictures of our family fun day at the swimming pool. Joe promised Kenzie that if she was good for me while he worked his 24 hour shift that he would take her to the pool on his day off. So since she was good for the most part with only minor 3 year old incidences, we all went to the pool this afternoon and had a blast! Even Madisyn got in the water and she actually liked it. I figured she would scream because it was a little cold at first, but she put her feet right in and even kicked around a little. She never cried just moved around in the water and kept her eyes wide open watching all of us. She is going to be a little fish this summer! Too bad we can't have floats in the pool. I think she would really enjoy that. Well I have to run, Madi is already in bed and if I want to sleep, I gotta get there too! We love you. Enjoy the fun pictures.

Our Visitors

Nana with Madi


Papa Bill, Deaster, and the girls.

Papa Bill and Madi

Papa Bill and the girls

Just wanted to say Thank you to all the visitors that we had last month! Each and every one of you were so helpful and the girls have been spoiled rotten for the last month. They won't know what to do this month, LOL. Here are some pictures from their visits. Unfortunately I don't have many on my camera, all the pictures were taken with their cameras so hopefully we will be getting more pictures from Mom and Ashley and Jackie as they settle back in at home.

Thanks again everyone! We love you.

The Dust Has Settled

Matching outfits, Thanks GiGi

Looks kinda like daddy here

Big Girl in her big girl crib.

Playing with her toys

First time in a swim suit

First bath, finally done!

First bath

Peaceful baby

First time in pool this summer

Kenzie's sand box doubled for a mini pool.

Aunt Ashley joining Kenz for a dip.

Emma got her hair cut when she arrived.

Well, the dust is finally starting to settle. Madisyn is getting on a routine and therefore, Mommy has begun to settle into a little normalacy and routine with respect to herself and both the girls. The last of our month long of visitors left last Wednesday and although it was SOOOO nice having each and everyone of them out it has been nice to be able to establish a routine and begin to figure out how life is going to function with just the four of us. I admit, it was SO much easier when we had the extra sets of hands here to help, but I think I can do this. My mom ordered me some priceless resources while she was here which came this week and Joe and I will start studying this week hopefully. (Preschool Wise and Growing Kids God's Way) I love the baby wise series and have implemented it with Madisyn already so I can't wait to see what they have to say about preschoolers. Kenzie is definitely the one giving me a run for my money at the moment. She is very energentic and attention seeking at the moment. She does not understand while mommy can't just STOP feeding Madisyn and attend to her right now!

Madisyn had her one month appointment this week and she weighs 7 lbs and 5.5 oz. Amazing how she has grown in the last few weeks! Her personality is starting to show and she often times after a feeding will spend up to one hour awake smiling and playing. She is starting to reach for toys, but can't understand why she can't get them in her mouth. LOL. She, like McKenzie was, is quite the spitter, but she is gaining weight well and does not seem to be in pain all the time like Kenzie so the pediatrician is not too concerned.

McKenzie had her one year ENT checkup. Her right tube was out of the eardrum and in the canal so the MD removed it. The left tube is still in place and functioning so he is just going to recheck her in three months. He said that the right eardrum looked healthy and she could go about her summer water activities with no restrictions other than swimming under water for long periods of time. She has quite the imagination and now pretends that her babies, animals, and even us all have tubes that she has to pretend remove. McKenzie is also growing so fast. She is out of diapers/pullups during the day and strictly wearing big girl panties. We have an accident every once in a while, but she has even been POOPING in the toilet, which has been our struggle! I am so proud of her!!

We went swimming as a family for the first time this summer on Saturday. The new community pool is very nice and really was not that full. There were only a hand full of families there at 6 pm on a Saturday which surprised me! Kenzie really enjoyed the fountains and the umbrella rain as she called it. She does not seem to be afraid of the water at all and even held her breath and went under. Madisyn went in only while being held in the sling. I was trying to limit her sun exposure so she slept inside the shade of the sling while I went in the water. We got her butt and below wet and she slept through it so she must not mind too much. My goal is to expose her to the water as soon as possible so she is not scared like McKenzie was at first.

Well I better go. The babies are both in bed and my quiet time won't last much longer. We love you all and miss you so much!