My life

Hello. This is Kate. What am I up to lately? All my adoring fans are wondering, aren't they?
For starters, I just went to the mountains with my family and my Grammie and Pop-pop and my uncles and aunt. I was spoiled by all the snuggling and the attention. Even though I was sick, I still had a lot of fun. It was cold at night! I kept waking up too early in the morning because I am used to warmer weather. I loved wearing warm clothes and now I am addicted to socks.

I also got very good at sleeping in my pack n' play. Good thing I practiced all last week, because this coming weekend I am going back up to the mountains with my friends, Drew and Bella. I am going to try to sleep better next time for Mommy. When I got home I slept from seven thirty all the way until almost six, so I think I paid her back. Yesterday I even took my first two hour nap, so I might still be catching up.

I am very smiley right now and love to play with my hands. I suck on my knuckle when I can't find my pacifier. I like to blow bubbles and squeal with delight when my friends and family make faces at me. I can do a lot of things now. I even do Pilates by lifting up my legs and tummy like I am doing the Teaser. Marmie would be so proud of me!

My other favorite exercise is swimming. I still love to swim every day even though yesterday it was very cold. I watch Mommy blow bubbles and I tried to put my face in the water too! But I didn't realize I shouldn't breathe in when I put my nose underwater. I am still learning how to hold my breath. I figured out I can kick my legs and get a lot of wiggles out. That way I am very tired for bedtime.

I am also growing a lot right now. Everytime Mommy nurses me, I am getting longer and fatter. I am still skinny though because I am tall enough for my 3 month clothes but they are a little baggy on me. I haven't lost any hair, so I must be keeping this 'do for a while. Mommy thinks that I have hair like Tante Em because it is brown, blond and some little red highlights.

On Monday, Mommy had me do this strange thing with her. There was a bright screen with a moving picture. There was a familiar voice but I am not sure I know how to look at them through a computer. They were moving very fast. I still haven't figured it out. Mommy calls it Skype and apparently we are talking to Marmie. When my eyes get better I will start to smile at them too

Well, I have to go now. I need to eat my snack. I am diving for it. I'll tell you if I get there all by myself.

In Memorium

On early Tuesday morning, Travis' grandfather, Robert Brown, passed away in his sleep from complications of emphysema and other health issues, in Davenport, Iowa. We grieve over his loss for both ourselves, having lost Travis' and my last living grandfather, and for the Brown family. I had the honor of meeting him last spring and was grateful to have met the man through which God used to give me my husband.

Golf

Before Kate was born, Travis and I came home from our trip to San Diego by way of the outlets in Palm Desert, CA. We hit upon that actually-worth-it-outlet-sale at the Izod store, where they had great golf attire for 60-80% off. Travis bought me a postpartum golf outfit that we had the opportunity to try out on Sunday before we left Show Low. My man let me drive the golf cart on a beautiful sunny day while Grammie watched Kate and allowed me some much needed uninterrupted time with Travis.

My morning 'do

On vacation, and every morning for that matter, it is an adventure of wings, curls and frizz...and we love crazy Kate hair.

Sleeping Beauties, Part 2

Both are working on their beauty sleep...I think Kate might win. Doesn't he look good practicing with his niece, though?

According to...

Travis: "We buffet our body in order to enjoy the buffet" Here we come steak house :)

Vacation Diet Deal

You see, Travis and I haven't exactly been Mr. and Mrs. Fitness the past couple months. He was finishing school, I've been finishing up the postpartum exercise exile. So...we have a few pounds to lose. We made a deal with all sorts of rules about eating here on vacation, using it as an opportunity for extra exercise...exercising self-control too. But we got a little waylaid. We went to the grocery store to restock some "borrowed" items from our friend's fridge, and this deal was too good to pass up: buy two, get three free. Oops. Notice the extra case of Dr. Pepper. That is Travis and my weakness when it comes to soda. But who could refuse all those free cases??

Show Low Attire

An outfit from Tante Em came in handy here in cooler temperatures. We love the little brown stripe leggings that came with the Target outfit she bought for Kate.
All of the days are around 85 but the nights get downright cold for us desert folk, dipping down into the 60s.

Happy Birthday Grammie!

Little Miss Blue Eyes

This says it all

And we're off...

Packing for vacation has a whole new meaning. Who do you think needed the most room in the car??

Kate's Packing List
clothes
pajamas
cloth diapers
diapers
wipes
endless blankets and sheets
hats
socks
towel
bathing suits
stroller
pack and play
carseat
bouncy seat
products
hair bows and barrettes
breastfeeding pump and accessories
bottles
bike pump for stroller tires

Mommy's List
clothes
shoes
toiletries
books

If we had another child, the golf clubs won't make it :)

Slings

There has been some interest in the sling that I am wearing in my profile picture. I speak highly about them, since the "fussy hour" with a newborn can be greatly improved...you can cook dinner, fold laundry, do your makeup, even go to the bathroom!!! And there are no complicated buckles, straps or instructions...just slip your arm through, put it over your head and voila...freedom. My little Kate loves it since she is a wiggler and she loves being snuggled tightly. My friend, Heather, makes them, but recently shut down her website. To receive a pdf of her various fabric choices, email her here at: sleekmama@live.com

Sleeping Beauty

I grabbed these shots when Kate was taking her first two hour nap since week 2...and I'm posting while she's taking her second ??? Hopefully this won't mean another midnight bedtime like last night. It was worth it to snap these shots.

Happy Birthday Tory!

Milestone reached...

Life has begun again.
Travis the week before school was done:Travis & I after at the graduation party... Congratulations love on your (first :) post-graduate degree... We're glad your back!

Little smiles

Isn't it wonderful that God coordinates the week of smiles with the peak week of fussiness? You couldn't do one without the other (although lunches out with people help too :)

The first of the "lasts"

Since life around here is about endings and beginnings...here's one of our recent "lasts"...we had our LAST newborn diaper. Little miss 10lbs has outgrown those Pampers Swaddlers. Look at those little rolls overflowing those little legs !

Big girl updates

We went for our second visit yesterday-- a little late due to some insurance confusion-- and at almost 6 weeks, Kate is 10lbs 9oz and 22 1/2 inches long... She grew 2 1/2 inches since birth and has gained 2 1/2 pounds. Her poor little head though is still small-- only in the 25% percentile.. Mommy didn't mind that on the way out though in the beginning either. But everything else is 70-75% percentile.
She is also smiling a lot;but we haven't been quick enough with the camera the last couple of days to catch it. She definitely recognizes different voices like mine and Travis' and responds in kind with smiles. She is also finally finding her voice and cooing a little more than grunting. A real accomplishment for our little "piglet" who grunted her way through the first 6 weeks. She has great head control and can scooch around in her crib if she is left to cry. She loves water and goes in the pool almost everyday. After the pool and a shower, she falls asleep so fast, I can't get her in the crib fast enough.
Together we are working on a schedule. Getting to bed is quite a feat since we are trying to aim for a 7:30pm bedtime. Some nights it works and sometimes it doesn't, like last night after shots. And most mornings she wakes up at 4am for a feeding and then goes back to sleep. I am one lucky mom. And she is a great little girl.

Tummy Time

Another heirloom hand-me-down was a colorful quilt my mom bought for me in Brattleborough, Vermont. Kate loves the colors and although she can't stand to be on her belly yet, she likes to look at it from the Boppy, where she kicks her little legs and rocks the pillow back and forth.

Heirlooms

A few of the most precious gifts I have received for Kate are some antique clothing that were preserved and passed down through my Mom's family. Kate is the fifth generation of firstborn girls born of firstborns on my mother's side. In this picture she is wearing one of three handsewn embroidered muslin dresses: one in pink, one in blue, and one in white. They each have a sleeveless petticoat and a matching short-sleeve dress. All the embroidery is in the tiniest stitches I have ever seen and each is uniquely beautiful. Most little girl clothing available is adorable, but there is something poignant about dressing your daughter in her grandmother's infant outfits. When I put on those little dresses, I am reminded of the history into which she is born. It isn't about the clothing; it is about the inheritance of God's blessing and love poured out through the generations. She inherited several other dresses as well, but they are still too large. I look forward to putting those dresses on her in the coming months and year and being able to remember what true beauty really looks like: continuing by God's grace the wonderful heritage of serving the Lord as godly women.