Quiet morning

Sydney found the Lazy Susan, and pulled a few things out to play with. =)

Austin made a bed on the ottoman. After I took this picture, he acted like he was sleeping =)

Austin playing with Sydney, they're so sweet

Happy girl!

Crawled to the back door to check on Petey

Today I have to take Sydney to get her 1 year shots. She's NOT going to be very happy with me I'm afraid. After that, I have another appointment for her at 3:45. Other than that, not too much going on. I rearranged my living room, and Tif helped, so Bryant didn't have to do ANY of it. I love it. Completely opens up the living room and doesn't make it feel so closed in.

I've been getting a few boxes packed here and there. Hopefully if I do this, things won't seem so stressful at the end when we're trying to get out of here. I'm going to have to clean the house before we leave, so I'm hoping that we can have everything boxed up and ready so I can get cleaning. We'll probably be in TLF for a few nights while I clean, and then we'll have our inspection and be outa here. (Not until October, remember)

Rick and Dee will be here either tomorrow night, or we will be meeting them at the Bruneau Dunes Wednesday for a few nights. They're wanting to camp for a couple nights out there, and then we'll all come back to our place. They'll head out Monday morning for a show in Weizer, Idaho. This will be Sydney's first camping trip- so we'll see how that goes. It will also be Petey's first camping trip... eek! It's been HOT here lately, and this morning it's already boiling... so hopefully we don't die out there! =)

July 1st we'll be heading to Oregon to see Connie, Paul, Dad, Nancy, and Grandma and Grandpa Hines. We're really excited... it's been awhile since we've been that way- and it will be so nice! Maybe I will get to do some wine tasting again, HINT HINT! =)

Oh- and if you are planning on breaking in while we're away I have a few rules. 1. Good luck getting past the gate. 2. Please mop my floors while you're here- I hate doing it. and 3. Wave at the camera on the way out so I know you stopped by. That's all.

Anyhow- Just wanted to do a small update- hope everyone is doing well!

xoxo

k.

Small update

Just a couple things real quick!

Paul is in surgery... SO PRAY! Pray for Paul, for his healing, for his recovery.... pray for Connie, for peace inside her, for comfort.... pray for the surgeon, for wisdom, knowledge, and precision. They have another tough road ahead of them, and I can't even imagine how they must feel.

On another note- Sydney had her ENT appointment today. Her left ear was okay today, but will need a tube inserted in her right ear. She is scheduled for the 25th of this month. We won't know until the evening before what time she will be going in. The nurse said that they go from youngest to oldest, so she figures Sydney will be the first surgery of the day. Which means our check in time will be 6am. Hopefully this will help her tremendously! Suppose to be a quick procedure, and she will go home same day and just be sensitive to noise for awhile.

Just wanted to jot that down before I forgot!

xoxo
k.

Letter to Sydney

To my beautiful Sydney Linn:



You are One today. It's such a bittersweet day for me as a Mom.



You were brought into this world a month early, with worried sick parents. Your birth story is definitely one for the books. But, just as you have proven to be, you were so perfect, in every way. I remember laying in the operating room, holding my breath, waiting for the first wail to come from your lungs. I've never heard such a glorious sound, never in my life. Tears flowed from my eyes when the nurses said you were as healthy as you could be. I know you weren't the first preemie baby ever born, nor will you be the last, but you were my preemie baby, and I was so scared.



In one year, you have completely changed my life. You have filled a hole that I didn't realize I had. You have brought smiles to my face, love to my heart, and joy to my life. You have such a sweet soul, happy giggles, and warming smiles. I can't imagine my life without you now.



It took you 11 months to finally start sleeping through the night. 11 months to crawl, and 11 months for you to let mommy put you down. And as much as I wanted you to sleep, as much as I wanted you to crawl, and as much as I wanted my time without you attached to my hip, I did love it. I loved having you need me, I loved the closeness we have because of it. I love the way you look at me, the way you won't take your eyes off of me once you spot me.



And now, I love that you crawl around the house looking for me if you hear me. You crawl right up to me feet and raise your arms and open and close your hands to tell me to pick you up. I love the way you wrap your arms around me, and squeeze so tight.



And also, you not only sleep through the night, but just yesterday, you slept until 2:10pm. You have turned out to be a wonderful sleeper. You take one great nap per day, sometimes two, although shorter. You go to bed between 7:30 and 9pm each night, and usually wake no earlier than 9am. You are definitely making up for 11 months of no sleeping. I won't lie, I'm okay with that!



You despise baby foods now, and haven't eaten any in about 3 weeks. You love everything I put in front of you. I don't think I've found a food yet that you don't promptly shovel right into your mouth. You LOVE LOVE LOVE pears, and would eat a whole can at one sitting if I'd let you. You hate drinking from sippy cups, and will only drink out of cups that have a straw. If I let you drink my water from a straw, you hardly ever swallow it because it's so cold. You just let it run right out of your mouth. You enjoy stealing food of your brothers plate when we're out eating, and that makes him mad.



You love our dog Petey. You don't mind his kisses, and especially love pulling his ears. You squeal with delight when he comes around to play by you. He's so gentle with you, even when you poke his eyes, pull his ears & tail. You think it's just the funniest thing.



You love love love your big brother too. Your whole face lights up when he comes into the room, and you squirm to get near him. He plays peek-a-boo with you, and you laugh so hard. I hope you two will be close, and love and respect each other throughout your lives.



You have also finally taken to daddy. For awhile you were such a mommy's girl that you wouldn't have anything to do with anyone but me. But now, now, you can't get enough. You laugh endlessly with him, and a lot of times give him kisses before you do me. When I walk down the stairs with you after nap time, and you see a glimpse of him, your whole face turns into one huge smile. You definitely have him wrapped around your finger, remember that, and take advantage! =)



At one year, you are in size 5 diapers, 12-18 month clothing, and have endless leg rolls. I am so okay with that, they are absolutely adorable. You are crawling, and pulling yourself up on anything that's larger than you are. You can say Mama, Dada, Bubba, Nana, and Dog. Other words that have escaped your mouth a couple times are Papa, and Book. You are not the chatterbox that your brother was at your age, as far as actual vocabulary goes, but you are very very vocal in your own little language. You babble a lot if the mood strikes you, and love hearing your own squeals. You also love smacking your lips, and think it's the cats meow when you do this while eating. You do a little scrunch face all the time while breathing heavy through your nose that always has everyone in stitches. You have 3 upper teeth, with 2 more coming in; and have 2 lower teeth with 2 more coming in there as well. You have had endless ear infections your first year of life, and the talk of tubes are in your future. You also love the show Barney and just realized by accident that you love Yo Gabba Gabba as well. (groan from mommy)



Anyways baby girl, I just wanted you to know all the things you have been doing your first year of life- I hope you will love looking back at these letters and reading about yourself as a child. Remember, you are beautiful. You are strong. I love you more than you know, and I will always, always be by your side. I will be your friend, but remember, that I'm your mom first and foremost. Sometimes you'll need tough love, even if you don't think so. But don't let that shadow my love for you.

You are an amazing little girl, and my life without you would not be the same. I love you beautiful girl, so so much.

I love you,

Mommy

Some pictures real quick

I know it's been awhile, I apologize... things seem to be crazy around here, and a little busy. We made the trip back to Washington for Sydney's 1st Birthday party, and it was a great trip. Had some awesome family time, and trekked up to Leavenworth for a day and had a blast. The kids did great & had such a fun time with Nana, Papa, Unc and Auntie. Got a little bit of friend time in with Chelsea & Chris, had Sydney's Birthday Bash, and then back to Mountain Home we came. Kind of a quick trip, but worth it in every way! Here are a few pictures from our trip... Blogger decided that this is all it wanted to let me upload today, so this is all you get for now=)

My wonderful parents at the Fish Hatchery in Leavenworth

Me & my baby girl

Unc & Austin

Mom, me and Sydney at the Fish Hatchery

Austin getting a piggy back ride from Auntie

Me, Sydney and Nic (Unc)

Sydney loving her Unc

Caught Bryant playing with Sydney's birthday toys =)

My mom has a new camera with a WONDERFUL setting on it... it makes you look really skinny... HAHA! =)

Family picture at Sydney's FIRST birthday!!!

She LOOOOVED her cake =)

Happy girl eating lunch!

The cake I made her!

Austin eating breakfast & chocolate milk from Auntie

Sydney has learned how to throw fits =)

All I did was tell her "no no"

Kids in the bath & Petey wanting to jump in

Sydney got into the snack bag... she had fun =)

Austin loved Unc's remote control truck from when he was little.

Sydney hanging with Grandma GG

Sydney's birthday portraits.

Happy 1st Birthday baby girl!!!!

She's a doll!

What a beautiful girl! Sitting in the chair that her Great Uncle Harland made her!

Definitely blessed with this little girl =)

I will load more pictures up soon, so check back!

xoxoxo

k.

Wordless Wednesday

Thursday already?!

Wow, I'm slacking on posts this week, eh? Geeze! This week has seriously flown by! A few things to update on, and then if I feel like it, I'll do my regular Thankful Thursday.... if not, eh, there's always next week. =)

At the beginning of this week, Monday to be exact, Austin's cold was turning into a nasty cough. And Monday morning, each time he coughed (a crackly sounding cough) he kept saying it was hurting, while holding his chest. So I got him an appointment immediately (I know, hell must have frozen over) and got him in that day at 3:30. No phenomena, thank God, but I did end up leaving with a script for him for Nasal Spray. We have to give him nasal spray 2x a day for 10 days. The Pediatrician said that he didn't even know how Austin was breathing through his nose the little bit that he was because it was so full. So Hopefully giving him nasal spray will help his allergies and in turn help his colds. I am still watching him pretty close on this said cough though- it's still kicking his booty.

While at Austin's appointment, I asked the doc to take a peek in Sydney's ears, just for peace of mind for me. He said it wasn't a big deal, but that if something was wrong that I would have to make a separate appointment... go figure. Anyhow, her ears were full of fluid again, big shocker there, eh? So he went and made her an appointment for the next day at 1:30. Got her in, and she's back on antibiotics. I guess a stronger one this time, and I am to give it to her 3x a day for 10 days. He also put in a referral to an ENT. He said that he expects she will be getting tubes, which is what we have been thinking for the past couple months. He looked back over Sydney's history and said that it looks like her ears haven't drained since January. Duh Doc, that's why I keep coming in.

Anyhow, that seems to be the news on this end. We've only got 5 months left until Bryant leaves for Greenland- and it is starting to seem a little surreal. While it is starting to sink in for him, it hasn't for me yet. I know he's leaving, but it just doesn't seem real yet. I've started going through cabinets and closets pulling out things we haven't used or even touched in a year or more and chucking it all in a pile for a garage sale this Summer. I have a few boxes and will be boxing up the closet under the stairs today. I'd rather get things done earlier than later. Pick your jaws up off the floor, thank you.

Gotta get back to work, maybe Thankful Thursday will wait for a few hours.

xoxo

k.

Before I Was a Mom

Mothers Day 2010

Before I was a Mom,

I never tripped over toys

or forgot words to a lullaby.

I didn't worry whether or not

my plants were poisonous,

I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom

I had never been puked on,

Pooped on,

Chewed on,

Peed on.

I had complete control of my mind

and my thoughts,

I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom

I'd never held down a screaming child

So doctors could do tests,

or give shots.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours into the night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,

I never held a sleeping baby just because

I didn't want to put her down.

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces

When I couldn't stop the hurt.

I never knew that something so small

Could affect my life so much.

I never knew I could love someone so much.

Before I was a Mom

I never knew the feeling of

having my heart outside my body.

I didn't know how special it could feel

to feed a hungry baby.

I didn't know that bond

between a Mother and her child.

I didn't know that something so small

Could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom

I had never gotten up in the middle of the night

Every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.

I had never known the warmth,

the joy,

the love,

the heartache,

the wonderment

of the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn't know I was capable

of feeling so much,

Before I was a Mom.