Kinlee Carene

Time to combine

2010-02-27T08:25:00.001-06:00

It's getting harder to have posting time for ANY of the blogs, let alone three of them. And since most things Kinlee does at this point include the rest of us, I've decided to transfer her news to the JustRK blog, with appearances, of course, on BraskaBear as well.

I'm going to be having her blog printed in book form to have for her first-year memories. So this will be the last post on this blog. I hope that if you're a follower here and not on the others already, you'll join us over there.

Thank you for following Miss KiKi through her first year!! She's sure to continue adventures worth blogging about, so don't miss them in their new home!

Birthday books!!

2010-02-26T08:36:00.002-06:00

I found this picture today and realized it had been missed!

The girls are enjoying new books that KiKi got for her birthday from Aunt Chris. They LOVE them! Kinlee cannot get enough of books with pictures of real babies on them, so this is right up her alley. Both of the girls are BIG fans of books, though are super tough on them when left to their own "reading."

Thanks, Aunt Chris and Uncle Don! These were perfect!

1st Birthday Party

2010-02-16T09:46:00.001-06:00

Kinlee’s 1st birthday went pretty well considering the snags in the planning and schedule that happened in the days prior. Thanks to everyone who made it, and we missed those who were not able to come due to illness or schedules. I learned a lot of mini life lessons, and things will be different for the next birthday party. We didn’t do anything for Braska’s 1st, so we were in new territory. As many of you know, birthdays have never been a big deal in our families growing up, so I don’t really do themes, matchy-matchy decor, etc. Maybe when the girls are old enough to notice…which will be soon.

Here’s a couple little pics of the day and the party. Check out the video below for lots more great pics—including my little pastry chefs at work on the cake—and the famous cake eating.

Here’s the video…one of the projects I got done this week. Even got it burned on a DVD that can be watched on the TV! Fun for years to come!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

12 months

2010-02-13T19:54:00.001-06:00

I’m a little late with the comparative diaper pics, but that’s ok since it’s the last one.

She has started to close her eyes every time the camera gets ready to snap. Little booger. I have dozens of closed-eye pictures.

Still, she’s pretty cute, and sometimes even sweet.

Highlights this month: She is standing for a second or two by herself, but she’s not too interested in attempting to walk. And that’s ok with me. She’ll get there, no doubt, and I’m fine with her taking her time. Less chasing to do. Our house is going to get even smaller when she starts to walk.

She has a few signs: more, eat, milk, daddy. She does a lot of babbling and has some word approximations: more, mommy, daddy, belle, sissy, shoe, milk.

She loves her straw cup, and she eats almost everything set before her. Unfortunately, she likes to eat about anything she can find, including coins, junk on the floor, dog food, etc. We’ve had no issues yet to cause great concern, but you really gotta watch this girl.

One year down. It sure went fast!

Tuckered out

2010-02-11T15:41:00.001-06:00

I’ve got lots of pics from the birthday to share, and I hope to get those up tonight or this weekend. But for now, here’s one fresh from my phone…

We spent the morning running errands while Braska was at school, then we went to the mall after school for lunch in the food court—she enjoyed chicken and waffle fries—and a very good stop at The Children’s Place where we hit a monster sale and snagged some things for the girls, especially some things for Braska for next year! Yay! By the time we got back in the van, KiKi was out in minutes on the way home. I didn’t even take her out of her new jacket when she got home. Cute, huh? And only $2.99! Gotta love a gift card! I didn’t spend a “real” dollar anywhere.

1 year old

2010-02-09T00:06:00.000-06:00

It doesn’t seem like it’s been 12 whole months, and yet, it seems like she’s been hanging out with us for years.

Kinlee is a silly girl. She loves to laugh and make others laugh. She is a drama queen. She is very sensitive, VERY sensitive, especially to reprimands. She adores her sister and her daddy, but she is a Mommy’s girl. She will climb anything and has no fear. Until she gets up there and can’t get down. Then her world crumbles in a second.

She is lots of fun to play with and less fun to take on in a battle of wills. She will be a great sister and a challenging daughter for years to come, I’m quite sure of it. But whining and instant tear-spilling skills aside, she is a pretty good little girl, and we’ll let her hang around a while longer.

Happy Birthday, KiKi!

Did you see that?

2010-02-02T16:22:00.001-06:00

That’s what I say alot. “Did you see that?” Kinlee is everywhere. Suddenly she is climbing off the couch properly. She is attempting to get on the couch, but she can’t quite make it. She likes to climb up on little stools or pedestals or upside down boxes to stand on. She can get up in Braska’s little wooden chair properly, though. It’s weird how she can just do something one day that she couldn’t do the day before. There’s not alot of pomp, there’s not alot of practice, she just does it. I can’t get used to that. Silly kid…

Chillin’ with Uncle Patrick

2010-01-30T08:17:00.001-06:00

Kinlee went to visit Auntie Rachel and Uncle Patrick on Thursday while Braska and I had a meeting to go to and Daddy wasn’t feeling well. Uncle Patrick and KiKi are big buds, so she is always ready to go visit there. Rach took these and I thought they were pretty cute.

Her first bounce house

2010-01-27T10:48:00.000-06:00

We had a great time with Jason and Sarah and their girls on the 16th. Kinlee enjoyed the bounce house for the first time. She wasn’t sure what to think of it.

Here’s the four girls..KiKi, Katelyn, Braska, and Amber.

We also came home with a completely to-the-roof full van, toys, slides, picnic tables, etc. Thanks guys!!!

Messy face

2010-01-26T13:09:00.000-06:00

I am not great at letting Kinlee get messy when she eats. I’m just not used to it. I never had to deal with it with Braska since she’s not into food and all. So it’s very hard for me to let her cover her face and so often her hair, too, with who knows what. I keep her meals pretty unmessy in their content, but she does love pizza, so I let her go at it on her own the other day, not even sitting by her with wipes ready. I’ve come so far.

It is still amazing to take a food, cut it into small pieces and give it to her…and she just eats it! What a process this is, having a kid who eats. Way to go, KiKi!

Hand-me-downs: HalloDuck

2010-01-25T19:02:00.000-06:00

First, I realize it’s not Halloween. You don’t have to call the crazy police on me.

I just couldn’t put this away without trying it on her. She’ll be far to big by October. Truth is she is too long for it now, but we got it on her without too much tugging. I just had to have these cute comparison pics.

Kinlee 1/23/10 at 11 1/2 months.

Braska 10/31/08 at 23 months 10 days.

Fashionista in training

2010-01-24T18:04:00.001-06:00

Kinlee is looking so ready to take on the toddler world lately. She sported her cute new outfit from Miss Linda on Saturday, and she was rewarded with new shoes by Auntie Rachel.

11 months

2010-01-09T18:50:00.000-06:00

I’m a little late with this, but I kept thinking I’d retake the pics. Why?? Well, this is the best one we got.

You see my dilemma.

She is moving more and faster than is easy to deal with, and she made clear very quickly that this photo shoot thing is uncool.

Highlights this month: She’s not all that interested in walking, so cruising is still her thing right now. But she does like walking with a push toy or anything else that she can walk behind…. laundry basket, chair, toy box, Braska’s tricycle. She is very into climbing and has been falling from small heights left and right. She’s a very tough cookie, but you wouldn’t know it from her the-world-has-ended drama cries after she bonks her head even the slightest bit. Heaven forbid someone walk away from her when she wanted their attention. She will throw herself dramatically on the floor and cry as though she has been abandoned forever, never to be cared for again. We are hoping his drama queen thing is a phase, but we’re a bit concerned this may be her way for a while.

She loves to play with her sister, even more than the sister would like. They often tackle each other, Kinlee yanking Braska’s glasses off, while Braska screams “Noooooo!” and swings wildly at her, and Kinlee clings to an arm as she falls over. Sometimes it’s not a violent interaction, and they giggle and roll around on the floor together. Those are fun times. KiKi loves to play with Jack and Braska, especially at Jack’s house where they can run all over like a little train—Jack running, Braska crawling fast behind him, and KiKi bringing up the rear as fast as she can go.

This month brought some new eating experiences. She is loving a straw and prefers it for every drink except formula. She had grilled cheese, cheese pizza, and peanut butter sandwiches this month and loved them all. She loves peas and really hasn’t rejected any foods, vegetables or otherwise, though she definitely prefers finger foods, so she doesn’t have to bother with being fed with a spoon.

She’s very close to 20 lbs, getting within about a pound or possibly even less to Braska’s current weight.

Kinlee is signing more consistently and saying “moh” when she does. She also signs done along with “duh.” Other verbal words are mama, dada, beh-beh (for Belle), and sis-sis for Braska. She says hi and bye along with waving, too.

KiKi is very very busy, never slowing down, and that has included her nights. She sometimes will sleep through the night once or twice in a week, but she is usually waking at night still, rarely putting herself back to sleep. But we’re working on a new plan of tough love this week, so hopefully she’ll get the picture. I need sleep badly.

I can’t believe it’s almost been a year. Guess I better get to thinking about a birthday party!

Open doors are more fun

2010-01-06T09:39:00.000-06:00

PaPaw and Grandma C have a fun place to play that KiKi discovered this weekend. She’s looked into these places before, but suddenly she decided she could actually enter!

Notice that her sister is more interested in watching Bears football than following her. And no, we don’t let her watch this closely, just had to capture Kinlee’s adventures before we redirected Braska to her chair.

Exploring new heights

2010-01-05T15:21:00.001-06:00

No it’s not that high, but still… I was doing dishes and her banging in the drawer got quiet. And there she was. I grabbed my phone and snapped the first pic, then she took a moment to figure out how to get in and up she popped. Like “See, I can do it!”

I’m afraid this will mean that we find her in all kinds of places now… any guesses on where might be next?

Baby Christmas Dress-up

2009-12-23T11:50:00.001-06:00

Holiday time is a fun time for mommies of little girls. There are so many cute things, and thankfully, Braska has a good stash to share with KiKi. I can’t find the old pics right now of Braska in this, but I hope to….someday. Or never. We’ll see.

And this one was an outfit that says “Baby’s first Christmas” on it that we picked up a few months ago at the resale shop we love.

There’s one more, but I haven’t managed to get a picture yet. I’ll try to get to that soon since time’s running out, and it’s not cool to have a kid in “Christmas wear” post Christmas!

Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree

2009-12-12T15:31:00.001-06:00

KiKi got to participate in the photo shoot of cute p-jammies yesterday that Braska and Jack had. She didn’t want to be involved as much as we had hoped, but that’s ok.

Toward the end, she sat in the chair and decided that was kind of fun.

As we put the hat on her, she had a similar face, but it was leaning toward the unhappy side, ending up in pure torture, if you ask her. (But don’t miss Jack’s face on the left side of the pic below. Priceless!)

10 Months

2009-12-09T22:40:00.002-06:00

I’ve fallen to a new low in the Kinlee-blogging habit. I’m missing so much!!! But today it’s about 10 months. Amazing.

To help her leave the letters alone next to her, I gave her one to chew on and keep her busy. And it worked…for a little bit.

Here’s a couple video clips of the post photo shoot outtakes. I realized that I don’t take enough simple little videos of KiKi… so these are just that.

And then this one is from tonight…she didn’t do her best performance, but she’s pretty good with mama, dada, and sis-sis, and usually belle-belle too.

Stats: 18 lbs 7.5 oz, 28 inches. She’s wearing mostly 12 months, especially for length, though she can swim in the room around her in a 12 month sleeper.

Highlights from this month: This kid is eating everything, and I’m continually amazed. She likes fish, she likes veggies of all kinds. She likes chicken and rice, stroganoff, tortillas, pasta, and a variety of fruits. She can eat a whole multi-grain/fruit bar for breakfast in no time at all. She much prefers to feed herself, but she’s been better lately about taking from a spoon as well. She can drink from a straw like a pro, and she does well with an open cup too.

She is walking with only one hand assistance, and she loves going around with the walking toy or anything else she can push and walk behind…laundry basket, Braska’s tricycle, empty boxes, etc.

She is mostly sleeping through the night, but still has fairly frequent nights of waking at least once, sometimes going to sleep again quickly, sometimes not so much. She’s got 8 teeth now and I think there might be some more on the way soon.

She misses her sister when she’s at school each morning, but she’s adjusting pretty well. They do really love to play together, and if KiKi would stop yanking Braska’s glasses off her face, things would be just about adorable when they interact.

Here’s to month 11! (More posts soon!!! So many pics to share!)

Just a-shoppin’

2009-11-14T13:05:00.001-06:00

KiKi went with Rachel the other night for some errands and to play with her Uncle Patrick, and Rach snapped this with her super nifty Droid while they were out. It ranks as one of my fave pics so far.

9 months

2009-11-09T08:59:00.000-06:00

These photo sessions are getting a bit more difficult. Before I could get the first shot, she had a letter in hand. (Don’t mind the diaper that’s a little too big… ran out of our normal kind.)

Then Mommy took it away in an attempt to get a pretty shot. Yeah, that worked well.

So I gave up and let her go at them.

Highlights this month: She’s finally cruising. It seems she took a little break in her speedy development between pulling to stand and cruising. That’s ok with me, but now she’s on the move again. Several people are betting she’ll walk in the next 6 weeks… I’m not sure, but it wouldn’t surprise me. She loves to walk with two hands held, but she’s hesitant with just one.

She’s enjoying feeding herself, prefers it BY FAR to being fed with a spoon. She likes all kinds of veggies, bananas and apples, multigrain fruit bars, all kinds of crackers, breads, puffs and cereals. But as for *real* food, we’re struggling because we’re real-food challenged around here. We need to fix food she can eat, but that’s going to be a big change. It’s a process to eat less processed foods.

She’s working on teeth 5 and 6 right now, on either side of her lower front two. Here’s a peek at 5 of them.

The uppers are through, one more than the other, and the 6th tooth is just finishing cutting through. How painful must teething be?!?

In the last couple days she’s decided she wants to clap, so that’s fun. At first I thought she was trying to sign more, but it’s evolved into a flat-handed clap, so we just chime in with “YAY!” whenever she starts a’clappin’. Here’s a few seconds of her showing her new skill, though a little dark.

1st Halloween

2009-11-02T21:52:00.001-06:00

Wow, almost a month since I posted. That’s ridiculous! And I’ve got so much I’d like to document and keep track of… I just can’t get things together.

For now, I wanted to group a few shots from the last couple weeks related to the holiday. Rach got Kinlee this outfit, and it was almost too small, even though it should be too big. This kid… she’s so long! And after she fussed through the picture time, I realized her shoes weren’t fitting right anymore. Oops! They went away to the “grown out of” bin.

These were more pleasant, though she slowly crumpled to the floor. I don’t know what this is supposed to be, some little monster I guess. It was cute, from Children’s Place, and also a gift.

A week early, we went to the Trunk or Treat at Grandma C and PaPaw’s church, and the girls had a very good time.

On the 31st, we dressed again and went to our church’s festival. It was a very big deal, but mostly for kids who were a bit more mobile than our girls, so we said hi to some friends and then went to Jack’s for pictures of Jack and Braska together. Of course, KiKi is never far behind her sister. Like a little shadow…

8 Months

2009-10-09T15:29:00.003-05:00

Once again, we're here to mark another month. This will be quick since I'm borrowing M's computer again, and I don't have the same little gadgets I usually do. (Blogger is hard sometimes! Relatively, of course.)

Before baths this morning, we snapped a few pics. These little shoots are getting tougher as we go. Lie still?? Yeah right.

And Braska wanted in on the action, so in she went. Hugs and kisses are always first on the docket for her.

Then KiKi returned the favor, as she usually does, by pulling hair. Hard.

Then they were both up in about 10 seconds, ready to go. So to the bath we went.

Highlights this month: I can't even keep up. I really need to document better. She's eating pretty well again, after her little phase. She much prefers to feed herself, and gets frustrated when she can't do it all herself. But really, pureed foods, at this stage and self-feeding?? I don't think so. We're doing alot of little "meltables" and such, and she's quite good at it.

Today, she did her first cruising down the side of the couch. She loves to pull up on anything at all, and she really likes the walking toy also, and spends alot of time going around with it. Crazy girl, I just can't get used to this kind of skill with motor. It's so amazing to me. She is mimicking a little with sounds, mostly da da da when we are changing her diaper. She loves to babble with Braska. They seem to have some inside jokes, and they get tickled by something and just sit there and giggle. Too cute.

Here we come, month 9. Ready for what's next. Maybe.

Upwardly soon-to-be-mobile

2009-10-01T20:51:00.001-05:00

Yes, that’s my 7-month-old. Yes, she is standing with one hand on a walking toy. Yes, she stood up at the toy and pushed it across the room.

She is officially pulling to a stand on whatever type of surface or object she wants. She especially loves her sister’s little wooden chair.

This is her favorite way to sit, but it requires assistance.

She thinks she can manage herself, though. And she made decent progress before she got stuck.

Hopefully her speed will continue with her ability to get herself down from standing. Currently, she stands, remains there quite a while playing and chattering, then starts complaining because she wants to sit again. Unless her sister helps by knocking her over, she stays there until someone rescues her and shows her (again) how to sit down. Granted, this has all come about in like 4 days. I guess I have to give her a break.

KiKi Update: Sept 09

2009-09-25T10:35:00.001-05:00

I keep saying I need to just stop and get some stuff down, and I keep not getting it done. Story of my life lately. So while Blue’s Clues is on and both girls are entertained—detained in Kinlee’s case, in the ExerSaucer—I’m going to e-scribble down some items.

General health: She’s been great for all her 7 months, til last week. If you read the recent posts on my blog this week, you saw that she’s been a crabby mess and more difficult than usual. The pediatrician said that she has blisters on her throat, something like hand, foot, and mouth, except it’s not on her hands or feet. ?? Anyway, she said there was nothing to do but manage the sore throat that would accompany it. We saw the dr on day 8 and she said it lasted 5-9 days usually. That was Monday. It’s Friday and she’s still not herself. Not eating (solids) well, but she is a tad less fussy. Maybe it’s on it’s way out. She’s got a congested nose and upper airway, but that doesn’t seem to bother her too much. She’s loving very cold milk, so I’m guessing it feels good on her throat. If she’s not better by Monday, we’ll go back and have her throat checked again and get an updated plan.

Sleeping: She had been doing well-ish in the sleep department. She was going from about 9pm or so to about 5:30am. But when all this strangeness started the beginning of last week, she began waking 2 or 3 or even 4 times a night. Not my favorite thing. The last two nights she’s been better, but I helped by giving her some Benadryl to help with the congestion over night, and the added sleep help, of course. She’s gone from about 8:30pm til about 4am, then back to sleep and up again at 6:30am for the day. I’m so jealous of those 10 and 12 hours that some kids are blessing their parents with. Neither of mine have ever done that.

Eating: Other than her issues with her throat, she’d been doing pretty well. She’s worked her way through the veggies, except green beans… she is NOT a fan. We have barely touched on the fruits, and she’s a big fan of some of the other combos in level 2 foods, especially apples and chicken as well as sweet potatoes and turkey. I want to do more finger foods for her, because she likes to feed herself, but I’m totally at a loss as to what to give her. I’m hoping to be able to do a little research on that next week.

Milestones: She’s a champ when it comes to strength and motor milestones. She’s crawling quite fast now, she’s pulling to a stand on the couch (nothing to grip…amazing), and she moves constantly. This is not my favorite trait of hers, but we’re learning to deal. It’s exhausting. She is signing “milk” and working on “more” and “eat.”

Growth: She has outgrown everything, it seems. Her 6/9 month sleepers are too short. Two of her could fit in them for width, but she’s so darn long for her weight. She came in at 28” at the doctor’s office, only a couple ounces short of 17 lbs. Her feet are already getting close to needing her size 3 shoes. (Braska still wears some size 3.) She’s in a size 3 diaper, same as her sister. Crazy.

She’s a mommy’s girl, which is flattering, but a bit frustrating also. Hopefully, her little challenging phase will be balanced by some peaceful phase next. Delusional? Maybe I am. She’s been going to the nursery at church for a few weeks, and she seems to do ok, though she does do some crying. The people in the baby room are just wonderful, so they are very patient with her.

She loves her sister. She wants to be everywhere Braska is, often between Braska and B’s intended toy or book. She crawls down the hall to Braska’s room to find her when B sneaks away for some peace and quiet. She’s a much happier baby when Braska is present.

Overall, she’s a keeper, just one that’s going to demand more from us than Braska has. And that’s ok. She’s her own girl. We just need to adjust in ways we didn’t expect. She’s worth it though.

My little weed-ette

2009-09-19T15:41:00.001-05:00

Just a quick note to remember what the measurements were for KiKi yesterday. She weighed 16 lbs 10 oz and was 27 inches long. Long and lean, they said. Yeah, that runs in our family. Not.

Speaking of growing and development… is it possible to start the terrible 2’s at 7 months?

Little weight bearer

2009-09-16T22:25:00.001-05:00

KiKi is all about the standing. She’s been into standing on laps for a while, but now she wants to stand up everywhere. And she will only hold on with one hand, crazy girl. Amazing thing is…she can do it. She can balance herself holding onto just one hand. This girl is just bananas!

Sunday evening, ready for the Bears opener. (More on that later.)

Tuesday, ready for lots of errands and appointments.

And this was today… it blows my mind.

7 Months

2009-09-09T18:18:00.001-05:00

Once again, it’s time to mark another month passed and look forward to the next one.

7 months. Time flies.

The photo shoot today went a little less smoothly than the last few.

She giggled and grinned for about one second before she got a little giddy and all kicky-like.

Then, in her jostling around, she bumped and thereby noticed the letters….and it was over.

And what in the world??? I think we’re in for a crazy month…again.

Highlights this month: Gosh, I don’t know if I even remember them all. Army crawling, pulling to stand, crawling, transition to sitting from lying or crawling, lots of veggies and foods eaten (squash, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes with turkey, apples with chicken, lots of oatmeal cereal with pear juice, apple prune juice, and of course lots of milk). She got her first tooth and is working on the next one. She is all about NOT wanting me to leave her in a room without her sister right next to her. She and Braska are having a blast playing together and giggling alot. Kinlee loves to rip Braska’s glasses off her face. Over and over and over and over. It’s wonderful. But not so much. She is obsessed with cords, much like Braska is/was, and she’ll crawl all over the house to find just the cords you don’t want her to have.

I can’t believe how fast she grows. I get it now when everyone always says, “Oh, they just grow up so fast.” Now I get it.

Milestone: Or two or three

2009-09-06T19:27:00.001-05:00

Kinlee’s been flying through the milestones lately. I suppose she’s been doing that her whole life. I can’t get used to it, and I definitely can’t keep up with the blogging that I’d like to in order to document it. But I’ll do my best in short bits…

She had her first cereal on her 5-month birthday. She was a fan. I marveled at the fact that you could just offer her a spoon of mush and she happily opened her mouth.

I’ve never experienced such a thing!!

She did have a few faces that were kind of funny, but for the most part, she was very pleased with this new element to her routine.

At 6 months, we started introducing some veggies, touched with a tiny little bit of pears to make it a bit more enticing. She has done great with all of it except the green items. Those will have to wait a bit more. She’s a fan of squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and chicken with apples.

This past week, I gave her the little crunchy things from Gerber Graduates, and I just stared and laughed at how she just seemed to know what to do, and she enjoyed it! This is so foreign to us with Braska and her feeding refusal. I can’t believe that a kid can just take food, put it to her mouth, and eat it. Chewing! What a novel idea!!

She started army crawling just after she sat independently before she was 6 months. She’s gotten quite fast at it and she can get anywhere she wants in no time flat. And if that weren’t enough, now the girl is crawling too! She’s not even 7 months! Maybe that’s normal, maybe that’s what all kinds of babies do, but I’m amazed at this little crazy girl. No video yet, but we’ll get some. She’s still kind of wobbly and slow about her steps, but she does it.

Check out this pic I got this week, it reminded me of another and I looked back on Braska’s blog to find it.

Same hand-me-down shirt, same BabyLegs, and almost the same weight. Kinlee is the same length as Braska was in that pic, and she’s less than a pound under the weight that Braska was there. The big difference is that Kinlee was 6 3/4 months, and Braska was 16 1/2 months. Almost 10 month difference in age. So funny to me to see how similar and still different.

Bouncing Baby Girl

2009-08-28T22:04:00.003-05:00

Milestone: Toofer #1

2009-08-20T22:16:00.001-05:00

Tonight M noted that Kinlee had been drooling alot, and I said I kept thinking she’d eventually pop a tooth out. But every time we check, there’s nothing there.

This time, while I was wiping the drool away, I sneaked a feel of the gums, and holy moly…there was a tooth! It’s barely through, but the top edge is there. And it just figures, we were at the pediatrician today for her 6-month check and when she asked about teeth, I said, “Nope, none yet, but she sure keeps acting like they’re on the way.” Well, I suppose I was right.

No pictures yet, it’s not easy to get a glimpse at this point, but bottom front, one tooth. We’ll take it.

(And for record keeping purposes, she was 15 lbs 12 oz today—though that scale is not to be considered trusty in my book—and she was 26 3/4 inches. She got her shots and was a champ, getting another assessment of “perfect!”from Dr. A.)

Shopping upright

2009-08-13T23:36:00.001-05:00

Today’s trip to Wal-Mart was the first opportunity to see if Kinlee’s new sitting skill was ready for the cart. Since they don’t have any of those double-kid carts, I figured with two miniature girls they would both fit in one. And they did, for a while.

Then there was pinching and pushing and screaming on both parts for all of about 20 seconds. After a minute or two of me walking through the baby department holding 2 girls while trying to push the cart, things went better with Kinlee in the seat and Braska in the basket. B thought that was pretty darn fun, and once I convinced her she shouldn’t stand up in there, she was good to go. Kinlee did GREAT at holding on and looking around the whole time!

These girls are growing up so fast…especially this KiKi one!

Milestone: First Big Girl Bath!

2009-08-12T10:16:00.009-05:00

Yesterday, Kinlee got to experience her first bath sans Bumbo or baby tub. She was hesitant at first.

But she ended up liking it enough that she insisted on going back in after I had taken her out at one point. She had tipped over and scared herself, and as she was sitting on my lap watching Braska and calming down, she practically dove back in. She squiggled and wriggled herself almost off my lap in no time, so I put her back in, and this is how it went... (for Reader/Feedburner subscribers, there's a movie clip next, in case it doesn't show up.)

6 months

2009-08-09T23:32:00.000-05:00

We were in Arkansas for KiKi’s six-month birthday, but I remembered to take a pseudo-matching pic to the rest of the months. But I forgot the letters, so they’re a post-production edit. Maybe I’ll pose one even though it’s not on “the day.”

Highlights this month: Sitting up!!!! That’s the big one. And she’s progressed so quickly in liking to be on her hands and knees and rocking. It’s just amazing to me every single time… She had her first baby cereal, and she’s a fan! No veggies or fruit yet, but they are right around the corner. She had her first road trip, including a 10-hour driving day, and she was fairly convinced she would NOT survive, I’m sure. Her interactions with Braska get more aggressive and adorable every day, though she will have to learn to defend herself very soon. At last weight, on 8/6 she was 15 lb 8 oz.

Halfway to 1. I can’t hardly believe it!

Milestone: Sit up and go

2009-08-05T13:52:00.001-05:00

I have missed SO many of this girl’s firsts. She just hits them so darn fast!!! And by the time I’ve found time to document one, there’s another one, and another one. And I’m just so far behind.

BUT…This one can’t be missed. I’m just so surprised at this superhero strength!

I went to pick up the girls at Mom’s Monday and here’s what I found. A little girl who sits up and plays with toys. So far her record is about 10 minutes! At 5 1/2 months. Sitting up. Wow. Maybe that’s “normal,” maybe it’s not. But I think it’s amazing, and we tell her so quite often. She has been propping up for a week or so, but not for long. Then she goes to Mom’s for 4 days and there it is! Figures….

But does it stop there??? Nope. Check out our overachiever! (I still don’t trust her not to topple forward.) She likes to get on all fours and rocks back and forth!

”Look, Mommy, I told you I could do it!”

KiKi is all over the room now, she can get herself where she wants to go with rolling, scooting, and something like an inchworm crawl. Look out world!

Keeping up with Kinlee

2009-07-24T16:33:00.000-05:00

I'm aware that the readers of our blogs are not all on the same level of geekhood or tech ability, so we've got something new to share to make keeping up with our blogs simple.I talk about Google Reader alot. It keeps me from having to check blogs when there haven't been any posts. I receive notification of new posts on blogs I choose to watch. I like it, I use it, and I don't quite know why everyone doesn't. But for those of you who don't have alot of blogs to watch or just choose not to go the Reader route, there's a new option for you on our family blogs (RK's, Kinlee's, and Braska's).

In the margin, you'll see a box that has "Enter your email address" in it. This allows you to receive blog posts in your email so that you don't have to keep coming to check the blog when it's not being updated every day...something I still aim to return to soon. Just enter your email in there and that's it. When there's a new post, it will come to your inbox and you can read it there. To make a comment, there will be a link to bring you to the blog itself.

Nifty, huh? We aim to please.

I wanna hug!

2009-07-13T15:57:00.001-05:00

Kinlee is becoming much more aggressive, or maybe assertive... I don't know. Maybe both at different times. But since Braska likes to climb on her to give her kisses and hugs, she's begun to take advantage of the times when Braska's in reach to return the favor, usually involving some hair-pulling by Lil Sis. Can't wait to see how these two interact as they both get more mobile. I am in for some referee time, I'm sure of it.

Here's a few recent pics of their silliness... or love...yeah, love, that's what I meant.

5 months

2009-07-09T12:38:00.000-05:00

How can it be, but it is... Kinlee's 5 months old today. For some reason, she felt this was a good time to stand up straight (ok, lie down straight).

The photo session deteriorated quickly as she is far too curious to just hang around when she could be grabbing letters and things.

Highlights this month: Kinlee is having so much fun in her exersaucer. She will turn all around and spends much of her time in it standing while she plays. Standing!!! What? I don't know what to do with such a super-hero-strength baby! She is loving playing with her sister, especially pulling Braska's hair whenever she can. Kinlee is very good at squirming and rolling herself into uncomfortable positions on the floor and in her bouncy seat. She's getting close to 15 lbs, and she will have her first cereal today. She loves to put things in her mouth and chew them til they are dripping with slobber! She tells alot of stories that we hope to be able to decipher soon.

All in all, she is a pretty good baby, very rarely difficult (though she does have her moments), and we're ready to see what the next month holds.

Hammock time

2009-07-03T23:28:00.002-05:00

While Braska was swinging with Miss A for part of her PT visit, Kinlee tried out the hammock all by herself. And it was a hit. She loved it! She relaxed and just hung out. She did figure out that there was a neat perspective to be had by looking down at Belle through the rope.

Happy face

2009-07-01T23:05:00.001-05:00

Kinlee's one smiley, giggly little girl. No complaints here, of course. It's fun to see her get so excited when Braska comes up to give her a kiss or when I walk in to get her out of her crib.

I have lots of update-ish things I'd like to get recorded here, but I'm not finding any time for blogging like I'd like. So for now, I'll just say that KiKi was 14 lbs 3 oz last week, 26 inches long. That's funny to us because Braska was barely 15 lbs at one year old. Amazing.

Chatterbaby

2009-06-29T13:50:00.001-05:00

I'm trying to do better at keeping up with Kinlee and her development, but she's so darn fast! The new things come one right after another. I'm very thankful that she's doing so great, but I realize now what a blessing it is to have time to enjoy each stage and accomplishment for a bit as we do with Braska.

I've not captured nearly as many things on video as I'd like, so I'm trying to get a few things to share...though these might be mostly interesting to grandparents. Fair Warning... baby videos coming.

To start with...she's decided to tell us what's in that little head with some funny babbling, incessant sometimes. But I think it's cute...

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Daddy and KiKi

2009-06-21T00:03:00.000-05:00

The first plaid

2009-06-19T10:32:00.002-05:00

I think it's a momentous occasion when a baby wears her first plaid. I don't know why, but it seems like sort of grown up or something, less baby-ish and more kid-like. I could be crazy, though.

Rachel got these outfits for the girls a while back, and they were both a little big for my dainty ones. But they fit on this try, so the girls were all decked out for church and the Buddy Walk.

This girl is pretty darn fun when she's in a good mood.

And as our Sunday ritual goes, they both get plopped in the big chair for pictures. It doesn't always go smoothly, but someday these pictures will be priceless and bring some giggles I bet.

Hanging around with Mommy

2009-06-13T15:33:00.001-05:00

I've been trying to get alot of work done, and I've succeeded to some extent. I thought this might be a win-win situation, Kinlee's with Mommy and Mommy can still do things.

But it wasn't ideal after all. It did work for a short time, so that's good. Unfortunately, I never realized how much bending over is required in most of the activities and tasks I need to do.

4 Months

2009-06-09T15:57:00.001-05:00

Once again, the 9th is here. We celebrate 4 months today.

4 months of cuddles
4 months of (more) diapers
4 months of being a family of 4
4 months of (more) Mommy fatigue
4 months of enjoying one (more) very sweet little girl

"I'm cute? Yeah, I know!"

"What do I want for my birthday?
One miiiii-lllllion dollars!"

Highlights this month: She's rolling whenever she gets the urge. She's a giggling machine, laughing when she's tickled or when she sees a silly face or hears a silly voice. She likes to play with her gym and loves her bunny. She is so aware of Braska and just lights up when she gets "kissies" from her sister. I feel weird not always knowing exactly what she weighs, since we had at least weekly weigh-ins for Braska at this age. But she is eating well, sleeping well, and she's generally pretty happy. We get alot of comments about how "good" a baby she is. She is a very social girl, not a fan of being left alone in a room. She's happy to express her dislike of my leaving her immediate visual space, but she practically kicks herself silly when I return. That's a pretty nice little welcome, I think. Right now, she's working on her bottom front teeth. She's drooling and a bit fussier than normal, chewing on her hands alot, as well as anything else around that she can grab.

It's going so fast with this one. She just DOES things. There's no working on it or practicing or teaching her how to do things. She just does it. I'm still getting used to that. I think this coming month is going to bring alot of fun.

First pool day of many

2009-06-07T21:40:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday was Kinlee's first introduction to the joy of splashing and chillin' in a crystal clear private pool. Cindy is most generous and wonderful, and she opens her pool to our family many times during the summer. Accommodations just don't come any nicer, for sure.

Of course, first there was church on Sunday morning. The girls had their first taste of matching outfits... I'm ridiculous, I know.

Cindy's got a great setting, several actually, for pictures, including a great waterfall and coy pond next to the pool. So I had to set the girls up there with Daddy for a few pics. Braska had some from last year here that we loved, so now it's kind of a tradition.

We do love seeing how much Cousin Xander has grown when we see him. He passed KiKi up long ago.

Xander has a big head. There's no getting around that fact. He is a big boy. Not fat. Just big and strong and solid. Like a football player in baby form. But when they were sitting next to each other, the difference in their heads kind of cracked us up.

Kinlee got in her suit, paused for a few pics...

Then she got in the pool with Miss Cheryl.

She took time out for a little nap after her swim.

Then she charmed PaPaw for a while.

He had a great perspective, so we aimed the camera skyward.

Hand-me-downs: First swimsuit

2009-06-06T21:47:00.000-05:00

Sunday was Kinlee's first chance for swim fashions. And she, of course, went with Braska's old suit for her first try. AND the swim hat, too. This may be Kinlee's only time in it. It was none too big.

5/31/09, 3 1/2 months old

Braska wore this one a while, with the hat of course. Enjoying the same great perch, Grandma C's lap.

7/22/07, 8 months old.

Time to buckle up

2009-06-05T10:36:00.001-05:00

Kinlee likes her bouncy seat. She's very comfy in it and is generally very happy while playing in it. When she gets tired or wants a change of venue, she kicks, squirms, and arches her back.

Normally, unless we have the seat in the more upright position, she's not buckled in. Just the way it is. But when she starts a'scootin'...

She ends up hanging off the edge or "diaper mooning" the room.

Red Nebraska Photo Shoot

2009-06-01T22:20:00.000-05:00

It was a nice day out, little cloudy, and there was a fair bit of natural light coming in. So we set up a makeshift photo drop and took some shots. We're not in a place financially to do professional shots at this point, so I'm going to use some of these for her first official solo pics. Put in your vote as to which one(s) you like best. (Use 1a or 1b for 1-5.)
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Hand-me-downs: Red Nebraska Dress

2009-05-31T10:09:00.000-05:00

Back in the day, Grandma C (AKA my mother-in-law) and Miss Karen A happened through the state of Nebraska at a particular university, if I remember correctly, and practically bought out the store of Nebraska-wear. This was one of those purchases, and it was a favorite of mine on Braska. Now it's been passed on, but I just this week remembered it and found it in a bag of things I had thought would be for later in the summer. Nope...not for this chickadee. She's in it now and it's almost too small already! I can't get used to this *growing* thing!

Here's KiKi on 5/26/09, 3 1/2 months old.
(More of this photo shoot to come soon in it's own post...lots of cute happened there.)

And this is Braska, 5/10/07, 5 1/2 months old.

Another shot from 5/26/09 of Kinlee.

This is one of Braska's first professional shoot pics, from 5/24/07, 6 months, 3 days old. (We cheered at how far she held her head up that day!)

This is another one of Braska, from 9/1/07, at almost 9 1/2 months.

Sisters in chairs

2009-05-29T18:46:00.000-05:00

Braska sits in her chair to watch her shows and occasionally just because she likes it. We decided to get out the Bumbo for Kinlee, and Braska moved her chair right up by her to sit next to KiKi.

But can someone tell me when Kinlee got to be a little girl and left newborn-ness behind?!?

For the then-and-now element...In the pic above, Kinlee's just shy of 4 months, and she's about 13+ lbs. Here's Braska's first time in a Bumbo. 6/12/07. She was just shy of 7 months and was 11 lbs 10 oz. She definitely had more hair though!!

Summer fashions, part 1

2009-05-28T19:17:00.000-05:00

The long sleeves and sleepers are on their way out, for weather reasons, and because this girl is ridiculously long! She needs 6-month clothes if length has to be figured in, but then they are big enough around for 3 of her inside! This is one of the last such outfits...but I thought it was still cute enough to show off.

This is one from our buddy Lillie. (I think...is that right, Jessie?? ) As are most of her summer clothes right now...

Since she doesn't really have much hair, we're doing the headband thing... not sure quite how I feel about it somedays, but it's kinda fun.

This is part of our process...trying out headbands and bows, switching it up, seeing what looks good.

This is a new fave of mine. When did she get so big??

Little fibbing baby!

2009-05-28T12:37:00.000-05:00

Hand-Me-Downs:Best blanket ever!

2009-05-26T16:09:00.000-05:00

When Braska was born, she received more than 10 hand-made blankets and afghans. Our good friend Karen K made her a blanket that I thought was great. It was so unbelievably soft and pretty, and it was a perfect weight--like not too heavy, but yet still warm enough. It quickly became my favorite blanket for Braska in bed because it would move with her and stay on her during all her wiggling in her sleep.

Braska's never really had a favorite anything. She has no real preference for a toy or blanket or doll. But I always kept this blanket consistent whether we were at home or Grandma's or at the hospital. It seemed to work for her, to calm her. This blanket became invaluable, and we never left home without it if an overnight stay was involved.

This is Braska back in early April 07 after she had been flown to Children's for severe dehydration and Rotavirus. As the helicopter was taking her from C-U to StL, I was rushing home to grab things and I made sure to grab the blanket.

This was one of our favorite pictures during that hospital stay. Braska's little toes peeking out through the blanket weave while she slept. Too cute.

Right before Kinlee was born, I talked to Karen and asked her what she'd used to make the blanket, thinking I'd try knitting one myself. Braska was needing one just a bit bigger by this time, and I figured I could do it. But after about 2 seconds of thinking I'd have time to take on such a project, I decided to take Karen up on her offer to make another one, as she'd planned to for Kinlee. It was determined that she'd make another blanket for Braska and I'd pass on the original blanket to Kinlee since it was just so perfect for the tiny ones.

That's what happened. The new blanket is gorgeous! And it's just what Braska needs now. Kinlee's had her inherited blanket from day one and really seems to like it. She shows preference for things like her little blanket bunny (thanks Lainie!) and this soft blanket. When she was sitting in the chair last month, I took a few pics, and I was pleased to find this one when I took them off the camera.

She often wakes up with her hands through the weave, just holding on to her special blanket. If I ever get a chance to go back to knitting, (not that I ever did alot of it!) I'll attempt to replicate this wonder so that I can be sure that the girls always have one, and I can share them as gifts in the hopes that they can be as cherished as ours is.

Thanks again, Karen!! We miss you guys!

Pastel baby shoot

2009-05-25T05:34:00.000-05:00

"Ok, KiKi," Braska says, "let's fix your hair before Mommy starts taking pictures."

"Oooh, that's a good one. Good thing we made your hair pretty!"

"Ok, now here's how it goes..."

"You look at the camera and smile like this!"

"One more touch-up, then you're ready to go."

"Cheeeeeese!"

Hand-Me-Downs: Fancy burgundy dress

2009-05-23T11:32:00.000-05:00

For Mother's Day, Kinlee wore a dress that Braska wore a few times, though much later. Mr. David got it for Braska when she was born, and we used it in her 6-month pictures.

Here's Kinlee on 5/10/09 at 3 months, 1 day. The dress fit, as in actually fit properly.

Here's Braska from her 6-month session on 5/24/07, at 6 months, 3 days. The dress was quite big.

Here's an upright comparison of them on the same days as above. Braska was being propped up by my hand which was inside her dress in the back. We were so excited at her being able to look up like this with her head still for all of 2 seconds. Kinlee sat on PaPaw's lap comfortably. It's just plain amazing to me. I think they are both pretty adorable in these pics, though.

Resemblance?

2009-05-21T23:32:00.000-05:00

Hmmmmmm...this is a bit disturbing if you ask me. Genetics at work...

What do you think? Can you see it??

Wedding fashion

2009-05-17T22:17:00.000-05:00

There are TONS of wedding pics from this weekend, but for now, we'll just start with what the coolest 3-month-olds were wearing.

For the rehearsal, Kinlee paid tribute to the bride, her Auntie Rachel, in an outfit Rachel got for her before she was even born. Polo is king with Rach, so the girls have alot of it. It's like "Where's Waldo?" with them alot...check out the girls' pics this summer and see how often you see the little pony with his tiny rider.

For the wedding, we managed to find a dress that had the right colors. The green was the main wedding color, with fuschia accents in the flowers. So Kinlee fit right in. I have to say, she was pretty darn adorable..

She thought it was a great workout outfit and did alot of "baby crunches," as we call them. I think she was trying to check out the pattern.

She finally decided to just grab it and bring the dress to her. Either that or she was just showing off her little bloomers underneath.

Almost wordless

2009-05-12T16:26:00.000-05:00

I've got SO many pictures that I want to post, but no time to get them up. So we'll start with a few random shots for fun. Maybe I'll get my organizations skills back someday....

How did we get such a long kid???

3 months

2009-05-09T23:01:00.000-05:00

Wow, is time flying or what!?! Kinlee's three months old. Already. Doesn't seem possible. I'll probably say that every month and year, won't I....

Today started out very early with both these silly girls, so we got our birthday pictures done early.

Then we practiced a bit of tummy time.

Then we went to my brother's (my little brother...ha!) open house for his new veterinary clinic. It's beautiful, and it was a great day for such a thing. Braska experienced her first petting zoo and pony ride. You'll find that on her blog in the next few days... Kinlee just hung out with the various family members that were there. In a fitting manner, she seemed most comfortable with Uncle Jody. It's only fair, since it was really all about him anyway. This is uncle and niece with Auntie Skye. If you're in St. Charles County and have a pet, this is the vet for you!!

We also went to a friend's place for an early birthday party for M tonight, but that will have to be documented later. I'm exhausted!

Highlights this month for KiKi: She's crazy generous with the smiles and little mini-giggles. She's enjoying standing on my lap when I try to burp her. What's with this muscle strength?!? And thank Heaven, she's sleeping through the night. As of Wednesday this week, she was 11 lb 15 oz and 24 inches long.

Hand-me-downs:Red velvet

2009-05-08T15:54:00.000-05:00

This was another gift from my cousin Lindsay for Braska, if I remember correctly. It's a really cute jumper dress from Old Navy with a henley t-shirt underneath and matching print bloomers. (That's what we called them, anyway...diaper cover, etc.)

Here's big sister at 3 months 4 days, 3 days before her open-heart surgery. 2/25/07

And little sister at 2 months 10 days, 4/19/09. Their weights are about the same in these pics, but Kinlee is about 2 inches longer.

Hand-me-downs: Stripey sleeper

2009-05-05T09:36:00.000-05:00

This was another of our fave sleepers. It was cute enough to wear "out" but still worked for the basic sleep and play situation. Practical AND cute is my favorite!

This is Braska and our friend Kevin, who coincidentally visited us just a week or so ago. This pic was from 3/22/07, she was just a day over 4 months.

And here's Kinlee on 4/18/09 at 9 days over 2 months. It's the only time she'll get to wear this one, too. How did we make such a long little girl??? Love that smile though!

Milestone:Roll baby

2009-05-04T15:59:00.000-05:00

I forgot to get something documented for when I can't remember later. Kinlee rolled over last week! She sleeps on her belly, (yeah, I know the "rules" but she has her own set) and when I went in to get her up from her nap, she was still on her belly. I rolled her over and let her stay there while I put a couple things away in her room. I turned back around and she was back on her belly. So of course, I had to put her on her back again to see if she'd do it when I could see it happen. And she did. Back to belly again. Silly girl. I don't know what "normal" is, but we were pretty darn impressed!

Hand-me-downs: Red n' white and castles

2009-05-02T08:50:00.000-05:00

I'm totally aware that I'm probably the only person who enjoys this comparison of my girls in the same outfits, but that's ok. I just think it's very interesting to see how different they are in size.

Here's Braska in the little castle sleeper on 4/2/07 at 4 1/2 months. It was SO long on her. This was the only pic I could find of her in it, which is weird because she wore it alot.

This is Kinlee on 4/16/09 in her little castle sleeper at just over 2 months. She's already maxed out the length. Since this picture was taken, these sleepers have been retired.

This was an adorable outfit given to Braska by my cousin Lindsay who just had a birthday yesterday. (Happy Birthday again, Linds!) It's a very soft Ralph Lauren two-piece, and it's really much more adorable than any picture I can find of the girls.

Braska and Belle on 03/16/07 at just shy of 4 months.

Here's Miss KiKi in her outfit on 04/14/09 again just over 2 months, and again, it's almost too short for her long self.

Catch-up: 1st Easter

2009-05-01T08:40:00.001-05:00

Surprise, surprise. I'm way behind. I feel horrible that Kinlee's blog suffers most, so I'm going to work on it as much as possible this weekend to get some posts ready to go and scheduled for the next week.

I know there are a few of you who check in on her, and I appreciate that ALOT! But be sure to leave a comment here or there, let us know you've visited sometimes! When we print this for Kinlee one day, I don't know how I'll explain her sister being so much more popular! Ha!

For now, we'll start with Easter, yeah it's weeks behind us now, but I still want to document it, since this is the closest I'll get to a baby book for a while.

Rachel got this dress for her when we were out shopping a couple days before. I realized I had not thought to have an official Easter dress, and that was unacceptable. Plus Children's Place had a GREAT sale. Good combination!

We were in Champaign for Easter, visiting our friends Karen and Randy and their cuties Maddy and Grace, as they were moving (they've moved by now) back to MN to start being "real" adults with a "real" job. Congrats Randy! Sunday after church we drove up to Rantoul to see Miss Martha at the new El Toro there. R K M and G were wonderful enough to come along and eat with us. They share our Toro love. I love this pic of Karen, Grace, and KiKi.

This is our very special Miss Martha meeting Kinlee for the first time.

As Easters go, it was a very nice one to start her many Easter memories.

Skins and smiles

2009-04-21T13:47:00.000-05:00

There's nothing sweeter than a couple of sisters hanging out early in the morning before their bath.

And my favorite...

A close-up crop just for fun... I'm sure we'll see alot more of this secret-sharing, and I really look forward to it.

Hand-me-downs: Purple and white bear

2009-04-19T00:17:00.000-05:00

This is another one of my favorite little outfits of Braska's and now Kinlee's. The little white pants have cute lavendar bears on it...I don't know why, but I just love them. Babies seem to look more grown up in two-piece outfits, don't you think??

Braska at 4 months, 3/14/07

Kinlee 4/10/09, 2 months

2 Months

2009-04-09T21:57:00.000-05:00

Time flies, and I'm learning that doesn't mean that things get accomplished. We're still trying to find our groove, or at least I am, as far as how to get anything done in a day with both these girls to deal with. Somehow, we've made it to two months...

Highlights this month: Lots of smiles, a little longer sleeping spells at night, up to about 5-6 hours at a time, which is nice, and last we weighed her, about a week ago, she was 10 lbs 4 oz. No big deal to some, crazy-growing baby to me!

I've got lots of pics to post, and hopefully this next week will allow more time for blogging. I'm not holding my breath though!

Hand-me-downs: Pink sleeper

2009-04-08T14:58:00.000-05:00

I'm looking forward to seeing some of the clothes that Braska wore on Kinlee. It just seems fun to compare them in the same outfits. Many of the clothes have been passed on, so there will be fewer opportunities for side-by-side pics in these first few months, but today I realized we had our first.

This is Kinlee today, in her pink sleeper that has little flowers on the left chest. It's pretty plain, but still. It's funnier that the bear is by her. .. As you'll see below. Remember she's just a day short of 2 months.

Here's Braska on the day she was discharged from the hospital after her heart surgery, 3/8/07. Same bear. Same sleeper. She was 3 1/2 months.

And here she is just a bit later, same sleeper, almost 4 months, 3/17/07. It's obviously not any too small on her. She was about the same weight here as Kinlee was this week when we put her on the scale. Just over 10 lbs.

The big 7.5

2009-04-02T22:56:00.000-05:00

How has it been 7 1/2 weeks? I feel like it's going faster this time, but maybe it's because I'm not keeping up well with this two-kid thing. They've been ganging up on me, that's for sure. It's not fair.

So instead of complaining about my cuties, I'll just put up some pics for the family that can't get enough. I'm trying to take lots of "fashion shots" as I call them. I love seeing all the little outfits on the girls. This one was from our special friend Lillie, if I remember correctly.

Of course, we pulled out the Polo shoes. Braska wore these for quite a while.

Kinlee's feet are almost too long for them already, but they're so darn skinny that they don't really fit. I need to put some big thick socks on her maybe, because this is what happens. And I'm not gonna risk losing one or both of them. They have to be saved for Rachel along with all the other tons of Polo stuff she's stocked in the girls' closets.

We've been seeing quite a few smiles, and that's always fun. I haven't caught the really good ones yet, but here's a hint of one.

Kinlee has had some rough days, not sure why, but alot of fussing. This afternoon was one of the most difficult for her, and the rest of us in turn. This was one of the very short naps she took.

Tonight we got comfy and she had her first experience with BabyLegs. I can't believe I'd almost forgotten how wonderfully handy these things are!! If you are one of the extremely few people left who know me but don't own a pair of these... well, just get to ordering, for Heaven's sake!

This week has brought more of the annoying baby acne. Braska never had this, and I'm sure not a fan. It doesn't look like much fun for her either. Her shirt is cute... it says "This is my little black dress."

Take bath, take nap

2009-03-25T22:57:00.000-05:00

(Notice the little blond patch is still there on the side above her ear....so funny.)

Bundle baby and sister shoot

2009-03-19T08:03:00.000-05:00

On Friday, we had an appointment and it was c-c-c-cold! So we go out KiKi's big poofy, fuzzy winter suit. She wasn't quite sure what to think.

After making adjustments to the straps in her seat, we were ready to go.

She ended up being too warm, I think. But I suppose that's better than being too cold. She weighed 9 lbs 3 oz at her appointment. Crazy growth! I'm just not used to this!

Sunday she wore her first dress for church with the grandparents.

Then on Monday, we had a little attempt at getting some sister pics. It was cute and frustrating at the same time.

Babies and birthdays

2009-03-12T16:05:00.000-05:00

Sunday afternoon, Kinlee took her first look at her little gym. She thought it was ok, and it kept her attention for quite a while. She enjoyed the chance to kick and squirm around if nothing else.

She also is enjoying her swing (Thanks Tom and Beth!!!!) quite a bit, though she's still a little small and floppy to maintain her position.

Sunday evening was a group birthday dinner for John (father-in-law), Cheryl (girlfriend-in-law?), and Janice (sister-in-law). There was very yummy homemade pizza and everyone was in attendance at some point in the evening. The baby cousins were, of course, the center of attention.

Xander has passed Kinlee up, as we expected, and he's growing like a weed!

Kinlee managed to get cuddles from about everyone, including Grandma C and Cheryl.

Fashion newbie

2009-03-10T16:00:00.000-05:00

We're training Kinlee to be always ready for her close-up, and she's getting better about cooperating. She's a little harder to dress than Braska was since she's so "uptight" all the time and not super flexible like Braska. But we manage to still get a cute outfit on here and there, especially when we go out to see our public.

Even sleepwear can be cute. Saying hello in the morning, even if it's only two seconds til she's ready to eat and tells me about it.

Bright eyes to meet the new day.

Our first two piece outfit, one of Braska's faves from back in the day. It was instantly on the fave list for Kinlee, too, as far as I'm concerned.

And on Friday, I was greeted by this look when I went to get her just after sunrise. Sporting the Flashdance look, I guess.

"Mom, it's too early for the flash!"

"Oh no you did-nt!"

1 Month

2009-03-09T15:49:00.000-05:00

Is it true? Can it be? One month old!

That's worth doin' a jig!

Miss KiKi spent some time resting in the big chair with her little protector today.

Highlights this month: Birth! And finding a workable schedule, feeding "alternatives" (see post below), lots of introductions, and her first smiles just in the last few days (pics soon)...fun!

We made it to one month in good shape, and it kinda went quick! Here's to many more...

Male nursing??

2009-03-06T10:03:00.001-06:00

M put up a post today that I can't even begin to describe. But I will say... Sorry, Kinlee!

Really, click here... it's a classic.

The exciting 3rd week

2009-03-02T16:11:00.000-06:00

This has been week #3, and overall I would call it a success. Most of what is happening is still sleeping, but she's been awake more during the day here and there, so that's nice. She is still WAY good, rarely crying unless she's hungry, and then it's not real intense, just a "fuss" really. So far, we're feeling blessed with a second easygoing little girl.

Snoozing in a fave spot, on my leg against the arm of the recliner, while I blog, of course.

On Saturday, the girls hung out with me in the chair, as is becoming more frequent. It was nice, actually, as Braska was just studying Kinlee so intently. Here she's checking out her hands, which she does quite often.

And she always has to point out her nose, but at least she's gentle. And she announces "Nose!" each time too.

The fashion habit is now being fed with another cute little girl to dress. This was Braska's first Polo outfit from Auntie Rachel, and this was Kinlee's first time to wear it. And she MAXED out the feet and the length! At 3 weeks! We made our first trip to church yesterday, and it went quite well, even though I forgot Kinlee's bottle. She lasted with just her pacifier, thankfully.

The little worried look is common... and I think it's pretty funny.

Slightly less worried.

Grandma C and PaPaw came to visit again on Sunday. Kinlee slept through most of the visit.

And today, while Braska was at school, we made Kinlee's first visit to Wal-Mart. Welcome to the real world, kiddo! (Hey, I went out of my way to take her to the nicest one around, so it was a great introduction to our favorite store.)

Happy 3 weeks, KiKi!

First busy weekend

2009-02-24T23:10:00.000-06:00

It's late and I want sleep, but here's some quick pics and a rundown of the weekend....

Kinlee had her first baby tub bath on Saturday. She didn't care for it so much, but then again, I'm not so good at managing her in this setting, so I don't blame her.

She wore her hat that Grammy (my mom) made for her after she was all clean and smelling baby-like. Pretty cute, I must say.

Papaw John came to visit, since he'd only had a brief passing introduction last weekend. He even brought us some tasty bottled DP and Cream Soda...always welcome!! Kinlee was happy to get comfy and take a nice long nap.

She did take the time to say hello between snoozes.

Saturday evening, Rachel and Patrick came by with dinner, which is always appreciated. (We have been blessed with several meals from friends and family... I can't tell you how much that helps!!) It was soon-to-be-Uncle Patrick's first visit with Kinlee. Only three months to the wedding...

On Sunday, we went to meet my parents at a handy halfway point to pick up Braska and grab some yummy lunch. (Thanks Dad!) Then we detoured down to meet our new nephew Alexander Noble (Xander). Thanks to Cheryl for these last two pics!! The cousins are exactly one week apart, Kinlee's got 7 days on him, but we're betting he passes her up super fast. (Maggie M, recognize anything?? Thanks!!!)

And Miss Kinlee was trying to give some good almost-smiles.

In case you missed the fun of my first day out with both girls.... it's over here, and now that it's behind us, it is pretty funny, I admit.

Introductions

2009-02-20T17:03:00.000-06:00

"I think, therefore I sleep."

Aunt Hyla, Cousin Lindsay, and Cousin Carly came to see us on Monday. We hadn't met Carly yet, and they wanted to see Braska and meet Kinlee. It was really nice of them to make the drive over!

Then on Wednesday, Julie (Jack's mom) and Madelyn came by to say hello and meet Kinlee.

The necessary baby foot pic.

And this morning, this face welcomes me to the day. Not a bad deal.

Meeting Grandma

2009-02-15T18:58:00.000-06:00

Last night we headed down to the in-laws' place for a visit. They were out of town earlier this week, so they hadn't had a chance to meet Kinlee in person. Another special member of our family was in town, Karen, and so it was a treat to get to see her. Of course the first thing Grandma got to do was change a diaper, and she was just fine with that. Karen had some very thoughtful and nice gifts for the girls, as well. She is officially one of the most generous people I know. We only got to see Grandpa for a few minutes on our way out, but we'll get to spend more time with him soon.

Today Kinlee spent time in the sun again, trying to keep that lovely yellow color from getting out of hand. She slept just fine in the cushy chair with the warm sun on her. Not a bad deal.

Tomorrow we head to the doctor for our first check up. We expect to get a good report on all fronts. Hope you all had a nice Valentine's Day!

Kinlee in action

2009-02-12T21:56:00.001-06:00

Since M's parents haven't been able to meet Kinlee yet, here's some video for them. Now remember, those of you looking for some excitement or something... she's 3 days old. She doesn't really DO much. So this is for the grandparents and other interested family, especially, but feel free to check out her cuteness in motion if you feel so led. (By the way, yes she is kind of half-dressed in the winter, but I was attempting to get her awake enough to eat. And what you'll see here is about the closest thing we've seen to "throwing a fit" as of yet.)

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

My brother Jody and his wife Skye came by tonight. Skye got to meet Kinlee at only a few hours old, but this was the first time Kinlee got to meet her uncle. I think the introductions went well.

And now, just some more pictures....because I don't do baby books. And the pics have to go somewhere, right?

Sleeping in her super cool and cozy Boppy bouncy. Once Upon a Child rules!!

(And no, she's not as yellow as that makes her look.)

"And here's my knee..."

Can you see the little tiny blond spot on her head? It's actually a little patch of blond hair in the midst of the dark hair all around. Kinda cool if it stays that way, but I'm doubting it.

Have a good day!

Home sweet home

2009-02-12T12:34:00.000-06:00

It's so nice to be home. I love my bed. And I love my recliner. And, well...it's home.

Kinlee is doing well. Yesterday she had a day of almost no eating, and she didn't produce her required number of wet diapers. (You might have seen the post on my blog...I think she decided she didn't want to be talked about like that.) We gave her an ultimatum, and she responded. Good little girl. We were finally able to wake her enough for her to eat before bed, and she had a good feeding. She slept 4 hours, and we got her up and awake enough to feed again. Then back to sleep for 4 more. I cannot complain. I enjoyed the sleep, let me tell ya! (It's partially due to my mom letting Kinlee sleep next to her, as I wake with every coo and noise she makes. Same reason I can't sleep with Braska in my room either.)

Today, she's fed ok and she's napping very well. She had a little bit of a sunbath to try to prevent any jaundice issues. So far, we're in good shape there. Her "output" is getting more in line with where we want it, so I'm feeling good about things.

And by popular request....here's some more pics for you to enjoy.

From Tuesday... little skinny hands with LONG fingers. Everyone in the delivery room commented on her hands right after her feet... maybe we're just used to Braska's cute little short ones.

And wrinkly knees. I just think they're funny.

She was not a big fan of the going home outfit.

Doing a little sunnin' today.

Giving us the indication that we might need to have a particular talk about not smoking, earlier than usual.

A little update and more newborn pics

2009-02-10T14:22:00.000-06:00

We had an ok night, got some sleep, ate ok, until about 5:00 am when she decided to just be awake and a little whiny for a while. We made it through.

Pediatrician's check this morning was ok...not perfect. There is an issue with her left hip, not unheard of, but something to check out. A definite click/clunk, as they call it. Possible hip dysplasia. We'll have it checked out with an ultrasound to see what's up in the next week or so, sounds like. But that explains why she has really hated being messed with on that leg for diapers. No biggie...we listened and said, "Got it. We can handle that." What a difference life experience makes, huh? We'll be here til tomorrow morning then head home. M may go back to work tomorrow, since my mom is here, to save a few days for when we're on our own next week.

Now, on to the pics, and I'm gonna see if I can catch a little nap after some feeding.

Sleeping beauty. (Anyone see a resemblance in that profile... and you SO better not say her mommy!)

Soft, dark hair, with one little blond patch that you can't see here.

One very wrinkled and VERY long foot!

One nibblin' good ear...again, some of you will recognize this ear.

Snuggling with one very tired (but freshly showered...yay!!) Mommy.

Checking things out on day 2.

Welcome Kinlee!

2009-02-09T18:11:00.000-06:00

That's right... finally, she's here.

These are the same pics as what's in the margin on the left, but this way you can click on them and make them bigger if you want. We're doing well at this point. It was a good experience as birth goes, and no we figure out what to do with another little girl!

Thanks for all your prayers and well-wishes. We're ready to get on with this next phase and see what's in store!

Here's our first most-of-the-family pic.

Kinlee shaking my hand, introducing herself.

And Kinlee checking out Grammy, with wide eyes.

Never fear, there will be more.

The new nursery

2008-11-17T15:22:00.000-06:00

2008-10-15T16:35:00.000-05:00