{ Hello 5 Months }

 Wret

Today you are five months old. It was only a little over a year ago that we found out that you would be joining our family, and now here you are, a busy, growing, happy baby.

This has been a busy month with learning to roll over, both ways.  You discovered your toes and you love to play with toys! You're also not very happy when your brother or sister steal them. You're already learning to stick up for yourself :)

You will still go to anyone and you have a HUGE smile ready for anyone who smiles at you or talks to you. Your whole body smiles. It's pretty cute.

You've also gone on two camping trips this summer as well as been swimming (dipping your toes counts).
At your 4 months check up you weighed 16 pounds, so you must be about 16 1/2 by now. I am putting away almost all of your 3 months clothes for 6 months ones. It makes me a little sad that you're already so grown up. We love your chunky little thighs and how you bounce whenever you're held. Before too long you'll be big enough for the Jonny Jump-Up and I know you're going to love it. You were playing very happily in your bouncy chair until you decided you want to sit up, but since you're not quite ready for that yet, we've traded the chair for the exer-saucer and you LOVE it!

You enjoy being outside and I am enjoying being able to spend these little months out there with you, after two winter babies.

Big sister and brother love you! Oliver calls you our "Happy Baby Wret" and always says "Morning Wret" when you get up. Katy misses you if you've been sleeping for a while. She'll ask where you are. When you're playing she will come running by and wave at you and say, "Hi Wret". We can tell you get frustrated when you see them doing something fun and you want to do it too. Before long you will be!

You're taking 3 naps still, but I think you'll be going to 2 soon. You go to bed at 8 pm every night and sleep until around 2:30 am. After I feed you I move you to the guest room in your pack n play because you often want to be awake for an hour or two. You're happy just talking to yourself and playing with your feet. I'm so thankful you don't expect me to stay up with you!

Lately you've been going to the nursery at church on Sunday mornings. You've been taking a good nap in there, which is such a blessing since I have been teaching Oliver's class the past 3 weeks. I have one more week to go and then, I must admit, I'm looking forward to holding you through church again. We'll see if you're happy with that.

This coming Sunday we are dedicating you. What a special day! We count it such a privilege to raise you to know Jesus and we pray you come to Him at an early age.

This next month it looks like we'll be getting ready for your first tooth to come in. That would explain all of the slobber. We are also getting close to starting solid foods.

I love you, Little Man. Happy 5 months old!

{ Miss Katy Grace :: 18 Months }

Our little miss is 18 months old. *sniff* It blows me away. 

She is so full of life. 

A little mommy.  She loves to carry her baby with her. Dress her. Burp her. Change her.  She takes it all very seriously. 

She is such a snuggler

and

a daddy's girl .

We've been threw so much with our precious little girl in this short time she's been in our family.  

There is not a day that goes by that we don't praise God for protecting her and giving us the blessing of watching her grow into a happy and healthy little girl.

Having a daughter has been such an unexpectedly wonderful experience.  I always knew I'd love having a daughter, but until Katy Grace came along I never knew just how much!  I can't wait to see how our relationship will develop as the months and years go by.  She is already a very special little friend to me.

{ Little Mr. and Miss and What They're Up To }

Miss Katy Grace

You are sunshine.

Your smile gets comments all the time.  It's a great one!

You are a happy, happy, happy girl.

Little Miss 14 months

You like to sleep.  A lot.  Often you give me that look, "Mom, pleeease put me to bed" and when you find your pillow you reach your little hand out for your "night-night" (blanket), snuggle in and that is that.  You spoil us in this respect, Young Lady!

You chatter

You never meet a stranger

You are your daddy's daughter,

but everyone is saying you look like a miniature Mama

You're loving shoes and clothes as much as ever.

You know when you've got a pretty dress on.

If you can pull clothes out of the laundry or dresser you're perfectly content

You are getting quite attached to your daddy.

Having him come through the door from work is the highlight of your day,

and romping around on the floor with him, well, those giggles get me every time!

You're actually a little bit naughty sometimes.  Shocking but true.

But oh! can you turn on the charm!

You're cutting four teeth right now.

Waving bye-bye.

Giving out hugs.

Stealing our hearts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mr. Oliver Forest

You're every bit two.

A goer, a fixer

big brother protector.... but, Sister (whom you call "Day"), don't take my toys!
You hug and kiss your sister so sweetly.
You want to make sure you know where everyone is in the family.
 

You're loving to do:

playdough, puzzles, paint and anything hands on

 You are fascinated with colors

 You are our little helper:

Unloading the dishwasher

setting the table

unpacking groceries

You are EATING DINNER now!  It's taken two years, but what a relief!

You're done cutting teeth.

 You love your preschool Sunday school class.

The stroller we bought for you and your sister is your "car", and because 

you've gone to the carwash with Daddy, you must regularly "wash the car" by sending 

it out to the back porch.  I love that budding little imagination!

 

You're soooo excited about the baby!

You point to the baby with so much pride

 and oh, how your eyes light up when you feel him/her kick!

You've been wakeful at night.

Are you afraid of the dark?

Does something hurt?

We sure wish we knew, but it's a phase.  It will pass.

Until you turned two, you weren't much of a snuggler,

but now you like back rubs and quiet times together.

We love them, too

and we love YOU!

{ Katy Grace :: 1 Year Old }

Our little Katy Grace is 1 year old!
It is hard to believe, for sure.
I am amazed by the richness of this past year in so many ways,
but largely due to her sweet presence and development.
I can't imagine life without her, without a daughter.

I have never really been into pink,
but in this past year I have found myself rediscovering it
and appreciating it in a whole new way.
There are many days that Katy Grace is dressed head-to-toe in pink!

She loves all things girly.
She is obviously thrilled when she is wearing a party dress
and she is a shoes girl. No mistake!
If you're wearing jewelry, you're her best friend.
She already loves clothes shopping.
Nothing makes her happier than frolicking in a pile of clothes.
I can see we're going to have fun shopping for years to come.

She started walking a couple of weeks before her birthday.
She says a few words, mostly "mama" and "dada",
but she certainly practices her words.
She loves to eat.
She almost always out-eats her brother!
She likes to talk on the phone.
She started sucking her index finger about the same time she learned to walk.

We are beyond blessed that she is a part of our family.

We love you Katy Grace.
Have a wonderful year!

{ The birthday girl getting some help from brother }

{ Gifts!!!!!! }

{ All dressed up for her party }

{ Grandpa reading to Katy Grace before the party }

{ Birthday girl snuggles )

{ Lighting the candle }

{ She was quite dainty with her cake.  This was about the extent of the mess! }

{ Resemblance }

The other day, while spending some time with the kids in their room, I decided to look through my baby book, the one my mom had kept for me.  I found some photographs tucked inside and on closer examination, found that they were taken at the ages that both of my kids now are (within a month)!  I think there is some resemblance there (I was too lazy to scan them so I just re-photographed them).  You get the idea, though.

 { Here I am at 7 months and 22 months }

 { Kathryn }

A friend sent these pictures of the kids that she'd taken when she visited recently

{ Oliver }

{ Katy Grace at 7 Months }

Tomorrow we will wake up and there, all grins and wiggles, will be our beautiful 7 month old baby girl. 

Every month since she was born I have been amazed at how fast the time has gone, and every month from here on out I promise I'll say the same thing, because it's true.  Time is flying!  In the past month we've said hello to tooth number one.  She really is a trooper when it comes to cutting teeth.  It's not been pain free, but certainly easier than her poor brother, who at the moment, is cutting molars and suffering from fevers, which is just what happens when teeth come in for him.  He too is a trooper, though, all things considered! 

Katy Grace is also all but crawling.  She can scoot around quite efficiently on her belly and get the toy she is determined to have.  What she most enjoys right now is her daddy's sandals!  Actually she's pretty fascinated with shoes of any kind... she's a girl!  What can I say?  She is getting up on her knees and trying them out.  One day very soon they're going to turn into wheels and she'll be off.  It is only a matter of a very short time! 

As we cross over into seven months, we are super excited to be getting ready for our first family vacation, beginning in a week.  There are a lot of adventures ahead in the month to come, I'm sure. 

Happy Seven Months, Baby Girl!

{ Miss Katy Grace :: 5 Months }

I've blinked and my baby girl has grown so much in just a couple of months! I am loving having a daughter SO much. I am going positively crazy over all of the adorable spring dresses for sale out there... and shoes! Oh my!  Miss Katy Grace is loving toys these days, including those fascinating little feet of hers that are simply kissable.  I can't get enough of her smile or those soft, soft, soft cheeks.  She is sharing her sweetest ever giggle with us and talking about everything.  This little girl is a talker, not to mention a daddy's girl!  She has daddy radar.  If he's around she knows it and she wants him.  It's pretty precious.

It has been just a little over a year now since we found out she would be joining our little family.  She is also the age Oliver was when we found out about her.  Having these two precious children so close together has been incredibly rich and fulfilling, but also very challenging.  We sure wouldn't trade them for anything, and I'm hoping I can say the same for the growth that is happening in my own heart because of them.  I've been pushed to my limit emotionally and physically, but through this I'm seeing myself for who I really am and I'm being grown up and matured up in many areas that have needed it for a long time. 

Happy 5 Months Old, Dear Daughter!

{ Today }

:: Today I am so thankful for

:: Long naps

:: Major spring cleaning going on around here

:: Anticipating some very sweet company this weekend... praying it all works out for them to come

:: Prints ordered to finish off our living room decor

:: These two:

:: A good read Meet Mr. Mulliner P.G. Wodehouse

:: Tulips growing by inches each day in our raised beds

:: Unmistakably green grass

:: New friends

:: Sweet help in the kitchen lately

:: My husband who is much more patient than I deserve

:: Some sweet prayer time

:: Oliver taking to the nursery finally

:: These darling shoes made by a lady at church

:: Leaning on Jesus to take charge of cares outside of our control

:: Chocolate Cream Pie for my afternoon snack

:: Katy Grace's littleness... savoring these precious baby days.  I love that her little shoes fit in my hand!

 

:: Praying for our worship and fellowship home.  Excited to see where God is leading our family.

:: His sweet "conversations"