Little Man Camden

Just Busy with Living Life

2011-10-02T13:31:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have been too busy to post lately. Here is an update in pictures. Baseball, new big girl room, school started, lots of dressup... All is well!!

The Year went fast...

2011-07-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

Sorry to say that this was a busy year and sadly no blog posts were made. Camden had a fantastic year in K at Wake Forest Elementary. Kevin, MacKenna and I enjoyed alternating our twice daily trips the three blocks to walk him to school and pick him up. I love living in a small town where this is possible. Above is the last day of school where we all walked together.

In other Harvey news - the summer is packed and fun. Lots of trips to the Y pool, Mac's 3rd birthday, potty training, VBS and more. Camden also enjoyed a 9-1 winning season on his first T-ball team this year. Kevin broke his wrist playing T-ball with Cam:) Amy started a new job (In Dec and all is going well). Enjoy a few pictures above...

Hopefully next year will leave more room for blog updates, but rest assured life is fun and busy in our house!!

First Day of K!!

2010-09-10T12:41:00.000-07:00

He grew so fast and I have loved being his mom through it all!!!

2010-07-30T11:58:00.001-07:00

Hey Raleigh friends (and some beyond). Last week Kevin was featured in an article in our local paper - The Wake Weekly - about his book. I have attached a copy of it here for you to read. I thought I would send it to you all to be a reminder about Kevin's first book signing this Saturday (TOMORROW) in Raleigh. It will be at Sign of the Fish which is located at 1657 N Market Dr (just behind Red Lobster) from 12-3 PM (the number just in case is 872-0112). If you can make it, please come out to support him and let him know others care:).

As you read the attached article, just wanted to mention a couple things. The article was written by a non-Christian who began the article in an unsettling way, for which we don't know why. At first it bothered us, but then we were reminded that God is working here and He is sovereign. The writer did read the book and told Kevin he rather enjoyed it, so maybe this article was a tool for God to get his attention. Yes, some of the facts about our lives are a bit off, but we are OK with that also. Secondly, don't forget the book signing this week in Raleigh. Third, Storytellers Bookstore in downtown Wake Forest is hosting a book reading/signing on August 13 at 7 PM. Kevin will be the featured author. This is in conjunction with Art After Hours (the 2nd Friday of each month downtown businesses stay open late, serve refreshments and there are free horse and carriage rides through downtown). Come on out then too!!

Lastly, and as always books can be purchased at http://www.infantsnomore.com/ or at any of these events above. Thanks again for all your prayers and encouragement on this adventure!!

June 2010 (156 photos), by Amy Harvey

2010-06-29T12:50:00.001-07:00

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Click here to view photos

New

2010-03-28T11:05:00.000-07:00

Lots of new things at our house...

Kevin just wrote and published his first book!! You can see more about it on the website www.infantsnomore.com

MacKenna got to pick out her first new pair of shoes. She is very proud of them. Even wore them to church with her dress today!

We even have a new big 5 year old boy!!

5 Years Old

2010-03-08T16:39:00.000-08:00

How can it be that my little boy is already 5 (and has already lost his first tooth)!!?? Happy Birthday Little Man!

Taking a break

2009-11-15T16:48:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! I know it has been forever since I posted, and I feel bad. So I am here to explain. I have reached a point where my days are so full between work, the kids, keeping house, church responsibilities, being a wife , etc that I decided to just spend more time enjoying my time with the kids than trying to get all the details online. One day maybe I will be able to keep things updated at a more regular interval, but for now it is going to be sporadic. It's just time to make some choices for awhile and enjoy the time I have each day. Love to you all!!

A Few Things

2009-07-04T11:50:00.000-07:00

Although I have not forgotten about our blog, I quite honestly get too busy to keep up with it. I do want our friends and family to keep in touch and I do often view others blogs to feel connected. However, I have so many other things I am trying to do that updating the blog always takes a backseat. So here are just afew recent happenings and pictures. We spent a week as a family at Kure Beach in early June - it was fantastic and we can't wait to go next year. We celebrated Fathers Day and thanked Kevin for all he does to take care of our family!! MacKenna turned one this week. Time is flying so fast. We are all doing well.

We haven't disappeared

2009-04-24T12:37:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been so long since a post. Having two kids, working and keeping house is keeping me busier than I thought. Computer "leisure" time is very limited. Anyways - wanted to pass the word that we posted two things on Craig's List today. Please pass the word to anyone you know if they might need some furniture.

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/fuo/1138338306.html

The other post is taking awhile to get on Craig's List - but it says "Coffee Table for Sale - Cat not included".

We also have a punching bag for sale (the big kind you hang up and get all your frustrations out on:). I haven't had a chance to take pictures of that to post, but email me (amynole@gmail.com) if you know of anyone interested. It is great exercise.

As for us - we are all good. Camden is 4 now and just such a fun, animated kid. MacKenna will be 10 months next Thursday and is already trying to start standning on her own. More later (but probably will take me awhile to post again any time soon).

Just a few pictures

2008-12-08T12:46:00.000-08:00

Sarah - You asked for an update...this is the best I can do today!!

Precious big brother love!!

Grandma Sally and grandkids

Sitting with the family at dinner

a family photo.

We are all well. MacKenna is rolling over now and possibly teething!! Camden is getting excited about Christmas and loves all the lights. More later...

SOME RECENT PICTURES

2008-11-13T11:45:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin Carving

A Family picture from the Mountains
MacKenna at 4 months

MacKenna at 4 months

Old, but still good

2008-11-10T13:06:00.000-08:00

Here are a few older pictures, but still worth posting

Amy and Mac at cook-out. She was about 3 months old.

Baby Dedication day

Baby dedication. Josh, Amy and Abigail Smitherman are beside us.

Just Busy

2008-10-27T12:06:00.001-07:00

I know it has been forever since we posted and sorry to say there are no pictures to add this time, but here is how we have been.

Camden
He keeps growing way too fast. Last week he got new tennis shoes - size 9.5!! He continues to do Parent's Morning Out at a local church two mornings a week and had a rough start to this session, but is now doing better. He (just like Amy did at his age) HATES loud noises and a train comes by the church every morning during their recess time. The train is just beyond the playground and this caused great stress to Camden. The teachers seemed to realize this and now they keep the kids in until after the train passes. Since that change he has been better. He is even using the bathroom at school (a milestone we have longed for). He is learning to tell time ("So, when the first number is a seven I am allowed to wake up and come out of my room?"). And he still keeps us laughing most of the time. He is really into tracing numbers and letters these days and he always asks questions like ("What's the word that starts with an A?" when we pass labels in the grocery store aisle).

MacKenna
She is such a pretty girl, and full of chub and rolls. I keep saying this is the only time in her life when it is socially acceptable for her to be fat - so enjoy!! She occassionally sleeps an 8 hour stretch at night, but still wakes up starving. She still HATES to ride in the car seat and usually wails the entire drive. I have tried sitting in the back with the kids to "train her" to use a paci and help this horrible crying, but unless she is sucking a bottle she wants nothing in her mouth (except her fist sometimes), so that isn't helping much. Needless to say this limits the outings we try to make with her. She can be very smiley when she wants to, but definitely makes it known (loud squealing) when she is unhappy with anything. She will be four months old this Thursday -oh how time flies!!

Amy
Wishing for more sleep or a magic fairy to clean house!! I am keeping busy with both kids, work, trying to keep house, and trying to stay involved with the activities in our Sunday school class. I (with MacKenna) made a quick trip down to Florida at the beginning of October to be with my mom and sister after my grandma died. It was nice to see them and be able to help my mom, but so hard to mourn my grandma so suddenly. I learned so much more about who she really was (things she never told us or even hinted at) and the legacy she has left for her family. It makes me want to keep better journals and instill lessons in my kids to pass on to future generations.

Kevin
This weekend he carved his first official pumpkin - what fun! Today he took Camden with him to vote - so he can learn about making choices, standing up for what we believe to be right and being an involved citizen. He cares so much about instilling values in the kids and being there for them all the time. He keeps busy with work, but he's still a very involved dad. He is still loving teaching our Sunday School class and trying to keep the class involved in outreach activities and fellowship. He's also busy trying to sell his truck (a bittersweet time!).

All of us
We enjoyed a short trip to the mountains in NC two weekends ago. We went to Burnsville and saw the changing leaves. The town was great, the cabin was beautiful (and a free gift for the weekend) and the weather was cold and wonderful!! Camden enjoyed hiking and sitting on the porch. Scott (Kevin's brother), Angie and Nathan came up for the last day and we loved introducing them to Mac and watching the boys hang out. This weekend we are gearing up for a visit from my mom and some Halloween fun! Hopefully soon I can post pictures of the kids.

MacKenna at 2 months!!

2008-09-04T06:29:00.000-07:00

The time has really flown by and Mac is already 2 months old. At the doctor on Tuesday she weighed in at 13 lbs 6 oz. So she has definitely gained some weight. She is also 22 inches long, so she is kind of rolly polly!! She got a clean bill of health and all her shots and she did fairly well. I guess the excitement of the day wore her out because that night she actually slept from 9pm - 5:30am!!!! It was wonderful since I had to get up for work on Wed morning. But that excitement was short lived since last night she was up from 3:15 to almost 5:30am:(. Oh well - she will get it one day! Enjoy her 2 month pictures with her bear "Elizabeth".

Lots Going On

2008-08-29T13:33:00.000-07:00

If I could just figure this out, then I could help carry MacKenna.

Is this right??

Love those cheeks!!!

Fun in the pool out back!

This is how Daddy works some days.

First family picture.

Mac at One Month

Sibling Love!!

Hey everyone! There has been lots going on at our house. Camden, mom and Grandma saw THE WIGGLES last week. Camden was very contemplative and observant, but he says he had fun! MacKenna is growing like a weed at almost 2 months old. Most nights she is only up once to eat, so we are getting some sleep. Mom returns to work (one full day a week) next week, so we will hit a new routine then. Enjoy the pictures above, and FINALLY our first family picture!!

A quick post!!

2008-07-30T06:58:00.000-07:00

Right now things are going well. MacKenna is growing like a weed - 9 lbs 9 ounces at the dr's yesterday!! She is sleeping in her big crib on her stomach (for shame!!!) and doing quite well. She goes down about 10 pm, sleep until midnight or 1 Am, wakes to feed and get back to bed (takes about an hour) sleep for 2 more hours or so, gets up about 4 ish, repeats that again and then is up around 7 am. Not bad for a one month old!!!

Camden is much better with her these days. He wants to hold her sometimes and gives her kisses. He even holds the bottle sometimes.

Here are a few pictures of late!!

Growing...

2008-07-22T08:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was MacKenna's 3 week checkup. She now weighs 9 pounds!! So despite all my frustration with nursing (I am nursing, but it is still not easy or enjoyable for me), she must be getting enough food. She has also added some length to her little body - over an inch! I'll post pics when I am not typing one handed.

She's here!!!

2008-07-09T11:13:00.001-07:00

I know we have already sent out a mass email, but wanted to post officially. MacKenna is here.

MacKenna Elizabeth Harvey

Born June 30, 2008

5:51 PM

7 lbs 4 oz

19.5 inches long

She is beautiful and we are all adjusting to life as a family of four pretty well!!

Prayers!!

2008-06-30T04:45:00.000-07:00

You can see an earlier post for more details and a link to their blog, but please pray today especially for our dear friends Josh and Amy Smitherman. Amy has been in and out of the hospital over the last couple days and was admitted again last night. Although we are not sure, it seems that today may be the day of Abigail's birth. Amy is about 32 weeks and 5 days along. Amy started contractions last night and after at least 5 hours on the magnesium sulfate they have not gone away only spread a part by a couple minutes. Please pray for God's peace and rest on both Josh and Amy. Pray for God to work a development miracle in Abigail if she is to come today so she is ready for life outside the womb.

Please pray for us too as we are anxious to meet MacKenna. We have been to the hospital also this week - false alarm!! But it has only made us more ready to meet and hold our little girl. I am almost 39 weeks now and UNCOMFY!!!! Pray for patience for both Kevin and I, and pray for coordination when the big day arrives (Camden getting to the right place, Kevin's work being OK, we get to the hospital on time!!).

Thanks for your prayers!!

Just some pictures

2008-06-21T11:34:00.001-07:00

I know it has been awhile since we posted any pictures. Here are just a few...

Very pregnant Mommy!!

Reading my new magazines with Daddy!! Thanks Isaac!

Me and Mommy

Playing Chutes and Ladders with Mommy. She has been doing a lot of this lately (especially when she was on bedrest).

Cheesing with Daddy!!

37 Weeks

2008-06-18T12:03:00.000-07:00

We have offically made it to 37 weeks now. Praise God!!! Today at the doctor they said I was 1 cm dialated, 50% effaced and she is at a negative 2 station (which basically means they can feel the top of her head). This doctor thinks I'll still hold out for a few more days, if not to the end. I have just prayed to God to either give me the endurance to make it all the way to 40+ weeks, or just go ahead and let things happen. I am uncomfy and not sleeping well - but all is manageable and typical for this far into pregnancy combined with record high temperatures here in NC. So all is good news!!

And even more good news. Back in the middle of May I was super anxious that things would not be "in place" before MacKenna came. It took me about a week after being home from the hospital to come to terms with the fact that much might have to go undone and I would need to be OK with that. As a person who makes tons of lists, plans way ahead and thrives on organization and order - this was a lot for me to deal with. But I did and I came to the point of realizing that many babies are born and families are unprepared, babies can sleep just about wherever you need them to (they never see the "pretty" nursery anyways), and many people survive this chaos with no harm done to anyone. So I packed my hospital bag and went on bed rest content that all would fall into place when it needed to. And it has...
Last Saturday night Camden's room got curtains (thanks Debbie!!) and he began sleeping in it right away. Besides a few minor complaints at night time about "but I love my old room" he has done well and is adjusting to the new room. Kevin finished some shelves in there last night and it is complete.
Last Sunday (depsite really not having a good feeling day) I put all Camden's clothes in the new room and put all MacKenna's clothes in her closet and drawers. I also set up a bassinett and felt like her room was "OK for baby".
Yesterday Kevin converted the toddler bed back to a crib and all the linens got washed, so that should be completed tonight.
Yesterday, my wonderful and very talented friend Gina, brought by 4 paintings of sunflowers and ladybugs to complete MacKenna's room. She also made a really nice painted wood name plaque for her. She has even offerred to come hang all the pictures and put the finishing touches on the room onece the furniture is in place.
Today Kevin pulled out the car seat to install in the car and he got a new car seat to put for Camden in the truck, so now Camden can safely ride in either car (for 3+ years) he has ONLY been able to ride in the Honda and we have had to coordinate many things because of this, so now it will be much easier.
So - it seems we are much more ready now than I ever expected to be. Funny how when you release things, the Lord answers your obediance by putting things in order.

Over 6 1/2 pounds!!!!

2008-06-13T12:40:00.000-07:00

Today was my 36 week (and 2 day) check up with the doctor. All looks great!!! MacKenna continues to have a strong heartbeat, measures well, and the doctor thinks she is over 6.5 pounds. I continue to have contractions, feel huge, and feel pains all the time, however NONE of this has affected my cervix (no dilation and no more effacement) so I am great too!! The doctor joked that by the way things are right now he thinks I'll be in there to be induced at 41 weeks (I hope she comes before that!!). So, they have released me from bedrest - his words were "resume what you want, just be reasonable with your body", and I can go back to work for awhile too. All of this is such a great praise!!! I came home and told Kevin I would fix dinner tonight (it's been over a month since I did those little things for my family and I am ready to start again). So thank you all so much for your prayers - they have worked and we are well on our way to delivering a big, healthy girl within the next month.

Since all your prayers were so great - I am asking now that you join with me in praying for a special friend of mine - Amy. Our friends, Josh and Amy are just over 30 weeks along in their pregnancy with a precious little girl Abigail Joy, and this morning she went into labor. Her situation over the past 24 hours has been very much like mine was a month ago, and as of just 5 minutes ago when we talked her contractions have stopped and she is doing better. Her FFN test (same test they ran on me) came back negative - yeah!! Although all this seems great, Amy's pregnancy has been very different from mine and their are many other factors which they are dealing with. You can look for updates on their blog http://joshandamys.blogspot.com/, just please be in prayer for this precious family. Pray for Abigail to be strong and develop quickly (I believe God can speed along the time table of her growth if needed!!), and pray for Josh and Amy to be filled with peace and rest during this hard time. Thanks!!

35 Weeks!!

2008-06-04T04:22:00.000-07:00

Today we have made it to 35 weeks. Not much has changed - still trying to stay on bed rest. I am recovered from the cold which helps a lot!

Camden and Kevin continue to be troopers about the whole situation. Camden and I have quiet play time on the couch for an hour or so each morning so Kevin can work. This has brought about a lot of interesting conversations. Such as:
C: What did you dream about last night Mommy?
A: I dreamed about having MacKenna.
C: I dreamed about having MacKenna too.
A: Really?
C: Yeah. And when she popped out, she loved me and I loved her.

OR
A: You have one long hair on the side of your head.
C: My hair is getting long. Maybe you should take me to get it cut.
A: I can't do that right now, but maybe Daddy could take you.
C: OK, I'll ask him...
Late
C: Daddyo (see below) can you come with me to get my hairdut by Miss Sue? It's long. We should do that soon.
K: Ok (with pure amusement on his face).

And out latest phase at breakfast one morning:
C: I think from now on you (point at Kevin) should be called Daddy-oh, and you (point at Amy) should be called Mom-oh, and me called Camo. OK?
We laugh, but he has honestly kept this up for over a week now:)

3 year olds are just too precious!

34 weeks and 1 day

2008-05-29T16:02:00.000-07:00

Today marks 34 weeks and 1 day of pregnancy. I have been feeling better, but for a cold that I somehow caught while lying around the house (how does that happen??!!). My doctor's appointment today went well and they feel encouraged by how the week has gone. The main points of today's appointment were:
1. She appears to be head down and way down and the dr said that is good.
2. Her heartbeat was great and my vitals were great.
3. The dr wants to keep up two more weeks of bed rest so that I reach the 36 week mark. Although he is OK if she comes now, his summation was "34 weekers don't get to go home with their parents from the hospital, but 36 weekers usually do. I want you guys to have the greatest chance to take her home when you leave the hospital."
4. She is still measuring along a 33 week mark, so small, but he doesn't seem worried by that.
5. He said that unless anything "seems amiss" they don't want to see me back for 2 weeks. At that point I will be just past 36 weeks and if all seems to be good I can resume normal activities at my own pace. That appointment is June 13.
6. He asked me if I knew how close my contractions were in the hospital - I told him I didn't know the time, but I felt like they were close. He said they were 3 minutes apart and constant "and that wasn't a good sign", so for now with 10-15 contractions a day he things that is just great (he's never felt a contraction:).
7. He gave me a mix of medicines to take to get past the cold so I can feel better.

So all in all, it was great! I am back relaxing on the couch, since besides the dr's I also ran 3 errands (Library, Bank and PO Box) and took Camden over to Elaine's this morning, and then got my haircut. So it has been the busiest day yet and I am worn out. Gotta get some rest because the Season Finale of LOST is tonight!!
Thanks for all your prayers - they seem to be getting answered. And thanks again to everyone who has brought meals - they are SO helpful right now and we've had lots of good food.
I'll update again later if anything happens!

Just past 33 weeks

2008-05-24T04:41:00.001-07:00

Things have been much better this week. I am now at 33 weeks and 3 days of pregnancy and each day that MacKenna stays put is a blessing.

Earlier in the week I found (I'd known her for awhile and never knew her story) a mom who had her son at 32 weeks. She delivered at the same hospital I will here in Raleigh. Her son now at 2 1/2 is a thriving little boy!! She encouraged me to get out my pregnancy books and read about pre-term babies - just to prepare myself. I wasn't really wanting to do that for emotional reasons. But I did later in the week, and I learned so much that was actually an encouragement. I won't list all the details here, but the 2 greatest things were that babies born at this stage (especially after having the steriod shots) really have few major complications. They are small, but they typically do very well. And the best news - the test performed in the hospital last Friday morning (when I was 32 weeks and 2 days) having a negative result seems to tell the doctors that my chances of delivering within 2 weeks are very low. In fact my doctor this week said you are usually guaranteed another 2 weeks before delivery. She cautioned that things can happen, but they really trust the test to predict at least that 2 week mark. So we are feeling confident that as long as I continue bed rest we can make it beyond the 34 week mark.

God has sent us many other blessings this week - friends who have delivered dinners, lunches and yummy desserts; Grandma (Kevin's mom) who has come to take Camden outside to play for a bit a couple times and then took him most of the day yesterday; neighbors who have come by just to keep me company; lots of friends who have kept my spirits up through phone calls and emails; and Debbie who came yesterday and cleaned house!!! They have all been a blessing to us. Thank you so much!!

We will continue to post updates as we know, but I have to say I feel more confident as each day passes. I continue to have contractions daily, but the doctor has kept an eye on things and these contractions (despite being painful) are so far not changing things and starting the delivery process. The dr's goal is to keep MacKenna put as long as possible, despite the discomfort I might continue to expereince. As long as she handles these "fake" contractions well and true labor doesn't begin, they will keep me resting to get to the 36 week mark. Let's pray for that!!!

An interesting week

2008-05-17T16:44:00.000-07:00

More dancing with the Wiggles

Trying to pose for my 3 year old picture

Dancing to the Wiggles

This week started as a normal week. Here are a few pictures to show you fun things I was doing...

Mom and I even made a video of me singing the Blue's Clues song, but she can't figure out how to upload it, so you'll just have to trust me. I was starting to get over my ear infection from the previous week, and all was well.

Then Wednesday things got a little crazy. Mom had to work a longer day that day because she was starting to train Nicky who will help out with her work when she has MacKenna. When she walked in the door at 4:30 sho dropped her stuff, gave me a quick hug and went right to lay on the couch. I tried to lay with her and make her feel better, but she seemed to be in some sort of pain. She told daddy she was having something called contractions and just needed to rest. Gigi was stopping by soon and when she got there she sat with Mom for awhile too. You see, Mom had been told about 3 weeks ago to take it easy since she was starting to have these contractions (Braxten Hicks) more often. The dr's said it was just too early for MacKenna to come and so she had been doing that. Well, after two hours of contractions, Mom called the dr. It took another 2 hours to actually get the doctor on call and they told her to come to the hospital. They arrived around 9 pm, and were sent to triage. After being checked out it was determined these contractions needed to stop. MacKenna is only 32 weeks along and it is just too early. They gave mom IV fluids and a shot to relax her uterus - this worked for a couple hours and then things started again. So they admitted her to the hospital about 1 AM. She sent daddy home to sleep and take care of me (she worries about her boys). They gave her some fluids via IV (Magnesium Sulfate) that were more poweful to stop the contractions and they also started her on steriod shots to help develop MacKenna's lungs. She was in the hospital from 1 am Thursday morning until about 9 am Friday. After some more tests Friday morning the doctors feel that MacKenna should stay put at least a couple more weeks and Mom should go home and be on bedrest unti then. So now she has laid on the couch for two days while daddy and I take care of everything (cooking, cleaning, washing the cars, going for walks, etc.). I come visit her a lot and sit with her, but it's pretty boring.

Maybe she will tell you more about the situation later, but until then pray for MacKenna to grow strong and hang in there at least a few more weeks. And pray for daddy and I as we hold down the house (and daddy still tried to work!!).

Pictures

2008-03-23T18:44:00.000-07:00

Some Easter pictures

Soccer time with both Grandmas

More Easter pictures

Conversations...

2008-03-12T11:53:00.000-07:00

Here is a sampling of some daily conversations with Camden:

As we approach the Time Warner office to pay our cable bill... "Here we are. They give us Noggin."

As Camden sits at my laptop..."I find the typing." And he proceeds to go to start and pull up the Notepad program so he can type.

One morning he asked if he could have some of "mommy's yogurt" (it isn't anything special, just not the Yoplait kids kind we buy for him). So I bring over a container and a small bowl. I tell him I'll split it with him. I scoop some in the bowl and hand it to him. He says "I eat out of the cup." So I trade him the bowl for the cup. Then he asks, "Can I see the bowl?" He proceeds to dump the bowl back into the cup, hands me the basically empty cup and says, "Ok, now we share." And I think, no, now you eat it all and I scrape the bowl:)

He is such fun!!!

A Blessing

2008-03-07T12:37:00.000-08:00

This morning Kevin and I went to a followup ultrasound to check MacKenna again. At the first U/S a month ago they saw a cyst on her brain. They told us repeatedly that it was not a big deal and should be gone in a month, so we had to come back for a followup. This morning all looked great and the cyst was GONE!!!! Praise God! She was very active, measured well in all aspects, weighs just at a pound and looked good to the tech. She checked again and we are definitely having a girl! So thanks to all who prayed and helped ease our hearts over the past month. Today is such a day to celebrate! And tomorrow Camden turns 3!!! How did that happen so fast! He is such a joy and we feel blessed to get to be his parents. Hopefully this week we will post about his party and include some long overdue pictures.

We haven't disappeared...

2008-02-25T18:19:00.000-08:00

So many of you have been saying that I haven't written in awhile. Life here has been hectic. Let's begin with almost 3 weeks ago when Camden came down with the flu (he DID get a flu shot in Nov). Those were a rough few days. Then when he was on the mend (about a week later), Amy got sick. She thought it was no big deal and rested for a day, and then went right back to work and normal life, two days later she was REALLY sick and now almost 2 weeks later is just beginning to feel better. The day after Amy woke up sick, Kevin started mentioning some pains in his side/back/abdomen. He toughed it out for 4 days (mostly to teach Sunday School and finish a project for work) and then told Amy, "OK - take me to the ER.". After several hours of tests to rule out appendicitis (sp) and gall bladder issues, they decided it could have been kidney stones, but the next step to make the final call was a VERY costly CAT scan. Kevin opted out of this and just took soem pain meds and came home. So far a week later he has been pain free for a few days. In the midst of all this, Camden has decided to pretty much give up nap time each day. He still sits in his room and entertains himself for a couple hours, but gone are the days of 2.5 hours of quiet time/mad rush to get things done while he sleeps each day. He only wants his door open, so there is little you can do near his room that doesn't illicit his curiosity. He has also begun having nightmares and waking up scared a crying all through the night. A night where he sleeps from 8:30 PM to 5 AM is WONDERFUL!!!! We have had a couple mornings he didn't wake until 7 AM, but we are having our share of nights where mom and dad take turns going in to comfort him all through the night. The record one night was 9 trips into his room. All this to say, that keeping the blog updated (and even trying to take pictures) has been a thought of the past. Hopefully we are all beginning to improve and we will start to post better updates about Baby MacKenna and other issues from everyday life. Till then - ...

AND...

2008-02-08T12:15:00.000-08:00

I have wanted to call so many people today, but my phone is charging. The news is...It's a girl!!!!! Camden is thrilled that he was right all along and it is going to be a girl - MacKenna Elizabeth. Soon I'll scan the ultrasound pics and post them.

In case you haven't heard...

2008-01-12T17:31:00.001-08:00

In case you haven't heard I am going to be a BIG BROTHER!! Baby Mack (mom and dad don't know yet whether it is a boy or girl, but I say everday SHE is a GIRL), is due to arrive about July 1. Mom's belly is getting bigger and she says she can't carry me as much. I keep offering to carry baby Mack so she can carry me, but so far she won't let me hold her yet:) I'll keep you updated as things progress, but I wanted you to know of my new big brother status.

Christmas Morning

2007-12-29T19:50:00.000-08:00

My favorite new shirt - "I'm Kind of a Big Deal"

My duckie slippers!!

Doing the Thinking Chair Dance

Thinking
Writing in my Handy Dandy Notebook
My new baseball and glove

It was hard to take too many pictures because I opened my gifts pretty quickly. But I had fun.

Christmas in our small town and Christmas Eve

2007-12-29T19:46:00.000-08:00

We went to the lighting of Wake Forest - it was cold but fun. Then we took a few pictures on Christmas Eve.

Vegas

2007-12-29T19:12:00.000-08:00

Our second hotel - Planet Hollywood
Shark tank in the first hotel
Bellagio Fountains - one of Amy's favorite parts

Paris hotel in the back

Same shark tank
Luxor Hotel
Ceasar's Palace
The Flamingo Hotel outside
More fountains

Can you believe they let us stay here the first night. It was at the Golden Nugget and we only paid $60 on Priceline!!!!! It had two levels and multiple neat features!!
Lounging in the fancy robe and slippers

Staircase to second level
More of the shark tank. The tube in the middle is actually a slide that runs right through the tank and then dumps you into the pool.

The dressing area
The spa tub
The biggest shower I've ever been in.
The bedroom
The downstairs living room and the bar room in the back corner. Pictures don't even do it justice.

Mom and dad went to Las Vegas for a few nights to celebrate their 10 year wedding anniversary. They got a nice surprise and were upgraded to a super fancy suite for their first night (only their first night) so they were quite excited. They had a fun time and I had great fun with Grandma for a few days!!

Around the House

2007-12-29T19:08:00.001-08:00

Baking Christmas Cookies with Mom. My job was to unwrap all the hershey kisses.

daddy's hat

Here are just a few random pictures from around the house.

Update 2 - A birthday Party

2007-12-29T19:01:00.000-08:00

Then I had a birthday party for my good friend Isaac Armlin. It was at a new kids museum - Marbles. It was fun once we got to play, but I did not like the cake and presents part!!

Lots of Updates - Thanksgiving

2007-12-29T18:29:00.000-08:00

The LEAVES!!!!
Old House
Uncle Jimmy helping me "tame" the dog. There were 5 dogs there on Thanksgiving day!!
My favorite Uncle Scott.
Me and Cousin Nathan - I followed him around as much as possible that day.
The family begins to arrive.

My greatgrandpa (Don Hipps), Uncle Jimmy, me and Dad
Aunt Lauren (I'm going to be in her wedding in March!), Greatgrandma Hipps, Katie and Dad's Great Aunt Katy.
Cute me!!

So it has been awhile since Mom had time to let me write and update you on my exciting life. But tonight she said I could take all time I needed to get everyone up to date. So here goes (and there maybe multiple posts).

First there was Thanksgiving. Mom, dad, Grandma and I traveled to Charlotte, NC to visit with family there. Dad's dad's family (the Hipps and Morris side) live in and around Charlotte. We don't see them as often as we would like, but isn't that the case with all the people we love. We drove over on Wednesday afternoon and had a wonderful dinner at Aunt Donna and Uncle Jimmy's house. I enjoyed dinner once I got used to the fact that they had 5 dogs there that night. They tried to keep the dogs outside, but those dogs know how to open the door so we had a few close calls. I have determined that I am not a huge fan of dogs (they like to lick my face). Dinner that night was a big crowd - as I said we were at Aunt Donna (my grandpa's sister) and Uncle Jimmy's house. Then their kids came over - Lauren (and her new fiance Drew), David and Katie. It was fun. That night we spent the night at Lauren's house and then daddy and Lauen ran in a race early the next morning. After that we loaded up the cars and drive to the Mountain House in Golden Valley, NC. This house has been in the family for 3-4 generations and is VERY old. We all met there for a big lunch. There were too many people to mention, but my favorite part was playing in the leaves outside.

Pumpkin Painting

2007-11-03T12:02:00.001-07:00

Mom thought painting the pumpkin would be more fun for me (and safer). So she drew the face and I got to decorate it. I had a great time!!

October

2007-11-03T11:47:00.000-07:00

Dad, GGma and Uncle Scott

My new Puzzle. It has 24 pieces and I am a whiz at it!!

Me, Dad, GGma, Uncle Scott and Cousin Nathan

It has been a really fun October. For mom's birthday she asked everyone for money and got enough to get a digital camera, so now there are (hopefully) going to be pictures posted more often. This October was busy with Dad running in two races (I love going to cheer him on)Mom's birthday, Mom's trip to East Aurora, NY to see family and have a memorial service for my Great Grandma Thayer, a visit from GGma (Dad's Grandma) and the other Harvey's, and then Pumpkin Painting and Halloween. Here are pictures of it all to enjoy.

I haven't disappeared!!!!

2007-09-12T08:36:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! You may think I disappeared since my last post - it has been a long time!! I haven't. We have just had a busy summer and haven't been blogging. Mom wants me to let you know that she thinks I'm not going to be able to post very often. Maybe monthly, maybe every other month, but it just takes away from my play time too much. Anyways, we have had a big summer and it isn't over yet. We got a new car, re-did the floors in our downstairs, painted the dining room and kitchen, had a fun visit from Grandma Sally, and so much more. This weekend we are going to the beach with the whole Harvey family to have one last horray!! I can't wait to see the ocean again. Well, enjoy these rather old pictures - but at least you see my face. Mom says that not having a digital camera is a great hinderance to blogging - maybe she should put it on her Christmas list. See ya later!

Promised Pictures

2007-06-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

Our trip to the zoo in Asheville, NC.

Camden and the brown bear!
Camden in front of the Sea Lion Habitat

Camden in a Polar Bear Den!!

My morning routine. After Mom finally pulls me from the bed (I love to lounge in there!!), I come downstairs and watch her fix breakfast. I try (usually not successfully) to convince her to let me keep duckie and paci for a few more minutes. This morning I succeeded. Then I like to keep my blankie and be superman. This blankie is special because it was Mommy's favorite balnkie when she was a little girl.

Success!!!!!!

2007-06-07T13:17:00.000-07:00

Finally! Well, mom took so long to find the time to update the blog that she forgot how to login. Today she finally had time to try and contact them to discover the issue and seh got it resolved. So....here is just a quick glimpse of some of the many pictures she has to upload and post. These pictures are from our fun family photo shoot in late March to commemorate my 2nd bday. Enjoy and know there are more to come.

Meal Time Prayers

2007-04-11T11:44:00.000-07:00

No new pictures to post this time, but I have to share my latest accomplishment. For some time now Mom and Dad have been trying to get me to start saying a prayer before I eat. This started with them deciding on a simple prayer ("Dear God. Thank You. Amen."). Then they started saying it and trying to get me to repeat after them. This is not my style. For those of you who know me, I much prefer getting YOU to repeat what I want to say. So they learned to let me start and then they repeat what I attempt to say. Lately I have gotten the "Dear God and Thank You" down pat. But then, I tend to forget what to say next. A couple weeks ago they started asking"What is the next word?" when I would forget. This series of events have led to the following being our meal time prayer:

Camden - "God"
Mom and Dad - "Dear God"
Camden - "ank You"
Mom and Dad - "Thank you"
Camden - "word"

Hopefully God gets the picture that we are thankful and a silly family!!

Dinner Time

2007-04-06T11:44:00.000-07:00

Is YOUR dinner time this much fun???!!!

My First Snow!

2007-04-06T11:39:00.000-07:00

These were from the first snow (or schnew as he calls it) that Camden got to play in. He still asks when it will snow again (or as he says "More Schnew??").

Christmas part 2

2007-04-06T11:37:00.000-07:00

More Christmas pictures! Aren't those blue eyes just priceless??

FINALLY!!

2007-04-06T11:32:00.000-07:00

Finally the scanner is up and running, so here are a few pictures from the past couple months. This first batch is from Christmas. This whole thing makes me believe how much we need a digital camera. Enjoy!!!

Update

2007-03-21T17:52:00.000-07:00

Still no photos (sorry:), but here are my latest stats:

Turned two about 2 weeks ago
Weight - 31 pounds, 15 ounces
Height - 3 feet

The doctor says it looks like I will stay a big boy until puberty (whatever that means).

Favorite things: The Wiggles DVD, my new bike, Duckie (my faithful and well-loved friend), playing in water, running down the hill, going to the mall (I went today and saw the easter bunny), eating snacks while sitting on the counter, playing at the park, riding elevators, pushing buttons of any kind

I can say over 100 words (they might not be perfect, but mom and dad are catching on).

Hopefully the pictures will return soon.

Checking In

2007-03-06T17:59:00.000-08:00

Sorry this won't be a long post. Just want you to know we are all well, just a bit busy. We have been having so much fun with family and friends lately that we just haven't taken time to post any new blogs. And our scanner is out of commission so despite the fact there are lots of pictures (Christmas, the first snow for Camden, etc.) there is no way to post them now. Once we get it straightened out we'll return full force!!

Some Old and New Pictures

2006-12-20T18:46:00.000-08:00

A December Family Photo

A great fall day. Dad ran in a race and we all got to go cheer him on!

Pure JOY!!

Me and Carter at about 18 months - I am so much bigger than him now!!

Beach Trip

2006-11-15T18:12:00.000-08:00

At the end of Sept we took our first official family vacation to Carolina Beach. I really enjoyed the first night running up and down the River Walk in Wilmington, NC. I also loved the hotel we stayed at - I could open the closet doors and hide inside:) The beach was fun too. My favorite thing was to just stand in the water and have the waves hit my legs. I think Mom and Dad had a good time too - watching me play and discover the ocean and sand. I can't wait to go back next year!!

Playing by the fountain in Wilmington. I Love moving water!!

My first adventure in the sand. Mom got sunscreen in my eyes, so they look like I've been crying:(

A quiet walk along the beach with my Dad!!

I could have stayed here all day!

Everyone says I look like my dad - what do you think?

Recent Pictures

2006-11-05T11:35:00.000-08:00

I told you I didn't quite enjoy my trip to FL. Here I am on Clay's shoulders and my face says it all!!

I really love to help out around the house - here I am setting up the vaccuum.

In this picture I am about 18 months old. You can see the big difference if you go back to the beginning of my blog and see me next to Carter then and now.

More cleaning - I am my father's son!!!

Too Cool!!

What a week!!

2006-11-02T16:53:00.000-08:00

I do have some new pictures that I will try to post soon, but we have had an eventful few weeks and there hasn't been time. Camden had his surgery (simple outpatient procedure) on Oct 20 and has been healing well. But Monday he broke out with a very high fever and general fussiness. After two trips to the doctors and lots of test they determined he has Roseola. His fever finally broke yesterday, but today we were back at the doctor because he was so lethargic. They determined he is kind of dehydrated, so now we are home with Pedialiyte, popsicles and anything else liquid he will consume. It's been a rough week (Mom and Dad have spent a couple nights up a lot and then days have been touch and go), but hopefully we are near the end. Because of all this we had to take a rain check on Halloween - bummer!! Camden has had fun wearing his dog costume around the house, so maybe we can take a few pictures in it once he is better just for the memory! I'll get the other pictures scanned and posted soon. Thanks to everyone for all your prayers and well-wishes during the surgery! They were all appreciated and felt during that day and the time following.

A Family Photo

2006-10-10T19:24:00.000-07:00

This was taken of our family about 2 weeks ago. Thought you might like to see all of us for a change:)

More pictures

2006-09-01T10:58:00.000-07:00

Just a few more

Just Hello

2006-09-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

Mom just got some film developed and she wanted to post a few of her favorite pictures. Also, last weekend she and I went to FL for the weekend to see my Grandma, Clay, my Aunt Tracy and cousins Cody and Tristan, and my great grandparents. It was my first plane trip, my first big trip and the first time I met my great-grandparents. I did great on the place even though the flight was very delayed, but once I arrived I decided I wanted to go back home. I think I cried and tried to tell mom that about 10 hours a day the entire three days we were there. It was nice of her to think I would want to visit family, but I just wanted to go back home to familiar surroundings and my daddy. As soon as she got me home and off the place, I instantly turned back into my usual charming self and all has been fine ever since. Oh well - maybe we can try that trip again later on! Enjoy the pictures. And, check out Sarala's Parents website (see links)...she just got a little brother this week and she is my same age!! We are so happy for the entire Gainor family! Happy Birthday Jackson!

2006-08-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

Love the Pool

2006-08-06T18:47:00.000-07:00

With the hot temperatures lately - we have spent a lot of time indoors. But, a few weeks ago, my grandpa was here to visit and we played in the pool and took lots of walks. Here are some pictures from his visit (thanks for the pictures grandpa!!). And here is a shot of our new townhouse (see above pictures). Mom and Dad still haven't been able to capture any good walking pictures, although I practice walking a lot now. Mostly I like to walk holding someones hand, but sometimes I venture off on my own.

Walking!!

2006-07-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

So there aren't any official pictures yet, but I am walking now. Yesterday I took about 8 steps and today I seem to be practicing every chance I get. I walk from the couch to the table, wall to wall, mom to dad, etc. Everyone seems so excited by this new milestone, but I just like to see them smile:)

More teeth

2006-07-05T17:29:00.000-07:00

So after the move I was pretty fussy and mom took me to the doctors to discover I had an ear infection in both ears and a sore throat. Things were better for a couple days, but then last week I started having trouble sleeping, crying a lot and just generally being unhappy. On the fourth of July mom called the doctor to see if maybe I should get my ears checked again. So, I went and my ears were great, throat was fine, I'm healthy, but...I am cutting four molars and four other teeth all at the same time. The doctor said it was going to be a rough few days and no wonder I was so upset!! He told mom to skip the infant Motrin, go straight to children's Motrin and double the doasge she was giving me!! Despite that, sleep has still been rough (no nap today - and up just after 6 AM) and I am cranky, but everyone is hanging in there:) Maybe once these teeth break through I will get a break from teething for awhile. Enjoy these other pictures mom just found and soon we will get up some of the new house.

2006-06-27T19:53:00.000-07:00

Just after my birthday I got really sick with a stomach virus. Mommy worried so much because I really just laid around for a couple days. But in one picture you can see I perked up soon!!

Some Old Pictures

2006-06-27T19:43:00.000-07:00

Here are some old pictures that Mom wanted to share with you since she finally got them developed and scanned! Enjoy!
These were from Easter Sunday - I was all smiles!!

Finally Moved

2006-06-26T17:51:00.000-07:00

So we finally moved last week and let me just give you bullet points of the whole ordeal:

-We were supposed to close and move on June 2 and after spending the mrnng with Grandma and Gigi, Mom and Dad came home happy. They went and got the Uhaul that evening and I went to stay with Grandma. (During this time the closings fell through and we stayed at the old house). The next morning they brought me back to the same old house - huh??
-We finally closed on June 16, but ti was so late in the day that no one could move
-On Tuesday June 20, I went to stay with Grandma again and this time Mom and Dad really moved - yipee!!
-On Wednesday they brought me home to the new house. I have a bedroom and a play room here!! But that night things got HOT because the AC broke.
-On Thursday night after I was in bed and Mommy was doing the first load of laundry, the pipes in the 1/2 bath downstairs backed up and the bathroom and part of the living room flooded.
-On Friday they fixed the pipe and today (Monday they fixed the carpet). Also on Friday they finally fixed the AC.

So, FINALLY things are good and I am in my new house. It turns out all my crying the first few days was real because Mom took me to the doctor's Saturday to find out I had two ear infections and a sore throat. Now I am feeling better and we are happy in the house. I'll hopefully post some pictures soon!

Still In the Same House

2006-06-05T17:31:00.000-07:00

As you know from last week, we were supposed to move this weekend. To make a very long, very frustrating story short...we didn't. We are still here and I am sleeping in my same room. But lately I haven't wanted to sleep in there much. I have had a hard time going to sleep for nap and bedtime. Mommy and Daddy "hope" this is just a phase I will get through, because it is exhausting for them. Tonight it took Mommy 50 minutes to get me to stay in my crib without standing back up and crying..she is worn out!

A few weeks ago, Mommy and Daddy left me and went out of town to visit some college friends. It was their first trip away and they enjoyed it, but missed me. I had lots of fun staying with Gram E and visiting all her friends. While I was there Gigi came one day to play with me and she took some fun pictures. Here are some of them (Mom says she is very talented with the camera - but I just like to smile for her!).

Moving

2006-06-01T19:19:00.000-07:00

Even though I am not totally aware of it, we are moving in two days. In fact, right now I am sleeping in my crib here at this house for the very last time. The move and all the packing, house hunting, appliance buying, house selling, etc. is the reason Mom has not been posting at all lately. She says she is sorry, but she has HAD to take care of lots of other details and cute pictures of me have not been top on the list:) However, I am going to have her post a few pictures right now and then promise to put more up in the next couple weeks. Just for a run down of how I am right now...I still have 8 teeth, I get around by "walking" upright on my knees (it's very funny, and I just don't want to walk yet!!), I LOVE books (I could make mom sit and read to me for 30 minutes every morning, I LOVE playing in the sprinkler and I'm cute as can be:)

PS - We aren't moving far (about 15 miles away) to Wake Forest. Now I will be about 5 minutes from Grandma and in walking distance to 2 parks, the library, and Daddy's favorite Mexican restaurant!!

Fun Around the House

2006-04-08T20:00:00.000-07:00

When Mom cooks dinner she pretty much lets me play with anything safe as long as it keeps me occupied - here is a sampling of all I can do in 15 minutes.

11 Months

2006-04-08T19:57:00.000-07:00

These pictures are from our dinner out to celebrate Grandma's birthday and my 11th month photo shoot (all the same day).

Birthday Celebrations

2006-04-08T19:51:00.000-07:00

My actual birthday morning I spent with Mom and Dad. We had breakfast as a family. Mom read a list of special moments/memories with me that year and we said a prayer of thanks. Then I got to open my new toy with Dad. Then on another day, Mrs. Debbie came over and brought presents in the morning. That night she had us over for dinner and ice cream cake!

Cake!!

2006-04-08T19:47:00.000-07:00

I finally figured out I can dig into this cake stuff!! MMMM!!

Updates

2006-04-08T19:42:00.000-07:00

Following are a few more pictures from my Star Wars themed birthday party and some of my 11 month photo shoot.

My birthday party!!

2006-04-05T17:44:00.000-07:00

I know - it's been awhile since there was an update. Just to let you know, Mom started a new job which she really likes, but she is still getting her schedule down. Dad has been busy with work, and he is going to Nashville in a few weeks to meet some of his clients. We are also in the process of trying to get our house ready to sell, and we had company for a week...so life has been busy. Anyways - following are a few pictures from my first birthday party and other adventures. It might take Mom a couple days to get them all posted because there are a lot!!

I'm One!

2006-03-13T19:20:00.000-08:00

So last week I turned one and everyone seems to think that is a big deal. No, I can't say one, and I refuse to hold up one finger (when will they learn I do things on my own time:), but I really am one. They even had a Star Wars party and there were 3 of my friends to play with that afternoon. Hopefully Mom will post some pictures of that day soon - they let me eat chocolate and smear it everywhere!! But, it might take a week or so to get them developed and scanned, so for all those Mom's who had a digital camera at my party - email Mom those pictures!!!
Today I went to the doctor for my one year check-up. I weight 26.7 pounds (the nurse says I am slimming down - ha ha!!). I am 31 inches tall! I got my finger pricked and had four shots. I cried, but I was a trooper!! The doctor says I am healthy and have beautiful eyes and hair. I then slept the whole way home! What a day!!

Funny Face!

2006-02-18T09:31:00.000-08:00

This picture was taken on my 11 month birthday! I love making this face when I am really happy!

Cruising!!

2006-02-15T16:38:00.000-08:00

We wish there were a picture of this one, but there weren't any cameras around. This morning Mom dropped me off and Grandma's for a morning with her. I pulled up on her round coffee table and tried to grab the TV guide (like always), but then I realized I could walk around this table!! So I moved hand over hand (always holding the table) and scooted my feet and went all the way around. I did it three more times after that. Mom says this could be the beginning of my cruising stage, but I just think it is fun to go round and round!!

Teeth

2006-02-11T08:29:00.000-08:00

It seems that last weeks post about my teeth disappeared! So to update you all, I have 3 new teeth on top and one new tooth on the bottom. I love to grind them together (which makes Mom and Dad cringe). I also love to chew on anything including windowsills, chairbacks, toys, and shoulders, so I keep getting called the little beaver and being reprimanded. Oh well - I like these new teeth and now I can chew more foods!

My Daddy

2006-02-11T08:21:00.000-08:00

I know this blog is supposed to be all about me, but this week I have to tell you about my Daddy. He is the smartest man in the world and he takes great care of me. While Mom works in the mornings, we play and laugh and sing and all kinds of fun stuff. Then when Mom comes home Dad goes back to work (he usually has already worked 2-3 hours by then because he gets up so early and works while I nap). This month one of his clients has decided to highlight him on their website, so I want you all to go take a look. If the link doesn't work, then go to www.scribebookcompany.com You will see his name in the upper right corner. Click on that and then you can read about Daddy and see our whole family!!

Fun in a box!

2006-01-21T13:05:00.000-08:00

9 month photo shoot

2006-01-21T12:59:00.000-08:00

I can't sit still!!

8 month photo shoot

2006-01-21T12:53:00.000-08:00

Table Fun with Dad

2006-01-21T12:48:00.000-08:00

More Christmas

2006-01-21T12:41:00.000-08:00

More Christmas pictures. Sorry one is sideways (I keep trying to rotate it, but then it saves it sooooo tiny). That one is me and Uncle Scott with our favorite Christmas presents!! The other one is me and my cousin Nathan.

Pictures from Christmas Morning

2006-01-21T09:44:00.000-08:00

A healthy 9 month old!!

2005-12-15T08:56:00.000-08:00

Monday I went to the doctor for my 9 month check-up. She says I am big, healthy and wonderful. She also thinks Mom and Dad are doing a good job (she probably tells most parents that:). I weigh in at 25 pounds and 4 ounces (97% percentile) and I am 30 inches long (or 2 1/2 feet as Dad likes to say). I can stand on my own (most of the time), as long as you place me in front of something and keep reminding me to hold on. I also crawl all over the place. My new favorite activities include - chasing the cats (I never can catch them), swinging doors open and closed (I sometimes bump my head during this game), playing with the springing things that Mom calls "door stops" (I just think they make a fun noise), and pulling bows off the presents under the tree. The doctor also says that it appears all four of my top front teeth will come in at the same time over the next couple weeks. She wished Mom and Dad luck with this event as she thinks it might be difficult! If Mom gets busy and doesn't get my new pictures with Carter on here - just know I am awfully cute these days and have a Merry Christmas!!

A few new pictures

2005-12-01T16:58:00.000-08:00

Another happy morning!!

I'm Crawling!!

2005-11-29T18:32:00.000-08:00

The big news of today...I crawled across the floor twice with my belly in the air the whole time!! This was very exciting for Mom and Dad and very exhausting for me. They just kept cheering and smiling:)

Here are a few pictures from the past few weeks. There are some with me and my Grandma Sally. Some with me, Mom, Aunt Tracy, Grandma Sally, and my cousins Cody and Tristan. Then a few from Halloween.

Just the usual

2005-11-12T10:55:00.000-08:00

So, I have found that Mom is still not very good at frequent updates:) She tries.
Life around here has been pretty typical. I play on the floor and lately I babble a lot (ba ba ba, da da da). I also enjoy making high pitched squealing sounds and I love it when Mom and Dad join in and we have squealing conversations! I am trying so hard to figure out how to get across the room on my own, especially when a cat comes to visit the room I am in. I haven't figured it out yet - which usually means I fuss in frustration, but sometimes I can army man crawl (pulling along with my arms) when I get focused.
On Thursday night I went with Mom to see her friends and their baby girls. I had great fun with Kate (about a year old) and Greta Banks (6 weeks older than me). We played on the activity table and laughed at each other a lot. Greta Banks and I shared an open mouth "kiss" and that made all the girls laugh so much!! I was just trying to get a closer look at her:)
Here is a recent picture from dinner time.

A real leap backwards

2005-10-26T16:11:00.000-07:00

These photos are from my 6 month photo session

Stuck

2005-10-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

This is how Mom and Dad find me some mornings. It doesn't matter that I have bumpers, I still manage to get some limb wedged somewhere!!

I am a MESSY eater!!

2005-10-26T16:02:00.000-07:00

No need to say anything more!!

Back in time!

2005-10-26T15:57:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken a little while back (OK - so we need a digital camera to keep everyone updated faster:) These are my 7 month birthday shots. I am bigger than Carter now.

Fun in the big tub with my FSU cup. I love this cup so much I broke it and had to get a new one.

Can you see my two new teeth? Look closely at the bottom front ones!!

Carter and I - 7 month photo session. I just can't leave him alone!

Such a sweet boy!!

Pictures from Weekend with Family

2005-10-26T15:32:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken a couple weeks ago when my Grandma Sally (mom's mom), Aunt Tracy, Cody and Tristan came to visit. We spent the day at Hill Ridge Farm in Youngsville.

Daddy and I hanging out!

Aunt Tracy, Tristan and Cody on the Hayride

The cousins in the pumpkin patch!

Me and Grandma Sally on the hayride

Me and Grandma Sally on the hayride again!

A few more from 7 months

2005-10-26T12:58:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more from the 7 month photo session.

Back to the Doctor

2005-10-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

So, I've been taking all this medicine for my ears and I don't seem to be getting much better. I don't really like to sit by myself on the floor, I cry a lot, my appetite is down a bit (and I LOVE to eat!!) and I just want to be held. Sunday Mom decided that the medicine should have made a bigger difference, so she took me back to the doctor. The doctor checked me out thoroughly. She even stuck this little light in my ear, so I gave her a bad look (furrowed brow!) and covered up my ear for the rest of the time she was in the room (this actually did happen and was rather cute!). She determined that the viral infection I have is going away - seems I have a rash of little red bumps all over my belly and that is the viral infection flushing out of my body. However, the bacterial infection in my ears is still not good. She gave mom new, stronger medicine which I have to take for the next 10 days. Hopefully this will help with the ear pain, congestion and coughing. Mom was relieved and hope this new stuff works better and I return to my normal, smiling self by the end of this week. Mom did get frustrated because after 5 days of having medicine put in my mouth I have learned the cues before it is all about to happen, so this morning I kept turning my head and tightening my lips. It took 5 tries, but Mom won and I took the icky stuff. Oh well!!

Ear Infection

2005-10-19T16:44:00.000-07:00

Last night was rough! I went to bed fine, right on time. I'd had a good time at the Gainor's dinner and fell asleep in the car on the way home. Then about 10:45 PM I woke up - mad and in pain. Mom and Dad triend to comfort me, and sometimes they would succeed for a few minutes at a time. But everytime they laid me back down I cried because (come to find out :) my ears hurt! Finally at about 1:00, mom gave up and let me sleep in her arms in the chair in my room (she says she didn't sleep well, but I was perfectly fine). At about 3:30 AM mom put me back in bed. I cried a bit, but finally fell asleep. Mom was exhausted, but glad to be a mom nonetheless:)
Today Dad took me to the doctor and he says I have an infection in both ears. Hopefully that medicine I keep taking will help and I'll be better soon. Maybe Mom and Dad can get some good sleep tonight.

Fun Weekend

2005-10-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

This past weekend my Grandma Sally, Aunt Tracy and my two cousins (Cody and Tristan) came up to visit me. They got in very late Friday night and I was asleep, but we all woke up together Saturday morning. That day we played on the floor in the morning - I love laughung with Cody! Then we went to Hill Ridge Farms to feed fish, eat lunch, ride in a wagon and get pumpkins in the pumpkin patch. I had fun, but I got sleepy early so Daddy took me to Grandma's house for a nap. Sunday we went to church and then had our pictures taken - just the boys! I didn't really want my picture taken in the store (I tell Mom and Dad this everytime we go to do this picture thing - when will they learn:) Monday I hung out with Daddy in the morning and then played with the boys again in the afternoon. They even helped feed me dinner! We went to Target that night and my Grandma got me a bear that plays the Baseball Theme Song - I love him so much I slobber all over him. We ate at Moe's that night and then I came home and went right to sleep. The next morning they all got up and said goodbye. It was a fun weekend and I hope to do it again soon. Hopefully Mom will post fun pictures from the weekend when they come in.

First Tooth!!

2005-10-06T20:07:00.000-07:00

Finally my two bottom front teeth are starting to come in! I can feel the ridges just above my gum and when I chomped on mom's finger this afternoon she said ouch!
This week I have done lots of fun things. Today I went grocery shopping at Target with Mom and Dad. Mostly Dad and I just went around looking at things in the store. I was very social with all the people I met and had a good time. Yesterday, Mom and Dad gave me something called a "fruit puff" for the first time (similar to a Cheerio, but made to melt in my mouth). It took me a couple minutes to figure out if they were a new toy or something to eat, but soon I got the hang of it. What fun!!

First Tooth?

2005-09-29T22:07:00.000-07:00

Today has been a good day, but I was a bit fussy in the evening. Mom and Dad did some investigating and they think I may be getting my first tooth!! After a miserable meal this evening and some numbing medication, I am finally fast asleep. We'll have to see what sprouts on my bottom gum by morning??!!

No nap for me!

2005-09-24T12:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was quite a long day for me. I had my usual morning routine where Mom and Dad take turns playing with me and had a great morning nap. At 11:45 Am I got up and just decided to make the most of my day. I played, squealed, jabbered, ate, laughed, chewed on things...just had a grand old time. Mom tried to put me down for a nap about 2:00, but I just wanted to play with the animals in my crib. She came and got me out after 45 minutes since I wouldn't stop squealing! Then we rocked and played. She tried again with the nap, but I just wasn't interested. Grandma came over about 5:45 and she could tell how tired I was, but I got tickled to see her and hated to miss time with her (so no napping now). The four of us went out to eat, and I spent the whole time chewing on toys and watching all the people in the restaurant. Then we went outside and watched the fountain for awhile. By the time I got home at about 8:00 I was beat and finally went straight to sleep. I wonder if Mom knows I could hear her cheering quietly beside my crib (she seemed to happy that I was finally shutting my eyes)!!