Right Now 1

Right Now:

* Mark is really loving his Hot Wheels or any little car that he can find. He loves to hold them in his hand and carry them around the house, race them on the floor, or race them on the end tables.

* Katelynn has been saying "about it" a lot and in the most unusual sentences. For example: Let's eat about it, walk about it, I'm sad about it, I want to ride my bike about it.

* Legos have invaded our house. We played with legos for two hours yesterday while Mark napped. It helped that daddy has a few sets of Legos that he is willing to let us play with.

* I am trying to work on getting the 2013 primary theme and all that goes along with it rolled out. Making some changes to the primary classes, getting the bulletin board updated for the new year, spot lights for the kids, and trying to find a new birthday gift for the year.

* We have taken family walks the past couple days (even taking the dogs with us) and it has been nice to get out together. It helps us to talk more and feel more together.

* We usually watch Veggie Tales on Sundays and today Katelynn said to me today, "Trust in God" There is a song with those words in it from the one she watched today. So, we talked a few minutes about that.

* Today was the last day of Nursery for Katelynn. On Sunday she starts Primary. I am happy but worried that since I am in there she will be wilder than if I wasn't

* I am hoping to stay on top of my blog more this next year, not making any promises but I am hoping.

* The way Katelynn says pony, "poy-knee" Poy like toy. She likes to watch My little Pony and will ask to watch "poy-knee"

* Mark loves helmets. If Ben leaves his helmet out he will be dragging it around the house and he'll put it on most of the time backwards or covering his eyes. Today he is wearing Katelynn's helmet backwards. 

Week 24

We had a couple of fun things going on this week so I wanted to share it here. 

On Wednesday we spent the morning at Callie’s house. Right behind her house is her in-laws dairy farm that her husband works on. We spent the morning hanging out with a few friends from Mommy’s work. We had a great time Callie showed us around a little so that we could see what goes on. There were 5 cows that were about to have their calf's. The kids were able to pet the babies that were no more that 24 hours old. Katelynn loved that and loved being able to check out everything that she could climb on and touch. We saw their little chicken coop and Katelynn thought that was pretty cool too and so were he eggs that were there that the chickens had laid. Mark just chilled in the stroller checking everything out and was content enough with that. A friend was able to grab some pictures of the three of us and I love that you can see the impish little thing that Katelynn is when she doesn’t want to do something and is being a bum. I love her always. Mark was pretty happy just roaming around the lawn playing in the sand box. Callie set up a craft table for the kids. Katelynn did  little painting to pass the time,but most of the time was spent playing with others and having a really good time together. I had a really good time getting together with the other mothers and seeing that they have many of the same struggles that I do as a mom. It always is reassuring to know that many other people have a difficult time raising kids and just keeping up with chores, family, and working.

As we were loading up to go home from the great time that we had at Callie’s  she was told by her husband Kyle that one of the Mama Cows was going to deliver and we could head over to check it out. if we had time. We all stayed and watched the calf be born. From what Kyle told us afterwards was that they will watch the cows 24/7 for when they are pushing, When they start to push and the calf isn’t coming after about 30-45 minutes they will pull it out. Which is what he had to do with this one or else the calf would have died. Katelynn was right on up in there checking it out and seeing what was going on. She probably would have started pulling on the chain if there wasn’t that fence in her way. I the third picture she was asking, “What Doing?”

For Tara’s 11th birthday she had a Pool Party at her neighbor’s pool. It was 104 degrees that day so everyone was pretty happy to be in the pool. Katelynn was no different from last year except this year she wore her floaty for most of the time she was in the pool. Everyone was wondering what our little dare devil would be doing this year but she surprised them all with her mad swimming skills. Katelynn had a great time swimming and following Brynne around. Katelynn is Brynne’s little shadow and I don't think that Brynne really likes that idea. Katelynn jumped in to the water multiple times with and without her floaty on. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5ekZtIBdI4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvNXie4g-Ks

Mark loved the water too. He just chilled. He loved watching everything that was going on and as soon as 5 o’clock came around he was ready to get out of the pool and eat dinner. Porter made it out to the pool after dinner and soaked up half the pool with his diaper! Uncle Caleb and family made it up for the weekend and had some fun with us too. Katelynn is pretty funny about cake and ice cream she loves to talk about it and look at it but doesn’t really eat it.

Right before Ben and I go to bed we get Mark up to feed him to have him sleep for the rest of the night. He will either be pretty sleepy or a smiley happy boy. Ben always likes to get him smiling and grinning after I finish giving him his bottle. Ben decided to get some pictures of this cute time and I love that he did. These are such precious pictures of a time that won’t last long. I love you my sweet and happy baby boy!

We spent the week doing what we normally do, or at least trying. There was painting, swimming, playing outside watching movies, and going to grandma and grandpa’s house.

Katelynn loves to take pictures with mommy’s camera sometimes I let her take some pictures and sometimes I don’t. Wednesday when we were outside I let her use the camera and she took some pictures of me and the dogs and the ground. I may get a kids camera for Christmas so that she doesn’t break mine.

Grandpa e-mailed me on Thursday looking for some-company from a couple of little people that usually come by once a week. Grandma said he was wanting to see how fast Mark was getting and they were missing their entertainment from Katelynn. So, Friday we headed over and spent the afternoon with them. Mark found Grandpa’s feet and used them to help him stand up. 

Katelynn was playing with her doll house and I was in the kitchen when I came to look in on her she had lined up her dolls so they could watch TV. Too bad only the dolls in front could see what was showing. 

Mark is Nine Months

9 MONTHS! WOW! You are such a big boy now!

You are exclusively crawling. Army crawling was a very short phase and you soon realized that you could get somewhere so much faster if you could get off of your belly. You have figured out how to crawl up and down the step in the living room. You do kind of just tumble back down, but you know how to catch yourself so, that you know what to expect. You can go from sitting to standing on almost every piece of furniture. You haven't learned how to stand up by the couch though, it is too soft for you to grab on to. That does frustrate you sometimes. Your favorite thing to stand next to is Katelynn's easel. You know that there is something for you to grab and play with. You have fallen over with the easel a few times too, but it has surprised you more than anything else. 

I feed you almost exclusively from my plate. When I try and give you soft baby food you usually end up just spitting it at me after a few bites. You are eating 30-35 ounces of formula a day, along with the three meals. You usually will want to have your bottles before you go to sleep. You usually don't fall asleep with the bottle you just like the full belly feeling to sleep. More and more of your 12 month clothes are getting too snug or too short. But your 18 month shorts are a little bit too big in the waist. I do like the 18 month clothes better on you so that your knees are covered while you are crawling everywhere. You have three teeth that are trying to make their appearance but they just don’t want to cut through. I know that it will happen any day now.

You know exactly what is going on when you hear the bath water. I will put you in the living room turn on the bath and in a minute or two you are peeking your head around the corner to see where it is coming from so that you can get in it. I will get you in the tub and you just start splashing away I get so soaked some nights, especially if both you and Katelynn are splashing!

You are a pretty happy baby you mainly start crying and fussing when you are hungry or tired or if you had fallen over. You are trying to play with Katelynn more but Katelynn doesn't really want you to play with her things. She has started pushing you and and trying to pick you up, both of which are a no-no. We are trying to teach her to be nice. 

You are starting to have a little more conversation skills. Last night you were grunting and I would say, yes, or uh-huh back and we did this for a few minutes. It was pretty cute. I think you liked it too.

Week 19

 I thought that I would share last weeks life. We had Katelynn's Birthday where we had two mini parties for her.

Cake. Since the moment you woke up this morning seeing the balloons and Birthday sign you have been asking to eat cake. So, we made the cake together today and we frosted it and you couldn’t wait to eat it. and you loved that it was pink too. Still when it was almost time for the guests to arrive you were starring at the cake through the dome wanting the cake. We sang Happy birthday and served the cake and ice cream and this is your piece of cake. You ate all the ice cream but didn’t eat the cake. Silly girl!

Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOocsdjKlWQ

Grandma can put on a really nice little party. Once I told her that we weren’t planning a party but we would be over on Katelynn’s birthday I knew something was bound to happen more. Which it turned out great. I brought over our decorations and Grandma had some things that she picked up. I think the patio was really cute. Grandma made some cupcakes and found the game “Barrel of Monkeys and put the monkeys on the cupcakes. (You didn’t even eat the cupcakes Grandma made). Sarah came over with Max and Jesse after Kindergarten and had cake and ice cream with us. 

Later in the day when daddy came home you opened the presents that we got for you. I hope that you had a good Birthday and knew that you are loved and thought about by your whole family. 

 Mark I love the faces that you make when you get a hold of something soft. When you grab that Rhino you put it right up to your face and smother it. You are such a cutie. On Sunday you and Porter decided that the stethoscope was a great chew toy. SO you both got one end and chewed away. Porter is just learning to sit so Aunty Beth was helping him to sit.

Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=delej-jo2Lw

I put Mark into his high chair for breakfast and gave him his sippy cup. Well, mommy didn't put the cup together right and when I looked back at hi he had all the water from the sippy on hi tray table and he as as happy as a clam. It’s water... he is happy... all is right in the world...

...the love that you have of cooking with me. It really is fun to have you in the kitchen with me, learning and helping. I try to let you do as much as you can like pouring in the measured items or turning on the mixer. When I am measuring things out for you to pour in you always tell me “Katelynn’s turn...Katelynn’s turn” because you don’t want me to pour it in you want to do it. I hope that you always have the love of cooking and creating good things. It is neat to see that I am teaching you things that when you get older you can say, “My Mom taught me...” I love you honey!

Katelynn is 3!!

Oh, my Little Katelynn your aren't so little any more. Three years have went by very fast. You are so amazing to me and such a trial for me. You love to test my patience daily and you usually succeed. You love to climb and play rough with me and I don’t like it and so you end up on time out a lot. Your vocabulary is getting better and better but still a work in progress. There are many things that you can’t or don’t know how to communicate so, that is a frustration for all of us. Some of my favorite things that I love hearing you say are: amazing, mmm... yelishous (delicious), never ever, eat you (thank you), Mommy, Okaaay, sleepy night-night, and baby waking up.
You LOVE to help me cook and I don’t mind the company most of the time. You are able to help and also make a huge mess at the same time. I try and let you do as much as you can so that you can learn but, I don’t want to clean the entire Kitchen after making dinner every night.
You also still have a huge love for water. If I ask you to wash your hands after eating you will go and wash your hands and then end up plugging up the sink so that the sink is full of water and bubbles.
Your best friends are Jesse and Brynne. You always get so excited when you know that they are coming over. I have to tell you a few minutes before they come that they are coming else you will be asking and waiting by the door for them.
I like to do learning activities for you and you have grasped onto some things but it seems that you learn it the correct way and then change it up to something that isn’t right. like your numbers. You know 1-13 but when you say them you say, 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 12, 13 and will repeat 12 and 13 until you are ready to move on.
You like to play some of the games on my phone and will ask to play them. If I am using my phone for the Internet or making a phone call you will tell me, “Put down the phone now, mommy, right now.”
Your favorite show to watch is Curious George. You just love that monkey and will ask multiple times during the day to watch it. I try to get you to watch other things and you do, like, the Toy Story Series, The Emperor's New Groove, Lilo and Stitch, The Princess Frog, Cinderella, Mary Poppins, Sword in the Stone, and the Backyardigans.
You are currently potty training and it is getting better. You know how to hold your pee so that you don’t go on the floor but you won’t go on your own to the potty I have to see that you need to go and DRAG you in to the bathroom once you start going you are able to wipe and get dressed but sometimes it can be hard to even get you on to the potty. I know that it will get even better, it is just a work in progress.
I love you so much Honey and I hope that you always know that, I tell you I love you daily and I do mean it. Even if I am frustrated I do honestly love you with all my heart and never want anything bad to happen to you. You are always in my thoughts and prayers, you are the light of my life.

I love you!

Mark is 8 Months

Time needs to slow down my little man. You are truly amazing. This month you are bound and determined to move. First you perfected rolling to get to things and now you are working on the forward motion. Watching you move forward is kind of painful to since you haven’t figured out a smooth army crawl. you like to get up on your hands and knees and rock back and forth then you will move your knees just enough that it forces you to lunge forward and face plant. Then it looks like you are trying to swim to whatever the object is that you want. You have made a few good crawling motions but just end up falling forward. You also figured out how to sit up from laying down. I just think it is so amazing to see your development and how you learn and teach yourself how to do things.
Since you are now getting all over the front room, you are starting to make it to things that you are not supposed to have. The main thing that you go after is shoes. I don’t understand baby’s fascination with shoes especially  since they are so gross. You love to lick what ever you find, so We are also being more diligent about picking up the little things so that you don’t choke.
Your two words that you say consistently are ma-ma-ma-ma and da-da-da-da. It seems that when you are in a happy mood you will usually be saying da-da and when you are fussy, want to eat, tired, or want to be held you say ma-ma, little stinker, I love you always!
You have moved up to size 4 diapers and wear 12 or 18 month clothes. Some of the 12 month shirts are just too small for you. I think it is odd that they don’t fit since I know that you weigh less than what Katelynn did at this age.  It has to be your height.
You eat 4 bottles a day between 28 and 32 ounces. You eat three meals a day and love to feed yourself. I try to find things to you to chew on so that you learn to love the different textures of food. I blended up some asparagus and peas for you and you really did not like that taste. You are eating baby food much better now but would still rather eat something with your fingers.
Some of your favorite things to play with are, of course, Katelynn, the Fisher-Price phone, the pop-up pals, the Costco wipes bag since it is so crinkly and the leap frog letter Caterpillar. I gave you a rhino stuffed animal that we have because Katelynn would always get mad at you and say, “Mine!” when you attack and try to eat her puppy. The Rhino is about the same size and you still attack and try to fit any of it into your mouth. It is quite amusing to watch you play with Crash the Rhino.

I can’t wait to see what this month brings for you!

Whoops! Here is the link to the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1EISURKx8w

The week before Easter

A few years ago my friend Erin told me about this lady Becky Higgins and a different style of scrapbooking that was suppose to be easier/quicker, but it was all paper and I knew I wouldn't do anything in paper, (paper scrapbooking scares me, it might be the scissors). Anyways, fast forward 3 years and 2 kids later, I wanted to change my scrapping style and I needed to if I wanted to keep the memories fresh. So, the last week of 2011 I fell in love with the Project Life way of keeping my memories and since it was available digital I knew I needed to try it out. So, for all of 2012 I am up to date and I am really enjoying doing these pages. 
I really can't explain it well so, if you want to check it out you can go here. Basically it is a 2 page spread about the week. These are the pages to Week 14. 


Left page

Right Page

This page is actually going to be cut in half when it is printed and placed in the middle since there was just so many pictures from Grandma and Grandpa's Easter Celebration.
Journaling Reads: Friday afternoon we loaded up and headed to Grandma’s house for a family Easter Celebration. We got there at about 3pm and hung out until Uncle Mike and Aunt Sarah came with your cousins. Katelynn is always so excited to see them and play with them. Grandma made some deviled eggs and Katelynn wanted to try them. So as I was helping her with the egg I was holding Mark on the counter top and he was helping himself to some deviled eggs too. We had a wonderful dinner of Tri-Tip and many sides. After everyone was finished with dinner we colored Eggs. Katelynn dipped one egg in the pink container and didn’t want to take it out, ever. I finally had to take it out so that we could clean up and have the Egg Hunt. Katelynn was out hunting first and Max and Jesse were so worried that you were going to find all the eggs. That did not happen. Of the 96 eggs we hid you found 7. You would find an egg, open it to get the candy and then eat the candy and then try and find another egg. I am glad that you didn’t find that many eggs because we don’t need that candy in the house anyways. By the end of the egg hunt Mark was ready to go home and go to bed. So, we called it a night. 

7 Months

Oh Mark you are just growing up way too fast and you are just getting cuter and cuter by the day. Your first tooth came in on the twentieth and your second bottom tooth is going to pop through any day now.
You have started to move, moving backwards that is. You really love to have some alone time during the day where you are awake but not being held. You are rolling proficiently from tummy to back and back to tummy and just today you are able to get up on your knees and rock back and forth, we are in such trouble now! Everything that is in your reach though is fair game If you want and can reach it you are going to grab it.If you start getting fussy and it isn’t time for your nap and you aren’t hungry I will put you in your exersaucer and you are as happy as can be. We have all had colds this week, but I think it is a little miserable for you since you are teething and have a cold.
You still drool like crazy and have drool multiple times on Daddy’s face while he is playing with you. You started talking this week. You talk at the top of your lungs saying, ba-ba-ba-ba and ma-ma-ma-ma. I love when you are saying ma-ma-ma, I always answer you and get a huge grin back, the perfect reward!
You are wearing size 3 diapers and 12 month clothes. You still have 30-36 ounces a day and 3 meals. You don’t like baby food. I always try and give it to you but you would rather have the mash bag with an avocado or banana in it. You have had carrots, sweet potatoes, peas, green beans, bread, rice, noodles, refried beans and squash. You LOVE to poop in the middle of the night. I think you get on your belly to sleep and then all the pressure builds up. It isn’t very fun to be changing your stinky diapers at 3 am.
I don’t know why you do this little head tilt. You will usually do it when you are eating but I did catch a picture of it since you look so cute when you do it. You always tilt to your left too.
You don’t like to cuddle, you just want to be on the floor checking everything out and seeing what Katelynn is doing.  When your happy or excited your feet and hands just start spinning away, it is so cute.Your favorite game is peek-a-boo, especially if Katelynn is playing it with you. She can get you giggling so quick.
We love you so much Mark! You are just so cute and fuzzy!

Here is the link to the video that is on the Scrapbook page.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pnm2FOHPjOU

6 months

Six months old! Really!?! I can’t believe it. I swear I just had you yesterday. You have fit into our family so nicely and we are so grateful for that. This month had some big changes for you. You can sit up unsupported for a good twenty minutes or more and I can tell that you really do like to be sitting up now. You have started to eat solids and are still trying to figure out why I keep putting this foreign object into your mouth. You have had just oatmeal, carrots and rice. You don’t have a favorite yet so we will keep trying, next up is peas and squash. I have noticed that if you have your own spoon to hold you will eat better
You and Katelynn are starting to play nicer together. At least for a few minutes each day I do not have to remind her to be soft while you two are playing together.
You will sleep on your side, back or I have found you asleep on your belly a few times too. You fall asleep by yourself, if I try and rock you to sleep you will arch really far back and won’t relax enough to fall asleep with me so I put you in your crib and you will be asleep within 15 minutes without crying. Which makes me sad since I love that cuddle time with you. I think you are going to be a blanket lover. You will move around your crib all night but that blanket will be with you where ever you end up.
When you roll onto your tummy you are able to pivot in a circle and will push all the way up on your arms, it won’t be long till you figure out that you can move.
You have been crabbier the past few days but I think it might be a mixture of teething and you weaning to only two naps a day. I will miss that third nap for sure.
 You drool, a lot, I mean A LOT! You have to wear a bib and I know I never really put a bid on Katelynn to catch drool, but I have to for you or else you are soaked to the bone by noon!
You love to be able to see me. If I have to put you down and leave you to do something with Katelynn you start to whine and cry and that always makes me so sad to hear.
You are still wearing size three diapers and size 9 month clothes but I do believe that 12 month clothes will be coming out by the end of your 6th month. You like the regular Similac formula better than the generic and are eating between 30-36 oz a day. At your six month check up you weighed 17lbs and 13oz and were 27.75 inches long. Your weight is now at the 50th percentile again! I am glad that you are doing so well and can’t wait to see what the next month brings.

W's

I have been SLOWLY working on potty training with Katelynn this week. I ask if she needs to use the potty about once a day and she usually is successful. I give her 3 M and M's if she uses the potty. So, today before her bath she used the potty and I gave her the M and M's (which she calls m m's). After her bath she was wanting some more and I could tell that she wanted to say the name of them but she couldn't remember the name so after thinking about it for a minute and pointing to where they were she said, "W's?" I just burst out laughing! She was so cute. I then explained that the M and M's were only if she used the potty. We have been working on letters and numbers and W is the letter that she really knows.

Mark is 5 months

I guess for now keeping up with his monthly updates is all I can do on this blog. I want to catch up with more things here but it just isn't happening. Anyways.
Mark is still our little joy. He really does have such a mellow mood. He loves to be held and he is usually pretty content with whatever is going on. When he is ready for something new he will let you know that is for sure.
We are having a harder time leaving him with Katelynn in the same room for a minute or two. She likes to play with him but she doesn't play appropriately with him. She usually starts off okay but then gets closer and closer in his face. Then she tries to give him toys but she is too forceful with them or if he is playing with something she will yank it away. Then there comes the hitting or squashing and we have to separate them which she doesn't like but I won't stand for her being mean to others. He just takes it most of the time, but I don't like it.
He likes to be around others and see what they are doing. He likes to be on the floor playing with toys, he will play in his exer-saucer for a good 10-15 minutes or longer if Katelynn is playing with you, you will sit in your chair and watch me make meals pretty contently and of course you love to be held and rocked by momma. He is drooling and chewing on his hands like crazy so maybe he is teething but I don't feel anything coming yet. So, I think that we have another month or more before teeth will come. He wears size 3 diapers and 9 month clothes. He still eats about 30 oz a day with 3 naps during the day. He is 16lbs and 10 oz. He is very happy with his schedule.
Other than being the cutest little man I know he hasn't been doing too much at five months.

First Foods

Yesterday, Katelynn was wanting a snack. Ben and I were cooking dinner so I pulled a banana off of the bunch for her and tried to get dinner finished up. Mark was laying under his toy gym happy as he usually is. Katelynn wandered in the living and was talking/playing with him and still eating her banana. The banana is important here. Ben goes into the living room first and I hear him say to Katelynn, "No, Katelynn. You don't share your banana with brother. Oh well, it's already in your mouth." I think, oh dear, how much banana is smooshed all over Mark?! Luckily, Katelynn just gave him the tiniest of pieces. Mark, was still as happy as could be until I dug my finger in his mouth and took the banana piece out. That was when he started screaming. He was enjoying gumming it. Soon enough little man, you can have some solids in just a few weeks.
We may have a problem when Mark starts eating. Katelynn, may want to give him everything.

Mark is 4 Months

I am blaming this late post on the Holidays!
Mark turned 4 months a week ago and is still my little blue eyed baby boy. Oh, how much I love him, I can't even count the ways. He is still a mellow little guy. He lives to sit and watch what ever we are doing. As long as someone is near him he is pretty happy. He knows his schedule pretty well and will make us stick to it. He wakes up at about 7:30 am and will chill while we get ready for the morning and have breakfast. He'll eat at about 9 and then when he has been up for two hours it is nap time. He'll wake up and eat and magically at 2 hours of awake time he starts getting fussy again and we do that routine all day. He'll get into his pajamas around 7 and he knows when he is in his pj's so he wants to get to bed. So, he's down around 7:30. I'll feed him before I go to bed and then again around 4am and then we start over the next day. He has at least one crazy, crying, I am hungry! I am tired! I don't know what I want! fit that lasts about 10 minutes. Once he settles and eats and falls asleep all is again right with the world.
He is so happy, he will smile right back at you and he is giggling more which is absolutely adorable. If Katelynn is in his line of sight he will just watch her and be in total awe of his big sister. He has the cutest grin on his face when he is watching her. He is rolling over consistently from his back to his stomach and doesn't like to be on his stomach for long. I have laid him on his back to do something and then a few minutes later I hear grunting because he has rolled over and is stuck and needs someone to come save him.
As for the stats at his 4 month appt he weighed 15 lbs 7 oz and was 26.5 inches (Katelynn was 16lbs 2oz and 26 inches). The doctor is concerned that his weight isn't where it should be for his HUGE growth potential. He is on the 80th percentile for height and 45th for weight, so I have been trying to feed him more which hasn't been working, I can only feed he what he wants to eat. We'll see what happens when we go in for a weight check at the end of the month. He is eating about 30oz in a 24 hour period which is average for is age. He is wearing size 3 diapers and fits in both 6 and 9 month clothes.
I LOVE to put him to sleep. It is my favorite time of the day! I rock him to sleep which usually takes 5 minutes (as long as Katelynn is quite too!) He will just stare up at me while I rock him and he'll take his left arm reach for me stroking my neckline and hair until he falls asleep. Such sweet bliss!