My Sweet Girl

Here is Kinley hanging out in our bed on Sunday afternoon. She was just happy to be hanging out.

Mommy Tip/Info: Foods to Avoid

I haven't done a "Mommy Tip" in a while...sorry about that. Today's is not going to be long, but it does include a link with most of the information. There are foods that are important to avoid in the first year of your babies life (and longer for some). Some people like to tell you that it won't hurt or that they gave it to their baby, but I have done a lot of research on this topic because it is important to me. I am very adamant about not wanting Kinley to have certain foods for awhile and that when I am ready for her to have those foods, I will be the one to give them to her. As a nurse, I have seen the serious side affects of allergies from things that seemed very innocent. Here is a link (http://life.familyeducation.com/feeding-baby/baby/50493.html?mail-03-30) to a list of things to avoid giving your baby and the reason why. Some of these foods are potential allergens. Some are choking hazards. Some could cause serious illness. Also, it is important when introducing new foods to your baby to only introduce one new food every 3 days to a week. That way you have time to notice any signs of an allergic reaction and you will know what they were caused by. Hopefully, your family and friends will respect your wishes on what you want and don't want your baby to have. If not, just share this information with them and hopefully it will help.

Prayer Request

I was just reading a blog that I follow and heard about a family who just lost their 8-month-old son. He died in his sleep. Their names are Cyrstal & Spencer and their son's name is Sage. So far, the cause of death is still pending one final test, but so far there has been nothing wrong found. Please remember this couple and their family in your prayers. Their website is: http://spencer-crystal5.blogspot.com/. From reading this blog and http://sagelawrenceeldredge.blogspot.com/, it sounds like they have a large extended family and a church family. They feel like their son had finished his mission and that the Lord has taken him home. I am amazed by the peace they felt almost immediately. This story really hit hard with me because Kinley is almost 5 months old and has been sleeping so well since she was 7 weeks old. I had started to worry less about her when she is asleep in her crib, but now I realize that something can happen at any age. All we can do is pray.

Family & Friends

I haven't been a very good blogger lately. Here are a few pics from the past couple of weeks:

Sleeping on Uncle G
Me & Kinley on my 24th birthday (March 12th)

Kinley and Izzy at church

Uncle G came over for dinner tonight and Kinley was captivated with him

Here it is ZACH! I still know at least as much "Saved By The Bell" trivia as you, if not more!

St. Patty's Day

This is a little late but I just had to share some of Kinley's St. Patrick's Day pictures!

She wanted to eat her tutu

"Mommy's Lucky Charm"

One Year Ago

This week has brought back many memories from one year ago. The weekend before my birthday, it snowed here. That Friday night, March 7th, we went out with some friends and road 4-wheelers!

A few days later, on Tuesday the 11th, I went to work feeling sick to my stomach. I felt sick all morning. I finally threw up. I thought I had a stomach virus so I went home. I continued to feel sick, but I went to work the next day (on my birthday) anyway. I was so sick I didn't want to go eat. Bryan went and got me McDonald's but I couldn't keep it down. That night, I threw up on and off all night. I called into to work on Thursday the 13th and went to the doctor. Well, I didn't have a stomach virus. I was pregnant!

Here I am about 9 months later! This was the last picture of me pregnant. I went as a "pregnant cat" to a Halloween party. Kinley Grace was born 4 days later on November 5th.

It was a great year!

Teething, Toys, Birthdays

I'm pretty sure that Kinley is starting to teeth. She's had some episodes where she is very upset. She screams and cries for a long time. She has also been chewing on anything she can get in her mouth. Last night we were at my parents house when Kinley had one of her episodes. Mom got out a set of teethers someone gave her. Kinley loved this one that was shaped like a turtle. The teething rings I have been giving her were all a little big and hard for her to get in her mouth.

I have a new "toy" also. My parents got me a Flip video camera for my birthday. I love it! I made this video with it:

I would recommend a Flip video camera to anyone. I think they're especially great for moms. Its so small and light, you can keep it in your diaper bag. You'll never have to miss a cute moment again! They're also very affordable.

Be prepared to see lots of videos on here now!!!

Kinley and I also want to say "Happy Birthday, Manda!" Today is my best friend, Amanda's birthday. My birthday was the 12th. We try to celebrate on the 13th and we call it our "joint birthday". We didn't get to this year but we are hoping to get together this week to celebrate. Hope you had a great day, Manda.

Manda and I on my birthday 2 years ago.

This is the beautiful (and delicious) cookie cake that Manda gave me for my birthday last year

Stress

If you are feeling stressed about work, family, the economy, etc., here is a verse that I came across today that might be helpful when we start worrying too much about the things going on around us:

"Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." Colossians 3:2

4 Month Portraits

Today I took Kinley to get her 4 month portraits. She did so good! Here are 4 of my favs!

Four Months, First Walk, Family Time...Fun, Fun Fun!!!

Here are the pictures that go along with the previous blog:

One of Kinley's 4-month pictures

Asleep in the carseat before going for her 4-month check-up
It was so warm Saturday so Kinley wore a denim skirt

Here's a better look of her outfit on Saturday

Hanging out with daddy

Always so happy

Ray Ray gave her this outfit and she wore it to church Sunday

Family pic after lunch Sunday

She fell asleep during her first walk

4 Months Old!!!

I'm at work right now so I will try to get the pictures up tonight or tomorrow sometime. But Kinley was 4 months old last Thursday! She had her 4-month check-up and she weighed 11 lbs. 11 oz. and was 23 1/2" long! She is so much bigger than when we brought her home. She got 4 shots which she did not like at all, but she recovered quickly. She napped on and off the rest of the day. She is doing better for the most part. She still has some drainage and coughs occassionally. She is still on her antibiotics for the ear infection, but her doctor said her left ear already looked better on Thursday. We have increased her formula to 6 oz. every 4 hours! Which is great for everyone because she's eating less often. She handled being sick so well. She was never very cranky or agitated. She just seemed to want to sleep a lot. Her and I took a nap yesterday afternoon which was nice. I've been sick as well, but hopefully I'm almost over it. Yesterday, I took Kinley on her first walk. It was such a pretty day. She fell asleep in the stroller. I think she may be starting to teethe because she tries to chew on her hands and her pacifier every chance she gets. I have to go for now, but hopefully I can get her 4 month pictures up soon and I have some really cute ones from this weekend, too!

A Sick Little Girl

Our sweet little girl is now our sick little girl. I've been developing a cold over the past week and then on Friday, Kinley developed a low-grade fever. Then she started getting snotty. Then came the sneezing and the coughing. Well, she continued to run a low-grade fever on and off all weekend so I decided to take her into the pediatrician this morning. Fortunately, the doctor thinks its just a cold, but she was beginning to develop a left ear infection so she is now on antibiotics. She's been sleeping a lot on mommy this weekend and I think we're about to take another nap. I hate that she's sick, but I have enjoyed spending some time with her. She's been quite the little trooper, just like always. She hasn't been too fussy. She did throw up after two of her bottles yesterday so we went through a lot of clothes.

Here she is napping in our bed Saturday afternoon

Here she grabbed a kleenex and I thought it was just adorable!


This is after we got home from the doctor before her first dose of antibiotics