Life is Beautiful

Stay at Home Mommy , at least for a week!

2010-05-11T10:59:00.000-07:00

My last day of work was last Friday. So I get the honor and joy of being a stay at home for the week. I love it! I love getting to spend so much time with my little doodle. Now, don't get me wrong, when Aaron gets home I like to have at least 20 minutes to myself. To pee, shower, and gather my thoughts for a minute. But I could definitely do this all the time. Kennedy is at such a fun age. She is playing and exploring so much. If her little allergies weren't so bad right now we would be spending lots of time outside. But the wind and her sickness are stopping us, so we are making our own fun indoors. As we speak she is taking her morning, and sometimes only, nap. She has been out for about an hour and a half! That gives me time to read, do dishes and laundry and blog. I love my baby girl and I envy mothers who get to stay home with their kiddos. Cherish your time and know that its a gift.

Viva Las Vegas

2010-05-03T09:35:00.000-07:00

Wow, it feels like ages since I have posted. A lot has changed in the last two months and even more change is coming our way in the month of May. Aaron and I have been trying to get closer to home ever since Kennedy was born. We want her to grow up around aunts and uncles and grandparents and great grandparents. So about two months ago Aaron accepted a ministry position in Oklahoma City. This job is perfect for him. He will be great at it and will be such a huge asset to this church. He fits in ministry so well. So once he accepted the job at the church we had to hit the ground running. We had to figure out what to do with our house, still working on that one. Tell my job that I was leaving, and I had to find a new job back home, thank goodness the Lord provides because we both have new jobs to go back to. We had to figure out where we were going to live in Oklahoma, done and done! And then we had to face the challenge of packing up our house, our lives for the past two years and our precious baby girl and head east. 1000 miles east to be exact. Lets just say Kennedy is strong willed, and already very opinionated (wonder where she got that from?) so it should be very interesting to drive across the country with her for two days! Luckily my mom and brother-in-law Bryce are flying out to help us get back! Speaking of brother-in-laws I just a new one. Matt and Val got married in Mexico on the 24th of April. I will not try to hide my excitement about moving home but there is a list of things I will miss about Las Vegas...

1. My friends, I have made some lifelong friendships while living here and there will be many tears shed when its time to say goodbye.

2. My job, I have loved working for the American Cancer Society for the past two years. Volunteers are incredible beings and I have learned so much from them. They will be dearly missed as well.

3. Our home, I love where we live. Its so peaceful and beautiful and away from the city. And this was the home that we brought Kennedy home to for the first time. This is where she had all of her firsts. It will always hold a special place in my heart.

4. The beauty, yes you heard me right! If you have ever been to Vegas you know the surrounding landscape has it own beauty. We are surrounded my mountains and we can even see snow on one of the peaks.

5. The heat, yes you heard me correctly again! I would take the Vegas heat of the Oklahoma humidity any day!!!

6. In and Out Burger. Enough said!

We are staring a new chapter of our lives and I know it will hold a lot of good memories and we are very excited about the future. But I will be leaving a part of my heart here in Las Vegas. For all of the good friends and memories that will stay behind when we pull out of the driveway with our 26 foot Uhaul, our Honda being towed and me driving the truck with our little lady navigating!

Look out Oklahoma, here we come!

O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A

2010-03-03T10:57:00.001-08:00

We are headed to Oklahoma at the end of the month for a fun filled, busy bee, week. There will be showers for toasting, marshmallows for roasting, and carolers out in the snow. Well, minus the toasty marshmallows and snow! But seriously there will showers, retirement parties, luncheons, and lots and lots of cuddles and kisses for miss Kennedy. I cant wait. I always look forward to going home. And Lord willing we will get to move back sooner than later!

Its hard to tell from this photo but she is smiling! She cracks herself up every time she sees herself in the mirror. Good trait to have, the ability to laugh at yourself!!!

Whew!

2010-03-02T08:25:00.000-08:00

I have been putting off posting for a while because I wasn't sure if I could do it without crying! This past month, really ever since December, has been really rough. We have been through 2 rounds of RSV, luckily neither one severe. But nonetheless hard to go through with a 7 month old. We have had our first and second ear infections. I was hoping she would miss these because she is still nursing. She has gotten her two bottom teeth and has started to realize when Mommy and Daddy are not around, or when we leave the room. And on top of all that Aaron and I have realized that Oklahoma is where we belong.

We have had a lot of good experiences in Vegas and have made some great friends. But we are Okies at heart and we are trying to get home as soon as possible. Aaron has been looking but as everyone knows the job market is really tough right now. But we need, want, desire for family to be close by. Last week when we were taking Kennedy to the doctor for the 5th time this month (maybe due to me over reatcing, but also 2 ear infections and RSV) I called my mom and just broke down. I wanted my mommy! I don't want to move home so we have free babysitters, even though it would be nice to share a date with my hubby every now and again. I want to move home so Kennedy, and any future kids can experience what I never had. Being close to grandparents and uncles and aunts and cousins (come on Lacy and Bryce, wink wink)!!! Some people may say we are quitters or weak for not being able to be happy out here without family close by. But those people don't matter. So for the time being we are praying and searching for the right opportunities to get us home.

Kennedy Grace

2010-01-20T12:13:00.000-08:00

I love her. That's all!

Time Flies

2010-01-12T16:09:00.000-08:00

My baby girl, my boo boo bear, my snuggle muffin, my poodle doodle turns 6 months old today! I really find that hard to believe. I remember going to the hospital, and waiting for Kennedy to be born. It was all in slow motion. But it seems like the moment she entered the world the fast forward button was hit. Its amazing how much she has changed. She loves to smile and laugh and loves to be tickled! She loves to grab things, especially my face if its in range. She loves to cuddle with her daddy and I love to see their bond grow every day. She has so much personality and spunk. She has attitude (I wonder where she got that from) and she knows she is the queen of the household. She has realized that Baxter and Rudy can be grabbed! She follows them (with her eyes for now) around the room. I love her so much and thinking about her makes me miss her little cheeky face so much. I cant believe that in 6 short months my baby girl will be one. That is WAY to much for me to handle today!

She

2010-01-06T12:03:00.000-08:00

Yes this post title was borrowed from a Pioneer Woman post she did last week about her daughter. But its so fitting so I am borrowing it!She is the light of my life and my joy every morning. She makes me laugh every day. She wakes up with a smile on her face (most mornings) happy to see myself and Aaron. She is growing WAY TO FAST. She will be 6 months in 6 days and I cant handle it. I am already planning her fist birthday and that scared the daylights out of me! She is so cute it makes me giddy when I am around her. I love to kiss her sweet little face. She already has a big personality and I know there is going to be drama when the hormones start kicking in during the teen years (heck probably well before that)! She is my heart walking outside of my body. I love her!

Christmas 2009

2009-12-29T09:31:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of our first Christmas with miss Kennedy.

Chilling with Daddy before opening presents.

Excited!

Her stocking.

I am looking a little rough. Its been a long time since I was up that early to open presents.

A card that Aaron "helped" Kennedy make for me! Going in the scrap book for sure!

OSU doll from Grandpa and Gran!

Bouncer from Mom and Dad!

Books!

Her pink IKEA hippo!

Worn our after all the excitement.

It was just the three of us for Christmas this year. We missed our families alot but it was nice not to have to worry about "hosting". We stayed in our PJ's all day long. Kennedy had a cute pair of Christmas PJ's but she proceeded to pee on them the night before so she is in her flower non-festive PJ's. But she is still cute!

Babys First Christmas

2009-12-28T08:46:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas Holiday with out little pumpkin bear! I forgot my camera today but there will be lots of photos to follow!

Date Night

2009-12-23T10:14:00.001-08:00

My husband standing next to the big ol' Christmas tree that M casino and hotel.

My wonderful glass of wine at dinner.

The cute little cafe where we dined.

Me; happy to be on a date with my love.

Pre-date pic (thanks Mom).

The beautiful Christmas tree. The largest in the country.

Me and the tree!

We finally got to go on a date when my mom was in town. There was kissing, cuddling, dancing under the stars next to the ginormous Christmas tree, desert, wine and fun. All crammed into two short hours so we could get home to put Kennedy to bed.

Doing the Most Good

2009-12-02T15:36:00.001-08:00

I was out doing some Christmas shopping/work errands today at lunch. I had to run into Wal-Mart really quickly to get a couple of gifts for some volunteers. As I entered the store two children sitting in their cart came out of the store singing Christmas carols at the top of their lungs. While other shoppers were either unfazed or annoyed I found this quite humorous. I remember the joy of being a child and not caring and or realizing the social norm for singing Christmas carols at the top of your lungs! Then on my way out I saw the holiday staple Salvation Army bell ringer. Above his little bucket was a sign that read "Doing the most good". Working for a non-profit my first instinct was to be defensive about that sign. I happen to know there are alot of other charities that do alot of good thing for people (insert pompous attitude tone). Of course this dialogue was occurring inside my head, as most of my sassy comments and conversations tend to do. But right behind me was a mom with a little girl, probably 5 or 6 years old. The mom stopped the little girl and asked her is she wanted to give money to help people that didn't have any money. And that when I realized that in fact that giving spirit, especially in these economic times, is "Doing the most good". As a parent I am beginning to understand the weight and responsibility of raising a moral, and kind child. So the very fact that is mother was using a "teachable moment" to help others gives me hope that the world is not doomed to be overrun by selfish, money hungry future generations. So tis' the season to be giving and generous. Drop your extra change in the little red bucket, because giving to others in need is indeed "Doing the most good".

On another note, here is a cute picture of my little lady!

Love and Motherhood

2009-11-04T12:19:00.000-08:00

Words fail me when I try to describe how much I love my Kennedy Grace. Pardon the cheesy saying, but she is the light of my life. She makes me happy when I have had a rough day at work or I am not feeling so happy about living in Vegas. There are so many things that she does that melts my heart. I will list just a few;

-When I go in to get her in the morning, before her eyes are even open, I say "good morning sunshine" and her little face breaks into a huge smile. (melting)
-Every time I look at her these days she smiles so big. I know understand the saying "grinning from ear to ear".
-She talks to me on the way home from her school. She will babble and I will respond or ask her questions. Bonding!
-When I am burping her at night right before I lay her down and she has that milk drunk (official term, I promise) look on her face and her eyes are heavy with impending sleep and she lays that little head on my shoulder and goes limp from exhaustion.I love it. It means that she is totally at peace being in my arms.
-The little noises and cry's she makes when she is so tired but refuses to go to sleep. They are funny because I know that she is dry, fed and just needs to nap. She will lay in my arms, eyes closed and her pacifier hanging out like a cigar and wine because she is so sleepy.

The love I have for her is unmatched. I love everything about her sweet little face. It pains me to see her growing so quickly, I am not ready to have her be a big girl quite yet.! When are done reading to her at night Aaron and I pray over and for her. I want her to be happy, healthy and safe. Writing this now brings tears to my eyes because I love her so much and miss her terribly during the day. She is my little pumkin pie love muffin!

Roots and Wings

2009-10-13T08:58:00.001-07:00

We just took Kennedy to Oklahoma for the first time. I was throwing two wedding showers for my sister and of course I wanted my family to come home with me. Kennedy did great on the plane. She slept the whole time both ways. Luckily both flights were non-stop. When we go home in November we will not be so lucky with the non-stop flights! It was great to see my mom and sisters. It is always bittersweet to go back to Oklahoma. When I am in Vegas I tell myself that I am okay and I don't really miss OK that much. But as soon as my feet hit the Oklahoma ground I know I am home. It is REALLY hard to be away from family and it is super duper hard now that Kennedy is here! Aaron and I know there is a reason we moved and a reason we are in Vegas. We are just trying to figure out what that reason is and why God moved us to move. We want to get back closer to home eventually. We are working hard to make that a possibility.

Where did September go?

2009-10-05T10:52:00.000-07:00

The title of this blog describes exactly how I felt this morning when I realized how fast September flew by. This morning as I was getting ready for work I was reviewing the last month. The good the bad and the ugly. I was also taking notes about everything I needed to get done this week. I am a huge list person. I make to-do lists, grocery lists, budget lists, you name it I can make a list for it. The days seem to fly by and the nights are but a blink (sometimes literally if Kennedy doesn't sleep well). At the beginning of September I remember thinking that I had a birthday to celebrate, a large event at work to prepare for, numerous conference calls, and a month to prepare for two showers I am throwing for my baby sister. Now as I sit at my desk assessing my October planner I see that October is already full! Personal shower and kitchen and bath shower for Lacy, a good friends birthday, our 4 year anniversary, a baby shower, and multiple things at work. Having showers in Oklahoma means flying. I am nervous about flying with Kennedy, but luckily I have a wonderful husband that keeps me calm and sane(for the most part) and he will be accompanying us home to Oklahoma! I love being a mom and this past month Kennedy's personality has really started to show. She loves to smile and is starting to giggle. She loves to cuddle and is a really active sleeper.

Busy Busy Busy

2009-09-01T12:06:00.000-07:00

Here is a typical day in the life!!

A quick side note, I don't actually know when my days end and begin anymore! Ever since Kennedy arrived on the scene my days, staring on July 12th, have been one constant movement. There has really been no end and no beginning. I guess that is why time flies so fast when you become a parent. Because "time" as you knew it before does not exist anymore!

I will start at the beginning (whatever the beginning really means)

3:00a.m-5:30 anytime between these hours my darling girl will stir and oh so gently request to be fed!

5:45-6:00- Shower

6:00-6:05 Quickly blow dry hair

6:05-6:10 Straighten hair
6:11 Put hair in ponytail ( questioning why I took the time to straighten my hair)
6:15-7:00 Eat breakfast and if I am lucky I get to do this sitting down and one complete act! Get Kennedy's stuff ready for school, pack lunch, pack breast pump.
7:00-7:30 Change diapers, give hugs and kisses to the baby and the husband and send them off.
7:32 Grab coffee and head to work.
8:00-4:00 Work, pump, watch Kennedy on the cameras at school, work, pump, etc.
4:00-4:25 Smile the whole way to Kennedy's school thinking about hugging her little body.
4:30 Bliss! Seeing my little girl, giving her kisses and hopefully getting a smile from her!
4:30-5:00 Drive home in crazy Las Vegas traffic.
5:00-5:30 Feed and love on my baby girl.
5:30-6:00 Start dinner and wait for hubby to get home.
6:00-8:00 Hang with the family, do dishes, clean up house, pack lunch for next day, and bath for baby girl if necessary.
8:00-8:30 Feed and put baby down.
8:30-1:00 (If I am lucky) Baby girl sleeps and so does mommy!

Then it starts all over again the next day, or next shift as I see it!

Well its 12:15 and that means its time for me to go pump. Trying to keep breast milk supplied while bringing home the bread for the family!!!

The Smell of Rain

2009-08-22T16:02:00.000-07:00

When I woke up this morning I did so in a panic. I did not hear anything, it was quiet. I quickly looked next to the bed and did not see my daughter. Then I rolled over and did not see my husband. I then looked at the clock it read 8:45. My Darling Husband had changed Kennedy's diaper around 6:00 and had taken her downstairs so I could sleep in. That was a nice surprise and something I desperately needed. When I came downstairs I saw that it was overcast. This is not completely foreign to Las Vegas but something that doesn't happen very often. And when it does it rarely produces rain. But to my great surprise when I was running errands this morning I actually got sprinkled on! It was so nice. My fellow Las Vegans were running around trying to get out of the rain while I slowed my pace so I could enjoy the brief moments of cool rain. Don't get me wrong, I love the sun and for eight months of the year we have beautiful weather. But sometimes I enjoy a nice cloudy day, a day that allows me to be lazy and comfy at home with my family. Living in a place where it doesn't rain that often I treasure the moments when I can stop and feel the drops on my skin and smell the musty hints of humidity.

Sad Sad Day

2009-08-21T10:43:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures of my little ladybug! Today I am taking stuff to Kennedy's "School" to get her ready to go on Monday. I am calling it school, instead of daycare, because I like the way it sounds. Denial? Maybe but it makes me feel better. I am taking her diaper bag with all of her goodies and a mobile for her crib. It is very sad and I am having a VERY VERY HARD TIME coming to grips with the fact that on Monday morning at 8 a.m. I will have to leave my daughter in someone elses hands and trust them to care for her and love her until I can get her every day at 5:00. Its heartbreaking. I am prepared to cry like a baby, if you will, on Monday and probably every day following that week. These past six weeks have gone by way to quickly and I am trying to soak up every moment with her.

What to do? Help.

2009-08-03T20:17:00.000-07:00

As I type this very post my darling husband is upstairs trying to quiet and soothe our 3 week old baby girl. The past couple of days it seems she has been plagued with gas. Therefore she will eat and then an hour later be inconsolable and hungry again because she has taken in to much air and not enough milk. I am still learning what her cries mean and how to meet her needs. It is so hard to hear her scream and cry and not be exactly sure how to make it better. Its exhausting and draining and heartbreaking. If any moms have any suggestions on how to make sure baby is getting a good latch and how to help with the gas issues I welcome the comments. We are using mylicon when we feed her but it doesn't seem to be helping much. Help!!!!

Sheeesh!

2009-07-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

That is the only appropriate word I can muster this morning to describe how I am feeling. This word is a two edged sword this morning. Sheesh being good in the fact that I fall more and more in love with my daughter every single second. I am captivated by her. Her tiny little features, her sneezes and noises, her precious face. And Sheesh being bad in the fact that this little girl will not sleep. She is a fighter that is for sure. She will be exhausted, plum tuckered out if you will, and she will still not sleep. For the past two nights I will feed her and then lay her down and no more than 10 minutes later she has kicked herself out of her swaddle and is squirming all over her crib. The only way she will get some sort of sleep is to sleep on mine or Aaron's chest. Great for her, uncomfortable at best for us. I think last night she slept all of two hours in her crib. But earlier this week she was sleeping for four and five hours straight at night. Now we are lucky to get two uninterrupted hours. As I type right now she is in her swing and I have my ipod playing some fun music so I can sing to her. But she is getting fussy now. When she eventually naps maybe I can post some pictures. Here's hoping!

Kennedy Grace Krueger

2009-07-16T19:55:00.000-07:00

Kennedy Grace Krueger was born July 12th at 3:20 in the afternoon. She was 8lbs and 20 inches long. She is perfect and gorgeous and I am completely in love with this little lady. I went to the hospital Sunday morning around 2:30 because my contractions were coming every 3-5 minutes. When we got there they put me in triage for an hour to monitor the baby and make sure I could be admitted to delivery. I was taken to my delivery room around 4. I was given the epidural around 5 and my water broke at 5:20. I was able to rest until around 12:00. I pushed for 3 hours and finally she was born. We stayed two nights in the hospital. We got home on Tuesday afternoon and have been adjusting to life with a newborn ever since. My mom arrived Wednesday morning and has been a huge help. Being a new mom is overwhelming and tiring and rewarding and the most incredible thing all wrapped into one big cute bundle of love. Here are some photos.

D Day!!!

2009-07-09T14:41:00.000-07:00

Well tomorrow is the day that is supposed to be the day! Kennedy's due date is tomorrow. I really don't feel like she will coming out tomorrow. But part of me is okay with that. Last night I broke down and had a moment where I was totally freaked out by the whole birthing process. Not the pain, and not so much the birth but the afterbirth. I am terrified of bleeding to death or getting blood clots or something horrible like that. I know, and those who know me, I am a hypochondriac. I have convinced myself I have cancer for body parts I as a female don't have! I want to be a mom so bad. To do all the things for my daughter that I didn't get to do growing up with a single mom and two sisters. I want to cuddle and love my daughter to pieces. I want to see Aaron be the incredible dad I know he is going to be. I just have to calm myself down and relax. I just get really scared sometimes and its the whole unknown and uncontrollable parts that really send me for a loop. I just have to have faith and trust that everything will go smoothly. I just had a moment last night while I was eating burritos with my husband! Every morning I wake up and tell myself I am one day closer to having a completely different reality then today! I cant wait. I dream about little babies every night. I was watching 16 and pregnant the other day and started crying when this teenager (a baby herself) gave birth to a little girl. I just kept thinking that would be me very soon! So here is to a new mother freaking about birth, like thats never happend, and to a control freak learning to let go.

3 Days and Counting

2009-07-07T19:18:00.000-07:00

If you would have asked me earlier today I would have told you I was going to be a millionaire. I was going to be on the cover of every magazine, including the trashy ones we are read secretly in the grocery store line! Because I would have sworn this child was never coming out. Last week she was very stubborn at the doctors office. She is already taking after me! Scary. But today the doctor said I am progressing nicely and that if I have not had her by next Wednesday she will induce me that evening. That works out great because my mother comes in Wednesday morning. Being induced is not ideal but at least my mom will be here for her birth! So good news, this baby is gonna come out. Bad news, I am still really uncomfortable. I woke up twice last night and had to chew some tums due to the horrible heart burn. Then every other hour I woke up and had to readjust which led to me having to pee. Ohh the joys of pregnancy. I really have enjoyed my pregnancy up until these last three weeks. But I am now officially ready for her to get here! Even if it hurts, which I know it will! Here are some photos. Some were taken of me last Friday at 39 weeks and the others (red dress) were of my on the 4th of July, hoping for a firecracker baby!

4 Days and Counting!

2009-07-06T10:48:00.001-07:00

Well Kennedy's due date is 4 days away! She is not showing any signs that she is coming out anytime soon. She is very comfortable in her Mommy's belly right now. She is still sitting very high and is still moving around alot. Last week at the doctors appointment the doctor had to chase her around my belly to get a heart beat. She is a mover and shaker! I have some photos of my belly and her nursery that I promise to post asap. I have been continuing to nest. Cleaning out the garage in 105 degree heat on Saturday! Making casseroles to freeze for after she arrives, and making sure I have my bag and Aaron's bag packed for the hospital! I am so anxious to meet her and see what she looks like. My mom arrives next Wednesday and a part of me hopes she is here for the birth but another part of me hopes I don't have to wait that long! Pics to be posted soon.

30 years young and facing reality.

2009-06-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my darling husbands 30th birthday! He is such a wonderful person and he does not like alot of attention being drawn to himself. Last weekend when his parents were in town we celebrated with some good friends. But last night he just wanted to watch a movie and eat pizza and cuddle. But before he got home I went to the store and bought a mini-birthday cake and lit some candles and scattered some 30 confetti all over our table. I just wanted to do something special but small. For his birthday my whole family pitched in and today we are going to go pick out a video camera. But I already promised my mother she will not have to sit through a replay of the birth! The camera is for after the birth when Kennedy is clean and out of my belly completely!!!!

On Thursday I received an email at work. It was letting everyone know in our division, the 12 most western states excluding Hawaii and California, that there will be layoffs this coming Tuesday. So on Tuesday morning they are asking everyone to stay home and if you have lost your job you will receive a phone call letting you know. I feel that my job is safe, mainly because I run programs and work directly with patients and volunteers. But you never know! So when I got this news of course I started to worry. I am about to have a baby and things would be a lot more complicated and stressful if I did not have a job. So I texted my mom and asked her how much extra room she had at her house because she might have 3 extra roommates really soon! I know its out of my hands and honestly if I lost my job it would be a blessing in disguise because it would mean that we could get closer to home a lot sooner. We have been talking about moving back within the next 18 months. We are not set on moving back to Oklahoma, we wouldn't mind Texas, Colorado, Missouri, or even Tennessee. But that is completely out of our hands. Its not that Vegas is a horrible place to live. We are so close to California and Utah and so many cool things you have to drive hours to access in Oklahoma. The weather is perfect, even now in June. We live ina beautiful home and we have made some really great friends. But there is NO sense of community here. There are small pockets but they are so spotty they are almost impossible to find. People come to Vegas to strike it rich or to play. People dont come to Vegas to raise families and meet lots of great people. And we both miss our families so much. I am so close to my mom and sisters and I want Kennedy to know her Grandparents and Aunts and Uncles. Its just not the place for us to raise a family. But I will say it has been the best thing for Aaron and I's marriage. We have grown and challenged and stretched more than we would have it we would have stayed where it was "comfortable" in Oklahoma.

I know this is a long post but this past week has been pretty busy. I am know 38 weeks pregnant and counting and I will have Aaron take some pictures today and I will post some of my belly. I am sure it seems like baby stuff is all I write about so it was nice to be able to focus on something else. Because there will be lots of baby stuff after she is born!

Nesting, baking and loving!!

2009-06-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

Aaron and I are going to purchase a small freezer to go in our garage mainly because our freezer is tiny. But with the new addition shortly on her way we want to make sure we have enough room for all things that come with having a baby and being on maternity leave. Next weekend is our true and final free weekend before Kennedy arrives, we will do something on the 4th if she is not here by then. And I want to spend the weekend making yummy casseroles, breads and goodies to freeze so when she arrives I don't have to stress about meals. Soooo, would you please post your favorite recipes for breads, casseroles or dishes that would freeze well so I can make them!!! I love to try new and fun recipes so I am open for anything!!!

I am 37 weeks today and I cant wait. I am so ready for this little girl to be here so I can love on her and kiss her and snuggle with her. And as Fathers Day approaches I just keep thinking how great Aaron is going to be as a dad. Most of you know I didn't have a father around growing up and I missed out on alot but this little lady will have the best dad in the world! I will post pics of Aaron's father-to-be gift. Its a good one!

Baby K's Room

2009-06-16T19:56:00.001-07:00

Here are some more photos of the baby's room. I just got done attempting to shave my legs. This is not an easy task when you are 9 months pregnant!!

36 Weeks and Counting

2009-06-15T09:12:00.000-07:00

Well its almost D day!!!! I have been so busy lately just trying to get certain things in order around the house and finish Kennedy's room. It just seems like the week are flying by and dragging on all at the same time. I am 36 weeks and 3 days. At the end of this week I will be considered full term. Which means this little lady could arrive anytime soon. I think she will be late. I am hoping that she come right around her due date of July 10th though. I will work right up to the 10th and then if she is not here by then I will be begging my OB to induce me!!!!! My mom is all set to come out the 15th of July unless she arrives earlier!! I have finally finished her nursery. I have photos but I don't have them on my flash drive with me at work. I will post them tonight or tomorrow. I don't know if anyone caught the Today Show on Saturday morning but there was a little girl missing her last day of school to hear the president speak. Her name was Kennedy and when she told the president her name (so he could write her a note excusing her from school) he said her name was cool. So my daughters name has been officially endorsed by the president!!!! Not to shabby! I will post pictures later.

Thoughts

2009-06-02T15:10:00.000-07:00

Life seems very profound yet very simple right now. I know that things are about to drastically change with the arrival of Kennedy. But it is very hard to prepare for the completely unexpected!!!! And for those of you who know me or even care to read this blog I am a planner and organizer. Of course there are certain things that I can plan and prepare for but for the most part everything about this little bundle of joy is going to be new, exciting, scary and unexpected.

As the due dates inches closer I feel like my life is moving in slow motion. I know its coming and I know she has to come out one way or another but I am completely lost as to how to wrap my mind around the event that awaits me in the next few weeks. Aaron and I have been getting her nursery all ready and her clothes and blankets washed. It is making it all the more real. But at the same time it still seems like we are playing make believe. Like its not really real! I am sure these are normal thoughts but I feel like I am in a fog some days!

Pregnancy Woes!!!!

2009-05-28T11:06:00.001-07:00

I have to say I feel very lucky to have had a fairly easy pregnancy! I feel that compared to some I have had a smooth go of it. But lately I have felt like poo and I know my pregnancy is linked to most of my woes. I LOVE being pregnant and I LOVE what pregnancy means but here is a small list of the things I am not loving about being pregnant right now!!!

1. HEARTBURN-waking up in the middle of the night to have to chew tums is not my idea of fun.

2. BACK ACHE- Sleeping, sitting, walking, standing, it doesnt matter the position my back constantly hurts.

3. BEING SLEEPY 24/7 -I am so run down at the end of the day. I come home cook dinner, do a little cleaning and I am exhausted. And I know this feeling will not go away anytime soon, hence the fact that newborns are up alot!!!!

4. NOT HAVING A WAIST LINE- I cant wait to get back into my regular jeans and shirts. Don't get me wrong, elastic pants are great and all but there are some days where I just want to feel normal!!!

But here is a quick list of the things I LOVE about being pregnant right now1

1. In 6 short weeks I will have a beautiful daughter to take home and love like crazy.

2. I love feeling Kennedy move around in my belly. Its kinda trippy at times when I see a body part move across my belly but I love the fact that she is in there growing and getting stronger every day.

3. I love the way Aaron talks about being a dad. His face lights up and I cant wait for him to hold his baby girl.

4. I love the fact that when I cross the street or cross the parking lot, people actually stop! I am thinking about keeping a fake belly in my car after Kennedy arrives. Its nice not to feel like you risked your life when crossing the street!!!

Here is a photo of me at 33 weeks and 6 days. I am feeling VERY pregnant and I realize I have 6 more weeks to go! Will have to pardon the sleepy face, I am having a hard time getting up in the mornings!

Bryce and Lacy come to visit

2009-05-26T13:36:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we had my sister and her fiance Bryce come visit! It was so much fun!!!! We went to the Hoover Dam and down to the strip. We went to dinner with Erika, John and Roy and we played games. Lacy and I dominated Bryce and Aaron!!! It was so nice to relax and spend time with family. Aaron and took some photos of Bryce and Lacy while they were here at the park behind our house. They are nothing fancy but I think some of them are pretty darn cute.

Materntiy Photos

2009-05-20T16:05:00.000-07:00

Here is the link to the beautiful photos that Shannon took this past weekend when we were visiting in San Francisco! The shoot was so much fun and as you can tell this baby girl has some great photogenic genes coming her way as well as some serious sexy face abilities!!!!!!!!!!!! Gotta love it. I cant wait to have Shannon photograph Kennedy as soon as she can!

http://www.shancunninghamphotography.com/Emma/

Faithful

2009-05-19T12:47:00.001-07:00

As the due date for our precious baby girl quickly approaches I find myself getting very overwhelmed and anxious about the little things (and big things if I am honest) in life. There is so much that I want to do to her room, our house and other details about my life that I want to get in order before she arrives. I start thinking about all of the "what ifs" and I start to worry about finances and I really just get myself worked up about things that have not happened yet and quite possibly will never happen.

But this past weekend we were in San Francisco visiting some friends, Shannon and Drew, and we went to church with them on Sunday. We listed to Andy Stanley give a sermon and something he said really stuck with me. It was telling a story and in the story Elijah was questioning Gods faithfulness in a way. God had to remind Elijah that he had always been faithful, even when Elijah hadn't seen it.

Today has been a really stressful, overwhelming and down right bad day. I just have to remember that the Lord is faithful and has been faithful and will continue to be faithful.

Hiking and Hospital Visit

2009-04-07T10:50:00.001-07:00

Aaron and I went hiking two weeks ago at Red Rock. It was a beautiful day and we took the dogs along. I am 5 months pregnant in this photo. I am not looking to hot but it was nice to be outside and the boys loved the hiking. Rudy had to be carried down because he is fat and out of shape but he is too cute.

On Saturday, April 4th, I took a trip to the emergency room. Long story short, I was dehydrated and it caused me to start having contractions. Very scary, they had to make sure I was not going into pre-term labor in the next two weeks. But I am not and Kennedy is just fine. I am 5 1/2 almost 5 3/4 months pregnant and I am doing well. I am drinking lots of water and taking care of myself.

Baby Bump Photos!!!!!

2009-03-26T11:08:00.000-07:00

I was being silly this morning. Since Aaron likes to take pictures of me during the pregnancy I decided he should have to take a picture at 5 months since that is how far along I am! This is Aaron not being excited about taking the photo and Baxter! Then the other two are obviously of me!!!! By the way I really need a hair cut!

Baby Stuff

2009-03-20T09:24:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos from our recent adventures. We got one of the strollers we registered for from Aaron's mom. I took photos of Aaron putting it together. Then we had to try it out, so of course Rudy our smallest dog got volunteered. He did not like it! Oh well. There are also some pictures of the cute clothes we have gotten so far. The black one says "This is my little black dress" my friend Erika gave that to us! To cute. We also had to put the boys in the crib to try it out. The mattress still has the plastic on it, so we are not being unsanitary! Aaron is holding one of the gDiaper covers that we will be using instead of regular diapers and some tiny shoes his mom got the baby! So cute! We are trying to find the right color for her room. I will post pictures of that as well as soon as we are done.

Good News

2009-03-16T15:59:00.000-07:00

I went to see the Neurosurgeon today. He gave me some great news. He said the thing in the back of my head is not a hemangioma(spelling) but just a benign mass. I do not have to have another MRI before I deliver and I can deliver how ever I choose. This is a huge relief and this has been a 2 year journey and I am glad to have some good news finally. Praise Jesus for his calming spirit and trustworthy plan.

Green Baby

2009-03-06T15:48:00.000-08:00

Aaron and I have decided to green as much as possible for our little girl! We are doing hybrid diapers, gDiapers, glass bottles, and as much organic bedding and baby products as possible. Here are some pictures of some BPA Free bottles that Aaron's mom sent us! And some BPA Free teethers!

Its a Girl!

2009-03-05T13:38:00.000-08:00

Well its official. We went to the doctors on Monday for my ultrasound and we found out we are having a little girl. I had a feeling that we were having a girl. I just knew deep down for some strange reason. We are so stinking excited. My mom was in town and she was in the room with us when we found out. It was so cool to have three generations together, even though one has not been born yet! We are so excited to register and start buying pink. I need to post some pics of the stuff we have already purchased. My good friend Erika at work bought a cute little onesie (spelling) and I will definitely post a photo of it as soon as I can!!!! I am posting some pics of my mom while she was visiting! We made a homemade red velvet cake, we went to the aquarium, and went to Mt. Charleston to show my mom the snow near Vegas!!! It was so much fun for her to be here and see the new house! I cried alot the day she left and I cant wait to see her in April! It will not come soon enough. We have a name picked out for our little one but we are still finalizing the middle name! We are so happy and blessed and just hope our little one continues to grow and be a health little girl. It was so funny when we had the ultrasound, our little lady was not cooperating! She was arching her back when the tech would poke on my belly, and she was moving all around. She was fascinated with her feet and was playing with them throughout the whole ultrasound. I cant wait to meet her, sorry this post is so random!!

Telling the Family

2009-02-24T09:03:00.001-08:00

Here are some pictures of how we told our families that we were expecting!

Aarons shirt is hard to read but his says "baby daddy" and mine says "baby on board".

Belly Pictures

2009-02-24T08:57:00.000-08:00

I just realized how disheveled my hair looks in these photos. Time for a hair cut! This is my belly and horrible posture as well at almost 5 months! Yay!I am not a fan of belly pictures!

IKEA and Chick-Fil-A

2009-02-24T08:52:00.000-08:00

Aaron and I took lunch stuff so we could spend more money in IKEA! That is dedication or craziness! Then we hit up Chick-Fil-A before heading back to Vegas.

Stretchy Pants!

2009-02-17T10:52:00.000-08:00

Well I broke down this weekend and finally bought some maternity clothes. I really needed a pair of jeans and some work pants. Some of mine still fit but others are a bit snug. It was not as traumatic as I had first imagined. I know gaining weight when you are pregnant is a good thing but it goes against everything you believe up to that point! They are quite comfortable, I might save them after the baby is born for Thanksgiving meals and "fat" days! Only 13 more days until we know what we are having. I cant wait! On Valentines day Aaron and I drove to L.A. to go to IKEA and Tai Pan (spelling) its a ginormous home goods store! It was alot of fun. I need to post some pics. While we were in California we found a Chik-Fil-A. It was glorious. For some reason Vegas does not have them!!!!!

Snow!

2009-02-09T11:41:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke up to pouring rain, dark clouds and howling winds. I was downstairs cooking breakfast and I looked out the window and there were huge snow flakes falling from the sky. The mountains right behind us were covered. It was so beautiful. The snow on the mountains surrounding Vegas is just as breathtaking. I am not a fan of living in Vegas but the scenery sure isn't bad!

Coaches vs Cancer

2009-02-04T16:08:00.000-08:00

I am posting this picture. Not because I look good or even half way decent. The dress makes me look alot bigger than I really am, no serioulsly I know everyone would say the same thing if they were in my shoes!!!! Albeit I am 4 months pregnant! But today we were supposed to wear sneakers with our professional attire in support of Coaches vs. Cancer. A program that we have at the ACS. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PAR/PAR_7_Coaches_vs_Cancer.asp. It is alot of fun to wear sneakers with professional wear. I totally feel like my mother though. She would get dressed every day and leave the house in her tennis shoes, her dress shoes would be in a bag. She would have to walk to her building once she parked downtown, and she did not want to do that in heels. We used to give her the hardest time about it. But now I know why she did it. It is so comfy!

Baby Stuff

2009-02-03T14:16:00.000-08:00

Aaron and I took an adventure to the land of Babysrus this weekend! It was so much fun for me, overwhelming for Aaron! I could have spent $2000 easily on all of the stuff. I cant wait to find out what we are having so we can start decoration the nursery. I am going to attempt to post some photos of the nursery. Life has been really busy, but I am excited. Aaron and I are taking a mini-adventure to IKEA next weekend. I cant wait! I love that place.

Rough Week

2009-01-27T16:19:00.000-08:00

It has been a rough week. I work for the American Cancer Society and I absolutely love my job. I get to train and recruit volunteers to work in our Cancer Resource Centers as well as run two programs that are beneficial and helpful to cancer patients. Most days I understand that cancer is just a part of the job and I am not saying I am desensitized but I know it comes with the territory. But this past week has been hard. I found out a friend from college was diagnosed with leukemia, a co-workers mother was diagnosed with glioblastoma, another co-workers mother has brain cancer. I have been thinking alot lately about how short life is and how quickly it can change. I am almost 4 months pregnant and I cant imagine not being here for my child. And the thought of Aaron getting cancer terrifies me. I know these are times I have to trust in the Lord and know that his plans are greater than my own. But its really hard. I don't want to miss anything. I have a hemangioma, a benign tumor in my brain. I have had it since childbirth but did not know about it until 2007. I have to go in on March 16th to meet with a neurosurgeon to discuss this and my birthing options. They can rupture during labor. So I am going to discuss the options. I will probably have to have another MRI as well. I am just scared that they might find something else or scratch the whole thing and just tell me I have brain cancer. I know it may sound silly but I am worry wart and when I have free time to think my brain automatically wanders to these things. I just feel like I have so much to live for and I don't want to miss anything. I know this is a depressing post but its how I feel right now. And being away from my family and friends in Oklahoma is really hard in times like these.

15 Weeks

2009-01-20T15:14:00.000-08:00

I am 15 weeks along!Our baby is about the size of a pear. He or she is moving around in my uterus, I wont be able to feel it for several more weeks. The eyebrows are beginning to grow and the hair on the head may be sprouting! I thought this was a cute game, one book suggests, to play with my baby. Even though the eyelids are fused shut the baby can still react to bright light. The book says to shine a flashlight up to my belly. The baby is likely to move away from the light, even though I cant feel it yet its still fun to imagine our little one swimming around in there.

I am about childcare. We don't know if I am going to stay home or go back to work. We are really torn. This is a really tough decision.

Weekend

2009-01-16T16:47:00.000-08:00

I am so glad this its the weekend. This has been such a crazy week at work. I love being busy at work but this week wore me out. I am coming down with a cold so I will be happy for a three day weekend. I am working a health fair tomorrow so I can take off early next Friday to go to Brian Head Utah. Aaron and a group of the agents are going skiing. We finally near the slopes and I am pregnant and cant ski! I am pretty sad about not being able to ski but I am super excited because I am pregnant! I am going to start taking pictures of my belly, there is not much there yet but I am sure there will be something soon. I will 15 weeks tomorrow!

Overwhelmed!

2009-01-14T16:21:00.001-08:00

Aaron and I are so excited to be expecting our first child. We have decided to do cloth diapers. We want to be responsible and respectful of the earth while providing good quality products for our child. I am also looking at doing glass baby bottles instead of plastic. I was looking at car seats and strollers today. How does one choose the safest product. I know there are star ratings but how do I know what or who to trust. There are so many companies and products it will be a challenge to pick which ones we go with. I am not complaining in the least it is just overwhelming for a mom-to-be!!! I am excited about coming home in April. That is only chance I will get to see alot of my friends and family before I have the baby! I am showing just a tad. Not really enough to notice much. I am ready for a belly (I think)! I know I will be ready to have a flat belly again as soon as the baby is born but I just want to "look the part"! We also just found out that our dear friends Will and Rebecca are pregnant. This is so much fun and such a blessing. She is only 5 weeks along but it is so nice to have a friend that I spend alot of time with going through the same things. I love being a mom, even though my baby has not been born yet. I love the idea of having someone to love, cuddle, read to, play with and watch develop. I cant wait. Aaron's parents bought us a crib and changing table for Christmas. It arrived yesterday. We will not be setting it up or decorating until we know the sex of the baby. I cant wait. I am so excited to start that part of journey!

Lazy Sunday Afternoons

2009-01-05T11:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was such a wonderful departure from our "normal" weekend ritual. We went to church online at www.lifechurch.tv. Then we went and got breakfast at one of our favorite spots then I came home and started a 15 bean soup to cooking! We watched Made of Honor and then we ate lunch and discussed our goals for 2009. It was so nice to sit down and talk about our professional goals, our personal goals and our goals as a couple. Then we just lounged around and spent quality time together. It was just a nice relaxing day! I wish I had more of them! But now its back to work and back to a routine!

New Year, New Hope

2009-01-02T09:41:00.000-08:00

Well the holidays are over and all of our guests have gone home! It was alot of fun hosting Aaron's parents and my youngest sister Lacy for Christmas. But it was also exhausting!!! I am not used to having to cook and entertain 3 extra people. I guess they are just getting me ready for when baby arrives. We went to the Doctor on the 31st. She used her Doppler(spelling) to hear the baby's heart beat. It was going to so fast. It was so cool. I got tears in my eyes, such a beautiful thing. We find out the sex of the baby on March 2nd. My mom is actually going to be here visiting at the time so she will get to go with us. Still no baby belly just tired and crazy food cravings. I had a dream last night about Fruity Pebbles so I woke up this morning wanting those for breakfast. Needless to say we don't have them on hand at home so I had to settle with something else! Aaron and I are so excited to start this new year and cant believe that in several months we will have a new addtition to our family. It still has not completely sunk in yet that we are having a baby!

Our friend Janzen was in town last night. It was so good to see him. He was one of Aaron's roommates and a groomsman in our wedding. It is always fun to see Aaron get together with his good friends, they alwasy quote movies and act goofy.

I will write more soon and hopefully I can learn how to master posting pictures and getting better at this whole "bloggig" thing!

Family!!!!

2008-12-23T10:34:00.000-08:00

So my in-laws are in town now and Lacy will be here in like 9 hours! I am so excited. Every year Lacy and I make sugar cookies and then Aaron has to judge who decorated them the best. I have yet to win! I am going to win this year I just know it. I am pregnant so I will play that card if it means winning the title of "Best Dressed Sugar Cookie". I love family and I love the holidays.

Holidays Make Me Happy

2008-12-22T13:46:00.000-08:00

I am still trying to figure out how to work this darned blog thing! I loved to journal in high school and college but have gotten away from it. So I am hoping this can be an outlet for me. I am so excited, Aaron's parents are coming tomorrow and so is my youngest sister Lacy. They will both be here for a week. There will be cooking and laughing and definitely game playing. I love family and I love the holidays. I have almost a week and half off. That will be nice since our new home is still in a state of disarray. On Saturday I will be 12 weeks along. It is still hard to believe that I am pregnant. We are both so excited and I cant wait to have this little baby here. I read about my friends and their experiences with their babies and I am so excited and anxious. I still have a long way to go but I really cant wait! We got about 1o inches of snow at our house last week. Las Vegas has not seen that much snow in 30 years. It was beautiful. When I have some free time I will post some pictures.

2 + 1=3

2008-12-02T14:07:00.001-08:00

And baby makes 3! We are so excited to be expecting our first child. I am almost 9 weeks along. We have had our first ultra sound and our little "peanut" is still so tiny. Our families know and they are all very excited for us. Aaron's family wants a girl and mine wants a boy. So we shall see in a couple of months what this little person will be.

How exciting

2008-11-10T08:46:00.000-08:00

This is our first blog, but since we live in Las Vegas, this is a great way for our family and friends to keep up on what we are doing!