Happ-bee Halloween!

Another first for our family, Halloween! I was so excited to see Kendall in her bee costume and interested to see how she would do with her flower headband.  Surprisingly she left it on for a little over and hour before remembering it was there and then pulling it off!  Good job, sweet bee!

We headed over to some friends house to roast hot dogs and make smores.  All of the kids were able to play and run around before the mommies and kids did some trick or treating.  We designated the dads to stay at the house and pass out candy, they didn’t mind.  Kendall enjoyed all of the excitement from her stroller as we walked around the neighborhood with all the big kids.  I know next year I’ll look back and think, “remember when she was just watching from her stroller? Now she’s running door to door with all the big kids!”  A girl I know hand made Kendall’s costume and she got so many compliments. I loved it!! Kendall and Stryker have so much fun when they are together.  These pictures of Kendall were too cute for me to not share.  They were motion shots so they are somewhat blurry not to mention the one on the right was with my iPhone with the reverse camera…it cracks me up! On the way home we stopped by Grandma and Grandpa’s house to show off our little bee! She had a fun filled night and was more than ready for bed when we got home!  We had so much fun with you, sweet girl and glad you enjoyed your first Halloween! I am already thinking of what she can be for next Halloween. It was so much fun for our little family!

And we have a pumpkin!

The afternoon that we picked out Kendall’s first pumpkin, we also headed up to Publix for a pumpkin carving kit.  Ryan and I don’t have many carving skills so we cheated with a stencil.  Once we decided on our picture and copied it to the pumpkin, daddy was hard at work making Kendall’s first pumpkin extra special.  Look at that concentration!I missed out on pictures as the work was in progress because the ladies were busy preparing pumpkin seeds for baking. Mmmm, they were good…the first night.  Then they were too chewy. 

I tried my best to get a few pictures of Kendall with her pumpkin but she wasn’t all that interested.  However, she loved looking at the glow of the candle from a distance.  We’ll try again on Halloween when she is in her costume. Here is a before and after picture.  Ryan proved to have some great carving skills. Thanks Daddy!Kendall enjoyed some playtime before bed after she checked out her pumpkin.

St. James Pumpkin Patch

I have been looking forward to taking Kendall to her first pumpkin patch for the whole month and today was the day!  It was perfect weather and we were one of just three other families at the patch which made for easy picture access without strangers in the background.  Kendall was very intrigued and did not want much to do with the camera.  The pumpkin patch will definitely be another family tradition to continue! Nothing could pull her attention away from the pumpkins. Kendall hung out in the hay for a bit and I tried pictures here as well.  She’s so busy these days! Daddy helped hunt for the perfect pumpkin.  There was such a variety to choose from! And we left with the perfect pumpkin! I can’t wait for Kendall to see the carved pumpkin!   

Nine month photo shoot

We headed up to Columbia last Saturday for Kendall’s nine month photo shoot with Aunt Michelle.  This shoot took place on the grounds of the capitol.  It was nice weather and it seemed as if we had the whole area to ourselves.  I chose a few areas I thought would be pretty and my sister started snapping away.  During this session, we did all we could to keep Kendall’s attention on the camera as she was too busy worried about the grass and leaves and her surroundings.  I can only imagine how the twelve month pictures will go.  I’m sure we’ll be chasing her!

She played in the grass…Took pictures with her momma…Climbed on a bench and loved on her momma…Clapped her hands…And played in the shade of a big oak tree.”Thanks again, Aunt Michelle, for taking such great pictures of me! You’re the best!”   ~Kendall      

West Farm

Today we headed out to West Farm for a day of family fun.  The main attraction is a huge corn maze which we tried our skills at getting through but did not succeed.  Walking through corn higher than six feet tall proved to be more difficult then we set out for.  Kendall was a trooper through it all, thanks to Cheerios.  Before the corn maze we stopped by to see the animals.

The lambs and goats were the most active in coming to the fences for food.  Kendall wasn’t too sure at first but after sitting on my lap long enough to get used to them, she stuck her hand out for the goat to smell.  He thought we had food in our hands.  There were chickens and cows… And even a lonely horse who was way back in the shade. We went on a hay ride that Kendall absolutely loved. We took lots of fall pictures with pumpkins and scarecrows! I love this time of year!Kendall surprised me with sitting on the hay. I thought she would throw a fit seeing as she is slowing getting used to just sitting on grass. She didn’t mind the hay at all and even found a piece to play with.    “I found the perfect pumpkin, Mommy and Daddy!”This was my second year at West Farm and I was so excited to take Kendall this year.  I hope to make this a family tradition and that Kendall will continue to enjoy it as much as she did today.

Nine month well visit

This afternoon, we headed to see Dr. Nordby for Kendall’s nine month well visit.  She was much more aware of being on the scale at this visit and had one nervous whimper which quickly disappeared at the sight of all the stickers. Kendall is very good at cooperating with the nurse while she gets her height and weight and even head circumference.  Dr. Nordby said Kendall checks out, yet again, with a perfect bill of health.  I am so proud of those words so you might continue to see them in each well visit post.  It makes me happy to know Kendall continues to grow and develop right on track and sometimes even ahead of the game.  She gave us some ideas for a few different finger foods to try so we’ll try that in due time.  During the exam of her mouth, Dr. Norby said her lower gums felt full and she suspected teeth might be popping through soon. We shall see! We had fun in the exam room waiting our turn, thanks to a few toys I brought  from home.  The table paper on the exam bed just wasn’t entertaining her like it has at previous visits.

                                                             Height: 29 1/2 inches – 95th percentile

                                                        Weight: 20 pounds 3 ounces – 75th percentile

                                                  Head circumference: 43 centimeters – 25th percentile

Nine months old

Hard to believe my baby girl is nearing the ONE YEAR mark.  This morning when I woke up and was getting ready for work, I thought to myself, “nine months ago at this time I was getting ready to head to the hospital to become a mommy.”  It was one of the best mornings of my life to wake up and it has only gotten better and better each morning.

Each morning that I go to pick up Kendall from her bed, she greets me with a smile, sometimes so big I can see it around her pacifier.  It starts my mornings off perfectly!  She still does not have any teeth but her gummy smile makes me melt.We have been outside a lot lately with the cooler fall weather and she just loves it.  Swinging on the swings has quickly become a favorite as well as just plain being outside.  She doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to seeing all things outdoors.  Lately, she has braved the grass and started crawling instead of just sitting when we are playing outside.  She still doesn’t quite like to stand barefoot on the prickly grass for too long. She has a blast when we go on walks.  In the  pictures below, I had my phone with me, trying to take some pictures.  As you can see, I was plainly in her way, to the left and to the right.  Obviously there was something she wanted to look during this point of the walk.Thanks Aunt Michelle and Jack for letting me borrow your fall pumpkin shirt. Kendall continues to do well at the babysitter’s house during the day and stays on the same schedule most days.  Sometimes if the other kids are too loud, she doesn’t always get good naps.  This never affects her though, as she crawls straight to me with the biggest smile when I pick her up and is ready to play with every ounce of energy she woke up with.  Mrs. Margo (the babysitter) says she stays in a good mood and rarely cries which is comforting to hear.

This past month we haven’t added too many new foods.  We are trying more finger foods but you aren’t liking too many of them right now.  I am not sure if it is a taste or texture issue.  You will  pick up and eat Cheerios, animal crackers, Gerber cheese puffs and banana.  I have tried a variety of other fruits, scrambled eggs, waffles and homemade mashed potatoes but you didn’t care for much of them. However you did try all of the above so I am not giving up yet. I know it will just take time for you to get used to something new.  Thank you for trying everything without a fuss.  You have kept with the same bottle schedule and continue with nursing at bedtime.  You love to pull up on the coffee tables and couch and pat on them like a drum.  When you are standing, you have started letting go to bend down and pick up a toy if you dropped it, squatting down to a sitting position or sitting down to crawl.  If someone is holding your hand, you will walk, however no unassisted steps yet.  No rush, baby girl! I need you to slow down with all of your development.

 

Kendall-

Time is drawing near that mommy and daddy are going to have to start planning your ONE YEAR birthday party. Unbelievable! You are growing into such a loving, happy go lucky, easy going baby.  I often think back to the day you were born and I would have never thought my life could be so perfect with you as my daughter.  I hold you every day just as tight as when the doctor first put you in my arms.  I love your smile.  I love your laugh.  I love your baby skin. I love your tiny fingers and toes.  I love you with all my heart and soul, my love! I’m excited for our life together.

 

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Weekend of birthdays

Kendall was invited to two birthday parties this weekend and she had so much fun.  Both of them were at parks which was perfect considering the beautiful weather we had, both Saturday and Sunday.  She had just woken up from a nap in these first swing pictures so she was a little slow to adjust.  There were a lot of kids on the playground that she enjoyed watching as well. 

The birthday party on Saturday was for my friend Tabitha’s little boy, Hayden.  He turned ONE and we all celebrated at Somerset Point.  Hard to believe in just three short months my little baby girl will also be one!  Kendall had some firsts at Hayden’s party but I only was able to capture one. She put her little feet in the sand, tried macaroni and cheese and tasted a cupcake, well actually just the icing.  She loved all three! The second birthday was for Miss Rilee, who turned five.   We were at Gahagan park for her party.  Kendall was even more excited to be in the swing and was wide awake this time.  She found her shadow a few times which made her laugh, too cute!  It was a little difficult to get some pictures while she was swinging, so please excuse the quality. I can’t wait to bring Kendall to the park more often for more swinging, slides, monkey bars (one day) and playing in the sand.  These videos really don’t do much justice to show how much fun she really had!!