Second Grade....SECOND GRADE!!!!

I am still in shock that Ashlyn is in the second grade this year.  This age is the same age that I used to teach!!!  I can't believe she is already there!!!  Crazy.  Truly my advice for parents out there of young children....DON'T blink and take lots and lots of video!!!!
Best of luck to you Ashlyn for a successful year!!!

GT

Ashlyn qualified for GT.    YEAH!!!!!

Another First for Kynsley

Kynsley experienced throwing up for the first time last night.

Nursing

I'm still nursing Kynsley. However, she has been weened to just one feeding in the middle of the night. My heart hurts to know that I'm losing my supply and won't be able to share these moments with her anymore. I'm also excited about the potential full nights sleep I could get as a result.
Kynsley now has her two bottom teeth so that is another HUGE reason to stop. She bit me a couple of times while she was cutting them, but hasn't since they broke through. I know it's just a matter of time though since her mouth has a lot more teeth waiting to pop up!!!

Kynsley's Results and First Solid Food Pictures from Earlier

The X-Rays came back normal!!!! YEAH!!!!

Here are a couple pictures of Kynsley eating her first Solid Food.  Cereal.  Back in early July.

VBS

Kynsley's X-rays

Saturday, johnathan gave Kynsley a bath and afterwards, he brought her to me and says "I found something wrong with Kynsley". He showed me that her butt crack turned about an inch from the top to the right. We kinda chuckled and didn't think much about it. On Monday, while hosting a swim day at our house, I got to thinking about it again so I asked my other "moms" that were visiting. They said I should google it. So....I did and immediately got terrified when I read that there is a good change that she has a form of spina bifida. So I of course became a wreck. Needless to say she had a scheduled appointment today. Dr Prause sent us to get her an xray to figure out whatever say.

Happy 34th Johnathan

For John's birthday we took the girls to Moody Gardens.

We left early Sunday morning and headed to Galveston.  When we arrived at our hotel, our room wasn't ready so we changed clothes and headed out to the pool.  Johnathan got the older two sunscreened up while I got myself and Kynsley ready to swim.  John and the girls were the first in the pool.  I gave Kynsley to Johnathan once she was all prepared and went back to the chairs to finish lathering on the sunscreen.  I finally finished and headed over to the pool.  I sat down...put my little toe in...and said NO WAY!  It was freezing in there.  That's when I look over at Jadie's lips and they are purple and she is just a chattering away!  So....everyone got out of the pool and we walked over to Palm Beach at Moody Gardens.  Johnathan took Ashlyn and Jadyn with him to do the water slides and the lazy river, while Kynsley and I stayed on the beach side and relaxed.

Kynsley even took a power nap in the stroller.

It wasn't long before I received a message saying our room was now available.  So we headed up to our room to get showered up and ready for our big Birthday Surprise for Johnathan.  (The girls and I had talked and Ashlyn wanted to take Johnathan to the Rainforest Cafe to get dessert.  It's a flaming volcano.  Basically it is a brownie with icecream and they put sparklers in it.)  They were giddy with excitement.  We drove over to the Rainforest Cafe to learn that it was a 2-2.5 hour wait!  Since it was 6:00 there was no way we were going to be able to keep Ashlyn and Jadyn entertained and AWAKE for 2.5 hours while waiting for a table.  So we went to a Chili's down the road.  The girls still ordered their Daddy a dessert.  It was their molten lava cake.  The funny thing is...between Ashlyn, Jadie, and me...Johnathan didn't get but a bite!

The next day we woke up and Johnathan took the older two to Schliterbahn and Kynsley and I slept in late and went to all the attractions at Moody Gardens.  Kynsley was such a trooper...not once did she fuss or cry. We went to the Dino's Alive, Rainforest, Discovery Center, and the Aquarium.  From what I heard when the girls' got back to the room...they had a blast!  We were supposed to go see a 9pm showing for IMAX of Rio, and it wasn't until very last minute that we decided to go.  It was a decision well made...the movie was great and the girls were actually quite well behaved considering they were beyond exhausted!  (The two pictures below are a before and after!  The girls' kept fighting and kept fighting so I told them to put their noses together and stay there for 5 minutes.  They of course protested so I said if they stay together for 30 seconds they could be done.  So I started counting.  I made it to about 5 before I started laughing!  I could see Ashlyn completely mortified that she had to do this and Jadie started looking guilty and I imagined her trying to stick her tongue out to lick Ashlyn just to annoy her!  Thank goodness Johnathan was there to step in and continue the counting!)

The last day of our stay we packed, loaded up the car, then headed to IHOP for breakfast. After eating we headed back to the hotel to park in the garage before our key card expired and wouldn't allow us access. John and I took the girls to the rest of the attractions at Moody Gardens.  (The ones I did with just Kynsley the day before.)  They were scared at Dino's Alive.  They liked the aquarium and the rainforest the best.  They even got to see a 3 toed sloth at the rainforest and hold a beautiful butterfly also.)

It was about 5pm when we loaded into the car and headed back to Fannett.  The girls were all passed out from exhaustion before we even made it past the seawall.  It was a perfect family vacation!

Our Update

Jadyn-Update

Kynsley is now eating three meals a day.  She has added squash to her diet.  Next I plan on adding the fruits, starting with prunes.  She has the most beautiful blue eyes and long eyelashes.  She has another tooth that is trying to come in also.  She even said "Mama" for the first time while at our friend's house.  I heard her say it again the very next morning!
She is sitting up all by herself better now, however, she still face plants every 30 seconds or so.  She is starting to figure out how to move around in the walker as well!  She loves the sound of a water bottle and the wipey bags.  She absolutely adores Ashlyn who spends hours carrying her around!
Kynsley is starting to find her voice as well!  She loves to make the "indian" sound where I put my hand in front of her mouth as she is "awwww" ing and move it quickly.  If I pull my hand away...she will pull it back and try to do it by herself.
She is now taking a bath in the sink sitting up in the bath seat.  She isn't as excited in the water as her big sisters were at her age...but she doesn't mind getting a bath.
I am still nursing her freely during the night, however, only have the chance to nurse her a couple of times during the day.  Typically she is too distracted to benefit from it, so I usually just give her a bottle to top her off.  She has started taking naps in her crib, and pack and play since she has outgrown her swing!

Six Months

6 months have come and gone!
Kynsley is now sitting well assisted and can sit independently for about 10 seconds before face planting or falling like a tree to the ground.
Kynsley has been eating vegetables for a week now. We started her with green beans mixed with cereal which she did okay with. Then we added peas and she liked those a lot. Two nights ago, Johnathan gave her carrots which she loved!!!
She is now rolling around to get to things that she wants. She also wants my attention and it's like I break her heart if I walk by and don't pick her up.
Today I noticed that Kynsley has a tooth!!!!

Stefany Brings the Kids

Stefany came over and brought Carey, Richard Glyn, and Conway for the night. When they arrived we piled in the cars and headed to Gator Country. The kiddos even got the opportunity to swim with alligators!!! I was proud to say my girl's got in the water with a 3.5 footer...but neither of them actually had the guts to catch any of them. On the other hand, Richard Glyn was all about it! He was so stinkin cute. He would swim over them, and go underwater and try to pick them up. He managed to catch one all by himself. The other one he had to have help from the staff because it kept moving away from him and it was in deeper water. All in all...it was only $5 for each kid to swim. Talk about the best $20 bucks I've spent in a long time!!!!

Independence Day

Tomorrow is July 4th. We are under a severe drought therefore there will be no fireworks shows in our areas. As a result, I predict we will grill and enjoy our family by the pool. We may or may not invite the Skoruppa's over to visit and swim. It just depends on how we are all feeling. Right now, Jadie has a bad sinus infection. (She is "Green"). Kynsley has a stomach ache that is making her quite miserable and is quite congested where she is having difficulty nursing. Johnathan and I both have bad headaches, which I'm sure is due in part to allergies. So far Ashlyn is the only one that remains 100%. (I hope I didn't just jinx that!)

I tried to get Kynsley to take some pictures...she wasn't having it! I hope to have the opportunity again later this week.

Let the solids begin

Today I decided to try to put a little bit of Rice Cereal into Kynsley's evening bottle. So far she seems to be handling it and doesn't mind the change in taste too much. I'm not going to give her anything else or add anymore Cereal to her diet until I get the okay from her pediatrician. She is really growing fast and has started reaching for things. She has also started smiling a LOT more!!!

Pictures Taken During June

Happy Father's Day Johnathan!

This is how you will find Kynsley after a day in the sun! I pull the pack and play outside along with the swing. While she is awake she is lounging in the pool with me, or hanging out in her swing. Here she had fallen asleep while the girl's and I were swimming.
The next two pictures were taken on June 11th at BASF's company Family Fun Day. The kids had a blast! I love that they do this for their employees. I even got to go on the Race Cars and hit some balls in the batting cages.

We took Ashlyn to Gator Country so she could check out the creatures they had there and show Johnathan which animals she saw at the Family Resource Center camp I took her to one day this month.

Came Across Some Old Pictures

Last day of school

Today was Ashlyn's last day as a First Grader. I'd say she did remarkably well. Finishing with almost 100's across the board. If my memory serves me correct, her lowest report card grade all year was a 96. We recommended her for GT testing. As of yet, we have not heard whether or not she qualified.

Ashlyn was quite bored throughout the year. She even began to say she didn't want to go to school anymore before Christmas because she was bored. We challenged her from then on with reading for pay. We paid her $1 for each Accelerated Reading test which she received a 100 on. She did such a great job and was even recognized last week as the top reader in Mrs. Murphy's first grade class.

John's surgery

It's official. God has provided us with 3 healthy, happy, gorgeous girls! If we are to have anymore...it truly will have to be an act of God.

Dear Heavenly Father, let me be strong enough to protect them with my every breath,
And please watch over them and keep them safe when I can not.

Girls, my prayer for you is that the amazing, unique and awe-inspiring glow that lights each of you from within
Will continue to shine brightly and warm the hearts of your friends and family;

That each of you will greet each new sunrise with eagerness to meet the new day,
And that you sleep each night with peace of mind and spirit.

I pray that as you make your place in this world,
You all continue to value honesty, integrity and loyalty above superficial relationships;

And that each of you build your future on the foundations of our Christian belief.

I pray that as you confront the often harsh realities that come with maturity
You can still appreciate the daily miracles that make each day a gift;

And that when you face life's challenges and obstacles,
Your faith in yourself and in God will see you through and give you comfort.

I pray that each of you find someone who will love you without reservation,
Who will stand with you, empower you and defend you with every fiber of his being;

And that you one day experience the fierce joy that fills your soul when you have a child of your own,
So that you can finally understand how our pride in you girls will never waver, and our love for each of you can never end.

So today, I pray that God will always keep you in His sight and in His care,
And that Daddy and I may always stand by your side.

4 month check up

Kynsley is now 4 months old. When I took her to see Dr. Prause he said she weighed 13.12 pounds and measured 26.5 inches. This put her in the 50% percentile on weight and off the charts on height. I said when we got home from our cruise...that she looked like she had grown a LOT....I guess Mama knows best! She is now wearing 9-12 month clothes. She rolls over from front to back and coos a lot. She has found her feet and plays with them a LOT! She is drinking about 6 ounces at a time when she is bottle fed. I still nurse her during the day and all through the night. I would predict she gets between 6-16 ounces of formula a day depending on how busy I am.

She is such a happy baby. She still fusses really only when she is hungry and when she wants to be left alone to go to sleep. Her smile melts my heart and she gets sooooooo excited when I talk to her and sometimes when I just walk by her legs and arms start going a million miles an hour.