Addie Sue and Eliza Ann

Belly Pics!!!!

2012-01-24T08:50:00.011-06:00

I've done this with my other kiddos...so I must do it again. I take pictures of my belly every month to see how much I've grown. The problem the third time around was that I forgot to take them sometimes and had to do a lot of it myself (or enlist my 5 year old's help). It's also very depressing to see how much bigger I started off each successive time. For instance, at three months this time around, I look about what I was like at FIVE months pregnant with Addie. My muscles were definitely stronger back the. Anyway- enough complaining...on with the show:

3 months

4 months

5 months

7 months (forgot to take 6 month photo)

8 months

9 months

Three days until DD! (approx 40 weeks)

I have to be honest: I'm much bigger this time around than I was with either of the girls. I'm not ALL baby...I'm pretty sure I induldged myself with too much food and not enough exercise to balance it out. Now, I will have to run a marathon to get into shape instead of the half I ran after having Eliza. I seriously have a lot of work to do to get back into shape. YIKES!

Here's how I grew with Addie and Eliza.

So here's the lowdown on this baby boy:

I'm due on Friday (1/27) and Doctor Adams is going to induce me @ 6:30 am.
He still doesn't have a name---we are true procrastinators.
His room is going to be cute...whenever it gets done. We are going to have guests until he's almost a month old and they will need to stay in his room, so I don't have it put together. I'll post pics when I can.
I'm dialated to 3cm- weird- but nothing else seems to happening.
I'm not as uncomfortable with the pregnancy as I was with Eliza. He doesn't seem to have dropped as much so I don't have the waddle thing going on.
I'm not sleeping well- mainly because of just being pregnant, but also I'm stressed out about not having a name. It's amazing that our other two kids have one.
I'm kind of scared to have three kids----that's a lot of responsibility and I'm nervous about managing it all. (I realize it's going to happen, regardless, but I thinks it's okay to feel this way.) I remember being afraid to be alone with both girls for the first time too. Some things take a while to get used to.
I appreciate and am grateful for your prayers.We are having overlapping guests for weeks after the birth and I'm worried that I might become overwhelmed and frustrated with the prolonged visits. I hope the lack of sleep and space doesn't take what patience and grace I have left in me.

Okay...check in on us on Friday and we will have an important announcement to make!

Nesting

2012-01-17T15:22:00.000-06:00

"Nesting" has always been a bit of a myth to me. It seemed like an old wives tale that people talked about toward the end of pregnancy...preparing for the birth of the baby. I'd never really experienced it anyway. But this past week...I think I might be, well, "nesting". I've cleaned out the car, organized the kitchen pantry & set up as much of the baby room as I can (family will be staying there for quite a while after his birth when they are visiting). I cleaned out the oven, the microwave and the fridge. Cleaned out the girls' closets...and our room- countless times- although you wouldn't know it if you looked at it. I've organized bath toys, organized my cabinet in my bathroom, the laundry room cabinet, and have done countless trips vacuuming up and down stairs (this seems to be an endless task. Perhaps the best improvement I've made is a new "in box" & filing system for all the junk that comes in the house and clutters up the kitchen counter. I now have an "In Box" a "Do Now" bin, and a "Do Later" bin.

Everything has a place in this pantry now!

The only thing I should probably tackle is our closet and the basement...but I REALLY don't have any desire to do these tasks without Micah. He should definitely have the joy of organizing those living spaces!!!

My lovely little girls are keeping me busy...as always. Addie Sue is making something all the time. She is constantly leaving out scissors, tape, staplers, etc. (Don't be surprised if a future post is about Eliza cutting her hair). She makes many unique creations, such as, paper purses (with staples), really long measuring devices made from paper and tape, binoculars, cards, necklaces, bracelets. The list goes on and on. She also LOVES my new Dance 3 game on the Wii. Both of them get their little booties shaking and it makes for quite a lovely evening of entertainment. BTW- I love Just Dance 3 and will be participating with 100% effort if this baby doesn't come by next week. It's bound to throw me into labor!

Eliza is such a loving, funny toddler. She is always saying, "I want to hold you." "Give me a kiss". "You okay Mommy?" She blows kisses to complete strangers and melts their hearts with a quick "Have a nice day!" That being said, she's not all Miss Congeniality. She puts on a good show when she doesn't want to do something we tell her to do. Dinner is full of crying and time-out because she doesn't like to sit in her chair. She also insists on wearing shoes around the house, which her daddy cannot tolerate. This often leads to tears. But- overall, she's a joy & I pray she transitions to Miss Middle with grace. I can't imagine her not loving this baby to pieces, but I just want her to feel loved and not pushed off to the side.

Eliza played with snow INSIDE!

Addie played with the snow OUTSIDE!

Lucas plays whenever and with whoever gives him attention- poor boy.

The doctor said he'd induce me this Friday...not because there is any medical reason. Don't really know why...I guess because I asked him if he'd consider inducing me at some point. He said that I'm 2 cm and a great candidate for induction and put me on the books for this Friday am. He told me that when I go in for my appointment on Wednesday, I could let him know if I still want to go on Friday. After talking it over with Micah, I think we're going to wait until my due date, Jan. 27th (next friday). It doesn't seem right to evict the little guy before 40 weeks. I have a few last minute details to take care of with Thirty-One. Plus---I'm painfully aware that, as my mom says, this baby is a lot easier to take care of now than he will be when he's out of the womb.

38 weeks

2012-01-10T15:12:00.001-06:00

I'm about two weeks away from delivering this little boy and I'm full of mixed emotions.

Sure, I'm uncomfortable. Don't want to bore you with the list of all the physical discomforts of this pregnancy. But, I think I'm more uncomfortable with everyone's comments to me about my belly. The comments are all over the board. Seriously, within one hour I might get a two comments that are so conflicting (these are actual quotes):

"Whoa! I don't see how you can get any bigger!"
"I was waaaay bigger than you are! You're not very big."
"You look miserable!" - actual quote from the store clerk at Dick's
"You look great. I was hardly able to walk at this point."

I try to take their comments with a grain of salt, but sometimes, it just gets to me. Why must people say anything regarding my size or my appearance? How about, "I'll be thinking of you." Something thoughtful and encouraging.

Just venting. I try to remind myself that this is my last pregnancy and I should enjoy every moment. Soon, it will be over and I won't have the joy of feeling a baby stretch in my womb or rub my palm across a cute little bum. I won't be okay with my husband playing with my belly button. And I certainly won't want my children to lift my shirt up and kiss my belly. I just have to learn to shut out comments that irk me in the next two weeks. Maybe I should just stay inside until then.

Anyway-
Here I am...full term.

Feel free to leave a comment...but hopefully, after reading this post, you will refrain from negative comments about my size. Every woman is different..as is every pregnancy and every child.

Right now, I'm dilated 1 1/2 cm and baby is head down, ready to go. I'll keep you posted!

Side note-- I hosted a Thirty-One open house on Sunday because it's our annual Thermal Tote sale. I'm planning to close it on Wednesday so if you're interested in buying a tote, you still have time. Go to www.mythirtyone.com/bethhunt to order. I'm so close to have a $500 party and would appreciate any extra orders to up my hostess benefits!

Happy NEW Year!

2012-01-02T16:18:00.000-06:00

I'm 36 weeks folks! That means that if I go into labor this week, the doctor will let me! Not that this would happen...but hey, it's a milestone! It's not pretty, but since I've taken belly pictures in my other pregnancies...I had to post it. 9 Months:

We celebrated New Year's Eve with Sue and Kevin Brown. The oldest kids made it all the way to midnight...and joined in welcoming 2012.

Yes...I know it isn't flattering...but hopefully the double chin will go away after baby!

Sue and Kevin

Kalani, Savannah, & Addie

Both the girls started the new year off with a new skill. Eliza enjoyed painting (with the genetic tongue sticking out- A and I do it when we concentrate too!)
Eliza counted to 12 all on her own yesterday. And Addie learned to tie her shoes!!!!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-27T15:50:00.000-06:00

The day has come and gone...but I still haven't shared it with you...so here goes.

We had a blessed and happy Christmas. Sure...my pregnancy brain caused us to miss out on a few traditions...but the kids didn't seem to notice. We went to Memaw and Epa's house, so it was nice to relax on the cooking bit and just assist Mom.

We went to a Christmas eve service at Mom's church and then did the annual Birthday Cake for Jesus afterward. Eliza really got into it and sang so sweetly! Both the girls helped make the cake this year.

I did remember to give them both their Christmas Eve gift: PJs. We stuffed the stockings...and all the usual hoopla. But, when we put the kids to bed, it felt like we'd forgotten something. Couldn't remember what....

After snuggling them down in their warm little beds, I remembered: COOKIES! How do you forget to leave Santa cookies????? I wouldn't dare pull them out of bed just to leave him a note and cookies, so I just did it myself. Jeez! In the morning, Addie pulled a note out of the tree that SHE had written him. It was so sweet!She thanked him for the Christmas gifts and wished him a Merry Christmas. She was disappointed that Santa didn't see it. It's not too late to send it to the North Pole, I hope.

I asked Addie what her favorite gift was and she told me it was her "make-up" set.

We asked Eliza what her favorite Christmas gift was and she said, "Christmas". I translated that to mean her dolly that comes in an infant carrier. Addie translated that to mean the stacking blocks she had given E for Christmas. Guess it's best that we don't know...that way we both will think we're rockstar gift givers. :)

The kids got some quality time with Epa and Memaw. Eliza was a bit hyper...running around like a, well, a two-year old! Addie did a lot of painting and crafts. I napped a lot. Micah and Dad (& Lucas) took a nice run on Dorner trail. Mom crocheted a hundred million rosettes for the girls' hats (because she's crafty like that). And baby boy...did his usual acrobatics in my womb.

The dogs LOVED their squeaky toys...I had to put them up because they tried to get into them the night before we left for Topeka...sneaky little things! It's nice to see Kaylee act like a puppy when she thinks someone is going to toss her new toy for her to fetch.

This goes without saying, but our Christmas was blessed. The weather was nice, the dogs got walks, the kids played HARD with their new toys, and boy did my mom make an amazing Christmas meal!

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas as well! Now that we are past the Christmas rush, I'm realizing that I only have ONE month before our little man makes his entrance into the world. There is so much to do to prepare for him, including NAMING him! Let's pray (YOU too- we need it) that Micah and I come to a happy consensus in the next couple weeks. Surely, we can find something we both like, right? :)

Can YOU believe it?

2011-12-19T09:05:00.002-06:00

I'm actually updating my blog!!! It's been on my list of things "to do" for some time now. In fact, I found a list by my bed from last Monday and it was almost identical to my list THIS Monday! That's how fast I'm moving.

Of course, I've been sick with a massive cold, performed a play in my church (with lots of lines in all...I thought I might get lucky and just be Mary- but NO. Totally more involved!), we also got a majority of the baby's room done. It's going to be adorable!!!

I'm digressing. So, what have we Hunts been up to lately? Nothing earth-shattering...yet very busy and important. I am, after all, growing a baby! I'm 34 weeks along now...only six weeks left!!! Here's my 8 month belly pic:

I'm much bigger with #3 (who still doesn't have a name) than I was with Addie Sue and Eliza Ann!

Addie Sue was a flower girl in our nephew's wedding.
She and Sydney (her cousin) looked beautiful and took their job very seriously:

Poor E was exhaused. The wedding was at 2 pm...nap time. She was running around the reception like a maniac...so I strapped her in a high chair just so that I wasn't constantly chasing her around. Here's how she spent her time at the reception:

GOING...

GONE!!!!

Addie and Daddy danced in the meantime. It was so sweet, it make this hormonal mama cry!

This was our first year to participate in Operation Christmas Child...which is put on by Samaritan's Purse. It's a tradition that many families take part in...including my own when I was younger. However, I've never gotten around to doing it with our kids. All you do is decorate a shoebox and fill it with necessities, toys, and a few goodies, and they are sent to children in orphanages all around the world. This is some kids only chance to hear about Jesus and to hear that they are LOVED.

I'm glad my girls got to help with this project, but know we have a few lessons to learn. Both of them wanted to keep the some of the items inside the box and I found myself repeating, "These gifts are for children who don't have a mommy and daddy. Put it back please." Something to that effect. This is a tradition I'm happy to continue...I think it will eventually sink in with my kiddos & they will hopefully learn to think of others' needs instead of just their own.

Addie and Eliza saw Santa at Bass Pro...but I don't have a picture to show you. They give you a copy so you cannot take your own. I took Eliza to Crown Center with some friends from college and she wanted NOTHING to do with Santa (although she thought he was worthy of a High Five). In fact, none of the kids were too impressed with Santa. I think Lexi was the only one that actually sat on his lap willingly.
Here are all the two year olds:

Left to right: Sam, Eliza, Ava, Graham, and Lexi. I have a picture of these kiddos (minus Sam) when they were infants...

Left to Right: Lexi, Ava, Graham, & Eliza

My how things have changed!!!

Other items to note:

I'm officially a director with Thirty-One! This is a mystery to me b/c I'm not a salesperson in anyway. I think I just got in at a really good time and people have signed up under, thus...making me a director. The timing is a bit off, since I'm having a baby next month. I will take a maternity leave and hopefully get back into the swing of things. Don't really know exactly how much time being a director with take. I know I will have to host trainings on the phone and in person every other month...hopefully nothing too overwhelming. I've also only got one month to go before I get my $1000 bonus from Thirty-One!!! Yay!

Kaylee and Lucas are doing well. I haven't taken them on walks as frequently as they expect. Poor doggies. They are sweetie pies. We did take them out to look at Christmas lights on Saturday night just so they could feel included in a family outing. It drove Micah nuts. BUT- he knew what he was getting into when he married me. That's why he calls me "Snow White!

Okay....I'm hoping to start updating every week again. Look again next Monday to see what I've come up with. Until then, have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Fall Pictures

2011-11-14T15:37:00.000-06:00

Our friend, Anthony, took some pictures of the girls at Burr Oaks a couple weeks ago. The plan was to get Eliza's two year pictures...however, I ended up being in some of them because Eliza just wanted to "hold you Mommy."

I think they turned out great...minus the preggo pictures of me. We really lucked out with the weather!

Eliza Ann...is two.

2011-11-05T16:33:00.001-05:00

Our little sweetie pie turned two on Oct. 28th. As I sit back and reflect on her life, I can't help but smile. She has brought so much joy to our family and I can't imagine the Hunt family without her.

Can you believe this is the same little person??????

We celebrated with family and a few friends...nothing big and grand. But, I think Eliza had fun regardless. She got a lot of new toys that she shared...mostly...with her little friends.

And she got to hold baby Zander...which, in her opinion, was the best gift of all!

She ate some yummy cake...

And the kids all got to be a little silly by the end of the night...

There are so many things I love about Eliza. I won't bore you with them all...just a few:

She often laughs when she falls down.
She loves to wrestle.
She's quick to share a doll with a friend who is crying.
She says "sorry" without being prompted.
She loves to sit on the potty (and make a potty sound with her mouth)...then say "All done!"
She says, "I did it!"
She loves to cuddle...when you catch her in the right mood.
She LOVES babies and pats her lap so they can sit in it.
I can tell she will make friends easily- her personality is funny!
She still says, "Mommy hold you" when she wants me to hold her.
She insists on having chocolate milk in the morning, like her sister.
Her lovey is a constant companion and is never far from her.
She is starting to be able to reason. So bribes work fantastic with her now. Ex: "Take one more bite of your chicken and you can get down." She opens her mouth like a birdie!

There are so many fabulous traits of this two-year old. Those of you who know her, you know what I'm talking about. There will never be another Eliza--- and I'm sooooo glad she's mine! :)

Okay...enough bragging about my pretty, smart, and sweet two year old. Now onto life in general:

We met my friend Carrie at Burr Oaks the other day for a playdate. Addie and Kaden haven't seen much of each other since Addie started Kindergarten. They had fun walking the trails and looking for turkeys (of course, all they really needed was a mirror to spot the turkeys).

Kaden, Addie, Lexi, and Eliza

The girls love to wrestle and play with Daddy. Eliza was yelling, "Look at this Mommy!"

We also celebrated Halloween but I was unable to get any photos b/c I misplaced my camera. I'll get some from my mom when they return from their trip to Australia. The girls loved "Trick-or-Treating" but Eliza really just wanted to get a look at everyone's cats and/or dogs when they answered the door. She'd say "Lookie! A dog. Hi doggie!" Then, she's perseverate on them until we could lure her away from the open door. She managed to make it inside a couple home before we caught her! Seriously...I'm glad no one gave us their cat!

Addie sorted and counted all the loot after Trick-or-Treating. She was the most beautiful Jasmine.

Eliza wasn't so particular with her candy. She handed M&Ms to Epa then scattered them all over the floor. You can bet she still ate them though.

Where to begin...

2011-10-03T15:39:00.003-05:00

I have so much to write about...don't know where to begin. Life is busy...like it is for everyone else. And- I haven't made this blog a priority. I mentally make a list of things to mention on here, but rarely get around to it. So, here are a few highlights.

My girls are becoming friends! There is almost a four year age gap, but these two still have fun together. Yesterday, they were cuddling on the couch and watching TV, so I snapped a quick picture.

My dad offered to stain our deck for us...it was in really bad shape. He didn't have to offer twice. We took him up right away.

Before

Unfortunately, nothing is ever as easy as you think it's going to be. He was planning on spraying the deck with an oil-based stain. But, we got a latex one, so every single board had to be painted...by hand. It took days longer and Dad wasn't able to complete it by himself--- or in the time he had allowed. I ended up doing quite a bit during nap times. The original color Micah got was atrocious too! We had a hiccup with HD trying to get them to fix it. No matter what they tried, they said it would always be orange.

First color

So the end result is not the color I would have picked, but it was MUCH better than the original. Something I can live with anyway. The deck is sealed and preserved now too, which was the whole point of staining it in the first place.

Tadaaaa!

Of course, the dogs got stained too!

I have to show you some of Addie's writings. She's doing great at reading and sounding out words as she writes. It's fun to see how she invents words based on their sounds. I'm really proud of how well she is doing in school.

Micah and I always take turns putting the kids to bed. One will read to Addison, the other to Eliza...then we switch the next night. However, lately, Eliza has wanted to listen to Addie's books at night. She squeezes herself in between Addie and me/daddy and sits still MOST of the story.

Five months belly shot

Our nephew and his fiancee had their little man Zander last week. We went to meet him at the hospital. Addie was wonderful while holding him. Eliza was intrigued...as always. She kept scooting closer to get a better look, but was gentle the entire time. She never did poke him as I expected. Guess she understood that a baby this size was off limits. Don't worry about her not getting a chance to love on Zander. She got her day in the sun. She held him while on Micah's lap!

Last Friday, we met up with a high school friend of mine for a playdate at Deanna Rose Farmstead. Angie married another good friend of mine (Justin)...and their little boy is the spitting image of Justin. He was adorable! Eliza loved him...and he seemed to enjoy her kisses too! I hope we get to see more of them soon!

On a more serious note...My Kaylee hit the bottom again this past weekend. We came home from the hospital from meeting baby Zander and discovered a huge COSTCO size bag of chocolate chips had been devoured by someone...hmmm. I can only assume that Lucas pulled it out of the pantry, but b/c Kaylee is the alpha, she probably ate it all and he was forced to watch.

Unfortunately, her love affair with chocolate was almost/perhaps still her doom. She ended up have pancreatitus again. I was up quite of bit of the night with her while she puked and pooped all over. By the morning, I knew I had to take her in. Friday was probably one of the worst days of my life. She pooped all over the back of my car on the way to the vet and Dr. Wingert said he wanted to keep her over night so she could get some fluids in her. She came home the next day...but was incredibly woozy and shaky. This morning, it appears that she is going to be okay. I've been cooking her chicken and hiding her meds in there to help her keep them down. She followed me up the stairs twice today---- which is HUGE! I know we are on borrowed time with her. I cry every time I think about losing her.

She laid in the sandbox today while I pushed E in the swing.

The face of an angel...

Finally, Eliza took a nasty fall at our Community group last night....while holding a baby stroller...on the stairs. It was traumatic for everyone who saw it. But, it appears her eye took the brunt of it and she should recover. Too bad I have to face all the stares from strangers when we run errands today!

There are some good things that happened this week.

Micah "fixed" my microwave...after I lived without it for 5 days. He discovered the breaker needed to be flipped. I've never claimed to be smart!
I went to a Women's Retreat from my church.
My mom came up and took the girls to the Blue Springs Princess Party (since I was at the Retreat). More pictures to come- I forgot to snag them from her camera.

It's a BOY!

2011-08-31T14:57:00.001-05:00

So...we already had an inkling...okay, more than that. A couple weeks ago, I had a kidney stone and my OB sent me to the ER. It was extremely painful, by the way. While I was there, I had a sonogram done and we were 99.9% we were having a boy.

However, yesterday, we went for my scheduled sonogram and had our suspicions confirmed. We're very excited! Well, maybe not all of us. Addie was a bit disappointed because she wanted a girl. Boys have those "hangie down parts" and she wanted a baby with the same parts.

Micah, however, is super proud. I didn't even know he wanted a boy...he always commented that he loved our girls and would be happy with another. It's funny to me how much he loves those girls, yet he's stoked to be having a boy.

Here I am at four months. Addie took the picture for me. You can see the difference between my growth with Addie and Eliza too!

Here are some sonogram pics...not very clear, but you get the idea. I promised Micah I wouldn't post pictures of the baby's privates...so you'll just have to use your imagination.

Our School Girl

2011-08-17T16:17:00.000-05:00

Today was a historic moment in the Hunt family...Addie Sue went to her first day of Kindergarten. We took pictures of her before the bus came. Then, once she got on, we rushed to her school to take more pictures. All the while, she went about her business. Not a hint of worry. I'm glad for that. I managed to hold it together too. I didn't want her to think she was going to an awful place!

I must say...today has been weird. I finished reading a book, checked my email/facebook, ate lunch in peace...all while Eliza slept. No one interrupted me, asked for a snack, asked if her quiet time was over, etc. This break was nice. But I still miss her.

The hard part for me is not knowing how her day is going. Is she making any friends? Is her teacher kind? Is the environment she's learning in healthy? Did she play with anyone at recess?

We considered placing her in a private Christian school, but we decided to give public school a try. It's much easier on the pocketbook...but I wonder if she is encountering kids with hurts far beyond her understanding. I just pray that God will be with her....and help her make good choices. To be a friend to someone who really needs it. To do her best. To show love to others. To feel loved herself.

I can't wait to see her when she gets off the school bus today!

Back on top!

2011-08-10T17:21:00.001-05:00

I'm happy to tell you that Kaylee is back! After bloodwork, we discovered she had Pancreatitis, a painful condition that does not allow digestion. The vet put her on an antibiotic for about 10 days and she has bounced back. We did switch her to an organic food, that is low-fat & she is on Tramadol (full dosage). But- it seems to be working! I read that older dogs are prone to getting this condition, so we have to watch and make sure she doesn't get ahold of anything fattening, as it can cause a recurrence. She has vomited occasionally, but nothing that has caused her to get behind on her meds and cause hip pain.

Click to see sweet Kaylee 5 years ago when I first started blogging.

THANK YOU JESUS! Even if we're just buying time, I'll take it!

I'm a bit past 15 wks now, and I've got my three month belly shot to post. It's a bit embarrassing b/c I'm sooooo big compared to my other two. But I've got to do it for the third kiddo too...

See me with Addie Sue and Eliza at three months and you'll agree:

I wish I could tell you it was ALL baby...but I think that would mean I'm in denial.

Anyway...

Micah ran in the Warrior Dash in July. I was supposed to run it with him, but I got pregnant. I'm soooo glad I did. M said it was harder than he thought it would be. I guess the race was entirely made up of hills that were muddy and full of jagged rocks. Running up and down them was too dangerous.
Doesn't he look cool?

Jumping in at the end:

Micah and Joel

These are just random pictures taken the last couple weeks:

This what Daddy teaches our girls to do...something I would never think of in a HUNDRED YEARS (Candyland is more my style). This is why he is the fun parent:

My sister has been in town for the last couple weeks. We went to a Combat Air Museum in Topeka and the kids got to run around. Unfortunately, it was not air-conditioned, although the weather cooperated, it was too much for the pregnant woman to handle. I ended up getting sick at McDonald's shortly after leaving the museum. Oh Joy!

Grandparents and the grandkids:

An aerial view of the museum:

Hot and tired: Addie, Toby, and Caleb

For some reason, I can't find all the other pics I have of my trips to Topeka. Not so much a shock for those who know me well. I'm pretty impressed with myself for posting two times in one month. I looked back in 2006 when I first started blogging, and it is crazy to see how much more posting I did. Each year, my posts get smaller and smaller. Guess that is an indication that life is getting a bit busier with kids and dogs taking much of my time. The time I do have alone, I usually just want to rest. I'm still tired and waiting for my burst of energy to come so I can get some projects done around the house.

Two important events are coming up this month.

First, Addie starts school on Wednesday (Aug.16). I can't believe she's in Kindergarten. I hope she enjoys school and that her teacher is loving and effective. I haven't really heard anything good about her yet, so I'm waiting to see what I think.

Second, we find out the gender of our baby in two weeks (Aug. 30)! Looking forward to that...and hearing that the baby is alive and well. I'm feeling some movement...which is reassuring, but it's always wonderful to hear the heartbeat and see all the body parts.

Until next time...

Good news & Bad news...

2011-07-21T23:35:00.000-05:00

This home has been a bit of wreck the past couple months. I'm on an emotional rollercoaster. There are so many thoughts going on in my head...I've decided to pour them out before I go to bed...sort of an emotional release.

There is good news to share...and bad news:

The good news (in case you aren't on FB) is that I'm expecting and baby #3 is due in January. Everything is going smoothly, even nausea has been better than previous pregnancies. Now that I'm in my second trimester, I'm expecting some energy to hit and nausea to subside. We're thrilled to welcome another baby...even Addie! She prays for the baby at night and even told me, "I'm so excited to meet the baby...I can hardly wait!" Eliza thinks she likes babies...but we'll see when our baby comes home to stay and takes up Mommy's lap!

The bad news is that my Kaylee Louise is not doing well. She's been struggling with her hip pain for a while now, however the last month it's been worse. When we returned from vacation, my parents called and said she wasn't doing well. They had taken her to a pet hospital b/c she was vomiting and not able to keep any food down. Without a urinalysis or bloodwork, the vet suspected she was in renal failure (kidney failure). I took her to my vet and a urinalysis showed that she is not...that's good. However, she is not eating well. She was eating more when we got her back, but she seems to lack interest now. She does perk up when I suggest we go on a "walk"...so I take her for a short one. She doesn't last long, but if it's the only joy in her life right now...I want her to have it. Tonight, she refused everything I offered her. Beef broth, rice, boiled beef, treats, even a chicken nugget (I was getting desperate!) Without food in her tummy, I can't give her any pain medication so in the morning she probably won't be able to walk. :(

I'm at a crossroads. I know that I'm going to have to decide soon how much is enough. Maybe she's just done. I pray to God that I can let her go and not keep her around for my own selfish reasons. I love her so much. I can't stand to see her in pain. She's not herself anymore. No more greetings at the door (with a shoe hanging from her mouth), no more zig-zagging on her walks (annoying Lucas and me to the hills), no more catching food before it even hits the floor, and no more following me all over the house. She stays put most of the day...I miss my shadow when I go to bed at night.

I don't think my girls have ever seen me cry so much. I keep fluctuating between hope (when she perks up) and devestation. She's on the best pain meds I can get for her...if they don't work, there's only one option left.

I knew this day would come, but it's not any easier. It sucks actually.

PreK Graduation

2011-06-01T14:57:00.002-05:00

Addie Sue had her Preschool Graduation from Play to Learn on May 19th. It was really cute. Each class sang a song and then the entire school sang one together. I would have gotten teary-eyed over the whole thing if I weren't so consumed with Eliza! She was up and down, under the pew, in the aisle, wanted dad, wanted mom, wanted Memaw, wanted Epa, and pointing and yelling at Addie on stage. Needless to say, she was a handful.

Here she is with her buddy, Andrew. We used to be neighbors with them at our old house and have managed to keep in touch. They've been friends since they were two...and they've both grown so much!

I love Andrew's mommy, Tara. She's a great friend. I got a picture with her, but we never did get one of the Hunt family together. How sad is that?

Addie with her grandparents:

You know how I told you E is a handful. Well, she helped her self to more refreshments while we were taking pictures. She offered to share though...so no harm done! :) Yum

We've been playing in the sandbox out back just about everyday. Since it's a big sandbox directly under the deck, I can't really cover it so it's inevitable. Between the dog's fur (it's shedding season) and sand, my floors are always gritty!

I usually end up giving them baths every night or at least spontaneous soakings in the sink before naptime so that the sand doesn't make it in their beds.

I know some of you with young children still have nappers...but not me. This is what Addie does during her "quiet time":

My girls were headed to the car after church on Sunday and Addie grabbed Eliza's hand to make sure she was safe in the parking lot. Isn't this cute?

If you look closely, you'll see in the picture above that E has no shoes on. She takes them off all the time. Addie, however, puts everyone else's shoes on! She's trying on Memaw's shoes below:

More news to come...
Addie starts summer school on Monday! Oh and Addie is riding her big girl bike without training wheels, but I don't have a picture yet- will do that soon!

What isn't new?

2011-05-16T23:13:00.000-05:00

There is such a plethora of new information to divulge...I'll have to narrow it down to the top 10.

1. My garden: It's exquisite! I had to remove 12 barrels full of white rock from the front of the house...put in mushroom compost, and organic mulch...and tons of $ on perennials- but I LOVE it! It makes me so much happier to pull in the driveway and not see the old, dated white rock.

2. Piece and Quiet: I've been spending some of my mornings outside on our front porch for my quiet morning/prayer time. It doesn't last long b/c one of the girls is always up by 7:30. Nevertheless, it's the reason I wanted a home with a front porch...So I could sit outside, drink coffee and relax!

Addie caught me in the act one day last week!

3. My beautiful girls: Addie actually let me curl her hair for Easter. Don't they look adorable in their matching dresses? I know they'll be annoyed with me later- but it's too cute to pass up!

4. Kids and Candy: So...I give them too much evidently. A went to her dentist appt. at the beginning of the month and we saw a different dentist than the person who had been checking her out the last two years. Lo and behold- there really was something wrong with her 2 year molars! I had been concerned about them ever since they came in. They are brown in color...they look odd. The previous dentist said there was just a discoloration- we'd just keep an eye on them. The last dentist said, "Take her to a pediatric dentist- she'll need 4 crowns". Turns out she has "hypocalcified enamel (basically no enamel) and her teeth are soft and falling apart. She got her first crown last week and actually had fun! Let's hope tomorrow will be fun as she gets her second one!

On that note...guess this will be Eliza's last sucker. Who am I kidding? It's the first of many, I'm sure.

5. Addie and the splinter: Addie got her first splinter and it only took four adults to get it out. She gets really upset about anything that might possibly hurt in the slightest bit. A bit dramatic- and yes, I know she probably gets this from me!

6. A new roof: We'll be getting one in a couple weeks. We're having a man from our church put it on and I think he's getting us a good deal...so our house will be looking spiffy soon- at least from an aerial view.

7. Spinning in circles: literally. The kids got to ride the carousel in T-town over Easter weekend. It's a tradition that we ride the carousel and train at least once when we visit.

8.A's soccer season is over. She was just getting the hang of it too! Hopefully, she'll want to do it next year!

9. Graduation: A is officially enrolled in Kindergarten at William Bryant Elementary. She sailed through screening and seems to be ready. She even made a new friend during enrollment and was doing headstands with him while mommies filled out paperwork. I'm sure the K teachers were making mental notes over who gets the two squirrely kids. Just kidding! She'll be a catch to have in class and I'm sure her teacher will enjoy her. She finishes up preschool this week. Her End-of-the-year program is this Thursday. I've heard others say it but it's true: It's hard to believe my baby is going to Kindergarten!

10. Growing like a weed: Eliza is trying to be a big girl. She had her 18 month check up and is 60% for height and 25% for weight. Her head is in the 50%tile. She says "Where it go?" or "Night, Night Mommy!" and she's learning just like a toddler...soaking everything up. She imitates, Climbs- EVERYTHING, and gives the best kisses this side of the Mississippi. Who cares if they are a bit wet and mucus covered!

Hair today...Gone tomorrow!

2011-04-26T22:08:00.000-05:00

I cut my hair off last week and was able to donate 12 inches to Locks of Love. I don't feel sad to see my hair gone in the slightest bit. I think Micah does though....

The girls are just as cute as they can be! Eliza's hair is now long enough to put into a ponytail!

She's still a fabulous FIT THROWER too! She is starting to say two word sentences and imitates everything she sees. She loves to try and get her clothes on, but it's really hard for her, so that usually ends in a fit as well.

We went on a walk after church one morning and enjoyed ourselves for about 7 minutes. Then E was fussy and A was complaining that her legs were tired and she was STARVING. Micah did manage to get some cute pics of the girls walking ahead of us...which I love!

Addie is a great big sister. For the most part, she's very patient with Eliza. Little E has starting hitting when she's mad, but A doesn't usually hit back. One time she did, however, and E screamed like a Banshee! I told Addie that we have to tell Eliza how to act "Be gentle...give hugs"...not hit back. That night, in her prayer, she said, "And God, when I hit my sister, please don't have her cry." It was too funny!

Addie is really good about keeping small things out of the way so E doesn't eat them and she shares so well. This morning Eliza hit her head, and while I held her and tried to comfort her, Addie went and got a sippy cup from the cabinet, filled it up with cold water, and brought it to her!

We went to the Kite Festival in Lee's Summit last weekend. I just love going. It reminds me of what families probably did for fun before TV, the Wii, etc. It feels good to just sit back and watch kites float in the sky. My folks were with us and we met up with Supavan, Kevin, and Kalani.

Addie had a soccer game beforehand, so she is sporting the athletic look while she flew her kite!

Eliza flew a kite too:

Finally, here's a pick of Addie with her Soccer team. They are so funny! Each of the kids have such different personalities! Addie is enjoying it more, although she's still a bit timid about getting in the middle of the action. I guess it's confusing for a child to be told to be kind to others her whole life and then as soon as she starts playing soccer, her parents yell, "Get in there and take the ball! Kick it away! Block his shot!" You catch my drift? She's also afraid of getting knocked down. But, last week, she got up every time she fell which I'm very proud of her for doing. I don't know that soccer is her thing, but I'm glad she's getting some exposure to it.

Soccer Star...

2011-04-01T15:02:00.000-05:00

Ok...not quite. But maybe someday...

Addie had her first soccer game last week. She did great...at first. She scored two goals, however, one of them didn't count because she tapped it in with her hand). She was quick on her feet and smiling the whole time. Until- she got knocked down. Then, she pretty much pouted the entire game and cried saying that she just liked practice. She didn't like to play in games. We even tried bribing her with McDonald's and she still held her ground.

I wouldn't let her sit down with us, so here she is hiding behind me instead of playing. Her coach kept asking if she was okay. He only has boys- so he must not be familiar with girls and their ways.

With about three minutes left in the game, she finally agreed to give it another try. She was timid, however, and barely touched the ball. Let's hope things go better tomorrow! We still took her to McDonalds b/c that was better than sulking until the end.

Eliza is as funny as ever. She's such a good dancer and loves to climb. She's starting to get all skinny on me too! :( She says so many words. I think I've counted up to about 40. She imitates a lot also! Whatever Addie does, Eliza does too! I still love to see her run around in her diaper. I just love her little baby body! So cute!

I finally finished redecorating the bathroom. It's not anything amazing, but much more functional. It all started with a $5 gallon of paint in an Oops cart at HD. I thought semi-gloss paint would be so much better in that bathroom than the flat paint that was in there. The people before us painted all over the ceiling too. It looked horrible!

Unfortunately, one thing always leads to another. I had to paint the ceiling. Prime the walls. Paint the walls. Then I decided to paint the cabinets b/c the finish was wearing off. So, I had to sand, prime and paint those. Finally, I had to get a new light b/c the previous ones were rusting and outdated. It wasn't easy, of course, b/c the hole in the wall wasn't centered. I had to fill the original hole and center the wires above the mirror.

Finally, I mitered trim and glued it on the mirror to dress it up a bit.

Before pics:

After: (We still have to replace the floor...there's carpet in there right now. Weird, I know!)

No bad for less than $100, eh?

Someday we'll have this house fixed up just the way we like it. And then, it will probably be about time to sell it and move into something smaller. It just takes so much time and money to decorate! Who has enough of that?

Anyway, I'm ready for some springtime weather. The snow is ridiculous. Micah and I are planning to run in the warrior dash in July...so I have some serious "training" to do. I'm a bit more nervous for this than I was for my half-marathon in the fall and it's only a 5K. I'm thrilled to be able to run again without pain, so I don't really feel the need to throw in a bunch of obstacles (ex. fire, swamps, rusted old cars). I do think it will be fun though!

Until next time...

To my five followers...

2011-03-17T14:33:00.001-05:00

Dear faithful blog followers, (that's you, Mom & Carrie)
I'm sorry I haven't posted much lately. It's not as if I've been more busy than usual. I've just had trouble sitting down and writing all the crazy stuff that happens on a daily basis around here. I'm sure you're tired of checking my site and seeing the same headline from last month. If I had posted every week, here are some of the things I would have said:

We went to see Dave Ramsey and had a great time! It was good to be motivated again.
We sold my Honda Civic. We put it up for sale on Sunday afternoon and had several people interested in the first two hours. We ended up selling it Monday night and paid off our Student Loan Debt on Tuesday! Yay!!! We are finally done with Sallie Mae!
We've been redoing the bathroom. I'll post pictures when we're done. I've painted the cabinets and they look really good!
Eliza is saying all kinds of cute words. She does a lot of imitating too!
My "baby" isn't a baby anymore. Last week, she quit nursing. She kept biting me and when I'd say "no" she'd throw herself back and scream and kick. Now, she won't even try. She's done. I'm a bit sad; probably because it wasn't on my terms. I thought, for sure, with how cuddly she is, that I'd get lots more nursing times with her. But- alas, not the case. I sure will miss the sweet tenderness and precious moments together. I'm not a huge La Leche League person, but personally, I loved nursing, and I wanted to nurse her for as long as I nursed Addie (20 months). So if she complains later that I didn't nurse her as long as her sister, I'll kindly tell her, "IT'S YOUR FAULT!"
I'm keeping busy with Thirty-one Gifts. I have eight parties booked this month! Check out my website if you're interested: www.mythirtyone.com/bethhunt
Addie's prayers are sweeter than ever. She remembers to mention other people and pray for their needs which is so sweet to hear.
We started off our spring break with inches of snow. Lucas was the only one who didn't mind.

Today is my sweet Kaylee's birthday. We got her eight years ago today. We think she's 11 or 12 now. She's the most pure hearted and sweet soul you'll ever meet. I wish I was half the person that Kaylee thinks I am. Right now, she's laying next to me on the floor while I type. Her snore resonating off all the walls. Such a sweet sound...except when I'm trying to sleep at night.

Anyway, we plan to take her to PETCO to pick out a yummy treat and possibly take Lucas and her to the dog park later on today. It's not so easy to get around with both dogs and the kids, so I might wait until Micah gets home. Although, he's sure to think I'm nuts with celebrating the dog's birthday!

I'm glad you checked in with us. Hopefully, I won't leave you hanging for so long next time!
Sincerely,
Beth Ellen

FIVE

2011-02-28T15:18:00.000-06:00

Addie Sue is FIVE years old...

she survived shots at the doctor's office, she's doing well in preschool, we had a great big girl bday party...

THIS GIRL IS READY FOR KINDERGARTEN!

We went to a pottery place for her party. I told her she could invite 5 friends. We had a good group of kiddos!

The kids each got to paint a piece of pottery. Addie Sue painted a butterfly.

Kaden painted a robot.

Leah painted a butterfly.

Abby painted an inchworm.

Andrew painted a robot.

Sydney painted a mug.

Brody painted...hmmm...I'm can't tell!

Regardless, they all had a blast!!!

My friend, Tara, made a Rapunzel cake. We just loved the movie Tangled so it was a perfect theme for a painted party!

Andrew and Kaden had a blower showdown.

Singing HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Here is the birthday girl with her friends Leah and Abby!

The whole silly crew again!

It's hard to believe that five years have gone by since my Addie Sue was born. She's such a delight. She's every bit as smart and sassy as I thought she'd be too! I love her creativity, her gentleness towards others, how easily she catches on to concepts, and the funny sayings that come out of her mouth. She's a natural at so many things, it will be fun to see who she becomes and what her interest will be in the coming years.

We love you Addie Sue!

If I were a Carpenter...

2011-02-04T14:19:00.001-06:00

I'm not talking about Karen Carpenter...although I dig her too. I'm having so much fun building things! Here's my latest project: a bookshelf for Eliza's room.

This shelf took me less than $17 to make!

Here are the finished crates I made too. Only took about $8 to make TOTAL!

This is going to be a short update, but here's some pics of my sweetie pies!

Eliza is climbing now....and falling a lot too. Micah got a pretty sad video of her falling a minute after this photo was taken. :(

The girls are being silly here...makes it hard to cook dinner.

brushing teeth...

pushing each other around ( and leaving long streaks on the floor).

Lounging around and reading...

Right now, I'm in the process of "building" a doll house for Addie. However, I'm using a kit. There is no way that I could with MY skills- Much too difficult. I've been mulling over building one for some time b/c I wanted to have a nice wooden doll house the girls could enjoy and, hopefully, my grandchildren too! Gigi and Papa said they would buy it for her birthday- It's in two weeks, so there's a lot to do in the meantime!

PICTURES!

2011-01-21T14:52:00.000-06:00

I'm a slacker. I meant to get Eliza's one year photos taken in October/November, but nothing worked out. So I took them to an indoor studio this week and have called it good.

So- here's Addie's 5 year pics and Eliza's one year pics (plus two months):

Family: Let me know if you want a copy. I bought the CD and can print off pics at COSTCO.

Snow Angels

2011-01-13T14:49:00.000-06:00

We've had to get creative around here...since the weather is so cold.

Addie likes to make tunnels out of the curtains.

We went out and played in the snow on Monday.

Addie and Lucas LOVED the snow. They both love to eat it...Eliza didn't know what to think!

But, she tried to eat it too!

Addie made a perfect snow angel.

Eliza...not so much. However, she loved going down the slide!

We've been doing some baking:

We've been Dancing:

We've been building things too:

I'll show you these crates when I'm completely done with them!

Hope you are staying warm this winter!

Christmas Cliff Notes

2011-01-01T09:54:00.000-06:00

Christmas was delightful! The girls had so much fun! I think one of my favorite gifts that A got was these clothes my mom made for her dolls. Aren't they adorable? We dressed them up and had a fashion show.

Snow white was the most fashionably dressed...in my humble opinion. I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's review December in order!

Eliza is up to all the normal stuff toddlers love to do. Climbing, putting things she shouldn't into her mouth, running, putting things she shouldn't into her mouth, wriggling away during diaper changes....putting things she shouldn't into her mouth. Do you get the pattern that is forming? Seriously...here she is eating Addison's chapstick. Yummy!

The Sunday before Christmas, I wanted to get a picture of the girls in front of the tree. E was ready to take a nap, so it was a bit of a challenge because she just wanted Mommy. Addie tried to help...but it just made Eliza MAD. Here she is rearing up to scream:

So...we finally plopped them down and took one really fast. Addie is still restraining Eliza...but at least she isn't protesting...yet.

We didn't get a family pic, but I managed to get one of me and the girls after church too!

We had a chance to go to Union Station with our friends Carrie, Kaden, and Lexi. Here are the kids checking out the model trains.

It was a bit hectic and the kids were starting to get whiny, so we braved the cold and went out to play on the big toys on the Crown Center plaza. It was a good call. The kids had a blast and didn't mind the cold at all (or the snot running down their noses)!

The cuties all together!

I'm so bummed we didn't get a picture of the girls with their cousins (Caleb, Toby, and Leisel). Guess we'll have to do a better job of that next time.

Christmas morning...the girls woke up to this:

Addie slept in until nine...Eliza didn't wake until 8:30. I guess that was their gift to us. Unfortunately, Micah and I were up early because we couldn't wait for them to see their gifts!

Santa left them some goodies in their stockings and he loved their cookies. He even left them a card to thank them. Addie got a thrill out of that!

But Santa also forgot to wipe his boots! Addie got a thrill out of that too!

We have a tradition of reading the Christmas story while Addie puts nativity pieces on the felt board. This year wasn't so smooth. Eliza grabbed everything Addie put down and there was screaming and yelling...so the story was cut a bit short this Christmas. Maybe next year things will be more serene. Nah...probably not!

Eliza's FAVORITE gift was a doll that laughs and closes her eyes. She is obsessed with dolls and says "Baby. Baby. Baby!" in the most adorable high-pitched voice. She opened this doll up first and was pretty much done for the morning.

Until Memaw and Epa gave her this:

She just had to figure out how to make it go without any wheels!

Addie got a new princess tent (which is currently in our roomdon't know why) She got an adorable pink guitar that she has rocked out to as well. She is the easiest person to buy for because she loves everything she gets. It's hard not to go overboard!

My mom made me these socks...aren't they cozy and cute? I love them!

A's favorite gift was this beautiful princess dress. She has worn it every day since!

Here's the chunky monk in my old rocking chair. Don't you just want to eat her up?

We braved the weather and went for a quick walk to help the dogs get some energy out. It's not as easy with two kids, so the poor dogs get neglected nowadays.

Fast forward to New Year's Eve:
We had a relaxing evening at home with the Brown family. We ate and ate and ate and ate. I was so full, but I still managed to have some of Kevin's fantastic chocolate cake. Eliza had some chocolate too (she was so quiet, I forgot she was there for a while).

Kalani and Addie decorated a gingerbread house:

We played Wii and ended the evening with a movie, taking a break to bring in the New Year, of course. I'm shocked to say...both K and A made it to the finish line and then some. I couldn't believe how long A stayed up! She's tired and grumpy today however. Maybe, she'll actually take a nap. Doubt it, but a mommy can dream, can't she?

Don't let me fool you into thinking our life is perfect and we have it all together. My intention with this blog is to document the daily life of the Hunt family so our children can cherish it later. But, I want to be transparent and not gloss over all the sticky situations. That's the true nature of family anyway- the good, the bad, and the ugly. However, I would be wrong to not be openly grateful and glorify my savior for the blessings we receive in life. It wouldn't be possible without the gift He gave us...which is better than any gift we've received under the tree this year. Life is good.

Wow...

2010-12-13T11:29:00.000-06:00

I'm not the busiest mom ever...not even close. But I've been busy enough. I've launched a new business selling Thirty-One Gifts and LOVE it so far. I've made a profit already and people love the products so much that it has been fairly easy to book parties!

Check out my website: www.mythirtyone.com/BethHunt

My girls are growing like weeds! Eliza is such a doll. She's easy going and lovey-dovey. But busy as all heck. Lots of climbing and meandering around here! She also talks quite a bit, very expressive. Says "uh-oh" and "Hmmmmm" when she sees something yummy. Makes dog and cow sounds. Knows a couple body parts and, of course, knows Mama! I'm still her favorite person...for now. Especially when it's time to nurse!

So Big!

Eliza is starting to copy big sister! She loves to sit in her chair like her,

and sit on her tray like her,

and sweep like her too!

Addie Sue is a delight as well. She's so smart...I think she knows more than me about some things. For instance, she's learning all the books in the Bible (and I have to defer to her to help me know what comes next). She's got them all memorized up to Amos (that's almost halfway!). She's also spelling and writing words all on her own. Once while we were out, I gave her a pen and paper to keep busy. When I looked over, she had written 4 or 5 words all on her own (Mom, Dad, Eliza, cat, and dog).

She continues to be a great big sister too, although Eliza has started getting into her stuff more and is trying her patience. Addie has also discovered just how much fun it is to tease her baby sis!

Addie got to meet a Gingerbread Man in Downtown LS, but was a bit freaked out by him, so Daddy got in on the photo shoot too!

Eliza is smitten with herself!

I have plans to build some furniture using the website: www.ana-white.com

She shows simpletons, like me, how to build great "knock-off" furniture.

Here's my first build made out of wood pallets my neighbors wanted to get rid of:

A bookshelf!

Eliza finally got her third tooth. Yes, only her third. She's 13 months and has been gumming everything. She was a bit fussy one night last week, so I pulled out the MOBY again so that I could cook dinner!

Lucas is back to chewing up books...he's so bored b/c this cold weather (and my bum knee) has put a halt to his walks!

Poor Puppy!

Eliza likes to feed herself...I hate the mess, but she's much happier so I just roll with it!

My sister came out for Christmas and we bought their company car. It's really nice! We needed something bigger than my CIVIC and they got us a good deal. I'll post pictures soon! While they were out, we got to spend some time with my sweet nephews and niece. Here, Eliza and Leisel are playing with their dolls. Eliza LOVES dolls!

I won't let my next post be so long in coming. Just got busy with Thirty-One and trying to keep up with managing home and new business stuff!

The Princess and the little Stinker- 2010 Halloween

2010-11-03T16:18:00.000-05:00

Baby Parade and First Birthday

2010-11-03T16:06:00.001-05:00

Our little Eliza celebrated her first birthday on the 28th. She ate two cakes, had a party, opened gifts...

This is the cake A and I made her for her actual birthday...

This is where it ended up...

Her actual party was the following Saturday. My friend Tara made her cakes...I was more than pleased! She's fabulous!

So...the next cake she got, we put on the floor!

The birthday baby and her presents...

Sydney and Addie ate in the playroom.

The kids all helped open presents...

Eliza playing with all her toys after her guests left...

Baby parade:

2 weeks

1 month

2 months/

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months

ONE YEAR!!!

My...what a difference a year makes!!!

Ode to Eliza!

2010-10-28T10:43:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday my sweet little bean! You have grown so much! How I've loved holding you, rocking you, nursing you. Now, you are my busy toddler; walking all over the place. You have no time for kisses and zerberts...well, maybe, zerberts. :)

You are two weeks old here:

You are one year old in this picture:

You've been a delight so far...and the fun is only now beginning!

You love:

your sister
the dogs
bathtime
walks
music
climbing on the dishwasher door
tearing up paper
climbing the stairs
playing peekaboo
feeding the dogs (from your highchair)

You hate:

carseats
getting your nose wiped
diaper changes
being told "no"
baby food

1/2 Marathon

2010-10-20T17:33:00.000-05:00

Amy (Wiltse), Vadsana, and Me (all Hanthorne girls)

I ran my first half marathon on Saturday. I was pleased with my time, especially since my knee had been giving me trouble. My time was 2:10:43 which averaged just under a 10 minute mile. I ran it with Vadsana Smith...and I pretended to be Supavan b/c she couldn't run this month (hence- the name on my bib). It worked out well for all of us! Someday, I'd like to run with my dad. I get the feeling that I would have trouble keeping up with him, but it would be fun to run with someone so experienced.

The bad news is that my knees are both hurting now. I think I "babied" my left knee and ended up hurting my right one. The good news is that I'm married to a PT and he's healing me up real nice! :)

While I was running, Micah's hood on his car flew up and hit his windshield on the way to his work! He's getting it repaired now. Murphy's Law is a pretty common phenomenon around here lately...

Eliza turns one next week. I can't believe it! She's changed so much. We're doing an Owl theme...which is perfect because E's eyes are huge...just like an owl's!

Daddy reading to his girls before bed

Addie Sue is an incredible little girl. In Sunday school, the kiddos are learning the books of the bible. I'm learning them with her. So far, she knows 10 of them. I found this paper the other day on her craft table. She copied the words! Maybe she'll be a teacher's dream!

Spaghetti anyone? Eliza liked her first helping of pasta last weekend!

Eliza is walking all over the place now. Of course, she's falling just as much too! She did a face plant yesterday TWICE right into the concrete! Poor baby!

We went to the Pumpkin Patch yesterday.

The Hunt family

Here's all the kiddos we met up with our PTA.

She found the one!

Fall Happenings...

2010-10-04T15:23:00.001-05:00

We went to a safety night and Addie got to climb all over the fire truck. I think Micah was just as interested in the truck as she was.

Eliza didn't seem to know what to think of the big truck...either that or she's afraid Addie is going to drop her!

Addie is doing great at riding on a bike while we walk around the neighborhood. She seems to be pretty athletic. I wish we could enroll in her activities...but I just try to remind myself that she will have opportunities in school and there's no need to push. We have her enrolled in a community dance class right now. I'd love to put her in an ongoing class, but it's too expensive right now. Especially since I've lost my PAT gig!

While we were out playing one night, our neighbor told us that the moon was a Harvest moon (She heard about it on TV). Evidently, this orange reflection only happens every 20 years...so I snapped a picture of it.

Addie got to hold her cousin Lily one day last week. She loved her and kissed her! Lily is the sweetest little baby!

Addie and Daddy are pointing to food that Eliza flung from her chair. Micah measured the distance at 8 feet!

Seriously, how's the dog supposed to get that one?

Here's Eliza's 11 month baby shot. I'll showcase them all next month when she is ONE! YIKES! How did the time slip through my fingers? I'm busy preparing for her bday party right now...an owl theme!

Ma and Pa took Addie to the Annual Blue Spring Princess Party on Saturday while M and I went to my 10 year college reunion. Where were all my friends at this year? Gland was like a ghost town!!! It was a bit sad, but I did enjoy seeing the campus and all the improvements that have been made to the buildings.

Here's Princess Addie:

Finally, Eliza played with an ice cube this morning. I clicked at some cute poses she was in while she tried to reign in the slippery sucker.

How's this for problem solving?

So sad that she can't get it...

Yummy...life is good again!

She's my Cherry Pie...

2010-09-20T10:39:00.000-05:00

Addie and I made our first homemade pie together. We stopped by our old neighborhood to visit some neighbors and Edith gave us some cherries from her cherry tree! Doesn't it look scrumptious?

dressed for church

Eliza is so close to walking! She takes a step and then goes straight to the floor. She's actually a pretty fast crawler, so walking might seem like a slow down to her. She loves to chase the dogs or Addie around while she's crawling.

Add caption

Our neighbors gave us free tickets to the circus. It was at 7 pm last Thursday and I was hesitant since Eliza goes to bed then. I figured it would be miserable with a grumpy & tired baby. She surprised me though. She was completely enthralled with the entire scene! The two of them sat still the entire time!

I took the girls to the Blue Springs Fall Fun Fest parade on Sat. while Micah had to go to a conference for work. It was neat to see old cars and marching bands. Addie loved picking up the candy! Eliza cried when the fire trucks went by with their sirens, but that was short lived...thankfully.

Eliza crawled on top of me last night when I was taking pictures of her. She's a mommy maniac. Seriously...she has to be my biggest fan (next to Kaylee, of course).

Addie Sue is still enjoying preschool. It's hard not knowing what her day is like...how she's getting along with the other children. But, she seems to be listening well (according to her). I guess I'll find out the real story at P/T conferences!

My Kaylee girl has to have surgery tomorrow to remove a couple cysts in her eyes. Please pray that it will go well and that she will recover from the anesthesia without any problems. She's truly loyal and loving and I adore her. Watching her get old really stinks. :(

Addie's First day of Preschool!

2010-09-08T10:34:00.000-05:00

Today, we took Addie to her first day at PLAY TO LEARN PRESCHOOL. She walked in & started playing with no problem!

The whole family

Hanging her backpack

Unfortunately, right before we left, a little girl came up and took her toy. Addie told her she was playing with it, but the little girl didn't care. So, we left a crying Addie. The teacher was dialoguing with the girls and I'm sure the issue was resolved. I guess that's why we send our kiddos to preschool...to learn how to deal with others!

However, I had to make Micah leave. Otherwise, the teacher would have to resolve an issue with Micah and the little girl too!


Proof: Micah was taking pictures at the time of the conflict.

Off the topic....look who's standing on her own:

Eliza stood for 18 seconds yesterday!

10 months

2010-08-30T14:09:00.000-05:00

How can this be? I can't believe how quickly my baby has grown. She's a busy one (like most babies her age) and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Currently, Eliza is crawling, pulling up, cruising, climbing stairs, stands alone for about 3 seconds, and loves to walk (with assistance). She recognizes some words, such as: milk, more, bye-bye, hi. She signs "more", loves to eat, but is too busy to nurse if there is ANYTHING going on. She's not content to be left alone and is constantly aware of mommy's whereabouts. Sister makes her laugh better than anyone, and is really good at making her cry better than anyone too (she really likes to hold her, which Eliza is not a fan of)!

Eliza got her first tooth this month too!

Changing Eliza's diaper is a challenge right now because all she wants to do is roll over and crawl away. I remember Addie going through this too when she was about 6 months.

Eliza crawled away from me in the middle of diaper change...

loves the tv

Peek-a-boo! I have a picture of Addie doing this too!

Eating the scraps of someone's yogurt cup

Let's play ball!

I'm cute!

More misc. pics:

10 month old Baby parade

10 months

Nothing is safe...she pulls up on everything!


Look at me!

Mr. Moon

2010-08-10T17:05:00.001-05:00

We have a new pet...sort of. Every night, we have a little visitor who comes to child on our front porch. Addie has named him Mr. Moon, since he comes up when the moon is out. I'm not exaggerating when I say that he is there EVERY night.

One evening, we had some friends over for dinner and we were hanging out on the porch while the kids ran through the sprinkler. Pretty soon, Mr. Moon was perched on the edge of the steps, patiently waiting for us to leave so that he could take up his post again.

Another time, my sister in law actually saw him catch a junebug with his tongue when she was walking out the door!

This is usually how we find him!

It's pretty great to go out and see him. A couple nights ago, he was gone, and I was worried about him. But he was there again last night, so Micah thought he must have been out mating! He is super handsome after all, don't you think?

Oh my...life is crazy...;and wonderful!

2010-08-04T09:43:00.000-05:00

**** I'm trying to get used to the new Blogger format, it does what it wants to with the way it places pictures, etc. Sorry for the funky layout!****

Our Fourth of July was great! Ruthann came out to meet baby Lily and she spent some time with us. Our neighborhood lit up all over the place and it was spectacular. We went to Legacy Park for a show earlier that weekend with the Brown family too.

Supavan and Me

Sisters

The Hunt family

In an attempt to get Eliza to crawl, Micah and Addie put all her toys in a circle around her:

Eliza is a crawling MANIAC now! She's into everything and pulling up everywhere! Addie Sue was walking at this point, but this feels more stressful because now there are small toys all over the place that I have to look out for. Addie has been doing a great job of taking away toys that she thinks might be too small, but it's still a full time job!

Eliza had her 9 month check up. She was 19 lbs & 14 oz and 26 1/2 inches long. She's healthy and much happier now that she can move on her own. For a while, I thought I might go crazy b/c she would cry everytime I went into another room. Now, she can just follow me!

My mom's siblings had a reunion and we had a chance to go up to St. Jo to see them. My Aunt Diane and Uncle Larry were up from FL, my Aunt Jan and Uncle Bob were in from CO, and Aunt Kathy and Uncle Dean from St. Jo They all got to meet Eliza for the first time. We went to a couple museums and Addie had fun dressing up with Sara, my cousin's daughter.

Trying on hats

Pioneer girl

We celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary.

Addie and her cousins:

We had Rowan come over for a sleepover one weeknight before she left to go home to CA. The girls were so cute! They watched a movie, caught Junebugs, read books by flashlight, and slept all night in this tent!


Addie loves spending time with Sydney too!

Another Addieism:
Addie cracks me up daily with her sweet and silly conversation starters. We had one last week that just about made my heart MELT! She asked me if I was sad that she was growing up. I told her that it was a bit sad b/c it means she won't need me as much and won't want hugs and kisses as much. I can't keep her my baby forever. She said, with much enthusiasm, "I know Mom! When I am grown up, we can meet each other for lunch! How about Chick-fil-A?" Talking about her growing up brought tears to my eyes, but they were gone quickly with this sweet suggestion! I'm planning on holding her accountable! It was her idea after all! :)

Addie continues to make Eliza laugh and they have so much fun together. Their favorite spot, right now, is behind the couch. They love to "play" together back there.

Sisters love to wrestle too!

It's evident that Addie has so much personality, but little Eliza is really showing some personality too! In the words of my sister in law, "She's a HOOT!" She's quite vocal....shows so much excitement (esp about food), moves constantly (even standing up in tub), loves music (dances too), gives the best kisses and shows immense joy in seeing you every time you come and get her out of her crib. She entertains herself well and loves to hear herself talk. It's adorable to hear her after she wakes up. She rambles on and on!

Eliza crawled off during a diaper change yesterday, and I couldn't resist taking a picture!

Lost camera

2010-07-25T15:19:00.002-05:00

I wish I could post some pics on the blog, but I left my camera at the Morgan house and still haven't got it back. Sooooo, I'm very behind in posting! :(

We're doing well. Eliza is now crawling, but mainly when I'm gone. She just cries hard when I'm around until I pick her up. I guess she knows who the "softie" is.

Addie Sue is keeping me busy with questions, questions, questions.

I'm training for a 1/2 marathon in October and looking for another part-time job.

Micah is planning some Crossfit workouts for us to do a couple times a week. Now that Eliza is almost 9 months old, I don't think I can use the "I just had a baby!" excuse anymore.

Hopefully, I'll get my camera soon and be able to update next week!

Much to say...

2010-06-22T13:53:00.009-05:00

Summer has been a bit of a rush so far. I can't imagine how busy life is for parents with multiple children in different activities.

We went to San Francisco for Micah's mom's retirement reception. We had a great time! The reception was really nice & I think Ruthann felt special.

We also had a chance to go to the Monteray Bay Aquarium on Sunday.
We saw Cory, Beth and Rowan there too. The girls had a lot of fun together. It's too bad we can't see them more often.

Debbie and Micah were tired after an entire day of touring.

Gigi and Addie

Eliza loved the seahorses and tried to grab them through the glass.

Addie Sue and a penguin

Eliza and this turtle were having a staring contest.

These pictures do no justice displaying the beauty of jellyfish in person.

Addie in an egg

The girls dressed up like sea creatures...and I did too!

I missed our dogs terribly when we got home...and I think they missed me too!

Here are some other miscellaneous photos of the past two weeks:

Addie and her castle

Eliza loves to be upside down and walk on the ceiling!

Addie and her Papa

Eliza still wants to move...but doesn't yet!

Addie danced with Epa one day out on the deck.

Eliza loves the new sandbox my dad and I built under the deck!

Smiley girl

Addison has started taking swim lessons. She hates putting her head underwater. The instructor said she's seen other children with the same fear, but I don't know that it's beneficial to her friend Kaden to be watching her freak out!

This is really how Addie prefers to "swim".

Addie and Daddy went to a Daddy/Daughter/Son banquet at church. I asked if he wanted to take Eliza too, but he didn't like that idea. :)

Here's a pic of one of Addison's drawings. It keeps turning when I post it for some reason, but you get the idea. She is drawing many details now and she loves to write!

Our niece and her husband had their baby, Lily Elizabeth Parks was born on Friday. She's very sweet and it will be fun to watch her grow!

Eliza Ann was blessed on Father's Day! She kept talking during Pastor Rodger's prayer...it was cute!

How many of you get this excited when you eat?

Until next time...

Great News!

2010-06-09T13:41:00.003-05:00

We went to Children's Mercy yesterday and Eliza had some extensive tests done. She had an ultrasound, which she was okay with. Then she had a catheter and dye inserted in her urethra to see if there was any reflux.

Thanks be to JESUS....she is okay! The doc said her UTI was probably a fluke thing and that anatomically everything looks normal! I'm soooo thrilled!

Funny story about Addie:
Today at lunch, Addie asked me how old God is. I told her he was ageless; that He made the world and everthing in it; that He already was, and is, and will always be. She thought about that for a moment and then said, "So is He 4 1/2?"

Hectic these days.

2010-06-01T21:48:00.009-05:00

Don't ya love this shirt?

Seems like there is so much happening these days, I don't even know where to begin.

First, I lost my job with Parents As Teachers. It was the best job I've ever had and I'm really sad. Governor Nixon cut the program so much that our district decided to eliminate all 31 part-time positions. It looks like I'll be home for the duration, unless something else comes along. I don't get bored and I love staying home- but I'll miss the families I visited and the small (but wonderful) paycheck!

Next, Eliza has been so sick ever since she turned 6 months. For about three weeks, she battled a high fever intermittently. Every time I called the doc office, they would say there was a virus going around and she probably caught them back to back. Finally, I wouldn't take that for an answer anymore. There had to be an underlying cause for it to keep creeping back up. Turns out, she had a UTI (urinary tract infection).

Although, it is easily treated, the doc is concerned about her getting one at such a young age. So- next week, we will head into Children's Mercy and have an ultrasound done to make sure there is no kidney damage. Eliza will also have to have a catheter put in where they will inject some dye to see if her urine is going back up into her kidneys (uterine reflux). We'll know more about treatment then.

Let's see, oh, Eliza got her hair cut. I cut about 2 inches off the back because she had a mullet!

We met up with Memaw and Epa one Saturday for lunch. Here's a picture of them holding E while A and I ran through a fountain spray.

I got some cute shots of Addie while we were mulling about. She didn't want me to take her picture and kept playing coy with me. But, I managed to get some cute ones!

Finally, Eliza is 7 months old!

The poor girl had a rough month in May with really high fevers and trouble sleeping (her mommy too)...so let's hope June goes much better! We'd love any prayers for little E regarding her anatomy and appointment on June 8th.

Misc. photos:

Lexi and Ava came over to play one day last week!

Addie and Eliza set up shop behind the couch and played while I cooked dinner one night.

Eliza wants to move...really bad.

They both turn into zombies when the TV is on.

Addie loves to dance. I caught an action shot of her the other night.

No explanation for this one!

A healthy (and mostly happy) baby

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-11T21:07:00.007-05:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's day! Eliza was sick so we had to skip church, but we had fun just hanging out together. My folks came up & we ordered BBQ and had ice cream.

My mom and the girls

My mother's day gifts:
o

Micah also bought me a really nice blender with a food processor. I made Eliza some bananas in it this morning! She thought they were mighty tasty!

We took Eliza for her 6 month check up. She weighs 18 1/2 lbs and was 26 1/2 inches long. She's 85%tile in both areas. The day she got her shots, she had a fever and it hung on for about a week. I took her into the doctor office again and they said there's a bad virus going around. We've taken a step back with eating and sleeping, but it will get better again soon...I'm sure.

Poor Eliza got bruises from her shots this time.

Eliza is sitting up with ease now. She rarely falls over. It's really hard to believe that Addie was crawling and pulling up on everything at this same age. The next two pics are of Addie Sue at 6 months...crawling all over the place! E has more than 2 pounds on A when she was 6 months though! :)

They are definitely different girls!

Eliza enjoys sitting up in the bathtub!

Off the topic: Does anyone have any good ant bait they recommend? We've bought two different kinds and they only seem to attract DOGS!

Lucas is trying to get to the bait that is under this cabinet! (sigh)

E is starting to babble too! Check out the video below:

6 months and everything leading up to it...

2010-04-29T07:13:00.007-05:00

My little sugar lump is 6 MONTHS! Can you believe it? This morning when I told Addie her sister was 6 months, she said, "Oh...then I'm 10!!!!". Micah must have told her when E was 6, A would be 10 and that stuck with her. I tried to explain the difference between months and years (and thought we had it all worked out) but then later that day she exclaimed, "I can't believe I'm 10 already!"

I bragged about how Eliza liked to eat last month, but that has all changed. Evidently, she just thought she was hot stuff because she was eating with a spoon. Once she got over that hurdle, she wants nothing to do with rice cereal. I'll probably start her on some real stuff this week. She does like to bang Cheerios all over the place when in her chair!!!

The dogs also enjoy the rewards that come from her banging...

Addie loves to fix her hair, my hair, Daddy's hair, and yes, Eliza's too! E doesn't seem to mind...for now.

Addie Sue planted some sunflowers...here she is showing their tiny sprouts. We have them outside now to see how big they can really get.

We met Aunt Sue and her family at a Kite festival a couple weeks ago. It was a perfect day for kite flying. Breezy and warm!

This month, Eliza started sitting on her own too. She's stable until she looks up, then she's on her back in no time!

Other random photos:

5 months & Easter pics

2010-04-07T15:45:00.008-05:00

Our little chunker...

5 month pics

She's discovered ceiling fans.

Eliza is feeling much better now...thank Goodness. She's very oral and chewing on everything. She's sitting up with help and pushes her chest off the ground when she's on her tummy.

Eliza Ann is reaching for everything too! She grabs anything she can get her hands on. The other day, I put her in the Bumbo chair on the counter and I heard this loud tear. I looked over and she had leaned over to grab a magazine and tore it in the process.

We just gave her cereal for the first time today. I was going to try and hold off until 6 months, but she just looks so interested in watching us eat. When I fed her, she laughed with delight! She loved it! I didn't think any babies loved rice cereal!

Little Eliza is also grabbing her toes a lot. It's the one thing she's sure to do when you put her on her back.

She still loves diaper changes and LOVES to be talked to.

We went to my folks house for Easter.
Here's Addie in her outfit

and Eliza in hers:

The whole family even managed to get in a shot.

We dyed eggs, had an Easter egg hunt and, of course, went to church.

Addie Sue found every egg in the backyard!

Addie's Easter basket was full of goodies. Eliza's basket was full of teethers!

This girl loves to chew...on EVERYTHING!

Sick...

2010-03-22T16:14:00.004-05:00

We managed to stay pretty healthy all winter...until last week. Poor Eliza ended up with an ear infection and a really bad cough. Her sleep has been terrible. The doc put her on breathing treatments to help her lungs clear up. Evidently, she ended up with an infection and her breathing was "tight" as the doc described.

She's doing much better now. Sleep is better, but not like it was. She still wakes up about every 5 hours instead of sleeping straight through the night.

Addie is still as busy as ever! She and Daddy play their silly games and she frequently asks for "whoopins" from daddy...they're obviously so terrible! :)

Eliza has moved on the megasaucer...a whole new world.

She doesn't enjoy the Bumbo as much now b/c her thighs are too fat to fit comfortably in them.

My dad carried Eliza in the Bjorn on a walk last week.

Her royal highness...

Addie took this picture of the rose Daddy got her one day after he came home from work.

Happy baby

Wears bows and pony tails now.

4 Months & pretty little ballerina

2010-03-06T14:50:00.003-06:00

Eliza Ann is four months old! This is really hard for me to believe. She's growing up too fast.

Eliza had her four month check up on Tuesday.
She's in the 90%tile for weight @ 16 lbs 2 oz.
She's in the 80%tile for height @ 25 3/4" long.

Little Eliza is rolling from side to side, but not quite all the way from back to tummy. She sits well with support, loves to eat her fingers and bats at toys with ease. She still loves bath time, loves to go for walks in the Bjorn, and sleeps well in her own crib. We are done with swaddling too!

In the past, I've heard people make comments that they would love to have a lot of kids. I've always wondered how could they want that much work! But after mothering Miss Eliza, I totally "get it". She's got her fussy moments, but they're not unlike other babies. She is a delight...most of the time and I adore her more than she will ever know.

Addie Sue had her 4 year check up. She's in the 60%tile for height @ 39 1/2" and 30%tile for weight @ 32 lbs.

Eliza is doing much better in her carseat these days. She even falls asleep sometimes!!!

Twirling her hair is a new pastime. She loves to feel it especially when she is nursing.

Sisters...sigh...I hope they are the best of friends!

Addie just finished a six week ballerina class through the Blue Springs Community Center. She LOVED it. I think it would be good to enroll her in something on a reg. basis. We got to watch the last class and the instructor had to say Addie's name A LOT. Preschool will be good for her next year too!

Addie's FOUR!

2010-03-01T14:52:00.006-06:00

It's hard to believe that Addie Sue is now four years old! She's such a sassy & smart little girl. She never ceases to make me laugh...

Hence, the following two pictures!

A is quite a movie watcher. She shuts everyone out when the TV turns on. This winter has been so long, and she's seen A LOT of TV. I'm so ready for the spring and playing outside!

Addie enjoys listening to music on her MP3 player, but she can't ever get the earbuds to stay in. Daddy came up with a clever idea...put a hat on her head and they stay in!

We had a small birthday party for her with about 5 friends.

Addie is really into the Little Einsteins right now. She loves to watch their shows, so we had a small "Einstein Party".

Her cake was Rocket!

Opening presents

The dining room all decorated and ready for the fun to begin!

Can't leave little Eliza out! She's as lovely as ever. She's cracking up at Addie in this picture!

Playdates and Parties

2010-02-16T09:50:00.004-06:00

Eliza is doing well. She's been sleeping through the night in her own bed the past week. She's taking naps and eating well too. It's hard to believe she'll be 4 months old in a couple weeks!

Addie Sue is taking dance at a community class and she loves it. She's learning all types of new moves and practices at home! She's also going to be FOUR tomorrow! Can you believe it? She's getting to be sooooo big!

We had some friends from college over for a playdate (who have babies close to the same age as Eliza). Carrie (Juhnke), Kelly (Logan), & Emily (Pearson). Here are the babies:

Lexi, Ava, Graham, and Eliza (Can you guess who's babies are whose?)

This is Eliza's birthday buddy: Emily. They were born on the same day, except Emily was 2 months early so she has some catching up to do!

Here's a shot of my four "kiddos".

Baby Eliza asleep on the couch

Pretty baby in a bow

Family photos

2010-02-08T11:59:00.002-06:00

We had more family photos taken.

Addie's four year old pics and Eliza's 3 month are included in this session. The pics were taken by a woman we go to church with, Linda Morgan. I'll post more pictures soon!

http://www.morganmemories.com/Other/The-Huntsblessings-abound/11159019_tUirq

3 months...new decor

2010-01-28T09:41:00.005-06:00

For some reason, E didn't want to sit up. She kept kicking her feet and sliding down into a slouch!

2 months

1 month

2 weeks

Miss Eliza Ann is now 3 months old. She's content much of the time, sleeps well, eats well, and is learning to put herself to sleep. She's also trying to decide if she's done being swaddled yet or not. Sometimes it seems to help, but lately, it seems as if it is really uncomfortable for her and she grunts and groans.

We recently painted Addie's room. I still have to put up curtains and a few more decorative items, but you get the idea when looking at the pics.

I took this one while Addie was taking a nap!

The pic below is a "list" that Addie made the other day. I love it b/c you can see that she is making some letters. She also is showing that she understands that print runs from left to right!

Eliza actually likes her swing now! Micah said she was falling asleep in it last night so he took her out and put her in her bed. She slept the remainder of the evening...until I woke her at 11 pm to feed her. I missed her! :)

Addie is now an official bedtime staller. My mom said my brother wrote the book on stalling & I rewrote it. Well, now I think Addie has come up with a revised edition! You should hear the excuses for why she's not in her bed (in addition to the typical reasons: drink, food, etc.):
"MOm, I just forgot to tell you that if the baby cries, you give her some milk and change her diaper, Ok?"
"I forgot to give you a hug."
"I have to go poopy!"
"I fell asleep and Lucas woke me!" (after we left about 2 min. earlier)
"My lips are dry. I need some gasoline (meaning vasoline) on my lips."
"I can't breathe, my boogers are blocking my nose."
"I'm hot in my sleeper."
"Can you come and lay with me for this many? (holds up all fingers and both feet)

The list goes on, but I can't recall them right now! It's really cute....at first! We've also started a sticker chart for her for every night she sleeps without calling out for one of us. Some nights, she's been up more than the baby! It's a KILLER to have both of them waking at night. So anyway, if she gets five stickers, this time, she'll get a Blow Pop! Big time prize, I know!!! So glad she happy with the small things in life!

Until next time...

Fat and Happy

2010-01-22T16:11:00.007-06:00

We painted Addie's room a couple weeks ago...

Micah says the color reminds him of Pepto Bismol. Addie was complaining that her tummy hurt one night and Micah told her to go to her room and it should feel better...haha.

Addie seems to love it though and that's the most important thing.

Evidently, this winter weather has left us a bit stir crazy. I left the room while we were painting for a while...and this is what Micah had done:

Here's a picture of my girls...in matching outfits. Yes, I am that mother, who dresses their kids alike. It's so cute & I won't be able to do it forever. :)

A woman I work with took some pictures of the girls (actually, all of us...even though M & I didn't plan on being in them). Besides me, who didn't have on makeup or my hair brushed, I thought they turned out cute.

2 months

2010-01-03T21:10:00.004-06:00

Eliza Ann is now 2 months old...and, OH, so wonderful!

Tummy time...

loving her Bumbo chair...

On her two month birthday, I was just tell my father in law that I had not given her enough tummy time & that her sister was already rolling over by now. I put her on her tummy AND SHE ROLLED OVER! She has since done it many times so I know it's not a fluke! She's a strong little one...just like Addie was!

We took her to get her checkup and shots. It was so painful to watch her get her shots. I feel bad for the nurse who had to give them! Her eyes got huge and she cried so hard. She was so mad by the time she got the third one, she didn't even want to nurse!
She's 20 inches long (50%tile) and 12 lbs. 9 oz (90%tile). Her little thighs are sooooo cute, I just want to eat them.

She also getting hands in her mouth.

She's learned to squeal, smile and is sleeping fairly well, waking up about once at night to feed. Over all, things with Miss Eliza are splendid!

Baby parade at 2 months

Big sister had to get in a shot too!

A glance at Baby Parade last month:

Christmas Festivities

2010-01-03T20:54:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Now that Christmas has come and gone...I am finding the time to write about it. There were some disappointments b/c of the weather (I was unable to be with my folks on Christmas Eve), however, the White Christmas was beautiful.

We had our annual trip to see Santa...

Eliza waited for 45 min. to meet the Big Guy in Red...but she didn't seem all that thrilled!

Addie left a reminder for Santa about what she wanted...she left him some cookies, of course!

We decorated a Gingerbread house with our family in KC.

Gigi and Papa came out from California...

We made a snowman and tried to sled (with cardboard boxes b/c sleds were all sold out in the stores).

Lucas ended up eating our sleds (never give your puppy cardboard to chew...he'll just grow up and eat it any chance he gets) :)

Eliza handed out some sweet little smiles.

Addie tried on all her new dress clothes for us, including this snow princess outfit.

I tried to bake a Birthday Cake for Jesus from scratch but my shortening had gone rancid and I smoked out the whole house instead. We had our windows open on Christmas day in 11 degree weather. I think our heater must have raised the temp. outside to at least 12 degrees (haha)

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

6 Weeks

2009-12-14T16:01:00.008-06:00

Little Miss Eliza is six weeks old and starting to pack on the pounds. She's still got those adorable chubby cheeks...man, we all love them. Even Addie can't stop kissing her!

Mom and I did our annual Christmas baking (on a smaller scale) and Addie got to make some Gingerbread houses...

We had a celebration for Eliza's birth that Sue organized...

It was so thoughtful and wonderful of her to do, considering she just defended her dissertation 2 weeks ago and is getting ready to graduate! Yeah Dr. Brown!

Eliza is on reflux medication (as was Addie). We've noticed a difference in the way she behaves when she's on it. She nurses much better and is less fussy in the evenings. Unfortunately, the medicine is $56 a month. But, who can put a price on your child's happiness and health? We took her off of it last Thursday to see if it really was the medication that was improving her disposition and by Saturday, we were ready to resume her dosage. She's completely different when she gets her Axid!

Hanging out in her swing

Here she is, chilling, during dinner one night.

Later, she sacked out while I talked on the phone.

I have to tell you that I have the best doggies ever. They are soooo deprived of their daily walk and yet, they are still so sweet and lovely.

Lucas wants to play so badly.

We've had a ton of Addieisms lately, but hardly remember to share them. A couple cute ones I happen to remember:

Addie told Memaw and Epa to enjoy their "smudge"or fudge as you might know it.

Micah was passing McDonald's and Addie kept telling him she wanted to go eat there...over and over. He told her that if she mentioned MD to him one more time, she would have to sit in timeout when they got home. She was quiet for a while, then said, "Daddy, I want to go to....(long pause while she thinks) Chicken nuggets. I want to eat chicken nuggets!" She didn't say McDonald's!

Addie got a new helmet for her bike with a bell. She rides it in circles in the basement.

Addie also loves to dress herself. Here is one of her outfits...quite original.

Here's Addie in her pretty Christmas dress that Memaw got her.

Aunt Debbie stopped by to see us one afternoon after work. The girls love their aunt!!!

The girls "daddy sitting"

Eliza has turned out to be a great baby so far (not to say we haven't had some rough nights!!!) Although she still prefers to be held, she's much easier to read than Addie Sue was as an infant. When she cries, she usually needs to burp, sleep, eat, or be changed. And--- the great milestone she's hit is SMILING! I haven't gotten a picture of it yet, but boy, does her smile make life wonderful! Hopefully, I'll get a picture to post soon!

Eliza's One Month

2009-11-30T11:21:00.007-06:00

Eliza Ann at one month...next to 3B (Big Black Bear)

Eliza is a little doll...seems to be happy a lot of the time and her eyes are still HUGE, taking everything in! She still prefers to be held and knows instinctively when she has been laid down.

Nights have been better. She has been sleeping about 3 hour stretches (instead of two). In fact, on Thanksgiving night, she slept from about 10 pm to 4 am. I didn't, however; I was too busy checking on her from about 2am to 4am!

We spent Thanksgiving in Topeka with my folks. My mom made a fantastic meal and we over ate just like most of the American population probably did.

Little Addie Sue in a new play dress!

I tricked Eliza into thinking she was being held. She stayed like this for about an hour.

My church held a Sip N See for Eliza and I. It's a tradition where all the ladies come and drink tea while they get a peek at the newest baby. It was lovely and we felt very special.

These are the wonderful gals who planned the shindig: Tiffany, Kirsten & Romy!

They even had a cake made that matches Eliza's room!

Eliza and her Epa snuggling on the couch

Just like her sister, Eliza loves to have her diaper changed. Sometimes when she's fussy, Micah puts her on the changing table just so that she relaxes for a while.

Discovering her hand

Thanksgiving was a beautiful day. We hung outside with Epa and raked some leaves. Addison got to go for a ride in the wheelbarrow. I loved doing that when I was a kid!

We helped put up Memaw and Epa's tree too! Addie found another use for the angel!

Memaw has the best dress up clothes at her house. We didn't even dress the girl the whole time we were there b/c all she did was change into princess dresses all day!

Addie loves to play with her Little People Nativity Sets.

My sleeping chubby cheeked baby

Look who drinking from a bottle!!!

I kiss this baby all day...can't help it!!!

Progress

2009-11-17T13:20:00.008-06:00

I have more pics from Eliza's first week of life that I forgot to post last week.

Her cord fell off by the 5th day of her life (vs. 2 weeks for Addie). She had a bath pretty early on. Luckily, she seems to like it and it soothes her. The key to a happy bath--- that we didn't know with Addie's first bath--- is the water must be warm enough and washcloths should be used to cover the exposed belly and legs. Binkies help too! :)

Eliza seems to have great head control too! She already holds her head up a majority of the time she's awake.

Here she is lifting her head off ground.

Memaw and Eliza (I didn't get any of my dad or Micah's folks with her- don't know that I was thinking straight that first week!)

Memaw made cookies with Addie while she was visiting the first week after Eliza's birth too. Addie mostly ate the batter.

Memaw also made her this dress-------which she LOVES. She wears it everyday- along with 8 other outfits (I'm seriously ready for the clothing "phase" to be over).

Eliza does not like to be swaddled or placed on her back. But, I did manage to get her to sleep one time....for about 15 minutes like this:

Here's the way she prefers to sleep:

Eliza and 3B ( Big Black Bear) @ two weeks old

Eliza by herself- see what I mean about head control?

Lucas...wishing he could return to the good ol' days, before the kiddos came and messed up his walking routine...

Addie had her first "real" dentist appointment yesterday. It was insane. Why did I think I could handle both kids at an appointment by myself? I thought I'd get an infant to would sleep in her carseat while we got our teeth cleaned... that's why!!! Not a chance!

I ended up having to have the office manager hold her for me while I got my teeth cleaned so that we didn't have to hear her sad, sad cry the entire time.

Addie was perfect. Her teeth were squeaky clean. No cavities! Yeah!

Our niece and her hubby took Addie to the circus on Saturday. Addie had a great time. We took a picture of the Micah and the girls before she left. Addie adores her sister. Can you tell? Eliza doesn't seem to be so sure of her feelings just yet.

Finally, I have to give a should out to Da, who has helped me reclaim so freedom. I went and bought a MOBY wrap and Eliza LOVES it. She konks out as soon as she's situated in it!

ALERT!!!

2009-11-12T07:59:00.006-06:00

Well... We've survived the first two weeks. Eliza is a sweet baby and generally very calm. The one word EVERYONE consistantly comments about her is that she is "alert". The doctor, my colleagues, neighbors, friends...

I hope that's not a code word for saying she's a "handful"...which she is...literally. Eliza does not like to be put down. She stays awake for HOURS unless she's held. Then, she'll doze off happily. At the suggestion of my friend Da, I'm going out today to get a MOby wrap and see if I find a bit more freedom with baby wearing. Even now, as I'm typing this, I have a baby in my arms. Which is lovely and a pain at the same time (if that makes sense).

We went to the doctor for her two week visit this week (She turned 2 weeks old yesterday). She's 8 lbs, 12 oz and still only 20 inches long. So, she's gained back a few more pounds and gotten a bit chubbier. She loves to nurse and has never turned down the opportunity for more milk. I found out in these past two weeks, that Eliza much rather prefers to sleep on her tummy than on her back. I know it's a rule-breaker, but tell that to the mom who doesn't get more than 15 min. of sleep from her infant at a time. You do what you must...at least with the second child. The first child, I placed on her back everytime and had to deal with a lot more screaming!

Here are some cute pictures we've gotten of the girls these 2 weeks:

Trying to eat her hand.

Too cute

Proud big sister. Addie loves to hold Eliza and give her kisses. She's really great about asking first too.

Addie has her own camera now and she's enjoyed taking some self- portraits.

Eliza Ann hanging out...not sleeping, of course.

Addie's favorite pastimes have been painting her nails, putting on lip gloss, coloring, and doing her hair. I couldn't tell you where half her barrettes and hair ties are b/c they are in and out of her hair 14 times a day! She'd love to get ahold of her sister's hair!

Welcome Baby Eliza!

2009-10-30T13:25:00.006-05:00

We proudly introduce Eliza Ann Hunt. Born on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 @ 10:47 am. She weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces and was 20 inches long.

Here's my final belly picture...on my due date. You can see how much she's dropped in this picture.

Micah and I went into the doctor on Tuesday afternoon and said bluntly, "When can we induce?" I was already 3 days over due and was getting uncomfortable, and frankly, sick of hearing about everyone else having their babies (even the ones who were due much after me). Much to our surprise, he said to head to the hospital that night.

So, we went in around 8 pm. They gave me cervadel (sp?) to see if they could ripen up my cervix. Evidently, that tactic failed. By morning, there still wasn't much progress, so they started me on pitocin @ 6:30 am. I thought I was going to be in for a long day, but it turned out that I was eating lunch by 12:30! I progressed very quickly after getting my epidural. In a matter of an hour, I was at a 10 and ready to push. Less than 10 minutes later, our perfectly healthy little girl was born!

Our family the night before Eliza's birth

Already on the move...LOL!

Dr. Mosher & Eliza

Addie getting to meet baby sister. She commented on Eliza's eyebrows and eyelashes. She was very serious and gentle with her.

Recovery was the tough part. At least for me anyway...

Eliza and Daddy

Sweet girl sleeping...

Getting ready to head home from hospital.

Lucas got some good sniffs in when we got home...

Kaylee didn't really notice the baby too much. She was too busy greeting me!

My mom and dad have been staying with us off and on throughout the week as we dealt with new baby, milk engorgement (yikes), diaper changes, etc.

My mother has been a tremendous help with keeping up with the laundry, cooking, cleaning, and caring for baby when we need it. She even managed to make me a few meals to put in the freezer in the next few weeks to make mealtime easier. I'm so blessed to have her.

Last one standing...

2009-10-23T10:11:00.004-05:00

Everyone who was due around the same time as me has now delivered their precious little ones...and then there is me. I'm still chucking along. The evenings are hard. I'm having a lot of back pain and pressure down below, but nothing consistent that would be considered labor.

So...I'm trying to come up with fun things to do each day so that I'm not too disappointed if the baby doesn't come. Today, I haven't come up with anything...hmm- what to do?

Anyway, here are some pictures of the baby's room. I really hope the guess that we're having a girl is right...

Hope the next post is an announcement that I'm a new mommy!!!

Belly pics

2009-10-19T16:24:00.007-05:00

We did this with Addison. Here are my belly pics from the last few months:

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

39 weeks...

They aren't as uniform as Addie Sue's. I had to take most of them myself so they're off center. It's kind of fun to see how my belly compares to the first time around. They seem about the same size to me...so here's hoping for a upper 7 lb. baby!

You can see my belly pics with Addie by clicking here: Addie Sue Belly Pics
Only 4 days left until my due date!

Baby has dropped...I have to go potty ALL the time. I have a doctor's appt. tomorrow. I suppose I'll find out then if I've progressed anymore.

Hurry up and wait....

2009-10-15T17:21:00.004-05:00

Last weekend, my friend Kelly (from college) had her first baby shower. I got to see quite a few women from Gland there.

Back row: Julie, Jenny, Carrie, Corey, Nikki
Front row: Beth, Kelly, Emily, & Carrie

Three of us were very pregnant...

In this picture, Kelly is six weeks out, I'm two weeks away, and Emily is only two DAYS from her due date.

So...as you can see, I'm still pregnant. I'm experiencing some uncomfortable movement and some mild contractions, but nothing earth shattering. I think our little one is quite happy in there for the time being. To tell the truth, I don't want to go into labor until at least the 21st (I'm due the 24th) because I still have to finish some visits and get my paperwork in for the month. I don't want to be sitting in the hospital, running over stuff I need to get done for work! That's the problem with having a job that you take home with you...it's constantly looming over your head. Good thing I enjoy what I do!

I had to show this picture of poor Lucas. Our fenced in yard is not adequate and he can't run back and forth like he did at our other house. So...this is how he surveys the neighborhood. Poor boy! We're going to get our fence redone in the next two weeks. It's just been a pain to get the land surveyed, get permits, estimates, etc. It's going to cost a pretty penny, but I think it will be worth it.