Happy 1st Birthday Kili!!

I feel like it is such an accomplishment for us to have made it this far. There were many things your daddy and I expected life as a family to be. You have surpassed the amount of joy we thought you would bring into our lives. You have astounded us with your ability to learn and grow. You have taken our breath away more times than I can count. That beautiful smile, your wound up giggle, batting those eyelashes at daddy and grammy when you want something. Your first steps made me cry, and they made you squeal with delight. You have become such a sweet and affectionate child. When you were an itty bitty baby I was sometimes sadden by the fact you didn't want to cuddle. But the joy is so much greater as you have become a little cuddle bug now. You make the conscious decision to give mommy and daddy "loves" and kisses, and lay your precious fuzzy head on head on our chest. It is such a wonderful feeling to know that your child does love you back too because they want too!

In this first year you have gone from a little 5 pound baby we brought home from the hospital to a 24 pound whopper. And it looks like you will ONLY have 8 teeth as you celebrate your first birthday. We are working on a sipppy cup. But mommy just doesn't have the heart to yank your bottle yet. I don't feel that your ready, or maybe I'm not! You are a paci-holic and that's just fine. Your favorite words are daddy, "Oh sweet baby", thank you and hey. I can't wait to watch you continue to learn and grow, but that doesn't mean that you need to hurry or rush. Regardless of what daddy says, you'll always be my baby.

Baby cakes we love you more than you will ever know. I never knew how much love my heart was capable of giving until you came into our lives. What a sweet surprise God blessed us with. He knew just how much joy and beauty we would be missing if you weren't in our lives.

They Come Two by Two

Seems like everytime Kili gets teeth they come in pairs, with the exceptions of the time she got three and once and another time she got one by its lonesome. Looks like we have another set of two coming in. This will give her a grand total of 9 teeth before she turns one. 9 teeth she doesn't know how to use. 9 teeth I have to fight to brush. 9 teeth that make up and absolutely precious gleaming smile. :))

Posting a Milestone!!!

Kili is finally starting to like walking!!!

Hallelujah shouts my back (and hip). Just Kidding.

It is so super precious. She tries to run and make it as far as she can before her imminent fall gets her.

So exciting, but it is SOOOOOOO much faster than her crawling. We were lucky and it took her a VERY long time before she became a fast crawler. Most of the time she still doesn't super speed crawl.


Oh and I'm going to leave you with a hilarious pic of the super serious Kili.

Family Pictures

Today Kristy (www.hall4one.blogspot.com) took some AWESOME family pictures for us! Oh and how we LOVE them!!








So fab guys!! If you are in the area she is a must see!!!

Thankful

Thank you guys for all your prayers. Little Miss Kili seems to be doing SOOOO much better after just switching her diet into MAJOR turbo health mode. She slept ALL NIGHT last night, and we hope for a repeat tonight. She was just extra happy/fun/easy-going too. That always makes the job of mommy even more fun. (I think she knew I needed some fun-time. lol.)

She is also starting to take lots more steps. Walking here we come!!

Happy Tuesday!!!

Just a Little Request

I really hate to even go here, but I really need the prayers. Lately we have discovered that Kili's reflux has really never gone away. And it has come back with a vengence. She has been having about 4 full ounces come back up at a time. It is the strangest thing she will just be sitting or laying there and all the sudden a huge amount of liquid flows out of her mouth. We are now back to mainly just fruits and veggies baby food. No more lil' crunchies or anything that could be fried or possibly greasy. She is also having a lot more difficulty swallowing without gagging and choking, so we are needing to have her appointments moved up at Children's Hospital.

I feel so guilty for being wondering why this is happening to her/us? I know things could be oh so much worse. And that is why I feel guilty for even being tired of all the doctor's appointments, tests, time spent on the phone talking to the nurse, scheduling, and time spent coaxing food into her little body. I am just physically and mentally exhausted and could use a little prayer. I wish we were back in our hometown. I really miss having my mom around. Kili absolutely adores my mom, and it would be nice to be around family. Maybe Chandler and I could even go out on a date. lol. Anyway if you have a tiny bit of space left on your prayer list if you could throw us in their I would really appreciate it.

Oh Loooooooooong Time, No Post

Well, I have been such a bad blogger, but I needed a break. It was getting down to crunch time this semester and it was killing me.

Thankfully, I am done with Spring semester 2009 and have stellar grades to show for it. (If I do say so myself. Sorry no more self-gratifying comments, but I seriously worked my little tushie off for each one of those grades.)

I have registered for Fall at Henderson. I am VERY much looking forward to my classes. I am so thankful to be done with most of my gen. eds. and beginning my family and consumer science classes! Anyway enough of that.

Kili is turning 1 a month from today, and I just can't believe it. Boy how the year has flown by!

Her current daily "to do" list includes:

• taking a few steps alone
• sucking on her paci incessantly
• working on accepting a sippy cup
• drinking at least 4 bottles
• eating a little bit of table food
• taking 2 big naps each day
• sleeping through the night 1 or 2 times a week
• stopping to watch the Billy May's (?) Oxi-Clean commercial
• playing independently more and more
• waving at everyone all the time
• hating being buckled in her car seat
• needing mommy all the time (but I'm cherishing these moments b/c I am afraid they will end so soon)
• super speed crawling
• loving to be carried
• diving off of anything headfirst
• loving swimming and anything else outside
• saying a handfull of words and two phrases
• giving kisses and hugs and pats on the back
• screaming when in the bath tub
• we seem to visit the dr once a week =(

I need to decide a theme for her b-day party. Any ideas??

We are just going to have it at a park under a pavillion, since we live away from the friends and family that will be invited we are just going to have it in our hometown. I want to do it mid-afternoon. Just homemade ice-cream and cake.

Dinner Time....Anyone for the Leftovers?

Ick!!! Kili got so gross at dinner but ate great! Two sticks of Z. toast, a jar of ham and pineapple, a container of banana pudding (hey, its got a fruit in it ; ) ) and some juice. Boy was she a happy girl after that!

Today was a GRRRRRRRRRRRR8T day!

You wanna know the best part???....????

Kili fell asleep for almost the entire very long mall trip!!! How wonderful was that. Shopping in peace. Free to feel every fabric and take my sweet time. Ahhhh bliss!

Anyway it was also good the deary was sleeping because this was not a run of the mill, window shopping, browser trip. I had to get some dressy clothes for......................... a sweet job interview. It is tomorrow at 4. For all you sweet praying people out there-if you have an extra second please stick me in. We are really praying for God's will to shine through and to have peace either way. But I am quietly hoping that if I do get the job the I could get a nice wage as well.

Goodnight!

Advice, Please!

We are at our wits end trying to get Kili to eat. We have tried baby food-every flavor and stage, table food, and toddler type snacks. This kid will not eat more than 4 bites of baby food and a few fruit puffs most days. She literally spits the food right back out-like sprays it. We have tried continuing to feed her anyway or trying again later. And that is if we can even get her to pry her little sweet lips apart. She does get rice cereal in her bottles due to her swallowing problems, but it isn't enough to fill her up or nutritionally meet her needs. She only drinks about 3.5 - 8oz bottles a day and a little juice. She does look like such a chunk. I truly believe it is only by the Lord's grace and goodness she is though. We are worried about her nutrition. Her new pediatrician keeps blowing me off and telling me not to worry about it. We just moved to town not long ago and I don't know of another pediatrician that is good. I would love for some moms to throw some advice out there for me. Thanks!

Just Pittiful

So I'll sum up today. Kili whined, then she cried, then she whined, then she cried. The end. Ugh. Days like this stink, but I am so thankful to have her. All day as I held the little waller-er I tried to remember in the moment. Too soon I will wish for these baby holdin' days. We all have our days. I wonder if she ever thinks that about me. lol. We are 1 for 5 tries on baby food this week. Today was not a winner. But I was beyond thrilled she ate a jar one day this week.

Post for Auntie Chris Ann

Here's the Keel's cheesin' it up. We love our outfit Auntie Chris Ann! Thanks!

Escape! She says!

Sick Baby

So Kili has been stuffed up and had a cough for going on three weeks. At first I just thought it was a cold, so I was trying not to be over paranoid and let it run its course. Well, about a week into it I called Kili's nurse at the doctor's office. She told me to give her .5 tsp. Dimatap or Triaminic cold and cough. So we've been doing this faithfully. Well, last Thursday her eye started swelling and had lots of gross sleepy in it. I wrote it off as allergies. By Saturday morning it was very apparently pink eye. We took her to the Pediatric walk-in and within few minutes dr. wrote her prescription for pink eye. They didn't really examine her just saw her eye and called it. Well the last few days she has just been getting remarkably worse. I started to worry about RSV. Then last night as Chandler and I were discussing whether to take her to the doctor, she starts throwing up. We are talking projectile puke. It went a good 2.5 feet and out her nose. She starts crying. I start crying. Not good. Obviously we decided to take her to the doctor tomorrow. I mean this child has not spit-up once in the last 3 months since her reflux medicine was switched. Anyway, I took her to the doctor today. They ran strep, flu, and rsv tests. All came back negative. They also did a white blood count, and it was high. So they gave her a shot of antibiotics, and said to take her to the pediatric walk-in if she doesn't start doing better tomorrow. But they don't know what is wrong. ERG!!! It's just frustrating. She has only been taking maybe 3-6 oz bottles a day. Eating absolutely NO baby food. Only have 2 really wet diapers. Getting Kili to eat has been a fight since day one. Everyone says, "Oh, they'll eat when they get hungry." With Kili this is not true. She just doesn't want to eat. I'm almost grateful for her swallowing issues, because sometimes I think the rice cereal we use to thicken her bottles is what sustains her. Anyway dehydration is a major concern.

I also feel like a horrible mother because all week I have been checking her temp. Thinking gee she feels hot. Everytime I would get 97.something. So I checked it today right before we left to go to the doctors office-97.3. We get there in a few minutes. They check it 101!!! She's been running an awful fever all week. And I remember the one time it said 99.5. Goodness I wonder what it actually was then. Awww! It just makes me sick to my stomach to think about it. Needless to say we went right out and bought a new thermometer.

So tonight we did-vapor bath, baby vicks, tylenol, and vicks humidifier. Poor baby! Hope she feels better tomorrow.

I am absolutely exhausted. The house is a wreck. Kili hasn't been sleeping much at night for about the past two weeks. I have soooo much homework I don't think there is anyway humanly possible to do it all. I just want to rest.

Thankful, Thankful, Thankful

Today was such a great day!! I had energy unlike I have probably had since October. Can I tell you how great that is!! I am thankful, thankful, thankful for this wonderful unexpected blessing. We just went on a crazy buy Wal*Mart out of groceries spree. Good thing is I shouldn't have to go back for at least two weeks!! College was super long. I have so much homework I don't even want to think about. Tomorrow I have a drs. appt. in Mena. Hopefully, we will be able to come right back to Hot Springs after that because I have way too much to do this weekend. Makes me crazy thinking about it.

Kili decided to tell me "no" today. She has been saying a couple words for a while- dada, daddy, done, and something else that I can't recall right this second. Well then she has a couple things she says that are close to words or things she mumbles, but we don't think she really knows what she is saying yet because they don't make sense in what is going on. Anyway, you get me I'm sure. So she has been on this crazy spitting spree ever since my brother reinforced the skill a couple of weeks ago. It is very frustrating to get her to eat because no matter how hungry she is, she may or may not spit. It comes with no warning. Well, after not eating pretty much anything than milk for a couple days, we decided spitting or not she has to eat. So she hates having her mouth wiped and every time she spits we say,"No, no spitting." Then wipe her mouth extra good, which is necessary anyway at that point. We are hoping this will deter the behavior. Anyway I told her this today as I have many, many times in the last week. She looked at my very discerningly and in a direct baby voice said, "no". It was all I could do not to laugh. I know this will probably be the only time I will find this cute, so I am secretly enjoying it.

Ahh... The much forgotten paci

We usually only give Kili a paci at night. But I broke the rule and gave it to her. Yes!! What do I hear??? Silence, No crying baby! Ahh... I can now go potty alone!! And do a million and twenty other things I have to do!!

My Kili-bug

Let it be known that Kili has always been a fussy baby. And I am okay with that. That is part of who she is/how she reacts. I am ever so greatful for the long way we have come from literally crying all but fifteen minutes of the day. Much of it was caused by medical issues, which we have learned how to remedy. I don't want this to come across the wrong way because I love Kili with all of my being. She is the greatest blessing. I wouldn't want to imagine my life without her.

Lately I just feel completely pushed to my limits. I have been sick for so long. I almost never feel good. I can't get anything done. Being back in school is making it even harder. Kili will not eat anything while at daycare two days a week and it is a major battle to get her to eat at home. I have no idea, other than the good Lord's mercy, that this child keeps growing. If I step out of her sight for even a second she starts screaming. I have no clue what to do. At this rate I can't even go to the bathroom solo. I would love some ideas. I wear Kili some, but gee she is sooo heavy. And honestly I do not need the extra weight near my midsection for pain reasons. She is nearly 19 lbs. I would love suggestions. It breaks my heart to see my dear unhappy.