Bath Time!!!!

Tonight was the first time since Kate has been able to sit up on her own, that we have put her in the "bath tub." Granted it's a small infant tub, this is one of the few times she has actually been in it. Normally she gets a shower because it was easier to bathe her, up until a week or two ago that is. She is already 6 months old, getting stronger by the day, and trying to take a shower with her has become much trickier . Grabbing hold of toys and rolling around to discover new places or get to different toys is making her quite mobile (not to mention more independent) these days. Sitting still, or laying her down on the floor while I go switch laundry or cook dinner, and expecting for find her in the same spot I left her, really isn't an option anymore with her, she's on the move. "Who's over there?" "What's this?" "What's over there?" "Is that something I can put in my mouth and chew on?" "Where are my other toys at?" These are Kate's daily thoughts, I'm almost positive.

So, tonight after a nice dinner of baby food squash, she was a mess from head to toe. She had more fun trying to grab the spoon, trying to grab the bowl, and blowing squash out of her mouth while making new and exciting noises with squash dripping down her chin. As if that wasn't enough to drive me nuts, she was sticking her fingers in and out of her mouth practically the whole time, covering them in the rejected blown out squash. She had squash in her hair, on her ears, all over her face, all over her tummy, legs, and even on her socks! Needless to say, she needed a bath, badly. So I grabbed the infant tub, soap, and her towel, and headed to the kitchen to "hose her down." As you can see by my photos, she had a blast!! She was so excited to splash around and play in the water. And it didn't take long for her to figure out that if you hit your hand into the water, it splashes everywhere! Mark finally had to hold a towel up (it's the yellow one you see in the pictures) just to keep from getting wet. When we were all done, there was more water on the counter top and floors and left in the bath tub. I would have to say Kate definitely enjoyed bath time!


Just getting started...... toy in one hand, and the other trying to figure out the water.


Kate dropped the toy, and is splashing away -- I caught the water in mid air. (Mark's holding the towel up here.)

Hey mom, this is pretty cool!

She looks innocent right now, but as soon as I took the picture, the camera got splashed!

Look at that shampoo do!

All clean hair -- I can't believe how long it's getting!! Crazy.

My failed attempt at a side shot of her mane.

All done!! Cleaned up and ready for bed. Look at those tired eyes.

I've been . . . . . . tagged!

And, NO, I didn't get another tattoo mom. So you don't have to worry. Not yet anyways ;)



{ I } ::
I am: feisty.

I think: that working is over rated.

I know: I'm blessed to have the amazing life I have now -- it was so much worse only a short time ago and I never thought I would see the end of it.

I want: to be carefree and debt less.

I dislike: automated phone attendents. Are we getting that lazy in this day and age that great customer service is just too much work?!

I miss: my dad.

I fear: outliving my children.

I hear: the train.

I smell: like Flower Bomb.

I crave: BBQ.

I cry: over everything since Kate was born. I've become an over sensitive, emotional wreck!

I search: online for things I someday wish to own . . . . . .you name it, I'm sure I've searched it.

I wonder: whether we'll keep adding to our family?

I regret: nothing.

I love: my husband, my kids, and my amazing friends and family.

I care: bear.

I always: cook.

I worry: about the stability of my children's futures.

I am not: tall.

I remember: the good times with my dad before he got sick.

I believe: what goes around comes around.

I dance: all night long with my girlfriends!

I sing: at home, at work, in the car.

I don't always: wear my ring.

I argue: just because I can.

I write: numbers and doodles all day long.

I win: at cards -- even when I was in labor, and we played cards to keep my mind off the contractions, I kicked my mom & hubby's butts!!!!

I lose: my mind on a daily basis. I also have three kids and a husband -- I'm sure this is considered 'normal.'

I wish: I had a 10 million dollar bank account so I wouldn't have to answer to anyone.

I listen: to rock.

I try: to be patient. It's not my forte.

I don't understand: my husband's obsession with the alarm clock -- even on the weekends, it buzzes away @ 7:30am on a Saturday morning! Give it a rest already!

I can usually be found: on the computer or in the kitchen.

I am scared: insects and reptiles.

I forget: more than I can remember.

I am happy: living the life I have been so blessed with.



If your read this, you're it!!

Christmas Re-Cap

I know that Christmas was over 2 weeks ago, but since I am a newbie at this and since my whole goal is to keep all our families up to date with major events -- Christmas falls into that category.

Christmas started out a little rocky this year. Dylan was running a fever, and didn't feel good on Christmas morning. Of all the mornings for one of the kids to get sick, this wasn't the morning. I picked the kids up from there dad's house, and we went to Starbucks on the way home. (I can't believe they were open, but to all of their employees who worked --Thank You!) The boys got "special" Christmas hot chocolates, and Mark & I got a MUCH needed dose of caffeine before the chaotic day began. When we arrived home, my two sisters and their husbands were on their way to our house for Christmas breakfast and presents! Poor Dylan was so sick that he went straight to bed without opening any packages. Not a single stocking stuffer, Santa Claus gifts, nothing!! Poor guy.

After some homemade yummy homemade cinnabons courtesy of my wonderful baking sisters, we all tore into some of the packages -- my sisters couldn't stay long, as they were heading over the pass to be with the rest of our families. So, Mark, Devin, and I waited until later in the day after Dylan woke up and felt much better to open our stockings, and Santa gifts. Devin was really antsy to open his Santa gifts, but was really super good when it came to waiting for his brother to feel better before tearing into those gifts. I was really surprised that Devin had so much restraint on Christmas, and it made me so proud of him for understanding why he couldn't open gifts without his brother. He is growing up so fast, I can't believe it!

Once my sisters left, it was time to get ready for round two of presents. Mark's family came over for Christmas dinner and more presents. By this point in the afternoon Dylan was feeling much better, and not only wanted to open gifts, but he was a little camera ham -- after every gift he opened, he wanted me to take a picture of him and his new toys, and he would wait to open the next package until I had taken a photo. "Mom! Mom!" He would yell at me. "Mom, look." He'd point at the toy and smile so big for me. That was my cue. There were a lot of presents and photos taken, and with it being Kate's 1st Christmas, I had to catch every moment of it.

All and all, it was a very long day well spent with great family, and by the time it was all over, I was so glad to have peace and quiet in the house! The only thing missing this year was my parents, but since the weather was quite snowy before Christmas, the pass was pretty terrible, and they didn't want to risk driving over, just to have the pass close on them, or not be able to drive back home. We were all definitely sad to not have them here with us. But for them and everyone else that weren't here, I have enough pictures to give everyone the feeling they were here, sharing the moment with us.

Dylan, Devin, & Kate on Christmas Day before any presents were opened.
Kate and her cousin Jonah (who is almost 2 months younger, but they look the same size!)

My Sister Danielle and her hubby Blake holding Kate







My Sister Michelle & hubby Burt


Mark helping Kate "take a nap" before round 2 of Christmas ...... or was Kate helping daddy catch a nap?!

Devin & Dylan getting ready.........

Let the madness begin.......
Devin
Dylan
Kate and her pretty singing flowers.
Kate opening Grandma's gift Kate ripping the packages open. She's more interested in the paper than the gifts.


The coolest gift ever -- a NERF gun?!! Thanks uncle Chris and Aunt Robyn

Oh, she's tired!! I think it's time to call it a night.

New Years Resolution

I know that I'm about four days late for starting one of my resolutions this year, but better late than never. I finally decided to join the "blogging bandwagon" so that relatives of Mark's and mine can keep up to date with these growing kids of ours and us. It's so hard when everyone lives so far away and there are soooo many relatives between our combined families. I just can't seem to find the time to call/email/write letters to everyone. In between working full time and coming home and being a full time wife/mom/maid, it's hard to get to the phone before 11pm. So, I'm hoping by creating this blog and sharing our family adventures, stories, and photos will help make us a little "closer" to all of our families near and far.
This is one of the most recent photos of all of us together -- Mark, Amy, Devin, Dylan, & Kate -- taken courtesy of Mason Jar Photography.