Happy 6 Months!

Height:  24.4" (62cm) (20%)

Weight:  16.lbs 9oz (50%) - up 2lbs in 2 months!!

Head:  17" (25%)

Keeler @ 6mos: 

Height: 27" (75%) 
Weight: 15lbs 2oz (20%) 
Head: 17.25" (50%)

Dear Kallahan,

Happy 6 months! Wow, can you be half a year old already?!  It seems just like yesterday we were bringing you home from the hospital.  However, in many ways it seems like you have been in our family forever and I can’t even imagine going back to just us three.  I always knew I wanted to have two kids and now our little world seems so complete.  You are an absolute joy!     

At your 6 month well visit, everyone loved you Kal! You are so happy, always smiling and cueing at anyone that talks to you.  This month you have actually started eating food!  You have tried a few new items in addition to your rice cereal, like green beans, bananas and squash.  You have done well with all of them.  You are still not eating much but you are getting better every day. 

You recognize your name now.  You have received some nicknames recently, “Kal-hoon”,  “Hoon” & “Spike.”  Your hair gets crazier every day.  One day this month I put some gel in it to try to make it stay down.  It did good for a while and then it was just a big mess when you woke up from a nap.  I love it tho – everyone says this is just like my hair was when I was a baby.   

Developmentally, you are sitting with support.  You can get across a room by rolling and scooting.  You prop yourself up on your side, all sprawled out and just hold your head up like you are so big.  I don’t think it will  be long before you’re crawling. You’re almost there, mister!

You love to be outside.  You like to swing and ride in your wagon with Keeler.  I know you are going to love the spring and summer.

Love,

Mommy

You have come into the world so tiny, 

Yet with such great promise for the future.

Before you were even born,

God planned wonderful things for you. 

- unknown

Weekend Whoas - in pictures

My little cowboys and I were not feeling 100% this weekend so we kept it pretty low key.   We have been fighting a nasty cough and cold but since the weather was honestly perfect we managed to get out and enjoy it.  We worked in the yard, someone managed to play in the water, against his daddy's wishes & went to the park... 

Enjoy! 

Our little yard work helper.

Eating some cereal

 Sampling daddy's smoked chicken - "that's the best I ever tasted!"

 Who needs a double stroller when you have a wagon & a Bumbo?!

 I LOVE how Kal admires his big bro!

 Swinging with Daddy

 Loving these chubby baby feet :)

Teeter-totter with Mommy

 We went on a looong scenic drive while the little cowboys napped after the park.

Silence, ahhhh........

Then Kal went on his first horse ride (with a little boost, ha!) when we got home from eating dinner with the neighbors.  

I take Kal to his 6 month checkup tomorrow.  Stay tuned for his progress!

Blessings and baptizing the baby

I can’t describe what an great weekend we had with family.  It was jam-packed with fun, love, warm weather and fellowship –what better combination?!  We ended up bumping up Kallahan’s baptism to Sunday since  our Reverend called  and reported that he would be in town.    
On Friday I took off early to take Keeler to the farm before our company arrived...he has been so excited to ride in the new ranger and see the baby calves.   Unfortunately, he was a little grumpy while we were there since it was about nap time but he had fun and we enjoyed spending time with him one-on-one.  

My parents, sister and her family came on Friday night.  The kids played so well!  We went to the park, went shopping (hooray for Alco!) and cooked for our Sunday meal.  Kallahan fell in love with "aunt manthy" - plus enjoyed his first tastes of watermelon & lemonade!

So much fun with cousins...

Saturday evening we had a Saint Patty's Day party.  The party was complete with green mashed potatoes, green mac & cheese, green rice crispy treats and we buttered our rolls with green butter!

Kallahan Troy Baker

Baptized March 18, 2012

Thank you to all our family and church family that made today such a beautiful day!

“Let the little children come unto Me, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”  Luke 18:16

Parent/Teacher Conference #1

Last night Tyler and I attended our first ever parent/teacher conference.  I was excited and nervous about going for the fact that it was something new.  It was another milestone in this whole child-rearing business.  This  was just the first of many but it solidified the fact that our little cowboy is growing up.  

Keeler enjoys going to school and I hope he always enjoys going.  He has a great teacher.  She is somewhat reserved and quiet but she is so good with the kids,  One of my girlfriends referred to her as "the child whisperer" which I thought was fitting.  She was very complementary of our little guy.  She said that the purpose of the 3&4 year old class is basically social development.  She mentioned that she was concerned with Keeler initially when he was always asking, “Mrs. Winner, Mrs. Winner  play with me.” But she said he has made great improvements by immediately going off to play with the other children now.  This made me proud that he has been able to learn to socialize with his peers.  She said that he is very adaptable, where most of the kids struggle and he is a rule followers.  This was also good to know since we struggle at home with following directions.  Keeler can say his alphabet, recognize his name and count to 11. 

His only struggle mentioned was his method of pencil holding.  He holds his pencil with the palm of his hand and does not pinch the end of the pencil.  She said this was typical with age and will improve as his hands strengthen.  She suggested having him work with tweezers to learn the pinching motion.  On the report that we were given she said that he “listens very well and has great manners!” - This is one proud mommy!

  He knows the name and appropriate color of all the test objects.

Should I admit that this nearly made me cry?!

All the colors correct but green! - Silly boy

 Keeler is one of the younger students in his class but he is going to advance to the 4&5 year old class in the fall.  We feel very fortunate that we got in the program as only half the students get to attend the class due to enrollment rules.  Sorry if I sound like a bragging pageant mom but I wanted to document this event because it is something that I will want to look back on.  

Kallahan's Room Completed

When we bought the new house I knew that I wanted to go ahead and make Kallahan’s room more of a toddler room and do it completely different from Keeler’s room.   I mainly went with this idea because with Keeler he was out of the crib in about a year and I was excited to do something colorful and playful for my precious baby boy.  Since I knew I had more time, I spent a lot of time searching on Pinterest for ideas.  The two things that I knew I wanted to incorporate was the Alphabet Wall  and Organic Bloom Frames but both were so costly.  I was thrilled to learn that I could do both at a fraction of the cost via Etsy.  If you are unfamiliar with Etsy (or live under a rock, ha!) it’s an online marketplace full of homemade items.  I love it and envy the talents of so many artists.   

TheOwlepant - they were so great to work with! 

This weekend I put the final touches on the projects.  Sabra and I Decoupaged and framed the pictures.  

 Tyler made this little nightstand in high school in his shop class.  It was a lighter wood so he sanded it down a while back.  This weekend I finally had the time to paint it and slightly distress it…it was so easy and looks great. 

"Read me a story, tuck me in tight, say a sweet prayer, and kiss me goodnight,"

We also redid Kallahan’s letters to coordinate with his room and attached to his chair-rail.  

I am so happy with the end result.  
We hope this cool little cowboy loves his room because we sure love him!!  

Celebrating Bryon

Oh what a fun weekend we had!  We went to Texas to celebrate our youngest nephew, Bryon's third birthday.  Tiffany & Russell hosted the party at a local church activity center.  It worked so great.  The kids played hard and had so much fun going down the HUGE slide!  Even us adults had to give it a go!  My kids are so lucky to have cousins near their ages on both sides of the family.  We are also so fortunate that my family and Tyler’s family get along so well, we really are just one big family.  My parents and sister’s family were invited to the party and we loved watching all the kids play together. 

Just a few of my favorite pictures from the weekend.

My beautiful big sis

Baby Kal & Mommy

Mimi going for a run with the boys

Goodbye Amarillo, we'll miss you!!!

"Surrounded by family,  Surrounded by Love" - Donna Strause