KINSLEY IS TWO!!!!!!

Kinsley's 2 year Stats: 

weight: 25lbs 2.5oz (48%)

height: 34.25 in (53%)

head circ.: 18.5 in (48%)

How is it even possible that our sweet little Kinsley Rae is two years old already? She is truly a delight to be around. Her personality is oh so cute and she makes us smile and laugh daily. Kinsley often times dances to the beat of her own drum.... okay, ALL the time! She will follow Avery around and do every little thing Avery does, but she also has a mind of her own and when she gets something on her mind, by golly she will follow through with whatever that might be. Kinsley is clumsy and will for sure be the child that puts us in the ER for the first time. Every day she falls and busts something.... I seriously can't believe she still has all of her teeth still. Not only is she clumsy, but she is daring. So far, she has been my earliest climber and she isn't afraid of anything.... except characters in costumes. (Chuckie Cheese, Santa Clause, and I'm sure Mickey Mouse would even frighten her if we made it down to Disney). She's my little dare devil and keeps me on my toes.

Kinsley is also the most kind, caring, loving and compassionate two year old I have ever known. If you cry, she will be right by your side rubbing your arm or giving you a hug. She LOVES to cuddle and loves to be held..... since she was out of the womb this has been her personality! I love watching her gentle spirit. You should see her with babies! She is hands on - all the time- and loves to hold them, kiss them and hug them. She doesn't understand that people have this thing called a "bubble" and she will bust up into your bubble - or any child's bubble- at any time. Some kids don't mind it, but it freaks most children her age.

Her hair is blonde! Like, really blonde. More so than Avery's hair. It's hard to believe she was born with such a head full of dark hair. It's also wavy.... on top it can be pretty curly, but in the back is straight. She has party hair, for sure. Her "bangs" are finally growing longer and are just past her eyes- which means she can't see most of the time or I have to put her hair up, which is always a fight!

She is wearing 24 month clothing and size 4 diapers. She is obsessed with her paci's. I have tried to break her of the habit and we were really good about her only having them in her bed. Then we traveled for two weeks and she got hooked again and I will find her sneaking the paci's out of her bed. She is beginning to use more words and will pair two, sometimes three, words together at a time. She is usually extremely clinging and fussy when she wakes up in the mornings and from naps.

She is a mess.... all of the time. Meal time is messy, craft time is messy, life is messy.... but that's who she is and I love it. My OCDness about cleanliness gets the best of me and my attitude toward her messiness, but I am really trying to LET IT GO!

Kinsley was a flower girl in her Aunt Amanda's wedding just a few weeks before she turned two. I had to carry her down the aisle, but she still did great and didn't cry like I expected her to do.

Kinsley Rae, we love you more than words can express. You brighten our days and you show us how to love each day. Thank you for your loving, silly and sometimes defiant ways. Happy birthday, sweet baby girl!

July 4, 2014

This year we got to celebrate July 4th Chicago style. Which really means, we weren't at the beach in Destin this year, but we still had a wonderful time! Chris' parents, Ed and Cheryl, flew up on the evening of July 2 and spend 5 nights with us. Thursday was just a day to hang out and let the girls enjoy time with their grandparents while Chris was at work.

Thankfully, Chris was off this year on July 4th (his boss so graciously covered the hospital so that Chris didn't have to!) and we got to enjoy the day as a family. That morning our neighborhood had a parade. We loaded the girls into their red wagon and walked to the main street in our subdivision to enjoy the parade.

The girls had a blast catching the candy and waving to all of the parade participants.... especially our neighbors, Lucy, Henry and Charlie!

After the parade we decided to head into downtown Naperville for "Ribfest" and had a blast. We listened to live bands, ate yummy pulled pork and ribs, and Avery and Kinsley even got to enjoy some carnival rides for the first time. They got a little panicked on some of the rides- even Kinsley, which surprised me since she is always so fearless! It was HOT HOT HOT and my back may have gotten FRIED, but we still had fun. The highlight for Avery was getting to ride the yellow school bus to and from our car to the event.

 We made it home for a late nap for the girls then grilled out for dinner. Chris planned and cooked our entire menu and it was delicious. Steak, baked potatoes, a summer salad with corn, avocado, tomatoes, red onion and a cilantro dressing, and cauliflower sticks. Avery called his bluff on the cauliflower sticks almost immediately.... "Daddy, this is not bread" but we eventually got her to eat one. :) That night we went to an open field and watched the fireworks. It was a long, exhausting, and yet really fun day. I love nothing more than spending the day with my husband and our girls and getting to see the excitement on their faces when they experience something new for the first time.

On Saturday the 5th, Ed and Cheryl babysat while Chris and I went to a friends house for a shrimp boil. We then went to Downers Grove to an Irish pub called Balydoyles for a late dinner. It was so fun getting to spend adult time with our friends for a day. Too bad I didn't take any pictures to document that we actually did this! ha!

Sunday was another great day that started with church and then lunch in downtown Naperville. During the girls' nap, Chris and I went for a long walk through the McDowell forest preserves just up the street from our house. I enjoyed just being able to walk and talk with him without any distractions. Sunday night included Giordianos stuffed pizza (of course!) and later, a rented movie with Chris' parents.

We had such a wonderful holiday weekend and are so thankful that we have family that can so easily come up for a visit. Our time with Ed and Cheryl is always so nice and always too short... as it is with all our family and friends.

I hope your holiday weekend was wonderful, too!

Kinsley's Health

Kinsley's two year check up went well and the doctor said she is healthy, but we do have a few concerns. The first is that her iron levels came back low. I think they are supposed to be above 11 and Kinsley's levels were at 9.2. She has to take a liquid iron supplement that she absolutely abhors and is supposed to be eating foods rich in iron. HA! My once non-picky eater is now a challenge to feed so finding healthy, iron enriched foods that she will actually eat is a joke! She does take a gummy vitamin every day and some days I succeed in getting her to take her iron supplement. We are to go back to the dr. in two months to check her iron levels.

When she was 13 months old she had tubes put in her ears. They worked fabulously because she has not had an ear infection since! At her 2 year appointment, we found out that one of her tubes has fallen out. This is not a good or bad thing. We knew it would happen at some point. The tube in her left ear is still in tact, and even though the tube in her right ear has come out, it still looks great! No fluid! YAY!

Back up even further to her 9 month check-up. Her pediatrician heard a heart murmur and though she wasn't concerned, she still referred us to a cardiologist. We went to the cardiologist in Pensacola and were relieved to hear that the murmur was benign and that she should outgrow it. Well, last week at her 2 year appointment, the pediatrician said that the murmur is still there and seems louder in the bottom of the heart.... so, we have been referred back to cardiology. Please pray that this will heal on it's own and that the cardiologist doesn't find anything to be concerned about.

Overall, Kinsley is a healthy girl and we are so, very thankful!

Lilly: 5 months

Our sweet little Lilly turned 5 months old on Sunday, June 29th.  She is such an easy, laid back baby-- I guess she has to be with two older sisters running around! No Dr. visit this month, but I know she is growing steadily. I can't wait to hear her stats next month!

Lilly at 5 months:

- Laughs when her sisters make her swing go really high or when we tickle her
- Smiles the second she sees you bending over her crib each morning or after nap. THIS is my favorite part of every day.
- Rolled from her back to her tummy for the first time on June 21st (big sis, Kinsley's 2nd birthday)
- Enjoys her activity seat
- reaches for everything
- watches our every move when we eat or drink
- was a flower girl in Aunt Amanda's wedding when she was just over 4 months
- traveled to Georgia, Alabama and Florida
- sleeps from 7/7:30pm - 6:30-7am.... occasionally she will wake to eat at 5am, but it is rare.
- Is on a 3-4 hour schedule. Sometimes she could go 4 hours, but I will have to feed her sooner for our family's schedule, and other times she is ready to eat at the 3 hour mark.
- exclusively breast fed
- will take a bottle of breast milk easily, but we rarely offer one.
- uses a paci, thumb or her fingers to soothe herself
- naps 1-2 hours in the morning and again in the afternoon with an occasional cat-nap in the early evening
- refuses to fall asleep in her swing
- paying more attention to Bailey
- has been to the church nursery a few times and does really well
- her hair still sticks up most of the time, but is gradually falling.
- "talks" all of the time
- loves to be held facing outward- she may be a social little girl!
- gets tired of being held and wants to be on the floor playing
- she gets super excited when her sisters give her attention
- only cries if she is hungry or tired
- just moved into 6 month clothing at 5 months
- wears size 3 diapers

Lilly Ann- you are fun, happy and content. We are so blessed to be your parents! We love you!!