And then there was 4

There is a reader in the house.

2010-01-29T16:05:00.004-05:00

Keegan reading from his newest site word book! We are so proud of him!! He will be 5 in less than 2 weeks.

And these are his site words

My new favorite thing for Sophia

2010-01-29T12:56:00.003-05:00

I have a new addiction starting thanks to my MIL, Janice! She sent these adorable socks and baby leg warmers by a brand called LittleMissMatch!!!! They are so cute!!!! It doesn't matter if they match and they look adorable either way!!!! Sophia has her LittleMissMatch Socks on today!

Sophia's 9 Month Check up

2010-01-14T08:55:00.002-05:00

Yesterday Sophia had her 9 month appointment. She has grown so much in the last 9 months. She is now 18lbs 3oz, which puts her in the 34th% and is 28inches long. That puts her in the 60th% for height. Other than that she is good. They are pleased with her trying to walk and standing up for a couple seconds to a minute by herself. She got some cream to put under her eye because she is rubbing it raw from this cold and that's what she does when she gets tired. She just rubs her eye to pieces and her ears. We also got some zyrtec to see if that will help her cold/allergies. If she isn't better in a week or so I need to bring her back in. This cold has been lingering around for the past 2 1/2 weeks. Keegan has it too, so I am pretty sure it isn't allergies. No shots this time which was great! However, her doctor kept trying to push the H1N1 shot on me to get for her. I just kept telling her Keegan had it and no one else in our house got it. I don't really want her to get it. We go back in April for her 12 month appointment. I still can't believe she is almost a year old! It is so crazy how fast a year can fly! It seems like you are pregnant forever and then the first year goes by so fast!

October Picture Review

2010-01-11T19:42:00.007-05:00

Sophia in October was starting to pull up to a stand! She was 6 months old!

Having fun on a rainy day at Fall Fest at Kinderfarm Park!

Our Hershey day trip with Cara!

Fun with Grandma Wendy and Great Grandma.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Christmas and the last couple of months

2010-01-04T19:07:00.002-05:00

I don't even know where to begin! I had kind of been taking an internet break. I was on checking emails and facebook but that was about it! But I am back! I realized just how many people keep up with the blog even if they aren't following it and look forward to reading how things are going with us. I am sorry that I have been gone for so long and I won't let it happen again! Things get so busy sometimes and well...we all know how that goes.

Anyway, let's see the last time I posted it was November. But I don't think I updated on October and my mom and grandma's visit either. I think this post will just be a quick update and I will do a post of pictures for each month that I missed.

Like I said, my mom and grandma came out at the end of October! We had a great time going to DC and Baltimore and just hanging out! We also went trick or treating and shopping at Ikea! I LOVE that store!

October I also started my job and that is going pretty well. Some late nights but I like what I do! Keegan also finished his 100 books at school! We had to read 100 books and color a chart for him to bring back! Our goal was to get it done before Christmas break and we did! I am so proud of him!

November, Chad's dad and step dad came to visit for Thanksgiving. We had a good time. I had to work most of the nights they were here, but during the day we were able to spend time together and even made it to the Baltimore Aquarium. We have a membership so we try to get there as much as we can. Sophia also had her first MAJOR owie! She crawled into the kitchen as I was checking on my pumpkin pie and burned her hand! I rushed her to my work and they got her all fixed up and it didn't even phase her!

December brought LOTS of snow to Annapolis and when I say lots I mean 22 inches of snow in 1 day!!! It was CRAZY! Being from Wisconsin and know what it is like when it snows, people here are crazy! And they don't know how to plow! It snowed Friday night and Saturday and they canceled school Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday because they don't know how to clean the roads! We also headed out to WI for Christmas! I think I will do a whole post just on our trip because it was so busy! We had a great time and it is always nice to spend time with our families. Sophia came home with her first cold.

That brings us to the first 4 days of January! We got home from Wisconsin yesterday and came home to frozen pipes, even though we left the heat on in the house! We were beyond mad and tired! It had been a long day of driving!

Today Chad and I have been married 8 years! Seriously?!?! Has it really been that long? It still seems likes yesterday! We have gone from the 2 of us to a family of 4 plus 2 dogs! Who would have thought this is the path we would be on! I wouldn't give it up for the world!

I think that recaps enough for now of the last couple of months! Keegan is in bed already, Sophia is just about there and I think I hear it calling my name. Tomorrow you can look forward to tons of new pictures...and if you are lucky some videos too!!

Bad Blogger

2009-11-06T15:26:00.003-05:00

I am a bad bad blogger! My mom and grandma have been in town and I started my new job as a welcome desk representative. (receptionist) at Nighttime Care Center, an urgent care place here in Maryland. I promise I will post this weekend tons of updates and pictures!!!

Jobs, Stairs, and Fun!

2009-10-22T13:31:00.002-04:00

We have had a busy last couple of days! Starting last week, I had 2 interviews on Thursday. One I had scheduled with Build-a-Bear Workshop at the mall for Thursday evening. The other one was a phone interview. Nighttime Peds. called to do a phone interview. Both interviews went great. Nighttime Peds. set up another in person interview for Saturday afternoon. I then got a call Friday night already asking if I would like to accept a job at build-a-bear. I told them I would let them know over the weekend. Really I was waiting to see how the one for Nighttime Peds. went. Saturday came around and the interview went great and I was set up to do a job shadow for Monday for the shift that I would be working, which is 430pm to 1230am (but they end up staying there till about 2am when they are really busy). I did that shadow Monday night and it went awesome! Very fast paced and never a dull moment. Nighttime Peds. is an Urgent Care Clinic. The doctors see peds and adult patients too. I am looking at doing the front desk, receptionist stuff. I got a last call back yesterday and set up my final interview for today at 430pm. I am assuming today I will find out if I have the job, which I am pretty confident about.

Then last Friday, one of my best friends in Gulfport, who is from Hershey, PA, called and asked if we wanted to meet her up in Hershey at Chocolate world! It just so happened that Keegan had the day off of school so of course I took her up on the offer! So we drove the hour and half or so up there, had a great time at Chocolate World in Hershey, then Keegan, Sophia and I went to walk around the outlets up there and drove home! Which was HORRIBLE!! With my GPS gone, I had to map quest directions and just figured I would follow them backwards on the way home, BAD IDEA!! We left Hershey at 430 and didn't get home until 7:45 because I got lost! Sophia and Keegan were both crying the car, I was crying! It was the worst!

And the last thing adventure we have had was Sophia falling down the stairs yesterday! I don't know how she got around the gate, but she did and down she went. I just heard thump, thump, thump, a crash and then her start crying!! I as freaking out!!! She has a bump on the back of her head and a little scratch that was bleeding but other than that she is good!

That has been our excitment the last week or so.

My mom and grandma are coming to visit Monday for a week so that will be a lot of fun! Plus Halloween is next week and Keegan has a field trip to the pumpkin patch. I am kind of bummed because I can't go along, but I know he will have a GREAT time.

Oct 15. Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day

2009-10-15T20:08:00.002-04:00

Today was Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day. A day for families to remember their angels up in heaven.

For those of you who don't know, we lost a little one August 2, 2007. My due date was April 1, 2008. I was 6 weeks pregnant when Chad had to rush me to the ER and we were told there was no fetal pole and that I had lost the pregnancy.

Here we are 2 1/2 years later with our little Sophia. Who knows where we would or how our life would be different if I wouldn't have miscarried, but God does everything for a reason. I just find it ironic that Sophia was born April 1, 2009, on the due date of our angel baby.

I lit a candle tonight at 7pm in for our angel along with other families across the world to set off a wave of light up to heaven.

Our weekend

2009-10-12T13:43:00.003-04:00

This weekend started out GREAT! We headed to fall fest at Kinderfarm Park. We had a ton of fun! Keegan got his face painted, we watched a dog frisbee contest, Keegan did some crafts and played some games. Even though the weather was off and on raining we had a good time! Fast forward to Sunday morning, we are ready for church and go out the car and Chad asked what the heck I did! I said nothing and looked in the car. The glove box was open, as was the middle console and sun glass holder! My car was broken into. The one time we forget to lock it!! Chad normally messes with me and keeps hitting the button trying to get me to hurry up! All they got was my gps, BUT the gps out here is our life! We don't know where anything is without it!!! I called and filed a police report and a claim through out insurance. I am supposed to get a call no later then today from the claims guy through our insurance, but this really sucks. It just gets me thinking, God will never give you more than you can handle, but are you serious God??? We are broke as it is, now this is one more thing to add on top of it!

We will be getting our new GPS as soon we get the check from our insurance! And hopefully I will be getting the job at buildabear that I interview for on Wednesday! It is just so hard to know because the only time we go home is the week of Christmas and that is when most retailers want people to work! I will be able to work Black Friday and all that so maybe that will make up for it! I hope, please send your prayers this way that I get this job!! I really need a job to help us out so we can have some extra money for Christmas and to be able to do fun things so we aren't so broke all the time!

oh yeah and check on the posts below with updated pictures of Sophie and videos of both the kiddos.

Sophia Picture updates!

2009-10-12T13:15:00.004-04:00

Just wanted to finally post the pictures of Sophia doing her many things! I haven't been on much lately, things have been busy here, but here are the pictures:

Starting to get into trouble already!

Getting in to tight spots!

First time in the swings at the park!

Are you kidding me?? Pulling her self up to a stand already at 6 months! We are in trouble!

This is how she feeds herself now....that is when she decides to eat a whole bottle!

Going down for a nap with her baby doll!

And this is how I found her when she woke up!

Into more trouble!

And more trouble! She found the doggie bowls and water!

A special brother/sister time....don't let the picture tell any lies! This only lasted about 10 secs until she wanted to rip the paper!

Picture via Keegan! Sophia's first time using a sippy cup and she did pretty good!

Finally sitting up! 6 months!

Short Answers

2009-10-02T10:30:00.002-04:00

So I am really late on this and missed last week! But better late then never!

Mommy:What is your most cherished memory?
Keegan: ummm.....
Mommy: Cherished means like specail
Keegan: Going to the aquarium.

Mommy: How old is Mommy?
Keegan: 14 and a half!!!

Mommy: Do you like the sun or the snow better?
Keegan: The Snow!
Mommy: Why do you like the snow better?
Keegan: Because, so I can throw snowballs at you!

Mommy: If you could have any super power what would it be?
Keegan: ummmm....make it snow

Mommy: Where do Norwegians live?
Keegan: I don't know.
Mommy: Norwegians are people like us.
Keegan: Boston!

6 Months!!!

2009-10-01T20:54:00.002-04:00

Our little baby girl is 6 months today! It is so hard to believe it has been 6 months already. She has been doing so much for the past month or so that it is unbelievable. She has been crawling around the house getting into tons and tons of trouble. She started pulling up on to her knees. So much that I had to lower the crib down because I found her peering over the top! She has started veggies, green beans, carrots and squash and in the last 2 days she has started bananas. She LOVES to eat and hollers at you when you don't feed her fast enough.

She went this morning to her 6 month well-baby appointment. She is 15lbs 12oz, 26 inches long and her head circumference is 17 inches. Her doctor is happy with what she is doing gross motor wise, but we have to keep an eye on her babbling and laughing. We know she can laugh we have heard her do it, but she isn't like most babies who will just laugh at anything. We joke and say that she just doesn't find us or anything we do too funny. She also isn't babbling to us at all. She just does this high pitch screaming talking thing. It is hard to explain. Next time she does it I will have to get a video. The doctor said that if by her next well baby appointment at 9 months she isn't really babbling at all we will do some tests. She is hearing fine and turns when we call her name and startles at loud noises so I think because she is so ahead on her gross motor skills that she might just be a little behind on cognitive skills and with her being tongue tied until 3 months that might have something to do with it. But other than that she is doing GREAT and got 4 shots! She has been asleep since about 6pm so I am hoping we have a good night tonight and I wouldn't be up with her around midnight!

In the next couple of days I will post some of the pictures that I haven't posted yet. Her eating veggies for the first time, pulling up to her knees and just some other random cute pictures!

Apple Pickin'

2009-09-28T17:26:00.006-04:00

Today after long thought about if I really wanted to drive an hour away to pick some apples I decided we should go. Keegan has not ever picked apples so I figured why not, plus it was a great day. It wasn't hot and it wasn't cold. It was a pretty fall day! Earlier in the summer we had picked blue berries in Mississippi so I think he kind of knew what to expect.

We had to drive from our house in Arnold about an hour away to the other side of Baltimore to Westminster. I didn't realize how close we actually were to Pennsylvania while we were there until the drive home. We were only about 30 mins away! Anyway, we went to this GREAT Apple Orchard called Baugher's. They have way more than just apples, depending on the season there are peaches, strawberries, pumpkins and a bunch of other stuff you can go and pick. We might have to go back at a different time to pick some other things.

When we got to the farm we had to jump on the wagon and they took us out to the orchard. Keegan loves going on the wagon and getting pulled by the tractor. Once we got off they have boxes you pick up and then you are off to go get your apples.

There were a about 4 different kinds of apples you could pick. We chose Red Delicious and Golden Delicious. Here are some pictures of Keegan picking his apples. He had to pick all of the little ones. He said those were just for him! After I explained to him how to pick a good one he was on his own!

Sophia wanted to get in on the act so bad. She kept pulling at the leaves on the trees!

A whole box of apples just for him!

After we went to stand in line to pay for our apples we headed to the petting farm they had. On the way Keegan insisted on having one of his apples! We had to walk down a hill to get to the animals and on our way we found a lamb just out eating some grass. I asked Keegan how close he thought he could get before it ran away and he didn't think he could get to close, but wouldn't you know, he got all the way up to it and was petting it. It was too funny becausehe was trying so hard to not let the lamb get his apple!

Once we got to the animals. Keegan found the kittens. He is such an animal lover and I know will grow up and do something for or having to do with animals. Here he is loving up on a little kitten.

He thought the pig felt funny.

Sophia wasn't cute sure what to think about the pig.

Both Keegan and I thought it was funny that this turkey is HUGE and is 6 months old just like Sophia!

The donkey that took a bite of Keegan's jacket!

Llama Llama Red Pajama!

This was BEFORE the calf took a bit out of Keegan's apple that was in the stroller! I was trying to get a picture of Sophia, Keegan and the calf! Well, he found the apple and it was downhill from there!

We had a GREAT time at the apple orchard and are loving our crisp apples!

What a week!!

2009-09-27T14:41:00.007-04:00

What a week it has been!! Where do I start??

Last Friday night we headed to the Anne Arundel County fair! We all had a pretty good time! Chad and I had crab cake sandwiches and Keegan had a cheeseburger. Then walked around and looked at the animals and all the stands, which for as big of a county that it is, the fair was pretty small. And then of course we headed off to the rides! We had to talk Keegan on to going on to the first big ride. He was excited to go on all his little rides, it was just this one that he wasn't sure of. We finally got him on it And he was excited!

Monday it was back to school for Keegan and I started to get ready for my yard sale while Keegan was at school and Sophia slept! After school we spent the day outside waiting for Daddy to get home. Keegan got out his tball stuff and was playing ball while Sophia and I sat in the grass and watched.

Wednesday was a scary. I was debating whether to write about this or not, but hey other people could learn from my lesson so why not. I was with Sophia at the Commissary (grocery store for the nonmilitary folks). Keegan was at school. Sophia started to get fussy so I took her out car seat and was carrying where while the cashier figured out why the register kept telling her Sophia's formula wasn't a WIC item. After we finally finished checking out I put her back in her seat without buckling her in and went out to the car. I had put all the groceries away and turned to open the car door to put Sophia in. In that split second, she must have shifted her weight or tried to roll over or something, but she flipped the carseat over and because she wasn't buckled it, she flipped with it. It went over the child's seat at the front of the cart and flipped into the back of the cart. She landed on the crown of her head. She started crying right away and I ran to pick her up. She seem more scared then anything as I couldn't see anything wrong. I quick got her in the car with the A/C on and quieted her down and then checked her over. She had 2 bumps on the crown of her head and a red/bruised mark in the shape of a square (the metal from the bottom of the cart). When I put her back in her seat she just kept crying so I rushed home and on the way called Chad to figure out what I should do. He said wait and she how she was when I got home and had her out of the car. When we got home I just held her and gave her her bottle. When she was done eating, she act like nothing ever happened, she was crawling around and getting into the dog bowls. I checked her eyes and they were normal and her pupils were doing what they were supposed to be doing. I had a dad at Keegan's school, who is a fire fighter and EMT check her out and he said she looks just fine. And at small group that night I had our friend Jen, who is a nurse check her out and she said she looked good and as long as the swelling doesn't get closer to her soft spot she is okay! She sure gave mommy quite a scare!!! We are now calling her our little gymnast. Besides that this week she has almost figured out how to get out of her bumbo seat and she has rolled over in her stroller and was just hanging out the end, just holding on to the straps!!! She is something else!!!!

Saturday, I set up everything outside and had a yard sale! We should a lot of stuff and made about $367!!! One person was interested in the washer and dryer also, so if she calls and we sell that, we will be up to about $600!!!not to shabby for a days work! Even though I have a ton of baby clothes left!!!

Today was church and now football. Speaking of football! How about them Badgers?? My mom sent Sophia a little badger outfit and Keegan some Green Bay Packer fingers from the game last week! Here is Sophia in her outfit!

I am helping out in the nursery for church and volunteered to help make our new name tags for the kids and teachers. That should keep me busy this week! I like being able to have the time to be able to help our new and great church family out! The kids were playing together this afternoon already. Keegan was coloring and Sophia wanted to get in the action too! Really I think she had more fun pulling his hair

Tomorrow Keegan has off of school so I am trying to figure out what to do. I was thinking about maybe going to find a place to go and pick apples, but we will see.

Everyone has had the sniffles and coughs here and we are slowly getting rid of them! I am thankful fall is on it's way, but even though I LOVE winter, I am dreading the colds and sickness that normally come with it!

That was our week up until today and maybe tomorrow! I have some milestone stuff that Sophia has accomplished that I will share later in the week! Hope everyone else had a GREAT week!

Short Answers

2009-09-15T11:25:00.002-04:00

I don't think Keegan was in the mood for questions this afternoon!

Mommy: Where does electricity come from?
Keegan: My head

Mommy: Where does salt come from?
Keegan: From the store

Mommy: How many years have you been alive?
Keegan: Like 80-70nd

Mommy: How much money does Daddy make?
Keegan: like just $1

Mommy: What is your favorite kind of car?
Keegan: Hot wheels

Just some randomness

2009-09-14T20:18:00.002-04:00

I really don't have to much to say but felt like blogging so here I go!

We found a really great church here in Annapolis. It is called Centerpoint. Kind of random and ironic how we found it. Driving to our house there was a road sign that said C-Kids advertising that they started their children's ministry. Chad joked because our church in Gulfport was Crosspoint! Ironic I think not. Crosspoint really opened our lives and hearts back up to God. It had been a long time since we had been attending any church before we started to go to Crosspoint. We miss and love our our CP family! We will be back to visit before long I think though! Anyway, so Chad saw the since and called Israel, the pastor at Crosspoint who we are good friends with, and said, "So I think we found our new church!" He was totally just joking because it had only been a week since we moved it. We kept saying, CP and CP, maybe?? We went to visit 2 churches that really weren't for us, so I said to Chad, " Let's just visit the one in the movie theater." We decided to try it out and we have found out new home. Centerpoint has just started out, they are only about 8 months old and reminds us a ton of our Crosspoint home! Young leadership who are passionate about what they do. I am getting to meet the other women and volunteered to work in the nursery and decided to join my first life group ever and do a Women's Bible study on Wednesday nights. I am pretty excited about our journey thus far and am excited that our children will grow up to love the Lord.

On another note...

Keegan has been doing GREAT in school. He loves it and everyday comes home with a new song or fingerplay that he has learned his teacher Mrs. Laverdiere is GREAT and loves the kids so much I can already tell after 2 weeks!

Sophia is now eating oatmeal cereal (you know I just realized now I never posted the pictures of her first time trying rice cereal! Naughty mommy!), holding her own bottle and getting into everything. I think she is starting to teeth already! The last couple of days she has been really crabby and whiny. I gave her 3 teething tablets yesterday and they did their job and helped her relax enough to sleep for a good 2 hours! She acted a little dopey after she woke up so this morning I only gave her 2. I just got done giving her some tylenol and she is out Chad's chest already!

I need to get some more new pictures on the computer and I will post them, along with the ones of Sophie trying cereal for the first time!

Sorry!!!

2009-09-11T10:34:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note to everyone, apparently blogger for some reason thought my blog was a spam bot....not quite sure how that happened! So if you are seeing anything weird let me know! I have changed all passwords so it shouldn't happen again! Everything should be back up and running in the next couple of days!!

So We Don't forget

2009-09-10T14:26:00.002-04:00

I have decided to take part in So We Don't Forget every week from Lynnette's blog. It is a GREAT way to remember things that have happened in our life as a family. This week the topic is:

Tell us about your first home after you were married.

*If you're not married - tell us about a home that you've lived in that you have special memories of.

Our first home after we were married was in San Diego. It actually was an apartment in El Cajun, CA. Chad and I were married in January 2002 and didn't actually live together until June 2002. After we got married he had to go back to the USS Constellation in San Diego and I had to finish up my last semester At UW-Oshkosh. Chad moved into our 1 bedroom, 1 bath apartment about a month early and started to set it up. He bought the bed, and living room furniture. It was a good first place for us. It had a living room, patio, small dining room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.

It was nice because we got put in the area where most of the older people were so it was really quiet. It was also really good because Chad deployed about a month and a half after I got to San Diego and was gone for 7 months. I felt safe living around the older people. Even if we had one really weird lady that always wanted to be up in everyone's business!

Shorts Answers Tuesday

2009-09-08T08:30:00.002-04:00

Mommy: How tall are you?
Keegan: 4

Mommy: What are mom and dad doing when they pay bills?
Keegan: Paying the bills
what does that mean?
You get lots of money!

Mommy: What's the fanciest restaurant you have ever been to?
Keegan: Umm...i don't know
Fancy means where you dress up really nice.
Oh, Like a church one!

Mommy: Do you think you look more like Mommy or Daddy?
Keegan: Daddy!!
Why?
Because I have brown eyes like him.

Mommy: If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
Keegan: To Michael.
Why?
Cause

(his middle name is Michael)

If you don't want your stuff wrecked...

2009-09-06T18:59:00.004-04:00

...move it off the floor! Sophia is on her way to crawling. She is now army crawling all over the house! We can't look away for more than a minute without her getting into trouble! All of this at just 5 months and before she is sitting!!!

And here is my project I did for her room to go above the crib!

(2 new posts after this one)

Visitors

2009-09-06T17:52:00.008-04:00

(very picture heavy!)

Chad's mom, brother and sister came to visit at the end of August, I am just now getting around to really looking at all the pictures and writing about it as both kids are napping so I finally have sometime without getting interrupted.

While they were here visiting we went to DC twice, Baltimore, Tour the Naval Academy, walked around Annapolis and the kids and I joined them and some more of Chad's family in Rehoboth Beach, DE.

We toured the Naval Academy and had lunch at Drydock, a restaurant at the academy that has GREAT sandwiches! Chad had to work, but went along with us on the tour because he still doesn't know too much about the base and one of his Friends, RP1, did the tour for us.

The whole gang(I am wearing Sophie)

That's my crazy husband

T Court, all the Mids (midshipmen) were getting ready for lunch

Had to add this one in here, it was Sophia's first time sitting in a highchair at a restaurant! She did pretty good considering she doesn't sit up by herself yet.

On Tuesday, Keegan, Sophia, Janice (Chad's mom), Andy (his brother), Natalie (his sister) and I headed an hour and half away to Rehoboth Beach, DE. Chad's cousin Becca has a beach house there and a bunch of the family was getting together for the week and invited all of us to come too. We spent 3 days there and the kids and I met a bunch of Chad's family that we had never met. They were all so friendly and nice. It was a great 3 days and the Beach House was BEAUTIFUL! Becca invited us to come back whenever we want now that we are so close!! Thanks Becca! Here's some pictures of our 3 days in Rehoboth!

The Bay Bridge! I am afraid bridges and driving over this one really freaks me out!

Here are pictures of the house!

This is the blue room where Keegan, Sophia and I stayed.

Our Bathroom

Bea and Christian

Blue eyed girls, Sophia and Christina

Can you tell they are related?? Cousins, Bea and Keegan

All the kids
Katie was like a little mommy with Sophie!

With Becca

All the girls, Bea, Christina, Natalie (Chad's sister), Sophia, Katie

The boys

All the kids in their Rehoboth shirts from Becca and Aunt Rose

After 3 days at Rehoboth Beach we spent a day walking around the museums in DC and another day doing a bus tour in DC. We also spent a day in Baltimore at the Aquarium. Chad and I got a family membership while they were here for the aquarium and are so happy we did. We already took advantage of it and went this past weekend. The last day they went walking around downtown Annapolis, which was really nice. Oh and I almost forgot! The boys, Chad, Keegan and Andy went to see the Brewers beat the Nationals! We all had a GREAT time and we were glad that they came to visit!

Keegan's first Day of Pre-K

2009-09-06T17:42:00.003-04:00

Keegan started his first day on Monday and was so excited! He was asking over and over all morning if it was time to go to school yet. We were ready about 2 hours before school started and then just had to wait! Finally I told him at around noon we could leave, since we were early I figured we would go to the park by the school and then head to school. That let him blow some steam and get some of that excitement out!

Of course we needed to get some 1st day of school pictures too!

Waiting the car until we could go line up at the door. He was sooooo excited!!!

Waiting at the front door of school. His Pre-K class lines up at the front door everyday and his teacher comes out to get them and they walk in a line to school. Keegan told me for the rest of the week we needed to be the first people at school so he could be the line leader everyday!

Waiting in line to go into school!! He won't let me leave until he is all the way in the door! He is too cute!

Are you serious?? Already??

2009-08-31T08:52:00.001-04:00

Just watch!

I can't believe she scooting already! She just found out the world wasn't just carpeted this morning and about 15 minutes later I see her scooting!!!!! Watch out world her comes Sophie!

Sophia's Room and video or 2!

2009-08-29T08:42:00.003-04:00

I had told Stacy, my one of my best friends back in Gulfport a while ago how much I loved the pictures she painted in Asher's room that match his bedding and that the one's that go with Sophia's bedding were way to expensive to get. Yesterday, Sophia got a box, in it the pictures for her room painted by Stacy!!!! They are AWESOME! So without making you wait any longer!

And here is a video of her trying to crawl and blow her famous rasberries!

Sophia's 4 month (almost 5 month) Check Up

2009-08-27T10:29:00.003-04:00

Sophie had her 4 month well baby almost a month late on Tuesday! All I can say is that my baby is getting big!!! Since they have put her on her new reflux medicine she is a different little girl! Our spitting up/puking episodes are almost gone! It is great. Because she isn't spitting up so much anymore is is gaining weight like crazy! From what the Dr. said of her percentiles she was in like the 68th% and 72nd%, but I just went to look on the charts again and she is only in the 40th for both. I think they were figuring her being just 4 months and not a week shy of 5 months! Anyway my big girl at 4 months, 3 weeks and 3 days old was 14lbs 10oz and just about 25 inches long! What a long way she has come, already doubling her birth weight of 6lbs 14oz and has grown about 4 inches. She is doing great in everything and just in the last 2 days has started rocking back and forth on her hands and knees! She can't even sit up yet and is trying to crawl!! She rolls all over the house, Chad is going to have to get the baby gates up soon! Her new thing now is to blow rasberries. It is so funny she makes such a drooly mess all the time. She still loves to give us smiles and is starting to laugh a lot more, although everytime we get her to laugh she ends up with the hickups.

Short Answers

2009-08-27T08:59:00.003-04:00

Another installment!

Mommy: What's your Grandma's name?
Keegan: Grandma Wendy and Grandma Jannie

Mommy: What is a hot dog made out of?
Keegan: (shugging shoulders) I don't know!

Mommy: What’s Arachnophobia?
Keegan:Like a bird

Mommy: Who discovered America?
Keegan: Barrock Obama

Mommy: If you invented something, what would it do?
Keegan: Um...it would eat popcorn.

Short Answers

2009-08-21T19:06:00.002-04:00

Like I said you might be seeing some different things on our blog, I have been blog hopping and finding some fun things to help with my posting. I thought this would be something cute to do on Tuesdays.

Mommy: What year were you born?
Keegan: (Shrugging his shoulders) I don't know

Mommy: Why do people wear deodorant?
Keegan: Cause bugs eat them.

Mommy: What would you buy if you had a million dollars?
Keegan: Food and toys

Mommy: What is a president?
Keegan: Barrack Obama

Mommy: Where would you like to take your family on vacation someday?
Keegan: to Wisconsin

Videos

2009-08-10T06:49:00.003-04:00

Just wanted to share some videos from the last couple of days that I finally had a chance to upload.

This is Sophia talking to us! This is how she ALWAYS talks, no nice baby talk here, ALL screaming!

Keegan was singing to Sophia to get her to stop crying and made up this song.

Sophia in her jumper, we have to put the books under it because she otherwise she can't tough the ground.

This one is from the other day when we were outside. Keegan had a blast on the slip and slide.

And the last 2 are of Sophie. Her new thing is trying to sit up all the way in her swing! And the last one is her playing with one of her dollies in bed.

Walter Reed Trip

2009-08-07T07:31:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I dropped Keegan off at Kindercare for a day of fun while Sophia and I headed to Walter Reed for an upper GI and small bowels test. It took me over an hour and a half to get 30 miles because of traffic and we were almost late but we got there okay. After check in and waiting for about 10 minutes the called Sophie back. I had to put her in a little hospital gown that was still way to big for her and then the radiologist came in. I think the best part of the whole experience is that the radiologist actually did the whole exam and not a tech. He explained everything he was doing and even what everything was on the x-rays he was taking. They did xrays were you can see them right away, I think they are called live x-rays...not sure though. AFter explaining the procedure I laid Sophia down on the table and then had to start feeding her a bottle with barium in it. She hadn't ate since about 6:20 and it by that time was 1015 so she was starving!!! They watched the barium go down through the esophagus and into the stomach and then the intestines. Then we see it go back up! LOL That's my pukey baby! When the Dr. was done getting all the pictures he needed he said he was going to quick go look at them. There was also a pediatric doctor with him so they went to go talk about something. Then about 3 mins later came back to tell me something looked concerning in the way that the barium was getting to the intestines. Basicly what he said was that instead of her duodenum making a stright shot across the body it makes mountians all the way across. Because he didn't really like what he saw and wasn't sure if anything else might be qrong he had us go sit down while he called Sophia's doctor in Annapolis to tell him what was going on and then order an ultrasound. So after getting the order for it we were taken over to ultrasound. Sophia is doing a GREAT job considering she hadn't had a bottle since the early morning and it was now about 11am. During the ultrasound they had a hard time seeing because Sophie had a bunch of gas bubbles. From what they could see her duodenum was still going up and down and up and down and not just straight. After the ultrasound we had to go back to the xray room to finish the last part of the test, but Sophia's belly wasn't cooperating and the barium hadn't moved far enough through the intestines yet. So they told us to wait about an hour and they would check again. The doctor told me I could feed her a bottle which it was 12 already and I knew she was really hungry but she was being a great baby. We went to go get lunch in the hospital and came back an hour later. They called us back and took one picture and everything else looked okay. The Doctor said he would have the report to Sophia's doctor in a day but other than the mountianous duodenum everything looked good and nothing else was twisted that they could see. He was telling me that because there isn't a straight shot through the duodenum that might be one of the reasons for her spitting up. I will probably know more when she goes in for her 4 month appt at the end of the month. I am just happy that nothing is seriously wrong. When they had to order the ultrasound as a second test I was worried but everything came out okay.

Sophia in her little/big gown!

When we got home and picked up Keegan I got a call from my doctor saying the blood tests that I took about a week ago came back saying that my thyroid is supressed and that I have to go back at the end of the month to have it tested again and that we will go from there. Hopefully that fixes itself too because I really don't want to go on thyroid medicine!

The Cute Kids

2009-08-03T16:33:00.002-04:00

(there are a couple new posts! I was lagging behind again!)

Sophia has been so much fun the last couple of days and is trying to sit up. She is starting to show her personality, which seems to on the serious/shy side but she is for the most part happy! Just wanted to share these pictures!

This is how she prefers to sit in her boppy chair! As soon as you fix her back the right way she goes back like this!

Playing in the yard

2009-07-30T16:30:00.000-04:00

Keegan wanted to go play in the back yard so we set up the slip and slide for him to go on and Sophia and I hung out under one of the trees on a blanket. Keegan had a blast and Sophia laid in the grass for the first time!!!

National Zoo

2009-07-29T15:54:00.000-04:00

Keegan, Sophia and I decided to brave the metro last week Wednesday and head to the National Zoo. It was an overcast day, but we were hopeing to beat out the rain and make the best of it! The National Zoo has pandas and a new baby gorilla that Keegan was excited to see. Sophia did pretty good the whole day even though it was so hot!

Keegan waiting for the panda to come walk by him again.

Look mom!

Trying to take a self portrait.

What you looking at??

A crazy goat!

After the rain!

Some random pictures

2009-07-28T16:21:00.000-04:00

Here are some random pictures from the last week or so!

They love each other!

Trying to sit up!

Hands in her mouth like always!

My cute little girl!

So tired!

D.C.

2009-07-18T21:49:00.004-04:00

(Make sure you check out the next 3 or 4 posts! I just did a major update from the last 2 weeks or so!)

And so our adventures in DC begin!!! We park our car at the closest Metro station to our house, the Orange line, and took it in to the heart of the city! Keegan was so excited to ride on a fast train!! Sophia had her first ride on the fast train too!

We got off at The Mall and just decided to walk around! We started out by the Washington Monument! Here's Keegan and the pointy building in the distance.

Keegan and Sophia by the Monument. This is probably one of the best pictures we have of both of them together!

After the Washington Monument, we walked to the WWII Memorial. Keegan liked how everywhere we went, there was water and steps or a bench to sit on. He did a great job of all of the walking that we did. Sophia's Baby K'Tan hadn't come in the mail yet, so he had to walk while Sophie rode and slept most of the day!

Me and the kiddos at the WWII Memorial!

When we were done at the WWII Memorial, we walked past the nasty reflection pool...not sure they will really see any kind of reflection it it though because it is filty! Keegan was more interested in the geese than anything that we saw!

Look mom! I'm taller!

Chad wanted to check out the Vietnam Wall so we headed over there before hitting up the Lincoln Memorial...aka. The Big Guy! (That's what we kept calling it for Keegan)

Chad's photography...pretty good with just my point and shot! Next time he will bring a good camera!

We kept telling Keegan as we were getting closer to the Lincoln Memorial that there would be a lot of stairs! I don't think he really believed us!!!

Keegan and the big guy!

After the Lincoln memorial we decided that we better find some place to eat, which we learned the hard way that you need to walk a long way to get to. From now on we will be bringing another back pack with sandwiches and snacks and drinks and just do a picnic on the lawn!

On the way to lunch we passed the White House, we didn't know we were going to walk past it and were all hungry so we just snapped a quick picture and Keegan wanted to know why we didn't see Barock Obama(That's how Keegan has Barack, I didn't spell it wrong. He tells us, NO it is Barock!)

After lunch at the ESPN Zone, we were all much happier so we decided to hit up the Capitol Building. Really we just did a walk by on the way to the Metro, but we saw it!

Before we got to the Capital Building we seen the Navy Memorial so we decided to check it out. It was a good thing we did! Chad knew he had a couple pictures in a Navy Memorial somewhere in DC, but was sure where. Well, there was a Museum as part of the Memorial and we decided to take a look. We were in the right spot, we got to see the Seabee's display which had a bunch of pictures from Chad and the 2 other guys in his office. It was pretty cool to see his work in a setting like that.

Keegan and the Lone Sailor (It's not lonely any more!)

One of Chad's pictures!

His is the black and white one in the background.

Keegan hugging his new family!

Here's the capitol building on our way to the Metro!
Sophia waiting happily in the Metro station! She was in such a good mood!

Here's a video of Sophia talking up a storm! Her new thing is to just talk until she runs out of breath!

Random Pictures

2009-07-17T21:41:00.000-04:00

Just sharing some randomness from the last couple of days!

Our stuff finally came and the tv got hooked up, while mommy and daddy unpacked boxes Keegan and Sophia relaxed!

Sophia's nursery finally set up some of the way! Here room was the first to be finished in the house! I have been waiting 5 + months to set this up!!!

First time laying in her crib!

This used to be Keegan's outfit, we got it from the Carney's before we knew what we were having!! I LOVE it!!

I love her eyes and really hope they stay that way! Can't wait to see what color her hair is really going to be, I think if it is dark like Keegan's even a little lighter and her eyes stay like this she will be so beautiful! (Not that I won't think that anyway!)

There's that smile that will make you melt!

2 of my favorite little people in the world!!!

Sophie gets her ears pierced

2009-07-14T21:31:00.003-04:00

We have been wanting to get Sophie's ears pierced since we got her 2 month shots, but never got around to doing it while we were still in Gulfport. We had sometime to kill Tuesday before our stuff came, so we thought why not? Let's get them done. She did GREAT. I was holding her and going to have her on my lap, but had to let daddy do it. I am okay with both kiddos getting shots and when they have to go to the doctors and stuff, but for some reason, I think because we were the ones who decided to have this done, I didn't want to hold her to hear her cry...but she barely did! The lady marked her ears and then did them one at a time. The first one she didn't like having her head held still and started whining and cried less than when she got her first shots! It was more of a startle cry than anything. Then when they did the next one, she started crying right away because she knew what was coming, but then again she only cried for about a minute and was fine! She looks like such a big girl!

Here are some from a couple nights later! She is getting to be so strong and LOVES being on her belly! I love it because she sleeps ALL night long if she is on her belly!

Naval Academy

2009-07-14T20:52:00.000-04:00

(I am going to be doing a couple of posts seeing as I haven't had time.)

Chad didn't have to check in to work until Friday, so Monday while we were waiting for our stuff to get to the new house we walked around the Academy to kind of learn the layout and for Chad to find his office. We got to see a bunch of the plebes (the freshman at the Academy) marching and doing their formations. Keegan thought it was so cool! They do some parades on the campus every so often so I am going to have Chad let us know when one is and I will take him so he can see it. We seen all the cool looking buildings and all the old, historical housing that some of the officers live in on the base.
When we finally found Chad's office, which is in an old guard shack...the oldest 2 buildings on the campus, we met the rest of this office. Here are some of the pictures from our first adventures in Annapolis!

Keegan sick of walking!

Movers

2009-07-08T20:44:00.000-04:00

(I am going to be doing a couple of posts seeing as I haven't had time.)

The movers came Tuesday and Wednesday. They only brought 2 people to pack us up and then 3 to finish packing and load the truck. It was sad seeing everything get boxed up and exciting that a new adventure was about to begin!

Pasted out after day one of packing!

Getting in her last couple of swings before her favorite thing gets packed up!

Boxes lining the drive-way

Hanging out on the floor

Keegan and Daddy eating cold pizza on the counter!

Moving

2009-07-06T20:16:00.003-04:00

Hey all, just a reminder we are moving this week! The packers come tomorrow to pack everything up, then Wednesday they will put everything on the truck and Friday Chad will check out of his command. We will be leaving Saturday morning after staying with Kevin and Tori Friday night. I have a lot of things I want to say to everyone individually or as families that we have met here, but know I will start crying so I just can't do it tonight! I will though! For now, Thank you to everyone we have met here the last 2 1/2 years without you our stay in Gulfport wouldn't have been as memorible as it has been! We will miss everyone of you dearly and remember:

It isn't Good-bye, it is See you later!

The Day of Sophia's Surgery!

2009-07-06T12:46:00.003-04:00

Sophia's surgery went GREAT! Sorry I didn't post about it sooner. We went in at 6am on Wednesday morning. The nurse took us straight back to her room and started to get all the paper work filled out and got her first vitals. They had the hardest time getting her pulse and oxygen levels because their machine was I think the oldest one I have ever seen! After they did that the anesthesiologist's nurse came in to go over everything with us again. Everyone that came in kept saying how cute she was and that she was the talk of the floor that day! Everyone wanted to take her home! Then Dr. McMurphy came in and talked to us and explain the procedure over again and said it would take only about 5 minutes from start to finish! After she came in we were waiting on one more signature from the OR nurse. She finally came in and we found out that we wouldn't have to wait in her little room, but there was a peds. waiting room right off of the recovery room that had a tv and everything, that way when she was done both of us could go with her in recovery. That was different from what they told me at the appointment the day before. Anyway, after that the OR nurse and the anesthesiologiest's nurse (who carried Sophia) tok us to the waiting room and went with Sophia, we were kind of upset because we went one way and the nurse went a different way and they didn't let us kiss her goodbye. We sat down, I turned the tv on and it wasn't even 10 minutes later and the Recovery room nurse came and asked us if we were ready. I looked at Chad and both of us were like, ready for what? I said, "She's ready?" and the nurse said "Yes" They were going to have her in a crib in the recovery room, but instead had a little chair for me to sit in and they let me hold her while she was waking up. It took her about 10 mins to wake up from the anestheia and then she had to show them she could eat a bottle before they wheeled us down to her room. She was so happy and kept smiling and sticking out her tongue! It was too cute. Everything seems to be going good now. They only thing I will be doing is calling tomorrow because they did say she would just have a little white and yellow scab for about 1 -2 days and the whole bottom of her tongue and under her tongue is yellow and white. She hasn't had a fever at all really so I don't think it is infected, just would like to have them look at it. Better safe than sorry, especially because we are leaving in 4 days!!!! Here are some pictures from the surgery:

Daddy and Sophie before waiting for the nurses and Drs. (And yes, Chad has a black eye from softball!)

Blowing bubbles before surgery, notice how you can barely see her tongue sticking out.

Daddy and Sophia again! I think he was playing her music!

Trying to get a nap in before surgery!

In the recovery room, she was OUT!

Happy, back in her room

Look at the Tongue now!!!

Relaxing after surgery!

Rainy day fun!

2009-06-30T14:28:00.001-04:00

Yesterday we had one of our random Mississippi thunderstorms so Keegan decided to go out and play. I had to talk him into it at first and after the first time he was all about playing in the rain and didn't want to come inside, even after it had stopped to change his clothes! Here are some videos of the fun!

Sophia's Surgery

2009-06-25T12:39:00.002-04:00

We went to the ENT Dr. today for Sophia's appt. She has been tongue tied since birth and has recently been having some problems sucking and swollowing. I really didn't think it was too bad until today when they weight her. She was 10lb 13oz at her 2 month appointment at the end of May. Now 4 weeks later is is only 11lbs 1oz, which means in 4 weeks she has only gained about 7 ounces which isn't good. I thought they would cut her tongue right there in the office because they had all the tools set up, but they thought she was younger. Because she will be 3 months old next week, they have to do it under anesthesia. The won't be cutting the flap of skin, but burning it, this way there is no blood and she will just have a little scab for a couple of days. We will find out more about it on Tuesday at her Pre-op appointment. It is an outpatient surgery so that is a great thing, unless of course she has trouble eating afterward, which they said she shouldn't. They wished they were informed about it before now though, like when it was noticed right after she was born and they would have gone up to Labor and Delivery and did it right there. Here is a little information about being tongue-tied and the effects it could have if we don't get it done now. And for those of you who didn't know, Keegan was also tongue-tied, but his didn't connected all the way and there was a little hole in the skin. When he was alittle younger than Sophia is now, he cried and snapped his himself! The Dr. took a look at Keegan's too and said he is still alittle shorter than a normal person but it isn't causing any problems so he is okay. Please be praying for Sophia, that everything goes smoothly and quickly!

Fact Sheet: Tongue-tie (Ankyloglossia)

Most of us think of tongue-tie as a situation we find ourselves in when we are too excited to speak. Actually, tongue-tie is the non-medical term for a relatively common physical condition that limits the use of the tongue, ankyloglossia.

Before we are born, a strong cord of tissue that guides development of mouth structures is positioned in the center of the mouth. It is called a frenulum. After birth, the lingual frenulum continues to guide the position of incoming teeth. As we grow, it recedes and thins. This frenulum is visible and easily felt if you look in the mirror under your tongue. In some children, the frenulum is especially tight or fails to recede and may cause tongue mobility problems.

The tongue is one of the most important muscles for speech and swallowing. For this reason having tongue-tie can lead to eating or speech problems, which may be serious in some individuals.

When Is Tongue-tie a Problem That Needs Treatment?

In Infants

Feeding – A new baby with a too tight frenulum can have trouble sucking and may have poor weight gain. Such feeding problems should be discussed with your child’s pediatrician who may refer you to an otolaryngologist—head and neck surgeon (ear, nose, and throat specialist) for additional treatment.

NOTE: Nursing mothers who experience significant pain while nursing or whose baby has trouble latching on should have their child evaluated for tongue tie. Although it is often overlooked, tongue tie can be an underlying cause of feeding problems that not only affect a child’s weight gain, but lead many mothers to abandon breast feeding altogether.

In Toddlers and Older Children

Speech – While the tongue is remarkably able to compensate and many children have no speech impediments due to tongue-tie, others may. Around the age of three, speech problems, especially articulation of the sounds - l, r, t, d, n, th, sh, and z may be noticeable. Evaluation may be needed if more than half of a three–year–old child’s speech is not understood outside of the family circle. Although, there is no obvious way to tell in infancy which children with ankyloglossia will have speech difficulties later, the following associated characteristics are common:

V-shaped notch at the tip of the tongue
Inability to stick out the tongue past the upper gums
Inability to touch the roof of the mouth
Difficulty moving the tongue from side to side

As a simple test, caregivers or parents might ask themselves if the child can lick an ice cream cone or lollipop without much difficulty. If the answer is no, they cannot, then it may be time to consult a physician.

Appearance – For older children with tongue-tie, appearance can be affected by persistent dental problems such as a gap between the bottom two front teeth. Your child’s physician can guide you in the diagnosis and treatment of tongue-tie. If he/she recommends surgery, an otolaryngologist—head and neck surgeon (ear, nose, and throat specialist), can perform a surgical procedure called a frenulectomy.

Tongue-tie Surgery Considerations

Tongue-tie surgery is a simple procedure and there are normally no complications. For very young infants (less than six-weeks-old), it may be done in the office of the physician. General anesthesia may be recommended when frenulectomy is performed on older children. But in some cases, it can be done in the physician’s office under local anesthesia. While frenulectomy is relatively simple, it can yield big results. Parents should consider that this surgery often yields more benefit than is obvious by restoring ease of speech and self-esteem.

Blue Berry Picking and The Pool

2009-06-24T17:04:00.005-04:00

Today for playgroup we went blueberry picking in the HOT HOT HOT Mississippi heat! It might have been hot but we had a ton of fun. It was fill a bucket for $12, we didn't get a whole bucket full, but got $10 worth of fresh organic blueberries that are so sweet! I already put them in 2 different bags and put some in the freezer. The bag in the freezer is supposed to be for my mom to make Jelly, but I don't think they will last, they are too good to not eat!!! Keegan had a blast trying to find the big blue ones and then running with the rest of the boys to go and make the turkeys gobble! It was about 98 degrees outside today and that was without the heat index!

Keegan showing me the big blueberry he found!

Trying to keep Sophia out of the sun, but in the fun too! She loves being in her Baby K'Tan! Thanks so much to Stacy for letting me borrow it!! I really need to get my own!!

Keegan and Hailey and the blueberry guy! He was showing them the big ones and said you couldn't pick blueberries without eating as you went!

Keegan carried the bucket for us!!!

After the blueberry picking and lunch we decided to head down to to the pool. We have been there for at least an hour everyday this week! It is just way to hot to not enjoy it! Here are some pictures from the last 2 days!

Keegan relaxing for a bit! It is so hard to get him to sit for even just a minute! He is a little fish!

Sophia taking a break and letting her toes get unwrinkled!

Big smiles!! She is such a happy baby and so easy going!

Enjoying her new floaty! She is still to little for it and I have to hold her up, but at least it gives me something to be kind of hands free in!

In the little kids pool! Keegan loves it because he can swim without his life jacket!

Wisconsin Trip pictures (FINALLY)

2009-06-23T12:12:00.006-04:00

I know we were in WI like a month ago, but I never got to post any pictures! We headed up there for Chad's Dad's wedding and to visit all of the family! It was the first chance for most of them to meet Sophia! Here are just a few pictures from our trip!

This is what it is ALWAYS like when we are at that Boinski's! All the boys do is wrestle!

Chad and Peanut!

Brooke and Sophie

At the children's museum in Milwaukee, fixing a car! Pretty soon he can fix my car for me!

Sophia and Grandma Jannie

Andy trying out the MRE Chad brought home, eggs! yummy! NOT!!

Keegan with Bernie Brewer

$1 hot dogs!!!
The Runge Clan! Mellissa, Sophia, Grandpa Denny, Newest member Grandma Kay, Chad and Keegan

With the newly weds!
Happy family of 4

With the grandkids

Daddy and the kiddos

Cutting the grass at Grandpa and Grandma Larsen's

At the train museum in Green Bay

Great Grandma Larsen

Bath in the sink in GB

Door County

Grandma Wendy and Sophie in Door County

Keegan and the Goats on the roof!

Notice the water splashing?? Chad got me soaked!! I should have tipped the boat!

Big Girl! (2 month update...alittle late)

2009-06-18T09:48:00.003-04:00

I promise I am working on getting a bunch of updates, but I had to post this video with alittle update of Sophia! She had her 2 month check up at the end of May. She was 10lbs 13oz and still just about 21 1/2 inches long. They said everything looked great and she is in the 25% for everything. At the time she was smiling but not nearly as much as she is now! And I would barely get the smiles! She would be so serious for me! We did get an appointment with the ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) clinic to get her tongue looked at. She is tongue tied. If you don't know what that is, here is a quick explanation, the flap of skin under your tongue that you use to move it is connected in the middle on a normal person, but hers is connected all the way at the tip which makes it harder for her to stick her tongue out and we have noticed a lot more lately it is hard for her to suck, it can also cause speech problems later on. Going to the ENT will let us snip it a little so it is easier for her. Keegan had this same problem, but his was thin enough and when he was about 1 1/2 months, he cried and it snapped on it's own. Other than her tongue she is GREAT!!! She is talking more and more each day and we are getting so many big smiles!! Her little personality is coming out everyday. She seems very strong willed and definately will let us know when things aren't going her way!!!

Bunch-o-updates

2009-05-31T21:52:00.000-04:00

Look tuned to this upcoming week for a bunch of new posts and updates. We were in Wisconsin for 2 weeks and got home last week, but I was trying to get everything back to normal! Now that I have some time, you will have some updates about what we have all been up to! Our trip, dr's appts, softball, the pool and our up and coming move! Stay tuned!

Keegan and his Best Buddy!

2009-05-03T20:27:00.001-04:00

Just wanted to share a cute picture quick of Keegan and his best bud Brodie!

Blue Angels!

2009-05-03T20:14:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, Chad, Keegan, Sophia, my friend Cara and I headed to New Orleans for the air show! It was a great day, hot but the wind was blowing! Keegan had a blast, even if he did basicly fall asleep right before the Angels took the show....but we got him up in time! Keegan got to see and go into a ton of helicopters and airplanes which is what he has been in love with for the past couple weeks so he was in heaven! Sophia did GREAT. We thought the loud jets would bother her more, but she did pretty good as long as we were covering her ears! All of us, except for maybe Keegan and Sophie came home with sunburn somewhere on us, Chad on the top of his head, Mellissa on her legs and shoulders and Cara in all of the places she missed putting sunscreen! It was nice to get out and away from Gulfport for the day! We all had a Great time!

A blue Angel formation

Getting ready to fly

Keegan with his ear things on

Little Keegan in front of a BIG plane!

A tank

Ina C135

Driving the plane!

In front of his rescue helicopter!

April Fun!

2009-05-03T19:58:00.006-04:00

Here are some pictures of all the fun stuff we have done the last couple of weeks during the day! It is hard to get used to having 2 kids in the house, but we are managing pretty good I think. Keegan is having a hard time sharing our attention, but is slowly getting better. Keegan, Sophia and I have joined a playgroup and meet with a bunch of other moms and kids each Wednesday afternoon and do a bunch of fun stuff. This past Wednesday we went to the beach and this Wednesday we are headed to the Splash Pad Park! We have also spent some time at the park, hanging out around the house and Keegan is playing tball again! I have started to workout and Chad is starting to get us ready for our up and coming move to Maryland! Things are starting to fall in place here now with 2 little ones in the house, it is crazy but so much fun at the same time!

Enjoying Lunch at the Beach

Sophie taking in the beach the best way she knows how!

Keegan at his first offical game for tball

At the park, Keegan takes Sophie down the slide!

She is the little sister!

Getting some tummy time!

He loves being a big brother!

Grandma Wendy and Great Grandma Visit

2009-04-25T19:52:00.000-04:00

April 18-April 25 Grandma Wendy and Great Grandma came to visit. They were a big help keeping Keegan busy while I tended to Sophia. Of course they got their loving time with Sophia too. We had a bunch of appointments that week, but all in all it was lots of fun!

Grandma with her 2 favorite grandkiddos!

Great Grandma and Keegan

Great Grandma and Sophia

Grandma and Sohpie

Keegan's great photography!

Beautiful kids

2009-04-22T22:38:00.005-04:00

Here are some more pictures Chad has taken of our beautiful kids!!!

Re-enlistment

2009-04-22T22:34:00.002-04:00

Friday Chad re-enlisted for 4 more years! It was nice, he did it at the golf course of course and then played a round of golf. Keegan and I both got a certificate.Will post some pictures soon.

An update

2009-04-22T22:22:00.002-04:00

Just thought I would quick updated everyone. Monday, Sophia had her recheck for her eye. It was horrible! Not for her, but because the Dr was AGAIN TERRIBLE!!! Thanks to Andrea, I have the name of the person I need to contact to complain. Her appointment was at 1pm and the Dr. didn't come into the room until about 10 to 2!!!! She still isn't sure what is going on with her eye so then she calls the eye dr and says, oh they will see you in about 15 mins! Plus I needed to switch her formula because she hadn't been burping or pooping very well for us. So finally the dr comes back in and I tell her, I can't take her to the eye dr in 15 mins, because you were 50 mins late, I have 10 mins before my Neuro appt!! Then she goes, Oh I wish you would have told me! HELLO!!!! You never said that we were going to have to go to see him today!!!! Anyway, then she leaves again for about 10 mins and comes back and is rude and says well you can't go there today you have to go tomorrow morning as a walk in. Fine with me!

Then I go to my neuro appt. which I was right on time for, get there, sit for 5 mins, see my dr, who is awesome. He gives me my options and I agree with him, so now I am on meds everyday to prevent headaches and a better medicine to take care of the ones I am getting. As of right now, he told me I will have a rough couple of days because I was having to take my other meds everyday so I will probably have rebound headaches from not taking that one! But if that is what I have to do to make these horrible headaches go away I will deal with it.

We go back in Tuesday to the eye dr. He was concerned that she might have a skin infection on her eye lid, but that isn't the case. He is thinking it might be birth trama, but isn't sure, so because he wants to put our mind and his at ease, he is sending us out in town to a pediatric eye dr. Which makes me happy that someone used to looking at kid's eyes will be seeing her. I then went up to labor and delivery for my blood pressure check. Since about Saturday it had been low so I stopped taking my blood pressure meds and it was PREFECT so I got the okay to stop taking them! Yeppie!!!!!

Then today.....WIC is HORRIBLE here! The dr. wrote the prescription for Sophia's new formula, Gentlease because it easier to digest and break down, yeah well they are like, we don't have that so , this one is pretty much just like it and give us Lactosfree....which would be fine with me, but they give us the concentrate liquid form, not the powder!!!!!! Are you serious???? I am so done with Mississippi!!! That just made me hate it here even more than I normally do!!!!!!!!! GRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dedication

2009-04-19T19:48:00.000-04:00

Keegan and Sophia got dedicated at church this Sunday. Here are some pictures of the day:

Mellissa and Sophia Dr. appt update

2009-04-17T20:18:00.002-04:00

Sophia and I had Doctor's appointments this week.

I had mine on Wednesday, I just had to run up to labor and delivery for my blood pressure check. After them forgetting about me, which was good and bad at the same time cause my friend Andrea had her baby so she took a walk to visit me a couple doors down, they took it twice and it was still alittle high. So I asked the Dr. Medina about staying on my blood pressure meds and he said at least one more week so I have to go back next Wednesday. However, my blood pressure was really low twice this afternoon and then went back to around normal (a little higher) so Chad suggested I not take my pill tomorrow and see how I do. Hopefully the pre-eclampsia has finally cured itself and I don't have to worry about it anymore. I do still get my headaches though, but I go to neurology on Monday for that.

Sophia's appointment was on Thursday. If I would have really looked at her appointment paper I probably would have rescheduled it because the Dr she was scheduled with is one that I don't really like. Anyway, she is still an oz below her birth weight, so she is 6lbs 13oz. I basicly got yelled at for that because she should be eating more, but whatever. She is happy with her 2 oz every 3 hours and spits up the 3rd oz if we give it to her. Then the Dr. tried telling me that she wants her by her 2 month appt. to be drinking 6-8oz. Keegan never got past 4 oz a feeding. Also her eye is still red and swollen so she looked at that, doesn't really know what it is so we go back Monday for that also and if it is still swollen she said she will send us to the eye dr. You can tell in most of the pictures, it is her left eye. Other than that she is doing good. Oh and Labor and Delivery measured her wrong cause she was 19 1/2 inches, and I don't think she grew an inch and a half in 2 weeks. I seen them measure her this time and I know this one is more accurate. Other than that, things are going good with her. She does have an umbilical hernia, but it doesn't look to bad so it should be okay. We really only notice when she is cold or cries.

That is our update for now. My mom and grandma will be on their way later tonight and get here tomorrow, so look for more pictures and all!

Some Studio Shots

2009-04-14T08:37:00.001-04:00

Chad took some good pictures of the kiddos last night. They both were a little crabby so we are going to try again tonight. Here are some of the better ones!

Sophia and Mommy

2009-04-14T08:29:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to share some pictures of mommy and Sophie! It is so nice to have a little girl in the house to dress all in pink!!

Happy Easter!!

2009-04-13T07:46:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter everyone! We had a lot of fun! Chad's dad was in town so he helped Keegan dye Easter eggs. Keegan had a blast and had been asking to dye them for 2 days straight!!! He made everyone eggs with their name on them! Here are some pictures of him dyeing the eggs!

Saturday, the base had their Easter Egg Hunt. If you get a golden egg, you get a prize! Keegan got one of them (with a little help from mommy). He also got to jump in the jump house, get a tattoo, ride on the train with his best buddy Brodie, play games for prizes and play on the playground. When he turned his ticket in for his prize he was mad cause it was a baby toy! Not quite sure why they had all baby leap frog toys for the age group 0-4 when most of the kids were 3 and 4, oh well. He likes his bus now!

Keegan and his ticket

On the train with Brodie

Mad about the baby toy!

Keegan and Grandpa Denny waiting to play games

Sophia relaxing and getting some sun for her jaundice

The Easter bunny came Sunday morning and hid eggs all over the living room! Then sent Keegan on a mission to find his basket which he finally found in the dryer. The bunny surprised him with a transformer that he has been wanting, Bumble Bee, a nerf shooter gun and a new monster truck and a bunch of yummy jelly belly jelly beans and some elmons (aka M&M's). After the hunt for his stuff, Chad, Grandpa Denny, Sophia, Keegan and I got ready for church. I tried on Friday to find a premie Easter dress for Sophie but that didn't work out so good! So she wore the outfit daddy got for her. Keegan looked handsome like normal!

Finding eggs in Sophie's swing

His basket in the dryer

My 2 cute kiddos!!!

Sophia dressed up for Easter

Rocking out

2009-04-11T11:21:00.000-04:00

Chad said I HAD to share this picture of him and Sophie! So here it is!!!

Rockin' out to Rock Band

First of the visitors

2009-04-10T17:53:00.000-04:00

Chad's dad got here this afternoon and is the first of the visitors that we will be having. Keegan is so happy that his grandpa is here! Sophia doesn't know what is going on but she gets to be spoiled! Other than that, we got out of the house today to go look for a premie dress to fit her for Easter Sunday but had no luck. I wanted her looking all cute and girly, but I guess what will have to wait. We are also working on trying to get her and Keegan dedicated in the next couple of Sundays! Chad is reenlisting this up and coming week, I have a dr. appt, Sophia has her appt. and then my mom and grandma come to visit for a week. We will be having a busy rest of the month and of course you will all be updated. And oh yeah, Sophia's cord fell off this afternoon so she can finally have her first real bath!!! Look forward to those pictures!

Sophia update

2009-04-10T17:49:00.000-04:00

I thought I would quick before I forgot post a weight updated and jaundice updated. On Monday before I was admited, she was 6lbs 8.8 oz. Which is what she was when we left the hospital on Saturday and her jaundice level was 14.5 or something like that, it was 9.something when we left. Wednesday when I was let go her weight was 6lbs 9oz and her jaundice level was 13 so it went down a little. She goes in for her 2 week check up on the 16th! I still can't believe she is a week old already!!!

In the swing

Ready for church, looking pretty

Keegan being a big helper while mommy was in the hospital, helping daddy

Looking so much like Keegan!

He loves his sister!

Sophia's Birth Story

2009-04-10T17:01:00.000-04:00

Everything started Monday March 30th. I had a WIC appt that we (Keegan and I ) sat around for 3 hours for!!! My ankles have been swelling on and off for the last 2 or 3 weeks so I didn't think anything of how swollen they were. Finally after getting home after the appt. Keegan went to

watch a movie and Chad and I swere watching a different one in the living room. I just so happened to roll my pants leg up and realized I was swollen on my calfs. Decided to take a warm bath and then go and put them up. When I got in the tub, I just happened to push on my legs and both calfs up to my knees left indents for about a minute! It was gross. I called to Chad and he said to go lay in bed and put them up with ice. I did that and then went to sleep.

Woke up Tuesday, March 31st morning and my legs wer e still the same. After not being sure what to do, if it was just normal swelling or if I should call, I decided to call Women's Health and leave a message for the nurse. She suggested after I told her what was going on to go to Labor and Delivery or Dr. Medina had an appt open and that if I took that appt I should still be ready to stay awhile because he would probably send me up to labor and delivery anyway for a NonStress Test and all that stuff. Well my appt. was at 10:45 so I am running around before like nothing is going on, running errands and stuff. We get to the appt. (Keegan is with me, cause Chad is at work) and they take my blood pressure, 145/90, that is the highest it had been,weight me 201, then Dr. Medina comes in and asks a bunch of questions especially about the headache I had started to get on the d rive to the hospital. Then he takes a look at my legs.....pokes them once sees the indent and says, I am sending you up to labor and delivery, you will probably b e there awhile for a NST and IF they send you home you will probably be back. He kept saying IF, like he knew I would be having her sometime in the next day or so.

Before I go up to labor and delivery, I had to run to the lab to do a urine test and blood tests. Then I head up to labor and delivery, Col. Paden (my midwife) was on duty that day so she was up there. They hooked me up to the machines and about 20 mins later she walks in and is like What are you doing up here? Let me see these legs that everyone is talking about! So she does the reflex test and I was a +3 which is pretty bad, I was basicly almost kicking her in the face! LOL Then I find out I am having contractions, pretty good ones about every 3-5 mins that I am not feeling. Paden kept debating about inducing because I had just turned 37 weeks the day before. AFter about an hour and 30 mins she moved me to an exam room and did an ultrasound to check the fluid level around Sophia and asked, what are we having again? And I said well we have been told 2 times girl and she confirmed that, which made me happy because I was so afraid she was going to come out a boy. The fluid level looked good, so she checked me and I was still at 1 cm so she asked if she could strip my membranes to try and get things going, that way if I went into labor on my own they didn't have to make the decission about inducing. After she did that, she got back on the phone with Dr. Baacke, the head of Women's Health and a Fetal Specialist and gave me some tylenol for my headache. She came back in like 10 mins later and said, after talking with Dr. Baacke, they didn't want to induce right then and there, they told me to go home, get something to eat to possibly help my headache, lay on my side and if in 2-3 more h ours I felt like crap to call and come right back and and they would more than likely induce. I went home, stopped to get some McDonald's, went home ate in bed, laid down for and fell asleep for about an hour and half and woke up with a headache even worse. So around 5 (I got home around 130-2ish) I called Labor and Delivery, told them what was going on and they told me to come right back in. So Chad and I got Keegan ready to go to Tori's house and then Chad had to stop and get some snacks and a book, we finally made it to labor and delivery around 7. They took me first to a tirage room and was there for about an hour, still pumping out small contractions I wasn't feeling and when they checked I was almost a 2 so stripping my membranes helped alittle. After an hour or b eing in the triage area they decided to induce because of possible pre eclampsia so I got moved to a labor and delievery room.

Everything from there started to happen kind of fast, I got rehooked up to the monitors and Paden inserted a Foley Balloon into my cervix. That is what dialates you to a 4 and when it gets to a 4 it falls out. That was around 8:30ish. I started having some smaller contractions that I was starting to feel. I was getting checked on every 30 mins, getting my blood pressure check and everything (it was still kind of high) They kept asking why I wasn't resting. Let's see, having some painful contractions I can feel, my blood pressure cuff going off every 30 mins and then the nurse (who I LOVED) coming in to check on me. At one time, Sophia's heartrate dropped down to the 80's and about 5 nurses ran into check what was going on, but she was just moving around and didn't want to stay on the monitor. Around 2am I had the nurse help me to the bathroom, it took awhile for me to go and when I finally did the foley balloon fell out. I had to call the nurse(good thing she was still in my room) because I had no idea what to do!!! She said, that is a good sign, helped me back to bed and went to get Paden. I was dialated to almost 5 and they said when I needed to I could get the epidural! I lasted till I think about 5am or so and then needed it. Chad kept saying are you sure? I was like definately time. So Chad leaves the room cause he can't stand needles and they start the epidural. After 5 pokes in one spot to find out that epidural space was too small and 3 more pokes higher up they got it working. Made me feel so much better!!! Around 7:45am-8 ish the epidural started wearing off on the left side and I could feel everything on the left and nothing on the right. They brough a different dr in and he said we can either give you move meds or redo the epi. I decided for the more meds. At 815am they checked me because I started throwing up and they said that was a good sign, I was 7 cm and my water broke. There was meconime (sp) in it so they told me when it was time they didn't want her to breathe so the could suction her out. The dr. came and put more meds into my epidural, which didn't help at at. Around 8:30, I was in tears cause it hurt so much and I was feeling pressure so I told Chad he needed to go get the nurse. He was about the push the call button and I yelled at him saying I couldn't talk through that and he needed to get them now!!! As my new nurse (who was also awesome) was coming in a different nurse came in asking if I was the one that felt like pushing ans she told her no (the girl next to me was). She then checked me and was like WOW you are complete!!!! So she had me do one push just to see and told me to stop she was going to get Dr. Kiprano who had just come on to duty. They started to get everything ready and I felt like I was going to be sick again. So Sat up with help, got sick, then they laid me down and had me push again. I pushed 1 and 1/2 times and the nurse told me to stop because Sophia's head was half way out! She yelled for Dr. Kiprano and in one more push Sophia was born at 8:45am. She was 6lbs 14oz and 18 inches long.

Sophia Rose just born!

All Cleaned off!

I didn't tear at all which was GREAT. They got her all suctioned out and good. They had some problems getting the placenta out but they said that is because I progressed so fast, Dr. Kiprano had to hold some pressure because I was bleeding quite a bit too. AFter all of that though everything was good.

Keegan Meeting Sophia for the first time!

Mommy and her kiddos!Daddy and Sophia

Keegan holding Sophia for the first timeHappy family!

The next day around 5pm they took my blood pressure and it was way to high so they had to start me on Mag. Sulfate for 24 hours and blood pressure meds. It seemed to help and I had to stay 48 extra hours so on Saturday we were finally released. They told us to come back Monday for a Jandice and weight check on Sophia.

Monday I took Sophia in and told them how I was feeling and about my headache. They asked when the last time I had my blood pressure checked and I told them Saturday when I was discharged. Well the took it and it was 165/108 and my reflexes were +3! The nurse ran to call the dr. and within 5 mins I was readmitted. They rushed and got the hard parts of the bed covered in case I would have a seizure, took my pressure again and it was like 165/ 110!!! They started the Mag and I was back in the hospital for another 48 hours! While I was there they did an ultrasound of my liver and I had some fatty bright spots so I had to get a ct scan, which came back clear even though the ultrasound showed stuff. I finally got to come home Wednesday. I am on blood pressure meds for at least another week when I go back to get checked and they told me to make another appt. with nuero to get some different meds for my headaches.

So That is Sophia's story, sorry it is so long!

And then there was 4

There is a reader in the house.

My new favorite thing for Sophia

Sophia's 9 Month Check up

October Picture Review

Christmas and the last couple of months

Bad Blogger

Jobs, Stairs, and Fun!

Oct 15. Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day

Our weekend

More updates videos

Sophia Picture updates!

Short Answers

6 Months!!!

Apple Pickin'

What a week!!

Short Answers

Just some randomness

Sorry!!!

So We Don't forget

Shorts Answers Tuesday

If you don't want your stuff wrecked...

Visitors

Keegan's first Day of Pre-K

Are you serious?? Already??

Sophia's Room and video or 2!

Sophia's 4 month (almost 5 month) Check Up

Short Answers

Short Answers

Videos

Walter Reed Trip

The Cute Kids

Playing in the yard

National Zoo

Some random pictures

D.C.

Random Pictures

Sophie gets her ears pierced

Naval Academy

Movers

Moving

The Day of Sophia's Surgery!

Rainy day fun!

Sophia's Surgery

Fact Sheet: Tongue-tie (Ankyloglossia)

Blue Berry Picking and The Pool

Wisconsin Trip pictures (FINALLY)

Big Girl! (2 month update...alittle late)

Bunch-o-updates

Keegan and his Best Buddy!

Blue Angels!

April Fun!

Grandma Wendy and Great Grandma Visit

Beautiful kids

Re-enlistment

An update

Dedication

Mellissa and Sophia Dr. appt update

Some Studio Shots

Sophia and Mommy

Happy Easter!!

Rocking out

First of the visitors

Sophia update

Sophia's Birth Story