A Little of Everything

Lets just say its been a while since I've been up here to give an update. The days the last couple of months have been long making these months feel like they are passing by slowly but in reality I can't believe we just finished getting the CHRISTMAS tree up and decorated yesterday. I mean Christmas already? For anyone that has been on Recruiting Duty knows it just flat out blows! During the weeks Mitchell will go as long as Two or Three Days with out seeing the girls. Their missons used to consist of a number and you'd fill with either males or females...whom ever you had the supply of. Now they want a certain amount of males and a female...well lets face it not very man girls grow saying I want to be a marine within a certain area. Currently there is a lot of Drama going on between my Husbands boss the command. Who's getting hurt in the cross fire? The guys in the office. Its flat out wrong and stupid. They're lucky if they get one day off again in a week because they are requiring them to find the female. They've even gone as far as delaying every ones leave. Which put Mitchell at risk of not being able to come out with us to see my Sister-in-Law graduate from OCS(Officer Candidate School). Luckily they grew some common sense and he will be able to go. So I'm off the charts happy about that! What that means for everyone Else's leave I'm not sure....hope things work out for them. I know they have a female going down on Wednesday...so hopefully that goes well for them.

In the meantime Mitchell has missed the ending of all the girls classes...from swimming to dance..to KalieAnn's Halloween parade at her school.

I have to also admit that when it comes to Recruiting Duty we have been very blessed. Last month was the first month in 2 1/2 years that they've missed misson and it was because they couldn't find a female. But because they were so good at making misson at the beginning of the month and the boss they had over the last year we were spoiled with time with Mitchell. We had a very fun summer.

The time out routine with Hannah is slowly starting to pay off...as long as I stick with it. I've had a fairly good week with her. The days I don't are when I trail off the time out routine or she's just rechecking her boundaries. I've also found a solution to the girls picking up their toys. I'll set the timer on the over...if its a fair size mess..I'll give them a half hour. If most the toys aren't picked up by the time it beeps I'll pick them up..put them in a box...and let them know they don't get them back until they can show me they can be responsible with the toys they still have in the toy box. It took a couple times for them to realize i was serious about it. Last night we did it and most of the toys were picked up so I added another ten minutes. 99% of their toys got picked up. So I feel that path is so far successful.

For now I am trying to catch up with my house and getting it fairly clean and ready for us to leave on our trip...on top of packing and getting us ready for our trip. Trip? Yup as you read above we are heading out Wednesday morning to Quantico, VA to see Mataya graduate from OCS. We are all VERY proud of her!! Go Mataya! Now For some updated Pics!

KalieAnn at her Dance Recital! I was so pleased when I found this shot!! I think is just a beautiful picture of my little Girl. I still look at her and can't help think she is growing up way too fast.

Our little trouble maker!! You wouldn't be able to tell just by this picture. She's getting soo big too! She's also become my little love/ cuddle bug.

She let me do her hair!! Now she doesn't have enough to do her first set of pig tails yet. But I hair sprayed her curls and put a clip in the front to get the hair out of her face. One of the few times my little Hannah looked really girly!! She is soo cute!

And Last but certainly not least!! Our little Alayna!!! I can't believe she's three months old and slowly getting on a good schedule. :) She's smiling and has a true laugh now. Soo cute!! Well I need to get pics sent to my mom..work on the house..pack make dinner and play with my girls in there!!

Divine Retribution

I have spent the morning chasing Hannah and grabbing markers out of her hands. Then to follow behind with one of those Magic Erasers to scrub my wall. I'm at a loss with Hannah. She's a stubborn little stinker or "snot" as my husband prefers. KalieAnn has always been a fairly easy stinker. She'd do something wrong, I'd spank her or put her intime out and she didn't do it again. Hannah one day went into the neighbors yard. here's what happened:
"Hannah!" (She turns and looks at me)
"Hannah come back in our yard!"
"No!"
"Hannah ifyou don't come back inour yard I will spank you!" (She turns ...lifts up her shirt and sticks her butt at me!)
Lately I have been trying the time out method because the girls have come to the idea that if they think they are doing something wrong they can hit each other. Spanking has currently gone out the door. I don't want my kids to think its okay to hit someone if they are in the wrong. I figure best way to stop that is to not spank them...all in all spanking is hitting right? SoI have been putting them on the stairs...something neither of them like. I tell you what..the days I can get something done around this house is when Hannah spends half the day in time out and the other half down for her nap. Why half the day in time out? Here's why:
Hannah loves to get into my stuff...tearing up knitting patterns, getting into stamp pads, and markers all over the walls. So I put her time out. A couple minutes go by...
"Hannah you ready tobe a good girl?"
"Uh Huh"
"You going to stay out of mommy's stuff?"
"No!"
"Then stay there a little while longer"
A couple more minutes go by...
"You goingto bea good girl and stay out of mommy's stuff?"
"No!"
"Fine stay there a little while longer"
A couple more mintues go by and I finally get a "Uh huh." I feel maybe I've been successful and she gets up and empties out the kitchen cabinet..my first words "Ughh!! Girl!" Back in time out she goes...and she'll keep this up. So far i think its starting to work except today we're right back into the routine. I'll call my mom and she calls it my Devine Retribution. Apperantly I wasa little Hellion...oh well. She keeps reminding me that being stubborn can be a good thing if pointed in the right direction. So I'm trying to point her in the right direction. I've just been having continous days of feeling like I want to bang my head against the wall. I am going to be spending today scrubbing the walls in their room to try and get the marker off and washing their sheet to get marker out of them. Then I will do my best to chase down every marker and crayon in this house and put them in a drawer in my room or hide them somewhere. I feel like I am loosing weight chasing her around. My pants are starting toget loose. So my daughter is not always goodfor a laugh and moments of wanting to bang myheadon the wall...shes good for helping me loose weight and keeping me busy.
My Husbands got one of his boss' back at work that is a complete jerk. This time around Mitchell is the second in command or "A Gunner" in their office. This boss is the kind of guy that doesn't do his work...he has someone else AKA my husband for him. So he's back to working the long hours. He hasn't been home before eight or even say nine this week. Now this guy is taking leave aka vacation because the work is getting to hard for him! What work? My husbands doing it all! Second must be nice to be able to just leave when things get rough! I'll be soo happy when we leave this place. Anywhoo...I've got to get off to cleaning and making lunch.

Craft Projects

I love doing crafts!!! There's no better feeling ....well outside watching your kids grow and accomplish something new that makes them extremely proud of themselves..than to accomplish a project you have set out to do. This family I have feeling is going to be very creative. Mitchell and I both love creating things...just in very different ways. We have two toy boxes that Mitchell has put together...one with the help of his Mom. He's also made plaques for the guys at his work that leave. Needless to say he is really good at making projects and he loves doing it. Its too bad that he doesn't have the time to get all the projects he'd like done done. I'm also very thank full that his Mom raised him to do anything he needs to do to make it on his own...she even went as far as teaching him to crochet. Does he crochet? LOL No but when I get stuck on one of my projects he's REALLY good at helping me out. If I have to pull rows out in knitting he's there to help! It's Awesome!

Projects I have Finished!

I have finished a couple of baby blankets. One was made for a little boy. It has been finished for a while now...I just have yet to mail it to the person it will belong too. I keep telling myself next pay day...well things keep coming up. So one Saturday Mitchell has off we will be full of boxes to mail out.

Here's the blanket. Its from one of those Quick Knit Baby Afghan pattern books. I'm not sure this is the best picture of I could have taken but I really like that variegated yarn mixed in with the white yarn. This...as most knit patterns I do are the basic knit and pearl stitches. I don't consider myself an advance knitter. I've thought about signing up for a class on learning how to knit at Joanns...so I can learn some new techniques and read other patterns better.

The Next project I've finished just need to weave in the loose ends on the wash cloths is what I do for most my friends having babies. A baby blanket with two wash clothes! This was a pattern I was really excited about finishing it the first time! Its not just the basic knit and pearl pattern. As you can see it has Holes in it!!! I was soo excited when I taught myself that technique. This is yet another project that needs to get mailed lol. See what I mean about boxes? lol

These next two are the wash clothes that I have sitting on top of the blanket. I've noticed with variegated yarn its hard to see the pattern. But oh well!

Now for the projects that are under construction...

Now here are bunch of wash clothes that all I really need to do to them is weave in the ends. From one of the big rolls of variegated yarns I think I could have gotten 11 wash clothes out of it with the pattern I used. But I stopped at ten because I want to try and make the girls some Barbie Suitcases out of it for Christmas...we'll see if I can figure out the pattern.
These are the other color wash clothes I am going to try and make for Christmas. The green wash cloth that is in progress here will be partnered with one of the others up top for a Christmas present. The other two rolls of yarn you see here will be paired together.

Here is a baby blanket I am currently working on. I need to start another as soon as I decide which one gets this. I have been in constant debate with myself on wheter or not this is a neutral blanket because I didn't realize the knit pattern had hearts in it. But you can only tell its hearts unless you look closely. So I think I've made the final decision that it is.

Last but def. not least I am making two 8X8 books for our Moms..his and mine..of our little family. This is from two falls ago the pages you are seeing. Well..I need to go get something accomplished today!!!

Growing Up

Have you ever had one of those moments where you look at your kids and you want to cry because there isn't anymore baby left in them at all?I love that my kids are growing up healthy and happy...but for some reason I get sad when I realize how fast she is growing up. KalieAnn is growing up soo fast!! Saturday we got a package from my friend Jenn for KalieAnns birthday. She got her a Really cute outfit...childrens size 5. Mitchell pulled the pants out of the bag and we looked at each other "Those are huge!! They probablywont fither till next but extremely cute!" KalieAnn grabs them puts them on and THEY FIT! Before I forget Jenn thank you bunches for it! Back on subject...It was just one of those moments where I was looking at our daughter and realized how tall she really has gotten...thenthe next thought..Hannah has been following KalieAnn pretty steady...a good four to six inches shorter than her. Hannah is now starting to wear some of KalieAnns old 3T clothes!! Thats when the realization that not only is KalieAnn getting big..but so is my baby Hannah. Then on top of ALL that I noticed Alayna's 3 month pajamas are getting small on her too. All that wasleft that was clean in her drawer was a 6month pajama outift. I put it on her expecting it to be huge on her..of course not...It Fit!!!!! Its a little big for width wise but length it fit perfectly....well now that I have that out of the way...I have a couple things regarding KalieAnn to update on.

First thing First. I went to drop her off at school this morning and I was handed her proofs for her school picture. They turned out so cute but why soo expensive? Can anyone please tell me that? Its ten dollar a sheet and they consider an 8X10 one sheet! Or its 26 an image to get put on CD and theres two images! If they weren't cute pictures we'd be set...I wouldn't even worry about it but they are absolutely adorable!!! I scanned them and put them on here so you could see how adorable they really are.

Just so everyone knows My Mom made that dress!!

Second update. Mitchell...whats theword...it was just on the tip of my tongue...dis something...disconnects? from this unit on the 15th of March. So I was talking to my friend Brooke about our girls and schools. She gave me the information line on Camp Pendleton to call about getting KalieAnn in schools. She also informed me that I need to do it now because they have wait lists. So I called and they got me connected to the School Liazon. She told me that ifI got KalieAnn on the waitlist now that by the time we move out there she should be able to slide right in and finish the school year. Heres the REALLY great news!! The cut off datethey haveout there for kids to start kindergarden is December 2nd which means KalieAnn WILL..theres no MAYBE IFS OR BUTTS..she said WILL be starting Kindergarden next year!! For those ofyou wondering why it was such a big IF..out here in Minnesota the cut off date is September 1. With her birthday on the 1st of October if wewere tostay out here she wouldn't be starting kindergarden till she is almost 6. All because of a silly birthday! So I'm thrilled!!!

Orders

Our order have finally come!!! Mitchell hasn't received them yet but the Sgt. Major called and told Mitchell we're heading to Cali! Its nice to finally know where we are going!! I've been having mixed feelings about it...just because I know he will be deployed again. When he went to Iraq in 04' it wasn't easy and I didn't have any kids then! I hear it goes faster though when you have kids. I'm just VERY thankful to be getting out of here and close to family again! My Mom and Dad are already finding parks close by that they can take the girls to. I keep thinking to myself "Yay we'll get to feel like a couple again!" The last time we were able to go out on a date was back in March when my Mom came out to visit for Hannah's Birthday. Usually we get to always have one in November for the ball but this year I won't be attending. Why you ask? It's way too expensive. It would cost us over $400 to go to this thing. They want $60 a ticket...so there would $120...then you add $36 a kid for child care since we don't have the luxury of having family or very many friends in the area...plus its two and a half hours away so it would have to be an over night stay...which also adds the cost of a hotel...$99 a night. you add all that up and you get $327. Not including the gas and food it would take or a dress! Its expensive and right next to Christmas and then moving two months after that! Its almost like the higher ups forget that we aren't made of money!!! Unfortunately its mandatory for Mitchell to go and they get paid back for the gas..food and hotel later on. So what we are thinking about doing is joining him at the hotel since we will eventually get reimbursed for that but I won't be attending the ball. Who knows I still might just stay home. So we will see that's still all up in the air. Right now we're getting ready for Halloween!

We went to the Pumpkin Patch yesterday at Berry Hill farm and got all our Pumpkins. Mitchell got a ginormous one that weighs more than KalieAnn and Hannah combined. KalieAnn and Hannah hada blast picking their pumpkins! However it really showed that KalieAnn can be quite the Girly Girl. Mitchell asked her if a pumpkin was a "KalieAnn Pumpkin?" and she responded at first "No, thats Mommys." He told hershe should pick it up and she responds "But its Dirty!" It was also funny to think about the difference in weather from last year when we went to this year. Last year the girls are in tank tops and shorts..this year we were in pants and a sweater. Well I must go make lunch my stinkers are telling me they havea rumbly in their tummy's!

So Busy!!

I thought I was busy with two kids!! I barely have anytime to even return phone calls these days...let alone send e-mails! Alayna had her ten day check up last week and she's doing Great! Our doctor would like to see her put a little more weight on but says she might be like me... Tall and Skinny. We also had Hannah's 18 month check up last Tuesday. Our doctor once again threw in a surprise for us! He has a tendency of doing that these days! Everyone minus Alayna got their flu shot! Hannah as usual is a big girl! She's now in the 80Th percentile for height and 69Th for weight! He said it's normal that her weight dropped since she's been more active.

KalieAnn also started preschool this week. We took her out of the one we had her in during the summer because it felt more like a day care than a Preschool. This one is an actual preschool done through a Lutheran Church. We attended Parent orientation last week and KalieAnn visited the next day to meet her teachers. Both KalieAnn and Hannah start swim classes at the YMCA tomorrow night and another class on Saturday mornings. So between classes and adjusting to life with another cute little one apart of our family things have been...well very Busy! I knew I'd be busy but I guess you just can't grasp the concept of how busy until they are here. Well I need to go Hannah just came downstairs with every ones toothbrushes!

An Experience to Rememeber!

Alayna's labor was...well...the most interesting of the three! The title sums it up best!! I think every labor is an experience that isalways going to be rememberedno matter what...but theres some that are just so out of the ordinary or interesting that just fits even more. So here's the story. Once we got to the hospital I was dialated 5cm and cervix still very stretchy. They didn't give me the patoson right away for two reasons. One they were busy and two they wanted to see where it would go on its own...to cut it short my labor pretty much stopped at 5cm. So 6:15pm rolls around and they decide to start me on the patoson to get it started. It took them 45 minutes to get the IV in. They'd get it in my vein and then the needle would puncture the side wall...they also said I had rolly veins...so they get it in...they get it started..they take my blood pressure in my arm they weren't able to get it in but had punctured my vein in two places. Where they poked it created a real nice bump in my arm when they took my blood pressure...so from there on out they took my blood pressure from my leg lol...to be honest that was the first I had heard of that. The contraction didn't really get started till 9pm...they didn't get really pain full and working till 9:30pm...10:30pm rolls around. My doctor checked my cervix and I was 7cm dialated. So he popped my water. Needless to say the pain just went from Ouch!!! to OUCH!!!! So we let them know I wanted the pain meds that were a step down from an epidural...but couldn't tell you the name of it if my life depended on it. While we're waiting the contractions are coming and so was this overwhelming feeling that I needed to push. I told Mitchell and his usual guy response "Well...Don't!" Yeah as if I can control that... but I figure okay I'll try...next contraction...feelings stronger and I can't stop it lol. So I tell him during it..."Get the nurse!" So he calls her in...she checks...still 7cm...and the pain guy shows up. They got me into position on my side for him to give it to me...contraction comes...my body is pushing HARD! So I scream I've gotta push...nurse checks...runs to the call button to get the doctor "in here now!" My doctor had enough time to run from the desk...get his gown and gloves on..turn around and catch Alayna! We didn't even have time to move me onto my back!! I delivered her laying on my side. Mitchell and the nurse had to hold my leg up to let Alayna out the rest of the way. She was born at 10:59pm. She was 8 pounds 8 ounces and 21 inches long. Here's our new little blessing! Luckily you can't see it in the pictures but since she came out so fast...She has a bruised little face.
I read to the girls Welcome to My World something or other...not sure of the title but its written by Brooke Sheild...very cute book.
Our first family shot after she was born.

Her first ride in her car seat.
The girls and I were waiting in the Lobby while Mitchell was pulling the car around. Well there it is!! Can you believe it!?! Alayna's here!!

Shock!!

I am labeling this post shock because I am currently still inshock. I am about to be running around the house getting things together for the girls and the toiletries in my labor bag! We went in for mydoctors appointment and while he was measuring Alayna I was having a contraction. All I knew was that he was hurting me when he was pushing on my stomach. He checked me to see if my water is leaking and with that contraction he started to get concerned. I am dialated 3-4cm and my cervix is stretchy. What concerns him is me having the baby at home.
Heres the reasons why:
1.) I had a strong contraction and barely felt it.
2.) My cervix is changing with them
3.) Mitchell had to literally talk me into going into the Hospital with Hannah and I was 6cm dialted.
4.) My labors are fast.
5.) Last night I kept waking up inpain but just rolling over and ignoring it.
6.) The worry of my water leaking.
So our Doctor is letting the hospital know we are coming and its looking like we'll have the baby soon! Like I said Iw as expecting to go to this appointment and come home and finish off my day. So wow!! Pray for us!!!

Update

My OB appointment was yesterday morning. Alayna is doing good. She was very active during the visit and her heart beat was at 150. There are times I swear our little stinker is literally trying to pull her way out and oh man it hurts. Her measurements are right on and the doctor said everything was looking good. He didn't check my cervix..he would have if I was curious. Lets face it..I am curious but not curious enough to voluntarily go through that. So naturally I said "I don't care...I'm curious but if I don't have to I'd rather not." So that's where it was left. My contractions are still hanging around. This morning I had a really strong one that led me to laying on the floor of my kitchen...now I've been having small ones here and there. Mainly just lots of pressure on my nerves.
Good news is that Mitchell took care of some of the things in the Nursery the night I posted the last update. He put the crib together and got the shelf in the closet fixed. I find myself sitting in the glider looking at the crib. I've been finding that very relaxing. Well I'm going to try to work on some laundry before I take the nap with the girls. That way I can feel like I accomplished something today.

Nursery!!!

Alayna's room is slowly but surely coming together!! Its been bugging me for sometime now that her room isn't done. I'm 36 weeks tomorrow and with both my previous pregnancy their rooms were done at this point. A lot of what needed to be done is on Mitchell's shoulders because I don't know how to hang curtain rods, fix shelves, let alone change the crib from being a toddler bed back into a crib. Plus we didn't have her bedding set. Last night Mitchell surprised me with one of the bedding sets I had been looking at earlier in the day and the stuff to fix the shelf in the closet!!! Now the shelf isn't fixed but I got right too making sure her crib set was washed, ironed, and on her crib!! Plus I moved the glider where I want it to be. We had it in front of the dresser to block Hannah from getting into the drawers and dumping the clothes out.

As you can see the crib still hasn't been put back together!!

See its slowly coming together!!! Still got quite a bit of work to do but yay!!!!

CO Trip

Our trip to Colorado was a blast! The girls didn't even want to leave...in fact when we were getting ready to leave here KalieAnn couldn't wait to get in the car and go see Grandma and Grandpa. We woke up at 5 am to leave...I headed downstairs expecting it to be a cranky morning...opened the door preparing myself to hear the whines...and to my surprise I hear KalieAnn "We go see Grandpa now?" It took me a second to register..cause well lets face it that's too early for your mind to be functioning properly anyway...at least for me. I look over at Hannah and she's sitting up looking at me waiting for the answer. I just said "yeah" and next thing I know my ears are filled with giggles and "Yays!!" So we fed them, got dressed and hopped in the car. While we were there the Girls had a blast playing, helping out around the ranch where they could, and just overall enjoying their time with their Grandparents. Now me being me..this should be no surprise for anyone that knows me...I took like 400 pictures. So when I had the chance this weekend I made some collage pictures for this blog.

Here is a group picture of everyone!!! From Left to right..Grandma Stevens, Mitchell, KalieAnn, Me, Hannah, Mataya, Mom and Dad!

Now here is a collage of the tree Mitchell cut down by their drive way. There was a big branch that leads over the driveway and it had a dangerous looking crack. Mitchell was concerned of it one time cracking and falling into the drive way. So he cut the tree down...it was dead. His Dad got done telling me later that sometimes when they cut the dead trees down, leave the stump there and the roots are healthy enough it'll grow back. Showed me some examples of it before.
Mitchell and the girls in the truck getting ready to drop the branches off up in the pasture.

This collage is of Mitchell painting the grainer thing. It was silver and got really hot out there in the summer days. So his Mom and Dad have been wanting to paint it white for sometime. Painting it white helps keep it about 20-30 degrees cooler. He learned that over a propane tank that they had that got over heated. People came out and painted it white. ...I learned a lot on this trip lol!!
Here is something else I learned about! Every year his Mom and Dad will go out and buy vegetables to can. We happened to be out there during that time. Mitchell bought us a box of Green Beans to do. So I sat there snapping green beans thinking about how nice it is to be able to just go in and buy it from the store. In reality I think I was just bored so the city girl in me came out. Mitchell snapped most...if not 99 percent of them. KalieAnn enjoyed helping him out. I got up and helped Mom can pickles! I learned that pickles are cucumbers!! And yes I really didn't know that! Mitchell and Mom also made tomato sauce and home made V8 Juice for Dad.
They also peeled, cut, cooked, preserved, and froze a bunch of carrots! I tell you what this was definitely a learning experience for me! Mataya helped with cutting and packaging part. Mitchell and Mataya still have that sibling war fair going on...mainly because my husband loves to be a brat! When he'd get done cutting the carrots he'd try to throw them in the bucket full of water just right to try to splash Mataya. It was very amusing to watch.

Here is a little collage of the girls. My favorite pictures of them.
We also enjoyed a Rockies Game with them. It was the first Rockies game that Mitchell attended that they've won. My Mom sent me a cute text that we should send Mitchell to the parking lot to achieve victory...I told we might have to...turns out we didn't. They won 8-2.

Our girls playing on Grandma and Grandpa's bike. I'm thinking its a Grandparent thing to have one of those bikes. My Dad's parents have always had one and in fact still do. James and I used to play on it.

Our Final Picture!! Mitchell and I when I turned 34 weeks. So a week and a day ago. This was taken just after Mitchell pretended to throw me in the stalk tank.

Now For a doctors update. I had my OB Appointment this morning. We rescheduled it because we ended up staying a couple more days. I have gained a whole pound. So my total pregnancy weight gain is 15 lbs. Which he said was still a bit low but doing well given the issues I had at the beginning of the pregnancy. The baby's heart beat has slowed down a little to 130 but still good. My tummy measurements were right on track. My body has also slowly started its dilating process. He said I'm shaped like a cone right now...its open enough in the front for him to get one finger in but closed where the baby is. He just wants me to take it easy. He said that this is normal for women that have had more than one kid but I am still two weeks till being considered full term. So if I start having more contractions he wants me to come in. Well that includes this update. I need to go and work on some laundry and dinner!! You know the exciting details in life!!!

Random Update

Now I can promise you this update is going to have LOTS of Pictures!! Last weekend we went out to Carthage, SD for the 4Th of July weekend. Now so some don't get confused...SD means South Dakota not San Diego...that has caused some common confusion. Its the second year we have gone. Mitchell's Mom and Grandma drive up there every year for the Potter Family Reunion. We really got to enjoy time with family. The pressure from Alayna and the cramps/contractions were there. Grandma came up with the idea to take a dish towel and tie it around my waist to help hold up my tummy. Help take some of the pressure off my pelvic area. She mentioned her Dr. recommended her trying it when she was pregnant with Mitchell's Uncle. It worked!!! I'm sure they probably have things specially for that now a days but a dish towel?!? lol Now to the Pictures!Group shot of Mom(Burke) holding Hannah, Mitchell, KalieAnn, and I!
Another Group Shot:
Mom(Burke) holding Hannah, Aunt Barb, and Grandma Stevens with our little KalieAnn in front!

Now the Girls had a blast playing in the Mud Puddles in front of Aunt Barbs house! One thing that is nice about a small town is that the girls were able to play out in the street and I didn't have to worry about it!! Now Did I leave them outside by themselves? Not for a very long time. To go in and go potty or get something.

As you can see up above we brought the girls bikes!
Hannah enjoyed putting the mud and water into the back of her trike!!
Even KalieAnn had fun in the mud puddle! Once she realized she was dirty she wanted clean...which is normal for our Girlie Girl. But we told her she had to wait to get cleaned up till she was done playing! Which after a small fight she did! She stayed dirty and played a while longer!

Can you tell this dog is truly loved? Hannah is Dodger's new Bud!!

Now for the Update on my Dr.s Appointment we had last Wednesday! Alayna is growing great and right on cue as usual!!!!! My uterus measurements, her heart beat and all my tests are right where they should be! He seemed a little concerned about my contractions and Pelvic Pressure. The doctor mentioned that it sounded like(which they are)the contractions are to random and too small to be doing anything but because i am showing these signs 4 weeks earlier than normal to take it easy. I can do that when my girls allow me lol!!! Right now Hannah is being her monkey self! Climbing on whatever she can and getting into whatever she can. Our next Doctors appointment won't be till the 29Th because we will be heading out to Colorado on Wednesday for a couple weeks! Well I need to go figure out lunch!!! God Bless and We Hope Everyone had a Really fun 4Th of July weekend!

KalieAnn & Trip

I just realized this morning that I didn't come on and give the update on what we decided on with KalieAnn. Saturday afternoon we ended up going to Costco and getting her perscription filled. She wasn't acting any better or worse. She seemed to be at the steady pace of not wanting to eat much or do anything. We gave her her perscription and she started showing signs of improvements a couple hours later. Now our little girl is back. This weekend we are heading up to Carthage, SD to see family. KalieAnn is thrilled!!!Me? I'm as excited as my tired body will let me be. Mitchell is getting another 4 day weekend!!! He has Friday and Monday off. Then on the 15th we plan on heading down to Colorado to see some more family for a little while.
We were thinking about doing a road trip to California and Colorado to see both of our families but decided against it for a few reasons. Reasoning behind not doing both is because I find myself stressed out at the end of them. When you do both it cuts your time short in both places which leaves little time to enjoy the vacation and enjoy the time we do get to spend with family. Now Why Colorado and not California?
Main reason is because I am 31 weeks pregnant this weekend. At my last Dr.'s appointment as you read Alayna is already head down. Since my last appointment I have started to feel some pelvic pressure, more legs cramps and just over all feeling of being uncomfortable. I don't remember being this uncomfortable with Hannah until I was 34 weeks. So the fact that its already starting makes us a bit nervous about traveling a really far distance. The only reason I haven't called the doctor yet is because Alayna is moving like crazy. Which tells me she is fine.
Second...we chose Colorado not only because it was closer but also because his Dad went into the hospital a few weeks back and is still undergoing some tests.
Third but final reason is because we are hoping to be moving there this upcoming March. Which means I will have plenty of time to spend with my family out in California. Are we for sure yet on whether or not we are getting California? No. But we should be able to find that out in October. I am also thinking about the girls and I flying out there the beginning of December for a few reason. One Alayna will be old enough and two my Best Friend that I have known since I was Four years old is due in the middle of December with their 1st baby and would love to be able to say I've seen her big and pregnant! lol. Anyway thats my long update for now! God Bless!

Dr.'s Appointment

Yesterday morning we spent two hours at our Doctors office. I had the sugar test done along with my OB appointment. Plus both the Girls were being seen. Hannah for her 15 month check up and KalieAnn because she hadn't been feeling well. Everyone but KalieAnn is Healthy lol!
Alayna is growing right on cue! She's head down already but nor far enough down to pose a concern. Her heart beat is still at 150. I also got permisson to travel till the 1st of August! So its looking we'll be taking a vacation but that is still all up in the planning stages.
Hannah is growing REALLY well as usual!!! We found out she is only 4 1/2 inches shorter than KalieAnn! No KalieAnn is not short lol..she is average...Hannah is just that tall!!! Sheis in the 96% for Height and 80th% for weight. She weighs 24.6 lbs and wearing 2T/3T clothes!
KalieAnn is fine except for some sores on her throat and fluid in her ear. She'd been running a fever, emotional(I know takes after her mommy!), and she wouldn't eat or drink much. Her fever finally broke yesterday. Soi think she's is slowly getting better...but it depends on the time of day. Makes it really hard for us to tell whether she is faking it for attention or she really isn't feeling that well. So we'll see how she goes today...if she doesn't improve much the Dr. gave us a perscription for her.
The only thing left to update is that I turned 25 last Thursday and Mitchell turned 27 Today!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY Hunny!!! Love ya!!

Potty Training

Hannah has somehow gotten the idea that she wants to start Potty Training. Amused thinking...yeah okay..she's too young for this but okay if she wants to try I'm game. Well Hannah would sit on her Potty every time either KalieAnn or I went to the bathroom. However she didn't go in her potty. She'd pee as she's playing. I'd explain to her that's Pee Pee and it needs to go in the Potty. Now I am not really known for my patience on certain things and needless to say my patience went fast with this. Like I tell Mitchell...I think she just wants to be like her Sister and Mommy and isn't quite at the age of understanding it yet. I ask Hannah if she wants to wear a diaper because I was tired of constantly of having to watch her and once again clean up a little ones Pee. Her Response "Nooo!!!!!" or "Ugh!(while pushing the diaper away)." First thought that came to mind "Fine!" Then next thought "Why am I always the mother that would rather her kids be in a diaper than Potty Train and yet wind up with the Kids that WANT to Potty Train early?" So two reasoning's came to mind.
One...I think because both times I've found myself in the Potty Training Stages I've been Pregnant. KalieAnn was finished being Potty trained by the time Hannah was born. Why such a big deal that it happens while your Prego? One I'm VERY emotional and Hormonal when I am pregnant and Two I was/am spending so much time in the bathroom. So when I potty train these two I REALLY feel like I live in the bathroom.
Two...I remember while growing up that my little brother whom is 10 yrs younger than me didn't Potty Train until he was four...and even then it took a little girl to get him to want to. So knowing that I didn't expect any of my kids to Potty Train early...I assumed that was normal...which from what I hear is for boys. So much to my surprise that KalieAnn wanted to start at 20 months old!! And Hannah will be 16 months on the 2nd!!
Now tonight I was getting the girls into the shower with me before bed. Before Hannah got in the shower she ran to her Potty...curious I just watched. she stood in front of it Peed..reached down to play in it...looked up and Smiled at me.."Pee Pee." I was like "Yeah!!! In the Potty Please!!!" So Maybe I'm wrong...maybe she is ready for this...we'll see!! My Grandma told me that out of all seven of her kids only two weren't Potty Trained by the time they were 18 months. My response! "Wow!" That SO unheard of these days!!! Well That's all that's really been new here! Tomorrow Morning is a doctors appointment for the girls and I.

No She is not Pooping!!! The Flash was just that bright!!! She has yet to actually Pee in her Potty!! She prefers to play in it while she's Peeing! Yup That's my Hannah for you!

Sippy Cups

Since Hannah was a year old we have been trying to get Hannah away from her bottles. Now weaning an infant off bottles was new to me. KalieAnn was nursed till she was 14 months old. So her juice she got straight from a sippy cup at a young age. Then weaning off me she went straight to whole milk in a cup too. Hannah stopped nursing at 6 months because my body just couldn't make enough. Now that I look back I think Hannah was and is a little piggy. I probably did make the same amount that I did for KalieAnn but wasn't enough for her. When I took her off nursing she drank 16 ounces of formula in one feeding!!!! Anyway the point is this is our first experience having to wean our cute little stinker off a bottle. I think we've had more pressure from WIC(Women, Infant, and Children) to wean her off than anyone else.
Here's a cute picture of our KalieAnn...our oldest stinker...I love their beautiful blue eyes!!!

Here's our other blue eyed stinker that we've been trying to wean off the bottles. Now for the past four months we were able to get her to drink juice out of the straw sippy cups but wouldn't budge on her milk. I called a friend that used to be a neighbor across the way from us in Okinawa, Japan that I knew had to wean her kid of bottles. She told me try to Sippy Cups at Walmart that have the soft tops like a bottle. The one you see in the picture above. Until last week she wouldn't budge on her milk! It had to be in a bottle! Well lets just say I didn't do a very good job of keeping track of where all her bottles went. So when I found them all dirty and in the dishwasher I realized I didn't have a clean bottle to put her to bed with...just sighed...realizing this might be a long night...grabbed that sippy cup..and told myself this will have to do for tonight...at least until the dishwasher was clean. I had to fight her a couple times about it but I finally told her "Look! All your bottles are icky!! This will have to do tonight!!! This is all Mommy's got!" I laid her down and handed it to her. To my surprise she took it and that was that. The next night came around and I asked Mitchell "She took it for her nap no problem...wanna try again?" He said sure. She took it no problem. So I don't want to jinx myself but I think my little girl is finally weaned off bottles!!! Now she is starting to fight going to bed...conquer one thing and a new one always comes up lol!! Gotta Love it!!!

Work In Progress!

Now here is the beginning of these Updates!!! Getting ready for Alayna to arrive!!! Its taking me sometime with her to finally get in the mood to pull everything out! With KalieAnn things were getting put away and in place the moment we got them in the mail. Things started getting put together like her bassinet and crib the moment we found out she was a girl. When I found out with Hannah that she was another girl I was ecstatic!!! I went and pulled all of the baby clothes out that afternoon!!! Granted we didn't get her crib until the month before she was born but oh well..clothes wise we were ready for her right away.With Alayna I was happy when we found she was a girl...a little disappointed for Mitchell if you want the whole truth..I really feel like he deserves a son. However at the moment God obviously feels otherwise. As a family Friend said it well...God obviously feels "he was meant to be around Women." Why its taken me till my friend came out last week to finally pull out Alayna's clothes...I dunno...maybe because its taken me that long to get excited about her and when that time came around we were so busy doing other things that getting her stuff pulled out kinda got pushed back on our priority list.
The other thing that made it hard to get the room read was the girls were staying in that room. Last weekend Mitchell took the twin bed that was sitting in that room by the window downstairs in the girls room. During the last week and a half Hannah has decided that she no longer wants to sleep in her toddler bed but the twin size. We'd tell her it was time to go nigh nigh's and she would run to her twin bed! Our original plan was to get a new crib because I didn't want to rush Hannah out of her toddler bed. So when we went to do our furniture shopping we got the dresser that was on sale because we were under the impression we were going to have to buy a new crib. Might as well just match the crib to the dresser. So now we're debating on whether or not we should buy a new crib. We are also going to buy a new glider because Mitchell leaned to far back on it...as if it was a rocking chair and snapped the back support off. So now if you lean if a little to much on the back you run the risk of falling backgrounds. But the crib thing is all up in the air at the moment!! Do you think we should get a new crib? Or do you think its okay her furniture won't match lol? Anyway...here are some pics of the room at the moment...

There's the Crib in question. You wouldn't believe all the toys that I had to pick up off this floor lol. These kids have too many toys!! The two toy boxes Mitchell made...remember those? Yeah they are OVER filled!

Here's the other half of the room. The twin bed was along the wall where that window was....ended up moving it along the wall next to the dresser...Hannah would tear apart the blinds...Another thing we need to fix before the baby's born. Along with putting up curtains.

Now as I show her clothes keep in mind these only go up to her 3/6 Month clothes. So here are her outfits that I have gotten hung up.

Her top drawer is filled with her spanky pants, socks, hats, and Bibs.

No here are her pants, shorts and skorts!
Last but not least her Pajamas!!!

Now here is the pile of her clothes that go up to 9 months! Half of this pile is in the washing machine waiting to go into the Dryer....that right there should give you an idea of how big this pile really is!Its going to take me at least two big loads to wash these! So when I say she doesn't need anymore clothes!!! At the moment I mean it!!! We'll see how fast she grows out of them and what season she is in for them. So this includes my update on the baby's room.! Well I best get to organizing more of these clothes. Now that the Tupperware container from these are empty it leaves a place for all the clothes that are current girls are growing out of!