new clothes

I bought Kate a few new things, trying to decide what to put her in for pictures. She was so goofy when we were trying stuff on that I had to take a few quick pictures. Her face says it all...

Afternoon crazies

I {heart} these goofy kids!

Shhh - don't tell Daddy that Brett is pulling on the gate!

This is my girl - car in mouth, pilllow on floor, looking cute as always :)

No - he's not picking his nose! He's touching his finger to his lips like we learned at Rhyme Time today.

Note: Check Jenn's page too - there are new pages posted!

Friends - the 2nd generation

I think that Kate made a new friend today! My friend, Caroline, came over today with her little girl, Hannah. Caroline & I have been friends since the 8th grade, when her family moved to Apex. We survived high school together, and we lived together our first two years at Carolina. Then we were in each other's weddings, and then we were pregnant at the same time! Hannah and Kate are only 2 days apart. Who would've guessed that's how things would've played out back when we were in the 8th grade!



Anyway, Brett and Kate loved having Hannah over here to play. The three kids had a great time! Hannah apparently shares our kids' love for Puffs and Goldfish. She also loved to give Kate kisses and hugs. Kate wasn't so sure about that part, but went along with it anyway :)



We really have to get together with them more often!

Big girl!

We took Kate for her 1 year well-check today. Despite the crying (read: massive, angry screaming), she did quite well! She is finally growing and gaining like she's supposed to! Here are the stats from today's appointment:

Weight - 18 pounds, 15.5 ounces - about 20th percentile
Height - 30 inches even - about 70th percentile

The good news is that she went up from her 10th percentile mark in April. It's a little surprising how tall she is, but we'll take that too! She only needs to gain a little over a pound before she can face forward in the car. We're almost there!

As to baby James, the update from yesterday is that the balloon procedure went well. They're now watching his tricuspid valve, but they're hoping that it corrects itself since the procedure went well. Keep sending prayers - they're working!

Pillows!

So, apprently this is what they do while Mommy's working all day! What funny little kids we have!

Kate LOVES to play with the pillows! Yes, she really is biting it - this is why I don't have nice pillows yet :)

What a little ham!

Daddy, I see you!

Ahhhh :)

That's a mischevious little smile!

Sweet baby James!

For those that don't know, Jenn's cousin, Anne & her husband, Neil, welcomed their new baby boy into the world on Thursday. James Carter weighed in at 9 pounds 13 ounces and was 22 and 3/4 inches long. According to his big sister, Josie, he is "enormous." He is the cutest (and probably one of the biggest) newborns I've ever seen!

Later in the day, they found out that James has a condition called pulmonary stenosis - basically a defective pulmonary heart valve - that causes the heart to have to pump extra hard to get blood from the heart and into the lungs so that the oxygenated blood can get to the rest of the body. According to James's many doctors this is one of the "better" conditions to have if you have to have one at all as it is fairly easily treatable. James was transferred to the NICU at UAB on Friday and will be undergoing a balloon procedure early in the week. PLEASE keep James and his family in your prayers as I'm sure this is an emotionally exhausting and physically exhausting adventure for all. As we have seen with other friends' and relatives' babies, prayers can do miraculous things!

Hugs to all!

mommy & kids brunch

This morning we got together with our friends for a mommy & kids potluck brunch. I actually remembered my camera AND extra batteries this time :) I think the kids had a great time and really played well together. The mommys all enjoyed the yummy food!

Here's the breakdown of the pictures (left to right starting at the top left):
1. Ava & Olivia Crater
2. Kate Lopez - not too sure what's going on
3. Ava Crater - going shopping with her new found shopping cart
4. Brett Lopez - playing with any and all cars that he can find
5. Joanna reading "Pinocchio" to her girls - Elanor & Evelyn Mericle
6. Emily Jong is reading "The Hungry Caterpillar"
7. Ally Crater & Brett are playing in the very cool wagon (we have one too!)
8. Olivia is playing in the play kitchen - maybe she's helping with brunch?!
9. The little house is a big hit with all of the kids
10. Brett & Ally stacking blocks while it turns around
11. Elanor is working on puzzles
12. Isabella Jong sat at the table waiting for someone to pass her a snack
13. Ava eating lunch
14. Olivia eating lunch and being a little ham saying "cheese" for the camera
15 & 16. Elanor & Ally playing together, away from the little kids

I do NOT <3 Olan Mills

What a freakin' fiasco! So, it's time for the church directory - no biggie - you sign up for a time slot, go in, say cheese, be on your way. Riiiight... Our original time slot was for tomorrow night, but Todd's games got rained out last week so he has to play tomorrow. At first, I was going to just cancel the appointment and figured we'd get in the directory the next time around, but when I looked on the site today at lunch-time, they actually had several spots open for early evening. I talked to Todd and we decided that we'd scramble around and get stuff ready so that we could make it to the church for our 5:25 appointment. I was kind of excited seeing as how we haven't had any professional pictures of the kids since November (I know - such bad parents). We get there and check-in and the volunteer (from the church) says that they're running a little behind and that there are four families in front of us. Now, mind you - this is at 5:20 (a few minutes before our scheduled appointment time) - and we have seriously busted A$$ to get there on time, all ironed, diapers changed, kids happy, etc.

An HOUR later, we finally get called back to get our picture done. The kids had been doing really well, but I could tell that Kate was tetering on the point of no return, and I was right. She did really well for the family shot - laughing at the goofy photographer, etc. Brett was as cooperative as you would expect a 2 year old to be, and Todd and I just sat there and smiled at the frog on the camera like we were told to do. Then he put Kate & Brett on this little bench together, playing nicely, while he took a picture of just Todd & I. Fine, no big deal. Then he moves the bench from the floor up onto the table and Kate FREAKED OUT! That was officially the point of no return. Needless to say, we didn't get any pictures at all with just the kids. Kate was upset, Brett didn't want to sit beside her, etc. etc. etc.. What a night!

After all of that, we had to look at our pictures. The family picture was decent, and we got one free 8x10 out of the deal, so we signed up for that and left. Thank GOD for Portrait Innovations and early morning appointments when both kiddos are happy :)

Happy Birthday, baby girl!

I can't believe our baby girl is ONE YEAR old already! It was funny to go back and look at the pictures from her first few months... we've gone from a newborn who cried half the night to a tiny, cute, giggly toddler. It's amazing to watch her learn new things every day - something she couldn't do a week ago and now she's a pro! Here are a few of her latest and greatest:

• Signing - all done, more, bye bye, no (that's her favorite)


• Talking - she tries to repeat as much as she can, but she can regularly say mama, dada, car, ball, bottle, and a few others on occassion


• Puts her head down on a pillow and says "ahhhhh" with a big smile because we say "aw, how cute"


• She likes to make a clicky sound with her tongue and blow rasberries


• Cruising along the furniture like a little machine


• Goes up AND down the stairs - yay!


• Likes to play "chase" with Brett (that's what they're doing as I type this)


• Teeth - we're up to EIGHT


• Standing on her own for up to a minute


• Walks holding one hand, and can take several steps by herself before she lunges for the nearest object


• Meals - she's a toddler and becoming increasingly more difficult to feed because her attention span is so short! Her favorite is still Gerber Garden Veggies, but she's also eating more and more table food too.


• She's still pretty bald, except for one spot in the back that her hair is decently thick - everyone assures us that she won't be bald forever (I hope they're right!)


• She's still tiny - MAYBE 18 pounds??? She'll be facing the back of the car for awhile longer. She has to be 20 pounds - come on baby girl!


• She loves the water - any water - and loves to splash, hard! I entertain her at Todd's softball games by filling her stroller tray with water and letting her splash. I figure it cools her off too :) We'll see how she likes the ocean next month!


• She LOVES LOVES LOVES Elmo, or "po" as she calls him


• Her crib is getting increasingly more crowded - she now sleeps with her pink cotton knit blanket, a teddy bear, and a pink poodle/blanket thingie, and 2 pacifiers if she's teething - we call them the "magic pacis" because it's the only thing that'll get her back to sleep! She doesn't suck on them - she chews on them and bangs them together.


• After dinner, she lays her head down on your shoulder and cuddles until it's time to go to bed.


• She gives open mouth kisses - seriously. She'll even slip you some tongue if you're not careful! We need to nip this before she turns 16!

Night at the DBAP

We decided to enjoy the sunny, rain-free weather and head out to the DBAP (Durham Bulls Athletic Park) to catch an early game with Memere & Poppy. The game was at 5:00, and Kate usually eats at 6:30, so we weren't sure how they were going to do, but they were outstanding! Brett wanted the bull to go (i.e. - blow smoke, and make noise, and the eyes turn red), but nobody hit a home run, so he was out of luck on that one. Maybe next time...

Actually the beginning of the game - I think he was tuckered out from running from the deck all the way to the game!

Kate's checking it all out - trying to figure out how to get down and GO!

Brett was SOOO hot (it was 94 degrees outside) - he didn't want to drink the water, so we dumped it on his head instead!

Do you see the water dripping off his chin?

The closest that we came to a meltdown the entire night - and it was quickly resolved.

What goofy boys!

P-A-R-T-Y

Kate's party went so well! The weather was absolutely PERFECT - really really hot, but bright blue sunny skies (as opposed to the rain that we had all week long). I was relieved that it didn't rain!!! I think that all of the kids had a great time! Thanks to everyone who came over to help us celebrate our baby girl's big day (a few days early).

Happy 4 years!

To my wonderful husband, happy anniversary! I can't imagine my life without you. I love you!

Step-by-Step

She walks!!!! She can only do 2 very wobbly steps before she just lunges for whatever is near her, but she did it, multiple times... it wasn't just a fluke one time thing! Our neighbor was over for a little playtime with her kids and she saw it too, and then Kate did it again for Todd at dinner. Woo hoo! Yay baby Kate!

Note: there are no pictures or video, yet....

*almost* party time!

I can't believe our baby is going to be ONE in a week! Where did this year go? It has seriously flown by! As much as we give Kate a hard time due to her "el destructo" nature, she's brought so much joy to our lives. I couldn't imagine our family without her. It's so amazing to sit back and watch she and Brett laugh over something as silly as knocking over a tower of blocks - they really are a pair and I'm sure it's only just the beginning.


Everyone informed us that we can't play favorites - whatever you do for the first, you must do for the second, so we're in the midst of planning Kate's 1st birthday party! It's going to be a pool party (think a few kiddie pools and about 10 little kids) - it should be highly entertaining. I just hope that her party doesn't involve a trip to the ER for me, or anyone else for that matter!


I still have a lot of work to do before Saturday (and 2 more shifts to work this week), but I did get the favors done tonight. I made little wrappers for the bubbles, and I included a beach ball and fruit snacks in the little bags as well. I even did some BLUE decorating for the boys since everything else is pink and green :)

Happy 4th!

While Mommy worked the day away doing controlled substance inventory, Daddy took Brett & Kate to the pool. Mommy caught up with everyone at Memere & Poppy's for dinner!

Our trip in review

Whew - we're home. We survived a screaming baby on a plane, a family-wide snotty nose, and lots of fun times. But we didn't take hardly any pictures :( Here's a little slide show of a few of the pictures that we did take. We'll have to get Grandma and Grandpa's pictures eventually because you KNOW that they took a ton!