Posted in Daily life

I have been tagged to do a meme by Heather.


Okay, so here are the answers to the questions:

Three Things...

...THAT SCARE ME: losing a family member, spiders, snakes

...I LOVE: God, my family, getting our Sonlight order aka. BOX DAY.

...I HATE: VA drivers, hypocrites, fish (except tuna from a can)

...I'M DOING RIGHT NOW: typing, watching Ice Princess, and listening to Kayleigh chatter over the baby monitor when she should be napping.

...I CAN DO: not much, LOL.  I can change diapers, teach my children, and put him with my hubby's craziness.

...I CAN'T DO: beat my bil, Donny, at Monopoly, get my baby to take a bottle or a paci, sing without hurting people's ears

...THAT ARE MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE FOODS: milk chocolate, sweet potatoes, spinach artichoke dip.

...SHOWS I WATCHED WHEN I WAS A KID: Family Ties, The Cosby Show, Rainbow Brite.

If you read this you've been tagged.  =o)

Posted in homeschooling

As we finished our regularly scheduled science, we raised painted lady butterflies.  Here is Kenzie releasing them, 9 out of 10 survived.

We had some stubborn ones that didn't want to leave.

Can you see it hiding?  Kenzie was excited about see God's camoflauge plan in action.

Posted in homeschooling

Try, try as we might Kayleigh refuses to take a bottle (or a paci for that matter.)   Kevin really enjoyed giving Mackenzie a bottle once a day and there's nothing like a milk-moustashed little smile grinning up at you during feeding time.  He is disappointed not being able to share that with Kayleigh.

Not to mention the fact that I am not able to leave the house without her or better yet, have her leave the house without me.    My husband just came home from Iraq and we haven't been able to go out for a date and it isn't looking likely anytime soon.

So in our quest for alone time, we decided to try her out on some rice cereal.  A big deal because after Mackenzie's first disasterous rice cereal incident we swore we weren't giving any more babies anything but breastmilk before 6/7 months.

(Grandmas said 4 month baby will sleep through the night if you give her cereal.  Baby Mack lapped up the cereal but woke up EVERY HOUR for the 3 nights that we gave it to her.  We dumped the cereal and any further advice from the grandmas. LOL)

As Kayleigh already sleeps through the night we decided to give it a try.  Baby K also laps it up and it hasn't affected her sleep in anyway, so we continue on with the cereal, although not consistently every day.

Here's the fun...

And the happy ending...Kayleigh was so excited that she....

pooped herself!!!!!!!  

Posted in homeschooling

We went on a field trip to the Cultural Heritage Center and learned about life in the "old days".

Practicing their listening skills

Collecting eggs from "chickens"

Making butter

Washing the clothes

Weighing produce

Milking the "cow"

At the park afterward with some of our friends

Kayleigh and her fiancee Holden.  I have marriages arranged for both the girls now. ROFL

Uh-oh...someone's making a move

Posted in Daily life

We've been busy with life again and I haven't had time to post.  I'm going to play a bit of catch up with the next few posts.

We'll start with Mackenzie's class challenge for gymnastics.  Her last one because we're pulling her from it.  Since moving from Guam her gymnastics ability has gone downhill fast.  Instead of learning new skills she's lost the ability to do many that she had mastered in Guam.  You'd think that the program here would be better then in Guam. LOL

She's going to go back to taking dance again.

I didn't get pictures of bars, beam and tramp because I had to start manning the video camera.  Kayleigh was acting up so daddy had to deal with her.

Kayleigh found the mats comfy

Just being cute

Posted in Family

Our first trip to Ocean Breeze and Kayleigh's first "swim".

A Smith baby tradition...the first dunking.

It might seem cruel but she has to complete this task or she gets kicked out of the family.   We don't make the rules. 

Clearly she loved it!

She cries a lot anyway, so we figure at least she had a reason this time.  She might have liked it more had the water been warmer.  Kenzie loved her first dunking at the same age.  But she had warm water.

Lounging in the lazy river with Ava

Worn out from her trama

Refreshed after a nap

Posted in Family

family photos.  And Kayleigh's 3 month pictures.

From our lastest photo endevor.  The ones of just Kenzie are missing though. I'll have to call and get them to fix that.

Posted in homeschooling

We spent our weekend at Colonial Williamsburg. 

We went for 2 reasons...

1) It was free to military. Our family motto "If it's free, it's for me."  (Of course the free didn't extend to the cost of gas driving out there twice. LOL)

2) Mackenzie can earn a brownie page for going.  Her troop is a total dud.  This year they've earned one patch as a troop and done nothing.  Not one trip or outing. We're moving on for next year.

Plantation Life at the Great Hope Plantation exhibit

The Govenor's Palace

Outer Buildings...

In town

Capital Building

We had to drag Kayleigh out of the fountain

Posted in Family

Hello my friends in blogland!  I hope that life finds you all well.

We're doing great here.  We've been enjoying having our whole family together.

Mackenzie has been busy getting school finished for the year.  The many interruptions we've had this year have caused 1st grade to last a tad longer then normal.  Good thing we started early. LOL

We've finished science, math, and most of LA.  We're just plugging away with history, her favorite, grammar, and keeping math fresh in her brain.

She's still a great helper with Kayleigh, although she won't go near a diaper.  She runs and hides if she thinks there's a surprise in it.

Kayleigh is just growing and discovering new things everyday.  She turned 3 months on Mother's Day :sniff, sniff:.  She's getting really fun and interacting with the world more.  She's discovered how to make the music and lights on her baby gym go off, how to clasp her hands together, and that if she kicks her feet in the tub it makes a cool noise.

Daddy is back to work, of course.  But he's happy to be home with his girls and we are sure glad he's back.  We'll enjoy it while it lasts.  Lots of training coming up for the next deployment.

Here's a look at some of the things we've been up too.

Aww, snap! My foot is stuck!

Breaking Daddy's heart by not taking bottles well. (And destroying mommy's chance of having a little freedom anytime soon. LOL)

Officially 2 months old

Making Jiffy pop with Daddy for the first time

Playing is hard work.  Drools like Daddy and sissy.

First time sleeping in her crib in her room. Doesn't happen often. LOL

My beautiful girls on Mother's Day

Officially 3 months old (also on Mother's Day)

A very rare happening, a paci in the mouth and she's not screaming

Always a great big sister, Mackenzie is grooming Kayleigh to be a Sonlighter.

Pretty girl with bedhead

Watching Baby Einstein for the first time

Posted in Family

Daddy's home!!!!!  Yay God!!!!

Meeting Kayleigh for the first time...

Posted in Daily life

Well another week has come and gone.

Exciting news this week...

1) Mackenzie lost another front tooth.  The same one as her best friend Macayla.

2) We did a full week of school.  All subjects.  How about that?

3) My friend, Teresa, got a good shot of Kayleigh's "poop face"

4) Kayleigh is starting to nap a bit better during the day.  And by better, I mean at all. LOL  She's been sleeping a bit in the swing for me.  Mommy likey.  (Sorry no picture. Yet.)

I can't figure the girl out.  She is wonderful at night.  She'll go down between 8-9 and sleep til 3 or 4.  But during the day...not so much.  I'm wondering if maybe the light during the day bothers here.  It's much brighter upstairs.  Daddy will be putting up some light blocking shades when he gets home. Blinds are useless for that, aren't they?

I had my post-partum check up yesterday and Kayleigh went with me.  It was my hope that she would charm my doctor so thoroughly that she'd want to switch over to pediatrics so she could take care of my precious babies.  Yea, that didn't happen.  Can you say "Screamed bloody murder"? 

Maybe she'll do better job at charming Dr. Adriano next week when I go back?  And yes, I know my dr. really isn't going to switch for me. But she would in my perfect world so I'm going to keep dreaming. LOL  Besides nothing is impossible!

Kayleigh also screamed all the way home. (Nothing surprising there. LOL)  And it was a long drive even without her screaming. You almost couldn't blame her with the INSANE traffic.  I kind of wanted to scream too. 

Get her home and she's all smiles.  That's what allows her to continue living here. LOL

We got our Sonlight box filled with core 2.  My niece Rachel was here to witness our joy.  She thought we were crazy to be so excited over school books.  She says "school is boring." She doesn't know any better. Poor girl hates reading.

I just like this picture

Mackenzie knows that terrible things will happen if you wake the napping baby.  =o)

Posted in Family

Kayleigh does not enjoy going and getting professional portraits done.  God bless the Picture People for being able to get decent shots of my uncooperative, screaming baby.

7 year old Mackenzie, always ready for a photo shoot

It took a long time to get Kayleigh asleep, which was pretty much the only way she would cooperate

I was too lazy to cut them before I scanned them in.  Daddy was in a hurry to see them.

Mackenzie was thrilled to be able to hold Kayleigh like this.  She'd been dying and Mommy wouldn't let her.  She learned why.  By the end of this pose they were both crying. LOL I wish we could've gotten a shot of that.

Precious baby feet

Kayleigh did like the bunny

Here's how they really sucker you.  How could I resist that?

A week later I forced Kayleigh to the Picture People again.  My mom, sister and nephew were in town and we wanted to get some pictures of all the grandkids together.  Again, Kenzie was the only one who really cooperated.  No surprise there. LOL

If you look carefully you can see that Kayleigh is learning to use her hands. ROFL

Hmm, this scan came out badly.  Oh well, I don't have time to redo it.

Posted in Family

Well we're still hanging in there.  A month in and both kids are still alive.  My house isn't it's cleanest but I manage to have clean clothes, clean dishes, and food.  At least most of the time. 

We've even begun to slowly start up school.  Just math and LA but it's a start.  We've actually started yet another new LA program.  The new SL LA still doesn't thrill.  It's better then the old but still not a good match for us.

Now we're using First Language Lessons. So far so good.  It's mostly oral, which thrills Mackenzie to pieces and each lesson takes under 10 minutes.  In the last 3 days we've done 9 lessons.  Mackenzie doesn't want to stop doing it.  Always a good sign.  So along with that we'll continue using A Reason For Handwriting and A Reason for Spelling.

Math is going well. Only 2 more lessons in Alpha.  Then we'll finish up the year with Singapore Primary 1.  It covers some things that she'll be tested on that aren't covered yet in MUS.  We'll begin MUS level Beta in the fall.

We'll probably start back with the core work the week of the 24th. Next week we have family coming in so that will make schooling hard.  We just can't catch a break here.

Kayleigh's having her own version of school.  Bottle feeding 101.  We're working on training her to take a bottle so daddy can participate in her feedings too.

She didn't take to it as easily as Mackenzie. But then again we had daddy here then to do the training himself. Mackenzie and I tried but it was difficult to do with me around.  So we shipped her off to various friends to do the bottle training. 

Kayleigh had her "final exam" yesterday and we passed her.  But only with a "B" cuz she likes to "play with her food."

Kayleigh is a month old already.  Time goes by so quickly with little ones.

She's a bit more fussy then Kenzie was but still pretty good.  She pretty much hates the car.  Screams about 75% of the time in the car/carseat.  If that doesn't end I will not EVER be traveling with her to visit family.  Sorry, but my sanity is important. They can come here.

Here are some pictures to enjoy...

Mackenzie put together Kayleigh's play gym all by herself.  And it was a bit of work.

Stinky feet

Testing sissy's work on the play gym

Kayleigh's first bottle.  Mackenzie was THRILLED! Kayleigh not so much. LOL

Officially 1 month old. Sniff, sniff

Her "final exam" on bottle feeding

Posted in Family

I was a little disappointed that it was starting early because my doctor was on call on the 14^th and we’d worked it so I’d come in early that morning and she’d strip my membranes and do whatever it took to get Kayleigh out by dinner that day. 

I was really excited at the thought of Dr. Adriano delivering Kayleigh.  She is by far the best doctor I’ve ever had.  I actually met her in Guam.  She was referred to Kevin and I by his command doctor when we were thinking about doing a fertility work ups in our 6 year quest to get pregnant.  Kevin’s command doctor had to pull quite a few strings to get us in with her but it was worth it.  She’s just one of those doctor’s who make you feel like you’re they’re only patient.  Plus she’s a Christian.  Always a nice bonus.

It was a nice surprise to run into her when I was at the hospital getting lab work done.  And while it was no easier to get an appointment with her here, I did what I had to and she oversaw my entire pregnancy.

However, as much as I liked Dr. Adriano, I was not holding that baby in.  =o)  The contractions were becoming more uncomfortable and closer together and I was having a lot of bloody show. 

I knew that today was going to be the day when Mackenzie’s chatter started getting on my nerves, so I called my friend Teresa (1) to come and get her and then my “coach” Teresa (2) to come get me.  I quickly dashed off an email to my husband, Kevin, to let him know that I was going to the hospital.  And then I did a lot of praying that he would get it ASAP and start calling.  (Thankfully you are allowed cell phones.)

Thankfully he did get the email and called a lot, skipping on sleep to keep checking in on me.  He was asleep when I delievered (I told him it would be a while and to get some sleep) but he called again about an hour after she was born.

We left for the hospital when the contractions were about 7 minutes apart and about 45-60 seconds long.  A tad early but the hospital isn’t that close by and it’s a drive that ALWAYS has a lot of traffic thanks to a drawbridge and a tunnel that are almost always backed up.  I did not want to wait too long and have a baby in the car or something. Plus I was already 3 cm as of last Friday so I figured I’d be good to be admitted.

We got there and had to wait to be seen. (Of course)  So I paged Dr. Adriano to let her know that I was here today (the clinic I went to was right down the hall from labor and delivery).  She said she was almost done with her clinic stint and would drop in to check on me.  So I sat in misery and waited.  (I’m terribly wimpy, I’ll admit that up front. LOL)

Finally I got called in the back and they hooked me up to the monitor.  Naturally that’s when the contractions started becoming more irregular.  Grrr… They said I was 3-4 cm dialated now but didn’t want admit me until I’d made more progress.  So Dr. Watson, foolish girl, said the words guaranteed to make me hold a grudge against her for a long time.  “You can go home and come back when they’re more regular.”  She must of seen the death stare I gave her and then added “or you could walk around for a couple hours and come back for a recheck.”  (I know, I know, she was only doing her job.  But I didn’t really care because, like I said, I’m wimpy.)

I opted to walk.  Cept I couldn’t go more then 5-6 steps with out a huge amount of pressure, like something was going to fall out.  If Dr. Adriano had been there she’d have stripped my membranes and admitted me already. 

So we wandered around for a couple of hours.  Well mostly I sat.  When it was time for the recheck, we went back up and I was praying so hard that there was some progress.  The nurse checked me and I was 5 cm and my bag of waters was bulging.  (Must have been what felt like was going to fall out.) Praise God!

Dr. Watson came back in and said that they were going to admit me. (I’m almost positive I rolled my eyes at her, seriously I can hold a grudge in these cases.  Had a similar incident the first time I went in with Kenzie.  Then a nurse told me “come back when you’re having ‘real’ contractions.”  7 years later and I still don’t like her.)

And then Dr. Adriano came in (hooray) and told Watson that she was going to deliver this baby and “thank you very much.”  Ha!!!!!!  Vindicated…

Dr. Adriano checked me and said she was going to break my bag of water but that she’d have them give me my epidural first. 

It’s here that I should learn to give myself more credit because I always end up having to wait FOREVER for the epidural. I probably could go natural if I were mentally prepped for it.

With Mackenzie’s birth I didn’t get it until I was 6 cm because I was dehydrated and had to have 2 bags of fluid first.  (Dehydration resulted from the sleeping pills the aforementioned hated nurse sent me home with.  They made me vomit all night.)

This time  the hold up was a shift change.  It didn’t really surprise me that I had to wait, that’s my kind of luck.  I was 7 cm when I got it this time.  Let me tell you those contractions hurt.  I suffered in silence just like I did with Kenzie.  A fact which my friend, Teresa 2, couldn’t believe it.  She said she bellowed and wailed and made all kinds of noise.  I do not make a single peep when I have a contraction.  Too busy praying or maybe it’s just shock/terror. LOL   

Teresa found it so unbelievable she actually asked my doctor if that was normal.  She said normal but not very common. 

I finally got my beloved epidural and had a good hour of blessed relief.  Then Dr. Adriano checked me again and the epi had caused my contractions to slow a bit.  So she prescribed…pitocin.  A miracle drug she called it.  This is the one area where we disagree.  I call it satan’s drug.  =o)

Within 5 minutes of them administering that devil juice I was no longer pain free.  I couldn’t feel the contraction but I felt this horrendous pressure in my “nether regions.”   Wow did that hurt.  I wanted to push already.  It seemed like a waste of a perfectly good epidural. LOL  It did get the job done though.

(Effects of the devil juice)

Finally Dr. Adriano said I was fully dialated and the baby was +whatever and I could push.  I still can’t decide whether I was happy about that declaration or terrified.  I always doubt whether I’ll actually be able to push the baby out, with me being wimpy and all.  Especially since I was feeling a lot more then I did with Mackenzie.  (Honestly, I barely felt anything when I pushed her out.  Just some pressure but not terrible like this.  I didn’t feel the burning as she crowned or anything. )

She and the nurse went to break down the bed and ran into some trouble.  Something about new beds, hard to break down, blah, blah, blah.  The nurse said everyone was having trouble with them.  So Dr. Adriano calmly said that they’d not worry about breaking the bed down and that they’d just deliver right on the bed.

So they got what they needed done and I got to start pushing.  Everything went well and I managed to bring Kayleigh into the world after only 20 minutes of pushing.  I was amazed because I could feel everything.  I’m surprised that I didn’t cry or yell cuz it hurt. LOL   But I stuck to my quiet plan. I think I’m generally too terrified to yell. =o)

Kayleigh Elisabeth arrived into the world at 7pm on the evening of February 11, 2008.  She was 8 pounds and 20” long and just as beautiful as can be. All her parts were there, her skin was pink, healthy lungs, lots of hair.  She looks just like her big sister did. She nurses like a champ.

Daddy called about an hour after she was born and was happy to learn that his second daughter had arrived.  That was definitely the most difficult part of the labor/birth.  You could just hear how sad he was that he wasn’t there.  He got to “talk to her” over the phone and she stopped crying when she heard his voice.  That made him feel good.  She still does that when he calls or we watch our daddy video.

(Talking to Daddy)

Big sister is thrilled by Kayleigh, most of the time.  Mackenzie enjoys holding her and picking out her clothes. LOL

We’re hanging in there, God has placed a lot of wonderful people in our lives who have been a great help to us.  In the meantime, we just take it one day at a time as we wait for Daddy to come home and meet his newest princess.

(Coach Teresa, who shares a birthday with Kayleigh)

Teresa who took great care of Mackenzie)

(Dr. Adriano, the best doctor ever)

(Nurse Mary)

Pretty Baby

Posted in Daily life

I know it's been forever since I've blogged.  My excuses are being pregnant and exhausted. 

We've been busy, busy, busy. 

Selling cookies for brownies.  Not my favorite thing to do but she loved it.  She managed to sell 105 boxes despite the fact that  we have no family here to sell to and she couldn't visit mommy or daddy's work and sell like I used to. (Well we do have a bil/sil here but my niece Rachel is also a brownie. LOL)

Mackenzie started cheerleading through the local homeschool league.  This was not a first choice of activities for either Kevin or I.  I had been trying to talk her into basketball but she saw the cheerleading on the website (the curse of having a really good reader) and wanted to do that.

I mentioned that daddy would not like that activity.  Her response, "Daddy says that when you're daddy's in Iraq you can do whatever you want."  And you know what? Daddy does say that all to often.  And that little comment often leads to arguments between me and the munchkin.  So I decided it was time for him to eat his words.  And I signed her up for cheerleading. Ha on him!  LOL

She loves it, naturally.  And it's a Christian league so nothing inappropriate.  The uniforms have been works in progress but eventually they'll have all the pieces. LOL

We also celebrated Mackenzie's bday a few days early, just incase Kayleigh came early.  Her actual birthday isn't until the 4th.  I can't believe my baby is going to be 7.  In fact, I refuse to accept it.

And now that I look at the date, today is the day that I went into labor with her.  Ahhh, how time flies.

Here are some pictures from her gymnastics party.  She had a great time.

Oh and in other big news, little missy lost her 3rd tooth.

What I'm looking like these days...

I also had a baby shower, the same weekend.  A friend of mine at church threw it and did a FABULOUS job. We even had a little communion ceremony.

My throne

Party people's

Crazy kids

The part where my friends say all the nice stuff to make me cry...hence the red face.  They did a very nice devotional and it took all my self control not to bawl. Impressive for a hormonal pregnant lady.

With my little helper

Present time. Mackenzie even let me open a couple myself. LOL

In baby news,

Her head is down, my cervix is soft, a "loose" 1cm dialated, and 50% effaced.  If I haven't had her by the 14th my membranes are going to be stripped.  So I could potentionally have Kayleigh on my fil's birthday, which thrills him to no end.  Mil not so much. LOL  That would be the 3rd valentines birthday in the family.  She'll survive though.

Posted in Family

or just stubborn.

Before my husband left we went to one of those 3d ultrasound places and got an ultrasound package.  One that he was able to join us for so he could see the baby before he left and another between 27-36 weeks.

We've been in the process of doing the second one but little Kayleigh does not like to cooperate.  I've had 3 ultrasounds in the last week so the techs could get the full face shot.

It's not happening people.  Apparently Kayleigh has a foot fetish so she insists on grabbing onto her feet and keeping them in front of her face. 

I've officially given up.  Since my last pregnancy, I've apparently developed an allergy to the gel used.  All the different kinds of gel available.  (I'm gifted like that. LOL) I'm done itching.  The next u/s will be done in the doctor's office when they need to determine whether her head is down or not.

I feel a tad bad about giving up, because Kevin really would've liked a full face shot, but Kayleigh and I are over it. LOL

The techs managed to a few profiles.  In one, you can see a bit of a grin that clearly indicates that she is mocking us.  I don't think she's camera shy at all. Devious? Yes.  Camera shy, nope. LOL

See what I mean...

Notice the grasping of the feet...

I'm bored and over you fools...

Trying to fool us by looking harmless...

What I'm looking like these days...

At least big sister is nice and cooperative

Posted in Daily life

I borrowed this from Lady Mother

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?    Wrapping paper! It's so much fun to tear off.

2. Real tree or artificial?   Fake.  While the real trees smell nice, I have gotten fond of being able to breathe. LOL (Allergies)  And I won't lie, I don't want to clean up after a tree.

3. When do you put up the tree?  The day after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down?  Whenever I get around to it.

5. Do you like egg nog? Uh no...

6. Favorite gift received as a child?   Toss up between the Barbie Dreamhouse and the racecar set.7. Do you have a nativity scene?   I have 2.  A little people one for Mackenzie and a grown up one.  But we all like the little people one best.

8. Hardest person to buy for? All the parents

9. Easiest person to buy for? My daughter

10. Worst Christmas gift ever received?  I can't think of one

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?   Miracle on 34th st.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?  Whenever I get around to it.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Can't say that I have.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? sweet potatoes, same as Thanksgiving

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?   Colored --if I wanta to look at white lights I can go outside and look at the stars. Or through my neighbors window  What Ladymother said

17. Favorite Christmas song? Glory to God in the Highest

19. Can you name Santa's reindeer? If pressured

20. Does your tree have an angel on top or a star?  A star

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?  The busyess

Posted in Family

My belly at 23 weeks

My belly at 26 weeks

I'm almost 28 weeks now.  Things are going good. I've gained 5 lbs over my prepregnancy weight.  I had to take the gestational diabetes test twice (ick).  But apparently the 3 hour one came out clear because I haven't heard from my doctor.

For the first time in my life, my feet swelled.  I was horrified! LOL  Must have been from spending too much time on my feet preparing for Turkey Day.

Now on to Thanksgiving.

MIL and FIL came in from Michigan and that was nice.  They cooked all the hard stuff, like the turkey.  My sil and  I were very happy about that.

Grandma put the grandkids to work making stuffing.

Grandpa carving the turkey

Crazy girls. Note Mackenzie's hair.  She wanted me to blow it straight.  Her hair apparently doesn't cooperate that way. LOL We kind of thought she looked like Hermione from Harry Potter.

Kids table. Grandpa really is a big kid.

The clean-up crew.  Boy were they really missing Kevin.  Me too.  He could've have done it quicker and better by himself.  I really believe I got the best brother.  =o)

Recovering from overeating

Grandma and Grandpa also helped us put up the tree since I couldn't really do it.