11 Months Old!

Dear Crazy, Funny, Sweet, Beautiful Girl,

Today your are 11 months old. You are nearly a toddler. I just can't believe it.


This month we got to go to Atlanta to visit with your Nana, Uncle Jake, Nanny, Poppy, Aunt Micki, Uncle Waylon, and cousins Lucas and Trace. Even though you were battling the end of a cold, you were a trooper on the plane rides to and from Atlanta. You are a pretty laid back kid. You had such a great time playing with Bailey the dog and Macy the cat. You adore your family. You let your Aunt Micki cuddle with you for like a whole 15 minutes! You never do that for me! As much as I wished it was me cuddling with you, I am so happy to see you bond with your family.

Checking out the cocktail menu

This month you have started to learn so much. You are starting to use the signs that we've been working on for a couple of months. You sign for more and milk so far. It's really fun to see things start to connect in that amazing little brain of yours! You will sit for long periods of time and just look through your books. You especially like the touch and feel books. You feel them with your finger and then you lick them! I guess you're are using all your senses!

Working on her equations

You are pretty much done with baby food. You eat most anything we give you. This months favorites have been meatloaf, green beans (well, when Nana makes them with butter!), lasagna, and Lebanese food. My hope is that you will continue to be such an adventurous eater!

You continue to be one silly baby! Actually, I think you get sillier every day. You love to crawl around and growl and show your teeth (of which you have 8!). You dance anytime music plays. You try to mimic people singing. Everything is a drum to you. If you have a spoon in your hand, you drum. If you have a toy, you drum with it. I guess you are following in your Papa's footsteps!


Being your Mom is the best! You're the best! I love you kid!


Love,
Momma

10 Months Old!

Dear Beautiful Girl,


Today you are 10 month old! You've moved into the double digit months...you're getting so old!


This month you have really been enjoying your new found mobility. You love crawling around and getting into everything. I think all those months you couldn't crawl, you were making mental notes of all the cool stuff you wanted to get into when you did start to crawl!

Speaking of crawling...I sometimes think you think you're a dog. You love to to carry your toys around in your mouth while you're crawling. It's pretty funny.

Your new thing is to point at everything. You love to point at me or your Dad and have us point back at you and touch finger tips. You crack up when we do that! You laugh so much more this last month. You are ticklish now and love it when we tickle you.

You are starting to eat "real" food. So far, you are pretty fond of turkey meatballs, turkey meatloaf and mashed potatoes, sausage, ham, green beans, cheddar cheese, cheddar bunnies, and zucchini bread. Oh, and blueberries, you really love blueberries!


You continue to get more silly everyday. You make me laugh all day long. You are quite the entertaining little one. You love to chase after the cats, sing songs, and clap.

We've been hanging out with a lot of other kids recently. You love story time at the library and baby gym. You love watching other kids play...especially if they are older.

I really cannot believe you are 10 months old, but, on the other hand, I can't remember what it was like without you. It's like you've been in my life forever.

Love,
Momma

Just Because

Coming at me like a spider monkey!

Now that she can crawl, the shoe basket is the first place she goes.

9 Months Old!

Dear Kenley,

Today you are 9 freaking months old! I swear you turned like 6 months old 2 weeks ago, I must have blinked.

Showing off your chompers! You have 6 teeth! 2 on bottom and 4 on top.

It's been an exciting month. You had your first Christmas...several times. You had Christmas in Kentucky, Christmas in Oregon with Grandpa and Aunt Rachel, and Christmas with Mom and Dad. As was expected, you really liked the paper and the boxes, although you think all your toys are pretty cool now.

Having Christmas at Grandpa's house

It was exciting at Nanny and Poppy's house in Kentucky. I love this picture because it makes you look like an infant, not a little kid.

You've been threatening to crawl for nearly a month and half, and last night, you finally crawled! Your Papa and I were so excited! You're a pretty funny kid that way. You seem like you just decide OK I'll crawl now...like you've been holding out because you wanted to do it on your own time. I don't know where you get that stubborn streak!

You started swim lessons a week ago. You seem to really love the water. You get that from me :) We learned that they didn't plan on having you go under water, because apparently they don't like to upset the babies. So, I chatted with the instructor and had her teach me the "proper" way to get you underwater. I dunked you like 4 times. You could not have cared less! That's my little fish!

You've become quite the little chatterbox this month. You say babababa, mamama, dadada, nanana. I swear you said banana the other day. Probably just a ba and a nana smooshed together, but I thought it was funny. And of course it's because you are a genius baby!

I feel like you are going to musically inclined, like your Papa (though I did have a brief affair with a clarinet in the 5th grade!). You got a drum and a xylophone for Christmas and you love them. But the funniest is when I catch you drumming on the table like your Dad. Tonight when we were out for sushi, you were drumming on the table with chopsticks!


You've finally started to eat! For a while there, I thought you'd drink only milk for the rest of your life! You really love squash and pears. You're not so fond of carrots. You are coming around to green things! You had chicken for first time tonight. You seemed to like it, even though it was pureed beyond recognition!

Right after you were born, I was scared that I would be bad at being a stay at home Mom. I was afraid I would be lonely and bored and not teach you enough. I could not have been more wrong. There's never a dull moment with you kiddo...and I LOVE IT! Oh, and I love you too!!!!

Love,
Momma

Kenley's First Christmas

Kenley (and Phil and me) spent Christmas in Kentucky with my side of the family. We had a great time and Kenley seemed to really enjoy her first Christmas and spending time with her Grandparents, Great Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, cousins, and K9 relatives.

Kenley hanging out with cousin Jessica. I think Jessica is her new best friend! Kenley adored her!

Kenley and Uncle Jake. She's got his eyes!

Hanging out with Nanny (Great Grandmother)

This is what happens when K crawls...she only crawls backwards so far

Tuckered out after opening all of her gifts

Laughing at Nanny

Eating her Where the Wild Things Are CD

*SPECIAL GUEST BLOGGER*

I don't usually post here (for lots of reasons, but primarily because Amber is much better at it). Anyways...

Twenty-nine years ago, something wonderful happened to me and I hadn't even born yet. Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

And special thanks to Amber's mom and dad for making her!

Love Phil

*here is where a beautiful picture of Amber should go, but I'm not good enough at this whole blogging thing, so everyone will have to think about their favourite memory of Amber and picture her just as you remember her then*

8 Months Old!

Dear Sweet Kenley,

Today you are 8 months old! I say it every month, but time has just gone by so fast. I was just looking at pictures of the day you were born. Could that really have been 8 months ago?

You have had an exciting last month. You went to Idaho twice in the last month, which put your plane tally up to 8 planes! We went for you to meet your Great Grandmother, Cynthia, who called you her sweet Signe (who was her daughter and your grandmother who passed away April 10). It was a sweet meeting. We then, unfortunately were back 2 weeks later because your Great Grandmother passed away. Although this was a sad occasion, you were able to meet some Aunts and Uncles you had not seen yet. And, in a couple of days, we go to visit the other side of the family for Christmas in Kentucky!

You are so close to crawling. You can get wherever you want to go, but it’s through rolling and scooting and spinning. I have a feeling you’ll crawl before Christmas though. You love to “talk.” You say babababa. Sometimes you just make the motions with your mouth, but no sound comes out. It’s so cute! But other than that, you are a pretty big chatterbox. It’s so cute.

You went on your first date this week. Grandpa took you to his Holiday party for George Fox University. You got all dressed up and stayed out late! Don’t expect this to become a habit, as your Papa says you’re not dating until you’re 33! I tend to agree.

I think you are finally starting to like food. For the longest time (like since you were 5 ½ months old) you were really not interested in food at all. In the past few weeks, I am pretty sure you’ve come around. We’ve had luck with apples, pears, squash, mangoes, prunes, and sweet potatoes. You’re not sure about peas, but I think another try may convince you!

You are my favorite, kid! I can't imagine doing anything other than what I'm doing now. Momma loves you Punky!

Love you,
Momma