Children

Today I realized that my baby will be a month old this week. How is it that time just seems to fly by? I thought it went fast when it was just Kaily and I, but now it seems like I was in the slow lane while everything went on around me. I suppose it doesn't help that we've had 3 new families move into our branch, weddings happening that a month ago felt like forever away, and SPRING, which means EASTER is around the corner, is also here. I think when women have babies and they have to be shut inside for a time so that the babies don't get sick it's equivalent to putting them in a box and letting the world pass you by. Any hoo...Conner will be one month on Friday and at the rate he is growing he'll probably be a good 11 lbs by then. Going back a bit, let me explain. We took him to a Dr. apt last Thursday and he was 10 lbs even and 21 1/2 inches long. Clint took him in again to have them check his circumcision on Tuesday and he weighed 10.4 lbs and was 23 inches long. So in a matter of 5 days he grew 2 inches and gained 4 oz. I guess that explains why he eats so often. I can't complain though because he is ADORABLE and he is very healthy.

The latest on the Kaily news is she cracks me up! Seriously she had me laughing so hard today just from things that she says. She is trying to sound so grown-up and so like me when I talk to her. That is funny all by itself. (You never know how funny you sound when trying to discipline until it comes out of the mouth of a 3 yr old.) So she comes up to me today, and I must have done something to make her mad, she says to me, "Mom, you are being merdiculous! i am embarrassed and you are in trouble." I asked her what I did and she tells me, "You are just being merdiculous because you hurt my feelings and you get to have a time out." I told her I was sorry for what ever I did. Then she gives me a big wet kiss on the cheek and says, "I love you mom and I forgive you, I promise." Oh to be innocent like children, to be so willing to forgive and forget.

I love being a mom! I love having two great kids that drive me crazy and make me laugh all at once. I love that they chose me to be their mom and that I have them to help me remember how much I am loved by my Heavenly Father. Being a parent has taught me more about His love than I think anything in this world ever could have. How simple children are and how simple is His plan. It's us, as we get older that muddle everything up. If we could just have the faith a child has the rest of our lives how much greater would we all be. I know I would be for sure. I look into the eyes of my son and daughter and I know that they know so much more than they are able to share, they know so much more than they can ever explain. Then I realize that I too know more than I think I do. My spirit knows so much and if I just take time to listen and let it teach me then I too will understand some of who I truly am. I am grateful for children, they help us remember who we really are and whose we really are.

Sleep Deprivation

You know, being a mother of two didn't start out being all that hard. "I really anticipated it being a lot more challenging in the beginning," I told everyone. I should have said, "give me a couple of weeks with them and when Conner starts to be awake more often and requiring more attention, then get back to me." The truth is, now that he's 3 weeks he's awake more often and his sleep patterns at night are all messed up. Some nights he will sleep great and others he is up every hour wanting to eat. Either way though when 5 am hits he wants to be awake to eat, grunt and play. I am trying to get Kaily to go to bed earlier by not letting her nap, but that doesn't seem to matter to her. She still won't go to sleep until 9:30-10:00pm. By the time I get Kaily to bed and through her routine Conner wakes up and wants to eat. I don't think I have gone to bed before 11pm since he was born. The other morning I was changing his diaper and he peed all over everything, (the joy of having a boy, the pee goes EVERYWHERE.) So when I was cleaning him up I found a big white mark on the side of his head. I couldn't figure out what it was, it looked like dry skin and flaked off like it was dead skin. It was MILK. Apparently I fed him in my sleep that night. I actually think I do that more often than I think I do. Getting used to sleep deprivation is taking it's toll.

Have you ever noticed how much heavier everything seems to be after you have a baby. Not that you suddenly loose all muscle in your arms, I think it's due to the fact that your baby is so light. Even though Kaily hasn't gained weight in the last 6 months she suddenly feels twice the weight she once felt to me. I carried her when I was pregnant, I can't believe I did that now.

Conner has had some milestones this week. My favorite is the smile he gives me when I talk to him or hold him. He loves to be talked to softly and he loves his baths. He has also started to coo. Can I tell you how much I love to hear it! I think baby coo's are one of the cutest things ever. He loves his bouncer, the vibrating on it and when anyone besides Kaily bounces it.

Kaily's new thing lately is when she gets in trouble or when she doesn't like what we are doing she will come up to us and say, "I need to talk to you about your problem, do you know what your problem is?" Then she will proceed to tell us all things we are doing to make her upset and the things she is doing that make us upset. When she is done with her rant she will say, "So, you need to listen to me, you know that? You will be in big trouble if you don't listen, cuz you need to listen to me." Realize that she is saying all of this in a very matter-of-fact voice. I think my 3 yr old is aging faster than I can keep up.

This week Clint has been so great to me. He is really trying to help out with the kids and even though he doesn't get to bed before 1:30am he is willing to take Conner after I feed him at 4 and let him sleep next to him so I can get some sleep without hearing him grunt and cry. Then when Kaily wakes-up with a bad dream and climbs into bed on his side so "Daddy will protect me" he doesn't complain. I think I would....no, I know I would be putting her back in her bed. I am very grateful for him. Oh and yesterday I gave him a haircut. It will look better in a couple of days when all the places I cut too short grow out. *Sigh* At least he let me try to do it.

My Valentines

Happy Valentines Day everyone.

So, Clint came through for Valentines. He took me out to eat at the Mac. Grill, complimentary of my brother and sis-in-law, thank you. He also bought me some Vanilla ice cream, my favorite. The he took the kids for awhile and let me have a nap. I do believe this was one of the best V-day's I have ever had. So simple, yet so wonderful. It just goes to show you the small things do matter. I, unfortunately, didn't do anything for him. He is so great to me. Kaily woke up and gave both Clint and I Valentines from a book a neighbor gave her. She was so excited to give them to us.

Kaily's Birthday

Yesterday we celebrated Kaily's birthday. I can't believe she is 3 now. It seems as if time has just flown by since we've had her and now that we have Conner she looks HUGE. The other big difference I've noticed since having the baby is how active Kaily is. She is non-stop moving and talking. I suppose that is normal for a 3 yr old, but I just had never noticed it before. Anyway, her birthday, she asked Papa Kemp to make her spaghetti, corn and vanilla ice cream. So we went to my parents house for dinner and to open presents from the cousins. I had originally thought to give her a princess party, but it has turned into a "My Little Pony" birthday. She went from not having any ponies to having 5 now. it seems to be the popular gift to give, I am very grateful for that because she LOVES them! Grandma gave her a Snow White dress-up outfit and she loves it, so did the cousins. These days it's all about ponies and princesses. She is the habit of going up to Clint and says, "Daddy, I want to get ammried, will you marry me?"

Conner is now a week old, so I thought I would put up some new pictures of him and some from the hospital that my mom just sent me. He is staying awake longer and the heavenly thing is that he actually sleeps about 4-41/2 hrs a night before he wants to eat. Although, when he does eat it is a for about an hr at a time. He loves his food.
  Can I just say how grateful I am for good friends and neighbors. Everyone has been so great to bring meals and help out where they can. 

All about Kaily
* I love to dance* I love to sing* I love to be outside* I love to help my parents* I enjoy telling others what to do* I'm excited to start school* I love swimming* I love to torture my brother* I can make up great stories* I have a great imagination* I am a princess* I love my cousins* I love going to church* I like to run with my mom, when she lets me* I LOVE to take baths* I know all my ABC's* I know all my colors* I can color in the lines, but choose not to* I can count to 20, but only when I want to* I love to read* I love to tease* I hate mashed potatoes* I love fruit and would eat it all day if Mom let me* I love pizza* I love to go out to eat* I love vanilla icecream and cookies* I hate it when mom brushes my hair* I love to get dressed-up* I hate to go to bed* I love my grandparents* My grandma Kemp is my best friend

The Day Finally Came

Well, my due date was originally planned for Jan 25, but my son decided that he was comfortable where he was. I, however, was ready to be done a couple of days after the due date. I had a few contractions here and there, but nothing that would last longer than a few hours. So...desperate times call for VERY desperate measures. On Jan 29, which was a beautiful day here, I talked Clint into going for a walk with me. We actually ended up walking 6 miles and most of it on hills. For those related to us, we walked down to Aaron's house and back again. That threw me into labor for oh about an hour. I thought I would cry. On Jan 31 at 12:30 pm I went into the hospital to be induced, it was prearranged. After 5 1/2 hrs of nothing really happening they finally decided to break my water. When they did that the Dr. determined that this baby was never going to come on his own because of how his head was situated. SO...at 1:15 am Feb 1 we finally had our little boy. He was 9 lbs 4 oz and 21 inches long, and so cute, but I am biased. Can I tell you how happy I am to NOT be pregnant anymore, but more than that I am SO excited to have my son here. I'm thankful he is very healthy and he looks great. We decided to name him Conner Hugh Willis. He looks a lot like I did when I was born and he has some Kemp features that my dad has. Let us know if you see any Clint in him, because as of yet, we can't really see any. Poor Clint...

Kaily loves her little brother. She is trying so hard to be good and help around. Unfortunately sometimes that help is at the wrong time and not the right thing. Oh how she tries to make him happy though. She is constantly asking to hold him. Her potty training got put on hold for a couple of days and she had some minor accidents, but she is getting back on track now, thankfully. She told the nurses off when they come into the hospital room to check Conner out, "That's my brother, you can't hold him!" She is quite protective of him around the doctors. At home though, anytime people come over to see us she always has to show him off to them, it's very cute.

In other news...After coming home I developed a Kidney infection. I am doing SO much better now though. The Dr. put me on some heavy antibiotics that I can take while breastfeeding, so that has helped clear it really fast. Conner got circumcised, he didn't appreciate that. Clint is still plugging along in school. Other than all that we are all doing great and feeling great, now.

This is Clint in the hospital with Conner. Can you tell how happy he is to have his baby boy here. He was SOOO wonderful during labor. I am very grateful for him and his love. I should do something great for him for Valentines day. The other picture is of me and Conner the day we came home form the hospital. It's not the most flattering picture, but it's better than any of the ones in the hospital. He is eating, if you can't tell, and he has no problems with eating at anytime. He is going to be a big boy. Proud Parents!