ouch!

Been soo long since i've written, because I hate being behind.  I want to catch up on all the stuff I didn't get a chance to write about.  If I wait for that it will never happen so hear is today:

-Stayed up late with the husband putting lights and ribbon on this years beautiful Christmas tree.
-Yesterday Nathan cried and cried whenever I put him down.  It was the toughest day alone with them in a loooooong time, maybe ever.  Whenever he cried Nina would go hysterical as well.  Today he has been much better.  Keeping my fingers crossed.
-Today Nina tried to share her beloved "Elmo" with sweet 4 month old Nathan.  She accidentally flung the corner of the ipad into his unsuspecting eye.  Ouch!  He let out the most pitiful screeches ever.  NK was equally upset.  At least she loves sharing!
-Trying to finish up the tree I managed to injure myself.  Somehow I stubbed my toe on the heel of my other foot and broke half of my toe nail off!  Ouch!  Cleaned myself off and bandaged my toe up with NK's stocking stuffer of Neon Bandaids.
-Both kids have been taking naps at noon this week instead of two.  Odd schedule for us, but I'll go with it.

Kitty

I miss my Oli.  Makes me the most sad to think Nathan won't know him.  "Kitty" was Nina's first word...
But I am so thankful for the health and safety of all my family.  Especially my dad who still seems to be recovering with much hope for a healthier/happier future.

Here comes Christmas!

After watching craigslist like a hawk I got it!  A sweet sturdy kitchen for Nina to bake many imaginary dishes for her little brother and I.   And I'm glad to say that thanks to craigslist, and a nice man named Dan, I paid less than half of what a new one would cost.

I love giving.  So excited for Christmas to come.  It's going to be so much fun teaching Nina all about the birth of Jesus and all the exciting ways we share the love, warmth, and joy in the holidays.

time flies when you are having fun!

"mouse"

I cannot believe it is October 19th already.  I have been busy with all sorts of fun activities including a new public blog about my creations such as cooking, crafts, design work.  I am really enjoying creating the content for this blog (http://madebymamita.blogspot.com/).   So here is a long over due personal update on the Kirby clan.

Nina Kate's latest accomplishments

• knows a few states!  To my shock she pointed out and clearly said "Waoming" before I had a chance to the other day while reading her the 50 States of USA (a Target dollar spot flap book I've been reading to her since she was tiny).  Then she pointed out Hawaii.  I was speechless!
• knows the complete alphabet thanks to Elmo and Apple.  Who is Apple you ask?  Why only the most expensive baby toy ever... the i pad.
• all her books have names
• laughter.  She laughs her head off when the turkey has pants on his head in her beloved "oops" book or when she tickles Grover in the ipad version of "The Monster at the End of This Book."
• she is always pushing her babydolls in the swing or stroller and giving them bottles and "passy."



"oops"



"bible"

• favorite foods are raisins (menits), oatmeal, and Gogurts.

"how"

Nathan's accomplishments

• excersaucer.  He is getting so strong.  He does really well in the excersaucer.  
• loves to sit up and pull up to standing when you hold his hands
• talks and coos a ton
• first laugh was at sister who came to visit him while he was in his swing
• pooping less frequently (hooray!)
• The past 3 days he has consistently eaten only twice during the night. 12am and 4:30 am

Teaching Beauty

I have had a very healthy body image during my adult life. But lets face it, I'm still a girl. I still struggle with wanting to be externally beautiful and desirable.

Today I was looking in front of the mirror and grabbed my mid section and declared "I feel fat." I heard my sweet little girl echo behind me "fat." My heart dropped and I realized every day I am teaching my daughter about beauty and what it means to be not just a woman, but a daughter of God. She is always watching, always learning. There is no room in my life for momentary slips into shallow self scrutiny.

Charm is deceptive, beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised

More tales of shopping disasters

So my Hobby Lobby Horror entry reminded me of another shopping tale I meant to blog about but got too busy.

This time I was at Target and Earthfare. It was another long shopping trip with two kids in a "buggy," as they call them here in the south. Exhausted I push my amazing clicker and the two van doors slide open (don't think I could be an SUV mom, I love my remote operated doors). I push the kids up to the van and I leave Nina in the red Target cart as I carry brother around to the other side of the vehicle. As I lift him up, I look through the van and I see just a glimpse of red that is quickly disappearing. Nina Kate is rolling away! I panic and toss Nathan's carseat in the van. I didn't have time to click it into it's base so I just kinda threw him in haphazardly, hoping he wouldn't fall. And I scream "Nina, Nina!" and take off after her as she chugs down the parking lot clueless and carefree.

Thankfully there were no speed demon drivers rushing through the parking lot at that moment and I caught up to her while she was still safe and sound.

I didn't realize how terrified I was until after both kids were safely secured in their seats. Then suddenly the world started spinning and my heart was beating violently. Now I can't help but laugh as I remember the look on Nina's face as she rolled through the parking lot. It reminds me of the classic cartoon scene when they are on a raft and have no idea they are about to tip over the edge of a giant waterfall.

Hobby Lobby Horrors- You must read to the end

Nathan is asleep in his car seat, so I lug the almost 30 pounds of baby and carrier in my right arm, have my diaper bag over my shoulder and cling to Nina's hand as we walk in the rain to the Hobby Lobby sidewalk. My arm burning, we finally get inside the store and I go to put Nathan in the back of the cart so Nina can sit in the front seat thing. Alas, the cart is too small! So Nathan takes up the front 2/3rds of the cart and I stick Nina in what was left of the back of the cart, her body underneath Nathan's carseat and just enough space for her head to stick out of the cart. Poor girl was a good sport about it.

But wait, the horrors are still to come!

The precarious seating arrangement only grows increasingly dangerous as I gather the supplies for a few projects. Two giant posterboards, a wooden dowel, candles, and a large picture frame later me and my cart are very bogged down and difficult to maneuver without losing a kid, an item, or someone's eye. Nina's sweet looks charm another customer and they stop to talk to her. Only this time the lady's appearance isn't quiet so friendly as usual. She appears tattered, her mouth is shaped as if a few teeth have taken a bow and left town. As she chatters to Nina I politely stop to let a few sentences be exchanged. I notice as I pause that Nina's shoulder has become a little red from rubbing against the shopping cart. I lightly stroke at it to make sure it's nothing too serious and then the disheveled stranger did something that completely startled me.

She grabbed Nina's arm and said "owwww." I have NEVER had anyone touch my child before. And I stood there mouth gaping as she rubbed up and down my daughters arm! Any parents freaking out yet? Well wait, it gets much worse! Still holding and caressing my daughters arm she tells me "my grandson just came down with some awful disease. It's kin to the chickenpox you know, but it's not the chickenpox. He's got these awful blisters all over his hands and his face." !!!!!! Even recounting it I can't think of anything to say but exclamation marks! But she's not done! Still holding Nina's arm she says "It's very catching. He's already given it to two kids."

She finally lets go of Nina's arm. I retract and try to smile and say some sort of something in response as I flee. I rip open my diaper bag and squeeze what's left of my hand sanitizer on Nina's arm and rub it all over.

To top it off. I later found the woman wandering around Hobby Lobby talking to herself.

Oliver Twix, the Kitty from the Vending Machine

I've never seen squirrels in our backyard before. Today I've seen two squirrels, a chipmunk, and countless birds bounding through our property. One even dared sit on our porch. The sight of this made me realize that Oli probably isn't returning. Even though he's just kitty and I'm aware that my biggest blessings in life are still right here with me, my heart still aches. He was such a good kitty. Pretty much irreplaceable. He would let Nina do anything to him without any retaliation. Kitty was her first word. She would pull his tail, pick out his fur and taste it, chase him around the house. He would take walks with us. He always wanted to be where we are. Which is why it is so odd for him to disappear.

Fuzzy Flu Braino

So we have all been sick but Baby Nathan. And it is a doozy of a little bug. I am on the mend, but in the words of Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail, my head is "all fuzzy." I was made aware of my mental condition when I attempted to eat my snotty tissue instead of my pretzel stick. But the home run of the day happened after bath time. I rubbed Nina down with her sunflower petal baby oil. i put on her night dress and then let her toddle her way to the back yard where Daddy was looking under the deck for our poor missing Oliver. As I sat on the deck nursing the baby I noticed Nina was leaving wet feet prints and I thought how odd that her feet were still that wet from her bath. Then she brought her toy phone over to me. She was sad because it was running low on batteries as I pushed its buttons and held it up to my head pretending to talk on it I wondered why it was so wet. I told myself it must have gotten wet from her recently washed hair... have any of you figured it out yet??? Because I didn't until I noticed a sweet little baby butt check peeking out from under her dress... I forgot to put a diaper on her!!! Fail, fail, fail.

moments from my week i don't want to forget

-Nina Kate playing in the rain for the first time. The look of amazement and joy on her face as she stood on the deck getting soaking wet saying "watís, watís, watís." She even stooped down to taste a few puddles collecting on the warped wood.

-Nathan cooing.

-Getting a pedicure while poor david tried to appease a very upset baby.

-"Mama back," cried Nina when I left her bedroom to go do dishes. I did come back, simply because I was so overwhelmed that my daughter just used my name in a sentence. Well, kind of a sentence.

-Sweet Nina sitting on a pillow, holding her doggie, in her pjs, hair all wet from her bath, mesmerized watching Elmo learn about arachnids on Sesame Street

-Picking out children's books with David on a much appreciated date night. And reading them to Nina the next morning.

-Finding out my 7 week old son weighs 15 1/2 pounds!

CopyCat!

The kitty was laying on the deck so Nina dropped to the ground and copied him. She copies almost everything people do. Yesterday in church she was waving her hands around mimicking our friend's hands movements as he preached.

Bip (crib)

Nina Kate begs to visit brother's crib and play with the "bots, bots," otherwise known as buttons on his mobile. In this pic she is pretending to sleep. The party ended when brother was asleep and Nina kept bumping him and waking him up.

Nina News

• still loves reading. Her favorite books right now are "I'm a Big Sister" and "Baby Talk."
• repeats EVERYTHING. The last word of the sentence tends to be the word of choice.
• makes hard consonant sounds at the end of her words. for example "booK" and "milK" are very clear now.
• latest discoveries are airplanes, butterflies, and knees.
• favorite words this week are "elbow, Elmo, apple, and cup"
• growing more and more obsessed with Elmo. She will spend an hour on the ipad playing the Elmo app if you let her.
• runs in to help her brother when he cries "baby? baby? passy? passy?" she cries.
• loves to run around wearing a bright red hat or kitty cat ears
• She likes to vigorously shake Brother's hand and say "hi, hi"
• climbing more and more. found her standing on top of an ottoman yesterday and stretched across the air with her feet on the couch and her hands on the coffee table

Lamentations 3

22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,

for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;

therefore I will wait for him.”

thanking God for small (but wonderful) mercies such as naps/rest and for large ones such as grace. praying that i will be faithful in waiting for Him.

Mother of Two

Being a mom of two seems to be an ongoing dance of euphoria, disaster, and exhaustion. Thankfully euphoria is the main chorus and disaster only appears for a brief moment during a verse or two, and exhaustion... well I think exhaustion is the consistent rhythm and beat of the song. =)

All in all i LOVE it. And I am SO thankful for every moment. Including the ones where i'm sitting on the wooden floor in the doorway, 3 1/2 weeks after a c-section, holding two crying babies at the same time. But like I said, these moments are brief. And the happy times of watching Nina run about the house, repeating every word she hears, pretending to put a diaper on her bunny, and having me read the "I'm a Big Sister" book for the 50th time while brother eats or sleeps is the norm. And it's a fabulous norm.

Touched through Toes

My dear friend offered to give me a pedicure this week. At 9 months pregnant this gesture was more than much appreciated. She soaked them and scrubbed them and painted them a shiny red. =) I have never felt more blessed by a friend. Now when I go to the hospital this week and have lots of visitors, I won't be embarrassed of my feet! Thank you, thank you Bojana!

With this ring I thee wed...

Lately my fingers have been swelling up (along with my right foot and ankle). I never take off my wedding ring so I have been sliding it on my pinky when my fingers get all fat and puffy.

Well yesterday 2 girlfriends of mine invited me out to the dollar movies. Half way through Water for Elephants I realize there is no ring on any of my fingers! When the movie was over we started searching by cell phone light and found it in the bottom of my purse! All that buttery popcorn greased my pinky right up and it must have slipped off while rummaging through my bag. SOOO thankful we found it. I really thought I was going to have to go home and tell David the sad news.

Sunshine + Watermelons + Family = 4th of July

We got to spend the 4th with family this year! It felt so perfect to sweat in the brutal July sun while eating watermelons, jumping through sprinklers, and touring the sites of Chattanooga with Andy, Jess, and the girls. Nina Kate is missing her two cousins and has been repeatedly asking for "Besy, Besy."

Day 1 Went swimming. Had a cookout and ate homemade ice cream thanks to our kind & sharing neighbors.

Day 2 We went to the children's museum. Followed by free treats and water sprinklers. Ate at Lupi's pizza pies. Naptime & Chinese takeout.

Day 3 we played in the water fountains at coolidge park. Ate Good Dog hotdogs and fries. Walked the bridge and drove up Lookout Mountain and checked out Point Park.

Day 4 Donuts and Bye Bye

Day 3 playing in the water fountains at Coolidge

Day 2 cooling off in a sprinkler in front of the museum eating free cake, ice cream, and watermelon
Day 2 Betsy sliding in the children's museum
Day 2 Mollie and Nina Kate playing in the water zone at the museum.

July 14th or Sooner??

Went to the doc today. Everything looks good and baby boy should be here by around 8am on July 14th... or before! Just one more full week, just one more doc visit, just one more Friday night...

^{Proverbs 16:9}

In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the LORD establishes their steps.

There is a lot of uncertainty in our near future. But isn't that always the case? Each day is a gift. Each moment precious. Money is unreliable. Health is temporary. I thank God for all the amazing gifts he has given us. As a new day breaks tomorrow with the sun's rise I must remember that I am not in control. I will try to embrace all I have been given and humbly remember that none of it is "mine." Lord forgive me for all the moments I have been ruled by self confidence, greed, or pride. I am excited to see what steps and plans you will establish for us next.

^{Proverbs 16:3}

Commit to the LORD whatever you do,

and he will establish your plans.

Baby Boys Everywhere!

My best friend from high school had her baby boy last night! He is a healthy 8lbs 8 oz. Close to Nina's 8lbs 10. =) I can't help but just be overjoyed for her! Wish I could go to Cali to see her and her little Adler first hand. One of my best girlfriends from college had her baby boy Eli less then 2 weeks ago. My two mom friends here in Chatt had their baby boys, Caleb and Filip, this summer as well. And now it's my turn! My neighbor directly across from me will follow shortly after. Are there any new girls out there??

Ps~ Thanks to all who gave a prayer on our behalf after my Tears post. Nina took 2 naps yesterday (she still only slept for 45 minutes and woke up crying, but she went down easily which was such a blessing to me and hopefully for her too!). And this morning she went down and is currently in a slumber. =)

Tears

I cried yesterday for the first time in months, maybe even the first time in a year. I mean a good old fashioned Kristen cry were I just keep breathing in and can't seem to let any air out. I think it scared David and confused him thoroughly.

Why the breakdown? Everything is about to change. There will be a baby in this house in 2 1/2 weeks or less. A BOY baby. My girl baby who I've adored and loved is turning into a toddler. She is testing her waters, started hitting this week, runs away when she is called for, and goes limp when you try to pick her up. I'm not ready to tackle this new stage at 9 months pregnant, but I don't imagine I will be much more ready with a baby sized incision in my belly, little sleep, and a new infant to figure out. Nina hasn't been napping well and I feel a sense of guilt that I'm not correctly providing her need of rest. I don't know how to help her get better daytime sleep, it has been going on for weeks now, and I miss my time during naps. And I miss her waking up happy from naps. I am also not packed for the hospital, baby boy's nursery is a disaster zone, i have many unfinished projects laying around...

HOWEVER I am excited. I know I want this new addition to our family. I can't wait to meet him. I'm excited to watch Nina learn to love and share life with another. Siblings are great blessings. I am so thankful for my family. My loving husband. My sweet, healthy, and growingly independent daughter, and for my patient heavenly Father who oversees this chaotic and beautiful family.

Ebay Adventures

I walked into Gymboree (a slightly unhealthy habit of mine) and found bins of 1 dollar items. Only these items were shoes, hats, booties, socks etc that usually retail close to 20 dollars. Not to mention I had a coupon so I was getting 20 dollar baby booties for 81 cents! I decided to finally give ebaying a whirl. I had been tempted to give it a try for awhile now and this was just the sort of low risk start I needed. I just mailed out my first 3 packages this morning! It is more work then I thought, but it has been a fun little venture.

Silly Nina Kate

Nina's latest quirks:

~climbing on the couch all by herself to read a book. She loves taking a "seat! seat!"

~she tries to feed the cat her milk. She says "mo mo" and sticks the straw up to his face

~she tries to sit on the cat. he was too lazy the other day to move and I thought she was going to kill him or at least rupture some important organ.

~she loves to shake her sippy cups upside down and make a mess even though she knows this is unacceptable behavior

~she enjoys "cleaning." She'll wipe down the grocery cart with the antibacterial wipes or she'll clean the floor when she finds a paper towel or wash rag.

Hello Blog! Many days have passed since I've written. There is so much to talk about I think I will just make this post in bullet fashion:

• 5 year anniversary tomorrow! Dear friend is babysitting all night tonight and hubs and I are hitting the town!
• Took NK to the Little Gym and she learned how to do a somersault, play on the parallel bars, walk the high beam, "shoot" a ball through a basketball hoop, and swing off the "high" bar! Downside I found out how much it costs to enroll your child so she will probably never go again.
• Went to the doctor this morning and little babyboyX is movin' and groovin'. Everything looks good.
• Nina discovered who Elmo is without any formal explanation or ever watching sesame street. She now finds him everywhere.
• She has started pulling Oliver's fur out and eating it. She probably just likes how much it grosses me out!
• Naps have been all over the place and she wakes up from them very unhappy. Hoping to find a happier balance or for her to grow out of the phase.
• Her molars are still coming in strong. They have all broken through but are continuing to emerge from her poor little gums.
• Pregnant Mama has been extra worn out and crabby this week. I'm thankful for a patient husband and forgiving daughter.
• I had the Baby Shower of my dreams! My friends threw me an incredibly elegant baby "sprinkle" and all my favorite people went out of their way to celebrate with us and shower me with love. It was a full on severe storm of love and kindness actually!
• I have been nesting! Made a lot of progress on a rag rug, painted a little bunny mural to go above the crib, and have been shopping for all the baby necessities (btw mattress shopping has just about been the death of me. i hate chemicals and how deceiving companies are about what is really in their mattresses).
• Nina has learned the word "no." Hoping if we get this stage out of the way now we won't have to go through it at the age of two. ;)

I am so happy. I thank my heavenly Father for the gift of love and relationships and for the opportunity to take care of such a sweet little girl and a growing boy!

Wedding Bells

We went to Orlando last week for my sister in laws wedding. It was absolutely beautiful. Nina Kate loved seeing her cousins. She is particularly in love wither her almost 5 year old cousin Ben who likes to dance about and entertain her. She calls him "Boon" and she inspired a game of "hi" where they shout "hi" back and forth as loud as possibly in the van. Very fun for the rest of the passengers.

The flights were quick. The wedding was breathtaking. The bride and groom were giddy with excitement. The heat and business caused my feet and ankles to swell up to an embarrassingly large size, but we had a great time.

Scarlet Fever Fun

My dear baby girl was burning up last Wednesday. For the first time she actually had a fever when I took her temperature, and it was 101.7 under the arm. I'm a pretty laid back mom when it comes to these things so I didn't worry much. Took her temp again that day and it was climbing. Called the pediatrician just for good measure and they said give her tylenol and if it stays high bring her in the next morning.

Well the next morning my calmness flew out the window when Nina Kate woke up BESIDE herself. She was crying and burning up. I took her temp and it was 102.5 right after waking up. We panicked and threw on some clothes and rushed out the door. When we got to the doc we noticed a redness all over her chest. Dr. John said it looked like Scarlet Fever and did a strep test. A swab to the throat and a few minutes later it was confirmed. She had strep or what they used to call Scarlet Fever. My mind flashed back to the story book my sister and I had listened to as children. "That bunny is wretched with scarlet fever, it must be burned," I heard the little boys nurse saying in my mind. In the story that boy was sick for weeks and I was thankful I had antibiotics so readily available.

WELL today, day 5 of the antibiotic Omnicef the fever is gone but Nina is acting crazy. She falls down all the time, walks funny, cries out, whines, sucks her thumb and rolls on the floor, and just acts pitiful. I couldn't take it anymore and called the doc. They brought her back in checked her out and decided to put her on a milder antibiotic. Went to publix and got their free amoxocillin and I'm hoping by this time tomorrow some of the crazy will be gone.

I am SO thankful that all of this happened while I'm pregnant and not while I have a newborn to care for as well. I am SO thankful that I don't have any signs of strep myself yet. I am SO thankful that God has been providing me with enough rest and patience to deal with a cranky pitiful baby.

Nina and Oli

Found Nina Kate brushing the cat with MY hairbrush last week! She is always making me smile. Here's the video! Blogger is the worst for videos so sorry about the quality.

The Sleepys

Lately I find myself tired almost every day all day. Today I was brainstorming on the matter and I think I realized why. I'm usually the type of person who drops into the bed and wakes up in the morning with no concept of what happened during the hours in between. Well this baby boy is BIG (measuring 3 weeks ahead of schedule) and I keep waking up to roll over and get comfortable. Sounds like NK is asleep now, so I'm putting the laptop down and crawling back into bed. Farewell responsibilities, I'm going to go snooze!

Tristeza Inconmensurable

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
Jesus wept.

Last night on facebook I noticed an odd status. I investigated further and my heart dropped as my fears were realized. A friend of mine from high school has lost her sister, her confident, her best friend to a tragic accident. They always reminded me of Sarah and I. They were only a few years apart in age and tied together in spirit. Oh how my heart ached as I read through Vio's wall. I cannot imagine. Mari was only in her early twenties. Was a resident doctor in a country who is in desperate need for Godly professionals, especially women. Her smile and love for God were ever present. I pray with all my heart for peace, comfort, and strength for Vio and her family.

For some reason as I sit here in tears, I am comforted to know that Jesus, God on earth, was so deeply grieved that He too wept at the loss of a friend even though He knew that his friend would rise again.

65 Years and Counting

Just returned from a whirlwind trip to celebrate my grandparents 65th year of marriage. We got to see all my immediate family plus many relatives I haven't seen in over a decade. Here are my top 5 favorite moments from this weekend:

1. Nina Kate and her Great Grandpa exchanging kisses

2. Seeing a crew of kind souls (that weren't even blood related) decorate, prepare, serve, and clean up an amazing party complete with homemade barbecue, fresh fried fish and hush puppies, and Bingo!

3. Nina Kate screaming "BARAH" every time she saw her Aunt Sarah and chasing her down

4. Mollie and Betsy playing together in an old wooden bucket wearing seersucker dresses as their great grandparents sat in the shade watching all the bustle

5. My husband saying with sincerity "Happy Mother's Day" before he even opened his eyes this morning

Pictures and videos to follow. i'm too worn out and my ankles are too swollen to mess with memory cards and picassa at the moment. Happy Mother's Day all you hard working Mamas out there! Mom, I also really enjoyed you being so enthusiastic as you looked through the book I made you for Mom's day. Love you!

Yoga Baby

So today I decided to try doing a prenatal yoga video while Nina was awake. Ingenious! She spent most the time staring at the crazy pregnant yoga lady on the tv and surrounding me and my sticky mat with toys, shoes, remote controls etc. Every now and then she would try to climb into my lap or sit under me in downward facing dog. Too cute and a great way to pass the time! I might have to do this more often.

Purring Kitty

Oliver is usually not to keen on Nina Kate and her affection she loudly lavishes upon him. He usually tolerates the assault for a few seconds and then quickly removes himself from the situation. Yesterday morning the whole family was on our bed and Oliver was purring loudly as Dad scratched his chin. Nina was amazed and began trying to imitate him. She stuck her tongue between her lips and blew a bunch of spit bulbs.

Tornadoes and Cookouts... not the smartest mix

Wednesday was David's birthday and for weeks I had been planning a surprise cookout for him after work. I made an ice cream cake, had the fridge stocked with meat and dogs, and had a friend on his way from Atlanta to surprise him and spend the night. Only one thing unaccounted for... the weather. The night before I'm watching the 11 o'clock news and the weather forecast: SEVERE WEATHER 4-9pm. I was so sad! The friend headed up from Atlanta regardless and so I welcomed all crazy individuals who wanted to still come over in spite of the weather and I hoped it would just blow over.

It did not blow over. Biggest storm system since the 1970's and it claimed hundreds of lives including many right here in our own city. It stormed about 7 different tim

es during the day and David's loving friends drove over in between storms. He was VERY surprised. As am I in retrospect. The power went out as soon as guests started arriving and we ate by candlelight and enjoyed the sounds of rain and hail as more storms rolled through.

It was probably the stupidest thing anybody has ever done for his birthday, but also probably the greatest act of love. I still am amazed and touched that so many people

made it in the midst of tornadoes to ring in his 28th year.

Here is an image of the devastation just 8 miles down the road from our party:

Teeth

My sweet little girl began whining this weekend. She's had a short fuse and she seems to just run around the house and make a whining sound the whole time. Looked in her mouth and sure enough blossoming teeth all over. There is one spot where her gums are so swollen I can't stand to even look at them. Fever too, poor little girl. I'm trying to be patient and understanding and have turned to tylenol/motrin and homemade popsicles to give her some relief.

Blessed Easter

Had the honor of spending the day with friends who have taken us in as family. It was good not to be alone on such a special day. Enjoyed conversations, babies, cinnamon rolls, and sunshine.

My heart is also full for some friends dealing with an unexpected issue with their beloved child. I pray for peace, wisdom, and direction for this dear family.

Busy Saturday

Whew! I am worn out. We had a first birthday party for Riley Kate, a cookout with some friends, and I crashed prom. Now we're sitting on the couch eating cookies and watching The Cosby Show... the rest of my to do list will have to wait.

Frustrated

Nina K has started testing me again. It's been awhile since her last bout of deliberate disobedience to watch me react. I find it so frustrating. She has been obeying our "no touch"s since she was about 9 months old. So when I tell her no touch and she smiles at me and does it anyway I get so flustered! I know she wants to see my reaction, but I have to react, right? I can't let her learn that she can get away with it. But finding the appropriate negative consequence for a 1 year old stretching her wings sends me spinning.

Then this pesky fly is trying to further drive me to unsettledness as he buzzes in my ear and lands on my face. I put the baby in her bed for a rest and I sit down and here comes the cat at the window pawing and meowing, pawing and meowing. Looks like I need to spend some time in prayer and reflection! And maybe invest in a parenting book!

Thanks Biblegateway for making it so easy to search the Bible:

Ecclesiastes 7:8-9

⁸ The end of a matter is better than its beginning,
and patience is better than pride.
⁹ Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit,
for anger resides in the lap of fools.

Live Bunny Shoot

Yesterday Nina Kate got to pet her first bunny. My friend rented him for the day for 20 bucks and was thoughtful enough to invite us along for some pics. Who knew you could do such things?

Needless to say she was enamored with it. I had a hard time keeping her away while the other kids got their pictures taken.

She also enjoyed the giant Easter eggs.

She hung out with friends and made some new ones.

She even met an Easter bunny.

Publix

So I have been comparing my local grocery stores. Yesterday I decided to give the giant Publix a try. I enjoyed the free samples of piña and chicken, but I did not enjoy being so lost. I must have walked the full length of that publix 3 or 4 times. It wasn't set up anything like the small Publix down the street or the ones in FL for that matter.

Well, Nina Kate had thrown her sippy cup in the car and I forgot to find it before we went in. I always have her eat her lunch in the grocery cart so I needed to find her a drink to go with her banana, goldfish, and hard boiled egg. I know where to get liquids at both of my local Bi-los and Earthfare, but this Publix seemed to have no cheap refrigerated water bottles anywhere. The deli only carried lemon water and their soda machine didn't have a water button. So I walked all the way to the dairy side to get a personal organic milk bottle for her (which I've done at Bi-Lo, Target, and Earthfare). But of course this massive grocery had no personal sized milks except for like a liter of publix chocolate milk. Sigh. So I start searching for regular water bottles. Turns out there were 3 or 4 different drink aisles! I finally found the one with water and ripped open a pack of publix water bottles gave one to my daughter and put the rest in my cart and finally I'm ready to begin shopping.

An hour later I slip in my cheap Old Navy flipflops on a wet spot on the floor. I look to my daughter knowing she is probably to blame and to my shock she has her water upside down in her seat and it has soaked through her cloth shopping cart cover and is dripping, dripping, dripping, dripping all over the floor and all over my groceries under her! Including a few paper wrapped items that were now swelling with water like the fancy all natural wheat flour for her morning pancakes. There seems to be no way to stop the saturated seat cover from releasing the rest of its watery contents, so we just continue on and hope nobody else slips on the puddles we're leaving behind as we proceed through the meat department.

Over thirty minutes later, I have finally procured enough items and I head to the checkout. There were 2 lanes open and so I began to wait in line behind a few other full carts. There is a young guy manning the 10 items or less aisle which was completely empty and he took pity on me and coaxed me to check out in the fast lane. Well of course once he starts ringing up my items people with just a bottle of soda show up wanting to use the fast lane. I wanted to tell them it wasn't my idea, but I just unloaded my cart faster. I only used 2 coupons this trip and my bill was the same or less than my usual Bi-Lo trip and my cart was pretty full, so kudos to Publix there. A very kind old man pushed my cart out to my car and we discussed children and exchanged other pleasantries. I put Nina Kate in the car while he unloads the groceries and to my horror she only has one shoe on her foot. I look in the van, I look in the parking lot, I even look in the grocery bags in the trunk and nothing. I panic. I got these Crocs for 5 dollars and I wasn't about to spend 30 to replace them. And I really don't have any other shoes to substitute while I get them replaced. So I leave the ice cream melting in the sunny car and drag my one-shoed child back into Publix. Yet again we walk the giant store. No luck. Talk to a few people, leave my number, give up, and head home.

I am upset the whole time I'm driving. I know it's just a shoe, but I needed that shoe! One of the strange things about being a stay at home mom is there is nobody to vent things to. In a situation like this when I know I'm upset over something not that crucial to the world or heaven or even hell for that matter I usually just share my frustration with someone else and then almost instantly the swelling feeling inside subsides and I can let it go. So I call my sister... no answer. I call my husband... no answer. Blurg! I tried just telling Nina how I felt, but that didn't work.

Turns out the shoe was under the front seat. It had flown off when I had untangled her from the wet shopping cart cover and put her in her carseat. Now the question is will we go back to the giant Publix???

It's been a good week so far. I am constantly amazed at how quickly Nina Kate is learning. Somebody mentioned once that the first year they physically change daily and the second year they do so mentally. Today she learned what a skunk is and after me telling her once she correctly identified the skunk every time.

Last night we went to a Lookouts baseball game. I really enjoyed doing something out of the norm.

Neighborhood Egg Hunt

Nina Kate had her first Easter egg hunt today. It was a cold, soggy, windy day, but still very fun. I was shocked how well NK did. She bent right down picked up the blue egg and put it in the bag like I told her to. She got 3 eggs total, all a different color. Not bad for a 14 month old. Not to mention I scored a ring-pop inside the pink egg, which I might share with her. In retrospect I wish we had videoed the event because it was hard to get a good picture with her looking at the camera with so much excitement and she was absolutely adorable squatting down and picking up these colorful eggs. The last pic is her all muddy after a little fall in the soggy grass.

April 13, 2011 Sabotage

I spent all day cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. I think the nesting phase has started. Yesterday I cleaned out Nina Kate's closet, a task I had been avoiding which suddenly became pure excitement. Today I mopped the floors with vinegar and water (natural disinfectant that is hardwood friendly) for the first time since we moved into the house.

Going to go off on a quick tangent here. I think mopping is the hardest thing to do with a little one awake, because I can't get her to understand not to walk all over the wet floor. She ends up slipping and sliding and getting in the way of the mop.

Anyway, back to the main point. Like I said, I cleaned all day. I vacuumed, cleaned the counters, did the dishes, cleaned Nina's room, the guest bathroom, mopped, and well what was the first thing Nina Kate does???

You guessed it, make a mess! She pulled everything out of my bag and scattered it around like it was her job.

April 8, 2011 Boo, boo, boo...

Again I find myself catching up on posts I've wanted to make over the past few weeks.

Nina Kate loves to say the word "bow" referring to the hair-clips we use to keep her crazy hair out of her eyeballs. Every time she sees one she starts chanting "boo, boo, boo," and picks it up and tries to put it in her hair (which means she rubs it all over her head and then drops it behind her). Today (again we are pretending it's April 8th), I played along and we ended up with all the bows we could find in her bedroom in her hair. Little moments like these bring me such joy.

Poor Kitty

So ever since I've been a Mama I have no patience leftover for Oliver the cat. The minute he starts meowing at the door or walking in circles on my belly blocking my view of the laptop I become enraged. I remember before Nina was born I would let him sleep on me forever and I wouldn't get up because he looked so happy. Now I just use him as a distraction for Nina. When she is being clingy I tell her to go find the kitty and she chases him all around the house. Poor kitty!

+ teeth

Oh and did I mention she also got 2 new teeth?? She acted in pain one day and had a tooth the next!

Scratches and Scrapes

Nina Kate is becoming quite the little walker, but when she gets tired she starts falling all over the place like a drunkard. We had family portraits taken Sunday and I'm so glad it was last week because since Sunday she has fallen and scraped her chin on my wedding ring, cut herself in 3 places with her fingernails I'm assuming, and then yesterday she ran down the driveway towards Daddy and fell flat on her face scraping up her chin, lip, and nose. I am ever thankful we have been blessed with such health and safety that all there is to report is scrapes and scratches.

Aunt Barah

So the main reason there is such a gap in my blogging the past week is that we went to visit Aunt Barah and Uncle Dru in Indy. We had an amazing time. Some highlights for me were seeing Sarah's new house (which is absolutely perfect), going to a Pacers game (Nina loved all the action and got pretty slap happy before we finally put her down around 11pm), eating a giant iron skillet cookie (recipe given to me by a pregnant friend), walking in the woods, Nina learning the word "happy," playing with atvs, looking at the stars with my incredible husband, and playing pinochle by firelight.

The downside to this wonderful vacation was leaving. I instantly felt lonely come Tuesday when David went back to work and Sarah was nowhere to be found. Nina also misses her aunt and whenever the phone rings she says Barah? Barah? Barah?

I also want to Praise God for safe travels and the fact that we drove 8 hours home and managed to miss all the storms. It started pouring and lightening in Chatt about 20 minutes after we arrived safely to our house. Nina did wonderful and slept like an angel at all her naps and at night! I am so proud, and so thankful.

Pregnant Baby

Nina started walking pretty well last week and she continues to fall less and less and stand back up on her own more and more. However, I've noticed the past couple of days that when she walks she has her hands on her belly. After pondering a moment on this I realize that I frequently rest my hands on my ever growing baby bump and she is mimicking me. Oh no! I've taught my baby girl my pregnancy quirks!

Imitation

Nina Kate has been copying us more and more. Yesterday I saw her kicking my shoes. When I examined further I realized she was trying to put them on her feet. Today she tried toting her block sorter around like a purse.

Wednesday, March 23 - Book Reading

"Livin' is like pourin' water out of a tumbler into a dang Coca-Cola bottle. If'n you skeered you cain't do it, you cain't. If'n you say to yoreself, 'By dang, I can do it!' then, by dang, you won't slosh a drop."

So it is a well known fact that I "hate" reading. The truth is I don't mind it if it's a good book. I'm just extremely picky. You see, I don't like a book to be too good. I dislike being sucked into a fantasy world. I dislike that feeling of when you put a book down and the real world seems all fuzzy, foreign, and it's almost painful. I realize this is the reason many people like to read. They like the escape. They like exiting this atmosphere and dancing among the stars, and they don't mind the pain of reentry.

Another thing I hate about reading is crying. My sister gave me the book "Cold Sassy Tree" when I saw her a few weeks ago. Well Dear Sister, only a few chapters into this book and I was soaking up tissues. However, I do like the book a lot. And today I wanted to share this quote from it. Two summers ago I did a Bible study on Esther with some precious young ladies, and I gained a new perspective on conquering fear. Since then I have tried to live not being "skeered." I really liked this quote and it reminded me to not let fear control my life or heart.

Tuesday, March 22

Okay, so I tend to write in clumps. So this was the entry I intended to post on Tuesday, but here I am writing it on Thursday. Sigh.

Nina took her first steps on Sunday!!! She has been having us walk her all around the house holding onto our fingers for awhile now, but Sunday at hockey I turn around and I see her walking away from the bleachers with a bag of grapes in her hand. I suppose the item was too precious to crawl with. She made it about 4 or 5 steps before losing her balance. Since then she has taken a few steps like this every day, but she is still pretty wobbly.

On a separate note, she seems to be getting cuter every day. Lately, I just stare at her and smile. She is becoming so grown up. I'm also getting excited to meet this new bundle of fun God is sending us.

Breakfast Beggin'

This morning when I went to get Nina out of her crib she instantly started signing and saying "more, more." Knowing she was hungry, I had David feed her a bowl of yogurt and fruit while I made breakfast for us big kids. By the time the Husband and I sat down to our fried eggs she was all done and on the floor playing. When she saw me eating she started crying at my feet for some of my food. I said, "are you begging like a dog?" She looked up at me and replied, "woof, woof!"

it's back!!!

So a few months ago I started playing an extremely addictive facebook game. I played nonstop. I would play all during nap time and sometimes when Nina Kate was awake. She would play with her toys and crawl around and I would steal off to the laptop to send colorful balls whizzing through an Aztecan jungle of combos and chains. I even caught up with the Husband and surpassed him. I was finally beating him at a game besides Dr. Mario and it infuriated him. Oh what delight! I played for 2 weeks incessantly until I finally decided to rid myself of the addiction for the sake of my neglected house and child. I quit cold turkey and hadn't touched it since...

Well, I overheard a hockey friend of David's challenging him in Zuma and I felt the itch. All I can say is, the external mouse has been stolen from the upstairs computer and my fingers have been busily clicking during nap-time today. Oh Laundry, I do hear you calling to be folded. Oh Counters, I see your crumbs. Oh Sunshine, your rays are tempting. But David is still winning and there are only a few hours left before this week's winner will be crowned. Just one more game.

Family Walk

Last night David returned from hockey by 10. We decided to enjoy the night air. So we put the monitor on full volume on the front step and we went for a little stroll. We joked about putting the cat on a leash and taking him with us. To our great amusement, Oliver walked with us the entire time. He would fall back and then dart to catch up or he would run along at the same pace as us, but he stayed within about 10 feet of David and I the entire time.

Hockey Husband

Yes! Another use of an alliteration!

David is going to Knoxville next weekend to play in an indoor hockey tournament. So this Thursday he had a hockey game as usual, and then last night he went to practice for the tournament. So I have been given a lot of "me" time. Thursday night I was feeling like a fat pregnant blob. When I was pregnant with Nina Kate I did yoga almost every week and I would go to the gym and do elliptical machines, stretches, and occasional weight lifting. Well this pregnancy I have done nothing except lift a 28 pound baby every day and walk in the mall and grocery store. Also, this boy is growing and he is so much lower than Nina Kate. His position makes me feel heavier for some reason and he seems more in the way. So Thursday night I was feeling sorry for myself sitting on the couch with my computer in hand and I decided to find a yoga dvd via netflix instant. Wow am I out of shape! I couldn't hold downward facing dog for more than a few breaths! But it felt so good to use my body and Baby Boy loved it! He was moving all around. Going to try to incorporate this in my life more often.

Burritos and Rocks

Thursday we shared a beautiful sunny and warm lunch at the park with the husband. I put Nina Kate on the ground to play and she found a treasure.... rocks! She loved them. She picked two out and would put them in her stroller and then get them back out again. She even tried licking them a few times, but alas they were not good eating material.

Babysitting and Cookout

Whew! I am worn out, but it was a good day. After breakfast Nina and I rushed out to the grocery to get burgers etc for dinner with friends. Then my friend dropped off their adorable baby girl for us to watch. I managed to juggle the two babies surprisingly well. Somehow they never managed to be awake at the same time, worked out great! Then I made pound cake for dessert (DELICIOUS see recipe below). I made homemade mac'n'cheese (which was disappointing, i was distracted and didn't put enough cheese and salt in). Husband came home and I mowed the lawn until guests started arriving. It was a VERY pleasant evening. I love sharing life with people. I love the sunny warm days of spring. I love having a grill to make dogs and burgers on. I love having a husband who cleaned up while I chatted with a friend. Good day.

Pound Cake- I cut this recipe in half and fit in one loaf pan pretty well. I added Vanilla and salt for extra deliciousness.

Ingredients

• 2 cups butter
• 3 cups white sugar
• 6 eggs
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup milk
• *Vanilla
• *salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 3 - 8x4 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the flour alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated.
3. Pour batter evenly into prepared loaf pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. After removing them from the oven, immediately loosen cake edges with a knife. Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans.

Ear Rubbing

Nina Kate has been rubbing her ears and sucking her thumb during wake-time lately. She has been congested for over a week, so I decided to take her for her first "sick visit" and get those ears looked at. Sure enough she has infections in both ears. When she wakes up from her nap I will administer the amoxicillin that I lovingly called "pink stuff" as a child. I loved that bubblegum flavor! Hoping she has no reactions as her dad is allergic to various antibiotics. Picked up some Benadryl at Target today just in case. (Note to couponing mamas: Target has a free 10 dollar gift card coupon in their flyer this week for all new or transfered prescriptions)

Dr. John asked if she had been irritable lately. I smiled and said yes in her own way, meaning she has been sucking her thumb and laying her head on me more. So thankful for such a pleasant little girl. I can't thank God enough for bringing that big old bundle of love into my life. She has taken over my heart.

Crackle Toes

I am thankful for many blossoming friendships in my life.

Saturday I got to leave the baby and go get a pedicure with a friend. Nothing like being pampered. I was skeptical when I saw the exterior of the nail salon but my manicurist, Kim, was amazing! She was 39 1/2 weeks pregnant and here she was sitting on a stool making my feet sparkle. She is expecting a boy (just like my friend I went with and myself) so conversation topics were easy to come up with! She even wrapped my legs in hot towels.. awww... She suggested I try out a new "crackle" paint they just got in. They paint it on and as it dries it cracks and shows the white coat underneath. Pretty fun! I chose pink for this pleasant spring season. I think my toes look like Easter eggs now. =) It was all in all a wonderful treat.

Sweet Husband

I completely forgot to write over the weekend!

Last night we stayed up past 2 am working on customer service emails (thanks to a little Daylight Savings Time glitch) and watching footage of the Tsunami swallow miles of Japan's coastline. Needless to say this pregnant woman was passed out this morning when the baby girl woke up. I didn't even hear her complaining through the monitor. But my sweet Husband heard her, got her up, changed her diaper, fed her breakfast, and was reading her books when I finally arose.

Here is one of the shorter videos we watched last night. I have no words to describe the power of the water and the frailty of the vehicles and buildings that tried to oppose it. My heart and prayers go out to all those who are suffering loss at this time.
Tsunami Smashes Town

Sunshine

The sun is back! This week has been a very wet and cloudy one. Add pregnancy hormones, a sick baby girl, short naps, concern about the new baby on the way and the transition into a family of 4, and you get a sad Kristen. I am generally a very contented person so this bout of blues was a foreign and unwanted intruder.

But today the sun is shining! Last night we only watched an episode of Conan and I spent the whole night doing customer service for SpiceRack with the Husband. Which I thoroughly enjoyed, and hopefully a few Bingo users will be happier now as well. Yesterday I got coffee and a cinnamon chip scone with a friend at Panera. I made a quiche and it turned out well. This morning my baby girl seems to be feeling much better. And today after morning nap we are heading over to a friend's house. Praise God for little and big blessings!

This morning I found NK "cleaning" her firetruck. I know kids imitate their parents, but this caught me by surprise. And dear Husband, please take note that the first act of unintended social imitation from your daughter was cleaning. I must not be doing too bad of a job as a housewife. =)

Lent

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday. If it wasn't for facebook this day would have rolled on by just like any other. As it was I was forced to remember the season of lent, a season of sacrifice and love. Husband and I discussed our lifestyle and came up with a lent plan for the Kirby family. Brace yourselves. This is a moment of painful confession.
1. Only 2 hours of television a day. Since the baby has been born we have slipped into the habit of putting her down (8pm) and then dropping on the couch in front of the tv until midnight or later. I am interested and excited to see what we do with our free time tonight! We are definitely in need of some balance in this area.
2. 10 minutes of "unplugged" time. This means NO DEVICES. A rarity in the Kirby household. No laptop, tv, or iphone. 10 quiet minutes. The goal here is spiritual growth, but we did not specify how those 10 minutes are used. Quiet meditation on the day I find spiritually uplifting, as well as prayer and reading.

Well the bambino just woke up from her first decent nap in 2 days! Thank you Lord for helping her sleep! This personal time was quite welcome!

Modern Mamas' Miracle Products

(Apparently I like alliterations)

This post is dedicated to the things that have made my life as a mother simpler.
1. Clorox wipes- no explanation needed.

2. Oxiclean- a bucket of water with a scoop of this stuff works wonders. Poopy outfit? Toss it in the bucket. Dirty bib? Toss it in the bucket. It's great!

3. Swiffer Vaccuum- Okay Moms, if you have a wooden/tile/laminate floor in your kitchen or where your little tyke's high chair sits this thing is a wonder! No cord. No bending over with a broom and a dustbin. You just crab the swiffer and suck up all those cheerios she/he just tossed overboard. Or if your like me all that flour or powdered sugar you just dusted the kitchen floor with.

4. Vinegar- It's cheap. It's natural and nontoxic. And it disinfects! The best way I've found to disinfect my hardwood floors without worrying about harsh chemicals getting all over my precious baby.

5. A Good Attitude- I quickly discovered that if I'm in a bad mood, then my little one seems to be in one too. If I'm cranky, she suddenly seems to be difficult. I am AMAZED at how when I turn my attitude around she responds the same. So in moments when I feel blue and see our day spiraling downwards I say a prayer for patience, strength, and joy. Then I turn on the radio to something fun (hip hop... shhhh) and we dance and laugh.