My First Mother's Day

We finally went on a mini-vacation this past weekend to Gulf Shores. It was my Mother's Day present I guess, but we all needed to get out of Auburn. We were going to go to FL to the launch - well, we would watch from the beach, but it kept getting postponed, so I told Eric - we are still going to get away. We've been trying to save, save, save for our upcoming move at the end of July. Plus, we want to buy a house, so that is another major expense coming up. Oh yeah - we are moving to HOUSTON!!!! Not to mention, I won't be getting paid this summer. Okay -so I'll quit stressing myself out about all of that because God will take care of it! He found me a job, and so we are so grateful for that, and grateful to be really close to family, and hopefully, in the next year, we'll have both of our families in Houston! Living the dream - and convincing Eric and his family that TEXAS is the best state in the union! Anyways, we had some extra money somehow this month, so we took advantage of it, and it was great! We actually stayed in Foley because it was about $40 cheaper a night, and we got another $10 off a night because of my AAA card! Thanks Mom for renewing this every year! We went to the outlet mall the day we got there, and we ate at Lambert's for dinner, which I would highly recommend. You get a TON of food, and it is sooooooooooooo good. Eric wanted to go there the next night, but it was my turn! The next morning we woke up at 2:30 am to Kya, and she went back to sleep with us in the bed, and we all got up to Kya's singing about 6:30. Thankfully, I went to bed at 10:30 the night before, but I was still tired because I graded all of my exams on Thursday and stayed up until 1:30 am putting the grades in. Then, Kya woke up at 2:00 am and din't go back to sleep until 4, so I didn't get much sleep Thursday night. Anyways, we went to the beach, which was so much fun minus me getting sunscreen in her eyes. I'm stupid and put it on the back of her hands, and she got tired and rubbed her eyes. I will never do that again. She still had a good time, and we had a shovel and hoe from the outlet mall that she loved. She kept "walking" towards the water. It was soooo cold, but she would try to get us to let her walk farther into the water. She didn't even flinch when it hit her at the belly. Seriously, it was cold. She also loved crawling around, and she is finally crawling normally! I thought she would skip it all together because she loves standing up so much, but she has finally done it! She started doing it the first night we were there, and kept it up at the beach as you can see in the picture. We left after about 1.5 hours and gave Kya a bath when we got back to the hotel, and she took a nice nap. Then, we hit the outlet mall again! I'm so thankful Eric likes shopping! Thanks Sandy! He would never admit it, but I think he likes going to the outlet mall as much as I do, which is a lot. Surprisingly, he only bought one pair of shorts, and I got him some other things he needed. I didn't go too crazy for Kya, but I did get her some 18 months stuff. Carter's had 30% off their clearance, and I just love their clothes! They fit Kya so well. Sandy - I got her a long-sleeved purple striped shirt with a snowman on it. I bought it because it reminded me of you! I was like she has to have this. THEN, we went to the Shrimp Basket where Kya wooed everyone there. She is a magnet for people, and that sweet little girl was just smiling and looking at everyone. She is very social! We got up Sunday morning and hit up Waffle House, which was delicious and hit the road. I came back refreshed and ready to get my second paper wrapped up this week, and I think it will happen thanks to the new babysitter I hired two afternoons a week (well, my parents call it their contribution to my Ph.D.!). Lindsay is awesome, and God has continued to bless us with great babysitters. I hope we can find some good ones when we move to Katy. I know the grandparents will always be an option, but if we just want to go out to eat, they'll be a little too far for that.

More Kya update: She is now on a three bottle schedule, which is awesome for me because I only pump three times a day! YAY! Next month, I'll go to two, and we'll start mixing breastmilk with whole milk. I can't believe I made it a year. I'm sorry, but I am a bit proud of myself! It's a lot of time and planning, but it was worth it. She is pulling up on EVERYTHING. She can stand with only one hand steadying herself, and she literally climbs up my legs. I'll be standing on the other side of the room and I hear her moving closer, then, I feel her little sweaty palms gripping my calves and up she goes. She still hasn't said a first word, but she does say ma-ma-ma-ma and da-da-da, she also still hisses like a snake, and recently, she likes blowing in your face. She also started shaking her head "no". It almost looks involuntary sometimes, but I guess she's seen Eric and me do it so much to her lately that she is trying it out. Lastly, she loves throwing things. She will swipe stuff off the counter, and pick stuff up and just chunk it. It's hilarious, but it doesn't help to keep the house clean! Oh yeah - and she is getting her top teeth - which explains the no sleep! We are so blessed to be her parents, and I am loving every minute of watching her grow and discover new things.

Easter!

We had a great Easter! Grams, Big Daddy, and Aunt Hayley came to stay with us, and Kya was not sick for once when they came to visit! They also brought Kya some new clothes now that she has moved up to 12 months. I'm so glad that Sandy has similar taste in clothing to me. Grams and Big Daddy did a great job picking out some very cute outfits for the summer! Not to mention - they loaded us up with diapers before they left. Kya showed them how much she loves to play the piano and "sing". She is also army crawling and pulling up on everything! She loves to pull up and sit back down, and do it all over again. I have started just sitting her in her crib and letting her go to town before her afternoon nap time. She also loves when you hide and jump out at her. Grams, Big Daddy, Aunt Hayley, and Fletch went to the park to swing, which Kya loves to do! We also went to Tiger Town on Saturday and visited our favorite stores. On Sunday morning, we went to the traditional service at AUMC, and then, we came home and had brunch with omelets, french toast, and sweet potato hashbrowns. It was delicious! It was a very relaxing weekend, and we really enjoyed having Grams, Big Daddy, and Aunt Hayley - AND Fletch! Fletch had to go to the vet and get his shots and get two more shots for the skin infection that he has had off and on this Spring. We think it is related to his allergies, so hopefully, the antibiotics will kick this thing for good this time. We are so thankful that Eric's parents are willing to take care of Fletch while we are in our apartment.

So, Kya is continuing to learn new things every day. It is just amazing to me. She loves taking the rings off of the yellow thing and throwing them. She has discovered screeching and loves to do it when she is excited. She loves "walking" holding our hands. She screeches when she does it. I think she is getting her top teeth because she keeps sticking out her tongue like she is running it over her teeth. We are in the process of changing her feeding schedule now that she is almost 10 months! We're transitioning to three bottles and a little bit more food. Today was the first day, and she's doing great. She also loves "singing" when she plays her piano. She loves going "ssss" like a snake. I really think she will be walking in a few weeks. She only holds on with one hand now, and last night, she stood by herself for a few brief seconds. Lastly, she loves playing in the trash - I know that sounds bad, but she thinks empty boxes and bottles are awesome. Who needs expensive toys when trash will keep her entertained!

9-month Check-up

We went to the doctor yesterday for Kya's 9-month visit, and she is growing so well! She is 28 3/4" and 20 lbs. 10 oz. She is in the 75th percentile for weight and height. I was getting all worried about her feeding schedule because I feel like I just make it up, but the doctor told me to just go with my gut, and that obviously, Kya is growing well, so we're doing fine. I just read stuff about other people's babies eating more baby food than her or eating more variety. I know she gets plenty of milk, but I am just confused about when do you make the transition to feeding less milk and more of other fluids and more baby food. Oh well - she is growing and eating great, so I'll just keep doing what I'm doing and make changes as I see fit. I guess this is how the rest of parenthood will go - every child is different, so there is no one size fits all guide to this stuff! I wonder if other people feel as clueless as I do! Back to the appointment - Kya only had to get one shot, and she scrunched her face up and turned red, but she didn't cry. We had the same nurse as last time, and I was so happy because she does an awesome job giving shots! When Kya was about to cry, we just kept saying you're okay over and over, and she just stopped and started smiling. Amazing! I guess I'm not too surprised because that little girl loves to play rough and hardly ever cries when she falls down or bumps her head. I am thankful for that because I am definitely one of those people that is like "suck it up, you're fine!" I'm also thankful she has quit crying when she gets her shots because now, I don't cry anymore when she gets them. :).

Happy Almost Easter!

So, Kya has been busy! She is still army crawling, but man, is she fast! She gets up on all fours, but that is just to sit herself back up. A few mornings ago we walked in to Kya standing up and jumping in her bed. She has figured out how to go from her back to sitting to standing. I am just amazed at how fast she has acquired these skills! She is now around 20 lbs, and she has her 9-month check-up on Monday, so hopefully, everything looks good! I'm not looking forward to the shots, but last time, she did not cry at all, so hopefully, it is the same result this time. One thing I can't get over is how Kya tries to pull herself up on everything. Eric and I are like her own personal jungle gyms. The other day I was getting ready in the bathroom, and I sat her down next to me, and literally in 5 seconds she had pulled herself up on the toilet. Note to self - I need to get those toilet thingies, so she can't open it. She is also really tough - she falls over, etc. and hardly ever cries. I am seriously amazed by her. We are looking forward to spending Easter with Grams and Big Daddy (Eric's parents) next weekend! We got Kya a Veggie Tales movie, and I guess we'll find something else....

Granny and Papa's 50th Wedding Anniversary

We went to Columbus and Walnut, MS this past weekend to see Eric's parents and go to my dad's parent's 50th wedding anniversary celebration. We were in the car a lot, but we had a lot of fun introducing Kya to the Noah side of the family. Kya has started pulling up, and army crawling. She'll stick her butt in the air and try to crawl with her legs extended. She took one correct crawl step the other day, but she is constantly trying to pull up on everything. I think she might crawl for about a week, then, start trying to walk. At the end of the weekend, we left Fletch with Eric's parents so that he has more attention and has a yard to play in. It was sad, but I guess I agree with Eric that it is for the best until we have a yard again. Plus, with Kya getting mobile, it is trickier to keep her out of his stuff. We are so thankful that Eric's parents love Fletch soooo much and are willing to watch him. Kya also racked up on some new toys (Grams and Big Daddy) and clothes (Nana and Pop Noah)! The pictures are of Kya trying crackers for the first time and the anniversary party.

Spring Break!

We had a very eventful Spring Break - some good and some bad! Kya and I ventured to Houston to see my family. Dad came to Auburn on Friday, and drove us to the airport and we flew back to Houston on Saturday. Kya met her Nana Cowart for the first time! She also met her Great-Aunt Kay, Great-Uncle Kevin, Great-Uncle Randall, and Cousins Andrea, Ross, and Macy! We had a busy Sunday, but it was a lot of fun, and Kya was enjoying all of the attention of course! She is getting to where if she is not in eyesight of someone, she will scream. It's almost instantaneous now. AND she is starting to have a little bit of stranger anxiety. I love that she is reaching for me, but sometimes she won't let me hand her off without fussing. It is really sweet, so I know I should enjoy it because in about 12 years, she will be embarrassed to be seen with me in public. Pop Noah spoiled her rotten by laying with her until she fell asleep! Then, on Monday night, Kya got to see Aunt Jolie and Uncle Adam. On Tuesday, Uncle Abel and Pop Noah helped me take Kya to the park. She had so much fun sliding down the slide and swinging for the first time. Unfortunately, I think she has taken after me and has allergies. The poor girl had a bad cough and was stopped up most of the trip, but she was still in good spirits. Then, we were supposed to leave on Wednesday, but I did the stupidest thing at the airport going through security. So, I have flown with Kya twice before this trip by myself, so I had experience going through security! I normally unbuckled her, and someone would come and unattach her car seat from her stroller for me, and put it through the machine. Well, this time I did not have help, and I stupidly unbuckled her before I had taken her car seat off of the stroller. When I went to unhook her car seat, she leaned forward and landed on her face. I seriously keep reliving seeing her face down on the floor and my heart dropping. She instantly started screaming, which was a good thing, but I was just in shock mode. Like WHAT HAVE I DONE?!?! Thankfully, my dad hadn't left, so he was able to come back in and help me out. Needless to say, we had our first ambulance ride to the hospital, which was really unnecessary, but they were there so we rode. Kya was already smiling and laughing when we drove to the hospital. She is such a tough baby! When we got to the ER, they checked her out immediately - so note to self - ambulance = skip the line! She got a nice shiner on her right eye, but when they were pressing on it, she didn't even flinch. I was like - she is super baby! Thankfully, nothing was wrong other then a bruised eye - but learn from me - NEVER unbuckle your child until the car seat is on the ground and you are ready to take them out! I think that was the scariest experience - even worse than our wreck with the deer - or maybe they were the same. I think I am ready to stop putting my child in danger! So, we finally made it back on Friday, but I am glad that our trip got delayed because I was able to spend some more quality time with my mom and dad. Then, when we got back, Grams and Big Daddy came in town to see us! So, Kya had a nice full week with lots of attention from all the grandparents! She is one loved child and is very blessed to have such great grandparents! Grams and Big Daddy brought her a little drum that she loves to bang on - I think she'll be musical - she loves playing her piano and singing. We sing together. It is so cute! Kya is also starting to try to crawl. Most of the time she ends of going backwards or getting frustrated. Now, she loves standing. She thinks she is so big! I'm trying to get her to still try to crawl, but I guess she'll do what she wants. She is also fascinated by phones. She looks at them like she is studying it, and of course she loves the lights and buttons. I love how curious she is! We are so blessed, and I am so thankful that Kya was not seriously hurt at the airport! Thankfully, she hit the side of her face and not the front. God was really watching over us and my stupid mistake! I know it won't be the last time she gets hurt, but hopefully, it is never my fault ever again.

March!

So, Kya is just rolling around everywhere and grabs at EVERYTHING. She is trying to crawl, but hasn't quite got the hang of it. Fletch has a skin infection, so I am trying to keep her off of the carpet, but it is hard! She also loves playing with her piano and kitchen. We've recently discovered that she loves sitting in her high chair. I think she likes it because she can see everything better. She loves to take her spoons and bang them on everything. She's been stopped up for the past week, but it seems to be waning, so I guess it's either a little cold or allergies. My allergies have been bothering me, so it might be allergies. I took some pictures of her rolling around in her bed. We need to lower her mattress because she is getting close to pulling herself up on the bars. She tries! Kya loves screaming, too. It's her way of communicating I guess. She also makes consnant sounds like da, ba, and various other noises. She does say da-da-da, so Eric is counting that as her first word. She also loves to grab your face, and it HURTS! She has baby claws, but she has a strong grip. It is amazing how strong she is. Kya is also laughing A LOT more. She loves funny faces. Eric and I will grimace when she grabs our face and it really hurts, but she just laughs and laughs. I also found something Kya does not like - Turkey! We tried turkey last week, and she kept spitting it out. I don't know if it was the texture or what, but she did not like it. Well, she is growing and so much fun! I just love her every laugh and smile!