New Year's

New Year's Eve two years ago, Sam made a great run in our game of tackle football in a foot of snow. . . and lost his shoe somewhere in the process, never to be found by the dozen of us who had been playing.

New Year's Day a year ago was the day we found out I was pregnant and expecting Ked. Never has a simple little stripe brought me so much joy.

We've never stayed up until midnight on New Year's Eve since we've known each other, and tonight may be no different. The most exciting thing we do this year may be just watching Ked roll over. With help. (Added later: Ked really did almost roll right out of this swing on New Years Day. I looked over when I heard the swing stop, and there he was on his side, being held by the ledge. Guess I'd better start using the safety belt.) And while I really wish we were still in Iowa with Sam's family to enjoy the time with them, I am content and happy to just be home with my two favorite guys. I love my life.

More on Christmas later, but for now, Happy New Year!

Swashbuckler

Sam taught me how to embed. I'd tried to figure it out myself several times. Finally, I know how to do it!

Love this. Reminds me of Sam and Ked already.

Ked and Dane, Dec. 22, 2009

We were so happy to get to stay with Brandi's family in Kentucky on our way to Iowa for Christmas. Ked and Dane are about half a year apart. I like to imagine them looking back on these pictures in the future when they are roommates at some BYU school. :)

Dane held Ked's hand in a lot of the pictures we took. So cute. Of course, he also grabbed Ked's nose, ears, eyes, etc.

This (Dane's accomplishment) happened moments before we arrived.

Dane: It was him.

Ked: Not me!

Happy Ked, December 2009

Ked LOVES the front pack. He never complains when he's in it (unless I stop moving). I use it to go for walks with him, get the mail, grocery shopping, etc. But some days it's too cold for him, even when he's this bundled up. He especially likes to chew on the front cloth (or Sam's jacket).

I love making this boy laugh.

Ked has attempted to suck on his hand from practically day one, but now he seems to favor his two fingers the most. He never exactly sucks on them, but just sticks them in his mouth and moves them around his tongue. Sometimes he sticks them in a little too far and makes himself gag.

Three Months, Dec. 1, 2009

Flexing. Look at that six pack!

Sam saw a 10 month old standing up on the pews at church and thought Ked should try it to. He loves it. (More than the couch, which he can't see over.)

Disc Golf, Nov. 21, 2009

On a nice November day, Sam and I went disc golfing in a really neat course nearby. We kept losing the frisbees in the leaves and Ked's pacifier on the course, but we found them every time eventually. It was amazing to me how comfortable Ked was with his head bobbing up and down as Sam ran around on the course. I did finally have to tell Sam to hold Ked's head when he threw the long distances, though. I was afraid Ked would get whiplash.

Ked asleep snuggled up against Dad.

Ked chewing on the frontpack.

Gross stuff. Yum.

Well, I'm still alive and well, so at least you know there's a happy ending to this story. At least I hope you think that's happy. Anyway, so I was enjoying a scrumptious meal of rolls, salad, and breaded chicken with cheese and sauce on it, prepared by my sister Brandi on our stopover in Kentucky on the way to Iowa for Christmas. Next to the salad had been a bowl of some white, flaky stuff that I had assumed went on the salad. I typically eat salads because they are good for me, not because I actually enjoy them, but I was loving this one. Partially because of the white flakes. So I asked Brandi what it was. This is how our conversation went.

Brandi: Oh, it's just provolone.
Me: Really, I didn't know it came like this.
....several minutes later.....
Me: So this is really provolone? I really like it on the salad. How do you get it?
Brandi: Oh, you mean on the salad. I thought you meant on the chicken. On the salad it's just cheddar cheese.
Me: White cheddar cheese?
Brandi: (questioning look. . .) Oh, it probably just looks white to you because it's mild.
(Now it's my turn to be confused. White cheddar, just because it's mild?)
Brandi: Oh, you mean the Parmesan.
Me: No, I know what Parmesan is; what's the white flaky stuff?

Brandi walks over to me, looks at my salad, gets this panicked, disgusted look on her face, then explains that that is what she used to bread the chicken and I am probably going to get sick and die from eating raw chicken juices. Gross. So I was a little disgusted, but mostly just felt dumb for being a ravenous porker while we all laughed about it. I figured most of the flakes that had gotten wet had stayed on the chicken, so I wasn't too worried or grossed out. But then Brandi showed me the bowl again and all the little chunks of raw chicken and the soggy, chicken juice-aggregated flakes in the bowl among the "salad topping" I'd thought had been so great. Then I suddenly felt sick to my stomach and couldn't get it out of my mind the whole night.

I'm still tempted to try a mixture of potato flakes, garlic salt, and Pamesan cheese on my next salad. But I'll pass on the raw chicken. Brandi suggests I should mention that the chicken was also dipped in raw eggs before being dipped in the topping, but I'm not as concerned about that--raw cookie dough is something I've always hungrily eaten, despite the raw eggs.

One of these days I'll stop talking about food and get some more pictures of Ked up.

Two Random Thoughts

Spinach: Popeye must have had a stomach (and taste buds) of steel. Or no sense of smell. Spinach itself is great, but canned spinach? YUCK!! While it has more vitamins and nutrients than other canned vegetables, it's place in our food storage will no longer be rotated into our regular meals. It will stay just that--food storage--until it is either thrown out or desperately needed.

Sleep: So now that Ked is pretty well trained to sleep through the night (more or less), how do I get myself trained again to sleep through the night?

Our Little Guy, Nov. 2009

A few random pics. . .

Ked used to wake up crying, wanting food and wanting it NOW! Though he's going much longer periods without eating now, he can be pretty happy, content or playful when he wakes up in the morning now. . . even if we're still half asleep.

Happy at bedtime too.

Ked thinks his dad's work is pretty exciting.

First Haircut, Oct. 31, 2009

So we didn't exactly get to finish since he was getting fussy and moving around more, but I at least had to try. We cut off his sideburns as well, and he finally started growing back on the top a little later too.

Ked's Blessing Day, Oct. 25, 2009

Kedrik was given a beautiful blessing by his father. We were so glad Sam's parents could make the trip from Iowa and that Summer, Clint and kids live nearby to be with us as well.

I guess I was the only one that liked looking into the sun.

At dinner afterward, the kiddos sat on the makeshift table and "chairs," sized just for them!

Ked loves his grandma! Especially after all the hours she spent holding and burping and rocking him. It was great having Jim and Shari stay with us for a few days. We enjoyed their company, and they were a great help. They even let Sam and I go on our first little date since Ked's birth. I wish I'd gotten a picture of tiny Ked being burped on his grandpa's broad shoulder (and maybe the spit up that covered Jim's shirt not long after).


We were also glad to have Sam's great Uncle Dick, Aunt Elaine, and cousin Penny there for the blessing. They had us all over for dinner a couple of nights before, also with their son Jim and wife Peggy there as well. We've enjoyed getting to know more relatives now that we live close to them.

Happy boy! Oct. 19, 2009

We've loved playing with Ked as he smiles, laughs, talks and coos more. My favorite is when Sam has full-on conversations with Ked--about Ked's adventures (dreams?) with pirates or monsters and such--when Ked is in a really happy and talkative mood.

Ked's moves

Ked's favorite position. You'd think he was getting ready to punch something, except that he always seems so calm and deep in thought.

You can see that he started balding on top, but sporting some stylish sideburns. (Oct. 8)
Ked also likes to sing and dance (or just kick and fuss). (Oct. 14)

Active Hands Oct. 8, 2009

I left Ked alone just for a minute and could hear him getting fussy. This is what I found when I came back--he'd pulled the folds of his beanie down over his eyes.

When Ked was about five weeks old, Sam was laying on the floor next to him. I told Ked to reach out and grab Daddy's glasses. (Sam has always claimed them to be "Daddy glasses" because you can bend them out of shape and they'll bend back.) Sam said he wouldn't be able to do it. I said he could (having witnessed him grab a few things that sure seemed intentional) and egged him on. Within a minute, Ked reached up, grabbed Sam's glasses and held on. I encouraged him, "Pull 'em off Ked! Pull 'em off!" He immediately did so. What an obedient son. It was one of my proudest parental moments.

Dear Daddy, while you're in Iceland. . .

dear daddy,

while you are in Iceland, mom and i are surviving. i'm trying to be extra good for mom, but i can't really help how many times I wake up in the middle of the night or how much i spit up. even though you did laundry late saturday, we went through every burp cloth we own (a lot) by wednesday. not to mention some of mom's shirts that got pretty drenched and some wash cloths and a towel or two. i have been better at containing myself when she's changing my diaper, though. or maybe she's just gotten faster--after that one time when it happened three or four times in one day. . .

I can't wait until you come home and hold me and comfort me. . .

sing to me as you do the dishes (thanks, aunt natalie, for the front pack--it's been great!). . .

and swing me on the swings.

i miss you, dad!

love your son,

kedrik

P.S. People keep telling me I have your nose.

One Week

Some things about Ked at one week: He . . .

Likes his hands free so he can smack on his hand. It's pretty loud and really cute. Hasn't quite figured out the thumb yet.

Hiccups as much now as when he was in the womb (a lot!).

Sneezes three times (and other multiples) like his dad.

Loves scalp massages (hair washed) like his mom.

Has acid reflux like the Z side. (At least I'm assuming that's why he spits up so much.)

Opens just one eye a lot of the time.

At birth he was 6lb 14.5oz. Leaving the hospital, he was 6lb 4oz, which they said was a little more of a loss than usual. I was relieved at his two week appointment to see he weighed 7lb 9oz. So I didn't have to worry about how much he was spitting up, and I didn't have to wake him so often. He was a very sleepy newborn, and I felt like I was torturing him every time I tried to wake him. Now that I let him wake himself, he's so much easier to feed! And I get more sleep at night.

Tummy time always ends up in "the frog position."

On day seven I put Ked on his stomach and he switched his head from one side to the other. Then, little by little, he pulled himself several inches forward, rooting all the way.

It's in the hair. . .

Ked fell asleep in the front pack and this was my view (thanks to his double cowlick) when I looked down. (Alright, so maybe I doctored it up a little for the picture, but it had still looked pretty good before.) Pretty much sums up how I feel about the kid.

Ked's Cousins

Brandi and Dane drove down from Kentucky on my due date. I was glad to get so spend a little time with her before I went into labor.

Sisters and Cousins: Paige and Dane are two of Kedrik's closest cousins, but he has a lot. On my side, he is the 36th grandchild, making it an even 18 boys and 18 girls. Rod and Monica's will be the tie breaker. On Sam's side, Ked is the number four grandson.

You can see that Dane was ready to bond with his cousin.

When I left Summer and Clint's Sunday night, I told Lindy (as she gave me a big hug) that I might bring her a baby boy for her birthday. Sure enough, he was born in the early hours Sept. 1st. When Mom was showing them some video of Ked later that day, Lindy looked up at Summer and said excitedly, "Mommy, is he my birthday present?"

Sam and nephew Dane.

Family of Three

Thanks Grammie!

Kedrik and his Grammie Z

Having my mom here was a huge help. She was the photographer in the hospital (and after), the diaper changer, baby burper, gift giver, errand runner, house cleaner, meal maker, advice giver, etc., and great company.