4 Months

Kinsley is 4 months old today! She is growing so fast and about ready to have a lot of firsts. She is very close to rolling over and is showing signs that a tooth may be coming soon. She is also able to tripod sit for a few moments, but likes to pick her hands up and that throws her off balance. She is getting better and sitting up in her jumperoo and is starting to like all the toys on it.


In other news, Kinsley is still working on getting over her cold. We went for a follow-up yesterday and the doctor felt like she still sounded pretty tight in her chest for having been on antibiotics for a week. So we are now doing breathing treatments at home, have another week of antibiotics, and a week of steroids to help her breathing. We're really hoping that getting this aggressive will make the difference. She is definitely breathing easier today after her breathing treatment. We are just glad to have all this on board so that she didn't have to get worse again.


Tomorrow we will be heading to Grandma and Grandpa Benson's for New Year's (and a late Christmas). We can't wait to see everyone and have one more weekend of relaxation before back to work next week!

Christmas

Our Christmas week turned out to be more exciting then we bargained for. On Tuesday the 22nd Kinsley's cold took a turn for the worse and our doctor in Charles City sent us to the Mason City hospital. We were lucky enough that she didn't have to be admitted, but she did have a breathing treatment and is now on antibiotics. We've got our fingers crossed that she'll finally be able to kick this cold she's had for a month. She's been on antibiotics almost a week and still has a stuffy nose and a little cough, so I'm really hoping things don't come back once the medicine is gone.

Since Kinsley was feeling better by Thursday Michael and I decided we would head to his parents. The weather had cleared so we did our Christmas at home that morning and headed south in the afternoon. Christmas Eve was with his mom's family, and Christmas Day we spent with his dad's family. Kinsley slept through all of her Christmases except one! She is so lucky to have so many people that love her, and she will be looking good in the new year with all the clothes she got!

In her jumperoo, she's still got a little growing to do to really enjoy it.

Her Leapfrop puppy, Violet, is so cool it can say Kinsley's name and sing songs with her favorite things in them.

A dolly from Daddy.

Kinsley loved Michael's cousin Taylor.

With great-grandpa Owens

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Kinsley got to meet Santa Claus today at the Rudd FireStation. She did really good- although she was really interested in the firetrucks too. When we got home we also did a photo shoot under the tree. Happy Holidays to everyone and a Happy New Year if I don't get a post in before then!

Bundled up to go to the babysitters

Our early Christmas present from Daddy- a Moby wrap

Our Santa was a little photo shy.

One with Santa's face- and Kinsley looking at the firetrucks

Under the Christmas tree

One with the puppy a co-worker's friend got for her

I love this one because you can see how excited she is to see the puppy

Shrieker

It's official- Kinsley has found her outside voice. The last two days she will lay on her mat and just shriek and smile. It's still pretty cute, but we'll see how long that feeling lasts. Not much other news to share, just trying to stay warm inside and counting down the days to seeing our families at Christmas and New Year's.

The Shrieker

Kinsley and Cloey just chillin'

Close-up of Kinsley nomming her rattle

A girl can't have too many things to entertain her

Let It Snow

We are officially snowed in here in the Northern Tundra. It has been fun to have the day at home with Kinsley, although I hope we don't have too many snow days to make up come June. Other than that life has been pretty routine. We got our house decorated for Christmas over the weekend and Kinsley is getting over her first cold. I'm hoping in the next couple of weeks to have shopping done and some presents wrapped and under the tree. We are looking forward to Grandpa and Grandma Owens coming to visit this Saturday (and getting a new sink put in!)

Kinsley says "The weather outside is frightful!"

The view from our patio door

Just a cute one

Kinsley's getting so big she can sit in her play chair!

A Little Late

So....I missed posting on Kinsley's 3 month by a few days. We did take her pictures on Nov. 30 but we've had a super busy week so there hasn't been much time for blogging. Kinsley also had her first cold this week (stuffy nose, nothing serious) so we made a quick trip to the doctor just to make sure nothing else was going on. She now weighs 15 lbs 14 oz!! Everything else checked out okay so we've just been doing a lot of sitting in a steamy bathroom and things seem to be clearing up.

We are hoping to get a lot done at home this weekend to top off our busy week. One of my main goals is getting decorated for Christmas. I can't wait to have the tree and lights up because I know Kinsley will love looking at it. Hopefully I will get my shopping and wrapping done soon too so there can be presents to go with it!

Coming down with a cold, so not the happiest of pictures.

Shots

A week ago Kinsley had her 2 month check-up, and her first shots. She did very well and the only side effect of the shots was her sleeping it off when we got home. She now weights 14 lbs 8 oz and is 24 inches long. Kinsley's next check-up is in January and her doctor said we will probably start cereal after that!
Our big event this week was Kinsley beginning to roll from her tummy to her back. She's never been a big fan of tummy time but now that she's holding her head up and rolling she seems to be having more fun. Next week we are looking forward to going to Grandma and Grandpa Benson's for Thanksgiving and then counting down the weeks until Christmas Break!

No worse for the wear after her shots.

There's nothing a little fist in the mouth won't fix!

Doing a little tummy time- now that she's rolling we don't see much of this anymore.

Not the best picture but we had to show off the Lil' Storm Chaser.

Growing

Kinsley is growing, growing, growing! It is so fun to watch and play with her. She is now looking at her toys and planning how she can hit them. She is also rolling up on to her side and has come really close to rolling from back to tummy. Everyday she is babbling more and more, she loves talking to the penguin and alligator on her playmat. She also likes when you repeat whatever she says. And she's also found her thumb (we're not too sure how we feel about that one!)

2 months

Kinsley is 2 months old today! She has been very busy learning a lot of new tricks lately. She now loves laying on her playmat talking to her toys and is beginning to bat at them too. We had a Halloween-ish 2 month photo shoot. Hope you enjoy!

Hello World!

Cloey wanted to say hello to all of our blog readers.

Busy, Busy, Busy

We've had a very busy week with many firsts for Kinsley. She has handled them all smoothly and we couldn't be happier. I've decided to do a little list of all our happenings this week:

On Monday the 12th Kinsley had her 1 month check up. She is now 12lbs 13 oz and 22 and 3/4 inches long. The doctor said she is doing great! She also go to experience her first snow that day. No playing in it, but we did watch out the window!

On Wednesday I went back to work and Kinsley started daycare. She is loving her babysitter and I couldn't be happier with the care she is getting. Going back to school also went well and I was happy to see all my preschoolers again.

On Friday Kinsley took her first road trip to see Michael's family. It was a 3 hour drive, but she didn't seem to mind and slept the whole way. While there she got to meet her Great Grandma and Grandpa Williamson. She also got to go to her first birthday party- for Scott's daughter Sophie. We got home in the early afternoon on Sunday and Kinsley slept the day away. I guess all these firsts leave a 7 week old tuckered out!

Kinsley is very excited about the snow.

On her first road trip.

Pretty in polka dots- resting up when we got home.

Swinging

Kinsley loves her white polar bear that plays songs and has a flashing red nose. Today, while I was in Rochester, Michael rigged it up to her swing and she seemed to really enjoy it. It even entertained her so that Michael and I could actually eat dinner together tonight. Hope you enjoy (oh and sorry about the background noise.)

1 Month

Kinsley is 1 month old today!! We had a fun photo shoot this morning and will be doing some professional pictures in a week. Unfortunately her doctor's appointment got rescheduled until the 12th so I won't be able to post her current length and weight until then.

Happy 1 month dance

"Aaaarrr, I'm a pirate!"

Settling In

It's hard to believe that in 3 days Kinsley will be 3 weeks old. Time is flying by and in the past week Michael and I have definitely noticed that she is growing and changing. She is still sleeping for 2-3 hours at a time before wanting to eat so that has made things go pretty smoothly. I'm hoping this pattern continues, but also know that Kinsley likes to show that she is her own little person. Tuesday night she decided to boycott the pack'n'play in our bedroom in favor of her crib in her own room. She is also starting to put her hands up on her bottle and gets mad when her pacifier falls out and she can't put it back in herself. And just today I found her sleeping on her side when I went to check on her.

Last Sunday Michael's family was able to come visit and Kinsley got to meet her Aunts Stephanie and Jennifer. It was a really fun day and nice to see everyone. We are looking forward to getting to see all of our families again soon. This weekend we don't have anyone on the docket, but it will be nice to have some low key days with both of us home to enjoy our baby. I'm also looking forward to being able to drive as of tomorrow!

Another swing picture. Does she look different?

Getting loved on by Aunt Stephanie and Aunt Jennifer

Evidence of sleeping on her side

Our happy little family

Welcome and Week 1

With the arrival of Kinsley Shea we decided it was time to start a blog of our own. Our hope is to keep everyone posted as she grows and the events in our life. Kinsley is now 1 week old and doing great. She's had lots of visitors this week- Grandma and Grandpa Benson, Grandma and Grandpa Owens, Uncle Jeremy, Aunt Cara, and Cousin Gabe, and Great Grandma and Grandpa Owens. We are looking forward to next weekend when her other Aunts Stephanie and Jennifer can come visit. Right now Kinsley loves eating and she is also starting to like laying on the Boppy and looking around. And now to what everyone wants- pictures!

Getting ready to leave the hospital

Checking things out

Holding her pacifier