First week under our belts...

Olivia is almost one week old now! I know that is still really, really young, but it seems like it was yesterday, so for one week to have already past seems impossible. She is such a good baby. She takes her naps well during the day, and sleeps well at night. Mom has been staying with us all week, so I have really been able to rest up. I'm feeling almost 100% now, and am just about ready to brave it on my own. I'm sure there are many, many adventurous days ahead!

This is a really good picture for a size reference. Notice Brad's hands. She is tiny!!!

Kathryn trying out the baby's toys :)

Nana helps Kathryn give "O" hugs

More hugs and kisses...

Our sweet Olivia

Cousins Megan & Morgan come to visit!

I thought she would never get here...

PawPaw called and said we must post some close ups. Olivia is almost 3 days old now and she is doing great! Kathryn thinks she is the best thing in the world. I'm pretty sure she thinks she is her baby doll... until she starts moving :). She wants to hug and kiss on her all the time. She's pretty good to leave me alone while I'm feeding her, but if Olivia is crying or making any noise at all, she has to see what's going on. She looks a lot like Kathryn did, but a lot different too. She is changing so much every day!

Big yawn!

Kathryn stands here and looks in at "O" most of the day :)

Dad with his "littlest" baby girl

Our new little someone to love...

Please welcome Olivia Belle Pettes, born Monday, September 25th at 2:42 am. Weight 7lbs 4oz, 19 3/4" long. Mom and baby are doing great. Please thank the Lord for this extra special blessing. (Sorry we don't have any better pictures to share at the present. Mom is the usual photographer of the family... More to come!)

While you wait...

Well, still no new baby here. The official due date is tomorrow, but after going into labor last Friday night, we were all sure this one would be early. Should have known better!!! So while you wait, here are a few pics of Kathryn Rose...

Nana, PawPaw, and Aunt Hannah came down for the "false alarm" last Friday. Somehow or another, even without a new baby, we still managed to have a little bit of fun while they were here :). PawPaw let Kathryn try out the new baby's bed. She thought that was the greatest!

Apples are the B-E-S-T teething remedy we've found so far. She eats them down to the core!

Practicing for next summer...

Thank you, Nana for the crayon purse! It is her new favorite thing! She loves to sit on the counter while I'm cooking and color.


Kate-e-bug with Claire Bear

UT's Biggest Fan?

Well, weighing in at 20 lbs, and 30" tall, I certainly hope not...

"Mom, PLEASE don't make me root for this team! I told you, orange is NOT my color!!!"

My little climber

"Before I get down, there's one more thing I want to say..."

Rough nap?

Obviously, we had to wake her and interrupt her "beauty" rest... This is the way I've been feeling lately too...

Gramma's been here....

And yes, now Kate is spoiled rotten :), but it was SO, SO worth it!!! Wow! I could not thank her enough!! She planted me a little Japanese Maple tree, scrubbed my bathrooms, kitchen floor, bathroom floors, and vacuumed everywhere! In addition to that, she took VERY good care of Kathryn while she was here. There was still plenty of time for them to play outside and eat some dirt. I'm not sure what Kathryn will do when she wakes to see "ma" gone. I think I had a taste of what it would be like to have a Nanny. So, does anyone know of a good one for hire ;o)?

I'm a big kid now!

Adam & Rosie brought over the biggest surprise ever the other night! Thanks to a few of our bestest friends (plus several that aren't blogging :), Kathryn now has a big girl car seat. She thinks it is really great that she can see Mom and Dad all the time. Mom thinks it's really great that it reclines at the pull of a handle so she can take naps like she used to in her old seat! They also got us monitors and a huge box of diapers for the new baby! We were absolutely ecstatic, and really could not have been more surprised! We are so blest with wonderful, wonderful friends to look out for us!

Long overdue post

Ashley spent the weekend with us last weekend while her parents were out of town. Kathryn fell in love with her... blanket? thingy? She wanted to wear it around her neck all weekend! She also learned to say "Ash" :o).
Not sure why, but she LOVES to get in the refrigerator. Every time I open the door, she runs over so she can see in. Lately she's learned that she can take a step up and reach more things. Of course that's such a help to Mom :).
Kate reading her story book while Mom fixes dinner. (No, my floor is not really clean enough for this)

Helping Dad open his birthday presents!

With Aunt Rosie and Cousin Claire


I had let her outside to play while I finished up the dishes. Obviously I was not watching closely enough (mainly because I didn't know she knew how to do this!), but peeked out to check on her and she had climbed into the pool with all of her clothes on.

What a handful! She is growing up so quickly! She can say pretty much any one syllable word, and she repeats whatever we say. Her favorite things to do are go "out"side, and "up"stairs. It's still hard to believe my baby is going to be a "big" sister soon! Time really does fly!

Nervous about flying?

Thanks for the laugh, Dad :o)

No way!!!

It doesn't matter what you ask Kathryn, her answer is almost always, "No way!" Usually she is profusely shaking her head the whole time she is saying it. Check it out...

"No Way"

Breakthrough: Of course, as soon as I posted that... I asked her if she wanted to go outside, and she started to shake her head no, then caught herself and got a huge grin on her face and said, "ses!!" What do I know! It's not like I've been practically her sole provider for 13 months!!!

'tis the season... for football, that is

I'm not a Titan's fan. In fact, I'm not a sports fan at all. If anything, I am a fair-weather Colts fan. In other words, after they've won half the season, I'll start paying attention. But, going to the first game (even if it is pre-season), sitting in an executive suite one down from Young's family, and getting free food and drinks, now that's for me! I'll cheer for any team under those conditions. After almost going into labor just walking up to the stadium, though, I did promise Brad if he won any more tickets, he could take Adam instead :).

So its been two weeks...

And here's what we've been up to in a nutshell...

Got new thread rack (an embroiderer's dream!!!)

Went up to Indiana for Angie's wedding. (Had a WONDERFUL time visiting with old friends, and Angie was a beautiful bride)

Got to spend lots of quality time with Aunt Heidi and cousins Taylor and Ella

Got to spend time with more old friends (plus Jon, who isn't blogging yet :)

Left Kathryn with Mom and Dad and celebrated our 4th anniversary at a bed & breakfast in Indy

Ummm... left the camera at Mom and Dad's and didn't take any pictures after Friday night at the wedding :o/

Saw these enormous tires on our way to Granpa & Gramma's house on Saturday. Anybody have a clue what they're for?

For those of you who have been asking, according to the midwife, I should only have about 7 more weeks to go! If this baby is anything like Kathryn, that translates into 9 :). Only time will tell...

Hope everyone is having a good week!

Finally starting on the "To Do" list

Not sure what finally ended up motivating me...
Maybe it was that my midwife called to tell me her daughter, who was due 2 days after me, safely delivered her baby boy.
Maybe it was the "nesting instinct" - Is there anyone out there that has ever experienced this that could explain it? I'm pretty sure I never felt that with Kathryn. I finally muster up the energy and motivation to get some housework done, and someone has the nerve to blow it off as the "nesting instinct"!
More than likely, it was the pregnancy ticker that is constantly telling me my time. is. running. OUT!!! I finally tied Brad down for the evening to paint the baby's room. Kathryn was a huge help, as always. Thankfully, bedtime was just around the corner :o).

I'm sorry to say that I did have to remove the pregnancy ticker from the blog... It was a little too nerve racking for me...

One baby holds another

Kathryn LOVES her baby dolls! (Unfortunately, she also loves the camera, so as soon as I get it out to take a shot, she drops her baby and runs to the camera!) So far this is the best I've been able to get of her hugging and kissing on her babies. I told Brad last night, I must pat on her the whole time I'm holding her, because as soon as she picks up her baby doll she starts patting it and rocking it back and forth :).

Thank you, Taylor and Ella, for sharing your baby doll!! It's just her age :)!

A day full of submersions

It started at 7:15 in the morning, while I was in the shower. I heard what sounded like little hands in water. Sure enough, there were two hairbows and a floppy disk in the toilet. Great.

We went downstairs to make breakfast, and I noticed Kathryn had disappeared. I stopped to listen, and heard some very pleasant squeals coming from the guest bath. Sure enough, one of her favorite musical toys (which is no longer musical) had also been submerged.

But the worst one of all... Not even an hour later, my not-even-two-month-old-$300-cell-phone (which we got for free)... yes... in the bathtub. Only this time, it was my fault.

What did I learn today? Keep all toilet lids down when not in use, and NEVER talk on the cell phone while washing baby. Expensive day.

(Word just came from the money maker, and he says we will be replacing my very-cool-phone with a not-so-cool phone. Sad, sad)

New Favorite Food

Totally random... She has always hated raisins, but ever since Aunt Hannah let her eat them out of the box, they are her new favorite food.

Step 1. Dump out the entire box of raisins in various places in the living room (ie. floor, between the cushions of the couch, under the coffee table)

Step 2. Eat on them throughout the day

Exception: If Mom happens to clean them up before they are all gone, go back to Step 1 and start all over Obviously this one is a little dark, but I just thought that was the sweetest little smile!

More Pictures!

Hope you're not too overloaded with pictures :o). Here are just a few more...