It's Winter in TN

Okay, well, maybe not winter, but if this was all you had to go on, you might think so... Everybody at church was very concerned that she was going to suffocate in this thing. Let me assure you, she can breath just fine...

Kathryn "helps" with the dishes

Kathryn learns about lollipops

Olivia at 1 month

Kathryn at 1 month

So you can decide if you think they look alike for yourself...

In other news, he was very concerned that Olivia might suffer from "low self-esteem" unless we renamed the blog :o). So, we need a little bit of help. We've already had one suggestion for "Pettes' Place", and one request to leave it as it is. Any more ideas?

Double Trouble

Olivia looking like Mom

Olivia looking like Dad

A very bad attempt at catching a smile

Just being her impish self

Photo Studio

Brad's cousin turned our kitchen into a photo studio yesterday and took some pictures of the girls. Here is a sampling :). Olivia is still doing great! Hard to believe she is almost 2 weeks now! Kathryn still thinks she's the greatest, and is getting more and more used to her every day. Brad's mom has been here helping out the last couple of days which has been great! Brad and I got to sleep in until 8:30 this morning, then wake up to pancakes and sausage!! It was like a bed & breakfast!! Of course, Kathryn thinks having Gramma here is the greatest too :).

Life with two...

Both girls are asleep. I should be showering... or napping... but instead I am using my time to report to the blogger world. I did already manage to get all of my maternity clothes packed away. (Something I never got the chance to do after Kate was born :).
It has been a busy week so far. Mom left on Monday morning (very, very sad... especially for Kathryn) and Brad and I headed off for the doctor. Olivia did great! The doctor said they like to see them back to birth weight by two weeks, and she was 4 oz past after just one! So despite her cooties from being born at home, she is healthy as a horse :o)!
I was left alone with both girls for the first time Monday afternoon. When Brad got home that evening, not only were we all three still alive, none of us were screaming, the house was picked up, the laundry done, and I had managed to get a nap! (Side note: I told him not to expect that to happen any more often than one day a week.)
This week I have noticed Olivia is getting to be much more alert. She is past the sleep-all-day stage, and baby bootcamp has officially begun. She has already cried herself to sleep for her first nap today. Here we go again!
My Aunt Karen and cousins Austin and Zeb are visiting today, and Gramma P. comes tomorrow, so those will be fun diversions for those of us confined to home.

Kathryn loves powdered sugar doughnuts!!!

Kathyrn tries on Nana's glasses

Big sister doesn't always mean big helper!! Kathryn "helps" by pushing Olivia in her swing :o/!!!

The Demumbreum's brought us a great supper last night in this thermal/cooler thingy. I came back in the living room from fixing breakfast and caught this. She got in and out of this thing playing with her dolls for 30 minutes! We need one of those!!!

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 :).