Seattle/3 Months!

So mommy made her trip to Seattle this past week.  I cried the whole time I was on MARTA.  It was so hard to say goodbye.  Thank God for Skype!  Just in the five six days I was gone, she rolled over and started grabbing at items.  I just wish my boss understood what this means and what it took for me to go do this!  I learned a lot and it was a great experience (Seattle is beautiful even in rain) but nothing is like home.  I know Adam was so thankful that his parents came in town to help him out.  His first morning alone with her, he woke up to no power in the house and it scared him straight (meant no monitor).  He's a deep sleeper so he was afraid that she had been screaming all night and he didn't hear her (he didn't hear the dead battery beeping of the monitor).  Of course, she was fine but I know it scared him. It really is a lot of work for one parent to do- mad props to single parent households and military families.  I couldn't do it.  His parents head back to NY today.  I know how hard it has to be for them to leave.  I feel for them.  I wish we had more money/time off to visit them more.  Funds are a little tight right now.  I thank Skype for making the situation a little easier though. Photos from Seattle:

My job :) 

A downtown/Mt. Rainier view from atop Space Needle

View from my hotel room

Pike Place Market

Straight Up!

Mixing work w/ play

So I had a red-eye flight back Friday night.  Probably slept about 2.5 hrs of that flight.  Got back to Atlanta at 7 am (local time).  Needless to say, I'm still trying to catch up on sleep :-/  But Sunday, we woke up early and got Miss Kins ready for her photo shoot.  Here's "just a few" (no really):

We make cute babies!  I'm absolutely in love with these pictures.  She did amazing!  I think she likes having her photo taken.  I hope to work on a photo wall this weekend.  Adam's got a project going on though too so who knows.  He's building a DVD case/toy bin/bench for the living room.  I've decided to try my hand at some beadboard with it too.  Inspiration:

Except black where teal is

I'm quite excited about it getting it finished.   O here's a Grammy Di and Grampy shot from their visit:

Even Benny participated!

~ADK

Heads Up! (12 weeks today)

Sorry it's been a while, usually I write while I'm at work (bad I know)- work has been too busy for that recently!   Our life has become pretty routine, Kinsley usually takes her last bottle around 7 pm then passes out till we wake her up at 5:30ish.  We are lucky, we know.  She really is a great baby.  She's starting to try to talk more and more.  Here's her this week:

I can now hold my head up

But it still tires me out...

Starting to follow my hands and grasps things.  They put this thing on my wrist at daycare- what the heck?

She is such a sweet little girl.  She's starting to get really fun. We have a really long video of her from this morning, but not much content to it.  I'm going to try to get a better video to share.  She sure is talkative (trying).  Well tonight, Adam and I are having our 'monthly' date night (a goal of ours).  We're going to Maggiano's (my fav Italian restaurant thanks to a gift card) and Andretti Speed Racing.  Should be fun!  O and I guess another thing since that last update is, I've started Weight Watchers.  So far I love the program. It really is easy- the key is to always log what you ate.  Since I have to log, I watch what I eat now.  And by me doing this/eating healthier Adam is too (not to mention Kinsley).  So far, -5lbs...4 more till pre-baby, 20 to go till I'm happy.  And we've started 10 minute trainer (Tony from P90X).

Next Sunday, I have to leave for Seattle for 6 days.  I'm really dreading this trip.  I don't want to leave my girl.  I'm stressed out about how I'm going to pump at the airport, at the conference, etc.  Just not going to be fun.  But I have to do it for my job.  They need me.  Really not looking forward to my red-eye flight Friday night...but then, Grammy Di and Grampy will be here!  They are coming while I'm gone and are going to help Adam out some then I'll see them for a few days before they head back.  I'm so glad they get to come down, she really is a blast right now.

~ADK

Year In Review

What was 2011 for you?

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

Gave birth. AutoCAD. Blogged. Wrote a letter to the courts. Met Jake Owen. Walked around VT campus.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't make resolutions.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Very close to me- ugh ME!  And several of my friends too.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Not too close.  But definitely some loved ones gone.

5. What countries did you visit?

No countries this year... :(     (2010 I went to two...does that count?)

6. What would you like to have had in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?

This question doesn't make sense to me- something I would have liked to have had in 2011 that I did have in 2010 though is a long beach trip (to like uh Jamaica).  Something that I haven't had since 2009, that I'd like to have is time to go to the gym/ do yoga.

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory and why?

January 24/25- :) , February 14th- Started at Amec, April 12- First ultrasound. August 5- Met Jake Owen. October 17- Due Date/2 year wedding anniversary. October 22- Kinsley's Birthday!!! (and opening day)

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Becoming a mom and giving my husband the child he deserves. Second, is landing a better job. 

9. What was your biggest failure?

I'd have to say having to get rid of my cat.  Wish we could have had more time to "train" her.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Morning sickness!??!  And this cold that I've had for the past three weeks now. O and the birth left me with a fractured tailbone.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Childbirth books/classes cause helped me achieve the birth I wanted.  

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

Adam's

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

Dr. Kasparek's (my OB), mine at times (pregnancy hormones)

14. Where did most of your money go?

Food, doctor's or baby items/furniture, new water heater, Adam's gifts

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Getting pregnant and giving birth.

16. What song will always remind of you 2011?

"Barefoot Blue Jean Night" Jake Owen

17. Compared to this time last year, are:

a)happier or sadder?   happier

b)thinner or fatter?   fatter

c) richer or poorer?  poorer (hmm odd how I'm fatter and poorer yet happier)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Laughing. Alone time with my husband. 

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Work. Whining.

20. Did you fall in love in 2011?

Yes.

21. What was your favourite TV program?

My new favorite that I was introduced to in 2011?  New Girl.  Overall favorite- So You Think You Can Dance.

22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Hate is strong word. 

23. What was the best book you read?

Hmmm..Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way (lame I know).

24. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Eric Church

25. What did you want and get?

A baby.  An opal necklace.  A sewing machine.  Justice served to a man that killed my aunt.

26. What did you want and not get?

Not sure off top of my head.  One thing I always want is more time at the beach- so I'd say that since I only had 3 days at the beach.

27. What was your favourite film of this year?

Fast Five, Limitless, Bridesmaids, Hall Pass

28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

Worked and packed for beach trip- 25.

29. How you would describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?

LOL whatever fit!

30. What kept you sane?

Adam, ice cream, chocolate milk, massages, chiropractor, baths, peanut butter, music.

31. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Jake Owen duh 

32. Who did you miss?

My grandmother and aunt.

33. Who was the best new person you met?

Que and Valerie

34. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.

That no matter how much you try plan things- things will never go to plan. And sometimes you do have to be selfish if it means a better/happier life in the long run. 

35. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"I loved her first" or "Breathe In Breathe Out"