Our "Backyard"!!

Alexa has taken to calling the balcony off our dining room, her "backyard". She seems to be content with it most of the time...which is great as we don't have a real backyard to call our own at this time in our lives! She loves to play out there, as you can see from these pictures, and she's not afraid to get dirty...but that's what laundry detergent is for, right??!! Why stop the fun just because of a little dirt?!!

Strawberry Festival

This morning, we ventured to the Strawberry Festival in Starlight, Indiana. We've been wanting to go for a couple years now as it's right by Huber Farms where we go pumpkin picking every year, but just haven't made it...until now. Thankfully, my friend Amanda reminded me about it, otherwise we would have missed out yet again this year! Anyways, it was fun to get outside on a beautiful day and enjoy a nice, BIG portion of strawberry shortcake. I unfortunately did not take a picture of said huge portion...but for $3.50, you could build your own strawberry shortcake and pile on as many strawberries as you wanted, topped by as much whipped cream as your little heart desired. It was oh so delicious!!

Alexa & Daddy

Going Up...

and coming down!

Our little family of four!

It has begun....

...aaaahhhh, the lazy days of summer! Oh how we have missed thee!! This was the first swimsuit day of the summer for us and we hope there will be MANY more to come! Alexa had a blast playing with her best buddy "Nay-Nay" in his "kitty pool". (I think Alexa thought the little pool was actually supposed to be for the kitties, not herself & Nathan, the KIDDIES!)

Thank you!!

Since having Payton, our family has been extremely blessed by the willingness of others to share their time, talents and FOOD with us!! :-) We want all our friends who brought us meals, visited us in the hospital and have helped out since having the baby was born to know how much we love and appreciate each of you!

Lovin' Life!

Kevin and I are so blessed to have these two beautiful girls in our family.

We love them so much!

Back to Life...Back to Reality!!

My mom left to return to Canada this morning. It's back to reality now. It's been soooo nice having her here to help out and to spoil us all rotten. I'm not sure how I'm going to get two kids out of the house without an extra set of hands...but I'm sure I'll figure it out. Thanks mom for everything you did...we couldn't have done it without you and are so grateful for you taking the time from your already busy life to help us out. We love and miss you too much!! :-)

FIVE Years!!

Five years ago today, I married my best friend! It's by far the best thing I've ever done. I love this guy more than I can say and am so grateful for the kind of man, husband and father that he is. He makes me want to be a better person and I'm eternally thankful that I get to share everything with him. I love you Kevin and look forward to many more years and happy times together!!

To celebrate our anniversary, we went to our favorite restaurant, Varanese! If you haven't been there, we STRONGLY recommend it!! It is fabulous.

It was such a nice evening to get away, just the two of us. And since my mom is still here helping since Payton was born, we even had a free babysitter...not to mention a free dinner thanks also to my parents!! Here are our entrees...they did not disappoint!

And our desserts!! Yummo! For reals, the food is so great and the atmosphere is wonderful. We're already looking for another reason to go back there!!

Happy Anniversary babe!

Picture Overload!!

My camera seems to be working overtime these days!! With a newborn around, there are many moments to be captured. I fear I had gotten lazy with capturing all of Alexa's moments and am trying to rectify that since Payton came. Anyways, here are some pictures to catch you all up on the happenings over the last 2 1/2 weeks since Payton joined our family.

Daddy's Little Girl - she already has Kevin wrapped around her itty bitty fingers!

I just thought this picture was so cute...look at those cheeks!!

Me and my girls...oh how I love them!

Alexa is so sweet with Payton.

She wants to be everywhere she is.

A tender moment with mommy.

Please...no more pictures!

Last Saturday, we took the girls and my mom for a picnic down by the river. It was a really pretty day and we all enjoyed getting out of the house for a little bit. And what was even better...my mom treated us to Graeter's ice cream afterwards!! Can't go wrong there!!

I just love this little peanut. She has been such a joy to have in our family and I can't imagine life without her!

More evidence of Alexa's love for her baby sister. She was so sweet one day and let Payton have her lovey's for a little while. Sure, she's had a couple moments of jealousy...but overall, she's been so loving and so willing to share. I'm soooo grateful that it's been such an easy adjustment for Alexa!

We've really enjoyed having my mom (aka Gramma Jenny) here to help out. Alexa especially has LOVED having pretty much 100% of Gramma's attention focused on her. They've played and played and played...on top of my mom cleaning, doing laundry, cooking, sewing and helping me out. Thanks mom for giving of your time to help me and my little family!

We love you Gramma Jenny!

I soooo wish this picture wasn't blurry! I think it's so adorable of Alexa. Such pure joy on her face. My fabulous friend, Brinn, made me this nursing cover and showed Alexa that it also works great as a cape. However, she figured out that it also makes a great skirt and got a kick out of me trying to capture a picture.

Anyways, that's about it so far - nothing too exciting...just adjusting to life as a family of four.

Story Time

Alexa is the greatest big sister. She loves Payton and wants to see her first thing in the morning and wants to know what she's doing at all times of the day. As I was trying to get a few things done, this is what Alexa decided to do...read to Payton. It was so sweet. She wants to sing to her or read to her or just be next to her giving her kisses and hugs all the time. I love it. I hope they'll grow up being the best of friends!

Happy Mother's Day!

I am so blessed to be the mom to these two beautiful girls. My Heavenly Father has entrusted me to care for them and help them learn and grown in this life and I am so grateful for that opportunity. There was a time in my life when I thought I would not be able to have children and it was a very hard thing for me to accept as I'd always wanted to be a mom! But things worked out very differently than I thought they might and now I cannot imagine my life without these two sweet little ladies. My life is so much more complete and full of love with them in it. And what's even better...I get to share this amazing responsibility with a wonderful man. Thank you Kevin for standing beside me, supporting me, loving me, being the best daddy in the world...and for making my Mother's Day so great. I love you, Alexa and Payton with all my heart.

Happy Mother's Day to me!

And Happy Mother's Day to my own mom, my mother-in-law, my wonderful sisters and sisters-in-law, and all my fabulous mommy friends!

Ouchie!

Well, Payton is one week old and already we're having some excitement in our house! Kevin started his externship (AHEC) this week and shortly before he came home today, Alexa had been playing on/near the coffee table. We're not sure if she rolled off or just lost her footing next to the table, but the next thing my mom and I knew, she was crying on the floor. Now, we've had our fair share of bumps and bruises and normally, Alexa is over and done with the trauma within seconds. That wasn't the case this time. 45 minutes after it happened, when Kevin finally arrived home, Alexa was STILL crying and complaining about her left arm. She had let both my mom and I touch it and move it but she wouldn't move it herself. This wasn't like her at all. So...after several attempts to contact friends in the ward who might know how to help us, and other friends for advice...we finally decided to take her to the Kosair Children's Express at Norton Suburban Hospital. And because I'm nursing, I couldn't leave a 1 week old at home with my mom, so we all packed up and headed to the ER....and proceeded to spend the rest of the evening there. After having Alexa's arm manipulated once by the ER pediatrician, sent for x-rays, and manipulated a second time by the doctor...I was done. I just sat in the hallway outside the x-ray room and cried while Alexa screamed and then I cried like a baby again while the doctor looked at her arm the 2nd time. My little girl was hurting and I could do nothing about it.

Thankfully though, nothing was broken but they said it would take a few days to heal. We're grateful that our first ER visit with Alexa wasn't worse.

***Ouchie Update...it's now been a week and a half since she hurt her arm and she's pretty well back to full use. She still favors it from time to time and still says she has a "boo-boo" but for the most part it's behind us.

Friends are Chosen Family!!

I have made some amazing friends while living here in Louisville. Last night, just 6 days after Payton was born, a girls' night was arranged and since some of these fabulous ladies were/are moving, I decided to get out of the house for a couple of hours to bask in their company one last time. Thankfully, I had my mom to help and so she, Payton and I went to enjoy a milkshake at Steak'N'Shake. I am so grateful to these wonderful women (not everyone could be there unfortunately), for their love, support and friendship. They make living away from family a whole lot easier!

***My favorite part of the picture is the guy at the table behind us who wanted to be in the pic!!

Can you tell who is who???

Well, I'm pretty sure that I have the ability to clone myself. It's now happened not ONCE...but TWICE!! And to prove it...here are a three sets of photos for you to guess which is Alexa and which is Payton! Good luck and don't peek at the bottom of the post where I'll post the answers!

Set #1: Picture A

Picture B

Set #2: Picture A

Picture B

Set #3: Picture A

Picture B

Answers: Set #1: Picture A - Payton, Picture B - Alexa

Set #2: Picture A - Alexa, Picture B - Payton

Set #3: Picture A - Payton, Picture B - Alexa