December...

These last few weeks of December sure have flown by. The first three pics are from my cousin's wedding in Searcy. It sure makes you feel old when you remember the day he was born and the next thing you know he is getting married! Congrats Scott and Jennifer!

The next day one of my good friends from Harding and her family were on their way back to Nashville from a Houston wedding and decided they would stop by for a visit. We lived either as suitemates or apartment mates our first three years at Harding until she got married. I hadn't seen her in over 2 1/2 years so I was so excited! Jennifer- it wasn't the same without you! We really need to meet up for a girls weekend soon!!! Gena, Adam, Davis, and Abby- we are so glad you came to see us and can't wait to talk to you soon!

I didn't get that many pics this Christmas; I guess because she wasn't that excited about presents. It was good time spent with family though.

It was a gorgeous day today so this afternoon we decided to go on a walk around the neighborhood. You can tell how excited she was to be wearing a hat :)

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and has a safe and Happy New Year. We are going to my aunt's house in ElDorado so hopefully I will get lots of cute cousin pictures to post next week.

3 months!?! Really?

I can't believe it has already been three months! Craziness! We had a great weekend because three of my four closest grad school friends (Michelle, Paige, Andrea) came for a visit. There have been lots of fun times had with this crew and this weekend was no exception, even though it did have a slightly different feel to it with a baby in the mix! Next, I am expecting a trip from some Keller girls! (Maybe Jan-Feb when I move into my own place?) And of course, I've added other pics of Rylee from this weekend and today.

The shirt says it all!

Thanksgiving 2007

Hope everyone had a happy and safe Thanksgiving....

Here are the cousins that have all been born this year plus 2 year old Caroline holding Rylee. Let's just say that my grandparents' house seemed a little more crowded than usual :)

Lots of Lovin'

It was so good to be back "home" last weekend. We enjoyed seeing all of our friends and doing fun stuff that we had missed (like Dragon ballgames, Pei Wei, church to name a few). As I was thinking about needing to blog and what pics to post earlier today, something hit me like a ton of bricks. This past Sunday, November 11th, the elders prayed over my sweet baby girl. A year ago on Sunday, November 10th, I had to get up from singing on praise team and leave because I started having my miscarriage. What a difference a year makes!!! If you had told me that Sunday what all I would encounter during the next year I would have looked at you like you were crazy. There have been tremendous valley experiences but also tremendous mountaintop experiences, and through it all I have been blessed. God's hand has worked so many times in my life this past year from countless prayers answered, worries taken away, the unquestionable support of family and friends, and the most amazing miracle to ever enter into my life. Thank you all for being there for me and for loving me through it all!!!



We stayed with the Jones' in Southlake and we couldn't resist getting a picture of Rylee with the Kudu that Mr. Glenn brought home from Africa to show Uncle David. She wasn't too happy at the time! Thanks Ms. Marilyn for the wonderful hospitality and for making us feel at home!

Uncle David was at the deer camp all last week so Sandy and I went to stay a couple of nights at my parents' and I drove back and forth to work. My mom is covering a maternity leave at the high school and Sandy had to work during the day so my dad was left to babysit! He did a great job!

This is my nephew Cole who has refused to hold Rylee up until now. He really didn't have a choice this time either. Sandy just plopped her down in his lap and took the picture. Doesn't she look so big?

And one final picture from tonight.....

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

Happy BOO Day!

Even though Rylee isn't feeling the greatest (doctor says it's just a small stomach bug) she still looks pretty cute even if I do say so myself!!!
So far this week, with Aunt Sandy in Dallas and Nana working, we have only had two small catastrophes- one being that my babysitter forgot to tell me that she had doctor's appointments in Little Rock and wouldn't be able to keep Rylee on Tuesday (she told everyone else about the appointments before Rylee started staying there) and two being that Rylee is sick for the first time. No fun!!!
We are ready for you to come home Aunt Sandy!!!

I know, I know

I know it's been forever. Sorry! Between spending pretty much all of the last two weeks at my parents and then starting back to work this week posting just didn't happen!
Leaving Rylee to go to work has been really hard!!! I cried a little the first day but haven't again so far. The first day when I got home (I'm only working afternoons at this point!), Aunt Sandy had picked her up for me and she was in her bouncy seat while Sandy fixed supper. Sandy said that she hadn't made one peep the whole time but Sandy saw me pull in the driveway and said "your mommy's home" and Rylee started making noises like crazy. Then I walked in and went straight to get her and leaned over and started talking and she stuck out her bottom lip hugely like "you left me" but then gave me the biggest smile and started cooing at me! It was so precious! Someone told Sandy recently that they knew a guy who said that he felt like it was Christmas every day when he got home because of the reaction he gets from his kids and his wife gets jealous because she never gets that kind of reaction since she is with them all of the time. I guess that is one small plus to working, even though I would much rather be home with her!!!
She's really growing and starting to lose her hair....










With Aunt Sandy at her first wedding shower.

More pics!

Everything is going well. I can't believe I only have two more weeks off from work!!! Time is passing so quickly! I keep reminding myself how very fortunate I am to only have to go in at noon. I do not think I was made to where I could be the kind of parent who drops their child off by 7 in the morning and picks them up at 6 or so at night. Thankfully God knew what he was providing by leading me to the private speech clinic at this point in my life. Just another example of his faithfulness through this whole situation.

All you DFW friends- I have been missing everyone like crazy lately. I just can't wait for you to meet Rylee (and two of you to see her again PP and SB!) and I am really craving some Lake Cities love and worship :)

I know you don't really come here to read what I write, so here's the pics you came to see....

She really enjoyed the sermon at her first Sunday morning church service! Sandy was trying to close her mouth but it didn't work.

Uncle David's version of "babysitting".

So we now see where Rylee gets the habit of sleeping with her mouth open.

And yes, my mom will definitely kill me if she sees that I put this picture on here!

Rylee enjoying celebrating her great-grandparents' 69th wedding anniversary in Nana's arms.

This is cousin Carly (one of four new ones born this year). She was born July 16th.

And here are the other new cousins- Cade (March 22nd) and Maggie (April 6th). Thanksgiving and Christmas are going to be fun with all of these new little ones!

This is cousin Caroline who turned 2 on July 1st. She is such a cutie and is so smart!!!

And two more examples of how she almost always likes to sleep with her hands by her face!

We've been busy!

First of all, thanks Paige for the new header! Love it!!!
This has been a busy past 2 weeks. Last week Sandy was in Dallas for a couple of days so Rylee and I went to my parents' house for 3 1/2 days. Then this week we have been to the doctor twice, out to eat 3 times, attended a diaper shower in Rylee's honor, to church on Wednesday and went to Rylee's first football game to see her cousin Cole play(which I forgot my camera!). The first day at the doctor's she was 7 lb. 7 oz. (25 %ile) so we went back in two days to make sure she was gaining enough weight and she was 7 lb. 9 oz. which is exactly where she was supposed to be! Here's some pics....enjoy!




The church here wanted to give Rylee a diaper shower and here are some of the goodies we came home with (not all diapers by the way!). I thought it was so sweet for them to do this considering most of the 40+ people who attended I hadn't even met yet!











Rylee enjoying her shower :)
















One of my favorite non-diaper gifts! It looks so big (12 month) but I know it won't be long at all until it fits!
















Rylee's first bath before church on Wednesday. Her cord finally came off Tuesday morning!











My dad is famous for not holding babies who are really little, but I was in the bathroom putting on makeup and Rylee was lying on the couch and started "fussing" so of course he had to pick her up!











This is my 88 year old grandaddy holding Rylee who he calls Katie because he can only remember that her middle name is Kate. He and my grandma are celebrating their 69th wedding anniversary next week!!!











My 87 year old grandma.














She must have been having a really good dream!











And finally a special message from Rylee:
"Thanks Mrs. Kim for my very special Dragon purse! I love it! I can't wait to go to a Dragon game and carry it! I thought that it was the perfect time to take a picture with it since Whitney was holding me and had on a Dragon shirt. Go Dragons!"

One Week Already?!?

I cannot believe that my baby girl is already a week old. It it so weird because it seems like only yesterday I was heading to the hospital but at the same time I can't imagine life without her.
Sorry it has taken me so long to update, but today has really been the first day that I have been feeling pretty "normal". My incision site is still a little sore but mainly I have been having major headaches/neckaches from the gas that they pump into your body during surgery. They say that with some people it just takes a while to leave your body and I guess I am one of those people :)
Everything went very well last week- thanks so much for all of your prayers. I would type more but it is almost 11 and I probably need to get some sleep since Rylee will probably be up in a few hours ready to eat again.
Here are some pics from the past week...









My wide awake little girl!














We LOVE our swing- thanks Meadows families!













We really thought she was going to be bigger so most of her clothes are too big! I'm sure they will fit in a couple of weeks with the way she has been eating!










We never could see her face in the sonograms because she always had one of her hands covering it. Dr. New said that she would probably keep them up there even after she was born and he was sure right.










We've been practicing saying our prayers already :)

Happy Birthday Rylee!

I sure was warm and cozy in here. This picture was taken today! This is MY mommy in MY room on MY birthday!

I WAS born today! September 10, 2007 at 8:44am, and my mommy named me Rylee Kate.

They weighed me and measured me all over and this is what they said:

I weighed 7lbs 11oz and was 20 inches long.

My mommy was a champ!

How do you like my FOOT? They say I have long toes like my mommy, but we haven't had time to compare.

They finally put a diaper on me. I wish those nurses would have moved the blinds so that all those crazy ladies could have gotten a better picture of me. My nana got some great ones though. I bet she will share those when she gets a minute.Please people, no more pictures!
FINALLY they put some clothes on me! I was getting really cold.
I learned that this is how you get some attention!
My mommy is ONE fabulous chick! I know she has prayed for me and loves me with all of her heart. When she holds me, I feel so protected.

I get my good looks from her! And guess what is under my cap...curly hair! Light, curly hair!


I will try to post as I can, but I have lots to do now that I am in this world. Thanks for all of your prayers, and don't forget to leave a comment for my MOMMY!