thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!  We were with my family this year, and although we missed going to the in-law's side, it just gets to be too much for me Kallen.

I didnt get a ton of good pictures (busy chasing an [almost] one year old!!! (insert shriek here!!) 

 

first thanksgiving!  She LOVED the food at Mimi Darla's!  

 

 

Such a little turkey

 

auntie Nikki & noah

 

2nd meal at Grandpa Jay & Grandma Debs!

 

 I think someone was wiped out from all the food and family!  This is the night of Thanksgiving, hilarious! 

More to come from our fun filled weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!

I am so ready to eat some turkey and all of the other fixings today!!!!!  

I am excited for Kallen to enjoy her first Thanksgiving meal!!  

Although I love Christmas, decorate early and turn the Christmas tunes on November 1, I dont forget about Thanksgiving, I am so unbelievably THANKFUL for all I have and have been blessed with.

 I love this little turkey so much and am BEYOND thankful for her!!!!!!!!!!

I am thankful each and every single day for both of my sweet girls.

Most importantly I am thankful for Jesus and all he has blessed us with.

"I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High." Psalm 7:17

Hope's Birthday

My sweet adorable niece turned 3 years old on November 12th!  Cant believe she is 3!  We had a wonderful day of celebrating her, and Kallen definitely enjoyed some of her gifts ;)  

 

Auntie Ton helped a ton with Kalpal!

 

Kallen is starting to eye Hoper's gifts....

 

We got Hope this chair for her Birthday! 

 

Hannah has a similar chair, so she made herself right at home

 

Kallen loved playing with Hope's new kitchen!!!

See those beautiful roses on the table?  Yeah, my awesome SIL and BIL put out flowers and a Happy Birthday sign for miss Emma.  So sweet.  This also seems to be the only picture I have of Hope (dressed in her new princess costume)

Happy Birthday Hopers!  We love you soooooooo much!!!

early birthday gift!

 Kallen is so lucky to get an early birthday present from Great Uncle Dean & Aunt Wendy! 

 She was pretty excited to tear into into it!!!

Once momma put it together she hopped right on and has been playing ever since!  

So fun!  I have a feeling she is going to love opening birthday and Christmas presents......

sweet sisters

Kallen and I sported purple yesterday for World Prematurity Day

I love these pictures.  I think one might be included in our Christmas cards this year somehow...(that I need to get going now that I am saying that)


  
It is definitely not how I envisioned or imagined taking pictures of my 2 sweet girls
 
 
 

But I love them both soooooooooo much and am happy that I can dream of my ENTIRE family together in heaven one day. 

world prematurity day

today is world prematurity day.  it is a day to honor the millions of babies worldwide who have died because they were born too soon and the 12 million more who are currently fighting to survive.  Ill be honest, before Emma I had no clue about this day.  But today, for my baby girl who is in heaven and who we miss so dearly,  we will be honoring our sweet girl.  We will be wearing purple.....and I hope you will too!  Find them on their facebook page where they have many stories about these sweet little babes.  

11 months

Kallen, you are 11 months old!!  My oh my, 1 month away from your first birthday!!

You are in 12-18 month clothes, depending on the brand.  You wear size 5 in diapers

 

I think you weigh around 22 lbs?  We wont know until your 1st birthday though :)

You are walking!  On Thursday, November 3rd (for our records :), I turned around and you were walking towards me!  I was shocked!  You had taken a couple steps pretty consistently, but I guess I was thinking it would still be awhile.  You still crawl at times because you are quicker and I think you have your daddy's patience (aka barely any) but you can definitely strut your stuff.  Awesome!

 You still go down around 730, but have been waking up throughout the night.  I dont know if its those pesky chompers or night terror's (per your pediatrician), but it is something.  You dont want to eat you just need some extra cuddles or just to know momma & daddy are there.......I am trying to hunker down and be strong this week so you dont think thats normal....but at 3:30 am I have been known to throw any and all parenting 'rules' out the window... 

This is how I have found her a couple times lately in the past week.  Sweet thing.   I tell her all she has to do is sleep through the night......

Speaking of chompers, you have 4 teeth now (2 bottom/2 top)  I miss your gummy smile! 

You are eating cheerios/puffs for breakfast along with either yogurt/fruit.  You love bananas, applesauce, sweet potatoes, rice/beans,  pears, scrambled eggs, cheese, meat, and many more foods.  

 We have tried the sippy cup, and just this past week I think you figured out what/how to drink it, but you like to play with it more than drink out of it...

You talk so much!  You say momma, dada, oh, uh-oh, whoa, you have about 50 different tones too, you are quite the dramatic one at times

Speaking of dramatics, you have learned how to throw yourself down on the floor when you are mad/upset.  I dont know if that is normal for an 11 month old to throw a temper tantrum?  Yikes...  

You have mastered 'touchdown'  It also seems like you 'say' touchdown too - it is so cute!

You have become more cuddly with us than you used to be. Which we love of course.  When we say give ______ love or cuddles you usually rest your head on them and hug, it is so cute!

Kallen, we feel so blessed that you are our little girl!!  If we loved you anymore I think my heart might burst!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yes yes, I am a week late on the post.  I am determined NOT to do that for her 1st birthday :)

Happy Birthday, Emma!

Happy Birthday my sweet girl!  Emma, I cannot believe it has been 3 years.  I still feel like it was just yesterday when I was holding you all too soon.  We miss you more and more everyday.  Your daddy and I wonder what your personality you would have, who you would resemble, how you and your little sister would be together.   When we see sisters interact, we often think of you.  We wonder how our family would be, what our 'normal' would be like.  

I selfishly wish you were here with us.  I want you to love on your sissy, and spend your days with us.  I want your daddy and I to juggle 2 girls instead of one.  I dont know what our family will look like, but I know you will always be missed here on earth.  I know you are PERFECT in heaven and it makes my heart ease to think about it.  There is nothing better, yet I still long to hold you, rock you and kiss your sweet little nose.  I cannot wait for that day when we meet again baby girl, where I get to pick you up and just hold you.  Momma misses you so much.  I hope know your birthday was amazing, with Jesus, our family, friends, and our brothers and sisters in Christ who have gone before us.  You are so loved.  I am so thankful for you and the time we were able to have you.  We celebrate you not only today, but everyday.  Happy birthday Emma.  Love, momma.            

november 6th

I don't believe in coincidences.  I just don't.  I believe in a God who is all knowing and all loving.  There is a purpose and reason for everything.  Sometimes we don't understand and we never will until we get to heaven and ask Him ourselves.  But I am glad that I don't understand*.  If we understood our almighty and everlasting God, He wouldn't be just that.  

November 6th is our first baby girls 3rd birthday.  Her 3rd birthday in heaven with Jesus and our 3rd year celebrating without her.  November 6th is a day that our lives were changed forever.  A day that I will never forget.  Emma was born that day at 12:15 and my heart has been changed since that exact moment.  


November 6th is also our second baby girls 11 month birthday.  Like I said, I dont believe in coincidences.  I truly believe that it is a reminder from God what a true blessing and miracle it is to have babies.  As I am preparing for Kallen's first birthday, I cant help but think of Emma's birthday and how they would be a month apart.  It would be crazy around here, I would be trying to plan 2 parties instead of one.  I would have planned 2 other birthdays prior to this so I would have more of an idea but I didn't do that, so I am basically thinking about girly birthday parties A LOT.

I am so incredibly grateful for Kallen, she is just the light of our lives.  There are really no words to express my feelings.  We are so humbled by His grace that He chose us to be her parents.  And the same goes with Emma.  We miss that sweet girl every day and wish she was here.

I hope to have Emma's birthday post up tomorrow, but no promises.  I am also still working on Kallen's 11 month post (weird I know :)      


*Don't misinterpret this, I didn't feel this way for at least the first year or 2 after I had Emma.  I didnt understand why us, why Emma, and to be honest?  I still dont.  BUT I do trust in our Lord and never, ever doubted His love, mercy, and ever forgiving grace that He graciously gives us every day moment.  I am grateful that my baby girl is safe in heaven and that we WILL be reunited one day again.  I cannot wait for that day.      

wordless wednesday

 

Kallen LOVING decorating 'her' Christmas tree!  

 

 

Melt my heart adorable.  We are decorating and listening to Christmas music....now all we need is SNOW!  :)