March 2015

I feel like so much has happened in the past month - I'm starting to rethink my blogging priorities, maybe I should strive for twice a month rather than just once a month. This is gonna be one of my longer posts…

First of all Kayla is growing and growing and growing. We had her two month check up last week. She was 12 lb 5 oz. And a whole 24 in long. Why do babies grow so fast? However, we are loving all the new 'tricks' that she is learning. We love getting her to smile. And she's even starting to belly laugh now. Still working on holding up her head for longer than a minute or so, though. She is such a joy in our lives. We love her so much!!!

We have been SO blessed, as of lately. I am constantly seeing the Lord's hand in our lives.

• At the beginning of the month I went to tell my boss I was quitting, but instead she offered me to come in for 2 hours a week to work on stuff in the office. 2 hours a week is hardly any money, but it still does help a little bit. And it's very flexible. I'm able to be at home with the baby all day and go into work whenever Jacob can be home with her.
• I received a check in the mail for a full refund on my breast pump. When I purchased it, I was told that I had a copay because of my deductible. To get all that money back was totally unexpected, but I am so grateful!
• We just got the bill from the hospital… We only have to pay 3% of the total bill. THREE PERCENT!!!
• Being double insured is freaking AWESOME!!!
• Jacob just received a pay raise. 
• I've only purchased 1 box of diapers and hardly any formula. That stuff is stinking expensive!!! We have been so fortunately to have so much help though. We've been given SO many diapers that before Kayla was born she had a wall of boxes of diapers! We've gotten so many free samples of formula too. In fact, there was a guy trying to contact me for about a month because some formula was sent to my old apartment where he now lives. I couldn't believe that he found me on FB and kept the box until I got back with him (silly other folder that doesn't notify you when you have a new message)
• I just got called as a relief society teacher at church and immediately felt blessings from the Lord. I'm not a fan of public speaking. Well the Sunday before my first lesson I was in Katy and they were on the lesson I was going to teach the following week. So I felt comforted seeing someone else give the lesson and I felt that it helped me prepare and not focus so much on how nervous I was. I truly felt the power of prayer working for me. I know people were praying on my behalf and it truly strengthened my testimony of prayer. And in my opinion, by some miracle I actually pulled it all off. My husband and brother inlaw were standing outside the door when it ended and they said every woman that walked out told them how great I did. I know people always say the teacher/speaker benefits the most from preparing a lesson/talk, but more so than the message I felt so much love and support and (I didn't think I'd feel this way so soon) I am so grateful to have the calling as a teacher now.

Seriously, the list goes on and on of the many ways I feel so blessed. One of the things I really struggle with is fearing the unknown. And we knew when I got pregnant that things were going to be changing a lot and that it wouldn't be easy. But over the last few months as the change has really started to hit us, I have seen the Lord's hand in SO many ways. We have been blessed financially, physically, emotionally, spiritually. My testimony has been strengthened so much. I know that He lives. I know that He is here, in mine and my family's lives. He is helping us through our trials. He loves us. I am so grateful.

And with such wonderful timing, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints recently posted a video about that very thing my testimony has been strengthened on.

Check out this website -->> http://www.mormon.org/easter 

Watch the video.

Explore Easter week.

And share.

Taken at 6 weeks. She'll be 10 weeks on Thursday.

Before and after. Silly husband insisted on not cutting his hair for 1 year...

 I possibly prefer the haircut. None the less, I love him either way.

We went to Katy the weekend of my birthday and Kayla got to meet her great grandma Nicholas aka GG

Kayla and cousin Elizabeth

We can kind of wear a bow in our hair!

celebrating Jacob's raise

This was the first time we let Leia meet the baby without a glass door between them.

St. Patrick's day and about 8 weeks old...

She is very good with her facial expressions. I love looking at the faces she makes. Some sadder than others, obviously. Still cute though. Haha.

She loves music. And I love that she does.

There's almost a 2 year time period between these pics, but some things never change...

At Kayla's 2 month appointment.

After her appointment we drove to Dallas. We were able to spend a day with Logan and Alyssa (and their Mom and Dad). If we're being honest, Kayla spent the day in Aunt Missy's arms. Missy said her neck was sore afterwards ;) Then we went to the airport to pickup more cousins! Michael, Kiya, Crew, and Lina flew in from Utah. They came down for a baptism. Except for the day or so they spent in San Angelo for the baptism, we were able to spend almost a whole week playing with them. The Heck's came to town to join us as well. And it happened to be the same weekend as Kayla's baby blessing. We had a blast having so much family in town. We were just missing the Parkers!

Lina and Kayla. Lina is 3 weeks older. 

Kayla loves sticking her tongue out. And she seriously gets a kick out of other people sticking out their tongues!

It's tough work playing. They both fell asleep.

So did Papa...

Playing at the park.

Apparently she wasn't too fond of Uncle Michael. I don't know what he did to get that look from her. Poor guy...

But seriously the faces she makes...

Grandma McConnell and the two newest grand babies

Kayla (2 months) Lina (3 months) Jane (7 months)

After General Women's Conference we took a few pictures. Unfortunately, they didn't turn out very good (not everyone is looking and some are blurry). But I decided to go ahead and post them anyways...

My mom and sister had come up for the blessing the next day and were able to join us for conference.

After Kayla's baby blessing

All of my family that was able to come

With grandma and grandpa Ruske

With the Esquivels

With Uncle Stephen and Aunt Gina

With Tocarro

Almost all of the McConnell family. Just missing the Parkers.

Lots of people came out to the blessing. Taylor and Jennifer came too. (one of Jacob's best friends and his girl friend, but they left early)

Sweet baby girl. Who also happens to be a fan of her pacifier...

Love love love my little family <3

Followed by some blue bonnet pictures Sunday evening...

My two favorites :)

It's been a great month!!!

Feb. 2015

She is growing so fast. Seriously, it's not okay. Anywho… Kayla is still being an angel baby. She's so quiet. She only fusses a little bit when she's hungry. She sleeps so well. Like the other day she was fussing because it was time to eat, but I was trying to finish cleaning. So I started vacuuming and it put her to sleep. Pretty awesome. We're just hoping it stays this way. And that the next baby isn't the exact opposite. But time will tell. 

So last week I finally felt pretty comfortable with our schedule and progression, so I decided it was time to focus on me a little bit and start working out again. First off, OUCH. If we're being completely honest it's been way too long since I've worked out. Sadly much longer than before I got pregnant. Funny side note… Before I got pregnant we started looking around at gyms, and since I had been talking about it so much Jacob finally said let's just do it, so we signed a contract one Saturday… 2 days later, on the next Monday, we found out I was pregnant. So technically I did attempt to work out since we had just signed a year contract and all, but it didn't last long… Back to now… This is so discouraging. Being so sore because it's been way too long, and not seeing results. I know it takes time to see any, but I'm so incredibly impatient… And it makes it so discouraging. And I'm a visual person so the number on the scale is what I look at, even though I know how bad of an idea it is to use that as my single source of progression. I'm just impatient and feeling blehhh… Hopefully I keep up with this though and I'll see some changes in the next month or two. End rant.

Last week I also met with my boss to tell her I had decided not to come back to work. Before baby I had all intention of going back part time. I don't know how to explain it, and maybe it's something that only some people will understand, but once she was born I just couldn't do it. So I went in to tell my boss in person, trying to do it as professional as possible, because if staying at home wasn't to work out I didn't want to burn any bridges. I knew she didn't want to see me go. And she had a feeling I wouldn't want to come back once the baby was here. But she offered me to come and work on stuff in the office for 2 hours a week. So it looks like I'm not completely done there yet. Which really, 2 hours is nothing. And I'll be in the office and NOT back in the pharmacy. And that makes a HUGE difference. Plus she said I can come in anytime, which is even more convenient. So it looks like I'll be trying this out.

When I started this post, I felt like I would't have much to say. Proved myself wrong there ;) But no post of mine would be complete without pictures. And do I ever have millions of pictures these days. Enjoy :)

sometimes she's a cross-eyed baby

typical pic we send to daddy - i love my baby k cuddles

dad is a fan of the stache...

it only took over 2 weeks for her cord to fall out. but as her daddy says now her belly button is "so cute" hahah

now that her cord is out and she can get a real bath, she really enjoys bath time. no more screaming because she's so cold.

totally worth it.

for being so stinking cute, she sure is stinky sometimes...

vday breakfast. heart shaped bacon. heart shaped toad in the road ( or one eyes as Jacob calls them) and just normal hash browns...

This is how he wraps presents. every time. i kind of love him.

"my heart belongs to mommy" this outfit lasted about 10 minutes before she spit up all over it...

my valentine!

Sometimes I make us all matchy-matchy for church :)

seriously though, those cuddles :)

celebrating Jacob's birthday with his family

we went to lunch with him on his birthday

it's so cute when she sucks on her hands/fingers

she doesn't like me taking millions of pictures. and i secretly love this picture. sorry baby k.

sometimes. well most times. she's happiest when I hold her. so the only reason daddy's birthday dinner was ready on time was because of this...

Bella and me after dinner for Jacob's birthday

about a week before she was born, I went VT and the topic of cake balls came up. I had been craving them since then. it only took about a month for me to make them. They were a hit. 

Love him!!

when it gets really cold, we put her in this bear suit. we like to call her an ewok baby when she's in it. any star wars fans??

Poor thing will never live this down. we laugh every time. I don't know if this video will ever get old!

me working out wears her out. how does that work out?

1 month old

growing like a weed!

lunch with daddy. so far we've done this about once a week. she's normally asleep the whole time. its still kind of my favorite every week.

Last side note: a year ago we got Jacob's truck, i went to gina's bridal shower (their 1 year anni is this weekend) and I convinced Jacob it was time to start trying for a baby.

SO SO SO grateful for him, for the fact that he puts up with me (that's no easy task) and our sweet baby Kayla!!!

is a family selfie a thing? oh well...