Thursday, July 28, 2011

A look back...

Karis,
Today I want to share with you some of the things that I remember about you over the last three and a half years.  You were my first baby, so everything was new to me and I was unsure pretty much all the time.  You were very special because it took me about a year to get pregnant with you.  I had been praying for you for a while before we even knew that you were on the way.  You were due on December 30th, but you arrived two weeks early on December 18th.  I was in labor with you for about 20 hours.  It was a long and difficult delivery for both of us.  We took a camera and recorded your birth, but I could barely watch it because they had to pull you out with the forcepts.  Your face was bruised and swollen for a day or two, but you were still beautiful!  You weighed 7 lbs 1 oz and were 20 inches long.  You had a head full of dark hair, but it quickly lightened up to be the blonde that it is today.  You had some stomach issues, and you only pooped like once a week.  One day you will have to have your daddy tell you about the time that you pooped while I was changing you and it shot across the room.  Every day was a new experience and an adventure with you.  I went back to work full-time for a couple of months to finish out the school year and I hated every minute that I was away from you.  I was so thankful when I was able to stay home with you as a full-time mommy.  You were a thin baby, mostly because you were not getting enough milk.  That was mommy's fault.  I was not making enough milk and I didn't know it until I went back to work and had to pump.  Someday when you have a baby, if you decide to nurse, don't let anyone tell you that its not ok to supplement with formula.  Its great if you don't have to, but if your baby is not getting enough, then its not what's best.  It took me three kids to figure this out, so try to be a little smarter than your mommy.  Anyway, you only weighed 12 lbs at 6 months old and that's when your Dr. told me that I needed to start supplementing.  When you were 7 months old, we found out that you were going to be a big sister.  It was a bit of a surprise, but we were excited.  You were a little late with the moving.  You were 10 months old before you crawled.  You wanted to crawl but you would lay on your tummy with your arms and legs stretched out as if you were trying to fly.  I would try to get your legs up under you, but you were determined to leave them straight.  You were 15 months when you walked.  In fact, I thought you were not going to walk before Micah was born and I knew that I could not carry both of you everywhere.  You were a great big sister from the very beginning even though you were only 15 months old.  You have the mothering instinct already!  You might have walked later than most, but you talked very early and very well.  You have been able to communcate with me almost like an adult for a long time.  People always told me how smart you were!  I am so blessed to have such a beautiful, smart, fun daughter and I can't wait to watch you grow into a beautiful, godly woman!
This was you in the womb, I don't know how you were able to do that with your legs!
There you are in my belly!
Daddy painted your room and wrote your name on the wall.
one week old
one year...you loved cake!
meeting your baby brother
8 months old, sorry this one is out of order

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

My Baby Girl...

Karis,
I wish I would have had this idea three and a half years ago when you were born, but I will make up for lost time, by adding some posts about you as a baby.  Let me start by saying that "Karis Kangaroo" is your daddy's nickname for you lately.  It started because you are always jumping around the house.  You have so much energy!  I wish I had about half of it.  You also love to dance.  You were doing so much of it that I decided to put you in ballet.  You have had one recital so far and you loved it.  You were not shy at all to be on stage!  I don't know how long you will end up taking dance classes, but for now its really fun to watch you enjoy it.  You think you are in charge of the house.  I know that you get this from me, but I very often have to remind you that you are NOT the mommy!  My favorite thing that you have said recently is "Mommy, can you watch Micah for a minute while I go potty?"  I am glad I could help you out. ;)  You are such a great big sister.  You are always willing to help me with Asher and Micah.  You are not intimidated by kids that are older than you.  We were playing the other day with Kylie (7 years old) and Kenzie (5 years old) Murphy and you had no problem telling them how things should be done although I don't think they listened to you much.  When daddy shoots the basketball into our little goal at home and misses, you tell him to watch you so that he can see how to do it.  You LOVE the zoo!  In fact, I cannot tell you that we are going until we are heading out the door because you will ask me about it over and over until the moment we leave.  The zoo is extra special for you and nana.  She has taken you several times, just the two of you and it has become "your thing" together.  You are drama!  Its really fun to see how excited you get about things, even the smallest things.  It also drives me crazy sometimes to see how upset you can be over the silliest things.  I am a little nervous to see you as a teenager.  You are very verbal.  You always have been.  You knew all your colors, shapes, numbers (0-20), and letters (and the sounds they make) by the time you were two years old and you love to show me how much you know by talking all the time, especially in the car.  Lately we have been telling stories together while driving somewhere.  You also like to sing.  You like "Veggie Tales", "Signing Time", "Yo Gabba Gabba", and "VBS songs" (I got the cd).  You are afraid of a lot of things, the doctor being the biggest right now.  We are working on that, but I think its going to take some time.  You love to play pretend.  One day I said, "Karis,..." and you responded, "Mommy, I'm not Karis.  I'm baby dragon."  The next day you were "Princess".  Even though you are my oldest child, you are my baby girl.  I love you so much and I can't wait to write you more letters!

I love you!
-Mommy (Sometimes you try to call me "mom" and I have informed you that I will be "mommy" or "momma" until you are at least 25 years old.  I still call nana "momma"!
you and daddy at your first ballet recital

posing for the camera

sporting your Dora ballet shirt
feeding the birds at the zoo