just fun

in case all the holiday posts don;t have enough pics, here are some more!!!!

kinsley sticking her tongue out at you!!!!


she is really into all her toys now. she loves to look at herself in the mirror.


look she is holding her toys and getting them in her mouth!!! purposeful movements!!!

baptism

Kinsley was baptised on dec 27. since it was so close to christmas not everyone could make it, but quite a few family members made the trip. it was a very nice day and kinsley did great. she was asleep till father jim poured the water on her head. she let out a small cry but calmed down quickly and fell back asleep! we did the baptism during the mass so the congregation all clapped for her and watched. her god parents are tony and tonia. they got to walk the gifts down before communion, tonia laid the white bib in kinlsey during the ceremony and tony lite the baptism candle. it all went well!!!!!


God daddy tony, god mommy tonia, kinsley, daddy and mommy



kinsley with her god parents!!!!


what an angel!!!!

yummy cake!

baby's first christmas!

Family photo!!!!!!!!

here are some pics of Kinsley's first christmas!!! she slept so great the night before and didn't wake up till 8 30!!!!

daddy found a special present under the tree from kinsley!!!

Kinsley liked here new musical elephant!!!!

kinsley with mommy!!! santa left alot of presents for her!!

Christmas was great!!! kinsley was to small to do much but she does show excitement and interest in toys. aunt mel stayed the night with us and opened presents with us in the morning. after that we went to toledo for christmas with the poddany side of the family, and my parents came down a few days later to to christmas here. it was nice to see everyone!!!

3 months, christmas eve!

Wow!!! little kinsley is three months old!
kinsley turned 3 months on christmas eve. she has been changing so much lately. her head control is great, she grabs and holds on to toys, she even gets them in her mouth!!! she is chewing on everything too!!! since we have started the gas drops we have had ALOT more happy baby time. she coos and talks like crazy and smiles alot more. you still have to really work for a smile but it is so worth it!!!

me and daddy are still hanging in there. not much news, breastfeeding is finally getting figured out. i lost my supply a few weeks back ad had to pump like crazy to get it back up, but it is better now. apparently the birth control can do that to a small % of women, so of course i am in that group!!!
just a cute one!!!


so sweet!!


here are the christmas jammies she wore on christmas eve., they say "mommy and daddy's favorite gift is me!" SO TRUE!

3 months old with daddy!!!

ALSO...HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!! HE TURNED 27 ON THE 26TH!!!!!!!!!!!!

3 month appt.

kinsley had her 3 month appt yesterday. she will be 3 months on christmas eve!!! wow the time has gone by so fast and she is changing every day. she is now 12 lbs 11 oz and 25 inches long. she didn't grow much and stayed in the 97% for height and 75% for weight. dr polster said she is looking good and developing great. we discussed her gas issues. he says they tend to work themselves out around 3 months so we will see how this month goes, we may have to try meds if it doesn't settle down.

i will post more with pics.

lights at the zoo!!!!

for the last few years we have gone to the lights at the zoo in toledo, this year we took kinsley to her first zoo lights at the columbus zoo. the lights were great!! the zoo is huge and we didn't even get through the whole thing so we will have to go back again to see the rest. kinsley basically slept through the whole thing but it was a nice date for me and brandon.


pretty lights on trees



kinsley was not so happy at first!



mommy and kinsley, she was all bundled up in her snow suit!! it just fit her, almost to small!!

me and brandon!!

so sleepy!!! this was the end of the night when we got home.

gas drops and more

we started using gas drops a few days ago. i have had them for awhile but wasn't wanting to use them i hadn't heard alot of people say they worked. then the other night a few mom's in my mom's group were telling me the positive experience they had and how the gas drops helped there kids. so we tried them! so far kinsley is screaming less and spitting up less. i tried not using them yesterday and she spit up all over the place, that was enough for me to think they are working. however now kinsley is not sleeping???? not sure if there is a connection or just a coincidence, so we will have to see about that. we go to the doctor again on the 22nd so i will be talking to him about that,and how long is ok to use them.

other updates:
kinsley for sure laughed the other day i think it was friday (12-11-09) i was tickling her thigh and she let out a big giggle..it was so cute!!

she talks all the time now, lots of coos, and smiles, and gurgling in her throat.

kinsley is holding her head up on her own alot now and has really good control.

two days ago brandon put her down in the pack and play and she actually just hung out in there for a bit with out crying. that was a major first, usually she just starts to scream right away!!! it was very exciting for us to have a happy moment!

as for me and brandon we are hanging in there. i am trying to work on my weight and exercise a bit, but my back is not allowing me to do to much. soon we will have the basement cleaned up enough to use the treadmill. brandon got the garage all cleaned up so we could finally park our cars in there!!! just in time for the snow!!

christmas fun, meeting audrey!!

our little reindeer!!!!


santa's little helper!!


we went to see santa, kinsley didn't cry but she was too distracted by all the lights and so she didn't smile either. this is a picture i took with my camera



our newest friend, audrey noelle!!!!!
she was born on nov. 17. her daddy rick was in our wedding!!!
she is so tiny only 5 lbs. 15 oz when she was born!


kinsley looks like a moose!!!!! kinsley is only about 2 months older then audrey

Thanksgiving

meeting lots of friends and family over thanksgiving break!!!


kinsley with neil!!!


kinsley with great great aunt anna!!!



grandma rinestine, mallory, mandy and kinsley. mallory thought kinsley was pretty cool, her mommy is expecting a new baby too!!!

kinsley with heather!

we made it to thanksgiving with both sides of the family. Kinsley got to meet lots of friends and family. she met her cousin heather, uncle steve and aunt sonny, mommy's friend Niel, papa ferrari, and many many many more!!!

YUM YUM!!!!

turkey for kinsley!!! she didn't really have any!

the trips both went pretty well. kinsley was a trooper but was extra cranky from the long rides and just not being at home with the normal schedule. she screamed alot in PA at my parents house so everyone got to see first hand how my usual day goes!!!!

2 months

Kinsley is two months old today!!! the pictures are not that great, she is pooped from a doctor's visit and being up all the time crying with a bit of colic! her appt. went great the doctor says she looks good. she is 11 lbs 9oz. (75 percentile) and 24.5 inches long (97 percentile). she got 3 shots today so she is tired and sore this evening and a bit fussy, although she is fussy alot lately!

kinsley smiles alot more now and loves when we talk to her. she talks back sometimes with ooohs and ahhs. i am pretty sure she has laughed a couple times now, just a small chuckle, i love it, can't wait for that to happen more!!! she is growing more and more each day and changing like crazy. now if we could get the colic under control and start to sleep a bit more all will be good.

asleep in her swing, she finally likes it, silly me never put it on full speed, which i have found is the only way she likes it. it doesn't always wrok but i usually get a few quiet moments out of it.



2 months old! she wasn't in the mood to smile

cute pictures

our cute little elf!!! i was pushing her ears out from behind!!!

awww....

the poop explosion shirt!!! we are officially in the club!!! brandon made this onsie for rece when he was born and all the kids have worn it, he also had one made for averie so beth's kids have all worn it also!!!

just cute!! this was at delta elementary when i went back to visit my kids. they all loved kinsley!!

tierney and kinsley, friends already!!

newport aquarium

brandon got tickets through Kroger for the newport aquarium. we drove down there the other day and meet tonia, tony and the kids. it turned out to be a really fun day. kinsley basically slept but we all had fun, and the boys seemed to like it.

me and kinsley in the mouth of a shark!!!


just a cool turtle, this thing was huge!


yes that is a real shark swimming right over my head. the aquarium had some cool tunnels to walk through and the fish and sharks swam all around you.



tonia, tony, rece, carmine, tierney

me brandon and kinsley!

updates!!!

ok i have many updates to do, here are a few to get started!


this is what happens when we do tummy time!!! i think i have a belly sleeper on my hands.


A new baby!!!! our friend beth had her little one on oct. 28...her name is colbie!
here are the girls hanging out!


beth, baylor, colbie, averie, me and kinsley!



at my six week appt. kinsley's first gyno visit!!!!! we had to change her on the table and she ended up pooping everywhere.

our midwife becky and kinsley!

my 6 week appt. was great, all is good. i got the ok to work out now if i could just get motivated!! and find time! becky asked how i was doing with breastfeeding, at the time things were still crazy, but now finally things are looking good. she also asked about post partum depression, i know for sure i had baby blues and i think i had a touch of post partum, although i was not depressed just very anxious all the time. alot of which i am sure stemmed from the feeding issues. now that things are getting better i feel alot better to, i am more easily able to get out of the house, and my confidence is higher knowing i can feed her anywhere. she still screams alot but i don't mind that, and too bad if someone else does!!!!

still standing

well we are still alive around here. i am amazed that we are at times!!!!!!

so here are a few updates...

breastfeeding, since i stopped everything, things have gotten a lot better. the burning has stopped, along with basically everything else. i am still using a nipple shield to feed kinsley but that is ok. i only have a weird tingling feeling during and after she eats for about an hour or less, and i think the shield is giving me a small rash...but compared to where we were things are much better. i am going to continue with one side feedings and using the shield for now and in a few weeks check in with the LC again. at this point i am going to continue breastfeeding, i am feeling so much better and can easily continue like this.

a run down of how it went: (more for me then anything!)
pain from the 2nd day in the hospital- should have said something then
1 week old first LC appointment
multiple pumping schedules
countless LC visits (i have seen at least 4 LCs now)
2 medications for mastitis
4 rounds of meds for thrush
2 nipple creams
acidophilus - to counter act the side effects of medications- it decreases yeast production
B6 (i have done this 2 times now, helps with nipple issues)
gentian violet- this was to try and get rid of the thrush, i had a resistant type of yeast!!!
nipple shields
hand expression when the pumping was to painful
LOTS of pain and frustration
(This spanned about 6 weeks)

and after all that, the doing nothing seems to have worked the best...go figure. although who is to say that things just didn't take awhile to kick in. who knows how or why but things are getting better!!!

Kinsley update:
she is doing very well, she eats like a champ and i think she is growing. she is no longer smooshy :( she looks like a kid now and not a newborn anymore. ( i will do a large picture post soon) we think she may have some colic. basically if she is awake she is screaming. it hasn't been like this the whole time but for the last week or so it has been non stop. we will see how that goes for now, and may try some gripe water to see if it helps. also she seems to have some trouble passing gas and pooping, she grunts and pushes for along time sometimes an hour or more before she gets it out. i will be asking the doctor about that one.

other then that she sleeps well at night, usually up once in the middle of the night, we are very lucky with that. Kinsley likes belly time when she is not screaming!!! she was loving her bouncy seat but that has faded for a bit, i am sure she will like it again. when we put her on her back she tends to roll to her side. maybe she will roll over soon!!! but who knows!

11-10-09 she cooed for the first time!!! of course it was to daddy, she only screams at mommy!!! but she is definitely cooing and talking in the few non screaming moments we have.

mommy and daddy update:
mommy is still feeling rather overwhelmed with everything. we took a trip to toledo that went very well. i had a lot of help which was great. i am sure i will feel better soon, it is just hard to have one thing after the next go wrong and then have your baby just scream at you all day. luckily i have good friends and family. i just need to get better at asking for help and getting away for a bit. tonia is keeping a close eye on me and will make sure i am doing good!!! Brandon is of course taking great care of me too!!
as for the toledo trip we met colbie, my friend beths new baby. she is super cute and tiny!! i also went to visit my kids at school. they were so excited to see me and i was so excited to see them. they are all so special to me. they loved kinsley!!! i spent the whole day with them, and kelsey came along to help. she was a great help all week, she changed diapers and everything! i was so sad to leave my kids again, i may have to go back before the year is over. we also saw alot of family and friends at the grandparents house. it was nice to share her with everyone and show her off to those who have not seen her yet!

daddy:
daddy is doing good. he still gets up at night with me and changes the diaper while i prepare to feed kinsley. when she is done he swaddles her back up and puts her back to sleep. he has changed stores again and is getting used to the new people, he seems to like them so far. i know he misses us like crazy at work and comes home to even more work, but he is doing great and is so wonderful to me. (not to say he doesn't have his moments!! but then so do i!)
brandon did not get to go to toledo with us. he really missed his little girl. he was so happy when we got home.

we will be making a trip to PA in about 2 weeks. we will see some family and friends. again brandon will have to stay here and work. it is hard to be without him. i am sure i will have a lot of help at home though and it will go fine.

callie and stella are still doing well with kinsley, callie is her protector and stella is just recently aware of kinsleys presence in the house, she is a special cat!

on an up swing!

i feel like the breast feeding issue is on an u swing. on friday i decided i was done with all pumping, medications, creams, etc. none f them were working so i decided since nothing was working we were going to try nothing and see if that works. the burning is basically gone, i had a few moments today but nothing like i was, i am still itchy and sore but both seem better. not sure why these things have gotten better but i am glad we are moving in the right direction. i am feeding only on one side at a time in hopes to regulate my supply and so i know one side is getting empty so i will hopefully keep from getting blocked ducts. after reading some articles found by tonia (my doctor!!!!!!) i really think i have an over supply issue combined with over active let down which both are causing Kinsleys choking, gagging, tough feeding, and burping issues. she does all of this a lot and has a hard time getting burps out, as well as will refuse to eat but is hungry minutes later. i wouldn't want to eat either if i choked every time. so the one side feeding should help this issue.

we will see how it goes, i am trying all of this for one week, and reanalyzing then. i need to work on getting rid of the nipple shield if i get the other issues under control!

cross all fingers and toes please that this is the end of this bumpy road.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Kinsley had her first halloween!!!!!!! here are some pictures in random order.

here are the pumpkins daddy carved!!!


Kinsley and Tierney two peas in a pod!!!




Kinsley, Teirney, Rece, and Carmine!!!



LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture, it was exactly what i wanted!!! i always wanted a picture like this on my kids first halloween!!!


Here is Kinsley in her costume with the big pumpkins!!

Daddy cleaning out the pumpkins!

Kroger had a kids night out, even though Kinsley couldn't do the activities, i took her to see daddy at work. Brandon was such a cute proud papa, he carried her all over the store showing her off to his employees. they all love her there!