Grampa's Birthday and Christmas Eve

My Dad's Birthday is very close to Christmas, and because of this, he grew up very particular about how he likes to celebrate his big day.  Now with Kalea in our lives, he has someone in the family to commiserate with in having a birthday so close to a big holiday.  He now is able to share in a joyful occasion with his first grandchild.

Here is a picture of the Christmas babies spending some time together watching football.

Kalea has a brand new outfit and I decided to have her wear it for Grampa's birthday.  Here she is chasing after Charlie.

My Dad's favorite birthday cake is usually made by my mom, but she took him to dinner while we set up his birthday festivities at home.  Needless to say from this picture, the cake turned out a little funny.  At least it still tastes great!

Skyping with John and Kristin while opening birthday presents.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Now on to Christmas Eve.  Sorry Dad, I just have to since I don't have a lot of pictures from that day!

We had some time in between wrapping presents and enjoying tamales to play "So Big" with Kalea while playing with a football.

Taking a break on the kitchen floor.

On Christmas Eve, my family always opens one gift and it is a new set of Christmas pajamas.  After the pajamas, it is time to read "The Night Before Christmas."  We read it to Kalea last year, but of course she was only 2 days old, so she really didn't know what was going on.  This year, she enjoyed listening to the story while playing with a new book.  In this picture, she is actually looking at the story, but for the most part she was playing with her book.

We really love the Holidays; spending as much time as possible with our family is the most important part of the Christmas season for us.  In the end the presents don't matter, they will be forgotten with time.  I love making memories and traditions that hopefully Kalea will be able to share and pass down to her family some day in the future.  Merry Christmas Eve!

Kalea's 1 Year Stats and Pics

Just over a week ago, our little girl turned 1.  I know how often people say the time will fly by; but until you are actually a parent, it doesn't seem like it will go as fast as it actually has!  Pat and I love this little girl so much, it is really difficult to describe.  We have grown so close as a couple, and this is because of sharing the parenting of our little one.  

This last year has definitely changed us, Pat is now incapable of watching "Father of the Bride" (his exact words:  "I hate this movie!"  when the little girl says "Daddy, I met a boy and we are getting married") and I break down in tears any time I see a show where the oldest daughter goes off to college (thanks Parenthood!).  These are definitely emotional changes we will take any day because it shows us how much we love this little ball of joy, and it has only been a year!

Her 1 year stats from her doctor's appointment:

Height: 29.9"  (75%)

Weight: 18.5 pounds (10%)

Head Cir: 17.75"  (50%)

This entire year she has been at the higher end in height and the low end on weight.  She eats really well, but she just can't seem to catch her weight up.  It is looking like she will have great potential for a future volleyball career =)

Lots of changes this last month.  She is now crawling like a champion and loves chasing after our cats.  She can get up on her knees as she is playing, and loves to crawl over our legs.  She is starting to talk, babbling tons.  She says "hi" "da" "kittie" "Oh wow"  and lots of other sounds bunched together.  She sometimes sounds like she says "ma" and "tigger" (one of our cats names).  She has 6 teeth now,  2 of them coming through within a week of each other.

She loves to talk to herself and then hysterically laugh at something only she knows.  She has learned how to do "So Big!" with her arms raised thanks to Mom Mom in New Jersey.  She started to clap on the morning of her first birthday.  She points to everything, whether it is for the name of the object, to go in that direction, or just to say hello.  

Kalea is fiercely a "Daddy's Girl,"  especially when she is tired.  His is usually the only shoulder she will cuddle on any time of the day, if not him then his Pop Pop of Grampa will suffice.  She gives the biggest smiles to almost anyone, once she has warmed up to new surroundings.  She loves to be chased around the house and now to chase us as she crawls after us.   She loves to "read" books, flipping through the pages and looking at the pictures.

She loves to play with our cell phones and computers.  It has gotten difficult to Skype with the grandparents as she only wants to play with the keyboard so they just see the top of her head.  She is really enjoying all of her new toys from her Birthday and Christmas, so far figuring out how to play with the "Ball-cano" Gma bought her and banging together or chewing on the rest of the toys.

Happy Birthday to the best little girl Mommy and Daddy could ever ask for.  We are so blessed to have you in our lives and we look forward to spending every moment we can with you.

Here are some pictures from her "photo shoot" in her Minnie onesie she wore every month.  

In this next picture, Pat is blowing in her hair.  I just love the look I captured!

"Are you done taking pictures yet Mommy?"

Enjoying her first taste of marshmallow with her Daddy.

New Jersey Trip, Part 2

Now that all of the fun of traveling, birthdays, and Christmas has come and gone, I can finally share some more from the events these past 2 weeks.  

When we were in New Jersey, Mom Mom and Pop Pop couldn't wait for Kalea to open her Christmas presents since we wouldn't be able to stay through the Holiday.  They really enjoyed her opening her presents, especially Pop Pop.

The weekend we were there, we had a little birthday party for our little one year old and I snapped this picture while we were opening her presents.  I should have taken one looking into the other room to see the rest of the family, but instead I just have this one.  It was a lot of fun and a great way to see lots of family all at once.  Thanks everyone for making it out and helping us celebrate Kalea's first birthday!

Kalea took a little bit of time until she dug into her slice of cake, and she really loved it!

While in New Jersey, we were able to have a little play-date with Pat's childhood friend and there little 15 month old, Zoey.  

We met up with Kalea's Great Aunt and Uncle for some lunch one afternoon.

She loved looking at all of the ornaments each night with Mom mom and Pop pop.

One of Kalea's many presents from her loving Grandparents.  This was one of her Birthday gifts.

Luckily, the rain we had the last couple days of our trip cleared up in time for us to head to Storybook Land and check out all of the lights and see Santa.  Mom Mom really wanted to do this while we were out there, so luckily we were able to do that.  We were also lucky that not only were we rain free, but it was in the high40's/low 50's for the night so not too cold for the middle of December.

We took a ride on the train and Kalea loved it!

We changed her into her warmer Winnie the Pooh outfit.

And we ended the night on the Carousel.

She really liked the ride and all of the lights.

The morning we were leaving, we had some time to head over to Aunt Mare's house to visit before we had to leave.  We got to meet the newest cousin, Juliana.  She is about 3.5 weeks old here.  

Her big brother Trevor is 3 and trying to sneak another scone.  

Pat's cousin Dave and Kalea crawling around.

Aunt Mare enjoying some baby Kalea time!

We had such a wonderful time visiting friends and family.  The time flies by so fast and we never get to see everyone we want to see.  I didn't have any pictures, but Pat got to go to the Eagles game with his two best friends (even though they stink this year, they had fun), and we met up with our friend, Amanda, at her work.  We also spent a lot of time with the family next door.

Hopefully next time we come out, we will be able to meet up with some of those we missed seeing this last time.  Until next year!  

Half a year

Kalea's 6 month Birthday came and went by so quickly, I haven't had a chance to look through my pictures until now.  She is changing every single day and it is difficult to keep up, but I am definitely trying.  This last month she has started eating solids, as I previously posted, sitting up with support (and then wobbling over to the side), laughing a lot more (big guttural laughs), "talking" up a storm, among other things.  I think as I write this post I will just add things she has been doing as I think of them.

Her 6 month stats:  

Weight: 15 pounds (25th%)

Height: 26.3" (75th %)

Head: 17" (75th %)

She has grown over 2 inches in two months and seems to get longer every day.  Her hair is really coming in quickly now and we still can't tell if she will be a blondie for a while or have brown hair.  

Kalea loves swimming so much, she spent well over an hour in the water yesterday.  She recently started enjoying being tossed in the air and grabbing our faces.  Anyone who wears glasses now needs to watch out or she will grab them off of your face.  

She loves sleeping on her side with her legs crossed and her arm crossed over her head.  She props her feet up against the side of her cradle when she is falling asleep and in the morning when she wakes up. One morning this last week she had her foot through the railing and she didn't mind at all.  She usually wakes up content and will just explore her fingers or talk to herself until she sees me peek at her or hears me moving around.  My favorite part of the morning is peeking over at her and saying good morning for the first big smile of the day. 

She has also had her first real photo session when we used a Groupon for a photography studio.  She is such a stinker as she doesn't like to smile for a camera and she loves to stick her arms out to the side.  The pictures turned out great regardless.

Our little love bug is the best part of our world and we can't wait to see what she does the second half of her first year.  Hopefully it will take a long time for it to happen but I know that won't be the case.  Our family has two weddings in the next 5 months so it will fly by.  I will do my best to keep things up-to-date on here.

Now on to what you really came here for.  Here are a few of my favorite pictures from her 6 month photo shoot.  

A Surprise Birthday Celebration

Over Memorial Day Weekend our family made a trip up to Las Vegas.  What would normally be a Girls Weekend turned into a mini-family reunion for my Moms side of the family.  Gma had a big birthday to celebrate!  My mom and her sisters tried to keep up the ruse of a girls weekend when in fact we had the entire family in town to celebrate.  Luckily despite a few slip-ups, Gma was completely surprised when every one just happened to be waiting for her.  

As she comes to the back of the restaurant, the ones that are not supposed to be there hide from view.

 The room we were in had low lighting so unfortunately I couldn't get a clear shot with my flash off...at least you could tell she is surprised!

 Hugging all of the Heurkins crowd from Austin.

 Here is a shot with the flash...don't like it as much, but it is all I have!

 After lunch, we went upstairs to hang out with everyone and take some pictures.  My brother had to go back to work, my cousin Danny was still working and wouldn't arrive until the next day, and my cousin Jere is deployed overseas keeping us safe.  Luckily every one else was able to make it.

Here are the Grandkids who have kids.  All four of Gmas Great Grandkids in one spot!  This isn't going to happen too often unfortunately.  We took a bunch of pics and of course with 4 little ones, it was difficult to get every one looking.

From left to right we have Aydan (2 1/2), Owen (10 months), Kalea (5 months), and Hunter (7 months).  My cousin Jacque and Corrie are the other proud mommas.

 With the babies born in 2011!  

 All of the Grandkids and Great Grandkids present at the time...missing John, Jere, and Danny!  Lots of girls in this family =)

 Mr. Owen playing with his Uncle Keith's hat

 Hunter flirting with the camera

Kalea looking so intently 

Such a proud Great Gma!!!  We love you!!!

More pics to come from our pool time the following day.