Happy Birthday!

Yesterday was Mark's 30th birthday! He went shooting in the morning and then we had some friends over for lunch and cake. Mark's favorite thing about the lunch was the size of the sandwich ring which I purchased at Sams Club. He took a picture of it while it was in our fridge so all could appreciate the largeness.

Our fridge/freezer is a side by side so it makes the sandwich look even bigger.

I bought some balloons and decorated the kitchen with streamers and "happy 30th birthday" stuff that I found on sale at Party City. Kendra was very excited that we got to buy daddy balloons. After the party she wanted to take the balloons for a walk. She and Mark walked in circles around our little tikes slide. She never got tired of this! All evening that's what she wanted to do - take the balloons for a walk.

Here's Mark walking the balloons!

A little over a week ago I hurt my lower back. Eventually it got to the point to where it was difficult to walk, but I had my doctor appointment last Friday so I just waited. I thought my Dr. would tell me to take Tylenol, but instead he readjusted my back! It felt so good! My joints aren't stable and slip which make my hips crooked and cause the pain. I'll tell you what, I can't wait to give birth!

Kendra began the Funny Bug program at the Little Gym. She gets to be in the gym with the instructor all by herself! Her teacher said she was ready for this even though she is not three yet. Funny Bugs are for 3-4 year olds. Kendra loved it! It was fun to watch her and not have to run around with her. Mark had taken that morning off to say goodbye to his parents who were passing through on their way to their mission in DC. So he came to watch her as well. As soon as he walked in Kendra said, "Daddy, Daddy!! It's my daddy!" She constantly looked over at the window where Mark and I sat to make sure her daddy was watching her

Kendra likes to make up songs and to tell stories. My favorite story went from Ammon to Abinadi to Jesus. It basically went like this, "And the king liked Ammon and the King was wicked and they laid him on the cross and there was a big storm." Well, at least she's paying attention.

Painting With Pudding

This past week I noticed that Kendra still has tactile issues. She has become so functional that I haven't taken notice until last week. It began at a birthday party. Each child was given a cupcake. I observed how messy children's faces and hands became as they devoured their treat. Except my child...she used one finger to scrape the frosting from the cupcake and then licked it from her finger. The other experience was at Ben & Jerry's free ice cream day. Again children had ice cream all over their faces...except mine. She stuck her tongue out to barely touch the ice cream - her face wasn't dirty at all. Yesterday after dinner Kendra had pudding for dessert. She had to eat it with her fingers. At first she used one finger. After much encouragement we got her to stick all her fingers in the pudding, and then we made a big deal about painting! This did it for her! Look at my messy child! I love it!

Life's a Hoot

My sister spent her spring break with us. She has been the only person that Kendra liked since she was a newborn. Kendra always wants to go to Utah to see Aunt Shoni. It was fun to have her here and to have someone else play with Kendra.

Kendra loves to be pulled around in her "shark pool."

Where's Kendra? She was hiding with her Aunt Shoni in the basket at the balloon museum.



On Sunday my car was hit yet again. Now the front bumper looks like the back bumper. The first time my car got dinged up was when Mark backed into a fence. Then a truck (the guy was seriously probably drunk) pulled out right in front of me and I couldn't stop or swerve fast enough. The last time I was parked and someone misjudged their turning space and got my front bumper. I guess I'm getting use to having my car hit because I just laughed - it was pretty funny. We had debated whether or not to buffer the back bumper so we could trade it in for a minivan, but now I think we'll just make do. No sense in buying another car that will just get thrashed as well! If I include Mark's car, which definitely had it the worst, our vehicles have seen 4 accidents in the last 9 months. That is craziness!

Looking Back

Happy Easter! Kendra had a great time this past week making bunny cupcakes, dying eggs, and having an Easter egg hunt. We decided that our Sunday would focus more on Christ and the other activities would be held on Saturday.


ACCIDENT

I haven't written for the past month so there is much to be caught up on. A few weeks ago I received a call from Mark at about the time he would have arrived home.

Mark: "There's been an accident."
Kristi: "Did you cause it?"
(I know, such a nice wife - all other wives would have asked, "are you okay?")
Mark: "The bus hit a car."
Kristi: "I'm so glad it wasn't your car this time! Are you okay?"
(I did ask, just a little later)

Traffic came to a stop on the interstate faster than the bus could stop. The bus swerved to the other lane just as the car behind them did and they collided. I think they sat on the bus for an hour or so while the police report was being filed.

PURCHASES

Mark bought a Benelli Nova shotgun a few weeks ago. He loves to skeet and trap shoot and this gives him the flexibility to do it without having to borrow a gun from someone. He actually does all right considering he hasn't shot one before. I think he has averaged about 13/14 out of 25. The next time he is planning on going to the shooting range is for his birthday.

We've been big spenders this month - we also bought a used 16 cu.ft. upright freezer. My rationale for this is that it is part of our 3 month supply of food. Everything I want somehow serves the family...Mark's rationale for the gun was to "protect his family."

LITTLE GYM

Last year before I became sick and pregnant Kendra attended the little gym. I finally enrolled her again. I'm so glad I did because she just loves it. Two weeks ago someone came up to me and said, "You probably don't remember me...but I remember your daughter." We had a class together last fall. The last day I was there I mentioned Kendra's SPD. Her daughter had issues and when I explained SPD to her she realized her daughter fit the profile. She had her evaluated and sure enough she qualified for services. Her daughter is much more severe than Kendra but they didn't diagnose her until she was 3 - Kendra was 18 months when I began therapy and 22 months when she was officially diagnosed. The mom had been looking for me ever since so she could have at least one person who would understand what she is going through. And I do! I'm so grateful we are past that stage and that Kendra is doing so well. It's amazing to have known her a year ago and to see her now. She's an incredible child who has taught us much.

I talked to Kendra's instructor at the little gym about programs for 3-4 year olds. Her instructor said that Kendra would do the best in the regular gymnastics class because she is so hyper. Ha ha ha. I use the term "active," but yes, she is a hyper or very active child. It's part of her temperament - high activity level, high arousal level, high excitability - that's my kid!

DIET

For the month of March Mark decided to go on a "dessert-free" diet. He wanted to prove to himself that he could go a month without sweets. For the most part he succeeded. Near the end he learned he was good at rationalizing what was and wasn't a dessert.

I have been on my low-fat diet for over a month and only gain a pound a week. Not too bad. Although I greatly miss my homemade chocolate chip cookies!



As we were spring cleaning we found water paints. This is one of Kendra's favorite activities.



Kendra dying eggs with a friend.



This is one of my favorite pictures. Kendra is wearing her Grandpa's glasses.



Kendra and her daddy.



Big and Chunky - 5 months with girl #2.



Tiny me - 5 months with Kendra.

We're A Happy Family

Kendra wet her pants two days ago. She has not had an accident for two months so it really surprised me! This happened just before Mark came home. When he came into the house this was the conversation between him and Kendra:

Mark: "Kendra that makes me sad you didn't pee on the potty."
Kendra: "But we're a happy family."

So cute. We are a happy family. Last night after Kendra went to bed she had to "use the potty." As she sat there waiting to go she sang the most hilarious song I've ever heard. She went through every item in the bathroom and put it to a tune. "Towel, towel, towel, soap, soap, soap, shave, shave, shave..." I wish she would perform like that in front of the camera - she always stops.

Last fall Kendra was enrolled at the Little Gym. I enrolled her to help her social development and sensory skills. She loved it, but unfortunately I was unable to take her after two months because I became so sick. I finally called the Little Gym to see how much money I had on credit, (we paid in full at the beginning of the semester). I was pleasantly surprised! I have the choice to enroll her now until July for free or she can have a birthday party for free!! Okay, it's not really "free" since we already paid the money, but it feels like it! I'm still debating what I want to do.

For the First Time

For the first time in my life I am worried about weight gain! This is not just because I am pregnant. I prefer not to gain more than 40 pounds when I'm pregnant, but because I lost so much weight after having Kendra my weight gain hasn't been a big deal. I had my doctor appointment on Friday and learned that within the last month I gained 10 pounds. 10 pounds in 4 weeks people!! So my doctor said it's not healthy and I can't gain that much again. Mark has no sympathy and said, "no more ice cream Kristi." I don't eat ice cream all the time mind you...I'm just hungry...all the time. So I'm hoping that I will only gain 3 pounds next month. No wonder I'm twice the size I was with Kendra!

Family

My parents flew down from Oregon to visit us this past weekend. They are from a small, conservative town and let's just say Albuquerque is a more liberal area. We took them out to lunch on Friday and sat next to a lesbian couple who were proud to show the world that they were lesbian. I guess they were making out the whole time ... Mark and I didn't notice! We are so oblivious, either that or just use to it. My parents were dying!!

I didn't realize how many things were wrong with my home until my dad began to fix everything. Our dishwasher broke over a year ago and my dad was able to fix it in about 20 minutes. Mark wanted to widen the cubby in the garage so he and my dad did that, and then it turns out that our water heater has been leaking water since we moved in. We had no idea where that water was leaking from! We told my dad that we didn't have much hot water and wallah! We do now! We also learned that we need a new shower head in our bathroom.

We went to the dinosaur museum, racing car museum, shotgun shopping, and saw our friends the DeBucks. The DeBucks lived in Vale, Oregon over 30 years ago. My dad baptized her and shortly thereafter they moved to New Mexico. Now that we live down here they get to see them every time they visit.

I have pictures to add but for some reason my computer won't let me add them. I want to post my 22 week prego picture with Kendra and this time around. I'm so much larger!

It's a . . .

We had our ultrasound yesterday and we are having a girl! I've been telling Mark that it was a boy so we were shocked! Mark will continue to be surrounded by pink, princesses, and dolls; the poor guy. He's actually really excited. We look forward to seeing how this little girl will look and be different from Kendra. The bonus is that their birthdays will be less than a month apart so we don't have to buy much for this one.

We also will celebrate our anniversary on Monday - 7 years! I can't believe we've been married for that long!

Kendraisms

Kendra has become quite the talker. Sometimes it's cute as she'll say, "Watch me doing this," "did you see that!" Or my favorite lately was, "Jesus came to John the Baptist and they went to church and taught the gospel."

Other times it's embarrassing. Today at the store Kendra screamed. "What's wrong Kendra?" "That." I looked behind me puzzled not knowing what she was referring to. "What?" "That" and then she pointed to a man who is most likely lower income. Nice Kendra. I told her to say hi to people not scream at them. Geez. THEN we go to check out and amazingly there is no one in line, so I walk right on up. Kendra says, "mommy, she's a witch!" I'm hoping the cashier didn't hear that. She had long black hair, blue fingernails, and dark makeup. I guess you lose all your pride with children.

Mark is going shooting this weekend with some friends. He's really excited because he gets to shoot a shotgun. Mark has gone shooting with my dad but has only used a rifle.

Happenings

A year ago I began to intensely work with Kendra to help her SPD. I took her to new places with new people to try to pull her out. This was very difficult for her. One place I took her is called Hoots. It has inflatable jumpers and slides. It took about an hour to finally get her to even want to get on them. At first she got right off. Eventually we jumped and slid together.

Kendra had a birthday party at one of these jumpy places. I told Mark to be prepared because she would probably have a hard time. As we entered the party it was loud and filled with people. Kendra didn't seem to notice, she wanted to jump! She got right on a jumpy with unfamiliar people, without mom or dad, and had a great time! She did ask for her daddy to join her, but not out of fear, just for play. Isn't that amazing? Seeing these strides in Kendra makes me happy.

Transitions and new routines are still hard for her. A new year means a new nursery class and teachers. Kendra loved nursery last year so I thought she would be okay. I was wrong! Kendra cried and gagged until they found us. She kept saying, "I want to go home." Mark was able to get her to go back to nursery as long as he stayed. I'm in the process of making a visual schedule for her so she can understand the change. Hopefully in about a month or two she'll love nursery again.

Today was Kendra's first day of Pre-school! I can't believe my little girl is going to school already! It's actually a friend from our ward that is teaching her along with four other students. I thought Kendra would have a difficult time with the transition, but she went right on in and I came home!!! We have talked all week about school and how fun it would be. This morning when she woke up she said, "I go to school today!" She was ready to go the minute she was up. In fact, 20 minutes before it starts she was at the door waiting for mommy to finish getting ready.

Soap Box

Mark and I are both pro-life. I have read the FOCA (freedom of choice act) which would legalize partial birth abortions. I also read statements from nurses who worked at a hospital in Illinois where abortions failed and babies were left to die in utility closets. This sickens me. I can't imagine aborting a child after learning it was going to have a defect, (down syndrome, chromosome disorders, etc.). If we are willing to do this, when will the time come that we will euthanize severely disabled individuals who are zapping the federal funds? Or would it become legal to euthanize your child when you find they have autism or some other disorder? If we view babies with disabilities as having no worth do they ever gain their value? Did my daughter lose her value when she was diagnosed with her disorder? Not in my eyes. I don't understand how these women can have good consciouses after performing such an act.

Christmas

This year we were on our own for Christmas. We decided last night that it is more fun to be with family during the holidays. We were able to spend part of yesterday with old family friends, (they knew my parents when they were first married and lived in Vale, OR - now they live in Edgewood, NM) it was great to see them and their family again.

We stayed home this year partly due to money - now that Kendra is two we have to pay for her airplane ticket, and partly because we are really behind with everything because I was so sick. Mark has six days off of work so we get him all of next week too! This is great! Sometime between now and then I hope he'll fix our kitchen faucet which broke a couple of weeks ago.

Here are some pictures from Christmas:

Notice the proud father in the background.

The things Disney teaches children...