Away at a conference

Craig, Katie and I are off in Philly for a conference this week. I have EXTREMELY limited email... and no way to upload pictures at all. (seriously... I had to wait in line 15 minutes to get 10 minutes of computer time--- its like being back in 1992!)

stay tuned for pictures when we get back!

Katie is still cute as ever, so it will SOOOOOOO be worth the wait!

Katie's Baptism

Just a few moments to post some pictures from the baby girl's baptism. She was an angel all day (ok... a NOISY angel, but an angel all the same)

Enjoy!

I think we finally caught that grin today!

Weekend in Review

One tired kiddo... she had a BUSY weekend! All sorts of cleaning and errands to get ready for her buddies welcome party! (Plus some very crazed kicking on her gym!)

Another weekend come and gone. The baby girl is 13 weeks tomorrow. Where has the time gone???? We had the baby shower for Sam (and his Mom and Dad) today. Sam's nursery has a bee theme-- hence this cake. (Old-fashioned chocolate layer cake with buttercream frosting and yellow cupcakes with chocolate ganache frosting-- all with royal icing piped flowers and bees)

Just a cute pic of the kiddo doing what she does best, being adorable (well... she's pretty good at that and filling diapers too)

And one more attempt at capturing that beautiful toothless grin!

Maybe she'll be a gardener when she grows up?

Hrm... or is it "landscape architecht" these days... who knows! Our other guess is perhaps lighting design cause my goodness does this kiddo love light fixtures. Screaming fits can be ended by allowing her to look at the dining room "chandelier". hahah... she's a riot.

OK, on to the photos.

The munchkin was into visit me at work and I sat out on the lawn with her because it was a nice day... she reached off the edge of her blanket and ripped up a handful of grass...

Look what I got!

Do you think I can eat this?

Grass is not so yummy!

Sam and Katie!

Katie got a brand new buddy a couple of weeks early this weekend. On Saturday, Sam was born! I got a couple pictures when we went in to meet Sam and his parents at the hospital.

Have you ever seen 2 prouder Daddies?

Or 2 happier ones?

A big congrats to the new parents! Sam is so teeny--- he makes Katie look like such a bruiser! But he's just perfect and I am so glad you guys will be doing this whole parent thing along side us! (And I can't wait to see him at the shower this weekend!)

PS- Cody, you'd better watch out-- that's now 3 little boys vying for Katie!

Updates for the Month

Yes, time has flown-- and no blog posts--- sorry Mom! (hope these pictures help make it up!)

I had my first Mother's Day (which I spent sleeping and in the car) and my make-up mother's day which was wonderful. I even finally got my birthday lemon bars!!

Katie is 12 weeks old now... and on Tuesday she weighed in at 11 lbs! Where did that all come from????? She is doing wonderfully in every way. She smiles pretty often these days-- and though I've not had much luck capturing it on camera, she really just lights up.

Here are a couple pictures of the last few weeks with the kiddo!

Ellie was up to visit from Florida for Memorial Day --- we caught up for lunch! It was so great to see her-- I wish she still lived in Harrisburg so we could get out more often!

The peanut can push her self up pretty well these days... and from the way she's squirming those arms and legs.... I am sure she'll be mobile before we know it! (uhoh.... )Just an attempt to capture the grin!

Pictures from the Wedding

Craig's cousin Ryan's Wedding at the Ritz on Amelia Island. It was a BEAUTIFUL sunny afternoon... so we had to get some new pictures as a family (and of the little princess too!)

After the wedding we plopped the Tadpole down on the aisle of rose petals for some pictures-- and in some of the 9 million Craig took, she is not crying or grimacing and in some she had her eyes open and even smiled!
See! Like in this one... my favorite of the batch!
Isn't she the cutest thing ever?!?! Here we are assuming she was channeling a little Marilyn Monroe for the camera-- the breeze off the ocean caught her dress.
Katie dancing with her Daddy.
Katie with her Uncle Greg (her godfather) and her Aunt Maggie.

Pictures from the beach and Sliders

Off to the Beach at Amelia Island to visit the In-laws and go to a wedding.


Katies first day at the Ocean.. in a cute hat too! (goofy me, I forgot my swimsuit... boo)
As promised for my mom, Katie and I on the swingset at Sliders!
Me, Jane (Nana) and Katie
Katie looking too cute in her new hat (but slightly confused about the whole thing too)

just a few quick pictures from the Florida Trip

I only have the one memory card at home with me... and its the one with the fewest pics.... but here are a couple of our day at the beach with Aunt Christina and Katie and a few from when we were stuck at dulles on the way home!

Katie in the ocean! (and this is finally a hat she is cute in!)

Mom, Katie and Aunt Christina at the Beach
Mom, Dad and Katie at the Beach.... Craig doesn't look burnt yet in this picture!

Stuck at Dulles for 6 hours--- here is Katies bodged together entertainment--- a dangling assortment of nonsense from our luggage attatched with velcro tie downs... she thought it was pretty cool!

Back at work

I knew it had to happen, but I wanted to beleive it really didn't. My maternity leave was far too short, and I am now back at work. Tuesday was my first day back. Its good to have some brain stimulation again, but I really miss Katie. Ugh. Oh well-- I do have the most amazing boss though (much as he sometimes drives me bonkers with things) Since there was no way we could swing daycare on our income, we were trying to come up with creative solutions--- the one that we've got going now is that Craig works from 5am til noonish and I work from 1ish til 8ish. We can all have lunch together when I bring Katie in for the childcare switchoff. My boss actually ok'd this plan. Thank GOD! (we didn't really have any other idea what we'd do!)

So for now, I have my mornings with Katie and do the prep work for dinner and any other chores we're trying to get done to keep the house in order and then head in to work. I pass Katie off to Craig who then heads home to play with the little girl and work on his school work and laundry and such until I get home again to finish off dinner. Its been OK this week. I think Craig's having to readjust to getting up so early, but its nice to know that Katie is with a parent and safe and sound and happy all day.

She's doing well by the way--- she has "slept through the night" twice this week (of course... thats using the 5 hours counts as sleeping through the night definition) but thats certainly better than none! She weighed 9lb 6 oz on Tuesday and is just growing so fast I can't believe it. She's developing some personality and can really hold her head up unless she is super sleepy... I can't beleive how quickly she is changing and growing. I promise to get some pictures up here of her soon. Its just been a bit of a hectic week getting adjusted to the new schedule and being back at work.

Murphy loves Katie... mmmmmm Katie

Katie was crying... Murphy was worried and wanted to check on her.
And came closer and closer
And gave her a big kiss. Babies are tasty! (he was trying to make her happy.... instead, he just made her smell like dog.)

4 weeks old...

Time has flown, and as you can see-- its not from my spending time posting blog posts. Katie is four weeks old today. We're all doing wonderfully and Katie even sleeps sometimes! (when I am extra lucky, its even at night!!)
Miraculously PSU made a maternity leave policy for graduate students that came out 10 days ago, so yay! I feel SLIGHTLY less guilty about skipping out on work for 6 weeks now that I have official permission (and a guarantee they won't cut my stipend or make me take 5 extra years to graduate) I am really loving being home with the peanut and I am so glad to be able to spend this time with her. She is growing so fast. At three weeks, she was already up to 8lb 4.5oz-- which I think means I am fulfulling my destiny as a dairy cow. I'd been warning Craig that if the boobs didn't work for this purpose, then I was getting rid of them-- but darned if they aren't doing a good job.

Katie is doing well and continues to be a happy and beautiful baby. She's been going out on long outings with us on weekends-- toted around on me or her dad in a Hotsling. They are great and are making things alot easier in that she's a happy camper to be held close to her parents while we're out, AND they leave our hands free to do whatever it is we're doing. It is funny the looks and comments we get when we're carrying her like this though. No less than 10 people stop us everytime we go to the grocery store "There's a baby in there?!?!?!" And then they have to tell us how beautiful she is... a bundle of pregnant women have stopped me to ask where I got the sling to and how I like it. Really, I am loving it. Its making grocery shopping possible... because when I tried it with the car seat on the grocery cart... well, I was a hazard. I am TOOOOO short and I couldn;t see over the baby and kept running into things (and people)!
I will try and get some pictures of Katie riding around in her sling so you can see how content she is (well, and how cute she is!)

WE've been taking advantage when we get a nice day and going for walks around town in her spiffy stroller which she has been loving too. Really, she's just a happy camper and only really cries when its time to eat (which is pretty often!)

Craig and I are so in love with our little girl and she is just perfect. Now if I can just convince him that we really do need to wait at least a LITTLE while before we go for a little brother or sister!

The faces of Katie