Happy 10th!

Happy 10th Anniversary Sweetheart! 
It hasn't always been easy, but it has always been interesting. 
I am grateful for our committment to eachother.  You have been a sweet companion and a good friend.  I am glad we are hanging on to eachother, even when there have been times it would have been easier to let go. 
I love you.

Cake.... and cupcakes....

My amazing neighbor and friend Erica took on the task of making my sister's wedding cake last week.  WOW!  She felt very confident when she accepted the job, but started doubting her abilities and skills as the wedding date loomed.  I was stressing along with her, but I kept cheering her on and was fortunate to see her in action, and like to think I even helped(by giving advice) a teeny-tiny-bit!

Erica was successful and handed me a perfect and beautiful cake on Saturday Morning.  She said:  I am placing this in your hands now.  YIKES!  I carried the cake on my lap with the AC on the whole way.  And it was beautiful- the Bride LOVED it and it got rave reviews by all those who saw it. 

Great job Erica!

We were concerned the cake wasn't big enough, so we(OK, Erica) did a side dish of cupcakes.  Everyone, including the bride loved these little guys!  All the kids wanted them long before the ceremony started(Kathryn tried to sneak one before the ceremony started.  Thankfully, mommy was watching and saved the cupcake!). 

Isn't life always better with cake... or its little sister... the cupcake?

Wedding of the YEAR!

Jeremy's sister, Tamara, got married on Saturday to Matt.  It was definitely the wedding of the year.  Our family was not part of the wedding, but we sure had fun getting dressed up and going all out to look our best! 

A  little Sisterly Chat

My Handsome Boys

Daddy!

Turn Around Bright Eyes!

My Girls!  Kathryn, Carina, Leila

Me and my Big Girl!

All the Conser Men!

The wedding took place at Multnomah Falls. It rained, it sunned- but honestly I felt it was a perfect day to get married. Congrats to Mr. And Mrs. Hensley! 

The Bride looking at her Groom.... and she said:  I Do!

Graduations

My oldest niece Adrienne graduated last year from High School. 

My second old niece Britlee graduated this year. 

Sigh... makes me feel old.  My little Nephew Jacob(who isn't little and taller than me) graduates next year!

And my youngest niece Carina graduated this year from Pre-school.  Good luck next year in Kindergarten!  Can't wait to see your future!

What a lucky Aunt I am!

Providence will not be collecting our first born... or our third!

And Happy Tax Day, By the way--- except you have until Monday to file because of some silly holiday that isn't really a holiday.  This would mean in my life as a tax preparer wannabe we would have had one more weekend of crazy stress. 

So we got our taxes back and paid off our providence bill-- this was the bill for Kathryn's birth from TWO FLIPPIN' YEARS AGO!  We still have her surgery hanging over our heads, which we paid with a 0% card so we could get the tax benefit on this years return, but it sure feels good to get one item off of our list.  I had spent the tax return in my mind in many different forms:  a new couch, a new bed, a weekend away... but getting free of debt is better than all of that!  Yahoo!

Once we get her surgery paid off(Maybe after next years taxes?), maybe we can actually start saving up for a vacation?  Won't that be amazing!  Where should I go?  Immediately I think Hawaii, but Europe would so fun to go back to... but  maybe I need a completely new adventure and head down under Aussi Style?  We will probably end up going to the beach. 

Turning Two!

When I turned two, mom and I decided to celebrate by taking a bath and talking about my very first bath that, strangely enough, happened two years ago on my birthday!  Taking a bath means washing my hair, which makes it nice and curly and people, even strangers, can't help but tell me how cute it is.

It was also forecasted to be a cold and rainy, possibly snowing day.  But it was sunny and beeeeuuuatiful!  Just for my Day!  So we enjoyed a few walks- do you like my new Birthday Jacket?  And notice my naturally red curly hair.

And finally, a birthday isn't a birthday without a little cake and singing!

I got lots of good gifts!

Overall I think its great being two.  I get to scream and do whatever I want.  I am getting better at telling my family what I want and when I want it(usually  now).  I love having an audience(except when mom asks me to perform) and I say:  Look at Me! a lot.  I sleep in my big bed and even though I am not sure I like it(its just too exciting to be able to get up and wander around whenever I feel like) I do like being a big girl. 

My family loves me.  I am adored by so many people.  I am a very lucky and a very blessed baby!  Here is to hoping I enjoy being two as much I as I enjoyed being one!

9 years... but who is counting?

9 years ago today I woke up in the guest bedroom at Squirrel #1 in Sunriver, Oregon.  My mom was disappointed I didn't sleep in longer, but I was too excited about my day.  (According to today's standards, I would count that as sleeping in... but that was a different life ago, right?).  My parents, two of my sisters, two nephews and two nieces were all staying at this home.  They wandered over to the home the Conser's rented where Carl had made a grand breakfast (his specialty) and they brought me home a plate.  I wanted to wait to get ready once the photographer showed up, but I couldn't wait-- I was too excited. 

In the master bedroom my two friends joined my mom, my sisters and I and we laughed and giggled.  My very pretty feminine floral underwear showed through my very beautiful handmade(that very week by wonderful mom) ivory wedding dress.  I won't tell you if I decided to go without(although the girls in the room will remember what happened).

One sister was at home on bedrest with a niece not ready to be born yet and she listened by phone to the ceremony.  We kissed as husband and wife and then enjoyed our time with family and very close friends.  It was a special day that we will never forget.  We ate barbecued salmon, had shrimp, salad, goodies.  We had an amazing cake.

Jeremy whisked me off to a fancy hotel in Bend right on the deschutes river and was mistaken for a bell-boy when he went to get our stuff from the car.  He didn't respond very nicely, so we are sure the hotel got a little complaint about their employees rudeness.  He didn't care because they had lost his reservation and we were lucky we had a room complete with a spa bath.  Rather they were lucky, cuz we would not have been happy.

The next day we headed back to Sunriver to stay at 30 Kinglet- our family favorite- and my parents had stopped over to bring our left-over food(and cake- lots of cake!) and presents.  We snuggled under our marriage quilt my mom worked very hard on.  We had the unusual experience of being married the Saturday after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.  This made us not only more thankful for each other and for our families, but it also gave us a much needed break from the TV and Radio we had been constantly listening too since the Tuesday before. 

This year is our 9 year wedding anniversary, which is 3 days and 3 years after the anniversary of our first date(that means we have been together 12- years!  Gasp!).  We celebrated early- on Saturday- by going up to the Gorge and hiking the triple falls.  Jeremy's lovely sister was available to watch our kiddos and we enjoyed our time together.  Its amazing how a few hours away from our wonderful kiddo's can give our relationship the much needed renewal and remind us of our friendship and commitment to each other.

Here is hoping for another 9 years.  I love you Jer!

First Day of SCHOOL!

The kids were so excited for school!

Well... Leila was. Nathan wasn't so much.  I couldn't coax a smile out of him for anything.  He and I went and got donuts for breakfast for the family this morning, and that certainly helped.  I am thinking this might become a tradition- he is our early riser and we have plenty of time to go pick out a dozen donuts and be back before the others are up.  

Nathan thinks Kindergarten is boring.  In his words, the only good thing about kindergarten is they got to go outside and play.  Leila thinks 1st grade is just a little bit harder than kindergarten, but mostly the same.  She LOVES it, as we knew she would. 

We took our annual walk down to the school, with all the cars backed-up we are glad we are able to walk to school on first days(and any other day when it doesn't rain). 

It will be a fun year to see how they both settle in.  I can't beleive I had a 1st grader and and kindergartener!  Nathan is going half days thru next week, then he will be in full day kindergarten.  He was also accepted into the two-way immersion program, so expect my kiddos to be speaking some spanish to each other soon!

I love these kids-- LOVE THEM!

What ya doing?

Kathryn, What ya doing?

Oh, Just running some errands.....

Kathryn turned 18 months old this month. She is on target with all the developmental milestones. My favorite one they don't ask me about is if she can jump. She can. Sort of. She squats down and then pops up on her tippy toes- her feet never really leaving the floor. But she smiles and laughs as if she jumped so high she touched the sky! (Leila jumped like this too!)

She is talking a lot. She is repeating a lot. She loves to follow and learn by example. She thinks she is a big kid and likes to be treated like a big kid. In fact, when Daddy is around she won't even sit in her high chair. That is how big she is. But she is little enough sitting on his lap taking a bit of his meal is being big enough.

Her measurements are grand: 32.5 inches tall & 26 lbs 14 oz ~ this is not our usual 90# + percentile that we are used to with our kids. Her growth has slowed down a little bit. But the doctor has assured me this is normal. I am not convinced. We took her into the urologist the beginning of the month and her left kidney is not growing like it should be. In fact, it appears to be shrinking. With her kidney reflux issues this is not OK. I haven't blogged or updated many people about this because I am dealing with a bit(actually a TON) of anxiety about the whole thing and prefer not to talk about it. I am confident in her doctors, but so very fearful of the unknown. We have another VCUG scheduled for the 26th and will discuss the results with the doctor that day and will have answers as to what the problem is and how to go forward with treatment. At this point we know very little. Hopefully we will know a lot more in a few days.

Both her pediatrician and I have decided if it were not for this darn kidney issue, she would be the worlds most perfect baby.

I love you Baby Kathryn. More than you could ever know!

Last Day Of School 2010

Well, the shoes have holes in them.... the backpacks are a bit more grungy... there is no such thing as a nice, clean notebook or brand new sharpened pencil.... its the last day of school.

I am happy to have my kiddos back home. They have learned a lot this year. Not only the basics in reading and writing and arithmetic, but how to deal with kids who are not always friendly. How to deal with adults who may not understand that they are behaving their age, not their size. How to stick up for themselves and tell people the correct pronunciation of their name.

I am also thrilled I made it through kindergarten without teaching my kindergartner how to tie her shoe. haha. I wonder how old she will be before I break down and teach her... and him too... I am not worried since their shoes don't have laces.

Leila was very fortunate to have a teacher who kept a very watchful eye on her. Her teacher(who was just a tad taller than Leila) has a real passion for teaching and a sincere love of her students. Nate's teacher was very calm and thoughtful and felt kids learn best through play. What a great environment for both of them to learn and grow in.

Nathan's last day was last Friday. Today is Leila's. Next year we will have a 1st grader and a full day Kinder-boy. Kathryn will be so bored next year home alone with just me all day! But lets enjoy the summer first.

I am proud of my kids.

I can't believe how big they are getting and how smart they are. I love their personalities, their desire to learn, and the way they make me try just a little bit harder to be a little bit better.

Our 15 Month old BABY

When Leila was 15 months old, she was no longer a baby. Two days after her 15 month birthday she welcomed a baby brother into the world. She was bigger than life. She was born quite independent so the change happened quite naturally. I had so much anxiety leading up to Nathan's birth, mostly because I worried about what this change would do to Leila. Was I short changing her? Pushing her off my lap too early? Forcing her to grow up to fast? Probably yes I was. But some gifts you just don't question and we made it work.

But she seemed so big. She was our big girl. The big sister.

Nathan stayed a baby for a long time. He was snugly and sweet. We didn't break his habit of a pacifier and bottle as early as we did Leila. After the whirlwind of two in two years we took a breather. Rather I did. Jeremy was happy with our family of 4. We had fun watching our kids grow. Seeing their personalities and their development. While having them this close together was not a planned thing, it turned out to work very well for our family. Leila and Nathan grew together and so many milestones happened so fast it seemed to be an entire family event.

Kathryn is now 15 months old and I can not even begin to recall exactly how hard it was to have these two beautiful children so close together. With working full time, Jeremy and I working different shifts to minimize their time in daycare, it was just really hard. I am realizing that I missed or more likely forgot a lot of the little things, but am so thankful I have Kathryn to show me and remind me of the little parts of development the others went through.

She is not sleeping through the night yet- we will get a night every few weeks or so. She is getting very good at putting herself to sleep on her own(yay!). She is usually very happy, but happens to have quite a temper on her- imagine that? Tantrums are quite normal and comical(She might not agree with the comical part). She can find her nose and her ears on request. She thinks she is as big as the big kids and will be by their sides as much as possible.

It is WONDERFUL to have older kids. Not only can they keep an eye on her while I run upstairs to ... blog... or something, they enjoy watching her. They like seeing her firsts and celebrate with her. They enjoying admiring their baby sister. I love watching their relationships and how different they are.

Kathryn has brought so much love into our home. We really would be no where near as happy if she were not part of our lives- I am sure of it.

We love you baby K! Happy 15 month Birthday! You won't be getting kicked out of the nest or pushed off my lap in two days... you get to stay our baby!

I am thinking $3.00

Leila's tooth has been hanging on by a thread for weeks! Finally a few nights ago she pulled it out. She brought it in and told us: I am thinking $3.00.

Yay for toothless smiles.

Some little things...

I guess if brother is doing it, so can you.

When I am sitting on the couch reading you just can't be consoled. Until I pull up on the couch with me and you read too(and keep reading even after I get up).

And finally... I found a way to keep you out of everything... until you learns for yourself to get off of your pedestal that is...

A Frosting Girl

She has had cake, but not cake with frosting.

We think she liked it. Happy Birthday Amazing Little Girl. We love you.

(And a big thanks to our family who celebrated with us and gave us so many nice things! Turning one is an event to remember!)