And baby makes FOUR!

2011-01-27T05:36:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the problem message on the blog.. not sure why it is there but hopefully it wont keep happening and I need to post more often so that everything stay current!!

Here are some recent photos that are saved on my computer:

These are from our most recent snow a few weeks ago.. the kids were out of school for 3 1/2 days and loved it! I didn't mind the days at home with them but hate all the make up days we will have because of it!! Oh well...at least we still have our Spring Break in tact!

Long time, no posts!!!

2010-10-17T12:31:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I have been really slack lately with posting on here... In fact I can't even remember the last post and what was going on in our lives... So, I am starting with the present and will work backwards to catch the highlights of our life!!
Kenny and I have been in Kentucky this weekend and the kids have been visiting Larry and Darlene! I am posting pictures of just the two of us in honor of our 11th anniversary last week.. We did not have a big celebration on the actual day but spent the most perfect weekend here so here are a few of the highlights proving that a fun trip does not always have to be elaborate but it's more about the small stuff: we started the weekend on a most beautiful fall day at the keeneland horse races... With tickets in the clubhouse section.. All dressed up to impress and right on the track! We had great meals in downtown Lexington and were lucky enough to get tickets to KY big blue madness to watch the 1st basketball practice this season. On Saturday we shopped for UK stuff at the Kennedy bookstore and then tailgated all afternoon.. A great spot in the VIP lot. Another beautiful day with friends. Then of course the game was awesome and we cheered and celebrated all night long! Kenny even got a picture with the UK quarterback Mike Hartline when we were celebrating at Two Keys after the game! This was definitely a weekend we will not forget...would not change a thing!! And we still have fun to come with a visit at Larry and darlene's and a Halloween trip to the zoo!!!

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Spring baseball

2010-05-23T06:47:00.001-07:00

Griffin played spring baseball with the ROAR organiation again this year. He was on the Diamondbacks team and made such tremendous strides towards being a good ball player! I am sad to say I didn't take many great photos this season as I have in seasons past... Having to entertain Julia was a little distracting and sometimes took the help of Andrea and Noelle!! Here are some photos that Andrea took a few weeks ago that I will cherish forever!! And then griffin with his trophy at the celebration yesterday!!

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Spring Break fun!!

2010-04-11T13:32:00.001-07:00

So we didn't have spring break travel plans this year but the weather was almost summer-like temps so we spent most afternoons playing in the sprinkler in our backyard!! A very relaxing "stay-cation"!!! Julia is a wild woman and loved running through the water. Griffin and our neighbors turned the backyard into an obstacle course so everyone was happy!!

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JuJu in her Tutu!!

2010-02-21T10:57:00.000-08:00

Amy and Sadie gave Julia a cute purple tutu that she wore all afternoon today! She just looks so cute and prissy!!

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Daddy's idea of fun!

2010-01-31T07:15:00.001-08:00

So... This is what happens when mommy goes out of town ... Daddy invents his own fun for the kids. I really have no words for this except that Julia love going for "bag rides"!!!!

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Bubbles

2010-01-31T07:05:00.001-08:00

Griffin decided to take a bath on Friday night and when I peeked in to check on him.... this is what I saw!!!!

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Snow day fun

2010-01-31T07:03:00.001-08:00

Yesterday we finally got the snow (and ice) that the weatherman promised!! Griffin woke up at 6:30 to a blanket of white and couldn't wait to get outside! This was Julia's first real snow experience so we weren't sure how she would like it.... She loved it!!! She stomped in the snow, got snow dumped on her head by Griffin, and even tasted a little.... Griffin loved going down the slide with ice and snow and throwing snowballs!! It was so cold but a perfect day to be homebound!!

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"Julia-isms"

2010-01-29T14:31:00.000-08:00

Julia has been babbling non-stop for several months now but we couldn't recognize any words until recently. Here are a few of her favorites right now:

Puppy (our personal favorite!)
bubby (griffin)
Mommy
Dada
I-E, I-E ( chorus of Old McDonald)
io's (cheerios)
Baby
Baba (bottle)
Bok (block)
Cookie
Cup
Boots

Of course, hearing them in her little voice is priceless....stay tuned for a video!!

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Julia's spot

2010-01-15T05:57:00.000-08:00

There is no need to buy a playhouse when we have bar stools!!! This is Julia's favorite place to hang out these days!!

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Bookworm

2010-01-14T06:31:00.001-08:00

I have often wondered if my busybody Julia would slow down enough to fall in love books as much as Griffin. Until recently she has shown no real interest in books or being read to. But it seems we have turned a corner. She has become obsessed with puppies and searches the pages of books looking for pictures of them! In the process, she is sitting in my lap and letting me read to her while she's the official page turner.

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Fun with Legos !

2010-01-12T09:08:00.001-08:00

These are pictures that I altered with a new app from my phone...turns them in to Lego mosaics!!! I wish I could say I made them but they are still pretty neat!!

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Lego fun!

2010-01-10T15:19:00.000-08:00

When the Lego store opened in Concord Mills, we took Griffin to opening weekend. After being a part of the festivities he decided he wanted to have his birthday party there. Much to our dismay, they didn't schedule any parties in the month of December, so we had a belated party today....and it was well worth the wait! Here are a couple of photos from the birthday room. We had 7 boys all building Legos with a Lego expert. They were in Lego heaven!!!

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Playing in her room!

2010-01-10T06:22:00.001-08:00

It's one of the moments I have been waiting for....that Julia could play contently in her room without having me watching her every move. I babyproofed everything and we put most of her toys in there so she loves pulling out the toys and stuffed animals! I love her newfound independence!

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Mobile blogging

2010-01-10T06:18:00.001-08:00

Ok...I am giving this a try!!! Hopefully I can capture our everyday life on the go!!! Stat tuned for posts from griffin's birthday party this afternoon @ the Lego store!!!

Here's Julia's at 14 months today!

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2010-01-10T05:36:00.000-08:00

It's been so long since I have blogged... I am embarrassed! So much has happened that I would like to share-Halloween, julia's birthday, thanksgiving, griffin's birthday, Christmas... And of course all the milestones that my kids have met along the way! I am hoping to start this year off right and post at least once a week. Life is quite interesting around here so I am sure I will have lots to say!!

I am also going to try my hand at mobile blogging...maybe I can be more frequent if I can post from anywhere!!

Happy new year!!!!

Julia at 9 months

2009-08-26T11:02:00.000-07:00

Julia at 9 months:

-Crawling everywhere...and fast
-Babbling and saying "mama" :)
-Pulling up on furniture and cruising
-Eating anything we put in front of her
-Has 4 teeth with 2 more on the way
-weighs almost 19 lbs. and 28 in. tall
-looks like Mommy
-loves bathtime but hates getting dressed
-can play "peek-a-boo", clap her hands and wave bye-bye (if she's in the mood!)
-has a sunny disposition but crys when we tell her no
-wants to be right in the center of everything!!

The reality of 1st grade....homework!

2009-08-26T10:55:00.001-07:00

One this is for sure about 1st grade..more homework. In Griffin's words, the kindergarten homework was "baby stuff" but this year there is more work to do. He got in the car on Monday afternoon and said, "I have good news and bad news, I'm gonna give you the bad news first. We HAVE homework. Now the good news is... it's easy!!" I sure hope it stays that way for a while! At least he has all week to work on it before it's due.

While he was working on some of the math homework, he started writing some of his numbers backwards. I said to him, "You're a little rusty on writing your numbers arent' you?" and he replied, "Yeah, I haven't written ANYTHING in 77 days!! I'm still getting used to it!"

Oh my....

LEGO STORE grand opening

2009-08-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

This summer we heard that a LEGO STORE was coming to Concord Mills. This had Griffin totally excited, especially after visiting the one at Disney! We thought that it was opening in October but found out on Sunday that it actually just opened and during opening weekend, all visitors could help build an 8 ft. tall R2D2!! So, after Sunday School, we decided to make a trip up to check it out and get in on all the opening weekend festivities! Griffin did get to build a brick that was part of the Star Wars sculpture and check out the store too. It was definitely a mad house but lots of fun to be there on opening weekend! Surprise, surprise, Griffin wants to do his birthday party there this year!!

So stinkin' cute!!

2009-08-19T10:22:00.001-07:00

Girl, you are going to get away with sooooooooo much because you are so stinkin' cute!!

The world outside my window

2009-08-19T10:14:00.000-07:00

Julia finally found the front window in our dining room a few weeks ago. She stood there for a long time, looking in amazement! It's the perfect height for her to look out, hold on to the ledge and lean up against the glass. She is growing so fast..I know that one day soon, it will be me leaning up against the glass watching her back down the driveway...

But for now, I am happy to be the one outside the window that leaves and comes back to smiles and hugs and cuddles from my baby!

Snuggle time

2009-08-19T10:10:00.000-07:00

It makes me so happy when Griffin comes downstairs in the morning and asks if he can snuggle with Julia in the bed! He loves her so much and is so attentive and patient with her. He has even gotten brave enough to pick her up when she wanders off and bring her "back to safety"!! This morning, Julia and I were up before Griffin so we decided to surprise him for a change...my two little bed bugs!

Julia's 1st trip to the beach

2009-08-19T10:03:00.000-07:00

Julia had her first real beach experience over Memorial Day weekend. We took the boat to a little beach near Kiawah island and had a wonderful time. The only thing missing was Griffin! He was spending the week (9 days actually) with his Papaw and Mamaw in Kentucky! Julia loves the water and the boat so much..I think these photos really capture her personality so well! She is definitely the child who likes to explore and try everything, including eating the sand!

Co-Captain...falling down on the job!

2009-08-19T07:06:00.000-07:00

This has definitely been the summer of the boat! Thank goodness for the Baby Bjorn.. Kenny doesn't even mind strapping Julia in while he is cruising around. She loves the wind in her face and helping him steer!

Unfortunately, she's not a very reliable co-captain as she falls asleep when we are going fast!

Standing up!

2009-08-19T06:53:00.000-07:00

This photo pretty much sums up what Julia does any time we put her on the floor.. she crawls right over to the bar stools and pulls up to standing. She thinks she is hot stuff now that she can get around by herself and pull up on all the furniture. And did I mention that she is fast as lightning? There have been a few times that she has made it into another room while I have had my back turned..she is going to be a girl on the move!

And the Bear snores on....

2009-06-07T18:19:00.000-07:00

So Kenny, it must be nice, huh?

Julia's first day at the pool!

2009-06-07T18:16:00.000-07:00

Too cute in her suit!

Just as we suspected, Julia loved the pool. Soon she will be swimming laps around Griffin.

Field Day - The HOTTEST school day of the year!

2009-06-07T18:15:00.000-07:00

And the best part is getting a bucket of water dumped on you after the relay race!

The Highchair Adventures

2009-06-07T18:12:00.000-07:00

So.... Julia is the messiest eater on the planet! I think more food gets on her face than in her mouth. I would worry about this but all the fat rolls have me convinced that she is getting just enough!

Koellner Family photo

2009-06-07T18:11:00.001-07:00

Koellner's, Newmans, a Henderson and a Goldberg all in the same place...What a great photo!

Cousins in the AM

2009-06-07T18:09:00.000-07:00

We LOVE cousin Sadie!!

2009-06-07T18:05:00.000-07:00

These photos just make me smile. When I see Griffin and Julia together, I realize just how complete our family is now. Each morning, the first thing Griffin wants to know is "where's Julia?" He loves to get in our bed with her and cuddle. And of course she just eats it up. On this particular morning, Julia was up before her "bubby" so we went up to wake him up and I couldn't resist snapping a few sleepy-eyed photos of my babies! I hope they always love each other this much!

Mother's Day 2009

2009-06-07T17:59:00.000-07:00

This Mother's Day was especially sentimental because it was my first one with Baby Julia. I am so blessed to have my sweet Griffin and now having Julia has really just completed me. I am so lucky to have such wonderful, healthy, happy children and a husband who loves me!

So, going on the boat with my kids was not really my perfect idea of a relaxing Mother's Day but the weather was just too nice not to. Kenny gave my arms a break and strapped on the Baby Bjorn so I could take a nap on the back bench.. Julia loved being in the Captain's Seat with her Daddy taking in all the sites on the lake!
Thanks Kenny!

Griffin's tee ball experience

2009-06-07T17:53:00.000-07:00

This year we decided to move Griffin up to the next level in baseball so that he could play with his buddies, Ryan and Robbie. We were not sure if this was going to be a good idea or not because this move would make Griffin the youngest kid on the team. It was definitely a learning experience as there was no tee...only Coach's pitch. Griffin actually did a great job and probably learned more being with the older kids than he would have staying with his actual age group. The team really worked together and by the end of the season they did a great job. Here are some of the photo highlights of the season!

Tuckered out

2009-06-07T17:26:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was Julia's first time going to the swimming pool. She loves being outside and bath time so we knew that she was going to LOVE the pool. We stayed for a few hours before coming home to grill out and eat on the deck (Kenny's favorite summertime activity). We usually just bring out her bouncy seat or even the high chair but for some reason Kenny decided to bring out her Jumper. She loves playing in it all the time and spins around checking out all the toys. Well, we started eating supper and she got really quiet. While I was clearing the dishes, I noticed she was starting to nod off and this is the video clip that we got of her. Kenny and I were so tickled by the way she would start to drift off and the jumper would bounce and startle her. I am guessing we need to have better time management for getting her in bed earlier.. but it's just so darn cute!!

2009-06-07T17:21:00.000-07:00

May 17th...Julia's Baptism Isn't she a doll baby? Such a precious dress and cap..and of course such a precious baby!

The new boat...

2009-05-04T18:29:00.000-07:00

appropriately named (by a previous owner) the Dog House!!!!

As many of you know, Kenny has been pining for a new boat for about 2 years now. I held firm in my hesitation as long as I could (thanks to Julia, it was a lot longer than I originally thought I would be able to put up a protest). So, in a weak moment, I surrendered and now we are the proud owners of a 24 ft. Scout Abaco appropriately named the Dog House!! Ha! Ha! Actually, I am a big fan of the new boat.. it is much better for many reasons, namely the cabin where we can lay a sleeping Julia while we enjoy being on the water!

Anyone is welcome to join us as we spend most of the summer on the boat!!

A Koellner and A Farnum

2009-05-04T18:21:00.000-07:00

So... I constantly compare Griffin and Julia and try to place their features with different sides of our family. As the days pass, Julia really is continuing to favor me as her eyes slowly begin to turn brown and her brown hair is finally starting to grow. Griffin was pretty much a mini-Kenny from birth (with the exception of my lips..he's all Koellner once he smiles, though) and I thought that Julia was a mini-Rose but when I look at this photo.. Griffin and Julia look almost identical in the nose/mouth area. I can't wait to see how they favor each other as Julia continues to grow.. each day is a guessing game!!

1st baseball game of the season

2009-05-04T18:20:00.001-07:00

Go Astros!!

Coach Kenny and #7 Outfielder Griffin

Can someone get me a spoon?

2009-05-04T18:18:00.000-07:00

I could just eat her up!!!!

Who is that kid??

2009-05-04T18:10:00.001-07:00

This snapshot of Griffin on Easter morning fills me with such a wide range of emotions. First of all, I am filled with joy that he is growing into such a handsome, sweet, smart, caring and funny young man. Second of all, I am filled with delight as I witness the ways he embraces Julia as his sister and a member of our family. But I must admit that this photo also fills me with a sense of sadness...simply a mother's selfishness that her sweet baby boy can't stay little forever. The glasses, the missing front teeth, the thinning face...all reminders that time marches on no matter how hard we try to stop it. Age 6 has been such an eventful year...and it's not even halfway finished. But as sad I am that Griffin is growing way too fast, I know that we have so many wonderful things to look forward to in his bright future!

Easter 2009 family photo

2009-05-04T18:07:00.000-07:00

This may very well be the first official family photo that we have of the four of us. Wow!!

The Easter Bunny's helper!!

2009-05-04T18:05:00.001-07:00

Kenny's mom gave Julia these cute rabbit ears for Easter this year and I can't stand how cute she looks!

Brotherly Love

2009-05-04T18:04:00.001-07:00

I don't know if there was ever a brother who loved his baby sister so much!!!

1st tie

2009-05-04T17:58:00.001-07:00

Grandad took Griffin shopping for some new church clothes a few months ago and bought him (among many other nice things) 2 new REAL ties! His previous tie has been a clip on so Kenny had to brush up on his tying skills to help Griffin get dressed. How proud Griffin was to look so grown up!!

Specs

2009-04-08T18:42:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we had Griffin's eye sight tested at the request of the school nurse and found out that he was a little far sighted (just like Mom!) So... we have been waiting (somewhat) patiently for his new glasses to come in after picking them out at the Dr. Colletto's office. He was soooooooooooo excited today when I picked him up from school and told him the glasses were ready. We picked them up and he LOVES them SO much. I am sure everything is so much clearer now that he has the glasses. He can't wait to go to school tomorrow to show all of his friends. He even THANKED me for getting the glasses for him.. it almost brought me to tears. The enthusiasm of a child...what a joy!! The true test will be teaching a 6 year old to take care of them...aghhhh.. Here is the video of the UNVEILING of his new glasses!

Pretty in purple

2009-04-08T18:40:00.001-07:00

She is such a cutie.. in her purple Easter dress (thanks Traci!)

A real tie!!

2009-04-08T18:31:00.000-07:00

Grandad took Griffin shopping for some "big kid" church clothes..his first real blazer, white button down, bucks, real ties (not clip ons) and boxers to name a few! Here are the photos of Kenny and Griffin getting ready for church last Sunday. It was Kenny's first time tying a tie on someone other than himself. It was so sweet to see my guys getting ready together. Griffin is growing up WAY TOO FAST!!! A "Little Kenny" in the making!

Julia's belly laugh!

2009-04-08T18:05:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I was sitting at the dining room table grading notebooks for my Winthrop class. I had Julia beside me in the bouncy seat just hanging out. I started making funny faces at her to make her smile which turned in to saying "boo" to make her laugh.. enjoy the funny little video of her precious belly laugh!

Totally 80's dude!

2009-04-08T18:00:00.000-07:00

Here we are reliving the 80's for our friend Chad Guest's 40th birthday party.. What fun...the sad thing is that we were able to pull it off better now than we ever did when we were truly in the 80's!! Ha! Ha!

Julia's first feeding

2009-04-08T17:54:00.000-07:00

At 4 months, Julia started rice cereal. Here are some photos of her first feeding...courtesy of Griffin! She has tried bananas, sweet potatoes, applesauce and squash..AND LOVES THEM ALL!! We started off feeding her in the highchair but after some unsuccessful feedings, moved her to the bouncy seat to eat. She is much happier there for some reason. But it's a wonder that any food makes it to her mouth with all the bouncing!

the tooth fairy is gonna be broke soon!

2009-03-18T13:43:00.000-07:00

Another eventful day for Griffin.. he was eating ANOTHER Skinny Cow and front tooth #2 can out. Actually he pulled this one out because he said that there was ice cream sandwich stuck between the tooth and gum. He was outside when this happened so I am glad the tooth did not get lost in the grass. So, 2 front teeth in 5 days..our tooth fairy needs a break!! Here is Griffin's video showing off his new smile...enjoy!

It's finally OUT!!!!

2009-03-13T12:08:00.000-07:00

Griffin's 2 front teeth have been loose since our last visit to the dentist in December. He was reluctant to wiggle them and help the process along so it has taken 3 months for them to do the work on their own. Over the course of the last month or so, Griffin's trademark wide gap between his front teeth has been closing. That was the first major sign that these teeth were ready to come out.. then one of them started to turn greyish and became very loose. Kenny has been tugging and pulling all week trying to get it out to no avail. Finally, yesterday afternoon, Griffin was eating an ice cream sandwich after school and out popped the tooth right onto the kitchen counter! We were so excited and relieved that it was out. And not surprisingly, the big tooth is already peeking through the gum. Here is a little video clip from Griffin showing off his new look:

Swingin'

2009-03-09T19:06:00.000-07:00

We got a baby swing for Julia this week.. what a perfect weekend to put her in it for the first time. As you can tell from the smile on her face, she LOVED it. She is really holding her head up and it won't be long before she is sitting up by herself. Where has the time gone, she's 4 months tomorrow and such a delightful baby girl!!

Cutest Baby on the Block!!

2009-02-26T16:36:00.000-08:00

Julia's personality is really beginning to shine. She has started to belly laugh and has a little twinkle in her eye when you talk or sing to her. She is definitely a happy baby (most of the time)...This photo (taken by Andrea) is so true to her nature right now. She loves kicking her feet up in the air and rolling from side to side during playtime on the floor. And I think she has her big brother wrapped around her finger. Last night after I put Julia to bed he said, "I really miss my sister, can you wake her up so I can play with her?"...it melted my heart!!

On a roll....

2009-02-14T18:35:00.001-08:00

It won't be long now... baby Julia is ready to roll!!

Like Mother, Like Daughter...will that be us?

2009-02-14T18:16:00.000-08:00

Ok, so Julia is 3 months old now and the postpartem dust is starting to settle while reality sets in. Girls are nothing like boys.. everybody has warned me. I tried not to believe it but it is true. Julia is much more needy than Griffin ever was and she needs to have someone entertaining her most all of the time. Wow, do I have my work cut out for me! Don't get me wrong. I am loving every minute of it (ok, well not the crying fits so much) as she starts to reach some of the fun milestones like laughing and rolling over and following my voice across the room. But it's going to take some getting used to after a laid back child like Griffin.

I am starting to wonder though, how will this dominating personality of hers take shape? Will she be bold and fearless? bossy and demanding? or is it just a baby phase that will pass and reveal a sweet and gentle little girl? will she be outgoing and driven? will she be creative and speak her mind? will she be shy and sensitive? There is such much waiting to reveal itself in her. And of course, I can't help but wonder, will she be like me? Will we look alike? act alike? sound alike? Will we be friends? will she confide in me? will she look up to me? Like mother, like daughter..will that be us? Only time will tell!

The sweetest little baby face

2009-02-14T18:07:00.001-08:00

My little Valentine!!

Hang in there teeth!!

2009-02-14T17:59:00.000-08:00

A few weeks after Griffin turned six, a trip to the dentist revealed that he had 6(!!) loose teeth! Well, the front two are both loose and daring to fall out any day now. We are watching the normally wide gap between his front teeth get smaller and smaller each day. I know that when these teeth fall out, his look will totally change and my little boy will be well on his way to a big kid..so for now, hang in there teeth, at least until Dad gets home from China on Wed. I may need his help to mop up the tears!!

Strawberry Girl

2009-02-04T19:17:00.000-08:00

My little girl in the strawberry hat. I just love this little hat. Someone made it for Griffin when he was born and it looks too cute on Baby Julia! Of course I had to get a little strawberry outfit to match...

The Magic....

2009-02-04T19:03:00.000-08:00

Our trip to Disney last week was truly wonderful...it is appropriately named the Magic Kingdom because everything is so magical! Here is my Top Ten list of magical things about Disney:

1. The shear size of the Disney property is unbelieveable.. there is so much!!
2. The Stroller Phenomenon..no matter where you park your stroller or what you leave in it..it's there when you get off the ride, safe and sound.. amazing!!
3. The friendliness of every person at Disney...characters, ride operators, wait staff, bus drivers..
4. Baby Care Centers.. a blessing for a nursing mother. It was so nice to have a clean, private place available to feed and change Julia at any time.
5. Little treats in the shape of folded towels left in your room..it's amazing what they can do with a washcloth!
6. The all you can eat buffet Character breakfasts...best food EVER and the characters give you all the attention you can ever ask for!
7. NO WAITING at all for rides the last week of January..perfect for a first visit with an excited 6 year old and a 3 month old infant on a tight schedule!
8. The magic room key.. you can charge everything to that little card.. even a new pacifier from the Baby Care Center!!
9. The MONORAIL... how cool is that??
10. The bus system...getting around without it would not have been possible.

Basketball star

2009-01-22T18:23:00.000-08:00

This is Griffin's 2nd year playing ROAR b'ball. Kenny is the assistant coach and they have had a great time. Last year was a test run to see if Griffin even liked basketball and he did a pretty good job but didnt' really grasp the game. This year he has height on his side and he is understanding the fundamentals of the game. His dribbling and shooting skills are improving each week. I think with some practice and a little extra coaching from Dad he can be a basketball star...GO EAGLES!!

See how I've grown!!

2009-01-22T17:05:00.000-08:00

birth 11/10/08

one week old 11/17/08

two weeks old 11/24/08

5 weeks old 12/18/08

10 weeks old 01/21/09

Photo of the Day:Liquid Gold

2009-01-22T16:59:00.000-08:00

I am trying to take a photo every day this year to remember all the little things that make our life complete. So far, we have had lots of interesting moments caught on film.. I am going to try and post as many of them as possible to share little glimpses of our life that might otherwise go unnoticed.

This is the all too familiar site for any breastfeeding mom...the liquid gold, the mommy milk...Right after I pump, it usually sits on the table while I tend to some other task. Then I carefully store it in the fridge for a bottle that day or freeze it for a later date.

Thumb sucker?

2009-01-22T12:56:00.000-08:00

For a few weeks now, Julia has been trying to get her thumb..on Monday, she finally found it and it was a great thing! She just can't keep it in for very long...will she end up a thumb sucker or not, only time will tell!!

Snow Day!

2009-01-22T12:52:00.000-08:00

Julia's 1st snow day...It snowed like this when Griffin was about this age too! Griffin had a blast bundling up and playing in the snow... We even ate a bowl of snow for breakfast! Julia had so many layers on that she could barely move but she didn't cry like Griffin did. It was such a beautiful day but it didn't last very long.

Baby Talk

2009-01-22T12:18:00.000-08:00

Julia's personality is really starting to shine! She is so alert and cute right after I feed her, giving us lots of smiles and cooing and some funny babbling! Her face just lights ups when she smiles and it warms my heart!!

Griffin's 6th birthday

2009-01-16T11:32:00.000-08:00

Ok...catching up on some of the events from December: Griffin's birthday, Christmas, School choral performance, etc.

Griffin's 6th birthday was a LEGO party here at home. We played several LEGO games and all the boys got LEGO cars to put together. The cake was shaped like LEGO blocks and was a bit hit! Here are some highlight photos from a fun day!

Griffin's 3rd tooth

2009-01-16T11:26:00.000-08:00

At our recent dentist visit we discovered that Griffin has 6 loose teeth!! We told him not to lose them all at once or he would be eating Jello and pudding for a while! #3 came out last Friday morning right before breakfast. Griffin came downstairs and said that the tooth was bothering him so he reached into his mouth and pulled it out! Of course, I grabbed the camera to document it and the photo I got is too funny not to share...

I think he is still in shock over pulling it out himself!!

The Littlest Panthers Fan

2009-01-16T11:25:00.003-08:00

OK.. so putting the hat on Julia did not bring the Panther's any luck but it's still a funny picture! Better luck next year!!

Julia at 2 months...has it really been 2 months??

2009-01-12T18:28:00.000-08:00

I can't believe my baby is already 2 months.. WOW the time has flown by and I have loved every single second.. even those middle of the night feeding and the crying fits! She is just so cute that I seem to overlook all that stuff!

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Some 2 month highlights:

1. LOTS of smiling and cooing.. I am not sure if the amount of cooing is an indication of how talkative she will be but she sure is vocal!!

2. Holding her head up...still needs support but she is really working hard!

3. Moved up to size 2 diapers

4. Sleeping through the night in 5 hour stretches...YEAH!!

5. Still trying very hard to get her thumb and loves the pacifier at nap and bedtime.

6. Has discovered the TV..not my choice but Daddy is happy!

We put her in the Bumbo seat this weekend to see if she liked it and she did!!

Julia at 6 weeks

2008-12-23T12:06:00.001-08:00

Wow! Where has the time gone? It is hard to believe that only 6 weeks ago we were celebrating the birth of our precious Julia Rose!! She has changed so much in 6 short weeks and I can't believe how easy she has been so far. Griffin is such a loving and protective big brother and helps me attend to all of her baby needs. He is curious about all things baby and loves to entertain her!

At 6 weeks she is reaching some cute milestones: smiling in response to us, cooing when we talk to her, following us with her eyes as we move around the house, grabbing for things with her long little fingers and growing like a weed!

"Six" Milestones

2008-12-23T11:58:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Julia turned 6 weeks old so we wanted to document the day because both children are "6". Griffin thought that was really neat that they had a "6" connection! Here is a photo of him holding Julia...something he is very excited to do a lot these days unless she starts to cry (See photo #2!)

Look alikes???

2008-12-15T17:42:00.001-08:00

Here is a photo of Griffin after his first bath (top) and Julia after her first bath (bottom)

Griffin's Celebration of Life!!

2008-12-03T13:50:00.000-08:00

Today, Kenny and I attended Griffin's Celebration of Life ceremony in his classroom at school. This is such a neat practice that the Montessori school does for each child's birthday. He was so proud to listen as we read about his accomplishments and show his classmates the photos from each year of his life. Where has the time gone? 6 years have passed in the blink of an eye!!

Happy Birthday Griffin!!

Being a Mom of two...

2008-12-03T13:40:00.000-08:00

I knew that having another child would dramatically change my life but I had no idea just how much until Julia arrived. During my pregnancy, I was so worried about the guilt I might feel from dividing my time between 2...time that had never been divided. I have been pleasantly surprised at how smooth the transition has been for all of us, especially Griffin. He is making my job as a mother of two so much easier than I thought it would be. I am so filled with love for both of my children...it's like my heart has opened up an entirely new space to provide room to love both of them. I am sure the guilt will creep in and out of my life but I feel certain that the love will overpower it and there will be plenty of me to go around. I am so blessed!!

Julia's 1st bottle

2008-12-03T13:37:00.000-08:00

Without the pressures of having to pump this go-round, we didn't give Julia a bottle until she was almost 3 weeks old. She is such a good eater that she took right to it...thankfully!

Griffin's Thanksgiving feast

2008-12-03T12:44:00.000-08:00

Griffin's class had their annual Thanksgiving feast in the classroom last Tuesday. The video is too cute...Enjoy!

Sweet photos of Julia's first days!

2008-12-01T07:48:00.000-08:00

My friend and photography expert, Andrea Berry, took the most wonderful photos of Julia in her first days home from the hospital. Here is the link to her website and Julia's photos!

http://andreaberryphotography.zenfolio.com/p795454395

Password: Julia

Enjoy!!

PS... Grandparents, you can order directly from her website!!

Funny faces!!

2008-12-01T07:42:00.000-08:00

Here are some of Julia's funny faces!! I guess she takes after her mommy as a facemaker! The jury is still out on who she looks like...She has some "Griffin features" and looks like him when she is asleep but not so much when she is awake?

Julia's 1st bath

2008-12-01T07:36:00.000-08:00

It took 2 weeks for Julia's umbilical cord stump to finally fall off so we could give her a bath. She didn't mind it too much, especiall when she saw herself in the mirror!!

The Big Brother

2008-11-30T18:01:00.001-08:00

Griffin was soooooo excited to finally meet Baby Julia. When he arrived at the hospital, she was getting some TLC in the nursery so that gave us a chance to spend some time with Griffin and tell him all about his baby sister. He got a special sticker and signed himself in at the front desk. He also had a Big Brother t-shirt and got some ice cream and cake to celebrate Julia's real "birth" day...it was a fun time even before the guest of honor arrived in the room.

Kenny and I were both anxious to see Griffin's reaction to his new sister and could not have been more pleased to see the delight in his face when he actually saw her and got to hold her.

He has been so great with her..talks to her all the time, holds her, gets diapers, burp cloths and all the baby necessities as long at he doesn't have to change a diaper!! He even prays for her to have a good night's sleep each night and we all hope that prayer is answered around here!!

Julia's finally here!!

2008-11-30T17:45:00.000-08:00

After much anticipation and waiting, Julia Rose Koellner made her grand entrance into the world on Monday, November 10th at 1:29 pm!!

Monday was my 2nd scheduled induction date so I called the hospital at 5am that morning to make sure they had a room for us. Thankfully they did (if not, I would have probably lost it!) so we arrived around 7am and they started the induction process.

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We had the most wonderful nurse with us the entire day and the Dr. who delivered was Andrea's neighbor, Ted Garcia. The neatest part of the entire process was that Kenny got to deliver Julia into the world. Dr. Garcia instructed him but he did all the work. It was definitely a life changing experience for us!

Just as we suspected, she was a big baby like her brother...9lbs. 6 oz. and 21 1/2 inches long.. but totally dainty and perfect in every way!!
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Baby update.....still waiting!!

2008-11-06T11:02:00.000-08:00

OK.. as of today we are still waiting for Baby Julia's big arrival...I went to the dr. this afternoon because I thought my water might have broken overnight...no such luck! I am 2 cm dialated which is a good sign. Now we just have to wait for labor to kick in full force. SO...if you are reading this.. stay tuned and say a little prayer for Kenny and I that this will be over soon and we can welcome our sweet little baby girl into the world!!!

Baby Julia update

2008-10-28T09:04:00.000-07:00

OK.. so tomorrow was supposed to be the big day for our induction but after a visit to the Dr. yesterday..it seems like Baby Julia is quite comfy right where she is. So, we are back in the waiting mode and will hope for the best! Any tips and tricks for putting me into labor would be much appreciated!! We have a last resort induction date of Nov. 10th but that will put me at 5-6 days overdue and I hope it does not come to that!! I did ask the Dr. how big he thought the baby was and he said she is measuring at 40 weeks (one week ahead) and that I was probaby going to have another 9lb. baby!!! aghhhhhhhhhh.....I was not too thrilled at the thought of what labor will be like but at least big babies are pretty healthy!!

Can you find him??

2008-10-21T13:54:00.001-07:00

Here is a photo from our annual visit to the pumpkin patch. Griffin was wearing an orange shirt so he thought it would be funny to hide from us amongst the pumpkins...can you find him?

iWait....

2008-10-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

After 9 long months of anticipation, I think I am ready.. as ready as I will ever be for bringing a child into the world. All of the superficial things are complete: bag packed, nursery decorated, clothes washed, house clean (if it can ever be clean enough?)...now comes the hard part - the WAITING!!

After a visit to the Dr. on Monday, I was given the good news that I am scheduled for an induction on Wed. Oct. 29th!!! It sounds too good to be true and will be too good to be true if my body is not naturally on the way to delivery... so let's hope for the best over the rest of the week and hope that Julia is ready to make her big entrance! We are so ready to meet her!! My official due date is November 5th so a week early would hopefully ensure that she will not be as big as her brother was (9lbs. 13 at a week overdue!!) Regardless of how or when she arrives, we are so ready to welcome her into our family... The final decision on the induction will be made on Monday Oct. 27th at my next Dr. appt. He will check my cervix to see if things are progressing before he officially puts his stamp of approval on me. so, for the time being...iwait....

Go Panthers!!

2008-10-01T10:29:00.000-07:00

While I was at the baby shower on Sunday, Kenny took Griffin to his first Panthers home game! They were both decked out in their Panthers gear and at half time, Kenny took Griffin to have his face painted like a Panther. It was so cool and all he wanted to do was stare at himself in the mirror.

Then we washed the paint off and realized that Griffin had an allergic reaction to the paint... he has had a swollen face and rash for the past 3 days...I guess he won't be getting his face painted again but he sure did look cool!!

Me...at 35 weeks

2008-10-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

Here is a profile shot of me at 35 weeks. My friends gave me a "PINK" shower on Sunday to welcome me into the world of all things GIRL..it was a lot of fun and of course everything was pink!! I think I can get used to all of this cute stuff!!

Riding the bike...the video

2008-10-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

Here is a video clip I took of him riding for the first time!! It only took him about 10 minutes to get it but we still have a lot of practice to do!!

Dummy me turned the camera vertical, forgetting that the video mode can only go horizontal, so pardon the bad filming skills....and of course, he ends in a crash that busted his lip...but no big deal (Thank goodness for the helmet). He was up on the bike after some ice, a popsicle and a few tears! He's tough!

Griffin's on 2 wheels!

2008-10-01T10:08:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Kenny took the training wheels off of Griffin's bike and taught him how to ride. I was a nervous wreck but knew he would eventually get the hang of it. He has had a couple of spills and a busted lip but is keeping at it! I think Kenny got just as much exercise as Griffin did...maybe more!!

This is after the big spill and busted lip.. he didn't want me to take his picture but I snuck one while he wasn't looking!

May the force be with you!!

2008-10-01T09:58:00.000-07:00

Griffin decided several weeks ago that he wanted to be Darth Vader for Halloween this year. I am not sure just how or when the Star Wars obsession came about but he has been seeing the Clone Wars commercials on TV and LEGO's has a Star Wars line of toys so those may have sparked his interest.

When Target put out their Halloween stuff, I picked up a Darth Vader costume complete with the gloves, mask, red light saber and a voice changer that he can activate behind his mask by pushing a button! You have never seen a happier kid! He has practically worn the costume out in the two weeks that we have had it.. I just hope it holds up for Halloween!

Griffin has always loved dressing up in costumes so I figured that I might as well get my money's worth this year and let him have it early enough to enjoy it! Here are some photos of him in Vader mode!!

My studio

2008-08-27T18:53:00.001-07:00

Mom,

Thank you so much for all of your hard work over the last few weeks sewing these valances to complete my studio and the nursery. They look wonderful and I love them! My studio looks so complete now.. When I clean up, I will post some better room photos of this space and the nursery.

The Nursery....pretty in pink!

2008-08-27T18:40:00.000-07:00

I have been working diligently to get the finishing touches on the nursery so I am not scrambling around at the last minute to do things like I did in Griffin's room. Everything has been made, recovered, borrowed, bought and washed...now all I need to do is decide exactly where I want the furniture to go and hang the stuff on the walls. I am in love with the drapes and the monogrammed valance (which mom made for me)...a sweet room for a sweet baby girl!

Baby Julia at 30 weeks!!

2008-08-27T18:24:00.000-07:00

I had a 2nd ultrasound today to check for some placenta issues (which are cleared up! yeah!) and was pleasantly surprised to get some 3D pictures of the baby! It was so amazing to see her face in such photorealistic quality. I did not get that with Griffin so I am glad to have had this chance today. The first photo is a close up of her face (which I think looks a lot like Griffin's, especially the nose!).

The second photo is her foot in her face..she is very flexible it seems or else there is not much room for her in my stomach!

She is very healthy and is right on track for my due date of November 5th. Her current weight is 3.8 lbs. and her legs are measuring a few weeks ahead so she may be on the tall side? I guess we will see when she arrives!

A total blur...

2008-08-21T13:51:00.001-07:00

Today was a pretty important day at school for Griffin. Last year, during his 4K year, I walked him in to his classroom EVERY day. Many of the other children got dropped off at the door but he had no interest in that at all (which was fine with me). However, we decided that once he was in Kindergarten he would be big enough to make the walk down the LONG, LONG hallway by himself. (Not to mention the time and effort it will save me in the last weeks of my pregnancy and once the baby arrives..) So, we agreed that I would walk him in the first day of school then he would start the drop off on the 2nd day. He was too embarrassed for me to take a picture of him getting out of the car so here are the two that I managed to take before he realized what I was doing. The photo quality really stinks but I think they both sum up how the whole ordeal went.. It was a total blur and he was gone in an instant!

Of course, being the overprotective mother that I am, I parked the car and walked in behind him just to make sure he arrived safely at his destination...homemade blueberry muffins in hand for his teacher so I wouldn't look like a total idiot. He was very proud of himself and I think it will get a little easier for me each morning!

1st day of Kindergarten stats:

2008-08-21T13:23:00.001-07:00

Wake time: 6:40am

Special breakfast: Biscuits with grape jelly and scrambled eggs

Outfit: Gymboree shirt and shorts, crocs (of course)

Lunch: Lunchable with grapes, Aquapod and monkey munch for dessert

School Arrival time: 7:45

Teachers: Jen Kosa and Pamela Greene

School Pick up time: 2:40

Afterschool snack: Orange Julius, a special treat!!

Bedtime: 8:00pm.. and not a minute too soon!!!

Starting school this year was relatively easy because Griffin attended full day 4K last year. He is returning to the same teacher in the same classroom with some of the same students. I am very thankful for such an easy start to this important school year. The baby transition may be hard enough without a new school transition on top of that. Griffin's only wish was that he was going to 1st grade instead of Kindergarten. Many of his friends moved up this year so he missed them today. I am sure he will have no problem making new friends!!

Maternity photos

2008-08-19T17:50:00.000-07:00

My friend Andrea took some great maternity photos of me on Sunday as well as some family photos. She has a great eye for unique shots and was able to make me not look as big as I feel! These are a few of my favorites!!

Sugar and Spice and everything nice!

2008-08-19T17:40:00.001-07:00

Now that I am in full nesting mode and have been getting ready for Baby Julia's arrival, I have been making the shift from "boy" mode to "girl" mode and must admit, it's pretty fun to plan and prepare for a baby girl.

The nursery is going to have a soft feminine touch without going overboard on the pink or princess side of things and the sweet little girl touches are going to be perfect!

My friend Traci gave Julia her first baby doll and the tea set is an antique that my Mom gave me from her childhood. The rest of the nursery should be ready to reveal here soon!

Pregnancy...a LOVE/HATE relationship...

2008-07-28T17:09:00.000-07:00

26 weeks down, 14 (maybe 12 or 13) to go...can I survive? I guess I have made it this far so there is no turning back now ...but this sure has been a lot tougher than my first pregnancy. I hope this is not an indication of baby Julia's personality!! So, just for fun..here are my top ten complaints and praises about this roller coaster ride I am on...

Top Ten COMPLAINTS about my pregnancy:
1. Can't sleep on my stomach
2. The waddle
3. Can't eat three normal meals anymore...more like snacks and bite-size portions
4. the GROWING vericose vein on my left leg...definitely deserves its own post!
5. no bikini this summer
6. no beer this summer
7. too much laying down...I am not a good "rester"
8. prenatal horse pills
9. 14 weeks of nausea.. thank goodness that has passed
10. bouts of sleeplessness...thank goodness for Tylenol PM!

Top Ten PRAISES about my pregnancy:
1. a healthy baby
2. a baby girl to round out our family
3. the opportunity to SLOW DOWN and relax...I am not a good "relaxer"
4. still able to exercise
5. feeling Julia's kicking and moving around...reminds me just how much of a miracle my baby is
6. the glow..face, hair, nails!
7. watching Griffin embrace the idea of being a big brother
8. nursery preparations!
9. Target and Old Navy carrying maternity clothing.. not an option last time!
10. guiltless eating of chocolate and junk food!!!!

With all being said and done, I am truly grateful and thankful to God for blessing me with this life inside of me.. I hope that I can continue to be the mother I want to be and that Griffin has allowed me to be. I know that Julia will add a spark and some spice to our family....and it will be wonderful!