Tuesday, January 31, 2012
*Kailyn Update*
Well...we had a check up with the OB/GYN this afternoon and Mommy is 3cm dialated and 80% effaced. The doctor said that Kailyn was really low and that the bag of water was right there- sooo we could have a baby girl anytime now!! It is all happening a little sooner than Mommy thought it would, but we are so excited. Mommy is a little stressed trying to do some last minute things around the house that have been getting procrastinated lately...I think it is time to kick into high gear :) We can't wait to meet our baby girl!!!!!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Maternity Photo Shoot
We had a photo shoot to capture the "belly bump" yesterday afternoon in Downtown Madison! Mommy is 34 weeks 6 days pregnant in these pictures. Enjoy :)
And a few of Big Brother, Caleb just because he is so handsome:
And a few of Big Brother, Caleb just because he is so handsome:
Sunday, January 29, 2012
34 Weeks!
Well, we have had another eventful week getting ready for baby! Mommy got Kailyn's room completely cleaned, then Daddy went into the attic and got all of the baby stuff down. Then it was a disaster area again...then Mommy cleaned it again!! There are still a few small things to do like wash all of the bottles and pack the hospital bags, but we are getting closer to being ready for Kailyn everyday. We are getting so anxious to meet her :)
Here is what is going on with our little girl this week:
Kailyn now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies. Kailyn is trying to completely act as a newborn now and even starting to blink her eyes. She has immunity to fight against mild infections now. Her hair continues to grow and the fingernails and toe nails are completely developed.
As for Mommy, a new tiredness has set in. I am usually awake for at least an hour in the middle of the night almost every night, but some nights it is about 3 hours. It is hard to "rest" like everyone says to do when you can't even sleep through the night! But we are managing just fine. I think the never-ending to do list around her is not helping, just looking at it makes Mommy exhausted. Hopefully week 35 will hold lots of energy and time for Mommy and Daddy to mark some things off of it!
Here is what is going on with our little girl this week:
Kailyn now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies. Kailyn is trying to completely act as a newborn now and even starting to blink her eyes. She has immunity to fight against mild infections now. Her hair continues to grow and the fingernails and toe nails are completely developed.
As for Mommy, a new tiredness has set in. I am usually awake for at least an hour in the middle of the night almost every night, but some nights it is about 3 hours. It is hard to "rest" like everyone says to do when you can't even sleep through the night! But we are managing just fine. I think the never-ending to do list around her is not helping, just looking at it makes Mommy exhausted. Hopefully week 35 will hold lots of energy and time for Mommy and Daddy to mark some things off of it!
Monday, January 23, 2012
Catching Up with The Gilmore's!
I have not been very motivated to post about our daily happenings around here the past few weeks. I think mainly because I have been a little slack on taking pictures! There have also been a lot of rainy, cold days where we just stay at home in our jammies the past two weeks. None the less, here is a quick catch-up post to keep us up to date!!
First of all, ROLL TIDE!!! We are so proud to be Bama fans and Alumni of the University of Alabama. #14 is very exciting :) So I dressed Caleb in his Alabama gear the day of the game and the day after...and no pictures. So to show our team spirit, here is a picture of us during the fall on gameday:
We also love our local YMCA. They have the best indoor pool facility and have a special area just for kids called the splash pool...and I think Caleb is their #1 fan!! We took him to swim on Saturday, January 14 and he still says, "Thank you for the gym" during our bedtime prayers :)
This past Thursday, Caleb had a pajama party at school. His teachers cooked pancakes for lunch and we signed up to bring fruit for all of his friends! He was so excited to wear pajamas to school.
Caleb has also been changing so quickly lately. All of the sudden he seems like such a big boy! He has really taken an interest in his stuffed animals and plastic animals and pretending with them. One night we had to give his farm animals a snack in the middle of the kitchen floor...
He is soaking up every bit of information he can. If one of us goes over a letter with him, it sticks! He can now recognize lots of letters. His best ones are: A, C, D, M, H, Q, O, and S. He even says: A is for Addison, C is for Caleb, M is for Mommy, D is for Daddy, and S makes the ssss like a snake! He loves puzzles, especially the shapes one, which he does not even have to think about anymore- such a pro at his shapes. We have a shapes book by Baby Einstein that is his favorite right now, he wants to read it everyday for both nap and bed times. Caleb is also saying very "big boy" phrases and looooves to talk...such a little chatter box lately! He has grasped the concept of next, tomorrow, later, etc. and uses them daily. The other night we went to McAlister's for dinner and afterwards Jeremy was buckling him in the car and telling him we were heading home. And Caleb said, "Uhmm...Target next please then go home." We both just looked at each other like who is this big boy?! I must also mention that he also loves to get out and run errands. He especially loves to go to Target and get a toy out of their dollar section for a surprise!! We are having so much fun watching him learn and grow every day :)
First of all, ROLL TIDE!!! We are so proud to be Bama fans and Alumni of the University of Alabama. #14 is very exciting :) So I dressed Caleb in his Alabama gear the day of the game and the day after...and no pictures. So to show our team spirit, here is a picture of us during the fall on gameday:
We also love our local YMCA. They have the best indoor pool facility and have a special area just for kids called the splash pool...and I think Caleb is their #1 fan!! We took him to swim on Saturday, January 14 and he still says, "Thank you for the gym" during our bedtime prayers :)
This past Thursday, Caleb had a pajama party at school. His teachers cooked pancakes for lunch and we signed up to bring fruit for all of his friends! He was so excited to wear pajamas to school.
Caleb has also been changing so quickly lately. All of the sudden he seems like such a big boy! He has really taken an interest in his stuffed animals and plastic animals and pretending with them. One night we had to give his farm animals a snack in the middle of the kitchen floor...
He is soaking up every bit of information he can. If one of us goes over a letter with him, it sticks! He can now recognize lots of letters. His best ones are: A, C, D, M, H, Q, O, and S. He even says: A is for Addison, C is for Caleb, M is for Mommy, D is for Daddy, and S makes the ssss like a snake! He loves puzzles, especially the shapes one, which he does not even have to think about anymore- such a pro at his shapes. We have a shapes book by Baby Einstein that is his favorite right now, he wants to read it everyday for both nap and bed times. Caleb is also saying very "big boy" phrases and looooves to talk...such a little chatter box lately! He has grasped the concept of next, tomorrow, later, etc. and uses them daily. The other night we went to McAlister's for dinner and afterwards Jeremy was buckling him in the car and telling him we were heading home. And Caleb said, "Uhmm...Target next please then go home." We both just looked at each other like who is this big boy?! I must also mention that he also loves to get out and run errands. He especially loves to go to Target and get a toy out of their dollar section for a surprise!! We are having so much fun watching him learn and grow every day :)
33 Weeks (Last Week)
So we officially have bedding for Kailyn's nursery!! We are still working on getting the more detailed stuff together. Mommy is being very picky and can not commit to any decorations...we have bought 2 mirrors and 3 lamps so far just to bring home and see which one looks the best :)
Here is a sneak peak of Kailyn's room:
Mommy has also been working hard to finish putting all of the sweet little clothes away in the dressers and hung up in the closet. Who knew girls came with so many accessories?! There are so many outfits that have pieces- a matching bloomer, headband, or hat. We have been able to fit all of the clothes up to size 3 months in the dressers and pack all of the rest away.
It has also been fun to get out some of the "girly" things Mommy has been buying lately. It is starting to look like a little girl's room. And we are loving the monogrammed items...seeing her little name in print is so much fun :)
So here is what Kailyn was up to during week 33:
This week Kailyn weighs a little over 4 pounds (about the size of a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. Mommy will observe rhythmic movements of the baby. As she grows, there will be less fluid available, which makes the movements feel more frequent and vigorous. By now, the amniotic fluid is at its highest level. The amniotic fluid is very clear and there will be 2-6 cups of amniotic fluid at the time of child birth. Kailyn is taking intermittent deep breaths now, as she gets oxygen from the placenta.
As for Mommy, not many changes this week. The only thing that has been a little tough is sleep. It seems like every other night it is hard to get back to sleep after a middle of the night bathroom break. Laying there for 1-2 hours is getting exhausting and starting to catch up with Mommy!! Hopefully we can catch up on some rest sometime soon before Kailyn's arrival.
Here is a sneak peak of Kailyn's room:
Mommy has also been working hard to finish putting all of the sweet little clothes away in the dressers and hung up in the closet. Who knew girls came with so many accessories?! There are so many outfits that have pieces- a matching bloomer, headband, or hat. We have been able to fit all of the clothes up to size 3 months in the dressers and pack all of the rest away.
It has also been fun to get out some of the "girly" things Mommy has been buying lately. It is starting to look like a little girl's room. And we are loving the monogrammed items...seeing her little name in print is so much fun :)
So here is what Kailyn was up to during week 33:
This week Kailyn weighs a little over 4 pounds (about the size of a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. Mommy will observe rhythmic movements of the baby. As she grows, there will be less fluid available, which makes the movements feel more frequent and vigorous. By now, the amniotic fluid is at its highest level. The amniotic fluid is very clear and there will be 2-6 cups of amniotic fluid at the time of child birth. Kailyn is taking intermittent deep breaths now, as she gets oxygen from the placenta.
As for Mommy, not many changes this week. The only thing that has been a little tough is sleep. It seems like every other night it is hard to get back to sleep after a middle of the night bathroom break. Laying there for 1-2 hours is getting exhausting and starting to catch up with Mommy!! Hopefully we can catch up on some rest sometime soon before Kailyn's arrival.
Monday, January 16, 2012
A Visit with Kailyn!
Today we went to the doctor's office for our 4D Ultrasound with Kailyn. She was so excited for us to be able to watch her for a little while! She danced, smiled, yawned, sucked her thumb, and even open and shut her eyes :) Grandad, Grandmama, and Gran Gran all came to share our special afternoon with us. It was so much fun getting to see my baby girl!!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
32 Weeks!
It is hard to believe that another week of this pregnancy has flown by! We have not made anymore progress towards preparing for her arrival this week. Mommy has washed all of the clothes and has organized them by size. All of the dresser drawers are full now and there is a stack of pretty little dresses waiting to be hung in the closet. The light for Kailyn's room came in yesterday, so Daddy got that put up and we love it!
Here is what Miss Kailyn is up to this week:
By now, she weighs about 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in Mommy's tummy. Mommy should be gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to the baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.
Now, all the five senses of this little one are working. She can open her eyes and can focus her gaze on a fixed point. Kailyn has now developed sensitivity to the temperature, which means if you keep a hot pad on the belly, immediately you will get a swift kick. She can move her head to the side, but as she becomes larger, the movements will slowly decrease. And, according to research, she even has REM (dream sleep) which starts from the 8th month onwards.
Daddy made fun of this 32 week fact: "It is perfectly natural to feel increasingly tired, to have trouble breathing and also to not be able to move as fast as you used to till last week. You must keep in mind that the due day is close and the best idea you can have is to rest as much as you can." Mommy has been tired all the time for a while now, no new news to us :)
Here is what Miss Kailyn is up to this week:
By now, she weighs about 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in Mommy's tummy. Mommy should be gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to the baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.
Now, all the five senses of this little one are working. She can open her eyes and can focus her gaze on a fixed point. Kailyn has now developed sensitivity to the temperature, which means if you keep a hot pad on the belly, immediately you will get a swift kick. She can move her head to the side, but as she becomes larger, the movements will slowly decrease. And, according to research, she even has REM (dream sleep) which starts from the 8th month onwards.
Daddy made fun of this 32 week fact: "It is perfectly natural to feel increasingly tired, to have trouble breathing and also to not be able to move as fast as you used to till last week. You must keep in mind that the due day is close and the best idea you can have is to rest as much as you can." Mommy has been tired all the time for a while now, no new news to us :)
Keeping up with Two 2-year Olds!
This past weekend, Caleb invited his cousin, Addison to come over and spend two nights with us. We have been wanting her to come over and play for quite a while so we were excited when both ours and her parents' schedules opened up!
After meeting halfway with Jessica in order to pick up Addison, we headed back to the house for playtime. The kids enjoyed playing upstairs in Caleb's room with his new art easel and train table. We could barely get them away from the train table for bath time!!
On Saturday morning, we all went to the Early Works Children's Museum in downtown Huntsville. Caleb always has so much fun when we visit. I think both of their favorite thing to play was the water feature where they could fish and splash around!
After a big nap on Saturday afternoon, we took Caleb and Addison to Toys R Us so they could both pick out a little surprise. Caleb decided he wanted a train that came with a little boy to ride in it. Addison fell in love with a stuffed cat that looks just like our cat, Jasmine. They had the best time on the Hot Wheels aisle, both of them had to test drive a few of the cars...
On Sunday morning, we got both kids dressed and headed to church. They had fun playing in the nursery together while we enjoyed a great service. Jessica and Grandad met us at Church then went out to lunch with us before taking Addison back home. Then we headed home for nap time and a lazzzy afternoon :)
After meeting halfway with Jessica in order to pick up Addison, we headed back to the house for playtime. The kids enjoyed playing upstairs in Caleb's room with his new art easel and train table. We could barely get them away from the train table for bath time!!
On Saturday morning, we all went to the Early Works Children's Museum in downtown Huntsville. Caleb always has so much fun when we visit. I think both of their favorite thing to play was the water feature where they could fish and splash around!
After a big nap on Saturday afternoon, we took Caleb and Addison to Toys R Us so they could both pick out a little surprise. Caleb decided he wanted a train that came with a little boy to ride in it. Addison fell in love with a stuffed cat that looks just like our cat, Jasmine. They had the best time on the Hot Wheels aisle, both of them had to test drive a few of the cars...
On Sunday morning, we got both kids dressed and headed to church. They had fun playing in the nursery together while we enjoyed a great service. Jessica and Grandad met us at Church then went out to lunch with us before taking Addison back home. Then we headed home for nap time and a lazzzy afternoon :)
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
31 Weeks!
We had a great appointment with the OB/GYN this morning. Kailyn was super squirmy and very active. Her heartrate was 150, so she was wound up! It has been being in the 140's lately. Mommy's belly measured 30cm- it is supposed to be about the same as the number of weeks you are, so that is pretty close to 31.
Mommy is definitely trying to get into baby mode around here now that the holidays are over! We have lots of tubs of clothes handed down from Addison and Ella, so those are getting washed and organized by size little by little. The bedding should be finished soon, so we are waiting on that to get into the room before we start buying decorations. We ordered a white mini chandilier with pink lamp shades and hope that comes in the mail soon so that Daddy can hang it up. Then Mommy went to Hobby Lobby yesterday and bought supplies to make the hairbow holder. So progress is being made :)
Kailyn this week:
This week, she measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. Her fingernails have grown and she may even need a manicure after she's born. She's probably moving a lot, too, so Mommy may have trouble sleeping because her kicks and somersaults keep her up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that she is active and healthy. Also developing at an impressive clip: Kailyn's brain connections- she's got to make trillions of them. She's now processing information, tracking light, and perceiving signals from all five senses. She's also putting in longer stretches of sleep, which is why Mommy is probably noticing more defined patterns of wakefulness (movement) and rest (when she’s pretty still). Her lungs continue to mature. As her lungs become more developed, the chances of her surviving if born prematurely increase. Kailyn knows Mommy and Daddy's voice...and probably Big Brother Caleb's too! Singing to her, talking to her, and telling her all about the world she'll be joining soon is a great way for everyone to bond with Baby—and each other!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
A New Year...A New Challenge!
Wow! It is already 2012...and I am still trying to figure out where 2011 went. It is my new challenge to myself to blog about our family in 2012. It seems like a simple way to journal Caleb growing up and us introducing Kailyn into our family in about 2 months. So please join us for this crazy ride known as Life with the Gilmore's...
2011 came and went so quickly for us. Jeremy and I are always saying that things are going to slow down for us, but we seem to stay so busy! I guess that is the way we like it. Here is a brief review of our 2011:
January 2011 brought with it lots of snow and we enjoyed Jeremy being home from work for a few days to have some extra family time!
Caleb also started his first day of Mother's Morning Out at our church on January 5, 2011. It was a struggle for both of us at first, but it has turned out to be great for both Mommy and Caleb to have that time away.
February 2011 was a quiet month for us. We went to Guntersville to visit and enjoyed playing golf with Daddy.
There were also a few warmer days and we were able to go the park with Caleb for the first time!
Caleb also enjoyed his first visit to the Early Works Children's Museum here in Huntsville. The Kirkland's joined us for a morning of fun!!
March 2011 was a little busier for The Gilmore's. Mommy went to Birmingham with the girls to shop while Caleb stayed home with Daddy. They invited cousin Addison and Uncle Josh over for the weekend and they attended their first Circus together.
March was also busy with lots of Consignment sales for Mommy to attend, so Caleb and Daddy got lots of afternoon play times together :)
During Spring Break week, we got together with Kacie and Finlee for Caleb's first trip to the Zoo! It was so much fun.
Caleb and Mommy went on a trip to Tunica, MS with GranGran (Mommy's Mom) to visit grandparents who live in Arkansas. Tunica is the halfway meeting point, so it is easier to meet for a visit. While there, Caleb got to go to the Zoo again when we went to Memphis one afternoon.
April 2011 continued to keep us busy! We enjoyed visiting with Pops and Nanna one afternoon.
And Mommy celebrated her 25th Birthday with a stomach virus- yuck!
April 15, 2011 was a very special day for the family. Jeremy's Aunt and Uncle had their second child, Andrew Johnson. I traveled to Tuscaloosa to take care of big sister, Ella while her parents were in the hospital.
GranGran was diagnosed with Breast Cancer on April 20, 2011, which would prove to be our biggest challenge for the remainder of 2011. Thankfully she is cancer free and doing fabulous!!!
We also celebrated Easter in Guntersville with Grandmama and Grandaddy...and of course Caleb was spoiled with lots of treats.
On April 27, 2011 the state of Alabama was devastated by a day full of tornadoes. Thankfully our families and homes were safe. Uncle Blake's (Mommy's Brother)apartment is about a block away from the most severe damage in Tuscaloosa, but it remained untouched- such a blessing! And Grandmama and Grandad's (Daddy's parents) house got hit in the back corner (their master bedroom), but they were all okay and the house got repaired. We were without power for several days, so instead of sticking it out and camping at home, we decided to take a trip with GranGran to Atlanta. We visited the Atlanta Zoo and the Atlanta Aquarium- both of which Caleb thought were fantastic!
The Atlanta Zoo:
The Atlanta Aquarium:
May 2011 continued to be crazy busy for our family! We started off the month with a big get together at our house for Mother's Day and Grandad's Birthday. Caleb was especially excited to take Addison to visit his classroom at church that morning.
Caleb had his first round of Swimming Lessons at our local YMCA!
Daddy graduated from the University of Alabama with his Master's Degree in Operations Management!! We are so proud of him.
Pops and Nana treated us to an extra long weekend in Orange Beach, AL. We all love going to the beach!
Here is Caleb on his last day of Mother's Morning Out for the 2010-2011 school year.
May was also our first trip to the River for the summer!! Always a much needed break.
By June 2011, the summer season was into full swing! We spent lots of time in Guntersville taking care of GranGran. Grandmama and Grandad helped us out so much by keeping Caleb entertained during this time.
Cousin Addison turned TWO on June 17th.
We also enjoyed afternoons on the Guntersville Lake and at the Pool:
And on June 24th, we found out that we were pregnant with Baby #2!!!!!!!!!!!
July is always a full month with lots of celebration for our family and 2011 was no different! On the first of the month, Jeremy and I celebrate how long we have been together- 2011 marked 10 years!! Then the next week we celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary.
We started off our Independence Day festivities on Lake Guntersville.
Then headed to the River for a week of relaxation. Also known by Mommy as when the morning/all day nausea set in!
Then Caleb's pal Finlee turned 4, so we headed to Arab to celebrate.
We got to see the Kirkland's again soon when we met up at Southern Adventures Water Park for a morning of swimming and fun.
Daddy celebrated his 27th Birthday by grilling out in the backyard and enjoying family time!
We wrapped up the month of July with a trip to Guntersville and stopped by the lake to feed the ducks. Another first for Caleb!
August 2011 seemed to be a little slower month for us, at least the beginning of it anyways. Uncle Josh and Aunt Jessica moved into their new house, Caleb started back to Mother's Morning Out for the 2011-2012 school year, and we started planning Caleb's 2nd Birthday.
We of course had another trip to the River:
Caleb visited Chuck E Cheese for the first time:
Caleb had his 2nd Birthday party at the YMCA indoor pool. So much fun!!
A few days later, our little boy turned TWO!!! We celebrated with dinner at Red Robin at Bridgestreet- yum :)
After we got our little 2 year old home and ready for bed, he requested "One more candle" for his Birthday, so we got a Little Debbie cake and let him blow out one more before bed!
September 2011 began with a long beach trip with Grandmama and Grandad to Pensacola, FL. It was such a fun trip, especially for Caleb since he had cousin, Addison to play with! We even kicked off football season while at the beach- ROLL TIDE!!
Once we returned from the beach, consignment season was in full swing. Also, Caleb had his 2 year check up at the doctor: Weight 23lbs 10oz (5th Percentile), Height 33 1/4 inches (15th Percentile. Then on September 21st, we had the 16 week check up at the OB/GYN and found out that we are having a GIRL...Kailyn Lindsey Gilmore!
October 2011 brought cooler weather, lots of Alabama football, and tons of fun. We kicked off the fall season by visiting Tate Farms Pumpkin Patch and had a blast. Caleb liked the hay ride to the pumpkin patch and the corn jumper the best!
Then we headed to Tuscaloosa for Homecoming along with the rest of the Gilmore crew. Thankfully the Johnson's were very generous to host us for the weekend!
And Miss Kailyn got to attend an AL football game before her big brother! (18 weeks 5 days pregnant)
On October 20th, my best friend, Kacie, had her second little girl- Rylann Paige Kirkland. I am so in love with my new little neice, she is the sweetest thing ever!!
On Alabama vs Tennessee weekend, GranGran kept Caleb so that Mommy and Daddy could go back to Tuscaloosa for the game. Again, big thanks to the Johnson's for hosting us! ROLL TIDE!!! (20weeks 5days pregnant)
And of course, no October is complete without Halloween. Trick or Treat from our little elephant!!
I think November 2011 was our busiest month of the year. We began by Mommy going on a girl's trip to Birmingham, sending Daddy and Caleb to Guntersville for the weekend. They went on a hike with Grandad, played golf, and played with Addison!
Then came our annual trip to the Smokies with the Gilmore family. Always lots of fun, good food, and great fellowship with family members! We visited the aquarium and went on a hike in Gatlinburg.
25 weeks pregnant!
On our way to Tuscaloosa for Thanksgiving, we stopped by the Birmingham Zoo for a fun day with Caleb and Ella.
We had beautiful weather on Thanksgiving day, so the kids were able to go outside and play after lunch.
The day after Thanksgiving is always a shopping day for the girls! Mommy found a great Black Friday deal at Babies R Us for Kailyn's furniture and Santa found a great deal on a train table for Caleb. The following day was Iron Bowl day, so we spent the weekend in Guntersville with Grandmama and Grandad. We took the kids to the golf course to take pictures and let them run around before nap time.
December 2011 was full of Holiday activities! We started off the Christmas season by decorating Gingerbread Houses.
Then we had Supper with Santa where Caleb was able to meet Santa and see him, but we did not force him to sit in his lap or anything. He was most excited because Santa gave him a candy cane!
And of course, we decorated the Christmas tree...
And made Gingerbread Men (Mommy made them from scratch- go Mom!!)
Caleb had a Christmas program at school that was absolutely precious. His 2 year old class sang "Jingle Bells" and he was so proud of himself afterwards- he talked about it the rest of the day.
Next on our Christmas to-do list was to visit Santa's Village. Caleb was such a big boy and sat right beside Santa and told him that he wanted trains for Christmas. And yes, a visit with Santa would not be complete without a candy cane!
And then it was already time to start celebrating the Christmas season with family. First stop- GranGran's House!
We had a great time with the Kirkland's on Christmas Eve Eve. Aunt Kacie cooked a delicious lunch, Caleb and Finlee played, and the grown ups enjoyed visiting a little bit.
That night, we went to Daddy's Grandmother's house for our first official Christmas dinner.
Christmas Eve morning, we woke up and exchanged gifts with Grandmama and Grandad. There became a pattern everywhere we went...Caleb got so spoiled!!
Our last stop before leaving Guntersville was Papaw Gilmore's for lunch on Christmas Eve. The kids love playing with the train set at his house every year.
Once we returned home from the Christmas Eve service at church, Caleb sat out a snack for Santa and sprinkled Reindeer food in the yard. Then it was off to bed so that Santa could visit!
Christmas morning was lots of fun this year. It was the first year that Caleb was able to grasp the concept and get really excited- thus, Mommy and Daddy were really excited too! Santa was really good to Caleb this year...he must have been a good little boy. He racked up with: a train table, golf clubs, and a small table and chairs for his new big boy room. Then Daddy cooked us pancakes for breakfast and we played toys all morning long :)
On Christmas day, we traveled to Jackson, TN to Deedee and Pappy's house to wrap up our Christmas 2011. We met up with Pops and Nana there too!
And lastly, Caleb spent the night with Pops and Nana for the first time after Christmas!! He went for two nights so that Mommy and Daddy could take down the Christmas stuff, rest, and go out on two date nights. Caleb had a blast riding the golf cart and 4wheeler to look at the cows and horses, building a fire and roasting hot dogs, and getting spoiled. Yay for Pops and Nana- we are so glad to finally have yall on the baby sitter's roll call :)
2011 came and went so quickly for us. Jeremy and I are always saying that things are going to slow down for us, but we seem to stay so busy! I guess that is the way we like it. Here is a brief review of our 2011:
January 2011 brought with it lots of snow and we enjoyed Jeremy being home from work for a few days to have some extra family time!
Caleb also started his first day of Mother's Morning Out at our church on January 5, 2011. It was a struggle for both of us at first, but it has turned out to be great for both Mommy and Caleb to have that time away.
February 2011 was a quiet month for us. We went to Guntersville to visit and enjoyed playing golf with Daddy.
There were also a few warmer days and we were able to go the park with Caleb for the first time!
Caleb also enjoyed his first visit to the Early Works Children's Museum here in Huntsville. The Kirkland's joined us for a morning of fun!!
March 2011 was a little busier for The Gilmore's. Mommy went to Birmingham with the girls to shop while Caleb stayed home with Daddy. They invited cousin Addison and Uncle Josh over for the weekend and they attended their first Circus together.
March was also busy with lots of Consignment sales for Mommy to attend, so Caleb and Daddy got lots of afternoon play times together :)
During Spring Break week, we got together with Kacie and Finlee for Caleb's first trip to the Zoo! It was so much fun.
Caleb and Mommy went on a trip to Tunica, MS with GranGran (Mommy's Mom) to visit grandparents who live in Arkansas. Tunica is the halfway meeting point, so it is easier to meet for a visit. While there, Caleb got to go to the Zoo again when we went to Memphis one afternoon.
April 2011 continued to keep us busy! We enjoyed visiting with Pops and Nanna one afternoon.
And Mommy celebrated her 25th Birthday with a stomach virus- yuck!
April 15, 2011 was a very special day for the family. Jeremy's Aunt and Uncle had their second child, Andrew Johnson. I traveled to Tuscaloosa to take care of big sister, Ella while her parents were in the hospital.
GranGran was diagnosed with Breast Cancer on April 20, 2011, which would prove to be our biggest challenge for the remainder of 2011. Thankfully she is cancer free and doing fabulous!!!
We also celebrated Easter in Guntersville with Grandmama and Grandaddy...and of course Caleb was spoiled with lots of treats.
On April 27, 2011 the state of Alabama was devastated by a day full of tornadoes. Thankfully our families and homes were safe. Uncle Blake's (Mommy's Brother)apartment is about a block away from the most severe damage in Tuscaloosa, but it remained untouched- such a blessing! And Grandmama and Grandad's (Daddy's parents) house got hit in the back corner (their master bedroom), but they were all okay and the house got repaired. We were without power for several days, so instead of sticking it out and camping at home, we decided to take a trip with GranGran to Atlanta. We visited the Atlanta Zoo and the Atlanta Aquarium- both of which Caleb thought were fantastic!
The Atlanta Zoo:
The Atlanta Aquarium:
May 2011 continued to be crazy busy for our family! We started off the month with a big get together at our house for Mother's Day and Grandad's Birthday. Caleb was especially excited to take Addison to visit his classroom at church that morning.
Caleb had his first round of Swimming Lessons at our local YMCA!
Daddy graduated from the University of Alabama with his Master's Degree in Operations Management!! We are so proud of him.
Pops and Nana treated us to an extra long weekend in Orange Beach, AL. We all love going to the beach!
Here is Caleb on his last day of Mother's Morning Out for the 2010-2011 school year.
May was also our first trip to the River for the summer!! Always a much needed break.
By June 2011, the summer season was into full swing! We spent lots of time in Guntersville taking care of GranGran. Grandmama and Grandad helped us out so much by keeping Caleb entertained during this time.
Cousin Addison turned TWO on June 17th.
We also enjoyed afternoons on the Guntersville Lake and at the Pool:
And on June 24th, we found out that we were pregnant with Baby #2!!!!!!!!!!!
July is always a full month with lots of celebration for our family and 2011 was no different! On the first of the month, Jeremy and I celebrate how long we have been together- 2011 marked 10 years!! Then the next week we celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary.
We started off our Independence Day festivities on Lake Guntersville.
Then headed to the River for a week of relaxation. Also known by Mommy as when the morning/all day nausea set in!
Then Caleb's pal Finlee turned 4, so we headed to Arab to celebrate.
We got to see the Kirkland's again soon when we met up at Southern Adventures Water Park for a morning of swimming and fun.
Daddy celebrated his 27th Birthday by grilling out in the backyard and enjoying family time!
We wrapped up the month of July with a trip to Guntersville and stopped by the lake to feed the ducks. Another first for Caleb!
August 2011 seemed to be a little slower month for us, at least the beginning of it anyways. Uncle Josh and Aunt Jessica moved into their new house, Caleb started back to Mother's Morning Out for the 2011-2012 school year, and we started planning Caleb's 2nd Birthday.
We of course had another trip to the River:
Caleb visited Chuck E Cheese for the first time:
Caleb had his 2nd Birthday party at the YMCA indoor pool. So much fun!!
A few days later, our little boy turned TWO!!! We celebrated with dinner at Red Robin at Bridgestreet- yum :)
After we got our little 2 year old home and ready for bed, he requested "One more candle" for his Birthday, so we got a Little Debbie cake and let him blow out one more before bed!
September 2011 began with a long beach trip with Grandmama and Grandad to Pensacola, FL. It was such a fun trip, especially for Caleb since he had cousin, Addison to play with! We even kicked off football season while at the beach- ROLL TIDE!!
Once we returned from the beach, consignment season was in full swing. Also, Caleb had his 2 year check up at the doctor: Weight 23lbs 10oz (5th Percentile), Height 33 1/4 inches (15th Percentile. Then on September 21st, we had the 16 week check up at the OB/GYN and found out that we are having a GIRL...Kailyn Lindsey Gilmore!
October 2011 brought cooler weather, lots of Alabama football, and tons of fun. We kicked off the fall season by visiting Tate Farms Pumpkin Patch and had a blast. Caleb liked the hay ride to the pumpkin patch and the corn jumper the best!
Then we headed to Tuscaloosa for Homecoming along with the rest of the Gilmore crew. Thankfully the Johnson's were very generous to host us for the weekend!
And Miss Kailyn got to attend an AL football game before her big brother! (18 weeks 5 days pregnant)
On October 20th, my best friend, Kacie, had her second little girl- Rylann Paige Kirkland. I am so in love with my new little neice, she is the sweetest thing ever!!
On Alabama vs Tennessee weekend, GranGran kept Caleb so that Mommy and Daddy could go back to Tuscaloosa for the game. Again, big thanks to the Johnson's for hosting us! ROLL TIDE!!! (20weeks 5days pregnant)
And of course, no October is complete without Halloween. Trick or Treat from our little elephant!!
I think November 2011 was our busiest month of the year. We began by Mommy going on a girl's trip to Birmingham, sending Daddy and Caleb to Guntersville for the weekend. They went on a hike with Grandad, played golf, and played with Addison!
Then came our annual trip to the Smokies with the Gilmore family. Always lots of fun, good food, and great fellowship with family members! We visited the aquarium and went on a hike in Gatlinburg.
25 weeks pregnant!
On our way to Tuscaloosa for Thanksgiving, we stopped by the Birmingham Zoo for a fun day with Caleb and Ella.
We had beautiful weather on Thanksgiving day, so the kids were able to go outside and play after lunch.
The day after Thanksgiving is always a shopping day for the girls! Mommy found a great Black Friday deal at Babies R Us for Kailyn's furniture and Santa found a great deal on a train table for Caleb. The following day was Iron Bowl day, so we spent the weekend in Guntersville with Grandmama and Grandad. We took the kids to the golf course to take pictures and let them run around before nap time.
December 2011 was full of Holiday activities! We started off the Christmas season by decorating Gingerbread Houses.
Then we had Supper with Santa where Caleb was able to meet Santa and see him, but we did not force him to sit in his lap or anything. He was most excited because Santa gave him a candy cane!
And of course, we decorated the Christmas tree...
And made Gingerbread Men (Mommy made them from scratch- go Mom!!)
Caleb had a Christmas program at school that was absolutely precious. His 2 year old class sang "Jingle Bells" and he was so proud of himself afterwards- he talked about it the rest of the day.
Next on our Christmas to-do list was to visit Santa's Village. Caleb was such a big boy and sat right beside Santa and told him that he wanted trains for Christmas. And yes, a visit with Santa would not be complete without a candy cane!
And then it was already time to start celebrating the Christmas season with family. First stop- GranGran's House!
We had a great time with the Kirkland's on Christmas Eve Eve. Aunt Kacie cooked a delicious lunch, Caleb and Finlee played, and the grown ups enjoyed visiting a little bit.
That night, we went to Daddy's Grandmother's house for our first official Christmas dinner.
Christmas Eve morning, we woke up and exchanged gifts with Grandmama and Grandad. There became a pattern everywhere we went...Caleb got so spoiled!!
Our last stop before leaving Guntersville was Papaw Gilmore's for lunch on Christmas Eve. The kids love playing with the train set at his house every year.
Once we returned home from the Christmas Eve service at church, Caleb sat out a snack for Santa and sprinkled Reindeer food in the yard. Then it was off to bed so that Santa could visit!
Christmas morning was lots of fun this year. It was the first year that Caleb was able to grasp the concept and get really excited- thus, Mommy and Daddy were really excited too! Santa was really good to Caleb this year...he must have been a good little boy. He racked up with: a train table, golf clubs, and a small table and chairs for his new big boy room. Then Daddy cooked us pancakes for breakfast and we played toys all morning long :)
On Christmas day, we traveled to Jackson, TN to Deedee and Pappy's house to wrap up our Christmas 2011. We met up with Pops and Nana there too!
And lastly, Caleb spent the night with Pops and Nana for the first time after Christmas!! He went for two nights so that Mommy and Daddy could take down the Christmas stuff, rest, and go out on two date nights. Caleb had a blast riding the golf cart and 4wheeler to look at the cows and horses, building a fire and roasting hot dogs, and getting spoiled. Yay for Pops and Nana- we are so glad to finally have yall on the baby sitter's roll call :)
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