There's much to share about our crazy football seasons that just ended, but I had to start with images of my boys and our family in all of the gear. I typically like the pictures I take of them more than the professional team pictures that get taken, and this first picture posted above is one of Cody's all time favorites. His boys in their uniforms made for one proud daddy! ;) And of course, Kaitlyn and I couldn't be left out either. We both had our own game day uniforms, too!
Love all of these pictures. This family of mine has a tendency to take my breath away when I look at them...
"a portrait of each of my children, once each week, in 2018"
Jaden: Your football season ended this weekend with your first football game ever played in the UNI-Dome. It was quite a special moment to see you take that field with your Daddy/Coach, and I had vivid flashbacks of you as a little toddler running around on that field after UNI football games when you were dreaming all the big dreams of the day when you would get to play football for real. These years are going too fast, bud...
Brandon: We made it to the pumpkin patch after all, and you were once again in your element picking out the perfect pumpkin for not only yourself - but for your baby sis, too. And then we came home that evening to host our families around the table and the TV for a game-watch party to cheer on our Panthers - where you were once again a loving big cousin to Ivy, playing with her in the basement and sharing iPad videos with her in the sunroom. And I had visions of you and Kaitlyn doing the same things very soon. You're such a good kiddo.
Kaitlyn: We melted over you multiple times this weekend in your sweet little black kitty dress at the pumpkin patch - and seeing your beautiful blue eyes take in the sights and sounds of the UNI-Dome for the first time on Sunday was such a treat. You loved the lights, the action, and even napped through some of the noise. I'm once again reminded that seeing the world through the eyes of a small, growing child is one of God's greatest blessings. I can't wait for this holiday season with you, my sweet doll baby. And not that there was any doubt, but you do indeed have your daddy wrapped tightly around your sweet little pinky. I wasn't feeling well yesterday morning so he offered to take you to daycare. But first - he felt the need to show you off to his current co-workers and his previous secretary. You and Daddy made the rounds together from one office to another, and Daddy said he felt like a kid at show and tell. :)
"a portrait of each of my children, once each week, in 2018"
Jaden: A big week ahead. Your first Outlaws tournament of the season, a teammate's birthday party... and all new basketball uniforms coming our way this week. It's fun to see you getting excited for a new season.
Brandon: You wrapped up your first flag football season this past weekend with a chilly Saturday morning game and another interception. You said this interception was "too easy," and you are already committed to playing again next fall!
Kaitlyn: We all love bath time with you! This little bath seat is the perfect fit for you right now, allowing the warm water to soak you just enough, and you love staring back at us and smiling while we bathe you.
Where is time going, baby girl?! Today you are three months old, and we are officially through with what they like to call the "fourth trimester." Your personality continues to blossom, your body continues to grow, your smiles continue to get bigger and wider, and your eyes continue to make us swoon. I've thought it and said it so many times but God knew I needed you. I may still be tired, (although I think that's just from juggling life, in general), and we all continue to adjust to having a baby around with our crazy schedule, but I can't imagine life without my daughter by my side. :)
Everything about you at three months!
|| You are still in size 2 diapers, can still fit into some of your 0-3 month clothes but are mainly wearing 3-6 month sizes. Though I do wish someone would start making baby clothes in sizes 2-4 months because I think that range would fit you much better. :)
|| I am still nursing you, and I plan to do it for as long as you'll allow me to and and for as long as mama's milk can still fill you up! I think you are typically getting around four ounces per feeding right now.
|| We really can't complain as far as nights and sleep goes. Most of the time now, you go to bed between 7:30-8:30 with your last feeding of the evening coming within that hour. You then typically wake up once in the middle of the night to eat... and then go back to sleep until 7 or 7:30 in the morning. A couple of times a week, you might wake up to feed twice, although we've had three nights now where you have actually slept through the night! Two of them have happened this week! I know it's typical for babies to go through some sleep regression around four months so I'm anticipating a change in your schedule soon - especially with daylight savings also approaching around your four-month mark - but right now, we're doing pretty good!
|| When you're not being held, your favorite place to be is in your bouncer where you can easily look around and see everyone and everything.
|| Your first five weeks of daycare could NOT have gone any better. We are so blessed by Kathy and so thankful every single day for her. She loves you genuinely and takes such good care of you and always has a welcoming and warm greeting for us in the mornings. And she's really good at making you do tummy time. ;)
|| We just recently graduated from baths in the sink to baths in the big tub! It was just getting too hard to fit you in the sink even though you loved being able to be curled up in there, staring at yourself in the mirror. You seem to really enjoy baths in the tub, love watching the water come out of the faucet, and I've got some bath toys on your Christmas list that I can't wait to see you splash around with in a few months. ;)
|| You've recently started a habit of locking your own hands together frequently as if in prayer, and your daddy gets quite the kick out of it.
|| Your hair is growing and so far seems to be a lot like Jaden's! If that holds true, you will love it because it will be very thick. ;) The more it grows, the more it sticks up on the top, but it's adorable. It's also looking pretty dark in person!
|| You love looking at the purple monkey on your bouncy seat toy bar, and it's quite funny to see your eyes interact with it. Sometimes you look at it skeptically, other times you give it a big ol' grin, and I would just love to know what's going through your mind as you stare at your "friend." :)
|| I love to read to you, and you are actually starting to look at the pages now when I do.
|| You're a fist chomper and sometimes prefer your hands over your binky. You haven't' shown interest in your thumb yet - just your knuckles. :)
|| Your eyes are still blue but seem to have gained a bit more of a grayish tint to them. We're still very interested to see how they turn out, but as daddy likes to call them, they are "soul crushers." Your eyes are absolutely beautiful, and we just get lost in them quite frequently!
|| It's very easy to get you to smile - the minute you see one of us, you're happy. You love to be talked to, and we spend a lot of time just sitting face to face and making silly faces at you. Often times your smiles are so big and wide, that I can just envision a giggle coming out, and I can't wait for that!
|| You still love to nap during the day, and I'm totally okay with that!
|| You still have a way of "flirting" with your eye brows, and it is the cutest and funniest thing!
|| You love to stare at the flowery letter K hanging above your crib when you wake up in the morning. Good choice, Mommy!
|| Life is about to get even busier and we'll be spending a lot less time at home on the weekends with the start of basketball season. I'm a bit nervous for having you at tournaments all day but am also anxious to get you out and about a bit more.
We love you so much Kaitlyn Renee, and watching you grow is such a joy!
