Progress!

Progress - what a great word - especially when one is nesting and knows baby is on the way! Cheerfully I can say, that word describes the past week - yeah!!!
Progress in Potty Training...
Progress in Pregnancy.....
Progress in Preparations.....

Progress in Potty Training
Kegan continues to be very successful in wearing "big boy underwear" all day long - using a pull-up only at nap time (sometimes which remains dry) and at night! I still have to prompt him, but he is starting to tell me more frequently - the past few days upon waking up in the morning and waking up from his nap, he finds me and tell me "potty mommy" ...even if it is a habit we worked on and not because he has to, I am all for it as a trained potty trigger! :) Now, for the pooping - improvement - not by huge leaps and bounds, but progress is being made. I would say we are 50/50 on going #2...it is a start! To top all this progress off - a story from today. This morning, after waking up and going potty, we took off his pull-ups, and because today was school I was going to put him in more pull-ups, but he ran to his room, opened the drawer with his underwear in them, and said "wear underwear". Well, not wanting to discourage the joy and desire to wear his big boy pants and not pull-ups, we put on the undies. I grabbed a pull-up and extra shorts for school - just in case. After Kegan went into class I told one of his teachers about that morning and she said, not a problem, she was keep an eye on him and get him to go after chapel (first morning activity), and then change him into the pull-ups. OK...well when I went to pick him up I asked how he did and she said, "Great! He is still in his underwear!". WOW...I was one pleased mommy. She went on to tell me, he used the potty for them and after lunch, before nap time, she sat him on the toilet and he told her "it's coming"...and out came some poop! Yeah (oh the strange things we get excited about as parents). Anyways, how great - progress progress progress!

Progress in Pregnancy
Monday I went to the doctor and said things were progressing nicely - the baby was in the head down position (the position he needs to be in for birth). Then we set a date - if Ty has not come on his own by February 25th, we will induce on that date. Wow! In a few days it will be February and Ty is defiantly coming in that month - less than a month away - woo-hoo!!!! I go back next Monday for another check-up (I will be going once a week till the baby comes)
Below are some current pictures of my baby bump (taken Saturday) - well it has progressed to more than a "bump" now. :) (Please keep in mind this was at the end of a day of keeping up with Kegan and getting more work done in the boys rooms...soo I do not really look my best, to say the least!)
Bump profile


Straight On



Progress in Preparation
Yes, yes, my mind is a little more at east tonight - progress has been made in Kegan's room, Ty's room and general getting ready for baby preparation stuff!!! :)
First, I want to thank my friends from Stroller Strides for giving such a great shower for Ty and I - great ambiance and super yummy food and wonderful company - and for all the ladies for coming to support us and for giving some great gifts to help better prepare me for Ty's arrival. Below are some pictures (I stole from Sara's website) of most of the ladies who were able to be there that night. Hopefully I can get some more up later.


Progress in Kegan's room - Matthew finished refinishing Kegan's furniture and it looks great! Sooo...last Friday we set it all up in Kegan's room, worked a little more on it Saturday, and by Sunday it was pretty much ready to go and in shape...just a few more things to hang on the walls - phew what a relief. Kegan seems to be enjoying it, and is getting used to his new drawers (he has gone to his old furniture in Ty's room only a few times - and that was over the weekend - but now he seems pretty attached and content with his new furniture. He looks so small in that big bed - my baby boy...another sign he is growing up.
Helping daddy attach the headboard and foot board.

Dragging the "heavy" boards to daddy that go with the bed.


Mom...no pictures, I am working here!

Pushing the mattress into the room. What strong muscles!

Helping daddy put together the side rails. Matthew was pretty impressed with Kegan during this. Kegan took all the poles out of the bag and then proceeded to figure out, on his very own, how to successfully secure one of the side rods into the main rod 0 you had to put it the right way for it to click in correctly and Kegan figured out how to do it!

Working hard...I love that face!

Hmm...how to fix this???

Yeah! We did it!

Haha...I don't know what was going on here...but what a face...guilty or innocent - what do you think?

Friday night - not done, but progressing!

Hmm....who was sneaking into the cornbread while Mommy and Daddy worked on Kegan's room? Growing Independence = growing mischievousness ...haha! :)

Well, he had spiky hair, which you can't see, but I thought it was cute none-the-less.

First time to lay in his "big boy bed!"

All smiles and enjoying it!

Progress in Ty's room:
The furniture is in the room and the lady who made Ty's bedding shipped it out on Monday and it is supposed to arrive later this week! Yeah for progress on the room set-up. Progress also made in other areas for Ty preparations. Friday Matthew and James took all the baby stuff and 0-3 month clothes down from the attic. Then, Saturday Mrs. Setliff and Stephani came over and spent all day helping me wash, fold, organize, put away, and hang up baby clothes, toys, blankets, burp rags, bibs, etc.... What a relief to have that done - at least now if Ty comes, he has clean clothes to wear and I know where the stuff is! All that remains is putting on the bedding, putting up the curtains and finishing some decorating detail! Well, maybe a little more of putting things precisely in their place...but still leaps and bounds ahead of where I was a week ago!!! A start in the progress...



Ok - these last pictures have nothing to do with anything...just some cute pictures of Kegan!
Before hopping into the bath one night Kegan decided he wanted to try out a pair of my boots. (The picture has been "censored" due to the fact that Matthew did not want his sons bare buns up on the Internet...so I blurred them out)


This morning, while eating an oatmeal bar before leaving for school Kegan insisted on having a napkin - ok, he usually likes one so I did not think much of it as I handed him one. I turned, finished the dishes I was cleaning and when I turned back around, this is how HE had set HIMSELF up for breakfast.
A self made place mat...oooooo

What you get when you ask a little boy with a full mouth to smile for the camera :)


Progress Progress Progress - yeah yeah for Progress! :)

A Week at the Livestock Show

Well we are back to a normal schedule and week after a very fun and busy week of the Nuecess County Junior Livestock Show. Those of you who knew me growing up might find this entry a bit odd...well, not one you would have ever expected from me, but to tell you the truth I LOVE IT!!! I love the week of the livestock show and I am sad that we will probably not be able to make the San Antonio or Houston Rodeo this year (which we have done the past few years) because...well we have a baby due right at the time there rodeos go on.

To the week:
Monday was a "normal day"...as normal as raising a two year old can be...haha...then Tuesday, after picking up Kegan from school, we headed off to the show barn to get some work done - me getting things set up on the computer for the students to check in their metal and wood projects they built, Matthew was setting up the banners, moving tables and things around, bringing in some of the large b-b-que pits, deer blind, trailers, etc...the kids were checking in, and Kegan was running, playing, "helping" and most importantly, getting to ride on the tractor. :)
Wednesday morning - bright and early Matthew and I got up and got ready and Mrs. Setliff came over to watch Kegan for the morning - although he is very helpful, I don't think the hustle and bustle of check-in day would have been too much fun for him (or...me keeping up with him and checking in all the students on the computer). Sooo...he spent a wonderful morning playing with his Gramma. We came home that afternoon - Matthew had to do some things on the farm, and I stayed with him while he napped. Then back to the barn - he went for a little bit - saw the pigs with Daddy, and then back off to Grammas till about 10:00 that night when we picked him up. (Side note - I had a few people who had shown in previous years ask where "that cute little boy from last year was.."...ahhh!!!!)
Thursday morning - Off to school he went while we were back at the show barn. After school he spent some time with Aunt Stephani and then at Gramma's. It was judging day and knowing that Matthew and I are both crazy busy they volunteered to help.
Friday -(The only day I have pictures from) It was Kegan's day at the barn. He was sooo... good. Really! Well...except that he did not want to nap (although he did FINALLY go down), but he was in a great mood the entire time and everyone complimented him on how well behaved he was and of course, on how cute he was... :)! Mid-way through the morning Aunt Stephani and Uncle Josh came by and picked him up and take him around the barn while Matthew and I worked - he saw more pigs, rode on a steer, and got to pet some rabbits, chickens, goats, and sheep...wow! He of course loved it! Pictures below will explain more of Friday...but I really was very proud of how well he did, for being such a long day up there!
He really was very good and played well in our "office"...and I use the word loosely...area.

Checking out some of the prizes and smiling for the camera...with snacks in hand (we ate lots of snacks that day to stay happy... :))

Helping daddy bring me some paperwork.

Showing on of the men who helps out his hat...He wanted to make sure everyone was entertained...

We brought the pack-n-play for him to nap in and he would almost go to sleep then pop himself up and find SOMETHING to do to stay awake, so finally I relented and took him out and decided to push him in the stroller for a bit...well a few Cheerios later and a few pushes and this is what happened....didn't even get the last bite in his mouth...

After a good nap and people started cleaning out after the awards, what do you think Kegan wanted to do? Ride the tractor, of course, he remembered it was there from Tuesday...
This little boy's parents were in the same birthing class as Matthew and I...and the two boys were born a week apart. His dad is a FFA teacher, so we see them every year at the livestock show.

Sooo...he let Chance sit up on the tractor with him...but was not too keen on sharing the steering wheel with him.

Playing around with the big kids while we cleaned up...he had a ball, just kicking around a coke bottle...who knew!?!

Helping to clean things up. The child LOVES to sweep, found this little broom, and decided to do a little on the spot cleaning.

Last, but not least....one of my new favorite pictures of Kegan. I just LOVE the grin!!!! :)


Other random pictures from the past couple of weeks:
Helping daddy check the sprinkler at Tynan late one night. Of course Kegan was not too tired to get out of the car and ride a tractor with daddy, though! :)

Hmmm....this is why the majority of my shoes are up on shelves and in boxes...Kegan likes to bring me out "options"...this day he decided I needed all the shoes from the floor of the closet.

Playing around today.
Practicing his hammering skills - although a great and entertaining toy...very loud. He loves it, though.

Even better...combing tractors and the hammering toy. According to Kegan the tractors were all "stuck!"


Other random funnies and updates:
A phrase I forgot to mention in my last update -
"two both" - He and I had a discussion about having two of something or wanting two of something where there were two was to have "both"...well now when he sees or wants 2 of anything it is "two both mommy"...
Potty training: Peepee going great - I still am the main leader in the going potty, but we can run errands around town and go through a day in big boy undies and usually stay dry...yeah!!! Except - going #2, he does NOT want to do this on the potty. He will tell me, "poo-poo mommy", so we rush to the potty and then he does not want to sit, or will sit and nothing will come out. However, a few minutes later..."poopy mommy"...and yep, all in his undies - super...ewww. I have heard this is normal...but oh...how I wish we would learn to do this part in the potty, too! Any advise or hints would be gladly accepted! :)
I keep looking at him and just Cherish each moment (even the poopy ones), knowing we are getting to the last few days of just him, Matthew, and I (as Ty is sitting here kicking, hitting, and rolling away in my belly...hehe!). I know life is about to get way crazy for a while...long while...haha... We can't wait to add Ty to the family, though and I just know Kegan is going to make such a great big brother.

Tumbles and Rolls

Just a quick update on baby stuff.

I went to my doctor on Monday and he said everything was great and that the baby was taking up the space all the way to my rib cage - thanks Dr. V...I could have told you that! :) Ty's heartbeat was around 153 bpm and for once the nurse was not having to scurry the monitor all around my belly tyring to keep up with him (usually he "runs" away from it). We both decided he must have been napping...which brings me to my next point. I don't really think he naps all that much because he is CONSTANTLY moving. One morning Matthew asked how I slept with Ty moving so much. Needless to say we have an active one on the way! I must say outside of the internal bruise that I know I must have on my left hand side, I love all the big movements. It is fascinating to feel another being inside of you role and tumble and now I can pretty much tell if I am being kicked by a foot or hit by a hand or when Ty's entire body just moves in a big stretching motion, roll, or tumble.

I go in again to see the doctor in about a week - appointments are getting closer so that means Ty's arrival is too!

Christmas (part2)/ Happy New Year/ New Barn

We have been busy since my last post. We went swimming at in indoor pool, one day with Aunt Stephani...which was a nice break in the middle of winter, we traveled to Plano and had a wonderful visit there with family and friends, traveled home, got over a horrible cough/cold...still kind-of recuperating (not Matthew and I seem to have a case of it), went to the farm to see cement laid for Daddy's new barn, and Kegan started back to school...phew! Things are going going...and since we are finally in the new year, I can officially say, my baby is due this year...in fact, not to long from now, this year!!! :)

A few updates at the beginning of 2009.
As it has been for the past year or so, the vocabulary continue to expand - words, length of sentences, variations of words and meanings, words to describe how he feels, etc.... It is rather fascinating to listen to him and see what new words he has picked up and how he is learning to put words together to make new phrases, that make sense! A favorite of his lately...his, not necessarily ours, "I don't waaaaant it!" - Used any time he does not want to do something he is asked/told, or when he is asked if he wants something and he does not...till he changes his mind when the "something" is taken away. Fun fun...
Potty training: Going well, actually. We have started in big boy pants all the time when we are at home or going for a quick errand and pull-ups for overnight and long trips. He is getting pretty good and we have gone numerous days in just ONE pair of big boy pants - YEAH! It is nice to say for at least a little over a month we have no "diapers" in the house (minus the pull-ups). He is very motivated by m&m's and knows every time he goes, he gets one. I will say it is still usually prompted by an adult asking, but he does tell me every once in a while, I just usually try not to let it go that long.
Academics and interest: He loves to count things: I will hear him playing with toys and counting them out! We know some of our letters...he can sing the alphabet with help...knows the second half the best. Whenever he sees a "k" he says "kegan"! He can pick up certain books and "read" to himself, or help me "read" familiar books. Loves music: dancing to it, singing it, playing it...he seems to just enjoy it all around. Balls, balls, and more balls - any type of ball from any sport and he will pick it up and play with it! Of course a continued love of tractors and all things big with wheels that move! One other random interest: He really likes to help me in the kitchen - especially stirring things and doing the dishes. He has learned a lot by this: he knows what steam is and what boiling is (tells me when something is steaming or boiling) and knows this means it is "hot" and "do not touch". He can also tell you what smoke is...that is more from candles being blown out...but a few times in the kitchen, too...haha!

Just a few things I could think of off the top of my head. 2008 was an amazing year of leaps and bounds in growth and development and I am really looking forward to 2009 and watching him continue to grow! :)

Picture time:
Swimming in the pool. He remembered a lot of stuff from his summer swim lessons - blowing bubbles, kicking, and floating, to name a few. He still LOVES the water and has NO fear of it...hence why he will be in floaties till he can swim on his own. He bounds on in with no reservations!

Floating with Aunt Stephani

Hey...the floating kind of help me kick back a little...

On New Years Eve we headed off to Plano:

I guess he decided he needed neck support. He was watching a movie and when I looked back he had stuck "puppy" behind his neck...and left it there for a while...silly Kegan!

We stayed at Wendy and Nolans house the first 2 nights we were there, so we stopped by there house before heading to my parent's house. It worked out well because Kegan and Karsyn had a fun time playing together and were SOOO excited to see each other. He kept talking about seeing her the entire trip up there, and Wendy said Karsyn had been talking about since the night before.

Silly cousins playing in some of Karsyn's glasses.

Gram's Christmas tree before we opened our gifts...well, half the gifts...

Handsome man! Aren't these such "big boy" looking pajama's. Grams gave them to him - I love them!

Santa's little elf...

...trying to dig into a gift early!

I want this one!

We were all excited about some gift, here!

Relaxing with Uncle Nolan...opening gifts is hard work...and waiting for your cousin and other relatives to open gifts is even harder!

Kegan and Karsyn playing with his new dump truck. The packaging was the perfect mess to pick up and dump out of this new toy!

(Side note: This dump truck is really cool. My sister found it on Etsy. It is hand made, from wood, by a man who is a grandpa and would make all these different trucks and trains for his grand kids and decided to make a little business out of it. Here is his sight: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6115775 I believe it all comes un-painted so no worries about paints and that sort. I have found it to be good quality and Kegan has really enjoyed playing with it. I totally recommend the site and these products, if you are ever looking for something along these lines!)

Aquadoodle painting - lots of fun...no mess!

The hit of the evening....pretty much all unwrapping stopped after Karsyn and Kegan opened these and we had to finish the rest the next morning...a harmonica. Kegan LOVED it and was actually pretty good...for a 2 year old.

They played and they played and they played.....

Is it better if we look at each other and play and play and play...

A little relaxing with Grams after all the harmonica playing..

Hmm...was someone tired?

After a good nights rest the kids woke up to a great start to the new year! Happy 2009!

Kegan was awake before Karsyn, so Aunt Wendy said Kegan could go wake her up...she was not too thrilled at first to be woken up...kept trying to hide in her pillow as Kegan took off her covers, tickled her, and kept pushing her hair around...eventually though she opened her eyes and was very happy to see her cousin!

They then decided to play around some under the "tent" as Karsyn calls it when the cover is over her head.

Where did they go???

Boo...found you!

After some play time and breakfast we all headed over to Grams and Papa's house.

Playing a little ball with Papa in the front yard.

Opening gifts, round 2.

(Ok this picture was more so put in there to show the progress of my belly bump. Ty is really starting to stick out, huh!?!)

Wooo...the big finally...a bull-dozer (which Papa learned NOT to call a tractor. He said something about the "tractor" and Kegan looked at him and said, "NO, buuulldozer!")

Taking it for a test ride...

Karsyn trying it out.

Collecting dirt and grass to dump out of the bulldozer

No pictures mom, just let me play

After nap time, Karsyn woke up before Kegan and decided it was time for him to get up to...sooo...we put her in the pack-n-play...and she tried and tried to wake him up - talked to him, kissed him...took his sheet off, finally he woke up (I think it was more the camera flashing than anything else).

Awake and ready to head to dinner!

Chillin' with Uncle Nolan on the couch

Earlier that day my dad, Nolan, and Matthew had all gone out to buy Matthew his big gift from my parents - a bike. Wendy, Nolan and Karsyn, got him a kid seat for the back, so of course, Kegan needed a helmet. I was not sure how he would do with putting it on his head. Well...as soon as he saw it he said "football" and wanted it on his head. Not exactly a helmet for football, but good connection Kegan...and well it motivated him to put it on his head. He wore that thing forever that night, just playing around. What a nut!

Next day: Out for a test drive/ride.

"I'm ready!"

Zoom....

Kegan was having such a good time he wanted to keep riding...so he took a spin with Papa, too!

Karsyn getting in on the helmet and bike action!

Reading with Papa that evening.

Aunt Wendy brought a tent over to play in. What a hit!

Ahhh...Uncle Nolan (Uncle No No) surprised Kegan!

Ahhh...Kegan surprised Uncle Nolan!

Hera I am!

Sunday we had to say our good-byes and head back home.

Sweet hugs good-bye

We had a great visit and look forward to seeing everyone again after Ty is born! :)

Monday night we had a meeting and Kegan was going to spend some time at Gramma's and Pampa's. While waiting for daddy we went into the garage to ride our tricycle and dump truck. The helmet is a bit overkill for what we were doing...but when he saw it in the garage, he just HAD to wear it!

Wednesday:

They came out and poured the cement slab for Matthew's new barn, so Matthew called and asked if Kegan and I could come put to see it all, and get Kegan's little handprint in the slab.

From books we have Kegan new this was a "cement mixer" and was interested in watching it actually work, up close.

My men in hats. (Kegan is finally wanting to put on hats more often and requested his hat out of the blue on this day, so I gave it to him and he wore it, for a while, till his head got warm.)

Running free across the fields.

Tall pile of sand.

"I want up there!"

King of the hill

Wooosh...jump down. (Ok, so he really did not jump from way up there by himself, Matthew helped him...this was the landing from another jump from a much lower point on the sand hill.)

Any guesses to where Kegan is going???

To drive the tractor, of course!

After playing for a bit, the cement had set enough and was ready to have our handprints put in it.

Kegan's hands.

Dirty hands, now!

So sweet!

His boot marks bade it too (on purpose!).

The families hand prints.

A morning at the farm would not be complete with out a ride on the tractor.

Till next time...