Here we go again...

I am horrible at keeping up with this blog.  There, I said it. Moving on... :)

Things in the Aldrich house are peachy keen. The bug (or bug let, or beetle bug, or bunny, or bean, or bean let or any of the myriad of names I call my dear sweet Kinsley) is growing like a weed.  She's officially 10 months old and has become so much fun! 

Things the K Chuck is Doing at TEN MONTHS!

• Saying "mama", "dada", "up", and (my personal favorite) "bad/bad dad" :) She doesn't always say them in the correct context, but it's cute nonetheless :)
• getting really pissed off that she can't crawl.  She'll get onto her belly from a sitting position and then kick like crazy and spin around in a circle, but forward movement has not happened yet.
• eating anything and EVERYTHING! After her 9 month appointment, we introduced table food in full force.  Her favorites are chicken noodle soup and yogurt but she'll eat pretty much whatever we're eating in some form.
• Clapping!! If you say, "yay" to Kinsley she will clap. 
• Waving :) As soon as she wakes up in the morning she immediately starts waving at anyone and everyone, including stuffed animals :) If we say hi or bye, she waves as well
• Falling asleep between 7:30 and 8 each night and sleeping until 4.  The only reason I've encouraged/forced her to even be awake at 4 is so I can nurse her before I get up for the day.  I think that if she was still sleeping in our bed, neither of us would even wake up at that point.  (I heart co-sleeping, judge me if you want, but it's not going to change my mind.  We do not go to bed drunk or high or stupid, so I am not afraid to sleep with her in the bed)
• Just being cute in general :) I feel like I have LOOOVED every stage Kinsley has gone through, but this 10 month thing? AMAZEBALLS! She's fun and cute and funny and perfect :)

I'm sure she's doing other things too, but I have to get this other thing off my chest...





:::AHHHHHHHEMMMM::: (clearing throat sound)


I want another baby.





Like now.







kthxbye :)



Actually, I've wanted about a million babies since the moment I saw the bean.  My first (well, technically second) pregnancy was amazing.  I felt great, wasn't too complain-y and sailed through it all.  I think I'm ready to add another baby to our family.  And I think Brian is too.  In fact, we were both ready a long time ago. 


No, this is not a pregnancy announcement.


And no, it's not a "I'm pregnant but not telling anyone yet" announcement. 


My dear buddy Tom just returned on April Fools Day so we're starting the process of baybee makin' again.  Right now, it just means we're not preventing anything from happening.  Today is day 9 of my cycle so I've starting my ovulation testing.  Not sure if we're even going to try on this cycle, but I'd like to be informed on when I ovulate for next cycle (or the next one).



I know, I know, I know.... the next bean may not be as easy as Kinsley was, but who's to say they WON'T be?


P.S. You can thank Emily and Sarah for my baby fever since Madalyn just joined us the day after my (dirty) 30th birthday and Sarah's due in August :)

Simple.

Today I am thankful for Netflix. :)

Full of Thanks

I know that I already had one day of thankfulness for my Brian, but my thankfulness of him deserves more than just one mention. More than just one day.

Because of his job and willingness to support us, I am able to stay home with Kinsley. Before she was born, he and I had talked about how much time we would both take off and had settled on 12 weeks. That would take us to the beginning of the school year. Then she was born. And for the five months that she has been here, she's been away from me exactly 2 times. Once when I went to Giant alone and once when Brian took her to Giant. Needless to say, I've yet to return to work. :) And that is because of my rock. I will return to work in January (which is coming WAY too fast!), but my working is a temporary thing. Brian has a great job and provided we keep saving as much as possible and his raises and bonuses continue, I'll stop working once we have baby #2. Eeeee :)

Without him, I would be lost. And heart broken. And so much more stressed.

So thank you, sweetheart, for everything you do and for everything you've always done for us!

Happy Veterans Day!

Today (and everyday!) I am thankful for this man. Jerald Edgar Ely, my dear sweet grandpa. Grandpa was in the Navy during World War II and has such wonderful stories to tell. He is brave and sweet and wonderful. He is now 92 years old and has gone through a lot in the last year. 

I am so thankful for the time I have with him <3 p="p"> 

Playing catch-up...

Mission to blog more and on time: FAIL


Now it's time to catch up on my thankfulness :)

November 3rd: I am thankful for my in-laws. Even if we don't always see eye-to-eye they are wonderful and I know they would do anything for us :)

November 4th: I am so thankful for both my health and the health of my family. Kinsley had a nasty cold, which was stressful enough, I cannot imagine how tough a real health concern could be! Even with the struggles my family has had/is having, we are generally a healthy bunch. :)

November 5th: I am lucky enough to have two amazing grandparents.  They are great influences on all of us and they are wonderful parents to their six children and wonderful grandparents to their 19 grandchildren AND all their great-grandchildren! I miss my Adams grandparents all the time, but that makes me treasure the Ely ones all the more. :) I'm also so thankful that Kinsley has four wonderful grandparents :)

November 6th: Happy Election Day! Of course I am thankful for my right to vote, but I am also thankful that all my friends (even the ones who are WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG) have the right to voice their opinions on the election :)

November 7th: Thankful that the correct candidate won :) And I'm excited to see what the next four years bring.

November 8th: Although it might sound repetitive, I am very thankful for my family, both immediate and extended. And especially for my sister-in-law, Cheylyn, who rode to Reading and back with me on Tuesday so I could vote!

November 9th: I am thankful that I could sleep in every morning this week!

November 10th: One of the aspects of my life that I am most thankful for is my dear, sweet, tiny, loveable baby Kinsley Charlotte. She is the cutest, tiniest, sweetest baybee I have ever met and I love her with all my heart and soul. I am so thankful that Brian and I were blessed with such a great baby. She has always been such a joy and so easy. I don't know what I ever did without her :)

Second day of thanks

Today I am thankful for my wonderful parents.  Kinsley and I are spending two weeks with my family while Brian is in St. Louis.  I had forgotten how much I love spending time with my family, specifically my Little Mom and Dad.

Growing up we always had everything we needed. Did I recognize it at the time? Definitely not! But now that I'm a mom myself I realize how hard my parents have always worked for us.  They gave up so much of their time and things they may have wanted so Lana, Raymond, Emily and I could have things we wanted or needed. 

Thank you so much for all you do and have done, Little Parents!

A Month of Thanks

Happy November! :) Trying to kill two birds with one stone here, blogging more and doing the whole month of thanks thing.

Today I am thankful for my wonderful husband. Since Kinsley was born, Brian has stepped up in every aspect. He's a champion at putting her to sleep, changing diapers (when they're not TOO bad) and supporting me.  If it weren't for his great new job I wouldn't have been able to spend this time with Kinsley. He is also an amazing best friend and support in every other aspect of our lives. 

Love you sweetheart!