Day 94 - Happy New Years Eve

So what did we do on New Year's Eve? We partied like rock stars, of course!!

Seriously - we practiced holding our heads up! All of us...Allie, Kaiya and me!!

I was getting curious as to when Allie starting holding her larger than normal head up and looked it up on her blog. Allie started holding her head up around Day 95!

I know I can't continue to compare them because they are two separate individuals, but I do need a refresher on what milestones hit when for Allie to keep in the back of my mind! I am so thankful I did that blog, which is the biggest reason I am working so hard to keep this one!!

Allie has turned in to a great big sister as you can see by her helping her little sister!

Day 93 - My new best friend

This monkey was a gift from Bana. Since Kaiya is so young this year for Christmas, we skimmed a little on the gifts for her. In all fairness - we did the same with Allie when she was this age!!

But Kaiya has taken to this monkey like white on rice!!! She talks to this monkey and tries to eat it all the time. Totally cute and totally Kaiya!!

Day 92 - Double bathtime!!

We're experimenting with how to consolidate bath times...

Allie seemed to enjoy this one the most...

Verdict is still out on Kaiya's thoughts!! She looks a bit terrified of her Godzilla-eque big sister hovering over her with the washcloth!!

Day 91 - Wordless Wednesday

I do have one word...

CHUNKER!!!

Day 90 - Loving my mobile

And by mobile...I don't mean cell phone. That would be her sister Allie that loves her "phone" which is an iPod Touch that she got for Christmas!

Kaiya is so alert these days...she loves studying the same mobile that we used for Allie. On the mobile, there are three animals - A Hippo (named Bobo), a Flamingo (named Fefe) and a Frog (unnamed)! She's such a little cutie....I love this little one just as much as her sister, Allie! :-)

And SPEAKING of her sister Allie...as Kaiya gets older, she continues to look MORE AND MORE like Allie at that age!! I took this picture today of Kaiya...and then came across this picture of Allie...wowzers!

Day 89 - Tired

We did a lot of after Christmas shopping today...which made us all very tired...

...especially a little baby named Kaiya!

Day 88 - Kaiya's first Christmas

Brad and I have only put up Christmas trees and decorated a handful of times in our 13 years together (wow...has it been that long).

We really started the year Allie was born...skipped a year because we were moving...and then again the year Kaiya was born...THIS YEAR!

I did a bit more this year since we are starting to feel the Christmas spirit more! Stockings, decorations...all of it!!

We all have our own monogrammed stocking...
And have now started our own Christmas morning traditions...for now at least! And it happened by accident since we were out of waffle mix....I made them from scratch. So for at least the next few years...we will have homemade waffles with a pinch of cinnamon and snow (powdered sugar) - although this year...Kaiya wasn't able to eat any of it! Instead, she joined us at the table and talked...and listened!


She didn't even get that many gifts...but Allie didn't get that many her first Christmas either!! But I think she enjoyed watching all of us crinkle paper as we ripped through our gifts! I promise they'll get better, Kaiya!!

Merry FIRST Christmas baby girl!!!

Day 87 - Sisters till the end

This has been a typical Saturday morning for me!! It seriously makes my heart sing to see how much Allie loves her baby sister. She is so gentle and so loving. Always wanting to kiss her and always wanting to hold her hand! It should be an interesting dynamic between these two as they get older!

Day 86 - Thumbsucker

Christmas is getting closer and I just can't contain myself. This year has just been so fun because Allie is finally at an age where she can comprehend things about Christmas. And by association...Kaiya gets to join in with the festivities - whether she likes it or not!! :-)

It's been a mad dash to get things finalized before Christmas although yesterday I came down with an awful stomach bug that has plagued Allie in addition to the rest of the valley here in Salt Lake!! It's been a LONG time since I've been that sick...and I just felt for poor little Allie even more when I actually came down with the same thing!

Today's photo is a photo that I know will bother me until Kaiya's a teenager for I fear that she will not outgrow her thumbsucking until then!! It is always amazing to me that she instinctually just started sucking on it! As I've mentioned before - it makes me mad and cracks me up at the same time that she spits out her "binkie" so that she can have her thumb!! I'll never understand it...I'll never like it.

But I do admit...she's a little cute sucking it, isn't she?!

Day 85 - Cheeks or Bears?

I can't figure out if it's her actual cheeks that are so big...or if it is the bears on her straps that MAKE her cheeks look so big!!


Okay...it's the cheeks...

Day 84 - Alert

I have been so amazed at how quickly Kaiya has taken to cooing and cawing! She is a SMILER...although I never can seem to catch it on camera...she gets distracted by the camera / phone and then just stares in amazement! All you have to do is say hi to the little booger and she is smiling away at you! Allie was a smiler...but Kaiya is THE SMILER!

Today was one of those rare days that we went downstairs and played. Most of Allie's toys are downstairs and Kaiya's swing and play items are down there too. So on days where we either remember to take them down or have it warm enough down there...they get to play with what almost seems like new toys!

Kaiya is so alert when she is in her little play...thing for a lack of a better term to call it! Allie used to spend so much time playing in this thing that I feel bad that Kaiya doesn't! The music that it plays is so familiar bc we had Allie in it so much! Kaiya loves it!! We just need to get her in it more!!

Day 83 - Cozy Kaiya

Juuuuusssstttt when you think she couldn't get any cuter...

Day 82 - Staying warm

Mornings in Salt Lake are cold in the mornings. Typically it is in the teens or twenties...so we have to make sure that our little lady is bundled up!

Even if her hat is a little too big for her!!

Day 81 - Growing up fast

Yes - I realize that most of her pictures in this blog are taken with my iPhone...and yes - I realize that she's asleep in a majority of them!

She's growing fast and I'm trying to document it...but it is SOOOO hard when there seems to be so little time! I swear - even if there were 3 of me - it still wouldn't be enough!

Day 80 - Saturday night cuddles

There's just something about cuddling with an infant - there are no words to describe it. I don't know if it's the cuddly goodness, the love I have for this baby or the hormones...but I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Kaiya, much like her big sister, is a phenomenal sleeper! I am so proud of her for sleeping so well through the night. She will typically go to sleep around 7:30 or 8:00 and I'll usually wake her up for one final feeding before I go to sleep around 10:00. From then on , the girl doesn't wake up. I will usually wake her up between 5:30 and 6:00 in the morning to get our day started, she'll eat and go right back to sleep! BabyWise or not...she's an excellent sleeper!

Day 79 - Nonstop GO!

I tell ya - I'm glad it's Friday! Back to work and I must say that no one could have prepared me for the insane busy-ness of having a 2 year old and a newborn! From the time that wake up and leave the door...and then the time that I step through the door until bedtime...it is non stop GO! I wonder how people with twins do it. Although twins are the same age...doing the same things.

With these two, one moment I'll be nursing Kaiya and Allie will need to go potty...or Allie needs me to come and play with her while Kaiya needs a diaper change. Very, very complicated. Must be a multi-tasker. HAHA!! That's what the ad should read for mom with multiple children!

I took this picture while dinner was cooking. Kaiya had drifted off to sleep while Allie was a bit of TV. I guess I had covered her with one too many burp cloths!!

Day 78 - First Christmas Play ever

I'm cheating.

I am totally using a picture I took yesterday for today's blog post. The reason I don't consider 100% cheating is because this was taken later on in the evening...and yesterday seemed like it lasted an eternity with Lando's passing. So I get a bi.

Yesterday was the Christmas play at the girls' daycare: How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Kaiya made her acting debut as a present in a stocking! Seriously though - all the kids were pretty stinkin' cute!!

Day 77 - Down time

With two kids, the only downtime that you have is when everyone is asleep. So that is typically the only time I remember to take my daily Kaiya picture!

Today was a particularly difficult day because we had to say good-bye to our dear friend, Lando. He was 9 years old and had arthritis in his back so much so that his bones had started fusing together where cartilage should be. So there were a lot of tears shed today.

Kaiya, Lando was one of the best dogs ever. I wish so much that you had gotten to grow up with him. He was our first fur-baby and he was such a gentle giant. Your mommy and daddy will miss him so much!!

Day 76 - Good-bye Bana

Bana left before the sun came up this morning. We had a great visit this week and it just makes me wish that she were around all the time. I hope that as the girls grow up, we will continue to keep in touch as often with visits. As Kaiya and Allie both get older, perhaps visits to Bana and Kristin's will also be in our future!

So - from our bed early this morning, Kaiya said, "good-bye Bana! I love you!"

Day 75 - Sleeping like her momma...

Yes - Kaiya sleeps just like me...with her mouth gaping wide open!

Day 74 - Talking with Bana

Kaiya and Bana have spent quite a bit of time having girl talk!!!

Bana has done a fantastic job taking photos and this is a SUPER cute photo that she got during her girl sessions...

Day 73 - Time with Daddy

Daddy will be the first to admit...newborns are boring. Infants are boring. They can't hold their heads up...just eat and sleep...or just sit there. They don't do anything.

Well...Kaiya showed him. She sat with him and gave him smiles and talked to him for a while...

Infants can't do anything...hmph....Kaiya's no infant anymore!!! At least in HER head, she's not!!

Day 72 - Santa and Temple Square in the cold

Today, Bana, Allie, Kaiya and I headed out to the mall for our annual Santa trip. I was more worried about Allie and Santa but I should have been worried about Kaiya. She slept the entire time we were in line and by the time we got tot he front...she was disgruntled...and gassy! She farted the entire time she was on Santa's lap...and it smelled by the time we left. I felt bad for the man. You can see it in her face...her farting face!!

Tonight we ventured out to see the Christmas lights at Temple Square. It was ccccccold. We put Kaiya in the Moby wrap...but I was still worried that she was cold.

She wasn't happy at first...so we headed inside and miraculously found a mother's room that was temporarily set up. So I fed her as much as possible and she soon passed out. We then ventured out with the rest of Salt Lake and froze!

Kaiya was such a good baby though and didn't make one peep!

The photo below was taken...before...we fed her. As you can see from her facial expression...she wasn't the happiest!

Day 71 - Pretty girl

Even when she looks like she's mad...she's still a pretty, pretty girl. Thank you, Bana for the picture!!

Too bad it looks like that hair is starting to thin out.... :-(

Day 70 - Bana arrives

Bana flew in today...and it was a hectic morning to start out with!

I took the day off so that we could go pick Bana up from the airport and Julie called. She was in a pickle as her babysitter was sick. She had to go into the office today, so she needed someone to watch her two kids. In my head...I thought - I can do it!! I just had to be free by 12:30 so I could get ready to head to the airport. Oh yeah...Julie's kids...24 months and 6 weeks. And we kept Allie and Kaiya at home so that we could head to the airport. So...yes - you are counting correctly. I had 4 kids at once for about 3-1/2 hours! Luckily...Brad was nice enough to help me out when I needed him! Julie came back by 12:30 and I survived...and so did everyone else!!!

Later on in the evening, we pulled out all the Christmas ornaments and decorated the tree. Kaiya was more interested in sleeping. What is funny about this picture (taken by Bana) is that we are trying so hard to get her to take a pacifier instead of sucking her thumb. 5 minutes before this picture was taken...she had her pacifier....

I'll post some tree decorating photos in Big Sister, Allie's blog later!

Day 69 - Chubby sleeper

Quick picture for today...work has been hectic since my return back...

She quite chubby...and she's asleep...

Hence...chubby sleeper.

Day 68 - Kaiya...you have a funny daddy

Because he likes to do silly things like this while he's giving you a bath...

I'm not quite sure why...but I think of a little chubby asian man sitting in a kitchen making noodles when I see this picture!! :-)

Day 67 - More bath time help

Allie is pretty adamant about helping out with bath time. She is very good at helping and Kaiya doesn't seem to mind so much either!!

Kaiya is such a good bath taker...even when we take her out and she seems to be freezing while we get her powdered and lotioned up...she's still all smiles!!

Day 66 - Good morning

Saturday mornings are starting to become one of my favorite mornings because I get to cuddle with these guys!! Allie is so sweet with her baby sister, too! She always wants to hug and kiss on her!!

Day 65 - My little buddy...

As I've said time and time again - it is so funny to see the differences between Kaiya and Allie.

Allie was such a good napper, very much content with sleeping in her crib where she was alone.

Kaiya, on the other hand, does not like to be left in a quiet room for napping. She will whine and whine....and whine....to let you know she is not happy with being in there alone. As soon as you just walk into the room and she hears or sees you - she's fine. So during wake time - I'll bring her into the kitchen and prop her on the counter while I do dishes and we'll talk. She finds comfort in being around people...or me...and after she's done listening to you talk...she'll go right to sleep. Put her in hearing distance of conversation or the TV and she's fine. Put her back in her crib where it's quiet...and she'll typically wake up and want to rejoin the action.

I think she'll be our little social butterfly!

Day 64 - Two month check up

Today was Kaiya's two month check up - however, today Kaiya is two months and one week. Kaiya was two months on Thanksgiving, so there was no way we were getting in on that day!!

I was surprised to see how BIG she has gotten...

Here's an idea of her growth:

Weight:

10/4/11 - 7.78 lbs (50%)

10/13/11 - 8.53 lbs (58%)

10/24/11 - 9.57 lbs (70%)

12/1/11 - 12.72 lbs (90%)

Length:

10/13/11 - 20.67 in (65%)

10/22/11 - 22.44 in (95%)

12/1/11 - 22.95 in (71%)

Allie was ALWAYS in the 90th percentile and up, so we knew she was a big healthy baby. Kaiya is on the smaller side COMPARATIVELY...but still a big baby. When she was first born - our OB examined the placenta and umbilical cord. She mentioned that the umbilical cord was on the thin / small side, but didn't seem to affect the baby. I'm convinced this is the reason why she didn't come out as large as Allie - and I'm not really complaining!!!

But Kaiya is showing us that she is doing all she can to catch up!!

And of course - here are more smile pictures! Her hair cracks me up...I look at this picture and think HAIR PLUGS..